We chose this cruise because we particularly liked the sound of the itinerary, given that it was listed as a "Connoisseur Collection" cruise. Little did we realise at the time of booking that the majority of the Connoisseur Collection tours were not included in the price and were listed as optional extras, often at considerable extra cost. We were also drawn in by the claims in the brochures of "the finest wines and ultra-premium liquors" being part of the all-inclusive deal. They are not. The ship itself is opulent and well appointed, we particularly liked the fact that there is a complimentary guest laundry (handy when you've been on the road for several weeks beforehand), but we found the climate control in the guest lounge and dining room to be woefully inadequate for the conditions. Contrast this to the comments from some of our fellow travellers who had spent the previous week on the sister ship, the S Joie de Vivre during a record heat wave - they said the air conditioning on board that ship was so effective they found themselves having to wear long sleeves to dinner - nothing like what we experienced, which was more akin to a sauna. There was a disappointing lack of entertainment on board, many of the tours (including some that we had to pay extra for) were just standard walking tours with little added value and the service overall was good, but certainly nothing like what we had experienced previously through APT on AMA Waterways. In fact, several of the tours that we had to pay extra for with Uniworld are listed as included standards in the latest APT brochure. All in all, it was an enjoyable trip, a four star service, but certainly not on par with AMA Waterways and definitely NOT the 6-star service we were led to believe. Read Less

This was our third Uniworld Cruise and we can’t imagine using another river cruise line. The ship is beautiful and modern. Our suite even had tvs in the mirrors in the bedroom and bathroom. Our suite was 300 square feet of luxury with fabric covered walls and drapes. There was lots of closet space and the king bed faced the river, unlike many other ships. We had an open bar in crystal decanters as well as a fully stocked fridge with juices, water and mixers all replenished daily. Our butler, Tibor greeted us in our room and took care of every request, right down to the brands of alcohol we requested. He anticipated many before we ever even asked. Our room attendant, Peter was always prompt attentive and pleasant. The food on board was wonderful with so many selections it was hard to choose. Our main waiter, Miguel was a dream...friendly, attentive, funny and fluent in English, as was the entire crew. At dinner, if you can’t choose between two entrees, Miguel would just bring both, no problem. The menu also had selections for those with dietary requirements. Nothing was ever a problem. The somolier, Laura was knowledgeable and attentive and had recommendations for us every evening. The bar was open and bright and Frederico and Fredrica were ever present, quickly learning our preferences and bringing them almostvas soon as we sat down. Want a particular brand?? No problem, just ask. There were so many wonderful staffers..Nedko, Sandu, Richard, and too may others to name, but everyone working onboard always had a smile and a desire to please. From the chef to the spa attendant, these people were on a quest to make us happy. I don’t want to knock other cruiselines, but for river cruises, we’ll never look elsewhere. Read Less

This was our third river cruise on Uniworld. The service was impeccable, the food out of this world. This particular cruise was so enjoyable. We did the all the optional masterpiece excursions, which was well worth the money. The staff aboard was so attentive and friendly. I would like to name those responsible for our wonderful trip. First, our butler, Tibor. I was sick one day and he brought hot tea and a water bottle to me! Over and above! Our room keeper, Peter, met every need we had.The chef, Florian... outstanding cuisine and even better personality. Our servers Frederico, Federica, Jonaz, Sandu. Again, over and above spectacular service. Our waiter and sommelier, Miguel and Laura.. led our culinary journey every evening. The excursions were wonderful. We went to an olive farm, 2 chateaus, and a culinary school in Lyon, the culinary capital of the world! Absolutely wonderful experience. What a great way to see the Rhone valley! Read Less

