Did we make a mistake with Uniworld?

[Roz]

As I recall, there was only one optional (extra price) excursion on my Uniworld cruise - an evening recital. Most days the included tours involved a choice of tours. I enjoyed all the tours I took and thought they were very well put together.

 

I did not find Uniworld to be formal. There were two nights when people dressed up a bit more, but dresses for ladies and jackets for men weren't required. I am a state civil servant and felt more than comfortable with the other passengers. They were ordinary people just like me.

 

Roz

[westerngardener]

Thanks for the info on attire.

 

The other couple we're travelling with are 'closehorses' and while the hubby will almost definitely wear sporty jackets, I'll sure he'll discard the idea of a tie. My DH will be pleased to do away with wearing a jacket but does have some pretty snazzy shirts for evening wear.

 

I've booked our hotel in Bordeaux for one night pre-cruise. Looking for your thoughts as to whether we should stay over for a couple more days post-cruise. After speaking with Uniworld, understand that we overnight in Bordeaux on Day 6 and 7, before disembarkation on Day 8. As our river cruise is at the end of a month long Europe trip, not sure if we should extend our stay.

Edited January 31, 2017 by westerngardener
additional info

[papa B me]

Maybe or maybe not. Sometimes additional optional cruises are offered after you board the boat, Sometimes they are offered and discussed only the evening before at the CD briefing and may only have limited availability. So, if you missed the daily evening CD briefing you would never know about it.

 

 

You may be right. What caught my attention is that both the cruises I've sailed so far and the Italy I have scheduled for June have always showed the optional excursions in the Companion Guide until the 2017 guides that have recently been posted. And several excursions that were optional are now provided. So I'm really thinking that maybe they have shifted away from the Optional excursion in Europe since they are promoted as all inclusive. I suppose I could take the time to call Uniworld and ask but its a lot more fun to discuss it - ha

[pinotlover]

The Companion Guides are very generic documents made for all people taking that cruise regardless of time of year. Except you are not doing a generic cruise, you are doing one in a specific week of a specific month. As you pass through the multiple ports, the CD have plenty of latitude to arrange and add in options that are time and date specific to your cruise, and they do so. Calling CA (Uniworld HDQs) and asking what is happening next June 21 in Italy is a wasted effort. CA is basically clueless of many of the happenings on any specific cruise. So relax, and be surprised by the possibilities that may present themselves on your cruise. Don't try to overplan it! ;)

[Ritabob]

Thanks for the last message. My DH has been wondering if it was acceptable to wear jeans during the day while on excursions. He would never wear the jeans at dinner, but prefers to wear them on excursions.

 

 

Getting excited!

 

There are jeans and then there are jeans. I have worn dark, dark jeans at dinner with a snazzy top long enough to cover the waistband / pockets. Don't think anyone noticed or cared.

Ripped, faded, baggy or hanging down past your *** jeans are another story.

And at dinner, a shirt with a collar on a man just looks more presentable.

RB

[Gourmet Gal]

I never saw a tie except on staff on my Rhine Moselle cruise. People in general are so much more relaxed about attire...except on these boards!

[ritamhen]

We have only been on one river cruise with Uniworld and it was fantastic. Everything is included, tips, tours and all the wine we could drink and more. I don't think you will be disappointed. We are sailing on the Beatrice, Delightful Danube Cruise with Uniworld in July, 2017, looking forward to it.

[TravelerThom]

...We are hoping to be able to get all we need in carry-on luggage to avoid the possibility of lost luggage during transfer in Heathrow. In fact, DH suggested getting all the things we want to take and pre-pack to see if we can get by with all carry-on luggage.

If you are going through LHR you are probably on BA or AA and they are reasonably generous with weight limits for carry-ons. This is getting less and less common - Lufthansa (and others) has an 8 kilogram (17.6 pound) weight limit for carry-ons and they do often weigh. LH space allotment allows a "carry-on" Travel-Pro Rollerboard, but that bag weighs over 7 pounds leaving you contents of 10 pounds of clothes, toiletries etc. Lots of luck with that:mad:

 

If you are going through LHR note minimum connect time in LHR are not realistic, and it is quite common to miss flights if you don't have more than minimum time.

