Uniworld River Cruises

In Europe, there certainly are many great cities with remarkable histories waiting to be discovered.  Buildings older than our country and architecture based on alternative visions certainly entice, but the natural beauty is also incredible.

Wes by Hohenschwangau (Bavaria) a few years back.

Many of the great cities of history can be accessed by large cruise ships along the Mediterranean and magnificent Northern European coasts, but obviously there's a great deal more to explore inland.

Access to water routes has always been key to trade throughout the world, and in addition to the oceans and seas, rivers filled the bill.  Beginning with the Roman Empire, great cities developed along these tributaries of commerce in Europe.  It is not surprising that river cruising, which makes visiting these inland treasures convenient and exceedingly pleasurable, has become increasingly popular. 

Several competitors vie for river cruise business, offering unique marketing propositions.  Obviously, Americans want English-speaking staff aboard attractive ships that maintain a certain level of comfort and amenities, but which one is the right choice for you? 

Julie in Schafhausen (near Basel, Sw)

As with ocean cruising, much depends on your personal desires, but I must admit that Viking River Cruises has always dominated my offerings.  They certainly offer a wide selection of itineraries and wonderful cruise experiences.

Recently, however, I've decided Uniworld River Cruises deserves some attention from potential river cruisers.

Their luxurious river cruise ships tend to be more individualized, much like European boutique hotels of which no two are exactly alike, which is not surprising given their association with the prestigious Red Carnatian Hotel Collection.

Perhaps more significantly, Uniworld boasts being truly all-inclusive, with all beverages (not just those at meals) and all gratuities included.  That means if you want to enjoy a glass of wine or frosty mug of beer while cruising along the Danube in the afternoon or while listening to live music in the evening, you don't have to reach into your pocket or wait for the next meal rather than enjoying it the moment you want it. 

And you won't have to wait long for service, because Uniworld has the highest staff to guest ratio among all river cruise lines, not to mention the fact that their ships carry only 130 pampered guests.



The Uniworld River Queen

A few months ago my friend Greg Rood mentioned to me, as he worked over his computer at the swim-up bar in Cabo, that once the cruise ships have unlimited internet access, he's down with another cruise.  Uniworld offers unlimited internet and Wi-Fi throughout the cruise at no additional charge, although I have to add that most of us could use a break from all this technology for a vacation and should force ourselves to focus on real reality more often.



Time for Europe?  (Large clock at Musée d'Orsay in Paris)

Fascinating shore excursions are included in each port at no additional charge.  So are bicycles, should you wish to strike out on your own, which is particularly easy because as soon as you step off the ship, you're in the center of most towns.  While there are some optional offerings at additional cost, the excursions included are more than sufficient for most guests on their first visit to each port, and a few optional excursions are also at no additional charge.  

The experienced, English-speaking local guides use Quietvox lightweight audio headset systems, which make it easy to hear their narration.  On our recent Panama Canal excursions, we had difficulty understanding some of our guides in bustling plazas due to ambient city noise and tour groups stringing out down the block as we "followed the leader."  This state-of-the-art audio system is key in getting the most out of the tour.

Rural France

Of course, we expect fine meals on any cruise ship, but with only 130 guests, Uniworld can serve the freshest local ingredients, sourced daily from farmer's markets along the cruise route. The meals are always prepared and served with care by culinary experts.

While there are many cruises from which to choose, the linked article about the Legendary Rhine and Moselle show how amazing such a trip can be.

If you're more inclined to sit back and watch pretty pictures to beautiful music, however, check out this video prepared by a satisfied cruiser of Uniworld on that same cruise: