Day by Day Uniworld's Christmas Market Cruise Budapest to Passau Dec 1-8

[bubbulz]

Welcome home! We flew into the US via Miami yesterday and although we have Global Entry I still was pleasantly surprised at how easy everything was. I had expected a bit extra in the way of scrutiny but it seemed like business as usual, with no waiting in lines. (We do carry-on bags, but even if we had checked bags there is a separate exit for GE.) We were off the plane and out the door in less than an hour.

[Hydrokitty]

As promised I thought I would post a little bit about the butler service since starting in 2016 it will be provided for suites on all of the European river cruises instead of currently just the MT, Antoinette, and Catherine.

 

When I first stayed in a suite on the Antoinette last July I only booked it for the additional size and wasn't that keen on Butler Service. We have really changed our minds. There are two butlers for the 10 suites. The level of service begins when you check in on the ship. The butler leads you to your room and walks you through every amenity in the room, ask about your likes and dislikes and reminds you of the many services. By the time he is done your luggage is in your cabin. They offer ot unpack but we never take advantage of this service. They ask is you have any immediate laundry needs if you did a precruise in case you need it quickly. Laundry service is provided for the suites with no limits. This is really a wonderful service. By the way all returning guests with Uniworld get one free back per person per week regardless of cabin level. But with the Butler suites it is unlimited. If you have followed our journey you know we spent our first evening in Budapest after boarding at the Opera House for the Nutcracker. The negative was we left at 6 and would miss dinner. I asked the butler if there was somewhere we could get a snack before we left. He said he would bring us whatever we wanted for dinner to the suite at 5. We had soup, sandwiches, salads all served in the suite. A normal part of the service is breakfast in suite any morning. The butlers suggest you go to the dining room the first morning to get a feel of what is available then tell them the time and what you would like and they will serve in suite. They coordinate with the cabin steward to make sure the room is in top shape all day long. By the time we got back from breakfast the room was always made up. Several afternoon we were in the cabin resting and didn't feel like going down for tea in the lounge so the Butlers brought the tea to us. They were constantly leaving special snacks. They move throughout the ship looking for suite guests to make sure you have your drink of choice in hand, making sure you are prepared for all your excursions. There really is no request to great or too small. They genuinely seem to want to surprise you with service. They give you a 3 digit number to reach their cell any time you need something or have a question. They provided us at the end of a cruise with a nice gift of a scarf for my wife and olive oil for me. This really takes the level of service to a whole other level. With the hectic schedule of the excursions it really is a nice touch to have these two butlers to help you with the smallest of details.

 

I will close my postings in either later today or tomorrow with some random thoughts. Thanks for following along

 

Oh my.....now I'm going to want a butler too!!! :D

[bubbulz]

Glad to hear you are a convert to butler service. We will have it for the first time in April and much like you, we also aren't exactly sure that we "need" it. But it will probably be very nice!

 

 

We'll have it for the first time next year as well, and reading this thread has certainly reinforced my feeling that it will be nice to have! :D

[kwbts124]

...There really is no request to great or too small. They genuinely seem to want to surprise you with service. They give you a 3 digit number to reach their cell any time you need something or have a question. They provided us at the end of a cruise with a nice gift of a scarf for my wife and olive oil for me. This really takes the level of service to a whole other level. With the hectic schedule of the excursions it really is a nice touch to have these two butlers to help you with the smallest of details.

 

I will close my postings in either later today or tomorrow with some random thoughts. Thanks for following along

 

Butler service sounds fantastic. Just wondering if you tipped the butler throughout your trip or just at the end. We're sailing with Vantage in a regular cabin so no butler - I don't even think Vantage offers butler service at all but since this is our first river cruise..we're not loyal to any line...yet.

