Tipping on Uniworld

[Canal archive]

PhD-iva please get your hearing checked as soon as you get home as it could be very likely something that is treatable rather than degenerative hearing loss. I’m glad your enjoying your cruise sounds interesting.

[PhD-iva]

I am really enjoying my cruise on Uniworld river queen, but I must admit that I’ve noticed a slow down in service in the dining room. Other passengers have mentioned it as well. The food is fabulous, very good. However there is a wait to receive any request. It’s not a lack of servers. The servers do not seem very observant. Or they forget that you ordered some thing. Last night as I sat down to dinner, I asked for a glass of white wine. 15 minutes later I still did not have anything to drink besides water. Also, by now after one week on board, they should know that when I sit down to breakfast, I want to have cream with my coffee. I have to ask for it  and then wait……

I am still a big fan of Uniworld, but I just want to be honest. I did mention this on my mid cruise survey. I do not expect anyone to get back to me because I did not give my name or room number when I turned in the survey.

[TFree]

8 hours ago, PhD-iva said:

I am really enjoying my cruise on Uniworld river queen, but I must admit that I’ve noticed a slow down in service in the dining room. Other passengers have mentioned it as well. The food is fabulous, very good. However there is a wait to receive any request. It’s not a lack of servers. The servers do not seem very observant. Or they forget that you ordered some thing. Last night as I sat down to dinner, I asked for a glass of white wine. 15 minutes later I still did not have anything to drink besides water. Also, by now after one week on board, they should know that when I sit down to breakfast, I want to have cream with my coffee. I have to ask for it  and then wait……

I am still a big fan of Uniworld, but I just want to be honest. I did mention this on my mid cruise survey. I do not expect anyone to get back to me because I did not give my name or room number when I turned in the survey.

Robin:

 

That is interesting.  On our recent Uniworld Danube cruise (late May to early June), we noticed something similar.  We had just finished two Celebrity ocean cruises days before, and with that experience in close proximity, the service on Uniworld seemed less attentive, and also less attentive than on our previous Uniworld cruise a few years ago.  (On the first Uniworld cruise, as soon as we entered the dining room, someone would pull us aside and point out which items were inconsistent with our dietary issues.  This didn't happen on the recent Uniworld cruise, which was fine, because we could figure it out ourselves.  But it was symptomatic of a less personalized and attentive service ethic.) 

 

Interestingly, there was one waiter who provided ocean cruise level service - just as an example, he would make sure that the guy we were traveling with who had requested ice in his glass the first day always had plenty of ice.  And he had a sense of humor, and would tell us about his family when we asked.  Hi background was that he had worked ocean cruises for years before coming to Uniworld to be closer to home and his family.  We speculated that his better service was because of his ocean cruise experience, and he was the only person we gave an extra tip on the final day.  Maybe they have had trouble staffing back up after the pandemic?  Or maybe it was just a fluke.  But we did notice a difference.

 

Tom & Judy

[Farang]

PHD-iva, this way off topic, but can you describe the deck levels on the River Queen?  I understand the Rhine Deck is the top (indoor) deck of the ship, but am confused as to the alignment of the Danube, Main and Moselle decks.  Are the room 301-321 (Danube deck) on the same level as rooms 202-218 (Main deck)? OR, are rooms 202-218 on the same level as rooms 102-108 (Moselle deck)?  OR is none of this correct, meaning Danube, Main and Moselle decks are somehow "staggered"?  I hope my question is understandable.

[gnome12]

38 minutes ago, Farang said:

PHD-iva, this way off topic, but can you describe the deck levels on the River Queen?  I understand the Rhine Deck is the top (indoor) deck of the ship, but am confused as to the alignment of the Danube, Main and Moselle decks.  Are the room 301-321 (Danube deck) on the same level as rooms 202-218 (Main deck)? OR, are rooms 202-218 on the same level as rooms 102-108 (Moselle deck)?  OR is none of this correct, meaning Danube, Main and Moselle decks are somehow "staggered"?  I hope my question is understandable.