We thoroughly enjoyed our Avignon to Lyon cruise on the Uniworld S.S. Catherine. We picked this itinerary first and then selected the cruise line our TA thought would offer the best experience. There were more hits than misses on this cruise. Overall the cruise was well managed by Uniworld with the total ship experience, itinerary, food, excursions and crew at the top of the experience with many of the ocean cruises that we have enjoyed. We encountered a couple on this cruise from the very first day to the end who complained about everything on this cruise from the ship to the crew. Except for one issue, we believe their concerns were way overblown and not representative of our Uniworld experience, which was our first. The big highlight here was this charming, historic itinerary. We booked most of the optional tours and they proved to be an excellent choice. I recommend the tours of the olive oil farm, the truffle farm, the wine chateau in Burgundy as particular standouts. Arles with its charm and bullfighting history and Beaune were particularly appealing. We found the crew attentive with the cruise director and the female wine steward adding a lot of their expertise and charm to the whole experience. We would consider booking Uniworld again given the appeal of another unique cruise opportunity that charms us like the last one. Read Less

We chose this cruise for the chance to explore the Bordeaux and Provencal areas of France, and our travel agent recommended Uniworld as being an excellent line. We thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful ship with its elegant French décor and contemporary art, its kind and helpful staff, and the surprisingly good food and wine. Our cabin had a French window, very comfortable bed, lovely bath with heated towel bars and floor, and excellent storage. We even took a photo of the closet interior with its shelves, racks, and drawers! The excursions were generally good to excellent, although my husband, who has hearing difficulties, found the microphone system incompatible with his hearing aids. I relayed to him as much as I could of the commentary. High points: the Pont du Gard, the little town of Beaune, and Viviers with its tour of a potter's studio and a potting demonstration by the potter himself. There were a few niggles: we had only 2 1/2 hours in Arles, which surely merits a full day. The person who showed us to our cabin did not explain how to open the window or turn on the lights or activate the light to indicate we were sleeping in. Room service was quite limited. The self service laundry (a fine touch) had machines which needed an engineer to operate. Everyone in the laundry room was extremely frustrated, and there was no promised iron to press our clothing. And then there was the Mistral: powerful winds (at least 40-50 mph) that blew for three days and forced us to walk horizontally on the excursions. We had read about these winds (which are supposedly capable of blowing the ears off a donkey), and now we have met them personally. These are minor points, and obviously Uniworld cannot control the weather. The food was extremely varied and delicious, with efforts made to include the cuisine and wines of the areas we visited. We particularly enjoyed the buffet lunches with their colorful variety and choices, the homemade soups and delectable Chef-made ice creams. One day lunch featured oysters in the half shell! The waiters and wine steward were knowledgeable, friendly, and efficient. We felt pampered and educated by this cruise and recommend Uniworld unreservedly. Read Less

We chose this cruise because we had such a great a few years ago on the aDanube with Uniworld. We wanted to visit France and thought the Avignon to Lyon trip would be good. The ship was clean and elegant. The crew was outstanding including; Paul, Daniel, Christian, Mila, Elana and others. We reunited with Paul, a great waiter, whom we met on the prior Danube trip. His personal service was so nice. We had friend on board from the time of our arrival. Excursions were enjoyable with unique experiences and knowledgeable local guides. Our favorites includes: lunch with the Count, mid day stops in Vivere, Arles and Macon. Great wine tasting throughout the cruise. Those tastings were top notch. Cuisine on board was super. We were trilled at each meal. The dinners were all unique. The daily activities were well planned as well. We would travel with Uniworld again and are thankful for the memorable trip they delivered. Read Less

I did the Ultimate France with Uniworld in Apr 18. I travelled with another company last year and was able to compare the 2. Uniworld did not have the best port stops on the Ultimate France tour and mainly bused it to villages, leaving little time to explore these on your own. Bordeaux, Lyon and Paris were very good, but all of the other stops were very average and not much to see. The second cruise on the Joie De Vivre, the ship shuddered a lot and was more intense at night - making it an uncomfortable sleep. The third cruise on the SS Catherine had a group of 81 people celebrating a reunion, they were loud and behaved like the cruise was just for them, making the others feel like they shouldn't be there - it felt very much like an 'us and them'. Whilst the Uniworld ships were lovely, I found this company to be more a bus trip, at times travelling up to 3 hours each way to see things, leaving very little time to explore on your own. For the price you pay I expected more from this company. Will go back to the previous company which had fantastic port stops and had adequate free time built into every excursion. The dining experience was good, but did not really celebrate local foods. In summary, when booking a river cruise do your research to find out about the port stops as this makes a big difference and if there are any large groups on board because it could spoil the experience. Read Less

