Uniworld - Portugal to Madrd

About ready to book Uniworld's Jewels of Portugal and Spain. (2015) We have cruised with Viking last year- it was excellent- no problems.

BUT...,, We like Uniworld's all inclusive cruising; and, would like info from those who have recently cruised with Uniworld.

Are wine and beer available in between meals? (Like when you come back from e cursing and and would like a beer) Do you still have to tip bus drivers and guides? If you book your own airfare, can you still get transfers from Uniworld?

Finally, what should we expect for weather end of May- early June? Or would April be better?

Thank you!

wonderful trip.

Re,tips,yes we did tip guide and bus driver.

June weather,it was warm and sunny most of time.Not hot.

Drinks,free only at meals.

No free transfer unless they get airfare.

So figure this out for your expenses,plus tip at end of cruise for crew,cruise guide director,etc.

Hate this nickel and diming,so have booked my first Scenic were all above is inc.PS.extra cost for some shore exc.also.;)

Uniworld is all-inclusive starting in 2014. ALL gratuities (including guides and bus drivers) are included, as well as all day wine, beer, and spirits. All airport transfers on day of cruise are included whether or not you book Uniworld air.

Uniworld is all-inclusive starting in 2014. ALL gratuities (including guides and bus drivers) are included, as well as all day wine, beer, and spirits. All airport transfers on day of cruise are included whether or not you book Uniworld air.

Thank you~I thought Uniworld was now an all inclusive river cruise line.

Haven't seen anything about the ship Queen Isabel.

Anyone sail her and if so, any comments?

We are sailing in Sept 14. Everything we have heard so far has been great. Ship is top notch.

wonderful trip.

Re,tips,yes we did tip guide and bus driver.

 

June weather,it was warm and sunny most of time.Not hot.

 

Drinks,free only at meals.

 

No free transfer unless they get airfare.

 

So figure this out for your expenses,plus tip at end of cruise for crew,cruise guide director,etc.

 

Hate this nickel and diming,so have booked my first Scenic were all above is inc.PS.extra cost for some shore exc.also.;)

Sorry, most of your info is just flat-out wrong.

Starting in 2014, Uniworld changed to an all-inclusive model, including:

• Open bar at all times (excluding some super-pricey liquors/wines)
  
• Gratuities for all onboard and offboard (tour guides/drivers)
  

I sailed twice on Uniworld on 2013 and at that time, they already included free transfers even if you don't book airfare with them. Obviously, this is still included. However, your flights do need to arrive on the day the cruise starts or ends and within a certain time period on those days to get the transfer. I believe this used to be posted on Uniworld's website, but I can't find the info, so you may need to call or ask your travel agent. If you are making your own flight arrangements, you DO need to let Uniworld know if you need the transfer so that they know to pick you up.

For weather, check a weather website like wunderground.com

Hope that helps and clarifies some incorrect info!

Booked for June any suggestion about weather on board dinner dress up?jackets for men ? Any one out going then? we are from US

Just returned from Uniworld 10 days ago, and we miss it badly!

Are wine and beer available in between meals? (Like when you come back from e cursing and and would like a beer) Yes; on SS Antoinette they had some delicious German Weissbier, as well as nice local wines..

Do you still have to tip bus drivers and guides? No, and absolutely NO ONE in this group of people was angling for a tip in any way.

If you book your own airfare, can you still get transfers from Uniworld? Yes, if on embarkation / disembarkation day, and the time falls within the published guidelines. You have to call and give them your flight information. Atilla is right on with this. The info is in their brochure, which can be downloaded from their website - copied and pasted below; apologize for the formatting but copy and paste doesn't always look pretty from a pdf. We bought our own air, told them the info, and it worked perfectly.

Making Your own Flight Arrangements: Should you elect to

make your own flight arrangements, Uniworld will provide

complimentary scheduled group transfers to/from the ship/hotel

as long as your flights arrive/depart in the cruise or cruise/tour

starting/ending cities in accordance with the dates shown in this

brochure and your flight arrangements comply with the Transfer

Guidelines as shown below. If your flight arrangements arrive/

depart outside of these parameters, you must make your own

transfer arrangements. Uniworld will not be responsible for late

arrivals or missed transfers due to delayed or cancelled flights,

for missed cruise/trip days, or for extra costs resulting from the

foregoing. To qualify for transfers, it is required that flight

information and pre-trip arrangements for all passengers making

their own flight arrangements be given to Uniworld no later than

forty-five (45) days prior to departure and conform to the

Transfer Guidelines in the box below.

TRANSFER GUIDELINES:

Flights must arrive/depart within the following time limits:

Arrival Departure

Europe* 5 am – 5 pm 6 am – 6 pm

Russia** 6 am – 8 pm 5 am – 6 pm

Turkey*** 24 hours 24 hours

Extensions 24 hours 24 hours

Extra Nights 24 hours 24 hours

*Arrival guidelines for the programs listed below are 5 am – 1:30 pm

• Castles along the Rhine (Amsterdam to Basel)

• European Jewels (Amsterdam to Budapest)

Arrival guidelines for the programs listed below are 5 am – 2:30 pm

• Burgundy and Provence (Lyon to Avignon) • Rhine Discovery & Prague (Basel to Prague)

• Paris & Normandy (Paris to Paris) • Grand European Discovery (Basel to Vienna)

• A Portrait of Majestic France (Paris to Bordeaux) • Grand France (Paris to Avignon)

• Parisian Winter Holiday (Paris to Paris)

Arrival guidelines for the programs listed below are 5 am – 3:30 pm

• Burgundy & Provence (Avignon to Lyon)

Please note: Transfers in Paris are provided from CDG only.

** In Moscow, transfers can be provided from either SVO, DME, or VKO.

*** In Turkey, transfers only provided from Istanbul (IST).

PS - I liked the "e cursing" typo too much to change it back to excursion! :)