TTW
TTW

Uniworld 2028 Itineraries Take Travellers on Epic Journeys From Amsterdam to the Black Sea

River cruise

Image generated with Ai

Europe is calling, and the Uniworld 2028 Itineraries are creating exciting new ways for travellers to discover the continent. From Amsterdam to the Black Sea, these epic journeys connect remarkable cities, rivers and cultures across Europe. The new Uniworld 2028 Itineraries give travellers more choices, while the Amsterdam to the Black Sea voyage stands out as an extraordinary epic journey. Moreover, the programme brings together the Rhine, Main and Danube, creating a remarkable travel experience. With longer routes and new destinations, these Uniworld itineraries could reshape luxury river travel in 2028. Travel And Tour World urges travellers to read the entire story to discover the routes, destinations and essential travel details.

Uniworld 2028 Itineraries Expand European River Travel With Eight New Journeys

Uniworld is expanding its 2028 programme with eight new itineraries, giving travellers more opportunities to explore Europe by river. The collection ranges from an eight-day Dutch and Belgian journey to a 30-day expedition linking Amsterdam with Bucharest.

Advertisement

The programme also introduces three new ships, including the S.S. Clara and S.S. Helen. Uniworld says the new offerings focus on lesser-known ports, familiar destinations in different seasons and longer multi-country journeys.

Eight new ways to explore Europe

The longest option is Amsterdam to the Black Sea, lasting 30 days from Amsterdam to Bucharest aboard S.S. Helen.

Advertisement

Danube East & West runs for 18 days between Vienna and Bucharest. It crosses seven nations and provides an extended Danube experience.

Travellers seeking an eastern European adventure can choose Eastern Europe Exploration. This 25-day journey runs from Bucharest to Prague using the S.S. Emilie and S.S. Helen.

Empires of the Lower Danube offers a shorter nine-day journey from Belgrade to Bucharest. The route provides access to a region where travellers can combine riverside scenery with cultural and historical attractions.

Netherlands, Belgium and Germany join the programme

Dutch & Flemish Treasures lasts eight days between Amsterdam and Antwerp aboard S.S. Clara.

The Moselle Holiday Markets itinerary also lasts eight days, travelling between Trier and Düsseldorf. It focuses on smaller Moselle towns and Christmas-market experiences.

For travellers exploring Serbia, the Danube offers substantial cultural depth. Serbia’s national tourism organisation notes that 588 kilometres of the river pass through the country, including cities, protected landscapes and historic sites.

New French winter experiences

France receives two seasonal additions. Rhone Winter Holiday runs eight days from Arles to Lyon, while Grand France Holiday covers 15 days from Paris to Arles. Both are designed around French festive experiences.

Together, the new routes give travellers more flexibility to choose between short seasonal escapes and extended European adventures.

Uniworld 2028 Itineraries: Detailed Traveller Extension, Destinations and Tourism Data

Uniworld’s 2028 programme introduces eight new European itineraries, ranging from eight-day seasonal cruises to a 30-day Amsterdam–Bucharest journey. The routes cover Western, Central and Eastern Europe, with particular emphasis on the Rhine, Main, Danube, Rhône and connected waterways. Uniworld lists the eight programmes as Amsterdam to the Black Sea, Danube East & West, Dutch & Flemish Treasures, Eastern Europe Exploration, Empires of the Lower Danube, Moselle Holiday Markets, Rhône Winter Holiday and Grand France Holiday.

Uniworld 2028 Itineraries at a glance

ItineraryDurationRouteCountriesShip(s)Published starting price*
Amsterdam to the Black Sea30 daysAmsterdam–Bucharest9S.S. Helen$15,599
Danube East & West18 daysVienna–Bucharest7S.S. Emilie, S.S. Helen$8,399
Dutch & Flemish Treasures8 daysAmsterdam–Antwerp2S.S. Clara$3,799
Eastern Europe Exploration25 daysBucharest–Prague9S.S. Emilie, S.S. Helen$11,499
Empires of the Lower Danube9 daysBelgrade–Bucharest3S.S. Emilie, S.S. Helen$3,999
Moselle Holiday Markets8 daysTrier–DüsseldorfNot stated on overviewS.S. ClaraNot stated
Rhône Winter Holiday8 daysArles–LyonFranceS.S. Catherine$3,999
Grand France Holiday15 daysParis–ArlesFranceS.S. Catherine, S.S. Joie de VivreNot stated

*Published starting prices are per person based on double occupancy and can vary by sailing.