This was our first Uniworld cruise, and we were very impressed. The food was excellent and varied. The service was outstanding. The staff went out of their way to be accommodating. There was a choice of shore excursions most days, and we enjoyed them all. The Pont du Gard in Avignon was amazing. We rode bikes in Lyon, and did the vineyard hike in L'Hermitage. We didn't buy any of the optional tours, but the people who went on them said they were good as well. Since gratuities were included, it was nice not to have to be tipping everybody along the way. As happens on river cruises, our ship was unable to take us to the last port before disembarkation because the river was too high. But they provided buses to take passengers to the town, or we had an option to stay in Lyon and spend an extra day there. With plenty to do in Lyon, we chose to stay there, but the people who took the buses said they had a great time too. Our room was quite comfortable. The decor of the ship was a little extreme, but it wasn't bad. Wifi was a little weird. Some apps worked reliably, while others never worked. It was nice having a free self-service laundry room onboard. They even provided soap and an iron. We will definitely sail with Uniworld again. Read Less

The ship itself is very nice. It looks and feels new. The decor is almost entirely green and white with accents of gold and silver (mirrors). The overall effect is very feminine. I would have appreciated a bit less flamboyance, but of course individual taste always vary. The modern art on the walls is very strange for a cruise ship-subjects range from motherhood to murder. But again, of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That said, the Leopard lounge was a bit more subdued than the rest of the vessel-though, oddly, the ship's pool is only accessed by going through the lounge. The glass surrounding the pool turns opaque when someone goes in, though you must wave your hand at a sensor every so often or else it begins to clear up again, presenting you in a "fishbowl" of sorts. No hot tub on board, though there was an adequate gym. The fairly roomy cabin has the same kind of decor as the rest of the ship. A nice feature is a power window that rolls down to provide a lot of fresh air and viewing from the room. There is a lot of useful storage in the room. The beds were comfortable. Free WiFi worked only sporadically, but then on most cruise ships you must pay for something similar so no complaints there. The other guests are just what you'd expect: mostly Americans, with the balance mostly native English speakers. Retired professional types. Older crowd, in bed by 10 or 11. Entertainment was good. There was a pianist/soloist duo that were the "in house" talent supplemented on occasion by some local performers who were also very good. The staff were always very accommodating and helpful. The food was very good, though occasionally the wait staff needed a bit of prodding to bring out the coffee refills. Coffee was weak on some days. Excursions were professional and the buses left on time. The guides were knowledgeable and, at times, witty. I don't think the extra-cost tours are worth the money. More time in port would be appreciated, especially in the larger/more famous cities. I think it would have been worth it to stay a bit longer even if a smaller port was eliminated. I did appreciate the all-inclusive aspect of the cruise. There isn't anything badly "wrong" with Uniworld, but at this price point there are a lot of options worth exploring. I would consider going again but also keep myself open to other ships. Read Less

We had the opportunity to book the Departures Epicurean and Wine Cruise from Lyon to Avignon. This was a busy one with excursions booked through the day and visits to Chateaus, historic cites and even a lunch at an olive producers backyard. Everything was well organized and the crew could not have been kinder. Our fellow travelers were all interesting people and we enjoyed meeting them all. The wine and food aboard were fabulous and the exceptional epicurean and wine experiences off ship were so special. Our room was always in perfect shape due to the meticulous attention paid by the staff. There was also a wonderful masseuse aboard. The past river cruises we have been on had larger rooms, but none were available this time. I would recommend booking one of the suites if there is one available. That said, the smaller cabin worked well and we had ample closet space and drawers to stow our things. Read Less

