22nd Dec 2024 | 7 nights | Uniworld | River Queen
Discover villages with fairytale houses and a friendly, festive atmosphere. Share traditional holiday goodies with the people who made them. Watch as modern children abandon their usual electronics and discover the enchantment of hand-carved wooden toys, as scents of cinnamon and roasting nuts fill the air.
Sail through Christmas country, trying Frankfurt’s famous apple cider and Nuremberg’s gingerbread. Throughout, cozy up to steaming mugs of glühwein (warm spiced wine) and do as the locals do by collecting different mugs from each stall and town you visit. Embrace the holiday spirit in Germany, the land where many Christmas traditions began, and find the magic of the season in the smiles that you meet along the way.
Please note that most Christmas Markets in Europe end their season on the 23rd of December and will not be available after that date.
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 (2.50 euros each); incoming e-mail goes to the reception desk and is printed out for the passengers.
River Queen retains its charming "riverboat" look, with an elongated prow and abundant use of woods.
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.
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.
Unlike the earlier and later ships in the fleet, staterooms on these vessels have no windows that open, with the exception of those in the ship's French balcony accommodations. The cabins are well-equipped, with flat-screen televisions, DVD players, international direct telephone service (outbound only), air conditioning, hotel-style beds, two armchairs 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 slippers, sparkling wine and fresh fruit.
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.