I took my 88-year old mother, Millie, on her first trip to Europe last Spring on the River Beatrice. She had the time of her life. The staff and crew were amazing - they called her "Madame Amelia" which she loved to no end. Our fellow passengers were fascinating, and she made new friends and loved every minute of the trip.

Mom passed away last week, and I can honestly say that this trip was one of the highlights of her life. Thanks to Uniworld and the staff of the River Beatrice for giving her, and me, one of ... the most memorable trips ever. Read More...

this was our first river trip, we went with another couple and were pleased with everthing...the river beatrice was beautiful, the staff exceptional, the food was gourmet and the captain was a sweetheart. our husbands loved the fact that they could bike and my friend and I cuuld shop. we are planning on another trip since we so enjoyed our first.

I was on the River Beatrice in August, 2011. What a wonderful time. I travelled alone but never felt lonely. Everyone was great. Now if Uniworld could only get some single guys to go on my next trip (Leaving April 8 from Brussels) I would be eternally grateful.

Janet

I don’t think a lot about soap.  The cosmetic industry reports tens of billions of dollars in revenue, annually, and quite frankly, it is lost on me.  Give me a bar of zest, splash on a little Old Spice, and I am good to go.  This explains why I didn’t really get all that excited when my colleagues went on and on about how pampered I was going to be when embarking on my upcoming Uniworld River Cruise.  The company uses the L’Occitane product line of toiletries on their river boats.  Because of an arduous journey getting ... to the beautiful River Beatrice river boat, I really wanted nothing more than to get something to eat, and then crash.  Long airline delays and near cancellations of flights had left me frazzled.  After enjoying a sumptuous dinner, I made my way to my stateroom.   Figuring a nice hot shower would help wash the day’s tension and frustrations away, I unwrapped a bar of soap, and waited for the water to cascade over me.  I had no sooner disposed of the soap’s paper, when I noticed an unusual and pleasant aroma.  Could a bar of soap smell this good?  Perhaps it was the extra virgin lotus petals, (or whatever they use in their soap), that had the calming influence I needed to get a good night’s sleep.  The following morning, as I was about to make my way to breakfast, I met my stewardess, Stefania.  I introduced myself, thanked her for making my stateroom so comfortable prior to my arrival the night before, and in passing mentioned how nice the soap smelled.  Stafania flashed a huge, bright smile and said she would try to make me as comfortable as possible during my stay on the River Beatrice.  Who’s not going to be comfortable, I thought?  Egyptian cotton linens and towels, a bed so comfortable, you could do nothing more than sink into a sublime bliss for 7 days?   I thanked Stafania again and went on my merry way.  Upon my return to the River Beatrice after a day of exploring Budapest, I couldn’t help but notice the same inviting aroma I had experienced the night before.  It took me a few moments to realize that it was the soap.  Geez…this stuff could double as a nice room freshenerl!  I turned on the light to the bathroom, and instantly noticed three bars of the L’Occitane soap on the vanity.  I didn’t readily make the connection, and thought my first impression with my stewardess hadn’t gone as well as I thought.  Did she really think I needed three bars of soap to get clean?  No matter.  Perhaps she had left a week’s supply of soap behind as a time saving measure during her daily routine.  While dining with my companions that evening, I casually introduced the fact that I had enjoyed the soap.  Instantly, one of the guests informed me that indeed it was not soap, but rather a “cleansing bar”.   They didn’t use lotus petals, they use verbena.  You can’t call it soap, because it is made with extra pure vegetable oil.  Okay, Okay, I get it!  I made a mental note not to bring THAT subject up again, and bid my dining companions good night.  Upon returning to my stateroom, I passed Stefania.  We exchanged pleasantries on the way to my stateroom.  My bed had been turned down, the lights were low, and on my pillow were two more bars or soap!  Some people get chocolates, I get soap.  Stefania greeted me the next morning, and I could contain my curiosity no longer.  I asked my stewardess why she was leaving me so much soap.  I will never forget the look of concern on her face.  Stafania asked if there was something wrong with the soap.  Of course not, I assured her.  It’s just that how much soap can one person use during the course of a week’s cruise?  She advised me that it was her responsibility to ensure my comfort while sailing on the River Beatrice.  She was part of a team whose job it was to make sure this cruise would be an unforgettable experience.  My stewardess listened to my saying something as innocent, as liking a bar of soap, and took it upon herself to guarantee my supply would not run out.  Stafania went on to explain, that her intent was for me to take some of this soap home after the cruise, so the memory of my time on the River Beatrice would not end at disembarkation.  It finally hit me.  And it wasn’t only Stefania who felt this responsibility.  What about the waiter, who after hearing me lament at breakfast, the fact that while in Brataslava, there was no Slovak staples on the menu at lunch, or dinner?  Surely they should offer Haluski, a cabbage and noodle dish, and pierogi.   Imagine my surprise at dinner, when my waiter brought me tastings of both dishes.  I told my waiter that the chef didn’t have to make those dishes just for me.  The waiter let me in on a secret.  The chef hadn’t prepared those dishes for me.   After finding out about our discussion, the chef sent a staff member to the Christmas market, purchased the dishes, and brought them back to serve, so I didn’t have to venture out at night.  Wow.  I was speechless.  My time on the River Beatrice was such a rich learning experience.  There is a lot to be said for docking in a town or city, walking off the boat, and instantly becoming a part of the charm each destination has to offer.  No need to travel hours at a time on a motor coach for some shore excursion that will likely be over in twenty minutes.  The ability to go on and off the boat at my leisure, afforded me a convenience not found on a conventional ocean liner.  Nothing however, can compare to the service given on the River Beatrice.  Uniworld has a winning formula for success that should be envied by the entire cruise industry.  This morning I picked up a bar of the L’Occitane soap, (or cleansing bar or whatever you wish to call it).  Instantly, I was transported in thought back to my stay on the River Beatrice.   Stefania, et al, you succeeded.  Indeed, my memories of being in your company stay with me even today.   For that, I am eternally grateful.