 

I can't wait:D...12 days 'til we leave - out of MIA (not my favorite airport).:(

Edited December 9, 2015 by kwbts124
fix grammar

[papa B me]

Enjoyed hearing about the new ship and all of your stops. We're on one of the older ships (River Beatrice) next spring but we splurged for the suite. Sure it won't be as fancy as the new ones, but we are looking forward to it, especially the free laundry! We should be able to pack in a tote bag! ;)

 

Valentina was on our Rhine and Rhone cruises too. I recognized her this year; even though we didn't have a suite, we usually ate dinner with a couple who did. So Valentina took care of us at dinner as well.

 

You should be halfway home by now...thanks for posting! Only four months now for us to wait! :D

 

I'm looking forward to your report on the Beatrice. I'm booked on a sister ship the River Countess in Italy next September. It will be nice to her your comparison the Antoinette. I think the two big differences between the suites on the older ships and the newer is the lack of the sitting area and balcony. So look forward to following along in 4 months.

[papa B me]

Butler service sounds fantastic. Just wondering if you tipped the butler throughout your trip or just at the end. We're sailing with Vantage in a regular cabin so no butler - I don't even think Vantage offers butler service at all but since this is our first river cruise..we're not loyal to any line...yet.

 

I can't wait:D...12 days 'til we leave - out of MIA (not my favorite airport).:(

 

Uniworld includes all the tips in the fare but we did tip the butlers the day before the last day of the trip. I can honestly say there really didn't seem to be an expectation for additional tip. I don't believe the service would have varried with or without a tip. It seems that the staff from top to bottom is really happy working with Uniworld. We had more then one tell us they started elsewhere with the goal of moving to Uniworld. One of the things that seems to create a greater satisfaction is the way that Uniworld's contract with them has them work 6-8 weeks then 2-3 weeks off vs the traditional 8-9 months straight. Most of them have families in their home countries. It may have been an emotional decision based on thinking about them being away from their families during the holiday season but I decided to tip extra for those who we worked closely with during our trip but again don't think it was expected or encouraged.

[papa B me]

I thought I would address a few issues that I commonly see asked about on the different threads:

 

Dress on the ship: I know this is discussed a great deal on CC but I thought I would mention a few things. Compared to my last Uniworld trip the dress at dinner was a little more dressy. Especially the men. Men commonly wore jackets and some wore ties. The welcome dinner and the farewell dinner I think all but one or two men had them on. I took a black suit and tie because of the opera but was probably the most dressed up when I wore it to farewell dinner as well. Most nights I wore a sweater. Women were dressed anywhere from coctail dresses to mostly dress pants and dress blouse. I didn't see any jeans at dinner on this cruise. I think it may be because of colder weather or the demographics.

 

Dress during the day and on excursions: It is really talked alot about for Christmas but layering is essential. The weather varied from low 30's to low 50's during the trip. I would always recommend wool socks with warm boots or hiking shoes, a warm hat of your choice, good gloves, and thermal underwear. For the men I would recommend having cargo pants with zipper pocket/velcro pockets. I wore them every day that were made out of a quick dry material(hiking pants) over thermal underwear. Never was cold or hot. I also recommend wearing some form of vest over your shirt. I have both a travel vest(lots of inside pocket) and a Patagonia vest. These are good for both security reasons and layering. With all the pocket it allowed my wife to not carry any type of purse or back pack as I could keep her essentials with me. This may sound like overkill but the following was one of the best decisions I made. I carried two pairs of gloves that I could keep in the outside pockets of my North Face jacket. One was a $3 pair of knit gloves I got at the Gap that have the end of the fingers cut out of. These were great when taking pictures, picking up items in the Christmas market, or as the weather warmed during the day. The other was a normal pair of hiking gloves for cold weather. I switched back and forth all day. Finally I recommend carrying a really light weight day pack. I got mine from Rick Steves. Weighs almost nothing but we could put most of our purchases into the pack to keep our hands free of bags.

