Home > Compare Tour Operators > APT vs Uniworld
APT vs Uniworld
Compare the travel styles, pricing, destinations and popularity of APT and Uniworld.The Low Down
Initially providing coach touring around Australia and NZ to the local market, APT have grown exponentially over the last decade to now offer trips around the world, and are well known for their European river cruises. Over the last few years APT have introduced small ship expeditions that cruise the waters through Asia, Europe, Canada and off the coast of Kimberley. Catering primarily for the retired market, their trips aren't cheap, but in APT's case - you get what you pay for. Look out for their great Fly Free offers, and Earlybird Savings. The team here at Global Journeys have travelled multiple times by coach, cruise & river with APT, and we definitely recommend them as a quality, consistent, reliable Operator, and our past client reviews back that up.
If you are looking for 5-star luxury with 6-star service then Uniworld river cruises should be at the top of your wish list. Uniworld's ships (while not the newest) are one-of-a-kind, exquisitely appointed, boutique floating hotels. Part of the Travel Corporation (which includes the sister brands of Trafalgar and Insight Vacations), Uniworld ships are slightly smaller with an average of about 130 guests, and are constantly being refurbished in their distinctive style. Half of the team at Global Journeys have embarked on a voyage with Uniworld and some us a few times! Uniworld pricing is now dynamic so can vary day by day, and the cruises aren't cheap, however you wont need to dip into your wallet once your trip begins and further savings are available if you were a past passenger on any of the aforementioned sister brands.
Stats
No. of Trips
524
No. of Departures
3,595
Avg. Trip Length
14 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$728
Accommodation
4.5 - 5 Stars
Budget
Premium
No. of Trips
78
No. of Departures
1,103
Avg. Trip Length
12 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$690
Fleet Size
17 Ships
Known For
Boutique River Cruising
Ship Styles River Cruises
In Their Own Words We asked the travel companies themselves why you should travel with them
APT is an Australian family-owned company whose essence began in Melbourne in the 1920s. More than 90 years on, APT offers life-enriching trips to every continent, and through the company’s vast industry experience, innovative investments, meticulous planning and unquestionable passion it has earned a place among the world’s most well-regarded travel companies.
From boutique river cruising to small-group 4WD adventures; traditional coach touring with a decadent twist to private air cruising; epic rail journeys to small-ship expeditions; classic ocean cruising to safaris of discovery by both land and air – there’s little APT is unwilling to consider in pursuit of creating the finest holiday experience for its valued guests.
Timeless luxury, exclusive experiences, life enriching moments and true personalisation. APT offers all-inclusive holidays so everything is taken care of. We invite you to join us; you won’t be disappointed.
Once you step onboard the world’s finest and most awarded river cruise line for the first time, we are quite sure the refined luxury onboard our fleet will sweep you off your feet.
We draw our inspiration for the design philosophy of every one of the 17 ships in our fleet directly from the destination in which they sail. The craftsmanship, the attention to detail, the art onboard, the handcrafted furniture and intricacy of the fabrics are lovingly assembled to be a masterpiece in and of itself. Stepping onboard is to step into a world of beautiful colours and one-of-a-kind details that truly bring your destination to life.
Crafting experiences you can’t find anywhere else, means continuing to elevate Uniworld to new heights year after year. From the addition of four new Super Ships in Egypt, Vietnam, Portugal and Italy, to the award winning service that comes from the heart, we’re putting even more emphasis on what’s onboard to enhancing several itineraries to accommodate guest’s diverse tastes for the future. We truly look forward to welcoming our Australian guests onboard.
Recent Reviews
Maralinga & Eyre Peninsula tour in April was quite good in most respects, but various things, such as some accommodation and roadside picnics, we’re not up to our expectations, given the cost and APT’s reputation.
The Maralinga flights were cancelled due fog in William Creek. Pilots should have positioned to Ceduna the night before. We were told this ...read more had happened before, so APT and William Creek Air should be prepared with alternative Maralinga visit plans. Almost two weeks after this non-event, we have heard nothing from APT re compensation for this full day nonevent. It’s cost would have been a substantial portion of the whole tour. Very disappointed.
