Uniworld Delays Nile-Bound Ship After Fire

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection's new Super Ship the S.S. Sphinx, which was scheduled to debut January 6, 2020 and sail the Nile River in Egypt, has caught fire.

“The S.S. Sphinx, our new ship slated to begin cruising the Nile this January, caught on fire at the shipyard in Cairo late last month,” a spokesperson for Uniworld tells Travel Agent. “Thankfully, no one was on board at the time and there were no injuries to report. After a thorough assessment of the damage, we have made the unfortunate decision to delay the launch until the September 26, 2020 sailing. We recognize full well the tremendous disappointment this news brings and are working with travel advisors and affected guests to make alternative travel arrangements on our original ship serving Egypt, River Tosca. We have been so looking forward to celebrating the launch of the S.S. Sphinx and while she may be delayed, know she will be worth the wait.”

Travel Agent is also told that the art, mattresses and other soft goods were not yet installed, so all of these items were not damaged.

The S.S. Sphinx is one of four Super Ships that will debut in 2020, along with the S.S. São Gabriel, sailing Portugal’s Duoro River, the S.S. Mekong Jewel, sailing in Vietnam and Cambodia, and the S.S. La Venezia, which will sail in Northern Italy. The S.S. Mekong Jewel is scheduled for January, while the S.S. La Venezia and S.S. São Gabriel are for March and April, respectively.

This story originally appeared on www.luxurytraveladvisor.com

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