Page 26 - Explore2

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ROYALTY
ON THE RHINE
Whitney Towers, helloworld Cruise Marketing Executive,
soaks up the leisured luxury of her first Uniworld European river cruise.
Departing in late March on a Uniworld seven-night
“Castles of the Rhine” cruise from Basel to Amsterdam,
I was ready to embark on my first river cruise. I had
previously travelled on large ocean liners, but sharing a
vessel with just 130 other guests promised to be a whole
new experience.
Within moments of approaching the elegant River
Empress, Uniworld’s attentive service kicked in: my
luggage was promptly whisked away and I was shown
to my French Balcony stateroom, complete with lavish
décor and gorgeous floor-to-ceiling glass doors that
provided stunning views throughout the cruise. The
marble-finished bathroom was a reasonable size and
offered L’Occitane personal care products and I was
more than happy to call this lavishly appointed place
home for the next eight days.
My favourite thing to do when boarding a new ship is to
explore and locate my favourite space. Exploration of
the River Empress started on a lower deck in the coffee
and pastry corner which is open 24/7 and is perfect for
early-risers or those suffering from jet lag. On the next
level, the restaurant makes a bold statement with bright
red leather seating and contemporary artwork – trust
me, it looks classy.
The lounge at the front of the ship is its social hub, with between hilly vineyards. I must have taken over 50
HELLOWORLD : EXPLORE : SPRING EDITION
ample seating, a full bar and 180-degree views. This light
and elegant space quickly became a favourite spot and
after a quick visit to the top deck I had toured the entire
vessel. Afternoon tea was being served in the lounge and
the moment I took a seat a friendly waiter took my drink
order. Uniworld ships are all-inclusive and you can order
anything from espresso to bubbles to the cocktail of
the day – whatever your heart desires! By day two of the
cruise the staff knew all of our favourite drinks.
But back to the restaurant, which served the best fare I
have ever had at sea... or river. Each dish was beautifully
presented with all ingredients sourced locally and paired
with lovely wines. There were also welcome and farewell
dinners of five courses instead of the usual three. The
chef even comes by to check on your meal.
Setting sail early the following morning, we braved the
cool spring weather on the top deck to see the ship
traverse the first lock of the voyage. On the left side of
the river was France, on the right, Germany.
Our first stop was in the Alsace wine region where there
was a choice of excursions to visit the historic town of
Colmar, or local villages. Opting for the second choice
we were soon strolling the cobblestoned streets of
Kayserberg and Riquewihr, two small villages located