Uniworld all inclusive "drinks"

[harbourside]

Uniworlds all inclusive tours for 2014 include wine, beer, soft drinks and spirits.

They exclude "premium spirits". What is meant by premium spirits. I presume cocktails, but does this also include branded spirits like Jim Beam, Seagers. Bacardi etc.

I would have thought that on the 2014 Douro Cruise, wine or beer would now be included at lunch, but the online tour description for 2014 says soft drinks only at lunch. I find this confusing.

[Bob++]

This is what they say:

 

"Complimentary soft drinks during lunch onboard; complimentary fine wine, beer, and soft drinks during dinner onboard; bottled water in your stateroom; and 24-hour specialty coffee and tea station"

 

I take this to mean that NO spirits would be included - only wine and beer in the evening. I would hope that includes port:)

[bobandjo]

This is what they say:

 

"Complimentary soft drinks during lunch onboard; complimentary fine wine, beer, and soft drinks during dinner onboard; bottled water in your stateroom; and 24-hour specialty coffee and tea station"

 

I take this to mean that NO spirits would be included - only wine and beer in the evening. I would hope that includes port:)

 

Bob, this is what they now say for 2014: Unlimited beverages onboard, including fine wine, beer, spirits, soft drinks, specialty coffee and tea, and

bottled water And an addendum of: spirits does not include premium wines or premium spirties.

[Bob++]

The OP is asking about branded spirits like Jim Beam, Seagers. Bacardi etc. I very much doubt that they will be included.

 

The Douro valley is justifiably famous for its wine - mainly port but some others like Barca Velha or some from Quinto do Crasto, and at very reasonable prices. It would be a great shame to tour here and not to sample the local product.

[bobandjo]

Except you said "no" spirits. My experience is with "all inclusive" resorts and I'd bet they'll include all those the OP mentioned and others such as Beefeater gin and Finlandia vodka. But would not include vodkas like Grey Goose, single malt Scotches, Tanqueray gin.

[harbourside]

I was enquiring why they say unlimited wines, etc with the new all inclusive policy for 2014 then exclude wine from lunch. Confusing. This is only on the Douro cruise. Not sure why this cruise always excluded wine with lunch.

They do say this is only a leased boat, so some ammenities are different than on Uniworld other european cruises, but wine???

I was not sure what is meant by "premium spirits". So I take it that regular branded spirits are included. Was thinking that it may have been only some locally made spirits that were included.

Thanks for your replies.

[bobandjo]

I was enquiring why they say unlimited wines, etc with the new all inclusive policy for 2014 then exclude wine from lunch. Confusing. This is only on the Douro cruise. Not sure why this cruise always excluded wine with lunch.

They do say this is only a leased boat, so some ammenities are different than on Uniworld other european cruises, but wine???

I was not sure what is meant by "premium spirits". So I take it that regular branded spirits are included. Was thinking that it may have been only some locally made spirits that were included.

Thanks for your replies.

Just MHO of course but if it's "unlimited" wine and spirits they wouldn't really need to say that there's wine included with lunch or dinner. It's automatic. The Duro River cruise is in the list of the all inclusive cruises. http://www.uniworld.com/destinations/Europe/2014

[laverendrye]

I travelled with Uniworld on the Douro in November 2012. I can't recall definitely if beer and wine were complimentary at lunch in the dining room or not, but it seems to me that they were. At dinner, beer and wine were of course included, and the wine differed each night to showcase a different region of the Douro area. Every dinner was completed with a complimentary glass of Port, and at the Captain's Farewell dinner a very nice vintage Port was served.

[Redhaired Traveler]

Uniworlds all inclusive tours for 2014 include wine, beer, soft drinks and spirits.

They exclude "premium spirits". What is meant by premium spirits. I presume cocktails, but does this also include branded spirits like Jim Beam, Seagers. Bacardi etc.

I would have thought that on the 2014 Douro Cruise, wine or beer would now be included at lunch, but the online tour description for 2014 says soft drinks only at lunch. I find this confusing.

What can you tell me about drinks between meals? Are the lounges usually open between meals and do you pay with cash or add to room?

[harbourside]

I travelled with Uniworld on the Douro in November 2012. I can't recall definitely if beer and wine were complimentary at lunch in the dining room or not, but it seems to me that they were. At dinner, beer and wine were of course included, and the wine differed each night to showcase a different region of the Douro area. Every dinner was completed with a complimentary glass of Port, and at the Captain's Farewell dinner a very nice vintage Port was served.

