U by Uniworld
Take everything you thought you knew about river cruising and disregard it. That is how you should approach a U by Uniworld River Cruise on the ships aptly named the A and the B. This is cruising that totally breaks the mould. There are no “God’s waiting rooms” on these ships with itineraries aimed at active and energetic 35s up to 60s. Our cruise had a great mix of ages and at 48, I was neither the youngest nor the oldest.
This is not a cruise for people who want silver service and a sit-down meal every night and who like to dress up for dinner, a turndown service every evening, or a fully inclusive cruise with drinks, butlers, tours and someone to hold their hand as they venture out and about.
It is a cruise for the young at heart, who want to meet and mingle with like-minded travellers, to explore on their own but also have the option of guided tours. Who like to be active and take advantage of the planned activities that they can join in on as they wish. I thoroughly enjoyed it! Below are some tips from my recent experience cruising for 8 days down the beautiful Seine from Paris.
- This is active cruising at it’s best. You can join in on hikes up to Richard the Lionheart’s castle, bike rides around Norman villages and kayaking down the Seine’s tributaries. Evening activities included a pub crawl in Rouen (the apple beer is amazing!), a silent disco and karaoke where everyone joined in and had a blast! The included walking tours such as the Gardens of Versailles are at a fast pace so you will need to keep up or meet up with the group at a designated time/place so you don’t get lost.
- Bring good walking shoes as many of the guided walks around the various towns are on cobblestoned streets. Your fabulous guides will take you on a short orientation tour, explaining what you need to know and then the rest of the time is up to you to spend as you see fit. Shop, explore, or simply pop into a local pub to have a pint and chat with the locals!
- All U by Uniworld cruises are paperless, so it’s important that travellers have their iPhone, Ipad or check their tv in their cabins daily for an update on everything that’s going on. You will be added to a WhatsApp group so your ship guides can contact you at any time to update you on meeting times, activities etc. In going paperless, Uniworld plant one tree for every client to give back and help regenerate the forests. I’m happy to check my tablet for updates if it means planting a tree.
- Drinks are an additional charge onboard. Cocktails start around Eur9.00, Beer at Eur6.00 and spirits Eur5.00 with wine around Eur40-90 per bottle. If you like a few drinks or cocktails it’s worth investing in the drinks package so you don’t have to worry about a large bar bill at the end of your stay.
- All meals onboard are buffet style, and you can sit wherever and with whomever you want, adding to the social appeal. Food is fresh and plentiful with regular regional specialities making the menu most nights. One evening we had a family style dinner where the food was placed in the middle of the table for us all to share. The dessert this evening was a theatrical display that was in keeping with the spirit of the ship. Great fun!
- Each day there were organised activities such as a guided walk or bike ride that everyone was free to join, and then there were the U Time optional tours that you could opt into if you wish at a charge. We did a few of these which included a day tour to the Cliffs of Etretat, a guided foodie tour of Paris and an evening at the Moulin Rouge. Other optional trips included a trip to the battlefields of Normandy, a ride around Paris in a vintage sidecar and motorbike, guided tours around Le Louvre and Kayaking on the Seine. Again you could be as active or passive as you wished. Our two days in Paris saw everyone go their separate ways to discover the Museums, shop, go to shows and do the things that interested them, all of us coming together in the evening at dinner to share the stories of our days' wanderings.
- There are a few staircases on the ship so it’s important to know that walking up and down there will be an issue to people with limited mobility. This really isn’t a cruise for them.
- The top deck with the Ice bar and deck chairs was a great place to chill out in the evening with a beverage, but navigating stairs could be an issue for some, especially after a few beverages.
- And lastly, if you can afford it upgrade to the suite. We had one and it was twice the size of a regular room and was airy and spacious. Regular rooms are tight and bags will need to be stored under the beds as there is limited space.
Overall, I loved my cruise and would thoroughly recommend U by Uniworld to active travellers wanting to experience some of France’s hidden gems.