Question for Uniworld Fans/Heritage Club members

[beesKate]

To preface, all the river cruises we've ever taken have been on Uniworld. We have really enjoyed the level of service and the product. This is just for general discussion, but I'm just getting a different "gut feel" for Uniworld in advance of our upcoming cruise.

 

Our first couple of cruises pre-dated their all-inclusive alcohol, but we really enjoyed the all-inclusive nature of their product, mainly the lack of tipping.  On this years' cruises, in the Cruise Companion has been updated from all are included to:  "Gratuities for onboard staff and crew are included during the cruise. For onshore personnel, we recommend a €2 per person per day gratuity for guides and €1 per person per day for drivers."  I realize some passengers tipped anyway before, and these are fairly low compared to some guided tours, but I'm curious about other's impression of this change.  I also noticed that on previous sailings there was a heritage club benefit of complimentary upgrades *if available* and now you receive an email asking if you want to bid on an upgrade ($$).  Granted, we never received an upgrade, but it still seems like their chipping away at some of what made them stand out from other cruise lines.  

 

I realize the covid years were very hard on the tourism industry, and European river cruising has been especially hard-hit this summer with water levels.  But I wish there could have been a bit more transparency to their heritage club members.  Is it just me or have other's noticed this?

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

You might want to look at the itineraries and ships on Scenic and Tauck, which continue to be truly all-inclusive.  There have been a lot of threads about Scenic's IT problems over the last year, but our cruise this spring was flawless and since we use a travel agent we never experienced any problems dealing with Scenic before the cruise [and their voluntary 10% discount for early payment makes them cost-competitive].  I only know Tauck by reputation, but it is considered by many to be the very top river cruise line.

[Roz]

@beesKate, I've done 3 river cruises with Uniworld and this is all news to me.  For such a small amt. (1-2 euro) I wonder why they just don't include it in the fare like they've done in the past?  Maybe it has something to do with how guides and drivers are taxed.  Employee vs. contractor?

 

I'm doing a Tauck cruise in December and as far as I know it's still all inclusive.

[Gourmet Gal]

I’ve cruise Uniworld and Tauck and do not recall any tips being excluded on either line so that is indeed a change at Uniworld.  Most other aspects between the two lines are pretty much the same except the quality of the tours is much better with Tauck, the ship decor is infinitely better on Tauck with much better designed cabins and bathrooms and more comfortable furnishings in the lounge.  Tauck is also well-known for their little extra surprises along the way.  
 

I don’t know about upgrades because we usually book suites but I had heard Uniworld was going to begin offering a chance to bid on an upgrade.  I thought it was to be extended to all pax not just Heritage members but most riverboats’ seem to sell-out the suites very quickly so I don’t know what kind of appealing upgrade would even be available.

[Roz]

Reminds me of NCL's bid process and I think it cheapens the line.

[beesKate]

1 hour ago, Roz said:

@beesKate, I've done 3 river cruises with Uniworld and this is all news to me.  For such a small amt. (1-2 euro) I wonder why they just don't include it in the fare like they've done in the past?  Maybe it has something to do with how guides and drivers are taxed.  Employee vs. contractor?

 Roz, I also thought the recommended amount was so minimal, why did they bother to change it.  Even with taxes, and these were never employees but contractors... you just build that into what you'd pay them.  With the "small groups" how much of a difference would have it really made to the bottom line.  

[Roz]

Also, it requires everyone to have lots of small denominations.  A real pain.

[Lois R]

14 hours ago, Roz said:

@beesKate, I've done 3 river cruises with Uniworld and this is all news to me.  For such a small amt. (1-2 euro) I wonder why they just don't include it in the fare like they've done in the past?  Maybe it has something to do with how guides and drivers are taxed.  Employee vs. contractor?

 

I'm doing a Tauck cruise in December and as far as I know it's still all inclusive.

Hi Roz, good to see you and hope you are doing well🙂 what cruise are you doing with Tauck?

[Roz]

@Lois R, I'm doing a Yuletide cruise thru The Netherlands and Belgium over Christmas.

[Ritabob]

Having travelled with Uniworld pre all inclusive and up to just before pandemic times, I agree it appears to be in poor taste to claim to be all inclusive except for a few € here and there.  I understood the added cost for a special experience such as a helicopter ride, but not for tipping a guide or driver.

