Archive for the 'Uniworld' Category

I’ve just been looking over a press release about all the good cruise values being offered. There’s two-for-one pricing, kids sail free, early-booking offers — and more.

Personally, I think it’s a great time to latch on to some of the bargains and plan a get-away for the spring or summer. Following is a sampling of the offerings. Check with your cruise consultant. He or she may have even better value offerings.  Read more... (669 words, estimated 2:41 mins reading time)

Cruising or considering cruising the river Danube on Uniworld’s River Empress? This “know before you go” guide will enhance your journey and perhaps help you avoid making costly mistakes. It goes without saying that you should check your documents before departing home, but some people miss the fine details even after combing over them a few times.

Moments before this article was posted, for example, I met a couple in the reception of River Empress who had made one big mistake: They arrived a day early. Fortunately, River Empress staff helped them by giving them a room on the ship. The passenger documents clearly stated that their cruise began not today, but tomorrow.

For tips on what to expect and how to prepare for your cruise, read on.  Read more... (1158 words, 3 images, estimated 4:38 mins reading time)

Uniworld’s River Empress isn’t the newest vessel on the Danube. She was built in 2002 and refurbished in 2005.

There are no balconies gracing the 63 double cabins and four suites. Cabin sizes are fairly standard for river cruisers: 151 square feet; and 214 square feet for the suites.

Generously sized bathrooms feature showers with soap, shampoo and other bath amenities provided, so you can save room in your suitcase by not packing those items.  Read more... (163 words, 1 image, estimated 39 secs reading time)

I checked into my hotel in Budapest, Hungary, and checked out a week later in Passau, Germany. Each evening, sometimes after I had fallen asleep, my hotel moved, from Budapest, to Bratislava, to Vienna, to Durnstein and Melk on the same day, to Linz and finally Passau. If you’re scratching your head, I’ll let you in on a secret: My hotel was a river cruiser.  Read more... (314 words, 2 images, estimated 1:15 mins reading time)

Click To Play Video Slideshow

Immortalized by Johann Strauss in Blue Danube Waltz, the Danube winds from Germany’s Black Forest through Austria into the Balkans before dumping into the Black Sea.  Read more... (598 words, 4 images, estimated 2:24 mins reading time)

Of all the jobs in the world, surely Rudolph van der Meulen’s must be among the best. His job, as instructed by his bosses, is to cruise on a river boat and simply to do this: nothing.

While most people might call that a vacation, it’s a tall order for the otherwise-ambitious 37-year-old hotel manager on Uniworld’s River Empress. Nonetheless, on the day when I talked with him, Rudy was living up to his superior’s expectations with admirable aplomb.  Read more... (540 words, 2 images, estimated 2:10 mins reading time)

My river cruise has turned into a cycling tour. Each day during this journey up the Danube on Uniworld’s River Empress, I have had the opportunity to straddle a saddle and pedal along the river — or out into the picturesque countryside  —  with the River Empress serving as my comfortable floating hotel.  Read more... (659 words, 5 images, estimated 2:38 mins reading time)

Click The Image Above To Play Video

If the lousy exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the Euro has you thinking twice about traveling to Europe, you may want to think again. And this time, think river cruising.  Read more... (326 words, 1 image, estimated 1:18 mins reading time)