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My wife and I had the pleasure of a most relaxing week between Budapest and Passua in October 2010 on board River Beatrice. The ports and the ship have been described to death by previous guests, and I'd agree with all previous superlatives. But for us,the reason we chose Uniworld was that, as Australians, we wanted to be with fewer of our fellow countrymen than would have been the case if we'd travelled on an APT (Australian Pacific Tours)ship. One of the pleasures of travel is to meet other people rather than your own kind, and that was enhanced for ... us by the majority of the passengers being from the US and Canada, with a few from Hong Kong, one other Australian couple and a lady from Mexico. So we were a bit of a novelty I suppose. The crew were fabulous, and in particular the dining room staff were exceptional - amusing, friendly, able to brilliantly anticipate guest needs and also to make us feel that we are special - which clearly with a change of guests every 7 or 8 days we can't be, but you'd never know that, which is the true skill of the staff. We will certainly consider Uniworld for future trips. Prior to this cruise our travel agent, who had recently returned from an APT river trip from Amsterdam said that the only decision of the day with this kind of holiday was red or white wine, and she was pretty right, and we certainly couldn't fault the wine selection aboard River Beatrice either. It was a great trip. Read More...

My husband and I have returned home from a wonderful voyage on the River Beatrice from Budapest to Passau. This was our 5th Uniworld cruise and surpassed our expectations in many ways. We have enjoyed each of our previous trips, but this ship was so beautiful and new that this trip was a real joy. Even though we were held up in Budapest, due to the flood on the Danube, the entire experience was positive. The crew was young and enthusiastic and Capt.Tom was a delight to talk to, a real "hands on" Capt who often worked right alongside his ... sailors. The cruise director, Christian was very personable and managed to arrange additional and replacement excursions which was much appreciated. While we have come to expect top-notch service,this trip was above that. We additionally appreciated the up-grade given to us and enjoyed the extra spacious cabin. Thank you again for providing us with many happy memories and we hope to back on board again soon. Joyce and Robert Schoen Read More...

