![\"\"](\"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/ftdc_mariatheresa_uniworld-0737-640x424.jpg\")
Waking up aboard Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection’s S.S. Maria Theresa. Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n
\u201cUniworld\u2019s ships are each custom designed by the owners with high-end fabrics, furnishings and original artworks,\u201d emphasizes luxury travel advisor Tom Baker, president, CruiseCenter, Houston, TX, who has sailed on Uniworld multiple times. But Baker also says that the one-of-a-kind ship design is \u201cjust the start of Uniworld’s hallmark of impeccable attention to detail throughout\u201d each vessel.<\/p>\n
Uniworld is owned by The Travel Corporation, a fourth-generation, family-owned company, which owns and operates 30 travel brands including the boutique Red Carnation Hotel Collection, Contiki, Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, Brendan Vacations and many others. Brett Tollman is CEO of the Travel Corporation, and his mother, Beatrice Tollman, is a hospitality legend who founded the Red Carnation Hotel brand.<\/p>\n
\u201cUniworld has a definite boutique feel and design to their ships,\u201d adds Ray Teet, vacation specialist and franchise owner, Dream Vacations, Palm City, FL. \u201cIf you\u2019ve ever visited one of the old mansions from the past and have marveled at the amazing designs and rich tapestries displayed, you will definitely feel the same while staying aboard a Uniworld River cruise.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The striking atrium lobby aboard Uniworld’s S.S. Maria Theresa welcomes guests into a world of European opulence. Photo courtesy of Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection<\/p><\/div>\n
Teet also says the ships are characterized by beautiful artwork that \u201cwill have you thinking you are visiting an art gallery or museum.\u201d \u00a0One feature we loved on one of our voyages? It\u2019s the stunning chandelier that graces the S.S. Antoinette\u2019s atrium; it formerly hung at New York City\u2019s famous Tavern on the Green restaurant.<\/p>\n
The striking interior design of Uniworld\u2019s ships reflects the vision of Bea\u2019s daughter Toni Tollman, director of design and products for both Red Carnation Hotels and Uniworld. Tollman meticulously crafts each ship as a masterpiece with one-of-a-kind d\u00e9cor, hand-crafted furniture, antiques and priceless art pieces. \u201cThe floor plans and deck plans may be alike, but the furnishings, the linens, bedspreads, duvets and all other furnishings are all unique,\u201d says Teet.<\/p>\n
That said, travelers who prefer sailing on a river vessel with a more simplistic style or clean lines might prefer a different line. It\u2019s simply a matter of personal taste.<\/p>\n
All-Inclusive Value<\/h3>\n
\u201cUniworld cruises are known for being all-inclusive and incorporate local food, beer and wine combined with unparalleled customer service for a complete and immersive experience,\u201d says travel advisor Carolyn Langon, Travel-Lyn LLC of Orwigsburg, PA, an independent agency member of the Avoya Travel Network. She too has cruised repeatedly on Uniworld and in different regions of the globe.<\/p>\n
As with any river cruise purchase, we always suggest doing a side-by-side comparison of what\u2019s included in the river cruise fares for several lines\u2019 itineraries. Check off what is and what\u2019s not included \u2013 and add on those \u201cnot included\u201d charges. That can show the \u201creal cost\u201d of the vacation experience at the end of the cruise.<\/p>\n
Uniworld\u2019s guests typically aren\u2019t surprised at the end of the cruise with a huge bill as the luxury line\u2019s fares cover such items as all ship-related transfers; dining in both the main restaurant and an alternative venue onboard; pampering butler service\u00a0for all suites on European ships; shipboard Wi-Fi and much more.<\/p>\n
Teet stresses that the inclusivity also extends \u201ceven to the gratuities for onboard and shore excursion guides.\u201d He also likes the line\u2019s complimentary excursions in every port with some ports offering multiple tour options. Some exclusive-to-Uniworld shore excursions visit wineries, restaurants and other savory spots.<\/p>\n
In addition, Teet says that \u201cIf you wish to have an alcoholic beverage, you do not have to worry about paying for it, regardless of the time of day.\u201d On a recent cruise, we liked that guests could order from a selection of premium spirits, wines and beers included in the fare. Several ships have onboard sommeliers.<\/p>\n
Multiple Shore Tours<\/h3>\n
Since nothing is cookie-cutter onboard, Uniworld believes that should also be the case ashore. Guests have several touring options (with tours included in the price of the cruise fare). On \u201cVillage Day\u201d tours, guests get an in-depth look at the quaint destinations visited and the people who bring them to life.<\/p>\n
Increasingly river cruise guests want to stay active on their vacation, and to explore the destinations in an active way. Uniworld\u2019s \u201cLet\u2019s Go\u201d active excursions are for guests who like to walk, hike, cycle, kayak or golf. And \u201cDo as the Locals Do\u201d excursions might include stopping into a caf\u00e9 for a local specialty treat or riding the subway.<\/p>\n
