Tauck MS Inspire

The 2013-built MS Inspire cruise ship (fka VIVA Inspire) joined Scylla’s fleet as the 5th riverboat, designed the same as the sisterships and Tauck fleetmates Grace, Joy, and Savor.

Currently, the shipowner Scylla charters MS Inspire exclusively to the USA-based cruise travel company Tauck.

The riverboat (ENI number 065000006) is Switzerland-flagged (MMSI 269057571) and registered in Basel.

Renamed “VIVA Inspire,” the riverboat was full-time chartered to VIVA Cruises in 2021, together with Treasures. For VIVA Cruises, in summer 2021, both ships operated 4-night itineraries visiting Wertheim and Wurzburg (on the Main River), and Kehl-Strasbourg via Mannheim (on the Rhine River). VIVA’s Danube itineraries visit the capital cities of Bratislava, Budapest, and Vienna. Both ships were priced from EUR 500 / GBP 440 per person (4-night voyage, double-occupancy cabin rates).

VIVA Cruises’ deals are all-inclusive, with fares covering snacks, in-cabin minibar, high-quality alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, Rituals beauty products, and gratuities.

Decks and Cabins

MS Inspire provides 67 staterooms accommodating 130 passengers. The accommodations include 22 Tauck Suites (category 7, sized 300 ft2, triple occupancy with a pull-out sofabed), 8 Junior Suites (category 5, sized 27 m2), 23 French Balcony cabins (categories 2, 4, 5, 6), and 14 Riverview cabins (categories 1 and 3) with non-opening high windows.

All passenger staterooms are equipped with TVs, digital safes, minibars, bathrooms (hairdryer, shower, single sink, toilet), and individual air conditioning.

All passenger staterooms are outside/outward-facing and equipped with an iPod docking station, TV, minibar, digital safe, air conditioning, and a bathroom (WC, shower, single sink, hairdryer, Tauck-branded Molton Brown bath products, terry cloth robes, towels). Beds are fitted with 400-thread satin bed linen, mako cotton pillows, 100% cotton blankets, and thick pillow-top mattresses.

The boat has 4 decks, of which 3 have cabins.

Shipboard facilities

In the entrance hall, guests will find the Reception, Travel Desk, and a stylish onboard shop.

Diamant Deck houses the Lido Bar, which also serves as a secondary dining venue, complementing the main restaurant on Ruby Deck. This deck also houses the Panorama Bar & Lounge.

The boat is fitted with a modern wellness area and fitness room, and a hairdresser is available on board.

A lift connects the three passenger decks.

The vessel’s construction (hull and superstructure) was completed at Vahali Shipyard in Belgrade, Serbia. Founded in 1923, the Dutch shipbuilding company Scheepswerf en Machinefabriek Vahali BV owns and operates shipyards in Serbia (Belgrade and Zasavica) and the Netherlands (Gendt). Vahali Shipyard Zasavica officially opened in 2013. After construction in Serbia, the cruise ship was towed to the Netherlands for final outfitting at Scheepswerf Vahali in Gendt.

Note: You can view CruiseMapper’s list of all river cruise ships and riverboats in the “Itinerary” section of our River Cruises hub. All companies and their fleets are listed there.