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January 28, 2007

Uniworld Christmas Markets Cruise Review

Then there are the passengers. On each of the river cruises I've taken, I've found the most interesting, eclectic group of fellow passengers. Most are extensively traveled all over the world. Highly accomplished in their own lives, they're fascinating conversationalists. And most are repeat river cruisers. In fact, most of them have taken ocean cruises, but prefer the river experience, with several this past trip telling me they'll never take an ocean cruise again.

The small size of these ships, typically 100-200 passengers, and open dining, allows you to get to know your fellow passengers better than most ocean cruises. There is ample time to congregate in the lounge to watch the scenery as you sail past the sites. Conversations flow easily, and even the most timid passenger is drawn into conversation and activity. Because of this, it's a wonderful way for both singles and couples to travel. Some sailings are even beginning to emphasize family cruising, though river cruises don't offer any children's activities onboard, or cabins of more than double occupancy, so are more appropriate for older children.

Additionally for singles, most river cruises have reduced single supplements.

The cruise I took aboard the Uniworld River Queen, is typical of river cruising in general. Boarding the ship in Cologne, we sailed up the Rhine to Basel, Switzerland, visiting several ports along the way, frequenting the wonderful Christmas markets, and marveling at the history and castles of the region.

The cities visited had something for everyone. Some were just magical, such as Rudesheim, where I could spend several days in the future. Others were more chalk full of history such as Koblenz where pivotal historical events have taken place due to its key geographical location. In each stop, the guides were uniformly good, with most reaching excellent levels. Many were university professors who led tours part- time. All were from the region and proud of their history and that showed in the information they shared.

The groups on Uniworld aren't assigned, so each day you can go with different people if you like. Other lines, such as Viking, separate you at the beginning of the cruise into small groups with whom you remain throughout the cruise. Both options have positives and negatives, but I found myself preferring the fluid dynamic of Uniworld's system as I could choose each day which guide looked interesting, or with whom I wanted to spend that time. Uniworld always had a designated group for those who wanted a more leisurely pace. In talking with those who opted for that group, they were just as pleased as I was with what they saw and the information they received, so you don't have to feel that moving a bit more slowly is a hindrance.

But that brings up a point I should mention. River cruises are not for those who have great difficulty walking. While we did have one person with a bit of an impediment, the ship isn't fully accessible, and the ports definitely not so. You're traveling over cobblestones, up and down steep streets, and going inside buildings with no elevators. If you have difficulty in traveling in these conditions, I'd not recommend a river cruise for you. These are moderately active cruises with the strength in the port tours. If you have concerns over your mobility and whether river cruising is for you, feel free to call. I'm happy to discuss it for you, and will be candid in my thoughts with regard to your specific situation.

Standard cabins are cozy but functional. While it's often said on ocean cruises that you never spend time in your cabin, I often do as I sometimes don't find lounges truly conducive to true lounging, relaxing and enjoying a book. This is not the case on a river cruise. You absolutely will want to spend time in the public areas, not because the cabins aren't comfortable, but because that's the best place on the ship to be. There are larger suites and on some ships, "Juliet" balconies for some fresh air.

The top deck is open, with some ships featuring a hot tub. There are lounge chairs up there for relaxing while under sail or during free time in port, and the bridge is accessible to the guests with permission.

River cruises are also easily combined with pre- and post-cruise stays. For example, I arrived in Cologne a day early in order to get over the jet lag, and give me an extra day to browse the many Christmas markets Cologne offers (not to mention start drinking the terrific winter spiced wine which is an integral part of the markets, gluhwein). After the cruise disembarked in Basel, I took the wonderfully efficient train to Zurich where I spent two more nights before heading home.

Uniworld is definitely a premium/luxury line. On a 7- night sailing, there are two "Captain's" dinners, which are moderately dressy, though I'd not call them formal nights. 7-course fixed menu which equals food I've had on lines such as Crystal. Absolutely superb! The chef not only takes great pride in his cuisine, but is accessible throughout the sailing. On this cruise, he did a demonstration one afternoon in the lounge while we were sailing on strudel (he's Austrian, so perfect for this recipe) and true egg nog. Of course, we all got generous samples. He was fabulous!