We choose the 7 night Burgundy & Provence cruise. This was our first river cruise and we were not sure what to expect. We travelled with our friends who have cruised with Uniworld several times. We had the best time. The ship was excellent and the quality of the decor exceptional. The cabins were spacious and very comfortable. The food & wine (variety & quality) were excellent. The staff were friendly & wonderful, nothing was a problem and they were always eager to please. We cruised from Lyon to Avignon and the included shore excursions which were also excellent. Everyday there were several shore excursion to choose from that would appeal to everyone. The standard of the tour guides was exceptional, the knowledge & passion they had for their subject was excellent. Every excursion was a highlight. We will definitely be cruising with Uniworld again and have no hesitation in recommending them. Read Less

What a great time we had. The weather was fantastic that's the good news, bad news we didn't bring any shorts or warm weather clothing. Being Easter week, not many shops were open to go shopping. We didn't go on some of the off site excursions because my wife need a walker on uneven terrain. She didn't need it on the ship so the crew stored it for us and got it when we needed it. We felt very safe on the ship, security was always at the door checking and making sure we signed out and in again when on shore. Rooms were fantastic as was the service. there wasn't one thing that the cooks served that was anything less than wonderful. Thank you for making our first cruise (anywhere) so memorable and fun. We didn't know what to expect and we were not disappointed. Can't wait to try another Uniworld cruise.. Read Less

This was my second cruise with Uniworld. We had such a great time we decided to try it again. We couldn't believe that it surpassed our expectations. The ship, crew, room, food, excursions, and entertainment were all top notch. I was speaking to two couples who had been on a river cruise on every line. They said that by far this was the best. to quote them "we feel pampered". The concierge, Valerie, did a fabulous job. Every tour was well planned. They had strenuous activity and a gentle walkers group with everything in between. We had arrived in Lyon several days early to enjoy the city. I, however, got a big surprise. Everything in Lyon was in full bloom and I got an allergy attack. Valerie arranged for a doctor to come on board. The doctor gave me several prescriptions to have filled. Just as I was getting ready to go to have them filled I received a call from Ivana, the manager, and she told me that she would be happy to do it for me. Talk about great service. The food was delicious and had great variety. They had several excursions to pick from each day, and they also had varied entertainment each evening. Our cabin, 303, was lovely and kept spotlessly clean. Our waiter, Daniel, was super. All in all it was a great trip. We are planning another one for November. Read Less

This was my first time traveling alone. I chose UniWorld because I wanted to be taken care of and they did not disappoint. There were other solo travelers because UniWorld offers single supplement waiver. But even the couples were open and welcoming. I liked the fact that guests were from several English-speaking countries. At first I hung out with New Zealanders, then partied with the Australians. I flew into Marseilles. UniWorld supplied me with easy-to-follow instructions to call the hotel shuttle that promptly picked me up at the airport and took me to the hotel. The next morning a van picked me up along with some other guests and brought us to the ship. We got to know each other during the drive. They take your photo when you check in and by the second day they know your name. On my cruise there were 56 crew for 88 passengers. In the lounge they knew what I liked to drink and it was in front of me without having to ask. The only "complaint" is that it was easier to get a glass of wine than an iced tea. The liquor flowed freely making for a very friendly atmosphere. I loved the food onboard. Breakfast and lunch are buffets. The scrambled eggs on the buffet were the best I've ever had. I don't know what they do to them but they are a must eat. The eggs Benedict was also good. At lunch I looked forward to the French cheeses. Hot options, soup, salad, and panini options at lunch. I thought the dinners were great. Just the right amount of food and very high quality. I got to try fois grois. Desserts were a little too sweet for my taste. If you are looking for nightly entertainment like ocean cruisers you are not going to find it. After dinner most of us headed for the lounge where there is music, lots of liquor, and fun guests. I would just walk up to the group that looked like it was having the most fun and ask to join. I was always welcome. By the end of the cruise most of us knew each other. One guest remarked she felt like she was leaving her family. The excursions were excellent. There were only a few that you can pay extra. I had a shipboard credit that I used to attend a cooking demonstration and lunch at the Paul Bocuse culinary school in Lyon. We assisted the chef and had a wonderful lunch. I loved the audio systems used on the excursions. They allowed me to wander away to look at things that interested me and still hear what the guide was saying. Almost every excursion included a sampling of local wines and delicacies. Most excursions were no more than ½ day allowing time to venture into town. The ship docks right at the town so it was easy to walk into town and shop or explore. One afternoon we took the bicycles available onboard and cycled around town. When they say all inclusive they mean it. One couple had a $500 shipboard credit and could not find a way to spend it. I was so spoiled that it took adjusting when I returned home and realized I had to plan my own meals and activities. The best part of this cruise was that after all the tastings, food and liquor, somehow I managed to lose a pound! I can only guess it was all the walking we did in the excursions. I met terrific people and would recommend this highly. I just contacted my travel agent to book my next UniWorld cruise. Highly looking forward to it. Read Less

