Same length, forty-two fewer guests
S.S. Victoria measures 135 metres and carries 110 guests. In this fleet,
other 135-metre hulls carry 152 or 158. The length is identical, the number of
people is not, and every square metre saved has gone into the accommodation. The
smallest category runs around seventeen and a half square metres, larger than
many upper-grade cabins elsewhere.
That is the only criterion that really counts when you hesitate between two
ships from the same line on the same river. Decor is a story. Space is a
measurement.
Where this ship comes from
The hull left the MV Werften yard in Wismar in 2017, for Crystal River
Cruises, as Crystal Bach. It then carried the name Riverside Bach. Uniworld has
chartered it since 2024 under a three-year arrangement with its German owner,
and staffs it with its own crew. What becomes of that arrangement at term is not
publicly established.
We say so because it concerns you: a chartered ship can leave a fleet faster
than an owned one. That changes nothing about a cruise you have booked. It
changes how cautious to be about a distant one.
The Rhine and the Moselle
The ship works the Rhine and the Moselle. The Moselle is the detour worth
taking: narrower, more winding, banked with steep vineyards, with locks closer
together. A 135-metre ship fits, but it moves slowly, and that is exactly the
point.
Its sister is S.S. Elisabeth. To compare with the larger capacities, look at S.S. Antoinette and S.S. Beatrice,
or S.S. Joie de Vivre on the Seine.
What the package pays for
Shipboard gratuities form part of the package, which removes the most
awkward question of the last evening. Meals are included, with a selection of
wines, beers and spirits offered through the day. Scheduled excursions and the
transfers in your file are included too.
Wi-Fi is a courtesy service with no commitment on speed. Expect
interruptions, particularly in locks and on remote sections.
Excluded: airfare, visas, travel insurance, laundry, spa, communications and
optional excursions.
Before booking for someone with reduced mobility
The contract speaks of reasonable efforts and stops there. No mobility
equipment is made available, and a companion capable of assisting is required.
The quay, the gangway and the cobblestones of old towns do the rest. Ask for
written confirmation about the chosen ship rather than relying on a general
description of the fleet.
Arranging the departure from Quebec
The journey from Montreal happens in two stages: an overnight flight to
Europe, then a transfer to the port of embarkation. Travellers who arrive the
same day often board exhausted. Those who allow themselves a night on the
ground start the cruise properly.
Voyages AquaTerra holds a Quebec travel agent licence. Your payments move
through a trust account and the Compensation Fund for Customers of Travel
Agents protects your file. Your advisor will explain exactly what that covers.
