Ultimate European Journey Reviews

Had a wonderful holiday with Uniworld. Was so glad we didn't bypass Istanbul. It was a highlight and due to the recent bombings and troubles, tourism was down 80% and there were no queues anywhere and very few tourists. We were looked after so well and never for a moment felt threatened. The cruise manager (Daniel) and local guide ("Doc") were fantastic ...read more hosts and even did a special free Istanbul by night with guests who wanted to see a bit of night life which was great fun. Still a very vibrant city actually with magnificent sightseeing and history. We joined the ship at Bucharest and found all the varied sightseeing choices on a daily basis were excellent and hard to choose sometimes as so many interesting options were included. Eastern Europe was quite an eye opener with horror tales of past history and violent rulers and more recently recovering from communist suppression.

Then of course the legendry sail from Budapest to Amsterdam, beautiful scenery, great weather , fascinating medieval towns and always with interesting local guides along the way to keep us informed and usually with a good sense of humour too. First class ship, though cabins slightly cramped but still plenty of storage and comfort. Dining was amazing, gourmet food almost 24 hours a day and most professional and efficient service throughout.Travelling companions were a happy crowd and most mixed well on outings and enjoyed various evenings entertainment. Our Cruise Director, Daniel, was also the best looking after everyone, guiding and keeping us well informed ( and a good dancer too !!! ) A truly wonderful holiday. Thank you Uniworld, and not forgetting Georgie at Global Journeys who never lets us down with her first class service, knowledge and advice and look forward to next time.

Uniworld left no stone unturned in making our journey one we will remember forever. We were treated like part of the Uniworld family from the time we boarded the boat until the end. Daniel Tarr our cruise director was nothing short of fabulous. Supremely efficient and willing to go the extra mile to assist us whenever needed. He interacted with everyone ...read more in the lounge each evening and being a wonderful dancer he managed to make us all feel like dancing queens once the music started. We thoroughly enjoyed the itinerary our only regret being that we opted out of the Istanbul section which according to all who travelled there was magnificent. Excursions offered were varied and enjoyable. We did not have to put our hands in our pockets at all. When they state that everything is included in the initial price they truly mean it. The quality and variety of food was delicious.

Drinks flowed freely ... Anything your heart desired at anytime. The crew were marvellous and such a cohesive unit .... They too worked together as one happy family. Various singing and dancing groups came on board and entertained us in many of the places we visited. When a lock broke down and we had to spend extra time in town due to the boat having to queue on the river we were given 40 euros per couple to buy lunch. Extremely generous. No receipts required. Gifts were left on our beds each evening and being previous travellers with Insight, a sister company, we were not only given a beautiful throw as a thank you gift when we boarded the River Duchess but were also entitled to one bag of laundry each and every week ... Washed and ironed and returned to our cabin within a few hours. I cannot recommend them highly enough and look forward to travelling with them in the near future.

From the moment we were met at Istanbul Airport to our departure from Amsterdam, Uniworld representatives were excellent. The ship's staff were very polite and couldn't have been more helpful. The Cruise Director (Gabriel) was excellent and nothing was too much trouble. The individual tour guides for the included tours were also very good. I have ...read more no hesitation in recommending this trip!

The most amazing experience possible! We enjoyed the 29 day Istanbul to Amsterdam tour in May/June 2014, and could not fault the attendance and professionalism of the staff and crew, the incredible meals, the evening entertainment, the included and optional shore excursions, the beautiful scenery, and the entire atmosphere of the fun-loving participants. ...read more Not once did we encounter any sort of problem with our amenities, and not once did we witness any sort of unpleasantness or altercation with the passengers or crew. A holiday to be treasured, forever!