Friends invited us to join them on this cruise. It was so much more than I expected. The ship is beautiful, the land excursions were such fun, the food was wonderful, I have celiac disease and gluten free food was such a delight, the chef and restaurant manager were outstanding and were happy to meet my needs. I enjoyed all the amenities, the staff were outstanding, the service impeccable. The stateroom was more than adequate, and everything was clean and so well maintained. We all enjoyed the shore excursions, the truffle farm with our guide Jeanette was such fun. I especially enjoyed the Viviers excursion and the chcurch with the pipe organist, it was such a lovely little town and that was such a nice day for all of us. The wines provided by our sommelier were so wonderful, was determined to try the reds since we were traveling in burgundy, they were so good. This was the trip of a lifetime as far as I was concerned, I would and have recommended to friends. Read Less

Sponsored by a winery where we are wine club members, 38 of us in the group. All inclusive, no surprise bills at the end, making it easier to budget up front. The ship was spotless, always in tiptop shape. Rooms beautifully appointed. Loved having onboard laundry facility, will not take as many clothes next time because of that. Wines were great, enjoyed the sommelier's knowledge base and education talks about French wines. Food was incredible and nicely varied, open seating allowed us to meet many of the other passengers. Ship was not fully booked, being the first trip of the season which was great. Shore excursion guides were great, buses very clean and drivers just wonderful. Service in lounges, restaurant and room was first rate. Staff always friendly, engaging and helpful. I can't recommend Uniworld highly enough. We'll be doing another Uniworld cruise as soon as we can get the budget in order. Read Less

Always prefer cruise instead of land simply because I don't have to change hotel yet I have the flexibility of exploring the area. Sailed on one of the world cruise to Alaska, overall happy with the arrangement but nothing fantastic as the cabin is rather small. Heard so much of Uniworld River Cruise and gave it a try! As expected, the maintenance of ship is wonderful, looks like a new ship, the cabin is well appointed, spacious, excellent amenities, fine linen, comfy bed, wardrobe, shower temperature, sufficient power points and ample space to store my big luggage etc. Excellent dining experiences especially they go that extra miles with Asia cooking and daily specials. Limited entertainments unlike the world cruise but am absolutely happy with the entertainment arranged by the cruise ship. the "wow" factors are the excursions, carefully arranged with all the surprises i.e. live concert at the smallest cathedral in Vivers, wine tasting at the hill top with view of Tain L'Hermitage, night illumination in Lyon etc....all their tour guides are excellent, fun and knowledgeable. I believed all excursions are carefully planned and selected, that's the highlight of the journey! Although it seems a little bit expensive but ends up I spent less than normal land or DIY tour yet am seeing more. Am browsing their 2018 catalogue and tempting to book another cruise program to Eastern Europe, I believe once with Uniworld, always Uniworld. Phew.....Past traveller is entitled for great discount and perks too :) Read Less