1. Amsterdam to the Black Sea

This is the flagship long-distance option. The 30-day itinerary begins in Amsterdam and ends in Bucharest. It crosses nine countries: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Romania, Serbia and Slovakia. The journey uses the Rhine, Main and Danube and is operated by the S.S. Helen. Uniworld says the voyage revives its historic Amsterdam-to-Black Sea concept following completion of the Main-Danube Canal in 1992. The published starting price is $15,599 per person.

Destinations included

Amsterdam, Netherlands; Germany; Austria; Slovakia; Hungary; Croatia; Serbia; Bulgaria; Romania; Bucharest and the Black Sea region.

2. Danube East & West

The 18-day Danube journey runs between Vienna and Bucharest and crosses seven countries. The programme combines the Lower Danube with Uniworld’s Vienna and capital-city experiences. It includes hotel stays at the beginning and end, while the itinerary highlights Vienna, Danube landscapes, wine experiences and the Danube Delta. The published starting price is $8,399.

Destinations included

Vienna, Austria; Croatia; Serbia; Bulgaria; Romania; Danube Delta; Bucharest, Romania, together with additional Danube destinations included in the sailing.

3. Dutch & Flemish Treasures

This eight-day itinerary connects Amsterdam with Antwerp and concentrates on the Netherlands and Belgium. Travellers can experience Amsterdam, Kampen and Belgian destinations before finishing in Antwerp. Activities include maritime heritage, canal exploration, traditional sailing, windmills and cultural attractions. The cruise operates aboard the S.S. Clara and includes six days of excursions. Uniworld lists three UNESCO World Heritage sites within the experience. The starting price shown for the itinerary is $3,799.

Destinations included

Amsterdam, Kampen, Netherlands; Antwerp and other Belgian destinations.

4. Eastern Europe Exploration

The 25-day Eastern Europe Exploration runs between Bucharest and Prague. Uniworld describes it as a nine-country journey visiting nearly two dozen cities and villages. Multiple overnight stays are intended to allow deeper exploration rather than rapid sightseeing. The programme combines three existing journey concepts and includes experiences involving wine, food, art and historic landmarks. The published starting price is $11,499.

Destinations included

Bucharest, Romania; Bulgaria; Serbia; Croatia; Hungary; Austria; Slovakia; Czechia/Prague, plus additional towns and villages along the Danube corridor.

5. Empires of the Lower Danube

This nine-day cruise travels between Belgrade and Bucharest across Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania. The programme includes the Iron Gates, Golubac, Lepenski Vir, Bulgarian riverside destinations and Romanian attractions. Uniworld lists one UNESCO World Heritage site and seven days of hosted excursions. The cruise is operated by the S.S. Emilie or S.S. Helen, with a seven-night river stay and one hotel night in Bucharest.

Destinations included

Belgrade, Golubac, Iron Gates, Lepenski Vir, Serbia; Bulgaria including Vidin and Ruse; Calafat and Bucharest, Romania.

6. Moselle Holiday Markets

The eight-day Moselle Holiday Markets itinerary travels from Trier to Düsseldorf aboard S.S. Clara. It focuses on the Moselle Valley during the Christmas season, particularly smaller towns and traditional markets. The itinerary is aimed at travellers seeking a seasonal European river holiday rather than a summer cruise.

Destinations included

Trier, Moselle Valley, Cochem, Bernkastel, Koblenz and Düsseldorf, Germany.

7. Rhône Winter Holiday

The eight-day Rhône Winter Holiday operates between Arles and Lyon aboard S.S. Catherine. The itinerary includes Arles, Aix-en-Provence, Tarascon/Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Avignon, Viviers/Grignan, Valence and Lyon. Uniworld lists three UNESCO World Heritage sites, six excursion days and one country, France. The published starting price is $3,999.