The decks are staggered. If you look at the side view, the lowest deck aft has small windows high on the wall. The lowest deck forward is half a level higher. The fixed windows are much larger, and are just above the waterline so it is possible to watch the scenery go by from the bed. I was in cabin 207 in 2010 when I was onboard.on that level. 

[Farang]

31 minutes ago, gnome12 said:

The decks are staggered. If you look at the side view, the lowest deck aft has small windows high on the wall. The lowest deck forward is half a level higher. The fixed windows are much larger, and are just above the waterline so it is possible to watch the scenery go by from the bed. I was in cabin 207 in 2010 when I was onboard.on that level. 

Thanks gnome12 - We are trying to decide on the Danube deck or Main deck for a cruise in Sept. 2022.  Cabins available on Danube deck and Main deck.  If I understand your response, the Danube deck is a "partial" level higher than the Main deck and the Main deck is a "partial" level higher than the Moselle deck.

 

We have taken 4 previous cruises on Uniworld, the first in 2015 on the River Ambassador ( now one of the "U" ships) very small French Balcony stateroom - but adequate.  88 passengers Prague (Nuremberg) to Basel.  Best one of the four.  Subsequent cruises were on SS ships - not the same. 2019 Romania to Nuremberg a succession of cancelled excursions and skipped ports.  Monitoring CC posts and hoping Uniworld has their act together now.

 

Did an AMAMagna trip with a group of friends.  Ship too big and too many passengers.  Never again.

[gnome12]

42 minutes ago, Farang said:

Thanks gnome12 - We are trying to decide on the Danube deck or Main deck for a cruise in Sept. 2022.  Cabins available on Danube deck and Main deck.  If I understand your response, the Danube deck is a "partial" level higher than the Main deck and the Main deck is a "partial" level higher than the Moselle deck.

 

We have taken 4 previous cruises on Uniworld, the first in 2015 on the River Ambassador ( now one of the "U" ships) very small French Balcony stateroom - but adequate.  88 passengers Prague (Nuremberg) to Basel.  Best one of the four.  Subsequent cruises were on SS ships - not the same. 2019 Romania to Nuremberg a succession of cancelled excursions and skipped ports.  Monitoring CC posts and hoping Uniworld has their act together now.

 

Did an AMAMagna trip with a group of friends.  Ship too big and too many passengers.  Never again.

Now that I am at my computer and not on the phone, I can discuss this better. (Decks weren't named when I went.) Yes, the Main deck is halfway between the Moselle deck and the Danube deck, so you go up from Moselle to Main, and from Main to Danube. Both the Main and the Danube decks are considered Deluxe suites. The fixed windows on the Danube deck are a bit bigger than those of the Main deck; but are also farther above the waterline. I loved my cabin on what is now the Main deck. The water went by just outside the window, which I found very peaceful.

 

The forward part of the Main deck is directly below the lounge, and the aft part is below reception. Others are below the coffee station or the library. I don't remember ever having an issue with noise from the lounge; I was right below the bar. If you think that might be an issue, consider the Danube deck. Note that the part of the Danube deck that is NOT above the classic cabins (from 309 and higher) is above the crew accommodations. Again, I don't think that is an issue, but crew schedules are very different from passenger schedules.

[Farang]

gnome12 - Thank you, very insightful and informative.

[PhD-iva]

7 hours ago, Farang said:

I’m glad your question got answered.

Today is disembarkation day, and many passengers have already left the ship for their 830 bus to Baden-Baden. I made some new friends and new memories. The cruise Director, Rik, was very good and entertaining. Service in the dining room should not have been as slow as it was, but in the end it was fine. 
Many passengers exhibited signs of having a cold, lots of coughing and sniffles. A few passengers, I only know of four, tested positive for Covid. Several passengers told me they had been tested and they were negative for Covid. They just had a head cold. Congestion, sneezing and coughing.