Uniworld to host at least 500 agents on board for 50^th anniversary

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises plans to host at least 500 agents on board its ships in 2026, its UK managing director has revealed.

The move comes after the luxury operator outlined plans to celebrate its 50^th anniversary throughout the year, including the addition of three new-builds to its fleet by 2027.

Speaking on a Travel Weekly webcast with editor-in-chief Lucy Huxley, UK and Ireland managing director Chris Townson said: “This year, [we are going to do] more than most and take 500 agents on ships in Europe, starting from January.

More: Seabourn and Uniworld extend partnership to offer combined sailings in 2027

“This is a huge investment for us, but we know the investment is well worth the money and the returns that we see in partnerships and developments.”

He added the 500 total was “a minimum and might be a lot more”, with more announcements to be made at Clia RiverView in Amsterdam in March.

Townson revealed the luxury operator plans to invite 150 agents on new-build SS Emilie, due to launch in March, to showcase its “new era of super ships”.

The ’Ultra-Luxury Showcase’ event from March 17 to 19 on the new ship will also host key partners across luxury cruise and hotels such as Seabourn, Aqua Expeditions, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Explora Journeys.

Agents will be given the chance to win a spot on board every week of January through a booking incentive, with the first winner to be announced on January 16.

There are eight places up for grabs in the competition and winning agents will  stay in suites with butler service and can bring a colleague with them

To enter the draw, agents need to email details of Uniworld bookings made between January 1 January and February 5 to agency.sales@uniworld.com.

Promotions for new brochures for Europe and long-haul products will come in January, as well as a 50^th anniversary sale, he added.

Townson said sales trends showed “earlier and earlier” bookings, with 2027 already “heavily sold”.

He maintained there was “huge potential” in the UK market, which is the luxury operator’s second largest source of clients after the US.

He said: “Our solid, key trade partnerships will always be core, but we will continue to develop new relationships and they will come form here, there and everywhere.

“We work differently with a blank sheet of paper as every business we deal with works differently, so we need to understand their business and then, how can we work together to make doing business on luxury journeys and river as easy as possible.”