On the River Countess on December 22, 2009, was a trip of a life time. From the moment we boarded in Nuremberg until we debarked in Budapest it met and exceeded our expectations. While we weren't blessed with snow, it was a fairytale Christmas experience, Christmas eve in Regensburg cathedral, with the choir singing silent night at midnight, brought tears to everyone, a cocktail hour with the Princess brought history to reality, the grand New Years eve gala could not have been recreated by a Hollywood set. It makes it sound like we didn't enjoy the ship and ... crew, far from it, the above included excursions set this cruise line head and shoulders above other river cruises. The stateroom was comfortable, the staff attentive, the itinerary exceptional. The food and dining staff were far better than the other rivership company we traveled on one year later. Marcus our cruise director kept us busy and informed. Even with the beginning of the trip and weather situations, the Captain and Julie the Hotel manager were actually running back with a car to various airports to get lost luggage for passengers. Uniworld goes the extra mile, it is a top class organization. Keep up the good work. We plan to revisit this tour again in December 2012. Read More...

I love the River Countess. The staff is top notch!!! The food was excellent. The views on the river was amazing!!! A great trip trip to take, I recommend this cruise to everyone!

We have just returned to the UK from our Vienna to Amsterdam cruise. We enjoyed it so much.

As very experienced river cruisers,....we first discovered river cruising in 2000!!... we have travelled with many cruise specialists. However, we have never experienced the level of service and quality food that we did on the River Countess. This is surely due to the professionalism of Hotel Manager Julie and her entire team. WE made some lovely friends and look forward to travelling with Uniworld again and regularly in the near future. They really could not have been better.

Thank ... you, Uniworld!!!

Toni and Edwin Fine, London, England Read More...

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our cruise on the River Countess in July 2011. The food was fabulous. We enjoyed trying new dishes. The fruit was plentiful and fresh. The sauces were wonderful. The meats cooked to perfection. The cruise director - Mirela Varga - was outstanding. She genuinely cared about each guest and did her utmost to accomodate every need. When an optional tour didn't have enough requests to be viable, she found a way for the interested people to get to the destination on their own. When we ... couldn't find a particular store we were looking for, she walked us down the street to the location. The rooms were comfortable. The showers were more than adequate with good water flow and plenty of hot water. We were particularly impressed with the fact that the ship was not looking for extra ways to charge us fees. We had all the water we wanted in our room for free. We had snacks between meals for free. We had soft drinks at lunch and dinner for free. They even handed out umbrellas for us to use for free when it rained. The crew went out of their way to make every guest feel welcome and cared about. The daily tours were well planned. We particularly enjoyed the wine tasting in the wine cellars of Wurzburg, the gondola ride in Rudesheim, the organ concert in Passua, the castle ruins in Heidelberg, and the Document Center in Nuremberg. The only disappointing day was in Deggendorf. The ride through the Black Forest was not a "carriage"; it was a wagon and the ride went mostly through some farm fields with only a few minutes in the forest. And the glass factory was not in operation.

All in all, it was a restful, interesting, and enjoyable vacation. Read More...

We have just recently returned from the European Holiday Markets from Vienna to Nuremberg . This is our 2nd river cruise with Uniworld. We really enjoyed ourselves in the winter wonderland and the top-notch hospitalities of Uniworld.

Our trip was not smooth "sailing" all the way, it was a winter of record snow falls in Europe. One of my luggages was sent to Finland instead and luckily we got it back the next day before the ship set sails.

Our Ship the River Countess could not arrive on time on the 1st day due to the high water ... level and a broke-down ship blocked part of the Main canal. We were put up at the Intercontinental Hotel instead for the first night. On the last day , our ship could not reach Nuremberg due to frozen ice on the canal and we had to get there by bus.

However , throughout this challenging period, all Uniworld staffs on the ship , especially our cruise manager Christine Bremberger and Captain Jord Zwaal tried their best to provide alternate solutions to each situations, not only we accomplished all the itinerary and activities, we none the less enjoyed the white Christmas Wonderland very much.

A special word must be said about Christine Bremberger, whom with meticulous detail went out of her way to assist everyone, from missing luggages, waiting at the bus stop under heavy snowfalls , well organised walking tours, seamlessly arranged all the departure connections for the passengers and the list goes on…and the smile is always on her face.

We do not need to repeat all the good things that have been mentioned by fellow travellers about Uniworld, but just one more: We will definitely book our next river cruise with Uniworld , Again.