\u201cEach day is filled with stops at locations defined by art, historical and social significance and full of stunning scenery,\u201d says Langon, who also stresses that Uniworld taps high-quality tour guides for the shore excursions.<\/p>\n
Themed Cruises<\/h3>\n
Certainly, a top reason to travel is to indulge in a personal passion \u2013 whether that\u2019s culinary, art, heritage or another special interest. Uniworld offers a portfolio of themed cruises. Most notable? For foodies who adore French food and wine, The Connoisseur Collection includes visits to such gourmet spots as Lyon\u2019s Institut Paul Bocuse, or perhaps a truffle hunting expedition in the countryside.<\/p>\n
In addition, the line has fielded such themed sailings over the past few years as Floating Wellness Workshops, Jewish Heritage cruises, Floating Paint and Wine Workshops and more<\/p>\n
A Bit About Kids<\/h3>\n
When it comes to children sailing onboard, Uniworld believes kids under 4 years of age are not yet old enough to enjoy river cruising, and stresses that even for older children, the line has no special arrangements for little ones or an onboard children\u2019s program.<\/p>\n
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Children traveling on a Generation Collection journey may have the opportunity to dine with the captain. Photo courtesy of Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection<\/p><\/div>\n
Good news, though? Multigenerational families can tap into the line\u2019s family-friendly Generations Connection cruises on certain itineraries\/dates and during the winter holiday season. Special programming, activities and events are organized for families on these dates.<\/p>\n
That said, kids under 18 must be accompanied by an adult 21 or older at all times. Kid fares typically are 25 percent off the adult fare when kids are traveling with an adult, (except in suites).<\/p>\n
Indoor Pools<\/h3>\n
Taking a dip in a pool isn\u2019t an option on many river ships, and even if the vessel does have a pool, it\u2019s often outside. That\u2019s great in the heart of a hot European summer but not necessarily in early spring or fall in certain regions.<\/p>\n
For those who desire to swim every day, regardless of weather, yes, one can find an indoor pool on certain river vessels. In Europe, for example, Uniworld is among the few lines (Emerald Cruises and Crystal River Cruises being others), with indoor pools on certain vessels.<\/p>\n
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The Bar du Leopard and swimming pool on Uniworld’s S.S. Catherine. Photo courtesy of Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection<\/p><\/div>\n
Travelers will find indoor pools on Uniworld\u2019s S.S. Maria Theresa, S.S. Antoinette, S.S. Catherine and S.S. Joie de Vivre. Having personally sailed on S.S. Catherine, I loved the pool area\u2019s gorgeous green mosaic design; it has two glass walls with views to the adjacent Bar du Leopard.<\/p>\n
World-Class Cuisine<\/h3>\n
Most river lines have very good cuisine, and Uniworld\u2019s culinary presentation and quality are top-notch. Classically trained chefs use fresh, locally-sourced ingredients for all onboard meals, which feature both regionally-inspired and western dishes. In addition, guests can dine on dishes created from signature recipes from the cookbook, \u201cA Life in Food,\u201d authored by Beatrice Tollman.<\/p>\n
\u201cEach evening guests enjoy an over-the-top dinner with wine pairings before dropping into their plush, luxurious beds for the night,\u201d says Langon. Guests definitely won\u2019t go hungry any time onboard. In addition to the regular breakfast, lunch and dinner times, guests can set their own vacation schedule with an early-riser breakfast, afternoon tea or an all-day Bistro menu. Desire healthy dining? A Traveling Lite menu offers such choices as vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.<\/p>\n
Onboard, Uniworld\u2019s guests are asked to wear attire reflecting \u201ca smart-casual dress code.\u201d For dining ashore, concerts and special events onboard, Uniworld says men may want to bring a sports jacket (neckties are optional) and women a cocktail dress or pantsuit. Shorts are not allowed at dinner on the ship.<\/p>\n
Dining in the main restaurant is open seating, so guests can dine when, where and with whom they choose. Celebratory welcome and farewell receptions and dinners add a festive aura to the voyages.<\/p>\n
A Wellness Bent<\/h3>\n
Uniworld\u2019s guests expect wellness options, so there are onboard fitness centers and certified onboard wellness instructors. The river line also offers complimentary onboard fitness classes including yoga and TRX Suspension Training.<\/p>\n
Fitness buffs also can head out to explore destinations using complimentary loaner bicycles or Nordic walking sticks. Or, as mentioned in the themed cruise section above, guests can set out on Let\u2019s Go active excursions including hiking, golf, kayaking or other outdoor adventures.<\/p>\n
