Uniworld River Queen August 22, 2009

[doc&bug]

We have booked our first river cruise and don't know what to expect. We have been on various cruses, mostly Celebrity. We plan on spending a couple extra days in Amsterdam at the end of the tour.

 

How complete are the ships excursions? How much free time to explore the towns? What is the dress code for Germany and on board? Is there enough on board to keep busy?

 

We are excited and also apprehensive as it is so different than the large cruise ships.

[texastart]

We did the River Queen last October to Germany. It was our favorite cruise out of 3 Uniworld cruises so far. The scenery was absolutely gorgeous and the weather was unbelievable. As far as the ship.....we will NEVER take a cruise on a large ship. Nothing compares with the smaller intimate river cruises. However, if you are looking for entertainment similar to the giant ships, forget it. There is none and it's not needed. You are kept so busy during the day, it's not necessary. You're ready to crash by 9 or 10pm! Most of the daily tours start by 9am. You are usually back for lunch on the ship by noon. There may be an afternoon tour as well. The tours are excellent, particularly with the vox system Uniworld uses. There is as much free time as you want while the ship is moored. You can go off on your own and skip the guided tours if you prefer. As far as the dress code, wear what you want and don't worry about what others think. Everyone dressed very casually, jeans, dockers etc, shorts as well. Same dress for breakfast and lunch and usually long pants for dinner but definitely not more than casual. I personally don't even own formal clothing. For the captain's dinner, I wore slacks and a dressier blouse..big deal. No one will stare at you if you aren't fancy.

I'm always trying to get friends who cruise on the big ships to do a river cruise. There is no comparison. On the big ships, once you leave for town, everything costs!! On the river cruises, you don't spend an extra penny unless you buy your own souvenirs! The river cruise is a bargain as far as we're concerned. You cruise right into the villages, park along side the streets. It's wonderful. At times you are just feet from the pedestrians, bike riders etc. as you glide down the rivers. The food has been good. Can't really screw up breakfast. And if you want something you don't see, ask for it. I never realized I could ask for real cream for my coffee until the last day! Lunch is good, and good selection. THe soups on all 3 uniworld ships were the best!! August is a warm month...but you will still love laying on the top deck watching the scenery. The vineyards growing on the sides of the hills were amazing. I cannot say enough about the river cruises. It's SO relaxing compared to the large ships. Those ships must entertain you because you are stuck in the middle of the ocean with no where to go. On the river cruise, it's all about seeing the towns and villages up close, meeting the most interesting people on the boat and enjoying a much more intimate and relaxed atmosphere. I hope you enjoy it as much as we have. We are going to Portugal May 13 on the Amadouro. This will be our 4th river cruise and our first one on AMA waterways (amadeus). I hope it will be as good as Uniworld. If you have any other questions at all, please ask.

[Ship's Wake]

Be ready to be hooked. River cruising is addictive.

 

Here's a thread about the food on Uniworld which may answer some questions.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=890494&highlight=uniworld+food+review

 

Joe