Oceania regulars with experience on Uniworld Europe or Egypt?

[alaala]

I'm used to Oceania and like the size, port intensity, and quality and type of food on this line. I'm looking at a river cruise in Europe and Egypt and based on initial research, feel that Uniworld would give me a comparable experience. Traveling solo so I like the included excursions that seem to be small group based since the ships are so small. Any of you Oceania fans with any insights on Uniworld or other?

 

 

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[coldweathergirl]

I haven't sailed on either Uniworld or Oceania (just in the process of booking one) but have stayed in many luxury hotels.

 

When we sailed down the Nile several years ago we went on the Sonesta St George. The ship, service, excursions and service were excellent. I'm not sure if it continues to offer an excellent product so you may want to search out some recent reviews.

 

The guide for all of the excursions was excellent and I remember the top of the ship had a seating area with a fine cool mist spraying down on us which was very welcome in the heat.

[Mura]

We haven't done Uniworld but we have done a few Viking river boat trips. We are no longer as enthusiastic about Viking as we once were, but I think that may be partly because the rivers are far more crowded these days -- on our last European riverboat experience on Viking in France (Apr '12) we were often triple parked in ports and since we were usually on the outside we had to cross over and walk through the other boats.

 

On our first Viking trip in Oct '03 we hardly saw any other ships, but we were on the last sailing of the season which could account for that. But of course back in 2003 there were far fewer riverboats.

 

A second problem with the most recent Viking cruise was a lack of servers in the restaurant. Five servers cannot possibly serve 150 passengers at dinner in a reasonable amount of time. (And the galley was impossibly small as well.)

 

I heard the captain say one day that there were 1,000 ships on the Danube at that time (2012).

 

OTOH, a friend did a Uniworld cruise a few years ago and adored it. And it certainly has a fine reputation.

 

We were struck by the other passengers on our first Viking cruise (Amsterdam-Basel). They had been everywhere they could go on land and sea, and so now they were doing rivers. Most people on that trip were independent travelers.

 

Based on my Viking experience (take that for what it is worth) the "free" tours are good, but usually you are about 30 people. They do use earphones which makes it easier to hear the guide but also can enable you (if you are like me) to wander off out of hearing distance ... I would have preferred smaller groups, but they weren't too huge. OTOH, because most passengers were older there were a few guides who adopted an extremely slow walking pace. I have knee problems, too, but I have to be moving at a certain pace or I just give up ... Too slow is too slow!

 

I'm not saying that Uniworld has any of these problems ... just that you might bear these questions in mind. Perhaps you'd be better off going to a Uniworld site to ask your questions?

 

Good luck, and have a great trip.

 

Mura

[BillPizzaiolo]

I'm used to Oceania and like the size, port intensity, and quality and type of food on this line. I'm looking at a river cruise in Europe and Egypt and based on initial research, feel that Uniworld would give me a comparable experience. Traveling solo so I like the included excursions that seem to be small group based since the ships are so small. Any of you Oceania fans with any insights on Uniworld or other?

 

 

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Hi,

Our TA recommended Uniworld to us back in 2012. We signed up with her for the Budapest to Amsterdam and then Marseilles to Lyon cruises. We were very satisfied with the entire process door to door. We have now booked a Nile River cruise with them for later this year. We met a now single friend on the Budapest to Amsterdam cruise. She was very happy with the cruise as well. The small groups were a big plus. Landing in the middle of everything was easy on easy off, the food was very good, wine and beer at dinner was included. Sometimes they rafted the cruise boats together and we would either walk through another lines lobby to get to shore. The really big lines that advertise with weekly mailings are just that Mass Market, huge groups. We liked the more personalized services and smaller groups for the included tours. The demographic is much more like Oceania on Uniworld.

Bill & Jeannie

[newlondon]

Hi alaala, We have yet to cruise Oceania, signed up for November, but we have cruised Uniworld. We also have many nights on Regent and SS.

We did the Seine and the Rhone rivers-about 2 weeks. We were very pleased with their performance. TBH we stayed in suites, we thought the standard cabins a bit small. The food, beverages tours etc were all outstanding. In addition you could get a table for two if you want by being at the head of the line when the dining room opens. The service was excellent, all in all well worth it.