Loyalty Program Perks<\/h3>\n
After their first Uniworld cruise, guests are automatically enrolled in the brand\u2019s River Heritage Club loyalty program and begin receiving benefits, savings and rewards.<\/p>\n
Those include welcome gifts, special members-only offers, complimentary laundry service, complimentary in-room fruit platter upon arrival, priority notification on new cruises and programs, the Riverviews E-Magazine and the chance to join the Captain for a members-only cocktail party.<\/p>\n
Free Self-Service Laundry<\/h3>\n
Uniworld is one of the few cruise lines, either river or ocean, that offer cruise travelers free use of a self-service laundry. It\u2019s a nice added perk for many guests who don\u2019t want to bring a ton of clothes and prefer to wash their own clothes mid-cruise.<\/p>\n
Sumptuous, Pampering Accommodations<\/h3>\n
Frankly, in staying onboard one of Uniworld\u2019s ship I felt as though I was relaxing in Marie Antoinette\u2019s boudoir. It was a pleasing feeling, and certainly the design allows guests to \u201csoak up\u201d the aura of a region or destination.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/ftdc_uniworld_mariatheresa-0742-640x967.jpg\")
The bathrooms on Uniworld’s Maria Theresa are large, and fitted with some custom amenities…Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n
The accommodations\u2019 gorgeous fabrics and furniture as well as \u201cthe marble bathrooms with their heated marble floors, will have you feeling that you are staying in a suite for royalty,\u201d notes Teet. As noted earlier, top suites are individually designed, so no two are alike.<\/p>\n
Generally, staterooms and suites are for double occupancy; a third person is permitted only in some suites such as those on S.S. Catherine and S.S. Maria Theresa (excluding the Royal Suite). At times, the line offers reduced single supplements, making solo travel in a double-occupancy stateroom more palatable<\/p>\n
Pampering Butlers<\/h3>\n
Guests staying in all suites on European cruises are treated to butler service. It\u2019s great to arrive after a long overseas flight and have a butler help unpack suitcases. During the cruise, the butler can also serve favorite beverages, make spa service appointments and much more.<\/p>\n
One good thing to know? Uniworld\u2019s butlers are trained to the same standards of excellence required by Buckingham Palace, educated under the tutelage of Zita Langenstein at England\u2019s Ivor Spencer Butler School. These butlers also serve in the butler role 100 percent of the time, not moonlighting in other roles onboard.<\/p>\n
Formal, Friendly Service, Impeccable Detail<\/h3>\n
From my personal perspective (having sailed on several Uniworld ships over the past few years), Uniworld has a service style that\u2019s a bit more formal than some other upscale lines, yet warm and welcoming at the same time. I\u2019m not alone in that view.<\/p>\n
\u201cUniworld service is a more formal European level without being stuffy,\u201d stresses Baker. \u201cThe staff have impeccable manners and each staff member is carefully selected by the company. That differs from some other lines who charter their ships and use staff as provided by the charter owners.\u201d<\/p>\n
Uniworld has much greater control as it owns its European ships, Baker explains.\u00a0 Teet too told us that, noting that \u201cevery staff member aboard is a Uniworld employee and is trained to deliver customer service in the manner of fine five- and six-star hotel properties.\u201d<\/p>\n
That said, the line does use other firms\u2019 vessels in such places as Egypt, Southeast Asia, India or (soon to come) South America. Still, staff are trained to Uniworld standards, and the line is definitely into \u201cthe details\u201d of service. That reflects Beatrice Tollman\u2019s high service standard or what\u2019s often called a \u201cspirit of hospitality\u201d found both within Red Carnation Hotels and Uniworld as well. Tollman has been inducted into the British Travel & Hospitality Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n
Defining the line\u2019s spirit of hospitality, Langon puts it this way: \u201cUniworld consistently fulfills their pledge of \u2018No request too large, no detail too small.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It\u2019s easy to select one top differentiator for Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection. All one has to do is eyeball the river vessels in its fleet. Travelers won\u2019t find cookie-cutter ship design or interior d\u00e9cor look on any Uniworld vessel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":34241,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[22,29],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39900"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39900"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39900\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34241"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39900"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39900"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39900"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}