There is nothing so nice as messing about on a river.
This is how all clients who cruise with Uniworld are met and extracted from the hustle and bustle of the airport and transported into a world of elegance, sophistication and class like no other on their cruise around the great rivers of the world.
I'd been picked up to meet our vessel the River Countess in Chioggia where it was docked for a few days. River cruising was a new concept for me, and while I had some pre-conceptions I soon realised these were born out of ignorance and advertising which needs to pigeon hole areas of the travel industry. As I boarded, a family of six comprising of mother, father, three daughters and one of the daughters’ partners, departed for a cycle tour of the nearby market town. I was expecting Zimmer frames not peddle power, but while the average age of river cruisers is still higher than some other forms of cruising, it’s the nature of the traveller which I found to be different. The need to explore and immerse rather than to gaze from afar was crucial to m and, to the demographic of those looking to try this out.
I checked in and was whisked away to my luxurious cabin. With Uniworld every vessel is designed with the area it cruises in at its heart. As is each cabin, so no two cabins are the same. This makes for a unique and special experience, with your own specific works of art on the walls or your own tastefully decorated interior, matching the furnishings, it truly is a lovely place to relax.
Though the reality of a river cruise is not spending all day in your cabin, it’s about getting out there and enjoying the outdoor delights on offer from the ship. The beauty of a river cruise is you are often docked right in the centre of a town or city, unlike the huge cruise ships which often have to dock miles away. Then the wait to get on the bus to get you to the "place" is another time consuming fact. On a river cruise you often just walk off the ship and there you are. I found myself one day simply finishing my delicious breakfast and two minutes later I was standing in St Mark’s Square in Venice with barely a soul around (I visited in August - which for anyone that's been before will know what an extraordinary statement that is).
We did trips to keep away from the crowds, as we could be there when they were not. An exclusive visit to the Basilica at night, where they turned out the lights and we were the only ones in there, was a once in a lifetime experience. They chartered water taxis (James Bond style) to the market, and lo and behold we were there with the locals and only a few at that, wandering about the deserted streets. We took our private vaporetto to the outer islands, again to get there before the hoards descended and got to visit the Church at Torcello before anyone else was there. We were regaled with stories of medieval Venetian society while we gazed on the glittering magnificence of what has to be the best preserved pieces of ceramic art in Europe within the church, again private to us. The guides do this every day and know when and where to go and at what times to maximise the experience. I was truly flabbergasted by some of the trips and the knowledge and expertise of the guides, so if culture and experience is your thing, I would highly recommend Uniworld.
Now, the food - where do I begin? It was delicious and while I need to buy a new wardrobe as I'm clearly a few inches larger around the waist, it was worth it. You can order what you want, this is luxury all inclusive, so if you want two starters and a pudding, go for it. If you prefer some soup, a main and the cheese board, no one will stop you. If you are like me and try every course with every matched wine and finish with the cheese board and recommended port.... well get ready to go to the gym when you get home. The food was like the rest of the cruise - local to where we were at that exact time. The chefs visit the local markets each day and produce local dishes with specialist focus on the region we were in. Obviously, we've all eaten Italian food before, but seriously some of the flavours and complex simplicity of the dining options were truly sublime and was an absolute highlight for me. Every day I woke up trying not to think about the food ahead as I got too excited and it distracted me from taking in the greatness of the rest of the experience.
To summarise, I'd never done a river cruise before I did this one and have to say I was blown away. The relaxing meandering of the journey combined with small number of guests on board meant you got to know people onboard but not in a forced set seating kind of way. The standard and excellence of Uniworld is really second to none and I would recommend them to any of my clients who were looking for a really top end experience. I would say that 5* means so many different things to different people but where you can get a nice 5* Hilton, it’s not the same as the Four Seasons and that's what Uniworld is all about, the extra details, the attention to each and every guest. Two minutes after arriving everyone I met knew my name (even those who'd not met me before). Very impressive level of service and the bar staff especially remembered my preferred drinks orders which was handy as I'd had so many I'd forgotten.
If you'd like to experience Uniworld or indeed any river cruise for that matter I've extensive experience to be able to recommend the cruise, flights, journey for you and yours perfectly. Get in touch and I'll make your dream trips a reality.