Uniworld River Cruises, River Royale

Uniworld River Cruises, owners of a handful of luxury cruising vessels, has redefined the floating holiday to include intimate ships that are lavishly appointed and agile enough to master the narrow waterways that massive ships must bypass. The River Royale, with just 132 guests and all the amenities and service of five-star hotel, indulges those discerning few travelers on board. Discover a selection of spacious staterooms replete with roomy bathrooms and flat-panel televisions, plus a stash of bottled water and the use of bicycles to conduct your own land exploration. The public rooms are designed to promote conversation with a lavish lounge serving libations, panoramic restaurants with open seating, a fitness room and a 24-hour coffee shop. Your tariff includes all meals served aboard, wine service with dinner, and excursions - just to name a few.

The River Royale is partial to the lovely waterways of France and offers a pair of itineraries for die-hard Francophiles. Sailing through Burgundy and Provence is an excursion designed with art enthusiasts and gourmands in mind. You will sail through the heart of these to magical regions with stops to quaint hilltop cities, fashionable towns, and lush vineyards where you will sample local wines and feast on regional fare. A voyage of Paris and Arles is the ultimate French escape with an emphasis on culinary creations, robust wines, quaint villages and iconic masterpieces such as the Eiffel Tower. In between, there are visits to vineyards, solemn moments inside cathedrals, historic outings to the beaches of Normandy and a look at the places that inspired a generation of artists, such as Claude Monet.