Inside Uniworld's S.S. Maria Theresa Baroque-inspired super ship
comments
An opulent riverboat dedicated to the Habsburg dynasty's only female ruler is undergoing its final touches just days before it sets sail on its maiden voyage from the Netherlands.
Uniworld's newest luxury passenger vessel, the S.S. Maria Theresa, is being billed as its most majestic ship to date, but members of the media and public won't be able to step foot on it until its first viewing in Amsterdam tomorrow.
Two days later, the 150-passenger boat will carry holidaymakers for the first time as it embarks on a 10-day journey from Amsterdam to Antwerp, Belgium, with each guest paying more than £2,500 for the entire trip.
Scroll down for videos
The S.S. Maria Theresa's grand lobby features an enormous oil painting of the Habsburg dynasty's only female ruler
Designed by the Red Carnation Hotel Collection, the S.S. Maria Theresa boasts 64 staterooms and 11 suites, including the 410-square foot royal suite. Its smallest staterooms are just over 160 square feet.
Guests will enjoy extravagant amenities on board the 443ft vessel, as all of the Baroque-inspired ship's luxury accommodations have fabric wall coverings, plush carpets, antique furnishings and original art.
Canopy or four-poster Savoir beds are another lavish touch, while open-air French balconies on the main and upper decks offer panoramic water views. The grand lobby features a 10-ft oil painting of Maria Theresa, whose 40-year reign ended with her death in 1780.
When they're not in their rooms or above deck passengers can unwind in full-service bars, a restaurant or cinema. The riverboat also has a heated swimming pool, spa, and coffee bar, and guests are treated to in-room butler services.
Princess Anita von Hohenberg, a direct descendant of the Habsburg dynasty, will be on hand for the christening of the vessel.
Her father, Franz Ferdinand, Duke of Hohenberg, was a grandson of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, an heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian Empire's throne. His assassination in 1914 is widely acknowledged to have sparked the outbreak of the First World War.
Staterooms inside the 150-passenger boat feature tasselled shades, chic linens and pillows, and specially-made English Savoir beds
Throughout the vessel, including this reception room, elaborate interior decorations feature Baroque styles and velvet upholstery
The S.S. Maria Theresa's maiden voyage, departing on Saturday, is being called a 'tulips and windmills' tour, as guests will take in some of the Netherlands' iconic sights.
Using a network of canals and rivers, the vessel will stop in Hoorn, Nijmegen, Rotterdam and Veer in the Netherlands before calling at Ghent and Antwerp in Belgium.
For the inaugural cruise, prices start from £2,504 per person. To upgrade to the royal suite, it will cost an additional £3,175 per person.
The year's most expensive cruise on the S.S. Maria Theresa, a 15-day journey from Budapest to Amsterdam, starts at £4,688 per person, with an additional £2,560 required to secure the royal suite.
Much like the public spaces, the suites and staterooms are decorated in a colour scheme that includes royal blue, white and gold
The S.S. Maria Theresa has 64 staterooms in two categories; the smallest staterooms are 162 square feet in size
Kathryn Beadle, Uniworld's managing director for the UK, said in a statement: 'We are thrilled to have Princess Anita von Hohenberg as the godmother of our newest super ship, the S.S. Maria Theresa.
'There is no one more deserving of this honour than the direct descendent of Maria Theresa herself, who ruled for 40 years over an extraordinary and far-reaching empire.
'Guests travelling aboard this magnificent ship will visit sites of historical interest throughout the former Habsburg Empire for a true immersion into Europe's vivid history, whilst enjoying fantastic luxury, comfort and service on board our newest vessel.'
Put the internet to work for you.
0 comments:
Post a Comment