Even better, however, is Tauck. They just do the little bit extra that makes the difference.

[alaala]

What about Tauck in particular is standout? I hadn't even realized how many river options there were until I started this research process a couple of weeks ago.

 

 

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[orchestrapal]

What about Tauck in particular is standout? I hadn't even realized how many river options there were until I started this research process a couple of weeks ago.

 

 

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You would get much more information on the River Cruise board. It has many, many threads of all lines.

Edited March 18, 2015 by orchestrapal

[alaala]

Far less on Uniworld or Egypt than I hoped, actually. I started my search there.

 

 

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[DavidTheWonderer]

You would get much more information on the River Cruise board.

 

Near the top of the River Cruising thread is a sticky titled "New to RIVER CRUISING??? START HERE!!!" There you will find a link to a "downloadable comprehensive guide" (the second link that is provided). It explicitly compares various river cruise lines to ocean cruise lines, plus a lot more.

 

That document compares AmaWaterways to Oceania.

[newlondon]

Interesting sticky David. I think it is a little too generous to Uniworld, has Tauck right on.

[neepawa]

Egypt and Nile River Cruise

 

We visited Egypt in in 2009 on a 15 day tour that included 4 days in Cairo pre-cruise, a 7 day Nile cruise, and 3 days in Cairo post-cruise that included a day trip to Alexandria.

 

While in Cairo, we stayed at the Hilton where the food and service were outstanding as was the security at all the sites we visited. When we went to the Souk, the market, the hotel phoned ahead to ensure that we were met by an armed escort. Many in our group did not want to go into the Souk so my wife and I had a private guide/security escort for that excursion.

 

As stated on other posts stay with your guide at Giza and other sites throughout the trip, the vendors can be very aggressive.

 

We flew from Cairo to Luxor and return on Egyptair which provided excellent on time service.

 

The Nile cruise on the “Nile Admiral” with visits to many sites was the highlight of this trip. The ship was rather old but the food and service again were great. There were two armed guards on board but we never felt threatened. From Aswan we flew to Abu Simbel to view the temples that had been elevated before the creation of Lake Nasser. We arrived at the temples just as the sun was rising, a spectacular experience.

 

We found that the day trip to Alexandria was not worth the 6 hours on the bus. Otherwise, we enjoyed the trip and have recommended it to our friends.

 

Cheers

 

Don

Edited March 18, 2015 by neepawa

[Sopwith]

We have sailed once on each line, the Riviera and the River Countess from Amsterdam to Vienna. We were very happy with both. The Countess is a much smaller ship, of course, 114 passengers when we were aboard. The cabins are quite small. There is not much room to do anything other than sleep, but the lounge on the ship was very nice, reasonably quiet, and offered a good view. There is also an outside lounge area on the upper deck if the weather is good. The food was fairly good, probably on par with O, but because of the smaller group the selection was not as broad.

 

The shore excursions were usually walking tours and were handled quite well. They divided the pax into 5 groups, each led by a local guide. All of them were good. They have audio receivers so you can always hear the guide, and the walking pace is good. One of the five groups was intended for pax who have more limited mobility, and the pace is slower and easier. There was plenty of time in most ports to explore on your own, and there are bikes you can borrow if you're into that. The ship usually docks right in the centre of the town, which is good. Everything is within easy walking distance. We were rafted with other ships a few times, but we didn't find that to be a problem.

 

We would definitely cruise with Uniworld again, but understand that river cruising is a much different experience than ocean cruising. The pace is more intense, and after a few days you'll know everyone on the ship.

[alaala]

Thank you all for the experienced replies. Would love to hear about your Nile trip when you return, Bill and Jeannie. That is one I keep watching for a lowered single supplement. I'm looking forward to the river cruise experience. It is all usually good, and if it isn't, it often makes a good story eventually!

 

 

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[pinotlover]

Have done both now. One can't touch O's dining on any river cruise, although you'll be very happy with Uniworld's food. The comprehensive drink package is included and I believe you will be happy with the wines and liquors offered on Uniworld as an included part of the package.