Breakfast and lunch are both buffet, but with cooked- to-order items for both. There is usually a carving station for lunch as well as the buffet items and salad bar, and breakfast has a special omelette or other item each day. Dinner, as with all meals, is open seating, with a nice selection each night. If you have special dietary needs, they are very flexible and willing to work with you. There's a nice wine list, and of course you can order from the bar as well.

Overall on the dining, I'd say the breakfasts could have varied a bit more in variety, but were quite good with eggs, meats, cold cuts and cooked vegetables (European style breakfast), cereals and the specialty item, and lunches had salads, pastas, the carving station and at least one hot entree per day. But the dinners are where the line really shone.

In addition, there were included meals on some of the excursions. On this particular itinerary, there was dinner in Rudesheim which was both delicious and fun, and a lunch in Heidelberg which, while good, I'd have skipped to spend more time in this fascinating and enchanting town.

Service was personal and personable. You're welcomed back onboard the ship by name and a smile. Crew is everywhere and smiling. The cabins are well maintained and the public areas sparkle. While we're talking crew, let me tell you that *everyone* works on everything on a ship this size. Since I'd arrived in Cologne a day early, I opted out of the included tour of Cologne from the ship as I'd already seen those sites, and took the opportunity to relax in the lounge that morning. As soon as the passengers were off the ship, an announcement came over the loudspeakers that ALL crew were to report to the lobby for provisioning. About 5 minutes later is was repeated and emphasized that ALL crew was to report. I watched as the provisions were hand loaded onto the ship, the crates passing person-to-person, everyone from the Captain and Hotel Manager to the housekeepers and kitchen crew assisting to load the supplies. No automation here, and lots of work by everyone involved. Even in embarkation and disembarkation, you may have the First Officer carrying your bags onboard and into your cabin. That's the spirit typical for river cruises in general, but Uniworld was simply amazing with it.

The crew onboard is all English speaking. Generally a mixed crew, though on this particular sailing almost all were from Slovakia. The currency onboard is charged in dollars (which is nice when the Euro is fluctuating so much), though you may tip at the end in either dollars or Euro if you need to get rid of some Euro at the end. And believe me, you'll want to be tipping.

The cruise director is more than just the onboard activities director. He or she will spend personal time with you. On this sailing, Wouter was everywhere. He is responsible for the tour guides and arrangements in each town, and wants feedback on the guides. He may even accompany the groups to check up on them. He of course is responsible for the entertainment onboard as well, bringing local groups aboard in several ports. Like the guests, the cruise director brings aboard a wide variety of experience, and Wouter was no exception. He is Flemmish, married to an Italian woman with a new baby at home he was excited to get home to. But even with just a short time before he was to go home, he was clearly focused not on his upcoming holiday, but instead on the task at hand. His family has been involved in tourism for several generations, and his expertise extends far beyond just river cruising.

Even the Captain is accessible. He was from Holland (I think... on this point I may be mistaken), now living in South Africa, and an avid dancer. You could find him most evenings in the lounge hoping to find someone with whom to dance and practicing his English. When was the last time you had that happen on an ocean cruise?

The Hotel Manager was simply the best I've experienced. He seemed to be everywhere, and with genuine smiles and affection toward both his crew and the passengers. However, behind the scenes, he's all business. Having worked for Marriott, I know the public and back office roles for a Hotel Manager, and he was perfectly suited for both and loved his job, which showed not only with his own actions, but in the entire crew.

Entertainment is varied in the evenings. In several ports, when we had overnights or late port calls, local entertainers came onboard. For example, in Cologne there was a men's maritime choir who came onboard to sing nautical songs. Fabulous! One group who came onboard was more loud than melodious, but it's this quaintness which makes the evening. I will say this particular ship is a bit difficult for the entertainment, as half the seating in the lounge is facing the other direction and is on long couches which cannot be turned, but that's a small quibble for an otherwise enjoyable experience.

Other than programmed evening entertainment, the atmosphere is pretty low key in the evening, with most passengers opting to go to bed early to be ready for another full day in port the next day. However, there are games stocked onboard, and one night we did have a rousing bout of Pictionary, and there was even one night with "horse races" in the lounge as well.

There are several lines targeted at US customers, and Uniworld is among the best, with sailings in Europe, the Nile, China and Russia. Like ocean cruising, each line has slightly different personalities, and I'd be happy to help you find the right one for you.