Big River-Cruise Savings With Titan

Titan Travel, who offer a choice of deluxe river cruise itineraries in the UK in exclusive partnership with Uniworld, has launched the second edition of its 2014 river-cruise brochure with details of six new Christmas cruises for 2014 and savings of up to £800 per person on cruises booked before December 31.

The brochure showcases some of the grandest and most scenic waterways of Europe, Russia, China, Vietnam and Cambodia, aboard Uniworld’s fleet of exquisitely appointed floating boutique-style hotels. The majority have been designed by Red Carnation Hotels and include original works of art, antiques and elegant furnishings. With an average capacity of 130 and the highest staff-to-guest ratio in the river-cruise industry, as well as guaranteed river-view staterooms, exceptional fine dining and multi award-winning service, each cruise is now rated as a Six-Star experience.

Every European itinerary in 2014, excluding Russia, is also now all-inclusive, with holiday prices covering all gratuities (on-board and ashore), unlimited wine, beer, spirits and soft drinks throughout (excluding premium wines and spirits) and on-board internet/Wi-Fi. This enhancement invites guests to relax in the knowledge there are no hidden extras once on board. These extras are offered in addition to an already unparalleled list of ‘standard’ inclusions from Zagat-recommended river-view staterooms, full board fine dining, a choice of expert-guided shore excursions to unique door-to-door transfers as part of Titan’s VIP Home Departure Service.

New for 2014 is the expansion of Uniworld’s award-winning fleet with the addition of SS Catherine. Set to raise the bar even higher than sister ship Antoinette, this beautifully appointed vessel will be replacing the River Royale along the Rhône and Saône through southern France on the perennially popular 8-day ‘Burgundy & Provence’ itinerary from Lyon to Avignon, with prices starting from £2,149 per person based on a November 9, 2014, departure (saving £400 if booked by December 31).

Further savings of up to £750 per person can be made on a spectacular 16-day cruise taking in the ‘Imperial Capitals of Europe’. Travelling through eight countries starting in Istanbul with a tour of its striking mosques and opulent palaces, the tour continues with a flight on to the eclectic city of Bucharest and the start of a cruise along the Danube to regal Vienna. This fascinating journey takes in picturesque Bulgarian towns such as Veliko, Tarnono and Arbanassi, as well as the majestic cities of Budapest (above) and Belgrade along the way. The cruise costs from £3,899 per person (if booked by December 31), based on an April 7, 2014, departure.

For details or to book, call Titan on 0800 988 5867 or visit www.titantravel.co.uk/uniworld.

NB: We featured the Imperial Capitals of Europe cruise in the magazine last year, and you can read the report on this link.

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The Glorious Danube - Travelling The River

Continuing our epic river-cruise along the Danube on the River Duchess of Uniworld, travelling through eastern Europe...

Romania to Serbia, Part 1

Having detailed much so far about life on board, I thought I would take some time to provide a look at the destinations we are travelling through.

This is Uniworld’s ‘Imperial Capitals of Europe’ cruise, an 11-day glide through the heart of eastern Europe, from Romania to Austria, and taking in Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary and Slovakia in between, a huge slice of European history, culture, geography and architecture (plus food and wine!).

The basic idea is to use the riverboat as your ‘mobile home’ along the way, providing a comfortable and elegant mode of transport through these many different areas (like the old-fashioned coach tour but much more leisurely and relaxing).

Having flown in to Bucharest (the majority of he rest of the passengers arrived via Istanbul, where Uniworld had arranged a 3-day pre-cruise stay), we were immediately afforded a literal taste of Romanian culture with a healthy lunch at a big local restaurant.

That was followed by a full coach tour of the city, stopping en route to marvel at some of the architectural gems of the city, like Nicola Ceausescu’s massive Parliament building and the central square where the local people finally stood up to the vicious dictator in 1989.

From Buharest, we were whisked south to the town of Girgiu – and the River Duchess, the beautifully remodelled 132-passenger vessel that operates this voyage west to Vienna. Our first view of the mighty Danube – Europe’s second-longest river after the Volga in Russia – was also a memorable occasion, a huge stretch of inexorable east-flowing water, with Bulgaria on the south bank.

