Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection has officially announced its newest vessel will join the line’s fleet of intimate and unique river cruise vessels in the Spring of 2015.

Named after the Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, the S.S. Maria Theresa will sail the very region where the real Maria Theresa reigned from 1740 until 1780. Although Uniworld’s signature European Jewels sailings from Budapest to Amsterdam will be S.S. Maria Theresa’s primary intinerary in 2015, she will also offer springtime Tulips & Windmills cruises, as well as Uniworld’s Danube Holiday Markets and Enchanting Christmas & New Year’s voyages.

“We are delighted to name our new 2015 Super Ship after such a great historical figure as Maria Theresa who had a wonderful and long legacy,” said Guy Young, president of Uniworld. “In addition, Maria Theresa was the mother of Marie Antoinette, so in the spirit of our award-winning ship, S.S. Antoinette, we are confident the S.S. Maria Theresa will be equally as magnificent.”

S.S Maria Theresa will be the third ship to be based upon the same general design as Uniworld’s highly-successful S.S. Antoinette, which was launched in 2011. This spring, Uniworld took delivery of the S.S Antoinette’s first sister ship, the gorgeous S.S Catherine. But the approach that Uniworld is taking to shipbuilding is quite different from that of its competitors; something Young directly referred to in announcing the S.S. Maria Theresa.

“The S.S. Catherine has been sailing for a month, and we have received amazing feedback on the ship and its wonderful amenities from the first guests sailing onboard,” he said. “We spend significantly more than any other river cruise line to ensure that each ship is one-of-a-kind and represents a luxury product. Our philosophy for the expansion of our fleet is built on the premise of healthy and sustainable growth with a focus on the comfort of our guests.”

The S.S. Maria Theresa will embark on her maiden revenue cruise on March 28, 2015 as she sails Uniworld’s Tulips & Windmills voyage from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Antwerp, Belgium, with port calls on Zaandam, Hoorn, Nijmegen, Rotterdam, Kinderdijk, Dordrecht, Veere and Ghent.

More information on the forthcoming S.S. Maria Theresa will be featured here as it is made available. For a look at Uniworld’s latest vessel, click here to see Ralph Grizzle’s report from the new S.S. Catherine.