The Maralinga flights were cancelled due fog in William Creek. Pilots should have positioned to Ceduna the night before. We were told this ...read more had happened before, so APT and William Creek Air should be prepared with alternative Maralinga visit plans. Almost two weeks after this non-event, we have heard nothing from APT re compensation for this full day nonevent. It’s cost would have been a substantial portion of the whole tour. Very disappointed.
We would book with Global Journeys again and this is our 3rd very happy trip with APT. Caledonian Sky was fabulous. Staff, food, music, rooms all first class. However, we wouldn't do a cruise again on this particular ship because of the zodiacs. They are difficult to sit on for any length of time and quite often you get very wet which is to be expected ...read more I suppose. On another APT cruise they used Explorers and we found them so much better. Overall tho, we really had a fabulous holiday.
From Cradle Mountain to Port Arthur and Hobart APT's Tasmania Complete was a trip of highlights, fun and laughter. Our Tour Director and Driver were exceptional and really made this trip wonderful. From singing on the bus to the dad jokes, we could not have asked for more. We have made new friends and created a list of 'must go back and see again' places. ...read more The memories will last a long time.
In a difficult environment when we had no idea we would be going or not due to COVID lock downs and restrictions, right up to the time of leaving, Georgie from Global Journeys worked hard to make sure we were kept informed of what was happening and that we received all paperwork and information in time when we suddenly needed to leave a week earlier than anticipated. This being the second trip we have booked through Georgie, the exceptional service we receive means we will continue to do so.
In a difficult environment when we had no idea we would be going or not due to COVID lock downs and restrictions, right up to the time of leaving, Georgie from Global Journeys worked hard to make sure we were kept informed of what was happening and that we received all paperwork and information in time when we suddenly needed to leave a week earlier than anticipated. This being the second trip we have booked through Georgie, the exceptional service we receive means we will continue to do so.
What a tour, there are many highlights from our two weeks in the Kimberly. The scenery and site was amazing the accommodation and food were impressive, especially considering we're in the middle of nowhere. The APT staff went above and beyond to make us comfortable and enhance our pleasure on the trip. This is the best way to see the rugged Kimberly ...read more and would thoroughly recommend the APT tour.
Very enjoyable trip. The itinerary is excellent with signature visits to Bungle Bungle and Mitchell Falls. Accommodation and meals are both very good. Our tour leader is generally good, but can allow more time for activities in particular at Mitchell Falls and the gorges.
Our APT 4WD guided tour from Broome to Perth was sensational. Our tour guides were fantastic as nothing was too much trouble and they made sure we were comfortable, well fed and well informed. They treated our friendly group like a family. The resorts at Cable Beach Broome, Echo Beach, Exmouth and Monkey Mia were stunning. All our accommodation and ...read more meals exceeded our expectations. Every day greeted us with new experiences and amazing places- swimming and walking through the gorges at Karijini NP, watching sea eagles feed as we boarded our Yardie Creek boat tour, snorkelling from a glass bottom boat at Coral Bay Ningaloo Reef, walking around stromatolites at Hamelin Pool and on coquina at Shell Beach, drinking champagne on a sunset cruise at Monkey Mia, viewing the panoramic landscape from the AirWalk at Kalbarri NP, just to name a few places. Our tour ended in Perth and staying at the Ritz Carlton, we felt like millionaires with everlasting memories of an amazing tour.
What an amazing country Egypt is! We travelled in November, temperature averaged around 25C and no humidity, perfect for touring the temples, low crowds. The River Tosca is a beautiful older ship with lots of timber and a relaxed atmosphere. Staff were absolutely amazing, as with all Uniworld cruise staff, remembering drink preferences and names after ...read more the first day. The food fresh and lots of choice, including local flavours. Plenty of fresh bottled water each day.
