Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection plans to convert
the River Royale into its sixth Super Ship and rename it the Bon Voyage.
The River Royale, which sails in France's Bordeaux region, will
undergo an extensive renovation starting Oct. 28, re-entering service on the
Dordogne and Garonne rivers on April 14.
The Bon Voyage will be the second ship in the Uniworld fleet
to be upgraded to the Super Ship class, following the launch of the Beatrice
earlier this year.
Food and beverage will be a focal point of the vessel's reconstruction,
with two new onboard dining venues being introduced. The Blue Fox Cafe will be
converted into a casual dining venue that will open up onto a new pool and will
serve lighter fare such as ham and cheese baguettes, Niçoise salads and pizzas
made in its pizza oven. In the evening, this space will become an alternate bar
and lounge and will be used for immersive culinary experiences, including
French cooking classes.
A bistro inspired by the restaurant Bouillon Pigalle in
Paris will be added at the bow of the ship, offering shared plates at dinner,
including beef bourguignon, pates and escargot.
There will be a new buffet in the ship's main dining room featuring
a chef demonstration area, An enhanced Claret's, the ship's private dining and
wine tasting room adjacent to the main restaurant, will be reserved for special
events such as a captain's dinner or VIP wine tasting.
Following the relaunch, Uniworld will offer new dining
excursions offshore on Bon Voyage sailings, enabling guests to dine at
restaurants in the Bordeaux region.
Four new luxury suites will be added, but the ship's
capacity will be decreased from 128 to 124 passengers. More staff will increase
the crew to guest ratio. All bathrooms will be upgraded from tile to marble,
the gym and spa facilities will be updated, and the entire top deck will be
reimagined with a new outdoor swimming pool, outdoor lounge seating and
lighting designed to enhance the space in the evening.