Uniworld River Empress review

[ak1004]

After doing 20 ocean cruises, we just returned from our first river cruise on Uniworld River Empress and absolutely loved it!

 

The itinerary (Basel-Amsterdam) was fantastic, with mix of some larger cities (Basel/Amsterdam overnight, Frankfurt and Cologne) and some smaller charming villages/towns. Highly recommended.  

 

Uniworld is one of the most inclusive lines, and it's considered a luxury river line. We had two shore excursions that were extra (and very reasonably priced), everything else was included - gratuities, one excursion in each port (typically choice of 2-3), wines and spirits, Internet and shuttles to town.

Some alcoholic beverages were extra cost (the "Diamond Selection" of brands. We tipped mot of our tour guides, but this was our choice.

 

We were on the low deck (the swan cabin), and I consider it the best value. All cabins are the same size on this ship (except for 4 "suites", the only difference is that higher decks have larger windows or French balconies. To me, there is no real value to have a larger window, and the only advantage of the French balcony is that you can have some fresh air. But the added cost is really not worth it in my opinion.

 

Service was outstanding, probably the best we had on any cruise ship, including Silversea and Crystal. After 2-3 days they learned our preferences and you didn't even have to ask for your favorite drink, they just knew it by heart. On paper, the 3:1 crew/passenger ratio doesn't look promising, compared to 1.4:1 that luxury ocean ships have, but somehow they manage to provide such high level of service with so few people. This is still a mystery to me - somehow those ratios work differently on river ships. You feel like you are staying in a luxury boutique hotel.

 

The officers are very visible and approachable, we had some long conversations with the hotel manager Vasil and the cruise manager Tomas. I learned a lot about river cruises from them.

 

The dress code in the evening was very casual, with some people even wearing shorts, but they were in minority. Most were wearing casual slacks and shirts. Two gala nights where some men were wearing jackets, but definitely not required. We liked the dress code very much.

 

Our cruise manager Tomas was amazing. So knowledgeable, organized and friendly. The excursions were very well organized and planned, always on time, with professional and knowledgeable guides. Average group size was around 20 people, with maximum of 28. Couple of times we had groups as small as 12-14 people. Typically there was a selection of 2-3 excursions in the morning, then back to the ship for lunch, and then another "Masterpiece" excursion in the afternoon at extra cost, or you could just explore on your own. Most of the time the ships docked right at the center of the city, which was a huge positive compared to ocean ships.

 

Food was excellent, despite relatively limited choices (4 starters, 2 soups and 4 main courses). I always had something to choose from, and I'm very picky. Lunch buffet was among the best we had on any ship. All ingredients were top quality.

 

We were only 88 guests, with full capacity of 130 guests, so we had no issues dining alone if we wanted to. But with ship at full capacity, you are forced to share tables (there are no tables for 2), which could be an issue for people who like to dine alone. We shared tables with other people on some meals and sometimes dined alone. We met some very nice people, everyone was very friendly, so this was not an issue at all. The average age was about 65-70, with a few older and few younger.

 

Despite its age (over 20 years), the ships is very well maintained. The AC worked very well, the water pressure was great, no plumbing issues of any kind, and we never heard the engine. 

 

Some of the negatives:

 

Cabins are TINY. No minibar in the cabin. We spend very little time in the cabin and it's definitely very low priority for us. But compared to lines like Silversea with 305 sqft cabins that have walking closet and separate sitting area it is still a negative. But river cruises are 90% about the itinerary.

 

The ship is really small, with not much to do (no pool, hot tubs etc). Only one lounge and one restaurant. I believe newer ships have more facilities, sometimes some alternative restaurants.

No place to hide, so if you want some privacy, this is not a ship for you. Evening entertainment was very limited. Internet varied from fair to poor.

 

Overall, we had a great time and will definitely sail with Uniworld again. Itinerary will be the main factor, but all other factors equal, we would probably prefer one of their newer "super ships".

[Roz]

Glad you had a great first time river cruise experience.  Having sailed on Uniworld and the River Empress in particular,  I agree with everything in your review. 

[DaisyRose]

Does the ship have a small shop where you might be able to buy a few souvenirs?

[ak1004]

1 minute ago, DaisyRose said:

Does the ship have a small shop where you might be able to buy a few souvenirs?

 

Yes, kind of.. They have a small lounge where they display a few items, and if you are interested in one of them, you inform the front desk and they get it for you.

[Got2Cruise]

Great review. I’m glad you enjoyed your first River Cruise and are looking forward to more.