 

Thom

[westerngardener]

If you are going through LHR you are probably on BA or AA and they are reasonably generous with weight limits for carry-ons. This is getting less and less common - Lufthansa (and others) has an 8 kilogram (17.6 pound) weight limit for carry-ons and they do often weigh. LH space allotment allows a "carry-on" Travel-Pro Rollerboard, but that bag weighs over 7 pounds leaving you contents of 10 pounds of clothes, toiletries etc. Lots of luck with that:mad:

 

If you are going through LHR note minimum connect time in LHR are not realistic, and it is quite common to miss flights if you don't have more than minimum time.

 

Thom

 

Could you please advise what you think a 'reasonable' layover time for connecting flights in LHR would be.

[TravelerThom]

Could you please advise what you think a 'reasonable' layover time for connecting flights in LHR would be.

British Airways https://www.britishairways.com/en-us/information/airport-information/flight-connections#minconx says:

"We recommend that you allow the following minimum connection times:

 

• 1 hour for connections within the same Heathrow terminal
  
• 1 hour 30 minutes for connections that require travel between terminals at Heathrow
  

You must be at the gate for your onward journey at least 20 minutes before your connecting flight departs."

I would only feel comfortable with TWICE those time recommendations. I have missed an inter-terminal connection at LHR with 3 hours to make the connection. After getting off the flight from the US (which can easily take 15-20 minutes), you must get to Security, stand in a long line and I have had the experience of having the Security Officer looking at my ticket and telling me that since I had less than 30 minutes until flight he would not let me proceed.

[westerngardener]

British Airways https://www.britishairways.com/en-us/information/airport-information/flight-connections#minconx says:

"We recommend that you allow the following minimum connection times:

 

• 1 hour for connections within the same Heathrow terminal
  
• 1 hour 30 minutes for connections that require travel between terminals at Heathrow
  

You must be at the gate for your onward journey at least 20 minutes before your connecting flight departs."

I would only feel comfortable with TWICE those time recommendations. I have missed an inter-terminal connection at LHR with 3 hours to make the connection. After getting off the flight from the US (which can easily take 15-20 minutes), you must get to Security, stand in a long line and I have had the experience of having the Security Officer looking at my ticket and telling me that since I had less than 30 minutes until flight he would not let me proceed.

 

Thanks. Travelling on BA from CDG to YVR and connecting through LHR. Choice between 2 or 4 hours connecting time. Perhaps 4 hours would be best especially with the 'being at the gate at least 20 minutes beforehand'.

[bubbulz]

We always book our own flights. The only way I would let Uniworld or anyone else book flights for us would be if I provided them with the exact flights we wanted (airline/route/class). Even then I'd still probably do it on my own unless there were a significant price difference.

 

 

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[amd1234]

We are leaving in two weeks on Uniworld. This will be our fifth river cruise third on Uniworld...We usually always book our own flights but this trip we booked with Uniworld. We booked last summer and Uniworld was giving us a deal if we paid and booked that day. ($1000 each round trip)I researched the flights I wanted and Uniworld booked the flights. Well our cruise date was changed from Aug to Sept due to a mechanical problem with ship. Booking with Uniworld was a bit of advantage no need to go to Airline and pay a change fee.( I have Travel insurance probably would cover it) just a hassle.. Uniworld rebooked us flights but we lost our Delta Comfort seats all gone🤧... We did receive a refund with Delta... So this trip with Uniworld booking our flights worked well for us.. I would definitely research price and book flights that I want...

[beejay9503]

We just finished our second cruise on Uniworld and they are outstanding. Great food, great service and it is all inclusive. They don't nickel/dime you to death as other cruise lines do. They have washing and drying machines on board if you want to do your laundry and they even furnish the soap. As for staying over in Amsterdam, that is a great idea. We have stayed at Schiphol airport hotel and you can take the train from the airport to the inter city very easily.

