Uniworld Sale on 2015 Summer/Fall Departures

[ewizabeff]

I know it's not often that river cruises drop in price as the trip gets closer, but Uniworld has slashed prices on some European cruises this summer/fall. I wish I could go, but we have to save up for Vietnam!

 

http://uniworld.com/travelzoo

[Los_Pepes]

So good deals on that link. Thanks

[Roz]

I took advantage of Uniworld dropping the single supplement on some of their cruises. I'm booked on the River Beatrice for the 8-day Enchanting Danube (Budapest to Passau) in November. I see paprika in my feature! :D This will be my first river cruise, and I'm excited.

 

Roz

[FuelScience]

LIz,

 

Thanks for the heads up. Also thanks for posting the link to your blog. I may have missed it earlier, but it's a great read.

 

FuelScience

[ewizabeff]

Thanks for checking out the blog, FuelScience!

[alaala]

The solo waiver has me on the Nov 15 Jewels of Europe with Uniworld. Hope the solo venture pays off and I'm not too early to catch a Christmas market. First river tour so it shall be quite the adventure. If they don't seat you at dinner, how to you just plop down with others at dinner? Seems rather uncomfortable.....any help matching up solo diners?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Roz]

Not sure how open seating works on Uniworld. On cruise ships, the host or hostess asks me if I want to sit with other people, and then I'm escorted to a table. Are you saying on Uniworld you just walk into the dining room and sit wherever? If that's the case, I would feel uncomfortable just showing up at someone's table unless I was invited.

 

Roz

[H2Otstr]

Not sure how open seating works on Uniworld. On cruise ships, the host or hostess asks me if I want to sit with other people, and then I'm escorted to a table. Are you saying on Uniworld you just walk into the dining room and sit wherever? If that's the case, I would feel uncomfortable just showing up at someone's table unless I was invited.

 

Roz

 

Yes, one walks into the dining room and decides where to sit and who to dine with. Quite often people strike up conversations in the lounge during the port talk (just before dinner) and those people will sit together. MOST people who are already seated and have open seats at their table will welcome others to join them.

 

People change tables on different evenings in the dining room all the time. It gives people an opportunity to meet others on the cruise.

[Roz]

Thanks for the info, H2O. I know river crusing is going to be different than the cruising I'm used to. I'm looking forward to it.

 

Roz

[mimmy52]

I cruised solo on Viking last August and was very nervous about walking into the dining room and just sitting down anywhere. Turned out it was never a problem. As long as there were open seats, everyone was welcoming, and it was fun to exchange information. The first question always was, Where are you from? Only once did anyone say I couldn't sit at their table, but that was because they were a family traveling together and when the rest of the family arrived they would fill up the table.

 

For a woman traveling alone, the first night you could look around and see if there were any two women traveling together and see if you could join them for dinner. If that would make you feel more comfortable.

[Host Jazzbeau]

River boats generally have exactly as many seats in the lounge and the dining room as the passenger capacity, so if your cruise is full it will be necessary for every table to be filled at dinner. This just reenforces the welcoming culture that has been described above.

[Roz]

Thanks for the reassuring words and explaining how dining works on river cruises. Since the single supplement is being waived on the particular itinerary I'm doing, I expect that there will be other solo cruisers onboard. That said, I've hung out with, and made friends with, many couples on my cruises.

 

Roz

[happy taveler]

I have just gone in at different times and sat as an empty table then let it fill up around me.

[No Spin]

I have just gone in at different times and sat as an empty table then let it fill up around me.

 

Yea, that's the ticket!

[hiccups]

My heart sunk when I first saw this post last week since in February we booked our Uniworld cruise for August and I would have hated to miss a good bargain! I was somewhat relieved to see the only summer date for the cruise we would have been interested in (European Jewels) wouldn't have been an option for us thanks to a work conference I have to attend. I can't complain too much, though, as we still were able to take advantage of one of the other specials.

 

Based on all the emails I've been receiving, it seems if you can wait until March to book you can get some good deals! Something to keep in mind for next year, since due to our jobs we can't plan a year in advance.

[SuzieQ52]

For Alaala and Roz: As others have said you will be welcome to join a table (of new friends) in the dining room however early in your cruise you might want to try be one of the first arriving in the dining room. Just select a large table for yourself and then you can be the gracious one when others then ask to join you.

[ural guy]

 

Based on all the emails I've been receiving, it seems if you can wait until March to book you can get some good deals! Something to keep in mind for next year, since due to our jobs we can't plan a year in advance.

 

Bingo! As long as you don't have a definite date or cruise, there are 'deals'.

It doesn't cost anything to get on a e-mail list, and opt out of the snail mail if it bothers you.

 

I think this may increase in the future, if the various lines keep adding boats, and demand doesn't match. We're somewhat flexible with time off from work, and the youngest will be starting college. Looking forward to taking advantage of some of those last minute offers. :)

[mimmy52]

I think sitting by yourself at a large table works at dinner when almost everyone will be eating on the ship. At lunch, though, there are often many who opt to eat in port (and maybe you would too) so all the tables won't fill up. I'd be sure to pick a table where there was already at least one or two other people then.

[hiccups]

Bingo! As long as you don't have a definite date or cruise, there are 'deals'.

It doesn't cost anything to get on a e-mail list, and opt out of the snail mail if it bothers you.

 

I think this may increase in the future, if the various lines keep adding boats, and demand doesn't match. We're somewhat flexible with time off from work, and the youngest will be starting college. Looking forward to taking advantage of some of those last minute offers. :)

 

 

Yes, I was bummed to miss that good deal on the European Jewels cruise because of work, but maybe next year we can snag an even better one than we got this year on the Uniworld Rhine and Moselle cruise (we were able to go on one of the dates with $2500 off per couple on cruise/air). I already know I won't have any conferences next summer! And our passports will be current, which they weren't this year.

[ural guy]

Yes, I was bummed to miss that good deal on the European Jewels cruise because of work, but maybe next year we can snag an even better one than we got this year on the Uniworld Rhine and Moselle cruise (we were able to go on one of the dates with $2500 off per couple on cruise/air). I already know I won't have any conferences next summer! And our passports will be current, which they weren't this year.

 

We've only been on one cruise, but I'm hooked. Amsterdam to Budapest with Viking, booked a month before the late June sail date, for $4,000 usd, including airfare from JFK. That was a 14 night cruise.

[RDAJ23]

We were booked on the Oct 18 Uniworld Bordeaux sailing...and then I saw your link. I emailed my travel agent and she was able to book us on the Oct 11 sailing and we saved almost $3000. I really appreciate it when Cruise Critic members look out for one another.

 

Thank you so much!

[ewizabeff]

Wow, what a great deal! Glad it worked out for you. :)

[Los_Pepes]

I returned from my Uniworld Rhine cruise last night. I saw this deal while onboard and I booked and put a deposit on a Venice cruise for October. Got a freakin's steal with a past cruiser discount and a slightly reduced fare from my TA.

 

Thanks for posting this link as it allowed me to do two Uniworlds in one year!

Edited March 24, 2015 by Los_Pepes

[ewizabeff]

Uniworld is back with more discounted dates, available directly on their site:

 

http://uniworld.com/travelzoo

[hiccups]

Uniworld is back with more discounted dates, available directly on their site:

 

http://uniworld.com/travelzoo

 

When you first posted this, I contacted Uniworld and found even back then they were offering the discounts on other dates. I was actually a little disappointed since we already had our trip booked! DH wouldn't let me cancel to get the less expensive trip (European Jewels instead of Legendary Rhine and Moselle). Ah, well, lesson learned :D