Pictured left to right outside the new store are: Paul Hardwick, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents Director of Retail; Emma Bailey, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents; Tutti Taylor, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents; Councillor Candy Vaughan, Mayor of Eastbourne; Trevor Ridler, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents Business Development Manager; and Shirley Waters, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents..
Uniworld describe themselves as providing ‘the absolute best in luxury river cruising’ and Sharon from our Beccles branch was looking forward to enjoying this when she boarded SS Victoria in Frankfurt for a two day River Cruise down the Rhine.
Uniworld pride themselves on delivering a boutique hotel experience onboard each of their ships. Each ship has a unique design and SS Victoria is the most recent addition to their fleet, joining in 2024. She epitomises contemporary luxury and with just 110 guests and 41 staff the service and attention to detail is as exceptional as you would imagine.
“The ship was classy and elegant. There was a small, enclosed pool at the back of the ship, a guest lounge with board games available, and a large outside deck area, which would be a beautiful spot to relax and watch the scenery go by.”
“My favourite place to spend a bit of downtime was in the guest lounge. The ship also had a spa, small indoor pool, gym and guest laundry, so great facilities for a comparatively small ship.”
“My cabin was a Signature French Balcony, featuring a large full size window.” Says Sharon, “There were luxury toiletries and chocolates in the room, with two hairdryers, robe and slippers included for that real ‘make yourself at home’ feeling.” All Suites and Signature French Balcony Staterooms have water-facing beds so you can open the curtains and watch the world go by from the comfort of your bed.
Sharon also had a peek at the other cabin grades available, to enable her to make recommendations to her customers, and was particularly taken with the very top of the range, “The Royal Suite even had their own butler!” The two Royal Suites onboard each have a generous 506 square feet of space, offering the largest suites of any cruise operator currently cruising the Rhine and Moselle.
Prior to her trip, Sharon felt that an ultra-luxury cruise may feel quite a formal affair, but she was happy to be proved wrong by the atmosphere once onboard, “I was surprised at how relaxed it was,” she continues, “I would describe this ship as high class but without high maintenance, as although it is a 6* ship, the ambience is laid back and the staff go out of their way to make you feel comfortable.”
“Evening entertainment is low key, with a fantastic singer in the lounge on both nights. Dress code is smart casual to casual, in keeping with the laid-back luxury feel of the cruise.”
Uniworld cruises are all inclusive, including premium drinks, shore excursions and five-star cuisine. “There was one main restaurant onboard, which offered fine dining, you can make your choice from the menu of daily specials, however they would also cook other options if there wasn’t anything that you liked that day. Private dining was an option for an additional cost and the rooftop bar offered more casual dining.” In fact, the food was a real highlight for Sharon, “I loved the food, it was the best I have experienced. I loved the duck starter, and the peach bellinis were the best I have ever tasted! The one extra thing that I wished I had packed would be elasticated trousers - I ate so much!”
Taking a river cruise gives you the experience of a traditional cruise, such as amazing facilities onboard and only having to unpack once, but with the added benefits of travelling inland, enabling multiple destinations on even the shortest trip, whether they be cosmopolitan cities or traditional villages. The view outside your window changes every hour and, with some Uniworld staterooms, you don’t even have to leave your bed to enjoy them! Compare the passenger numbers of several thousand on some Ocean Cruises, to an average of just 120 on a River Cruise, and you can understand how the onboard atmosphere is more intimate, with unparalleled service from a dedicated crew.
Summarising her Uniworld experience, Sharon says, “This operator is suited to business professionals or guests who have retired and like the finer things in life,” she continues, “Uniworld is classy with amazing attention to detail. It was the little things that made this trip perfect. The attentiveness of the staff really made it special and nothing was too much trouble.”
To find out more about Uniworld’s luxury river cruises contact your nearest branch