 

"Port with Uniworlds great cheese boards". Sounds good.

Uniworld have clarified the drinks question. For 2014 on the Douro cruise unlimited beverages including wine, beer, spirits, soft drinks etc.

How did you like the cruise. How would you compare it to a cruise in France or the Rhine. I keep changing my mind daily. The Douro or South of France.

Have to book for 2014 in the next couple of months to get the early bird specials. Exchange rates make the tour cost expensive from NZ.

[H2Otstr]

"Port with Uniworlds great cheese boards". Sounds good.

Uniworld have clarified the drinks question. For 2014 on the Douro cruise unlimited beverages including wine, beer, spirits, soft drinks etc.

How did you like the cruise. How would you compare it to a cruise in France or the Rhine. I keep changing my mind daily. The Douro or South of France.

Have to book for 2014 in the next couple of months to get the early bird specials. Exchange rates make the tour cost expensive from NZ.

 

These two cruises are entirely different. The Douro is a very different cruise than any other river in Europe. The towns are very small, not a whole lot to see. Most of the trips require a short bus ride, although the scenery is breathtaking both on the boat and on the bus. The cruise in France visits larger cities and IMHO there is more to see and do. We loved the Douro and would like to repeat that trip some time.

 

I do have photos on Shutterfly from our 2008 Douro trip if you would like to see them. Send an email to me at h2otstr at aol dot com. Put Douro Cruise photos in the subject line.

 

Sharon

[Fairfield Nana]

Sharon-- I didn't know you guys did the Douro? Joan & I are on U'world Rhine cruise this August. One of these days we hope to hook up with you two for another cruise. You were so right (AS USUAL) when you told me we'd like river cruising. Hi to your other half!!

 

Rest you guys on this site who are asking about "spirits" served on Uniworld--- As long as you can drink good wine for free--especially California wine-- why would you even care about spirits!!:)

 

Otis

[laverendrye]

"Port with Uniworlds great cheese boards". Sounds good.

Uniworld have clarified the drinks question. For 2014 on the Douro cruise unlimited beverages including wine, beer, spirits, soft drinks etc.

How did you like the cruise. How would you compare it to a cruise in France or the Rhine. I keep changing my mind daily. The Douro or South of France.

Have to book for 2014 in the next couple of months to get the early bird specials. Exchange rates make the tour cost expensive from NZ.

I can't compare the Douro Cruise to one on the Rhine or Rhone, as I have not cruised on either river. I do know the Rhine well and the Rhone less so, however. The Rhine, especially between Koblenz and the Main is a very heavily touristed route whether by boat or land and rightly so. Castles, vineyards, wine towns abound and it is very scenic, but all these will be very crowded except in the dead of winter. Uniworld's Rhone cruise includes visits to Beaune, Lyon, Tournon, Avignon and Arles, all very interesting cities/towns, with lots of vineyards as well. As H2Otstr remarked, the Douro is very different. It is quite a scenic river, to me very reminiscent of the Moselle with its steep terraced vineyards. The stops are at very small towns and villages, but the tours take you through beautiful countryside to interesting stops, and there is a wonderful daylong tour to the historic Spanish city of Salamanca. Wine is certainly a predominant theme of the entire cruise with regular opportunities for tastings both on board and on the tours. The Douro, Porto and northern Portugal are neglected areas for tourism compared to the south of the country and I found this an attractive feature of the cruise. Of course there is also the visit to Lisbon and area and a stop en route to Porto at the old university town of Coimbra. All in all I thought this was a great cruise to an area a bit more off the beaten track than the well-travelled routes of the Rhine and southern France. One caution--in mid-summer it could be unbearably hot. I did it in November and the weather was fine. I think late September or early October would be an ideal time to visit the Douro. Then again, I certainly wouldn't want to travel in southern France in the mid-summer either.

[ewizabeff]

Although this might not apply to the exact cruise being talked about, I would refrain from using advice from folks that have traveled on Uniworld before. As the OP mentioned, the policy is changing for 2014, as detailed in this press release.

 

I'd imagine the only way to get a specific answer to your question is to contact Uniworld directly, since it's a new policy.

 

I'm considering a Uniworld cruise in Sep 2014, and I'm definitely intrigued by the all-inclusive gratuities.

[cole]

What can you tell me about drinks between meals? Are the lounges usually open between meals and do you pay with cash or add to room?