Our wine club, Shadow Mountain vineyards, sponsored the cruise and we gladly signed on. An awesome experience. We had the royal suite and our own butler Valentina..so amazing. Our room, view, comfy bed, cleanliness,beauty..excellent. The ship was elegant and staff so attentive. The food exceptional and dining staff wonderful especially Demi who served us so professionally while keeping us laughing the entire time. I want to commend especially Ivana, Valentina and Demi..I would choose a ship especially if I knew they would be on board. The day trips to charming villages wonderful and Tania did a fine job organizing activities. Thank you all for making this a once in a lifetime experience. I enjoyed being on the ship as much as day experiences off ship. Didn't feel a thing when sailing although I preferred day sail so could experience scenery and the lock experience. We had only one glitch which was readily made so right..Thank you Ivana. Everything that could have gone right DID go right. Thank you, Carol and John Tyrrell Read Less

This was my first river cruise and heard that Uniworld would be the one to go with as they provide service, luxury and value. The service onboard can truly be called white glove service as all onboard truly provided you with the feeling that you are very important to each one onboard. The food onboard the SS Catherine was excellent from the morning juices, to the mid afternoon paninis and to our evening wine parings with local Michelin quality dining was superb. The ship is very well designed and decorated with rich overtures of the lovely French country side we would visit. With the ship sold out, the public spaces did not seem overloaded with guest and all flowed throughout the ship without a wait. The shore excursions are very well paced, whether you are active or not. Another important factor to choosing Uniworld was that all was inclusively well, no nickel and dimeing here at all. Read Less

We wanted to cruise the wine country in Southern France. Uniworld is a little pricy but everything is included. All tours, tips, drinks, and excellent food. The booze that was included is high quality. No ticket every time you order a drink. Everything is included. I spent zero on the boat except I gave the butler Valentina as little extra tip. This was not expected because all tips are included in the price of the cruise. If I take another river cruise it will be with Uniworld. Only 150 people of the boat so no crowds. I never had to rush to get my table for dinner. The butler always had one reserved. The experience was generally wonderful from the moment we were picked up at the airport until we departed 7 days later. We took the TGV from Lyon to Paris for an extra 3 nights. You got to try Uniworld at least once. Read Less

Everything was top notch on this cruise. The crew attended to our every need starting with the easy check-in. The food was fabulous, but what can I say, it was French food. All drinks, including premium wines and liquor were included. The highlight of the trip were the local guides to the local attractions. We were surprised at the number of Roman ruins. We read somewhere that there were more Roman ruins in southern France than in Italy. But don't hold me to it. The cities that we visited were within walking distance of the boat. We toured with the guides in the morning and that left us to explore on our own in the afternoon. We visited the small town of Viviers with its medieval castle and houses and the tour guide even took us to her home for wine and appetizers. Every single town was worth visiting. All the morning excursions were included but they did offer some optional afternoon tours that cost extra. We did not go on any of these but the people who did go raved about them. I would highly recommend the Rhone River cruise because the ship was very new, the food was excellent and the tours were exceptional. Read Less

The whole Uniworld Experience is FIRST CLASS all the way. This is our second Uniworld River Cruise and both experiences with our friends on this line were amazing! I have been on many, many other cruises and I would say this is one of my favorite river cruise lines. I can't say enough good things about our cruise and Uniworld. The meals, drinks and Service is impeccable! The whole staff are wonderful, attentive and friendly. I love the all inclusive portion of the package with Uniworld, no large bills at the end of the cruise. The only charge we incurred was a few optional tours we took besides the ones that were offered daily. The wine every night is different as are the dinners. Not repetitive at all. Something new and always outstanding is served so you don't want to miss a meal or try the wine on Uniworld! PERFECT is what I would say about the whole ship, service and experience on Uniworld! Read Less

