River Baroness Review
Rating by category
Additional details
We were on the River Baroness as the first part of the Uniworld Grand France Itinerary, going from Paris to Normandy 15-22 June on the Seine. The second part of the trip was on the SS Catherine, going from Lyon to Marseille via a high speed train from Paris to the Rhone and Saone. The River Baroness was remodeled in 2011 and is 361 feet long. In comparison, the Catherine began cruising about March of 2014 and is an additional 82 feet long. This review will just concern the River Baroness.
The ship itself appeared very homey, with every crew member being very friendly and welcoming. It is almost like they are a family on the river. On numerous occasions, we watched waitstaff jump in to assist others in clearing tables. Two individuals stood out in warmth and friendliness, Georgina the Hotel Manager, and Oana our waitress. We would always have conversations with Georgina around the ship, and Oana knew our like and dislikes in the restaurant after the second day. When we came into the Van Gogh restaurant after a day of sightseeing, she would always make us laugh.
The cruise to Normandy was made by the excellent Cruise Director, Piet. Timely arrangements of transportation, and very proficient guides were the rule. He always had a "this is what is going to happen tomorrow" meeting before dinner. Piet made the passengers aware of a nighttime light show at the Rouen cathedral, showing about 25 folks the way. Piet even had a group he designated "Gentle Walkers", for those who had trouble climbing steps and walking a lot. Turns out this group usually had guide ratios of 1 to 4 or 6, contrasting with 1 to 25 or so with the regular groups. There were some passengers who asked if we paid more for this! One guide, Olivier, stood out as quite knowledgeable on the Normandy landings. We also had adequate time to shop when available. I had wanted to go to Giverney for many years, so it was a thrill to be standing at the side of the water lily pond that Monet had painted, as well as walking in his garden and home. Finally, I also did the optional Versaille tour for 55 Euros. Although we saw a small percentage of the palace, it was easy to see and appreciate the sheer opulence.
Cabin Review
The cabin was a bit small. There seemed to be more storage room on the River Countess when we cruised in that in 2011, then the Duchess now in 2014. We felt we made a good decision in going to a bigger ship, the Catherine the next week, vs going from a bigger to a smaller one.