With only 60 guests on board (mainly American, 2 Brits and 4 Aussies; ages 17-70s) we were split into groups of 20 each with our own Egyptologist, Sabaa, and own full sized coach. Wonderful stories and explanation of everything we visited was given, we never felt rushed. Luxor and Aswan were beautiful and clean after crazy polluted Cairo. Hotel in Cairo was excellent. Very busy tour schedule with some early starts and long days. Highlights were balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings/Queens at sunrise, high tea at sunset at Old Cataract Hotel, bird watching on the Nile in a small boat, flying to Abu Simbel temples and of course the Pyramids. The locals were very friendly and welcoming, we didn’t feel uncomfortable in any situation, except for very zealous stall holders in the markets! Excellent security on board and everywhere we visited. If Egypt is on your bucket list, don’t hesitate! Amazing to be able to touch history thousands of years old.
With only 60 guests on board (mainly American, 2 Brits and 4 Aussies; ages 17-70s) we were split into groups of 20 each with our own Egyptologist, Sabaa, and own full sized coach. Wonderful stories and explanation of everything we visited was given, we never felt rushed. Luxor and Aswan were beautiful and clean after crazy polluted Cairo. Hotel in Cairo was excellent. Very busy tour schedule with some early starts and long days. Highlights were balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings/Queens at sunrise, high tea at sunset at Old Cataract Hotel, bird watching on the Nile in a small boat, flying to Abu Simbel temples and of course the Pyramids. The locals were very friendly and welcoming, we didn’t feel uncomfortable in any situation, except for very zealous stall holders in the markets! Excellent security on board and everywhere we visited. If Egypt is on your bucket list, don’t hesitate! Amazing to be able to touch history thousands of years old.
Had an amazing time. Beautiful scenery along the Douro River. Global Journeys our travel agent Hannah Campbell did an amazing job organising our tour. Thank you Hannah. Uniworld who we travelled with were fabulous, staff were so obliging and friendly. Accommodation at hotel and on board were 1st class. Met some very friendly people. Overall a wonderful ...read more experience.
Fantastic crew with outstanding service. Great food and already looking at a follow up cruise. Very informative tours. Extensive variety of drinks and the embarkation was very relaxed. Definitely recommended.
This was a bit of an unusual trip compared to other river cruises we have undertaken. Most go from A to B (and maybe back again) along a river but this one seemed to go around in circles due to the nature of the river estuary being explored. This meant that even though we seemed to move a long way, in essence it was only ever a short distance from Bordeaux, ...read more and time and time again we passed the same landmarks. Despite that, it was still an excellent experience with several shore trips to visit small and very picturesque villages and wineries.
We have been on several UniWorld cruises previously and all have been exceptional. My sense is that Uniworld is slowly reducing their level of service and included options that made them a standout amongst river cruise operators. This may be a trend across all operators, which reflects the tough times they are going through. However, if you want to taste the wine growing region of France in a leisurely relaxed fashion then this is a great way to do it.
We have been on several UniWorld cruises previously and all have been exceptional. My sense is that Uniworld is slowly reducing their level of service and included options that made them a standout amongst river cruise operators. This may be a trend across all operators, which reflects the tough times they are going through. However, if you want to taste the wine growing region of France in a leisurely relaxed fashion then this is a great way to do it.
Should you be interested in visiting a less frequented part of Europe this is the one. The Uniworld experience was excellent. The crew was great, the food first class and the ship top rate. But watch cabin sizes as the SS Beatrice cabins come in two sizes. The French Balcony doors do not open very wide. This part of the Danube is now starting to be ...read more busy, so you are likely to find another ship docked alongside at most ports eliminating any views - a problem as this area becomes more popular.
We had two full days off ship touring into Croatia and Bulgaria and interesting excursions at other stops such as Belgrade with lectures on the history of the region including the genesis of the Balkan conflict in the 1990's. Bucharest was a pleasant surprise, an attractive city with its own interesting history. If you have an interest in learning more about this region and its history, this is a most pleasant way to do it.
We had two full days off ship touring into Croatia and Bulgaria and interesting excursions at other stops such as Belgrade with lectures on the history of the region including the genesis of the Balkan conflict in the 1990's. Bucharest was a pleasant surprise, an attractive city with its own interesting history. If you have an interest in learning more about this region and its history, this is a most pleasant way to do it.
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