River cruise fans can soon sail on a five-ship, 46-night around the world cruise see what the $40,000 itinerary will be like

Uniworld

• Los Angeles-based luxury river cruise operator Uniworld's 46-night Rivers of the World cruise will sail in May 2023.
• The itinerary will cross nine countries and two continents.

River cruise fanatics who have considered booking a traditional monthslong around-the-world cruise will soon get their own global river cruise.

Uniworld

But instead of spending endless days at sea on a mega cruise liner, these travelers will have to hop from river to river …

Uniworld

… which will require several nights in various hotels, an airplane transfer, and five cruise ships.

Uniworld

On May 20, 2023, Los Angeles-based luxury river cruise operator Uniworld will launch its 46-night Rivers of the World cruise, the company's longest itinerary yet, according to a press release.

Uniworld

Throughout the over one-month trip, travelers will sail in five ships across nine countries.

Uniworld

So while it's not a true around-the-world sailing experience, it'll still bring cruise goers across several destinations and two continents, which is rare for a river cruise.

Uniworld

Travelers will start in Cairo, Egypt and travel across the Mediterranean Sea on a weeklong cruise aboard Uniworld's new 42-suite S.S. Sphinx.

Uniworld

After this 11-day leg in Egypt, passengers will then fly into Lugano, Switzerland — which straddles Italy's border — for a two-night stay.

Uniworld

From there, they'll move to Milan, Italy for yet another two nights on-land …

Uniworld

… before boarding the S.S. La Venezia for a week of sailing down Italy's Venice Lagoon and Po River.

Uniworld

And the journey continues: After this 11-day Switzerland and Italy passage, guests will pack their bags again before transferring to the S.S. Maria Theresa in Budapest, Hungary …

Uniworld

… where they will then sail to Passau, Germany.

Uniworld

And after a week of seeing Hungary, Austria, and Germany, passengers will yet again transfer to the S.S. Joie de Vivre for a cruise down the Seine with views of northern France.

Uniworld

We're almost done: The fifth and final leg of the trip will bring travelers down Portugal's Douro river on the S.S. Sao Gabriel …

Uniworld

… concluding with a three-night stay in Lisbon, Portugal.

Uniworld

Constant travel can be a hassle.

Uniworld

And traveling from ship to ship may sound exhausting and expensive.

Uniworld

Luckily, the sailing — which starts at almost $39,000 per person — includes these additional airport transfer and flight fees along with onboard dining, alcohol, and other services.

Uniworld

Despite the hassle, hosting a multi-week and multi-country itinerary may be a smart move for the cruise company.

Uniworld

Travelers can't get enough of these monthslong itineraries, and some popular cruise lines like Silversea Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises have seen their around-the-world ocean sailings sell out within hours.

Uniworld

Source: Insider, Insider

Like these ocean-based itineraries, travelers are quickly booking the upcoming 2023 nine-country river cruise, which only has a few spots available, the company told Insider in an email statement.

Uniworld

And this popularity is holding strong into the future: Its 2024 Rivers of the World cruise, which only shares a handful of similarities with the 2023 itinerary, already has a waitlist.

Uniworld