 

As I recall - the lounge is open between meals (especially lunch and dinner and after dinner) and your purchase (and tip) is added to your room account.

B. Cole

[2Canucks]

Uniworld Introduces in 2014 All-Inclusive Luxury Boutique River Cruises in Europe

 

LOS ANGELES, California–January 9, 2013–In 2014, the leader in luxury river cruising, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, will introduce all-inclusive river cruises in Europe. Uniworld currently offers a host of inclusions, such as all non-alcoholic beverages, fine wine and beer served during lunch and dinner onboard; fully hosted shore excursions; free Internet and Wi-Fi; and all arrival and departure day transfers. In 2014, Uniworld will expand their services and amenities to include unlimited fine wine, beer, and spirits, and all gratuities for all onboard and onshore services.

“We are very pleased to provide our guests with even greater value and more convenience by offering an all-inclusive luxury cruise experience,” states Guy Young, President of Uniworld. Uniworld is the only North American river cruise line to announce they are moving to an all-inclusive experience. “Similar to the high-end luxury ocean cruise lines, such as Crystal, Regent, and Silverseas, Uniworld is dedicated to creating the most luxurious and worry-free experience for our valued guests. By offering an all-inclusive vacation, our guests won’t need to worry about ancillary items such as tipping as everything will be included in the price, so all our guests will need to do is relax and enjoy their vacation,” furthers Young.

 

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, the world’s only authentic boutique cruise line™, is recognized among the “World’s Best River Cruises” by Travel + Leisure. Uniworld was voted the“#1 River Cruise Line in the World” in Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards, was named to Condé Nast Traveler’s prestigious Gold List and their Platinum Circle for having made the list consistently for the past five years, and won “Best River Ships” in their Readers’ Poll, which ranked River Queen and River Beatrice #1 and #3 of all cruise ships in the world, respectively, along with eight other highly ranked ships in the top 40 river ships category. Uniworld’s cabins and dining are also ranked among the top three in the world by Zagat Survey®, with Uniworld being the only river cruise line named in the Zagat Survey® amongst the best of the best in the cruise industry. Uniworld features luxurious boutique ships with an average capacity of 130 guests, included shore excursions fully hosted by local experts, world-class gourmet cuisine, and award-winning, personalized hospitality. Uniworld offers over 500 departures sailing on over 13 rivers in more than 20 countries throughout Europe, Russia, Egypt, China, Vietnam, and Cambodia. For more details, please visit uniworld.com or connect with Uniworld Boutique River Cruises at facebook.com/uniworldrivercruises or twitter.com/uniworldcruises.

###

Uniworld is a member of CLIA, Cruise Lines International Association

[mitchm]

Hi! I'm new to this thread, so bear with me. My husband and I are thinking of taking Uniworld to China on their "Grand China & the Yangtze" trip Sept. 15 to Oct. 2, 2013. I see that the policy on drinks and tips will be changed for 2014, but I also noted that the price will be $200 more per person, perhaps negating any cost savings, depending on how much you drink (we're not heavy drinkers). Not sure that the previous posters know that.

 

On another note, we'll be there during their mid-Autumn Festival (Sept. 19-21) and a bit of the National Day (Oct. 1). Anyone been there during these times? We're choosing them as the weather is supposed to be cooler then. But, maybe going later in Oct. is better? Any thoughts?

 

I was surprised that Uniworld is leasing the ship, Century Legend. Guess there will be others on board from other companies, but not sure from where. Any thoughts on "ship sharing"? It's a bit unsettling, but we'll get the run of the ship and all its amenities. We liked the itinerary on the Grand China trip the best as it includes all the highlights, plus Guilin and Hong Kong at the end.

 

Oh yeah, I looked into Viking but it's completely booked for the rest of the year.

[Mark_T]

I was surprised that Uniworld is leasing the ship, Century Legend.

 

Leasing is normal for China as they do not allow a non-Chinese company to own and operate a ship cruising exclusively in Chinese waters.

 

Viking also leases their ship for example.

 

I wouldn't assume that this means a 'mixed' group of guests from other sources, but those more familiar with this cruise can confirm I'm sure.

[AttilaTheFun]

I wouldn't assume that this means a 'mixed' group of guests from other sources, but those more familiar with this cruise can confirm I'm sure.

 

Avalon is also using the Century Legend. Not sure if passengers from both companies are on the same cruises or the two lines have separate sail dates.

 

Mitchm - you should start a new thread if you have other questions about China river cruising. People who can advise will not think to look at this thread necessarily.