 

I believe that Uniworld is a closer resemblance to Oceania in both cruiser profile and services than Tauck. Tauck is far more expensive than Uniworld and also much higher in service than Uniworld or Oceania. Oceania is a premium cruise line, not a luxury cruise line; and I think the same is true with Uniworld.

 

In summary, I feel if you are comfortable in service and amenities with Oceania, you will be the same with Uniworld. Try them and experience river cruising for yourself.

 

Tours. Is a separate discussion in itself. On Oceania and Regent cruises, some/many cruisers choose to arrange their own small group tours in lieu of those offered by the cruise line. The same is true with Uniworld, (especially) Viking, et.al. Some passengers feel more comfortable arranging either private or small group tours of different ports for their own reasons. I would only advise you to keep your mind open and look at what is offered and what the alternatives are. I believe you will be happy with Uniworlds program tours, however the masses, even when done well, are not for everyone!

[BillPizzaiolo]

Pinot lover,

Thanks for the info. We have found on two prior Uniworld tours that their included small group walking tours and occasional bus rides were more than adequate. We typically tour on private tours with Oceania because we enjoy the smaller more intimate groups of three or four couples. When it gets over 6 or 8 couples our experience usually less than expected. Uniworld tours we have experienced were not massive, around 6 couples or so with a guide and mostly on foot. Not a massive 48 passenger bus fully loaded. If I want that kind of experience I can get it really cheaper by riding a bus to NYC Port Authority Bus Terminal.

[pinotlover]

Bill;

 

Since we have enjoyed the company of both you and your lovely wife's (mostly her :D) company on small group tours, I believe we drink from the same fountain. :D

I likewise believe that Uniworld's smaller group tour offer a wonderful opportunity, however, some of the tours can be 30ish also. I only caution any traveler to learn and understand the options and make decisions based on their particular likes and dislikes.

[Baybear]

I agree with the assessments here that Uniworld and Oceania are comparable in terms of clientele, service, amenities and ambiance (save the one big difference of a much smaller river ship than a larger Oceania ship with many more venues).

 

But there is a difference in Uniworld from Oceania in terms of food. Oceania (quality and variety of food) can't be beat. Uniworld food, we thought was pretty close to Celebrity, if not a small "touch below" probably because of the small ship/galley of a river ship (not nearly the variety of that on an Oceania ship) and their proclivity to offer food from the area you're cruising in which tends to be things like "goulash" if in Hungary, "wiener schnitzel" if in Vienna, etc. So if you are a foodie, you will find just a little less quality and variety on Uniworld. However, I believe among the river cruise lines some of the best food is found on Uniworld compared to the others.

 

The tours with Uniworld (included in your basic fare!) are quite a "plus" being conducted by locals with lots of enthusiasm and knowledge. Whereas Oceania's tours are so expensive compared to all the other lines that we never take them. That's another difference between the two of them.

 

And of course, "no days at sea" is one of the attractions of a Uniworld cruise if you like ports and sight-seeing.

 

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how similar Oceania and Uniworld are.

[corpkid]

We've been toying with the idea of a river cruise as well and have been looking at Uniworld, too. This is very helpful. Two questions:

 

1) Is there any way to see in advance how large a group will be for a tour (thus leaving us the option to organize a private one)? We too (as Bill and Sandy will remember from our last cruise) enjoy the smaller group format. Much easier to make friends and less drama. :)

 

2) When do the ships leave the dock typically? Would we be able to do dinner in the cities?

 

Thanks!

Dom & Don

[alaala]

I'm so glad I started this thread! I'm also interested in the answers to both of corpkid's questions.

 

Re, food, I like the idea of being able to sample local specialties on the ship, especially if time in each port is so limited. I found sample menus on Uniworld's site and definitely noticed that trend. The descriptions at least sounded as good as or even better than Oceania in some cases. Seems like worse case scenario is you don't like it and can actually have room to enjoy cheese/dessert for a change.

 

Sounds like I've found the right one to try, and Uniworld's willingness to offer very good singles rates is another (positive) difference from Oceania. My research so far has revealed too many Viking horror stories, Scenic is just more pricey for similar experience/service, and I don't think I'd be comfortable on Tauck alone. Sounds like a Micato experience (which I can only describe as being spoiled rotten in so many wonderful ways.)