 

Security: We did see several pick pockets(at least our local guides said the were) and as other trips this was really my only concern during the trip. This is why I recommended the cargo pants and vests above. I think the way I utiilize the zip up pockets(especially hidden ones) they would have to mug me to get anything. Walking in the various towns there was a much greater police presence then on previous trips. All with automatic weapons. But that was the only visible difference I saw and felt very secure. The most noticeable signs of enhanced security was on the ships themselves. Unlike our last cruise you couldn't just walk on and scan yourself in. There were always one or two members of the crew at the entrance making you show your ID's before entering. During the less busy times of the day the doors were locked and you had to use your scan card to open the doors and staff was still standing there. I went on deck numerous time after dark to do laps and there were always staff stationed up top. So felt very safe. Finally the airports seemed to have more armed patrols then in my past travel. All in all if you are planning a trip or waiting for yours to arrive I wouldn't be concerned. Be cautious but no need to change your plans.

 

Demographics: This was probably the biggest difference between my cruise last summer and this one. I would say that 70% were women traveling together and not husbands and wives. This was really a surprise and there were a number of 4-6 people traveling together. We found we had to work a little harder to make friendships then in the past. This was also much older then our previous cruise. I don't mean that as a bad thing but just a fact.

 

Food: Food continues to be a highlight on Uniworld cruises. I heard many say that there truly wasn't a bad meal. A few tips for Uniworld - don't forget about the menu to order from at breakfast and lunch if you want something different the the buffets. Also mix and match the choices from the current menu and the standard alternatives. Meaning you can choose one of the entrees of the day and pair it with a traditional salad vs the unique salads of the day. Finally don't worry about asking for something you don't see on the menu. Such as my wife several times asked if they could add a side of broccoli to her meal.

 

Rafting: During the cruise we were only rafted once. There weren't as many on the river during this time of year but it wasn't much of an issue.

 

All inclusiveness: I don't want to open up the debate in this thread about what constitutes all inclusiveness but did want to mention a few things. The only things that you could pay for on Uniworld typically are the 2 optional excursion(a few more on other cruises), spa treatments, and laundry if you are not a past guest or suite guest. I didn't meet anyone who purchased any alcohol as all were pleased with what was available including the wines. Its nice you don't have to load up on the drinks at dinner or special event as it flows freely any time you want it(as well as all non alcoholic drinks as well). As I've mentioned in other posts through out as a guest in a suite it even included a spa treatment. We booked with Amex Platinum and received a $300 on board credit. We took one optional excursion, bought two bracelets from their gift shop and a Nutcracker and had a $18 Euro credit still on the bill when I settled the bill.

 

Feel free to ask any other questions regarding Uniworld or our experience in general regarding river cruising.

[papa B me]

I am by no means an experienced river cruiser with only two now taken and a third scheduled for September. But I continue to believe this is one of the most relaxed ways to travel and really enjoyed this cruise. Uniworld's standards as I'm sure most of the other lines as well are unbelievably high. The service, excursions, food, and amenities are all top notch.

 

So the only thing I have to compare it to is my first Uniworld trip down the Rhine in July of 2015. All in all I liked my first cruise better. It was only incrementally better but still better. But much of it has to do with the time of year. I really didn't like it getting dark at 4:30 in the afternoon. This curtailed our walking after dinner, bike rides in the afternoon before dinner. Also I felt most of the ports on the Rhine accomodated walking and biking better then the Danube stops. Also the demographics. There were very few other couples who were traveling alone and looking for people to share dinner with, hang out in the lounge after dinner, and really get to know one another. Part of this may also be that we didn't do a Precruise with Uniworld this time like we did last year. I've said in reviews of our cruise last year that the opportunity to get to know the other couples pre cruise was worth the additional cost for us vs doing the precruise on our own as we did this year. But again the quality of this trip was comparable to our first.

