Tauck River Cruises
Inspire
- Cruises
- 20
- From
- —
Ship comparison
Inspire vs River Empress
Uniworld River Cruises
River Empress
- Cruises
- 0
- From
- —
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Inspire is an intimate Tauck River Cruises ship carrying 130 passengers, in service since 2014. River Empress is an intimate Uniworld River Cruises ship carrying 134 passengers, in service since 2001. River Empress has no Bliss scores yet, so the verdict rests on the figures we do hold.
Choose Inspire if you want a newer ship, more crew per passenger or more cruises to choose from: its maiden voyage was in 2014 (vs 2001), it has a crew member for every 3.3 passengers (vs 3.9) and it has 20 cruises on sale (vs none).
Choose River Empress if you want more space per passenger: it has 37.3 gross tons per passenger (vs 7.7).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Inspire | River Empress | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Tauck River Cruises | Uniworld River Cruises |
| Ship size | Intimate | Intimate |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2014 (better) | 2001 |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | — | 2009 |
| Gross tonnage | 1,000 | 5,000 |
| Passengers | 130 | 134 |
| Crew | 39 | 34 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 3.3 (better) | 3.9 |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 7.7 | 37.3 (better) |
| Decks | 4 | 3 |
| Length | 443 ft | 361 ft |
| Beam | 39 ft | 38 ft |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 8 / 10 | 10 / 10 (better) |
| Cruises on sale | 20 | — |
| Upcoming sailings | 72 | — |
| Cruise lengths | 7 to 14 nights | — |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday.
River Empress has no Bliss scores yet.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Tauck River Cruises
Inspire
Cruising exclusively along the riverscapes of the Rhine and Moselle, ms Inspire lends its name to the new Inspiration class riverboats from Tauck River Cruises. Carrying a maximum of 130 guests, Inspire explores medieval cities from Köln to Strasbourg and wine-growing regions from Cochem to the Alsace.
Highlights
- Brand new ship launched in 2014
- 22 suites and 8 loft cabins
- Open seating & flexible dining times
Sailing now
20 cruises on sale.
Uniworld River Cruises
River Empress
Some say river cruises are the new bus tours of Europe — only better. Cruisers unpack only once and get to sail down Europe's famous rivers and dock in the heart of its fabled cities. "European Jewels" and "Castles Along the Rhine" are two itineraries that will bring to life your fairy tale notion of these classic locales.
Highlights
- Enjoy the lounge with a view as you cruise down the Rhine
- The small number of guests allows you to get to know many of your fellow and make friendships that will last
- Dining with a view!
Questions
Inspire or River Empress?
Which is bigger, Inspire or River Empress?
River Empress is bigger at 5,000 gross tons, against 1,000 gross tons for Inspire. Inspire carries 130 passengers and River Empress carries 134.
Which ship is newer, Inspire or River Empress?
Inspire is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2014 against 2001 for River Empress.
Which has more space per passenger?
River Empress, with 37.3 gross tons per passenger against 7.7 on Inspire. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Inspire, with one crew member for every 3.3 passengers against one for every 3.9 on River Empress.
Still deciding?
Tell us what matters and we will match the sailing
Send your dates, budget and who is travelling, and our partner travel agency will come back to you about Inspire, River Empress or a ship that suits you better.