On March 26, 2015, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection will officially welcome its newest river cruise ship into the fleet. Set to be christened in Amsterdam, the S.S. Maria Theresa will pay tribute to the much beloved Maria Theresa, the Archduchess of Austria and Empress of the Holy Roman Empire. She had the great distinction of serving as the only female ruler of the Habsburg dynasty, reigning from 1740 to 1780.

“Our aim is to transport each guest into experiencing the fantasy of living in an 18th-century Baroque castle. We designed the S.S. Maria Theresa to take our guests on a journey back in time with an onboard atmosphere and style seamlessly integrated with the history and architecture of the very places they will visit onshore, as well as provide them with the latest in luxurious comfort and technology, of course,” said Toni Tollman, daughter of Red Carnation Hotels president and founder Beatrice Tollman.

Uniworld has endeavoured to make the S.S. Maria Theresa a work of art in her own right. In the Habsburg Salon where guests can relax with a book or enjoy afternoon tea, five murals depicting the 18th-century Austrian countryside have been hand-painted by specialist painter Croxford and Saunders. Methodically-sourced antiques and inspirational paintings from different artists of the period envelop the ship’s interior décor in this fascinating historical period. The ship even boasts a 10-foot high original oil painting of S.S. Maria Theresa’s famous namesake that will grace the vessel’s grand two-story lobby.

Other public areas aboard the new S.S. Maria Theresa will include an authentic Viennese café experience, where guests can enjoy classic Austrian specialties like the sachertorte, Würstl, (Viennese sausage) and of course sample the famous Viennese passion for coffee.

The Leopard Bar also returns aboard S.S. Maria Theresa. Designed with elegantly muted colours and intricate mosaic tile murals created by noted South African mosaic tile artist, Jane du Rand, the Leopard Bar is billed as the perfect place to enjoy pre-or-post dinner cocktails, or perhaps dance the night away.

Other features also include the 10-seat Lipizzan Cinema, which comes configured with deep blue velvet loveseats for comfortable movies on the river. The ship will also feature an onboard fitness centre, swimming pool and the Serenity River Spa

More information on Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection and the line’s entire fleet can be found by viewing our company profile here on River Cruise Advisor.