 

One last piece of advice for those just starting out river cruising. The tendency is to take every excursion and participate in every activitiy to make sure you get your monies worth or don't miss out on something(at least that's my tendency). Build in adequate time to wander on your own, enjoy the amenities of the ship, or just go as I did our last day for a couple of hours to the lounge and get to know the bartender who was from Bulgaria. I almost wore us out the first half of the cruise and found myself dreading the next event. The second half I cut a few things out and slowed the pace and found it wonderful. Are there a few things I wish we did differently-sure. Was everything perfect every moment of every day with Uniworld -no. But all in all I feel so incredibly blessed to be able to travel like this I have no complaints.

 

Thank you again for putting up with my rambling posts and I hope to do it again from Italy in September.

[KaraokeQueen]

Sitting in the lounge, being cared for by your favorite Bulgarian barkeep.

 

Having taken the Prague pre cruise extension, I was one of three people in their 50's, another group in there 60's and the majority were 70 something. Once on board, I was shocked at how youthful our crowd was. There are several guests in their 30's/40's. Fortunately for my personal preference, there are no children on board.

 

This climate lends to a non formal atmosphere. I've always been an ocean cruiser and enjoy the formality. This trip, my goal was not to look glamorous but, to have functioning warm clothes. The majority of women I have spoken with, none brought anything but slacks and sweaters.

 

Another personal observation, there are many friends traveling together and I have yet to see a single. Everyone is a couple.

 

We are staying in the Royal Suite. I find the decor to be opulent and lovely. The bed is huge and comfortable. Love the fancy electronics, heated bathroom floors and towel bars. It's my personal opinion that the ship is a gorgeous European reflection, not at all over the top.

 

Pouring rain this afternoon in Passau. At least we got our morning tour in. Thanks for all your posts Papa.

Edited December 9, 2015 by KaraokeQueen

[beesKate]

There were very few other couples who were traveling alone and looking for people to share dinner with, hang out in the lounge after dinner, and really get to know one another. .

 

We also found this on our most recent cruise. There were several large groups and multiple small groups on our cruise. Also, the dining room set-up was mainly smaller tables (we really liked the 8-top rounds). We actually sat alone on our first evening on a 6-top round. We did end up meeting several couples who were also travelling alone, but it the number of groups travelling together was a noticeable difference on our most recent cruise. It does change the dynamic of the trip.

[capriccio]

Papa - thank you so much for taking us along on your cruise! Your review was very informative and well written.

 

One question - did you notice (even though you had no need for it) if the MT had the free washers and dryers that are found on the earlier generation Uniworld ships? We'll be on the Catherine (sister ship to the MT) next May and even though we will be repeat guests, laundry once in a week may not be sufficient for all of us. We found the free do-it-yourself laundry great on our first Uniworld cruise this past summer.

[MalibooNewYork]

I have a few more of your posts to read but i wanted to say how much I'm enjoying your narrative--not only entertaining but informative, too.

[caviargal]

Papa - thank you so much for taking us along on your cruise! Your review was very informative and well written.

 

One question - did you notice (even though you had no need for it) if the MT had the free washers and dryers that are found on the earlier generation Uniworld ships? We'll be on the Catherine (sister ship to the MT) next May and even though we will be repeat guests, laundry once in a week may not be sufficient for all of us. We found the free do-it-yourself laundry great on our first Uniworld cruise this past summer.

 

They definitely have them on Catherine and I did laundry several times during our July cruise. Temps were north of 100 for the entire trip and the laundry was a welcome feature.

[capriccio]

They definitely have them on Catherine and I did laundry several times during our July cruise. Temps were north of 100 for the entire trip and the laundry was a welcome feature.

 

Thanks caviargal! We did the same on the River Princess and River Empress last August due to the heat. My DB and SIL were doing a load of laundry almost every day :eek: because he worked out multiple times a day, they both took every bike excursion, and they borrowed bikes at stops without bike excursions. One free load a week will definitely not be enough for them even in late May/early June when it should be cooler.

[papa B me]

Papa - thank you so much for taking us along on your cruise! Your review was very informative and well written.