Loved the cruise. The crew could not have been better. I had lost luggage and the kept calling the airline until it was found. Our room was very comfortable and clean.Loved the the windows went down and that there was a screen you could cover the open window with so that you did not get any bugs. The food was always good and plentiful and the waiters were very professional. l. Its a great way to travel. the ports were interesting and the tours were handled very well. We met some very nice people from all over the world. They brought aboard local entertainment at night a couple of times. The rest of the time they had a pianist ad singer in the evening. Its nice that everything is included and you do not have to worry about the tours or tipping. I would choose Uniworld cruises as my first choose to travel Read Less

After 4 river cruises we think that Uniworld is top of the line. This is our second Uniworld and we found the SS Catherine to be a better choice for us than the Baroness. We have cruised with the Premicon Queen and Viking. CABIN, Category 1 on top deck. More drawer space than one could use in a week, along with a multitude of US and European outlets. AC worked superbly and it was warm. Having a verandah was nice although we used it infrequently. Heated floor and towel rack in Bath were nice touches. Linens are changed at discretion of passengers and rooms are cleaned twice daily. I had an issue with the makeup mirror; it was fixed immediately SERVICE, having cruised Crystal, Regent, SilverSea and more we have high expectations. Uniworld tops them all. From the cleaning staff to the restaurant and bar hosts the level of service is in line with Four Seasons. DINING Frederic is the master chef and he aims to please. Multiple entrees and if you make a request it is met. Stuffed Quail, Beef tenderloin, and abundance of fresh vegetables such as Daikon Radish, unusual composed salads, and fresh fish round out a full menu. The pastry chef, Angelique , provided delicious treats that changed daily and do not miss the Valrohna chocolate ice cream, in fact do not miss any of the made on board ice creams. On the wines each evening brought a new selection and a discussion of the wines by the sommelier. SHORE EXCURSIONS are well organized and range from easy walking to kayak trips. Guides are very knowledgeable about the region. Uniworld offers so many small touches such as allowing passengers who have later flights to stay aboard the ship , and dine/drink just as they had during their trip. For those who are questioning the complimentary WIFI, don't. It worked superbly on both ships, and I use it all day and night. Passengers were from US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Well traveled and polite to one another defines the mix. One more item, I travel weekly and always make our flight plans. I succumbed to the Uniworld air as it was a fare beyond belief. Do not hesitate to use Uniworld and you have a wide selection of carriers. Bon Voyage and enjoy the week or more! Read Less

This was my third river cruise with Uniworld. This trip, I chose the SS Catherine. I have been on the SS Antioinette down the Rhine and the River Princess down the Danube. I enjoyed all three trips and highly recommend them to my friends. I found the crew on the SS Catherine was exceptional, including the waiters in the dining room. The activities were well planned and each stop along the excurison was something of interest. I enjoyed the Chateau and the wonderful lunch and wine tasting with the Count. The guide in Viviers was exceptional and we got to see the inside of her home and how the French lived. If you wanted physical activity you could use the ships exercise room or swimming in the ship's pool, go bike riding or kayaking or hiking in the terraced grape fields. The cabins are a luxury and always kept clean by your individual housekeeper. The food was exceptional. If it was not on the menu, you only had to ask and it appeared and if you liked it, they would bring you as many servings as you liked. My friend had gone on a big ocean liner cruise to Alaska last year and had a bill for over $400 for drinks only. She could not believe that all the wines and soft drinks she had on this Uniworld trip was no charge. After drinking both red and white wines at dinner, we would sip Bally's/Kaula while listening to the piano and singer entertain us in the lounge after stuffing ourselves at dinner. The menu was different each night and you were not restricted to one choice. I also liked the laundry room which allowed the passengers to do their laundry at their leisure. The ship provided all the equipment, including washer/dryer/iron and soap. Although I love coming home after a long trip, it was difficult to have to make my own bed, cook my own food and no one to wait on me hand and foot! Read Less