The ship itself was incredible, very stylish decor, simply beautiful with spacious and comfortable common areas. We truly enjoyed the displayed art. The staterooms were awesome, beyond our expectations. Comfortable bedding package, design of room itself was fantastic, including the regular sized shower and bathroom which featured L'Occitane products. Even thought went into storage under the bed for luggage. The crew was excellent, captain, concierge, cruise director & entire staff made the trip very special for our group of 6. Destinations were great, we had numerous opportunities for late afternoon/evening events as our departure times were very accommodating. While underway, ... the scenery was absolutely beautiful, very enjoyable. Read More...

We have been on 5 river cruises and this trip starting on Sept 8 at Nuremberg Germany was the most enjoyable. The crew especially the 1st.Capt. Anton van den Boom was outstanding. We have never experienced as friendly a group. The cruise director Walter?? was also outstanding. Thanks for a great time.

Now that we are home and have had time to think back over our cruise, it was one of the most well-run, information packed cruise we have taken. Our first river cruise and hopefully NOT our last. Forget the big ocean liners, we really like the intimacy of the small groups. All the staff could not be more helpful. My husband has not traveled for the past two years due to back, hip and knee problems. The size of the boat, River Baroness, worked for him and he picked and chose his excursions ... and used a rollator. The cruise manager, bus driver and guides could not have been more encouraging for him and he came home with a vitality that I was so delighted to see. Thank you to all the wonderful crew and passengers on this particular sailing. We had a great time. Read More...

We decided to try a river cruise figuring that it would give us the opportunity to experience water travel without the crowds of the large cruise ships. We had no real expectations regarding food or cabin comfort, figuring that the scenery would make up for ship shortfalls. Wow were we surprised. We arrived a day early and stayed in Antwerp to allow me time to recover from my jet lag so we took a taxi to the ship. We were met by several crew members who took our bags to our room as we quickly were registered. The cabin was wonderful. The ... comfortable bed covered with soft luxurious linens and the most wonderful bed cover. The bathroom was more spacious than we expected and a roomy shower with wonderful hot water and quality hair and body products was a total surprise. We had a wonderful water-level view that started each day with us smiling at the antics of the ducks outside our window. The food. What can you say? Every morning we were greeted by a well-stocked buffet and omelets made to order that melted in your mouth. We chose to eat out for lunches, enjoying the local cuisine and beer, but lunch was served onboard. Dinner was a 5-star event every night. The choices were varied and I found something delicious every night in spite of my diet limitations. My partner raved about his choices as well. There was always plenty to eat but not overwhelming amount, the freshest ingredients served in the most delicious formats. The service was perfect, with friendly and entertaining waitstaff, our wine glass was always filled with our choice of red or white, all served in a lounge with floor to ceiling windows. The tours were informative, entertaining and educational without being dry and the evening entertainment was always enjoyable. There were nightly evening meetings to discuss the following day's schedule which was also posted in the ship's lobby keeping us all fully informed. We had the opportunity to see a ship of another river cruise company as well as speak to people who had experienced Uniworld in addition to other companies and everyone felt that Uniworld was by far the better company. This was due to the modern, quality ships; the high quality, local and fresh food and wine; the multilingual, amazing staff who will leave no stone unturned to make you happy; the size and layout of the cabins and the tours. We are excited to be planning our next Uniworld cruise which we know will be our second Trip of a Lifetime. Read More...

My husband & I recently returned from our honeymoon, which included a Danube cruise, from Nuremberg to Vienna. Though this type of cruise may not be considered a typical honeymoon excursion, it was everything (and more) that we hoped for. We absolutely LOVED it! The Uniworld staff was simply wonderful, going above and beyond at every juncture. Not only were they courteous & professional, but they were also FUN. Beyond the crew, we loved the excursions: very low-key options of taking the tour, staying on the boat or going your own way. No pressure, beyond your ... own interests. Our greatest memories, however, will be the wonderful couples we met on the cruise. Amazing, beautiful people from all over the world. We hope to stay in touch ... Read More...

Every aspect of our trip was outstanding from the scenery, the ship, the tour director and the staff. The local tour guides were excellent and the quiet vox system was a great help. I can't tell you how much we enjoyed this trip without sounding like I am exaggerating! Thank You so Much.

Dear Mr. Young,

My mother and I just completed the 9-day "Castles Along the Rhine" river tour from Amsterdam to Basel (June 6 ­ - 14), and I couldn't have been more pleased.

To begin, although I had traveled internationally, a river cruise vacation was entirely new to me. I was trying to plan a trip to Germany for my mother (who is 84 years old) and myself and I didn't think a bus tour would be suitable for her, so I researched river cruising. I attended a Travel Expo sponsored by AAA in Foxboro, Massachusetts and enjoyed an audio/visual presentation about ... Uniworld and its travel destinations that offered me the opportunity to ask questions about the experience. The concept of visiting Germany and touring some of its beautiful cities and towns without packing and unpacking at different hotels was very attractive.

This is the first trip I have planned that absolutely exceeded my expectations and lived up to its glowing marketing description. There isn't space here to list all the ways that Uniworld made our trip unforgettable, but I'd like to very briefly list the areas in which our tour on the River Ambassador excelled.

