20th Sep 2024 | 9 nights | Uniworld | River Duchess
Experience dynamic Budapest, imperial Vienna and exquisitely preserved Prague. Marvel at ravishing scenery as your luxurious ship glides through the Wachau Valley, celebrated as one of the world’s most beautiful landscapes, into Germany and past charming Bavarian villages. Exclusive treasures are plentiful on this delightful journey.
This enchanting voyage provides a variety of ways to enjoy captivating destinations as well as plenty of time to relax onboard as you sail from Budapest to Nuremberg and spend two nights onshore in Prague.
Jewish Heritage Program (select sailings): Our Jewish Heritage Program is the only one of its kind on the rivers and allows you to dive into Central Europe's enduring Jewish legacy with visits to museums, memorials, synagogues and more. Please note: some sites may be closed for inside viewing during the High Holidays, Passover and other significant events.
River Duchess, the last of the "River Queen-class" vessels, which include siblings River Queen, River Empress, River Countess and River Princess, features three passenger decks plus sun deck, an elevator and a launderette.
Unlike the earlier and later ships in the fleet, though (River Ambassador, River Baroness, River Royale and Douro Queen), staterooms on these vessels, including the four suites, have no windows that open. Otherwise, the cabins are well-equipped, with flat-screen televisions, DVD players, international direct telephone service (outbound only), air conditioning, hotel-style beds, one armchair, a small settee and a coffee table. Standard staterooms measure 151 square ft.; suites have an additional 65 square ft. of living space, and suite guests get additional amenities such as an in-cabin fridge, slippers, sparkling wine and fresh fruit.
The onboard ambiance is casual, with guests congregating in the lounge or on the sun deck. There is a library for quiet time, a beauty salon, a sauna, small gymnasium and a computer station from which outgoing e-mail can be sent; incoming e-mail goes to the reception desk and is printed out for the passengers.
Open-seating dining offers fresh regional cuisine, with wine available for purchase. Dress is resort casual with the exception of the Captain's Gala and other occasional "formal" events, which on this vessel means jacket and tie for men, cocktail attire for women.
All interior space on the ship is smoke free; smoking is allowed on the sun deck only.
Fares are inclusive of gratuities for onboard and onshore services, including pre- and post-cruise extensions.
Affluent travellers who enjoy a touch of opulence with their luxury.
Young families, passengers with mobility issues and anyone who prefers subtle elegance over opulence.
Uniworld attracts affluent, sophisticated travellers. The bulk of passengers fall into the traditional 60-plus river cruise age group, but a good sprinkling of people aged 40 to 60 are also drawn to the stylish onboard ambience. In addition, Uniworld was one of the first lines to offer themed family cruising, and those sailings attract multigenerational groups.
Somewhat. Uniworld passengers run to smart-casual by day, but at night they almost always opt for dressier outfits, especially at the captain's welcome and farewell festivities. For those meals, as well as select dining ashore or concert options, the line suggests men bring a sports jacket and women, a cocktail dress or pantsuit. With that said, Uniworld only asks that cruisers not wear shorts to dinner.
No, but the experience is fairly inclusive with some differences depending on the itinerary. In general, unlimited drinks, most shore excursions, Wi-Fi and gratuities (onboard and on shore) are all included in the cruise fare. Access to onboard bikes and a self-service launderette are also complimentary. You will pay extra for some shore excursions, as well as spa and beauty treatments.
The ports of call draw passengers off the ship for much of the day and when they return onboard, they tend to spend quite a lot of time in the public rooms socializing. The indoor and outdoor pools attract more passengers than usual on river cruises, and the gym and spa facilities get plenty of use. Whenever offered, passengers gather for onboard programs, such as wine tastings, culinary classes and local group performance of traditional regional arts. Speakers from the line's Signature Lecture Series also usually draw a crowd. Dancing in the evening can prove popular depending on the passenger mix.