ST Koay, Malaysia. Jan 2011
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This cruise was everything that I hoped it would be. Starting in Amsterdam we got to see Rembrandt's in the museum. Then on to the river where we could see the windmills in the fields. Coming into Cologne the air raid alarm was sounding. An eerie reminder of the past. The guides did a great job in explaining the local history and showing pictures of the devastation of WW2 and the rebuilding that the Germans did. The trip down the Rhine through the Riesling section was stunning. we were able to purchase local wines and have them shipped home. The ... scenery with the old villages and castles was breathtaking. My family is from Frankfurt but we cant trace back because of the destruction of public files from the war but it was so exciting to be where my ancestors were from. The small villages that we visited were so old and the buildings so intact. The trip to Salzburg was great. Felt I could see the movie scenes. We visited the castle on the hill and ate lunch looking out at the alps and the snow covered peaks. On to Vienna where our guide was great. History in short form. The ship was very comfortable and the crew were great. Food was too good. my husband and I would say we would eat light for lunch but the chef made that hard to do. Our guide for the trip tony was wonderful. Accommodating to the older guests and very cheerful. From start to finish this was a wonderful relaxing way to see all the Rhine to Main to Danube river area. You Could actually see the different regions of Germany. I would reccomend this trip to anyone. People who are younger might have heard that only older people go on these cruises and we were among the youngest but the trip was wonderful. It makes it so easy to unpack the first day and the hotel comes along with you! what's easier than that. we do plan to take another trip with you next year to France and are looking at the grand France tour. Read More...

Upon boarding the ship in Vienna, I was immediately welcomed with the excellence in hospitality which ensued throughout the next 8 days. Imagine my surprise when I checked in and was in my cabin with all my luggage in under 5 minutes! How fortunate were we to have traveled with such a professional and detail oriented crew. This cruise was everything I imagined and so far beyond what I'd expected. The hospitality and hotel staff were so friendly, they'd be in and out of our room within minutes, the stateroom appointments were luxurious and the cashmere blanket... so comfy, ... the complimentary water bottles, specialty coffees and teas were wonderful. The wine served with dinner each evening complimented every meal, and the food.... well, you'll just have to experience the 4-5 course meal every evening to believe how savory the selections were every night! All the food was cooked to perfection and a delight for the eyes! Our ship even stopped at an unscheduled nighttime floating Christmas Market. The onboard expert tour manager was well educated in the history and culture of the different regions we visited. The evening "port talks" were informational and educational. I've never experienced a more relaxed disembarkation in all my 17 cruises. We had a late afternoon flight and were permitted... no, "welcomed" to stay onboard and enjoy breakfast and lunch before our late afternoon departure to the airport when the cruise commenced in Nuremberg. I WILL sing the praises of UNIWORLD, and look forward to my next cruise with them, as I'm afraid the "big ship" cruising has lost its appeal for me. To the staff and crew of the River Countess: Thank you for making my holiday season begin in such enjoyable fashion. Keep up the good work, and I'll be seeing you again! Read More...

My husband & I recently returned from our honeymoon, which included a Danube cruise, from Nuremberg to Vienna. Though this type of cruise may not be considered a typical honeymoon excursion, it was everything (and more) that we hoped for. We absolutely LOVED it! The Uniworld staff was simply wonderful, going above and beyond at every juncture. Not only were they courteous & professional, but they were also FUN. Beyond the crew, we loved the excursions: very low-key options of taking the tour, staying on the boat or going your own way. No pressure, beyond your ... own interests. Our greatest memories, however, will be the wonderful couples we met on the cruise. Amazing, beautiful people from all over the world. We hope to stay in touch ... Read More...

My husband and I have now traveled twice on the River Countess, in the past year, and it will be very difficult for any other vessel or cruise line to meet our expectations based on the standard set during the tour which began in Bucharest on April 15, 2009. The Bucharest local host was excellent, everything went smoothly, and we were so pleased at the substitution of Peles Castle for the tour of Bran Castle; it saved us having to make those arrangements for ourselves! The greatest pleasures of this tour were threefold: returning to the River Countess and our same ... stateroom; being greeted once again by the friendly faces of Captain Jord Zwaal and his bride Julie; and the superlative services of cruise director Mirela Varga! The tour was excellent; perhaps we were overly spoiled by the small group size, but this trip has certainly set the bar very high. We are looking forward to traveling with Uniworld again in the future. Kevin & Leanne Hayes, NS, Canada Read More...

Our Eastern Europe Explorer cruise was a great success ... and have had no negative comments at all!!!  I think the highlight for all of us was in Croatia, where we had the visit to a school, and a home-hosted lunch.  That really was a wonderful day.

... We had one more dinner together, the night we were leaving Budapest.  This was one of the nights they offered Sun Deck dining .. and what could have been nicer than sailing away in a beautiful sunset … with your friends !!  One of the other 2 tables up there was a group ... of 4 people from Boston... so, as a finale,  one of those fellows suddenly broke out into “O CANADA” .. and of course we all joined in.  He had a magnificent voice and, believe it or not, even knew all the “new” lines ……..  said it was because he goes to all the hockey games !!!    Both the Hotel Manager and the Restaurant Manager came rushing up the stairs to see what was going on and to join in.  What fun.
 
Thank you also for all your help in planning / “implementing” the trip. It was a pleasure working with you. Ulrike, in your Group Department, was also a great help throughout, and did a wonderful job of coordination…. Always friendly, always helpful, and always patient.
 
In looking over the 2010 list, I think I would like to try the 17-day “Paris and the Heart of Europe” .. from Vienna to Paris, on the Princess….  August 15, 2010. 

Look forward to talking to you ……. 
Regards,
Barbara Broadbent Read More...