 

One question - did you notice (even though you had no need for it) if the MT had the free washers and dryers that are found on the earlier generation Uniworld ships? We'll be on the Catherine (sister ship to the MT) next May and even though we will be repeat guests, laundry once in a week may not be sufficient for all of us. We found the free do-it-yourself laundry great on our first Uniworld cruise this past summer.

 

Thanks for asking that question. Meant to mention it in my post on the ship. Yes there is a free laundry room. I stuck my head in. I think it had 3 washers and 3 dryers. I also notice a set up with an iron and I saw a basket of laundry detergent sitting on the counter. Have fun in May!!

[papa B me]

We also found this on our most recent cruise. There were several large groups and multiple small groups on our cruise. Also, the dining room set-up was mainly smaller tables (we really liked the 8-top rounds). We actually sat alone on our first evening on a 6-top round. We did end up meeting several couples who were also travelling alone, but it the number of groups travelling together was a noticeable difference on our most recent cruise. It does change the dynamic of the trip.

 

It is amazing the difference it makes and that it really does change from cruise to cruise. Karaokequeen is having a total different experience just one cruise later.

[papa B me]

They definitely have them on Catherine and I did laundry several times during our July cruise. Temps were north of 100 for the entire trip and the laundry was a welcome feature.

 

With the cold weather and lack of sweat I think the laundry room got very little use this time around. But boy with 100 degrees I bet it gets a workout.

[Hydrokitty]

I am by no means an experienced river cruiser with only two now taken and a third scheduled for September. But I continue to believe this is one of the most relaxed ways to travel and really enjoyed this cruise. Uniworld's standards as I'm sure most of the other lines as well are unbelievably high. The service, excursions, food, and amenities are all top notch.

 

So the only thing I have to compare it to is my first Uniworld trip down the Rhine in July of 2015. All in all I liked my first cruise better. It was only incrementally better but still better. But much of it has to do with the time of year. I really didn't like it getting dark at 4:30 in the afternoon. This curtailed our walking after dinner, bike rides in the afternoon before dinner. Also I felt most of the ports on the Rhine accomodated walking and biking better then the Danube stops. Also the demographics. There were very few other couples who were traveling alone and looking for people to share dinner with, hang out in the lounge after dinner, and really get to know one another. Part of this may also be that we didn't do a Precruise with Uniworld this time like we did last year. I've said in reviews of our cruise last year that the opportunity to get to know the other couples pre cruise was worth the additional cost for us vs doing the precruise on our own as we did this year. But again the quality of this trip was comparable to our first.

 

One last piece of advice for those just starting out river cruising. The tendency is to take every excursion and participate in every activitiy to make sure you get your monies worth or don't miss out on something(at least that's my tendency). Build in adequate time to wander on your own, enjoy the amenities of the ship, or just go as I did our last day for a couple of hours to the lounge and get to know the bartender who was from Bulgaria. I almost wore us out the first half of the cruise and found myself dreading the next event. The second half I cut a few things out and slowed the pace and found it wonderful. Are there a few things I wish we did differently-sure. Was everything perfect every moment of every day with Uniworld -no. But all in all I feel so incredibly blessed to be able to travel like this I have no complaints.

 

Thank you again for putting up with my rambling posts and I hope to do it again from Italy in September.

 

Thoroughly enjoyed reading your review over coffee this morning. I haven't done a Christmas markets cruise and after reading your reviews I don't think I'll consider one. Not for a negative reason but because the thought of dressing in all those layers has no appeal, but then I live in the Northeast so I don't feel a need to travel to find winter! :D I was most surprised by your description of the trip demographic and wonder if these cruises lend themselves more to women and their friends as opposed to couples because it is basically a luxurious shopping trip.....I think I could see myself going with a few of my gal pals but DH would be bored out of his mind. Very well done....:D

[papa B me]

I have a few more of your posts to read but i wanted to say how much I'm enjoying your narrative--not only entertaining but informative, too.

 

Thanks for your kind words.