Our ‘welcome aboard’ was the first sign that this was to be a truly stylish and memorable journey, with the crew providing fresh fruit juice and cold towels to wash away any traces of the road, and a quick escort to our cabin.

That evening g we ‘set sail’ – all the way across the river to Ruse! OK, so not the biggest journey in the world but an introduction to another new country to us. Dinner that night was a pure delight, a genuine taste of Uniworld’s graceful cuisine, featuring local tastes but delivered in best continental style from an amazingly efficient galley. Portions are (happily) not large, but with a starter, soup course, main course and dessert, it is certainly sufficient for most appetites.

Next morning, it was up bright and early for breakfast and then off on an all-day coach excursion into the hinterland, destination the 16^th and 17^th century towns of Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanassi (the latter being a UNESCO World heritage site).

The weather was unremittingly grim, sadly, but the ship provided umbrellas and we were still able to enjoy some eye-catching sight-seeing, a walking tour of Arbanassi (including the 17^th century merchant’s villa), a traditional lunch and a little shopping in Veliko Tarnovo with its array of local crafts.

Our longish journey back to the ship (which had moved up-river to Nikopol) took us through some of the poorest countryside in Bulgaria, and it was sobering to see such levels of near poverty  in this big rural area.

We sailed again that night – a bit further this time! – and awoke next day on one of the most evocative sections of the Danube between Romania and Bulgaria. Two mighty locks needed to be negotiated (the second, a double lock that took a full 90 minutes to pass through), providing plenty of visual stimulation, along with commentary from our Cruise Manager Christine.

The highlight, though, was saved for the final hour before dusk as we navigated the Iron Gates, the immense Danube gorge where the granite river walls soar more than 300ft above each side and narrow to just 160ft at one point. It makes for a stunning visual panorama, with our Duchess the only thing on the river in the fading brooding light and the sheer cliffs soaring on either side.

To be continued...

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The Glorious Danube - Part 3

Continuing our epic river-cruise along the Danube on the River Duchess of Uniworld, from Romania to Austria...

On Board A Riverboat

Those more familiar with ocean-going cruise-ships than classic European riverboats will surely want to know how they differ – and what the appeal is of a much smaller vessel.

Holding just 132 passengers when full (and only 82 on our cruise), the River Duchess basically consists of just three decks and minimal onboard facilities. There is just ONE lounge, ONE restaurant, ONE bar and ONE shop.

There is NO casino, NO show-lounge, NO swimming pool and NO alternative restaurant (or six). It is a quiet, refined and totally old fashioned atmosphere, leisurely, relaxed and dependent primarily on the crew for smooth service and the passengers for genuine camaraderie.

The three decks consist of two decks of cabins, plus one deck that provides the restaurant, front desk and the bar/lounge. There is then a top/observation deck, largely open to the elements, and replete with sun loungers, tables and chairs, plus a covered area with a sliding glass roof.

The ‘shop’ is basically a corner boutique kiosk, while the ’fitness centre’ offers four main pieces of equipment and a few free weights. There is a small laundry and a library/reading room, but there IS a masseuse aboard for massage and yoga classes.

Those looking for non-stop entertainment and revelry should look elsewhere. Here, instead of a Cruise Director there is a Cruise Manager who organizes the inclusive shore excursions, port talks and river narrative at points of interest. Instead of a theatre group, there are talks from visiting lecturers and folk troupes.

The only other frills are provided by the resident pianist/musician, and that’s the sum total of the entertainment.

What there IS, though, is great food, the kind of white-glove service usually found only in Europe’s top hotels, and a general sense of bonhomie and well-travelled conviviality. Many people on board are return Uniworld guests with a good knowledge of the area already, savvy people who fit the mood like a well-worn glove.

In short, it is cruising for the more laid-back and cerebral voyager, where the object is to see and learn rather than dash hither and thither in search of instant gratification.

Yes, the age range is 50-plus (60-plus in many cases), but this is also journeying in high style, with a great sense of ‘travelling’ rather than ‘cruising.’ Uniworld also pride themselves on the whole ‘boutique’ experience and, so far, they are 100% on the mark.