 

 

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[gnome12]

It is true that the train from the airport to the city is easy, but why not stay in the city?

[Ritabob]

It is true that the train from the airport to the city is easy, but why not stay in the city?

I don't know about Beejay, but for us, if we can save some £ or $ or €, on a hotel we will just use for sleeping then that leaves us with more spending money on things that are more important. Like the next river cruise. 😄

In Amsterdam the hotels at Sloterdyk station are half the price of those near the central station.

RB

[gnome12]

Sloterdyk still isn't staying at the airport.

[vino100]

I have sailed on the River Queen twice in the past year, in April from Antwerp to Amsterdam and in September from Basel to Amsterdam. I think that it's a fine ship and Uniworld is my choice of river cruise lines. I certainly don't think that it would be a mistake to choose Uniworld for a river cruise.

 

I'll be happy to answer any particular question about the ship or the Legendary Rhine and Moselle cruise.

 

BTW, I am a he, not a she. My screen name is derived from the great explorer Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye.

 

We are thinking about this cruise. Do any of the cabins on the River Queen have couches ?

[caviargal]

We are thinking about this cruise. Do any of the cabins on the River Queen have couches ?

 

Even the suites are only 215 sq ft:

https://www.uniworld.com/en/ships/river-queen/staterooms/

[Ritabob]

We are thinking about this cruise. Do any of the cabins on the River Queen have couches ?

 

 

No.

 

Cabins are 'cozy'. Very efficient use of space, but not palatial. :D

[Gourmet Gal]

The standard cabins are tiny and the storage is not really adequate. The River Queen is one of the oldest in the fleet and while well maintained just feels small and crowded.

[Ritabob]

The standard cabins are tiny and the storage is not really adequate. The River Queen is one of the oldest in the fleet and while well maintained just feels small and crowded.

I guess it depends on how much stuff you have. We found storage space more than adequate. And the cabins on the River Ambassador were even cozier. The beds on all the Uniworld ships are some of the best we've ever slept on, so that makes up for the squishy size of cabin.

A comfy bed, a shower with good water pressure, plush towels, having someone make my bed, clean my cabin, scrub my toilet, do my laundry and feed me...hey, I'm happy, happy.

RB

[westerngardener]

"They have washing and drying machines on board if you want to do your laundry and they even furnish the soap."

 

 

Is this true of the River Royale? Our river cruise is at the end of a month long vacation (saving the best for last:hearteyes:), and we'll certainly need to do a bit of laundry. Of course, if I know this to be true (for sure), I'll wait. Otherwise, I'll do it before embarkation.

[westerngardener]

We are leaving in two weeks on Uniworld. This will be our fifth river cruise third on Uniworld...We usually always book our own flights but this trip we booked with Uniworld. We booked last summer and Uniworld was giving us a deal if we paid and booked that day. ($1000 each round trip)I researched the flights I wanted and Uniworld booked the flights. Well our cruise date was changed from Aug to Sept due to a mechanical problem with ship. Booking with Uniworld was a bit of advantage no need to go to Airline and pay a change fee.( I have Travel insurance probably would cover it) just a hassle.. Uniworld rebooked us flights but we lost our Delta Comfort seats all gone🤧... We did receive a refund with Delta... So this trip with Uniworld booking our flights worked well for us.. I would definitely research price and book flights that I want...

 

Could you please advise which ship had the mechanical problem you spoke about.

 

Also, we're going to three other countries with flights, hotels, tours all booked. If Uniworld were to change our cruise date, we'd be up the creek (without a paddle). :eek:

[westerngardener]

"They have washing and drying machines on board if you want to do your laundry and they even furnish the soap."

 

 

Is this true of the River Royale? Our river cruise is at the end of a month long vacation (saving the best for last:hearteyes:), and we'll certainly need to do a bit of laundry. Of course, if I know this to be true (for sure), I'll wait. Otherwise, I'll do it before embarkation.

 

Just found out from Uniworld: "We only have laundry service onboard for a fee from 1 to 5 Euros depending on the item of clothing you need to clean. No irons available for personal use either."