The staff: All staff members were professional, courteous, helpful and cheerful. The ship was immaculate and all services performed were of the highest caliber. The cruise manager, Rick Sprengers saw to it that all passengers fully enjoyed their tours every day. He attended to every detail and was very kind to the passengers who had some physical challenges (not my mother, who gets around just fine). The communication of each day's schedule and who to expect on tour was excellent. In short, the combination of capable and pleasant service made for a very relaxing vacation. Bonus: attentive but no intrusive service at all levels.

The food: My family is made up of true "foodies" ­ we are all gourmet cooks and in fact my brother is a professional chef. The meal selection, preparation and presentation were outstanding. The service was excellent, and the minimally decorated white dining room with scenery at every window was calming and elegant. I was glad we were given a copy of the week's menus, and I admit that did take a few pictures of the meals at the table, they were so beautiful and appetizing. We fully enjoyed the complimentary wine with dinner. No four-star restaurant could have done better. Bonus: hot dishes (warm plates for buffet!) and cold ones cold.

Tours: The local guides were excellent and knowledgeable, interesting and eager to share the history of their towns. The AudioVox system is just the best invention! Everyone on the tour was able to hear equally well, and the tour guide could quietly point out features in churches without being disrespectfully noisy. The ways we toured: on foot, on a canal boat and on a bus enabled us to enjoy he best of the areas we toured and gave our legs and feet a break. The description of the tours as "active" is indeed accurate, though they are not unrealistically exhausting. We were tired enough each day to feel we'd earned our fantastic dinner but had enough energy to tour again the next day perfect! The optional dinner in Rudesheim was especially nice for my mother and me since we are of German descent and fully enjoyed the regional menu and the familiar band music. Bonus: My mom cried when she recognized tunes her grandparents had danced to when she was a little child (priceless).

The onboard entertainment: My mother and I took this river cruise for its focus on scenery, tours of history and culture, and cuisine. We were not looking for "night life." However, we very much enjoyed the local entertainers from Germany and France since they augmented the day's tours and offered further exposure to the art of the region. Charlie did a fine job also, making his keyboard sound like a full German "oompah" band for our day of castle gazing up on deck. Bonus: inviting, entertaining evenings with opportunity (but no pressure) for bar drinks.

Again, there is not enough room to detail all the ways that Uniworld and the River Ambassador staff delighted us on our trip down the Rhine River.

Overall, I think the most impressive thing is how relaxing the trip was, not because it was dull, but because there were "no worries". The smallest details were prepared for and addressed. Communication was such that we didn't have to figure anything out.

There was flexibility so we could explore towns and cafes on our own. The ship and its staff became familiar to us quickly so all we had to do was enjoy our travel and the local experiences. We never had to wait for anything.

Sincerely,

Mary S. Schreitmueller Read More...

Kevin and I have just returned home after one of the most memorable holidays that we have experienced. From the moment we boarded River Queen, we were made to feel part of a special family. All of the ships compliment, without exception, had a cheery smile and hello no matter how many times during the day you saw them. We felt that this was genuine devotion to their caring for all passengers. Of special note Luca the Restaurant Manager and his dining room staff for their ensuring we were well fed and watered. A special thanks and a big bouquet ... to every member of the staff from the Captain down to the seamen.
Ronald Blair - Kevin Hubbard
p.s. we are already looking at a return cruise next year Read More...

My husband and I have now traveled twice on the River Countess, in the past year, and it will be very difficult for any other vessel or cruise line to meet our expectations based on the standard set during the tour which began in Bucharest on April 15, 2009. The Bucharest local host was excellent, everything went smoothly, and we were so pleased at the substitution of Peles Castle for the tour of Bran Castle; it saved us having to make those arrangements for ourselves! The greatest pleasures of this tour were threefold: returning to the River Countess and our same ... stateroom; being greeted once again by the friendly faces of Captain Jord Zwaal and his bride Julie; and the superlative services of cruise director Mirela Varga! The tour was excellent; perhaps we were overly spoiled by the small group size, but this trip has certainly set the bar very high. We are looking forward to traveling with Uniworld again in the future. Kevin & Leanne Hayes, NS, Canada Read More...

I want to tell you what a wonderful experience we had on the River Beatrice sailing of June 28, 2009.
 
From the moment we arrived at Munich airport, we were greeted by a smiling, friendly Uniworld representative who was willing to wait while we reported our lost suitcase to Air France.  
 
We boarded your beautiful gem - the River Beatrice in Passau. It was more than we expected.  The public areas were all tastefully done-lovely fabrics and the artwork phenomenal.  Our cabin was impressive – as nice as any ocean liner if not nicer.   The ship was kept immaculate at all ... times.
 
Your staff was very friendly and accommodating. Liliana Lazar, Captain Tom Buining, and Hildegarde Peiker were always  knowledgeable,  available and helpful. 
 
My favorite was Alina Marian, the Concierge, who went above and beyond to be of assistance in all instances. One  example, she single handedly followed up with Air France to search for my piece of lost luggage. She did not give up until it was delivered to the ship three days after arriving in Munich. Without her I might never have received my suitcase. I really appreciated her help.

Joyce Gelfand
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