 

 

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[BillPizzaiolo]

We've been toying with the idea of a river cruise as well and have been looking at Uniworld, too. This is very helpful. Two questions:

 

1) Is there any way to see in advance how large a group will be for a tour (thus leaving us the option to organize a private one)? We too (as Bill and Sandy will remember from our last cruise) enjoy the smaller group format. Much easier to make friends and less drama. :)

 

2) When do the ships leave the dock typically? Would we be able to do dinner in the cities?

 

Thanks!

Dom & Don

Hey Uze guys,

1. I dunno, but our experience is the ships are so small that when we elect to joint a group on board we have about a half a dozen to a dozen to choose from depending on the size of the boat and number of passengers. Being so small you get to know who to go with once you are there for more than one day.

 

2. That varies and in some cases yes. Dinner in the cities are a possibility depending on the city and if your boat's schedule. Forgetabout fishing though.

 

Bill

[Condocat]

We have cruise 8 times on Oceania and 6 times on Uniworld.

 

Both of these companies do an excellent job, however, no matter how you slice it there is no comparision between ocean cruising and river cruising.

 

There are positives to river cruising which are smaller ships that can bring you closer to towns into their local ports. Both lines produce very good food, but The one thing I found to be a bit of a negative for me was River cruises only have one seating for dinner. If you prefer to eat later (like I do) this is not a great option. Typically dinner is served at 6:30pm. It reminded me of my college days when everyone was lined up at the dining hall doors waiting to be opened and then jockeying for position to get the best tables!

 

After a full day of touring and sometimes returning at 5:30, this gives you little time to relax and get ready for dinner.

 

Despite this,we still have a good time and return, but I prefer the Oceania experience!

[findacruise]

We have done 2 river cruises. We did a 2 week Uniworld from Vienna to Basel and thought they did an excellent job. As OP mentioned, they can't match Oceania food, but the rest of the experience was enjoyable and the shore excursions, for the most part, were excellent. The cabin, although not large, had ample storage and a nice shower, etc. They were not all-inclusive in 2012 when we did the trip.

 

Last fall, at the urging of a friend, we took a Scenic River cruise. It was two weeks doing the Rhine and Moselle. We thought it superior to Uniworld in level of service and friendliness. Great choices for shore excursions. It is Australian and many passengers are from there, There were a number of Canadians and some from the UK. A wonderful mix. Loved the layout of the ship with no public areas near the cabins. Just something you might want to look into.

[LHT28]

Last fall, at the urging of a friend, we took a Scenic River cruise. It was two weeks doing the Rhine and Moselle.

 

How was the food ??

[newlondon]

To expand a little on river cruising excursions: in most ports there is one excursion, usually walking, but some times a bus to a walking. This is particularly true on the Rhine and Danube. Almost all tours use the audiovox system which allows the passenger to hear the guide thru an earphone. It is possible because the tours are a max of 150 or so passengers split into several groups; not like ocean cruising where the numbers are exponentially larger and there are many choices. Both Tauck and Uniworld offer slow walker options also with the guide and audiovox. Imo this system is terrific as you do not have to push to the front if you have trouble hearing.

You also do not have the problem of large groups or knowing what to expect. Both lines preview the next days excursions at Happy Hour and then at departure time you pick up color coded receivers so you can either be with friends or avoid trouble makers--they exist:eek:.

Obviously both ocean and river cruises have different quality guides it's the luck of the draw.

My experience was that Tauck would add little extras such as paying for the WC--something you usually must do in Europe or arrange a special snack of a local specialty. As has been previously mentioned they would be Regent to Uniworld's Oceania.

[findacruise]

How was the food ??

 

They didn't match Oceania's food, but we found them better than Uniworld and with more options. There was an Intalian restaurant and everyone was guaranteed 1 reservation there. For those on the upper deck, there was a wine and food pairing one night. There was also another option available at lunch every day off the main lounge near the bar - always had a different burger each day and other selections, including desserts, etc.

 

The lounge had a 24 hour coffee machine that made regular, americano, etc. and a full tea bar. It is all inclusive, as I think Uniworld is now. We owed nothing when we got off the ship.

 

You didn't ask, but they put on a very funny and clever crew show the next to the last night.