In addition, there is a strong element of cruise-touring, leaving the boat behind and venturing off on coach tours that explore the immediate hinterland of the voyage. As we soon discovered….

This ‘Imperial Capitals of Europe’ can be booked at www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk, with Titan Travel (in the UK only) at www.titantravel.co.uk or, for more on river-cruising in general, seek out the cruise-agent specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd on this link.

PS: I am going to continue without photos for now as the Blogger format won't seem to upload any photos without trying 5 or 6 times!

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

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Danube - The Beginning

Beginning  a series of blog posts 'live' from the River Duchess of Uniworld and Titan Travel on a voyage from Romania to Austria

Day One: Arrival and embarkation

After a fairly exhausting near-two days of travel (Florida-London, London-Bucharest, Bucharest-Girgiu), we have arrived on board the beautiful River Duchess at the Danube port of Girgiu, the official start of our journey.

First impressions are of a very elegant, sleek vessel - very different from any of my previous cruises, even the small-ship versions.

This is more like travelling with a group of friends, but in quite elegant style.

The riverboat holds only 130 passengers, and there are only 82 on this voyage, hence it is definitely small-scale, personal and quite laid-back.

Our 'welcome aboard' made us feel like checking in at a top-class boutique European hotel, and the general look and ambience are similar.

We are getting ready for our first dinner aboard and also setting sail this evening - for the Bulgarian port across the river!

More soon...

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Avalon Launches Europe-Wide River-Cruise

Avalon Waterways has launched its longest ever European river cruise itinerary for 2012, the 21-night ‘North Sea to the Black Sea’ cruise from Amsterdam through to Bucharest or vice versa. Sailing through the Netherlands and Germany on the Rhine before joining the Danube through Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania, the cruise provides an incredible journey to see the many historical, cultural and scenic highlights across Europe.

A broad range of guided sightseeing is included in the cities, towns and famous places along the itinerary, including Cologne, Rudesheim, Miltenberg, Wurzburg, Bamberg, Nuremberg, Regensburg, Passau, Grein, the Benedictine Abbey at Melk, Vienna and the Heillgenkreuz Monastery. Also included is Budapest, Vukovar, Belgrade and the Iron Gates Gorge. Visits to Bulgaria’s Veliko Tarnovo and the Patriach’s Church, the Ethnographical Museum at Arbanassi, Constanta, and Bucharest’s Parliament Building and National Art Museum are also included.

Prices are from £3,745 per person based on a category E stateroom to include return flights, 21 nights full board cruise accommodation, regional wines and beers served with dinner, 1 night at the Athénée Hilton Palace in Bucharest, guided sightseeing, a private door-to-door home pick-up service, overseas transfers, and the services of a professional cruise director. Stateroom upgrades are available from £880 per person.

Extra nights are available in Amsterdam from £95 per person per night and from £85 per person per night in Bucharest based on a twin share.

For more info, see www.avaloncruises.co.uk or contact one of the river-cruise experts at specialist agents The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Special offers for River Cruises

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Titan HiTours Elegant River Cruises has released a series of special offers across its award-winning river cruises for bookings made before January 31.

Examples include savings of up to £3,200 per couple on the 15-day ‘Imperial Capitals of Europe’ itinerary departing April 16, which now costs from £2,499 per person if booked by Jan 31.

Taking passengers on a European odyssey through seven countries from Istanbul to Vienna, the journey starts with three days in Istanbul before flying to Bucharest to join the River Princess at Giurgiu (Romania) for the beginning of its journey along the Danube. Highlights will include cruising through the Iron Gates, an 80-mile long stretch of scenic gorges, as well as city tours of Belgrade, Budapest, Bratislava and Vienna (above); wine tasting in the Villany Hills and a home-hosted lunch in the Croatian town of Osijek.

Savings of up to £2,000 per couple are also available on the 'Treasures of Prague - Rhine and Main' tour departing on April 17 and offers amazing value from £1,659 per person.

For further information, click on to Titan Hi Tours.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

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