Destinations included

Arles, Aix-en-Provence, Tarascon, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Avignon, Grignan, Viviers, Valence and Lyon.

8. Grand France Holiday

The 15-day Grand France Holiday connects Paris with Arles and focuses on French Christmas traditions. It combines the Seine and Rhône regions, creating a broader France experience than the eight-day Rhône programme. Uniworld lists S.S. Catherine and S.S. Joie de Vivre for this programme.

Destinations included

Paris, Seine Valley, Rhône Valley, Provence and Arles, with additional intermediate destinations depending on the sailing.

Five-Year Tourism Statistics: What the Data Shows

A crucial data limitation should be made clear for publication: there is no single official government database providing monthly visitor-arrival statistics for every individual port and village across all eight itineraries for each of the last five complete years. Combining unrelated datasets would therefore create misleading statistics.

Official datasets do, however, show strong tourism recovery in several important gateway markets.

Destination/area20212022202320242025
Antwerp province overnight stays2,984,9355,273,3805,360,1505,597,7836,169,355
France/Paris tourism indicatorRecovery yearStrong recoveryHigh demandOlympic yearContinued demand
Serbia tourist arrivalsOfficial annual series available

Belgium provides particularly useful evidence for the Amsterdam–Antwerp itinerary. Official Belgian statistics show Antwerp province rising from 2.98 million overnight stays in 2021 to 6.17 million in 2025. That represents more than a doubling over four years. The 2025 figure was also 10.2% higher than 2024.

Paris also recorded strong tourism activity. Official French statistics show non-resident overnight stays across Île-de-France accommodation reaching 6.53 million in August 2024, compared with 6.23 million in August 2023. May 2024 reached approximately 6.17 million, while October recorded about 6.09 million.

Monthly Paris tourism pattern

Month2023 non-resident overnight stays2024
January3.64m3.59m
February3.32m3.55m
March4.18m5.05m
April5.65m5.26m
May5.63m6.17m
June6.28m5.76m
July6.61m6.00m
August6.23m6.53m
September5.59m5.62m
October5.58m6.09m
November3.86m4.28m
December4.48m5.22m

These figures are for Île-de-France non-resident overnight stays, not unique visitors to Paris, and therefore should not be labelled as Paris visitor arrivals.

Serbia shows continuing growth

Serbia’s official statistics provide another useful indicator for the Lower Danube routes. During January–July 2026, Serbia recorded 2,591,019 tourist arrivals, including 1,358,422 foreign arrivals. Total arrivals were up 6.2% year-on-year, while foreign arrivals increased 5.0%. Tourist overnight stays reached 7,366,510, up 4.4%.

For May 2026 alone, Serbia registered 470,397 tourist arrivals, including 238,992 foreign tourists. Foreign arrivals were 9.0% above May 2025.

Traveller takeaway

The eight new programmes give travellers very different ways to experience Europe. Short cruises suit first-time river travellers, while the 18-, 25- and 30-day journeys are designed for deeper multi-country exploration. The strongest strategic theme is the expansion towards Eastern Europe and the Lower Danube, while winter programmes create new reasons to visit France and Germany outside the traditional summer season.

For travellers planning 2028, the most important practical consideration is not simply the number of destinations. It is the pace of travel. Longer routes provide substantially more time across countries, while shorter journeys can be combined with independent city stays before or after the cruise.

Conclusion

The Uniworld 2028 Itineraries offer travellers a fresh way to experience Europe, from Amsterdam to the Black Sea and beyond. With longer journeys, diverse destinations and seasonal experiences, the programme creates options for different travel styles. The epic journeys also allow visitors to discover historic cities, riverside landscapes and lesser-explored corners of Europe at a relaxed pace. For travellers planning their next major European holiday, these Uniworld 2028 Itineraries could provide an appealing combination of culture, comfort and discovery. As interest in immersive river travel continues to grow, Amsterdam to the Black Sea stands out as one of the most ambitious choices for 2028.

Advertisement

Share On:

Advertisement

Advertisement

Gtranslate

PARTNERS

@

Subscribe to our Newsletters

I want to receive travel news and trade event updates from Travel And Tour World. I have read Travel And Tour World's Privacy Notice .