Guest Story: Tom & Sue Rooney in Italy

Sue and I recently completed our 4th Uniworld river cruise. Milan, Venice & the Jewels of Veneto had been on our bucket list for years, and we booked it a couple of years ago. But like many others, it was a victim of COVID. We finally took the trip on May 24 to June 2, 2024, on the S.S. La Venezia..

We set our hopes pretty high for this trip, never having been to Northern Italy before, and hearing so much about the region. We had always visualized a “Venetian Paradise”, and worried that we may have set the bar too high. Also, our previous Uniworld trip was Splendors of Egypt & the Nile, which was absolutely magnificent! How could Milan and Venice possibly measure up to that?

Well guess what … it really did! The ship: excellent. The staff: outstanding. The food: superb, in fact best we’ve ever had on any cruise, large or small. The destinations: perfect. Other than that, it was just kinda ho-hum—LOL!

We had two major goals:

1. See Leonardo daVinci’s The Last Supper in Milan. Achieved goal! It was incredible and inspiring.
2. Go on a gondola ride in Venice. Achieved goal! Very cool indeed, worth waiting until the last full day!

But we found out the trip was so much more.

Milan was more than just The Last Supper … Il Duomo Cathedral, the Galleria, beautiful Lake Como, and more. On the way to Venice, we visited Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet, and stood below that famous balcony where Romeo stood. There never seemed to be enough time to soak it all in.

Next stop: Venice, to start our week on the S.S. La Venezia. It truly did turn out to be the Venetian Paradise we had envisioned! The Doge’s Palace and the magnificent St. Mark’s Basilica were prime examples of Italy’s renowned architectural styles. The colorful town of Burano was a hidden gem! Its brightly painted fishermen’s cottages made it look like one postcard after another. Then of course, the wonderful Grand Canal, Rialto Bridge, and its surrounding restaurants and markets. The gondola ride was all that it was cracked up to be. (Sue told me if I started singing O Solo Mio, she would push me out of the boat … needless to say, I stayed dry 😊).

Finally, the S.S. La Venezia and its amazing staff was the icing on the cake. The service was even better than what we had come to expect on Uniworld cruises. Chef Robert outdid himself with the incredible food. The evening entertainment was excellent, especially the two opera singers on the last full evening. A standing ovation … bravo! So many folks to thank, starting with our terrific Cruise Manager, Louisa. Thank you also to: Esteves the Sommelier, bar staff Violeta and Dilyana, waiter Simon, and the entire housekeeping staff. They all made us feel like royalty!

All in all, it exceeded our already high expectations. One of the best vacations we’ve ever had. Can’t wait to book #5 on Uniworld!

Note: The contents of this article are accurate as of the publication date. Uniworld itineraries and inclusions are subject to change at any time.