The Sanctuary Yangzi Explorer will sail the continent’s longest river from April next year, and has been chosen, according to the line’s president and chief executive, Ellen Bettridge, for its “incredibly high standards of luxury”.
Bettridge added 2017 had been Uniworld’s “best year yet”.
“Our wave booking period in 2018 is on pace to surpass last year’s record-breaking rate [so] this momentum makes it even more exciting to share our plans for 2019,” she said.
The 124-guest vessel features all private balconies and a crew-to passenger ratio of 1:1.
Uniworld has also announced an add-on extension to its 11-day Highlights of China & The Yangtze itinerary with the introduction of a new optional seven-day pre-trip to Mongolia, including visits to the Gobi Desert and capital Ulaanbaatar.
Customers looking to sail the Yangtze, Ganges, Mekong or Nile in 2019 can take advantage of the line’s flight-inclusive programme, which includes a free one-way business class upgrade on bookings made before July 31, 2018, or until spaces sell out.
On the Mekong, Uniworld has shortened its Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap itinerary to 13 days (15 including flights) and introduced an optional four-night extension to Hanoi and Ha Long Bay that includes one night onboard a luxury junk boat.
In Egypt, which Bettridge said was “rebounding to unprecedented levels”, Uniworld will launch two optional extensions to its Splendours of Egypt & the Nile sailings: a pre-cruise, four-night trip to Jordan with stops in Amman and Petra; and a post-cruise, four-night extension to Jerusalem including a one-way flight between Cairo and Tel Aviv.