We used to book our cruises with Uniworld directly and with the same person. She was able to get cabin upgrades every time because we never traveled during peak season. The discounts were better as well in the before times.

On our last cruise a number of Heritage Club members were discussing how they felt there was something missing. Nothing specific,  just 'off'.

We have a small credit left from a cancelled 2020 cruise and are wondering if we will use it.

RB 

[mozfoz]

I did  not receive my Cruise Companion, and I did not see this clause in the Terms and Conditions of Uniworld. Did I miss it. And to me,  "recommended means optional", so not mandatory. As a Heritage Member I received a bid offer, but so did traveling companions who are not members.

[beesKate]

2 hours ago, mozfoz said:

I did  not receive my Cruise Companion, and I did not see this clause in the Terms and Conditions of Uniworld. Did I miss it. And to me,  "recommended means optional", so not mandatory. As a Heritage Member I received a bid offer, but so did traveling companions who are not members.

 mozfoz, they no longer prepare the  individual itinerary Cruise Companion but one global general information on that is available on their website.  Our TA also emailed us a copy now that we < 3 weeks out.  You'd have to know to look for it.  Apparently people on the cruises this year were kind of surprised by it.    

 

For the bid for upgrade, it's interesting we're still getting emails to bid even though our cruise shows "Sold Out" at all cabin levels. 

[mozfoz]

Regarding the upgrade bid, I was successful in bidding the minimum and got a French balcony for less than $325 pp. Now I wonder what value I will be offered if the cruise is cancelled. Original cabin type or bid cabin. 

 

[Roz]

I just checked the Uniworld website, and it says this under Inclusions:

 

• Gratuities for onboard personnel (ship staff, crew, Cruise/Tour Manager) are included during the cruise/tour

 

The bolding is mine.  Very subtle, wouldn't you say?  I wouldn't have even paid attention to this if it weren't for @beesKate's post.

[rove312]

About Uniworld's recommendation of €1-2 tips to ground personnel, would the ship's limited currency exchange include changing bills to these coins?

[Host Jazzbeau]

23 minutes ago, rove312 said:

About Uniworld's recommendation of €1-2 tips to ground personnel, would the ship's limited currency exchange include changing bills to these coins?

That was never my experience on AMA, and a big reason that Scenic's truly all-inclusive approach removes so much agita.  As I recall, Uniworld has always charged for more optional excursions that other – even non-all-inclusive – lines.

[Roz]

10 hours ago, rove312 said:

About Uniworld's recommendation of €1-2 tips to ground personnel, would the ship's limited currency exchange include changing bills to these coins?

 

I was wondering the same thing.

[Second seating]

Was this in effect in May?  If so, we (and most people) did not tip guides and drivers!!!  I did not see this in any info we received.

 

Second seating

[rove312]

The Cruise Companion document we received in the last few days has UW22 in the filename, and the mention of tipping is on printed page 45, "Onshore Experience."

[Roz]

I would think it would be something the cruise director would bring to the attention of guests at his/her daily talk.  Especially for repeat passengers who may not be aware of the change.

[CPT Trips]

Interesting. Grand Circle covers the tips for guides and drivers but not for the ship’s staff and Trip Leaders.

[gnome12]

3 hours ago, CPT Trips said:

Interesting. Grand Circle covers the tips for guides and drivers but not for the ship’s staff and Trip Leaders.

That sounds like it is done more for the convenience of the passengers. (Uniworld, take note.)

[CPT Trips]

29 minutes ago, gnome12 said:

That sounds like it is done more for the convenience of the passengers. (Uniworld, take note.)

Exactly. It’s enough to keep “tinklegelt” on hand . . . but more coins for tips? I do wish that crew tips didn’t need to be cash.

[Host Jazzbeau]

30 minutes ago, CPT Trips said:

Exactly. It’s enough to keep “tinklegelt” on hand . . . but more coins for tips? I do wish that crew tips didn’t need to be cash.

Here is where Tauck proves its top-dog place:  their guides provide the '50p to pee' for passengers!  

[beesKate]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Here is where Tauck proves its top-dog place:  their guides provide the '50p to pee' for passengers!  

We noticed this when we were on an Odyssey tour in Peru.  Our bus arrived at the same time as a Tauck bus to the restroom stop.  Although Odyssey is pretty all-inclusive, it wasn't to this level!