Uniworld decor

Anyone find Uniworld to be a little over the top when it comes to decorating? I have only been on Scandinavian inspired Viking. My perspective is based on viewing their website and pictures of their ships. Compared to Viking, Uniworld seems like a high end hotel (for good and bad). Loud colors in the lounge, rooms are much more colorful than Viking. I suppose I could get used to it.

It looked like Marie Antoinette exploded in my stateroom :D, but I liked the décor on the River Beatrice.

Roz

The Uniworld ships are decorated by the owner. Each ship is different, but her taste is not mine. I was last on board in 2011 on a ship that felt very homey, but was about to be redecorated. The supership we rafted with one day was completely over the top.

I've been on two Uniworld ships, with a third upcoming, next month. Is it how I would decorate my home. No. But, after being on board about 5 minutes, we adapted.

We traveled on Avalon last year, and while we loved the panorama suite concept, the furnishing weren't comfortable, at all. The barstools were small, round, and backless. On Uniworld, nice, soft, with backs, and arms. The beds on Avalon were average, on Uniworld they were amazing.

We tend to spend most of our sailing time on the sundeck, and Uniworld's furnishings were more comfortable than Avalon's, yet not like the interior of the ship. Padded loungers, for example, as opposed to simple mesh ones.

For these reasons, and the level of service/inclusive pricing/quality of food (objective, I know), we will choose Uniworld over Avalon, in the future.

Robin

Anyone find Uniworld to be a little over the top when it comes to decorating?

It is not to our taste, that's for sure.

Fortunately there are many different lines to choose between, so those who like that sort of style can have it, and we can pick something we are happier with.

Everyone gets what they want that way :)

We've been on 3 Uniworld cruises and 1 Viking cruise. We are booked on our fourth cruise with Uniworld this summer. Yes, the decor on Uniworld ships looks elegant, but the atmosphere is anything but stuffy or formal. We found all of our Uniworld trips to exude a friendly, warm and welcoming environment. On our only Viking cruise, staff (and experience overall) reflected the cold, stark (though very clean) decor. Personally, I wouldn't base a booking on the interior design of a ship, but rather on the experience offered.

Yes, the decor on Uniworld ships looks elegant...

That's the problem though, we don't think it looks elegant at all, way too much faux Louis XVI, with a far too liberal sprinkling of Marie Antoinette's boudoir, Hollywood 'movie' French, the very antithesis of 'elegant'.

This is why it is good that we have choices so we can each pick what we prefer.

One look at the Uniworld decor was enough to send me looking elsewhere- it's good that there are choices for varying tastes.

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I'm with Mark_T and nancyevans, we've traveled with Uniworld once and Viking numerous times, I find Uniworld decor way over the top and not to my liking, however it wouldn't be a deal breaker if the itinerary were to our liking. I like the minimalistic look with clean lines and no cloying decor but this is my opinion only.

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It isn't how I would decorate at home, but didn't let decor play into any decisions about which cruise line to book. If I could find the same itinerary, date & price on more than one line, then decor *might* play a factor. MIGHT.... I realize that decor doesn't really affect my enjoyment of the experience. If it is really over the top, then DH and just add it to the memory bank - and can laugh about it later.

Fran

We were on the Catherine and found the decor over the top. Seating in the lounge was not comfortable. Definitely not my taste but we adapted. Beds were the best we have had on any river cruise.

I have been on three Viking ships (not sailed as the line does not appeal to me for more reasons than decor) and found the interiors cold, generic and uninviting.

Scenic was very modern and spare. Seating at bar was particularly uncomfortable. Not my taste either but prefer the clean lines of their style to Uniworld. Beds were very good.

Avalon was reminiscent of an airport hotel on the three ships we were on; generic and nothing special but clean and functional.

AMA's decor suits us best and they are also our favorite line. Lounges have comfy furnishings and are warm and welcoming. We love the library with fireplace on the new ships and the great views from the Chef's Table restaurant.

All that said, we would not discount a line based on decor and will happily cruise with Uniworld, Scenic and AMA again.

Hi Z,

It grates on me every time I look at it.

Ira

Seriously! You wouldn't go because the decor wasn't to your liking. We did Budapest to Amsterdam on the Maria Theresa....the wonderful food, beverages, service, fun fellow passengers and itinerary make the trip #1!!

Yes, seriously!

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We've been on 4 Uniworld ships and part of the fun is that each is decorated very differently and the public areas are decorated in a way that I could never conceive of decorating my own home (I admittedly don't have much imagination!). We found the cabins, in addition to having the most comfortable beds and bedding we've ever had on any size ship or in any hotel, to be decorated in a more understated and restful fashion. In our experience the ship's decor becomes just part of the background while enjoying outstanding and personalized service, meals, drinks, itineraries, etc.

Seriously! You wouldn't go because the decor wasn't to your liking.

You'd have to put us in the same category, and remember, it is not that we wouldn't go, we just wouldn't go with Uniworld...

The decor is definitely old world and very colorful but it's not a deal breaker at all. Decor would be on the bottom of my list when booking a cruise, hotel or residence. Service, food, demographics, amenities and in the case of cruising, itinerary are far more important. Fortunately Uniworld has a lot more to offer than the frou frou decor!

We sailed on the River Queen in 2015, and I enjoyed the look of the ship... I much preferred it to the plain look of some of the other lines. I wouldn't decorate my home that way, but it certainly wouldn't stop me from sailing on one of their ships. I also felt once you were on the ship, it was a totally different experience than looking at the pictures. I personally wouldn't discard a line simply because of the décor of the ship--I'd look at the itinerary and price, along with reviews, as well. We'd sale with Uniworld again in a heartbeat. The staff was wonderful, and we really liked that it was basically all-included.

We were on the Catherine and found the decor over the top. Seating in the lounge was not comfortable. Definitely not my taste but we adapted. Beds were the best we have had on any river cruise.

 

I have been on three Viking ships (not sailed as the line does not appeal to me for more reasons than decor) and found the interiors cold, generic and uninviting.

 

Scenic was very modern and spare. Seating at bar was particularly uncomfortable. Not my taste either but prefer the clean lines of their style to Uniworld. Beds were very good.

 

Avalon was reminiscent of an airport hotel on the three ships we were on; generic and nothing special but clean and functional.

 

AMA's decor suits us best and they are also our favorite line. Lounges have comfy furnishings and are warm and welcoming. We love the library with fireplace on the new ships and the great views from the Chef's Table restaurant.

 

All that said, we would not discount a line based on decor and will happily cruise with Uniworld, Scenic and AMA again.

I know ship decor is subjective and a personal preference, but as a river cruise newbie, I really appreciate your posted decor comparison. I am in my river cruise research stage and plan to look into a number of the cruise lines. But based on your comments, I believe AMA best fits our personal taste.

Cheers!

Brian