Uniworld River Cruises
River Duchess
- Cruises
- 2
- From
- $3,999
Ship comparison
River Duchess vs S.S. Joie de Vivre
Uniworld River Cruises
S.S. Joie de Vivre
- Cruises
- 2
- From
- $3,349
The verdict
Which should you choose?
River Duchess is an intimate Uniworld River Cruises ship carrying 134 passengers, in service since 2003. S.S. Joie de Vivre is an intimate Uniworld River Cruises ship carrying 128 passengers, in service since 2017.
Choose River Duchess if you want a more romantic trip or more culture: it outscores S.S. Joie de Vivre for romantic (8.0 vs 5.0) and cultural (8.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose S.S. Joie de Vivre if you want a more family-friendly ship, more space per passenger or more crew per passenger: it outscores River Duchess for family friendly (5.0 vs 2.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores, it has 39.1 gross tons per passenger (vs 26.1) and it has a crew member for every 2.5 passengers (vs 3.9).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| River Duchess | S.S. Joie de Vivre | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Uniworld River Cruises | Uniworld River Cruises |
| Ship size | Intimate | Intimate |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2003 | 2017 (better) |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | 2012 | — |
| Gross tonnage | 3,500 | 5,000 |
| Passengers | 134 | 128 |
| Crew | 34 | 52 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 3.9 | 2.5 (better) |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 26.1 | 39.1 (better) |
| Decks | 3 | 4 |
| Length | 361 ft | 410 ft |
| Beam | 38 ft | 37 ft |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 10 / 10 | 10 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | 2 | 2 |
| Upcoming sailings | 4 | 81 |
| Cruise lengths | 7 nights | 7 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $3,999 | $3,349 (better) |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. River Duchess leads on 2 of the ten, S.S. Joie de Vivre on 4, with 4 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Uniworld River Cruises
River Duchess
River Duchess, part of the Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, carries 134 guests in luxurious style. River ships (for the Rhine, Main and Danube) must navigate hundreds of locks that are only 12 meters wide.
Highlights
- Visit the picturesque Bulgarian towns of Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanassi.
- Have an al fresco meal in the Sky Lounge.
- Enjoy the piano player during tea, cocktails and after dinner for dancing.
Sailing now
2 cruises on sale, from $3,999.
Uniworld River Cruises
S.S. Joie de Vivre
S.S. Joie de Vivre from Uniworld carries 128 passengers and showcases handcrafted furniture, fine art, sumptuous fabrics and beautiful antiques. At 410 feet (125 meters) long, the ship is smaller than its sister Super Ships but is the longest permissible for the Seine.
Sailing now
2 cruises on sale, from $3,349.
About S.S. Joie de Vivre Plan my cruise on S.S. Joie de Vivre
Questions
River Duchess or S.S. Joie de Vivre?
Which is bigger, River Duchess or S.S. Joie de Vivre?
S.S. Joie de Vivre is bigger at 5,000 gross tons, against 3,500 gross tons for River Duchess. River Duchess carries 134 passengers and S.S. Joie de Vivre carries 128.
Which ship is newer, River Duchess or S.S. Joie de Vivre?
S.S. Joie de Vivre is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2017 against 2003 for River Duchess.
Which has more space per passenger?
S.S. Joie de Vivre, with 39.1 gross tons per passenger against 26.1 on River Duchess. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
S.S. Joie de Vivre, with one crew member for every 2.5 passengers against one for every 3.9 on River Duchess.
Which is better for families?
S.S. Joie de Vivre scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 5.0 out of 10, against 2.0 for River Duchess.
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 River Duchess, S.S. Joie de Vivre or a ship that suits you better.