Since we were back from our first cruise, we had decided to take another trip with Uniworld, this time we had our friends with us. "Enchanting Danube" was truly romantic trip. Our extended trips prior to cruise in Vienna and Budapest and then post cruise in Prague, could not ask anything better. We fell in love with small town Durnstein, Wachau Valley was breath taking. We will never forget the twilight view of chain bridge, Palace from the hotel Inter Continental in Budapest. Melk Abbey, Salzburg, I can go on and on. Cruise ended in Passau, another small beautiful town ... in Germany. Uniworld is the best. We are taking our third trip in August 2010, "Royale" with our friends. Read More...

We have recently returned from a Uniworld River Cruise on the Danube aboard the River Beatrice. Our return, scheduled for April 18th was delayed 8 days due to the Icelandic volcano eruption.  The cruise up to the 18th was magnificent.  The ship was extremely comfortable, the tours were well planned with knowledgeable guides equipped with voice boxes and at a convenient pace. The food was excellent both in quality and presentation always accompanied with ample servings of good wine.
 
What happened after the 18th was extraordinary.  Stranded in Germany with the skies closed and no where to go we were amazed ... that Uniworld offered to let us stay on the ship at no cost until we could arrangement travel back to the USA.  We were the guest of Uniworld for 7 days cruising back down the Danube until we again reached Budapest and had flight arrangements for the 26th. We had all the amenities we previously enjoyed including Internet access so we could contact our children and travel agent to apprise them of our situation and make the necessary arrangements.
 
The crew was outstanding, always very helpful, cheerful and friendly with an excellent command of English.  A special word must be said about Markus Schindelegger, our tour Director and Silvia Anghelescu, our Concierge. Both went out of their way to assist us in making arrangement for the trip home.  Markus was also a knowledgeable, humorous individual who provided a delightfully educational tour prior to the volcano eruption.
 
From what we have heard of other people cruising with competitive companies we were very fortunate to have chosen Uniworld.  We had a wonderful time with no stress or anxiety just a delightful extended cruise.
-Barry Collins Read More...

We took this river cruise in Dec 2009 and absolutely loved it. The ship is beautiful and the crew and staff were outstanding. Each night at dinner I couldn't imagine they could improve on the meal, and then the next night they did! The excursions were great and the onboard entertainment outstanding. Highly recommend this cruise.

We returned yesterday from a wonderful cruise on the Danube with Uniworld. The vacation glow is still intact and we have been reviewing our trip. Every detail was covered- from the tours to the meals to the assistance with lost luggage to the airport drop off was handled in the most professional and considerate manner. The big things happened flawlessly like meals and tours. Here are a few of the unexpected details that delighted us- complimentary wine with dinner, the voice box for tours so we could hear every word of the guide's monologue, water to ... go, being able to order a steak when the main entree did not meet our dietary needs, an extra night cruise in Budapest and so on. Even when we were dropped off a the airport, the Uniworld rep made sure that we made it through the lines at the airlines before leaving. My husband and I went on a cruise four years ago on the Rhine and we were very satisified. But Uniworld has only improved over time and we will be back soon for another trip- we can't decide though if we should do France, Egypt or China. It is a great way to get the most out of a vacation with no effort on our part in planning or arranging. We just showed up and everything happened. We thought being gone for Christmas might be hard but it was delightful. Everyone on the cruise was so great and we enjoyed spending the holidays with them. The Christmas markets were wonderful and it was something we will always remember with happy memories. I would do this same cruise again, it was that great. I can't wait for our grandkids to get old enough to enjoy travel like this because I would like to take the whole family some day. Read More...