[papa B me]

Thoroughly enjoyed reading your review over coffee this morning. I haven't done a Christmas markets cruise and after reading your reviews I don't think I'll consider one. Not for a negative reason but because the thought of dressing in all those layers has no appeal, but then I live in the Northeast so I don't feel a need to travel to find winter! :D I was most surprised by your description of the trip demographic and wonder if these cruises lend themselves more to women and their friends as opposed to couples because it is basically a luxurious shopping trip.....I think I could see myself going with a few of my gal pals but DH would be bored out of his mind. Very well done....:D

 

Thank you hydrokitty for reading. Many of the ladies I personally spoke with were doing exactly what you said. Husbands weren't interested so they made a girls trip. Had dinner one night at a 6 top and on one side of us were a mother and daughter and on the other side a mother and daughter. I probably won't do another Christmas market cruise for the reasons I mentioned above but if you can get a few girls to go I encourage you to do at least one. It is beautiful and a different experience. There are just too many place I want to go to repeat any time soon. Thanks again.

[SOShrink]

Papa, you are amazing and so thoughtful to include us in your trip day by day and even from the airport. I know how lazy we can get after a day of touring and instead of chilling out or watching a movie, you posted for us! We will also be in Suite 407 in April on the MT for the Tulips cruise so it made it more special! And I agree. It's amazing how many alumni or even suite passengers don't know about the laundry situation. Nothing is spoon fed to you and nothing should be taken for granted and travelers should do their research and planning (up to a limit) to get the most out of these trips. I have a question about the Linz day. Did they happen to stop in Oberndorf, the town where Gruber composed "Silent Night"? I thought I read that in the Cruise Companion several years ago.

Steve

[bubbulz]

I just checked and we are in Suite 403 for our cruise. One question I have: Some to the suites (including 403 and 407) are denoted as having a third bunk available, but others are not. Does anyone know what the difference is between these suites? Is it a matter of whether it has a fold out sofa or not? Just wondering if there's any material difference between the suites as we really have no need for a third bunk.

[purduemom1]

Thanks, Papa, for taking all of us along with your very informative posts. I'm sure many will consider trying Uniworld and a suite, budget permitting. I found the demographics interesting but it certainly makes sense that this cruise would appeal to women more so than men.

 

Your posts certainly will prove useful to those planning a Christmas Markets cruise-thanks again.

[papa B me]

Papa, you are amazing and so thoughtful to include us in your trip day by day and even from the airport. I know how lazy we can get after a day of touring and instead of chilling out or watching a movie, you posted for us! We will also be in Suite 407 in April on the MT for the Tulips cruise so it made it more special! And I agree. It's amazing how many alumni or even suite passengers don't know about the laundry situation. Nothing is spoon fed to you and nothing should be taken for granted and travelers should do their research and planning (up to a limit) to get the most out of these trips. I have a question about the Linz day. Did they happen to stop in Oberndorf, the town where Gruber composed "Silent Night"? I thought I read that in the Cruise Companion several years ago.

Steve

 

We didn't stop in Oberndorf. We left the ship at 9am(Salzburg left at 8:30) and went straight to the Christkindyl village for about an hour or so. Then to Steyer till about 1:30 in the afternoon. There you were on you own for lunch. They we ended in Linz with a walking tour that finished at the Christmas Market. We then walked back to the ship from there.

 

I'm sure the itinerary is different thought when not the Christmas Market cruise. so its possible they do on their other cruises.

[papa B me]

I just checked and we are in Suite 403 for our cruise. One question I have: Some to the suites (including 403 and 407) are denoted as having a third bunk available, but others are not. Does anyone know what the difference is between these suites? Is it a matter of whether it has a fold out sofa or not? Just wondering if there's any material difference between the suites as we really have no need for a third bunk.

 

There is a love seat in suite 407 but I looked and it wasn't a sleeper sofa. So not sure how they utilize it as a 3rd bunk.