RiverViews Newsletter October 2019

The Uniworld River Heritage Club

UNIQUELY UNIWORLD: WE’RE ELEVATING LUXURY RIVER CRUISING pg 2 WHAT’S NEW FOR 2020? pg 4 MAKE TRAVEL MATTER PLEDGE pg 10

October 2019

E-NEWSLETTER

RIVERVIEWS

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ELLEN’S 360°

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UNIQUELY UNIWORLD: WE’RE ELEVATING LUXURY RIVER CRUISING TO AN ENTIRELY NEW LEVEL

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WHAT’S NEW FOR 2020?

NEW SUPER SHIPS & ITINERARY

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GUEST SPOTLIGHT: GINNY HAYES’ ENCHANTING DANUBE CRUISE

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UNIWORLD Q&A : LOUISA WARMAN, FAMILY HOST, GENERATIONS PROGRAM

10 MAKE TRAVEL MATTER PLEDGE 11 A RECIPE FROM THE KITCHEN

October 2019

OF BEA TOLLMAN

#ExploreUniworld

Ellen’s 360° Fall is here and I’m so excited to share with you what we’ve been working on.

We’re in the testing phase with an exclusive new benefit just for River Heritage Club members. Soon, when your refer friends and family who haven’t traveled with Uniworld before, they’ll get special savings when they book their first cruise—plus, you’ll earn a credit on your next. Keep an eye out for more details on the official launch of this program in the coming weeks.

I’m also happy to announce an enhancement to our onboard booking discount.

Currently, you save 3% when you book your next cruise while still onboard.

Now, you can put down a Floating Deposit to secure those 3% savings, and don’t have to decide on the exact cruise until a later date.

In this issue of RiverViews, learn about the Super Ships we’re launching in 2020, read a heartwarming story about a multigenerational cruise, get the scoop on our Make Travel Matter Pledge, warm up with Bea Tollman’s chili con carne recipe and so much more.

Enjoy this new season of crisp air and beautiful colors, and I hope you find yourself on one of our cruises soon.

Warm regards,

Ellen Bettridge PRESIDENT & CEO, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection

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UNIQUELY UNIWORLD:

WE’RE ELEVATING

Luxury River Cruising to an Entirely New Level.

We’re adding brand new Super Ships for 2020 in Egypt, Vietnam and Portugal, and a Super Ship transformation in Italy. That means even more suites, more five-star dining venues and more luxurious finishes, while maintaining the personalized service that promises to give each guest an extraordinary travel experience.

DISCOVER OUR ONE-OF-A-KIND SUPER SHIPS

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Royal Suite in the Mekong Jewel 3 UNIWORLD.COM

What’s New for 2020?

NEW SUPER SHIPS S.S. Sphinx: Cruising the Nile River in Egypt.

As the only luxury river cruise ship in Egypt, this ship launches in January 2020 and will offer two gourmet dining venues, a swimming pool, massage room and 42 gorgeously appointed suites. Egyptian artwork, fabrics and hand-carved furnishings will bring the beauty of the region to life onboard.

S.S. São Gabriel: Cruising the Douro River in Portugal & Spain.

Debuting in April 2020, this ship will bring its destination to life through its décor and delectable food and wine. The entire top deck will offer all lavishly appointed suites, enhanced with butler service, giving guests the option to dine at any time they’d like.

Guests on S.S. São Gabriel will experience the UNESCO-designated Douro River Valley and indulge in the best of Spanish and Portuguese culture and cutting-edge, locally sourced cuisine.

Mekong Jewel: Cruising the Mekong River in Vietnam & Cambodia.

This all-suite ship will debut in January 2020 and includes two dining venues: one main restaurant and an al fresco eatery on the upper deck. The Mekong Jewel will replace the Mekong Navigator and is being constructed with sustainable, eco-friendly materials.

It will feature a swimming pool, spa, sauna and steam room, gym, hair salon, nail bar, two lounges and a library.

S.S. La Venezia: Cruising the Po River & Venice Lagoon in Italy.

The River Countess will undergo a complete design transformation and debut as S.S. La Venezia in March 2020, bringing guests complete luxury while exploring Northern Italy. The redesign of S.S. La Venezia will be inspired by Venetian culture and feature six elegantly appointed suites including two new Grand Suites, three dining venues including an Italian kitchen on the upper deck, a spa, library, lounge and bar.

NEW ITINERARY Rhine, Moselle & Blissful Baden-Baden This picturesque voyage will introduce you to some of Germany’s most serene, vineyardlined and village-rich landscapes. Some tour highlights include the thermal baths and sea salt grotto of Baden-Baden, testing your luck at Kurhaus Baden-Baden, one of the world’s most beautiful casinos, and the Festspielhaus, Germany’s largest opera house.

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We had the pleasure of chatting with Ginny Hayes, who brought her daughter and granddaughter on our Enchanting Danube cruise as a graduation present.

How did you first hear about Uniworld? Was this your first trip with Uniworld?

This was my third cruise. My first was in 2016 with my husband. I found an ad in a magazine. We were really late to be planning the trip, but we got in and Uniworld even moved us up to First Class. We cruised from Amsterdam to Budapest and took an extension in Budapest. Our second cruise was Paris to Provence. This was the first cruise for my daughter and granddaughter.

What drew you to our Enchanting Danube itinerary?

I had been to Budapest and wanted to share that with my family. They both wanted to go to Prague, so we worked it out to do both. We did the three-day extension in Budapest and at the end of the cruise in Passau, we spent one night there and went to Prague on the train.

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You traveled with your daughter and granddaughter, can you tell us about your multi-generational travel experience?

It was just great! My granddaughter wanted to learn more about the Jewish culture, so we did a tour of the Jewish quarter in Budapest, where we were also able to see a few synagogues.

My daughter is very into gourmet cooking, so in Vienna, we did the Dürnstein Village Stroll and Saffron Workshop excursion. We learned about growing saffron, then tasted foods with and without saffron. It was just delightful!

Everyone got to do what they wanted.

What were your favorite destinations, excursions, etc. from the cruise and why?

We all loved Dürnstein. It was so quaint—such a sweet town! I was particularly glad this trip included the Parliament building and museum in Budapest because I didn’t see that on my first trip. Before the trip, I thought a lot of the Budapest tour would be the same, but I saw totally different things.

It was perfect for me. Budapest was magnificent.

My grandson did a semester abroad in Prague, so we all wanted to visit there. It wasn’t a part of the tour, so I hired a private guide for us through the ship. She was great!

Tell us what you and your family thought about S.S. Maria Theresa.

We all thought it was wonderful! I’m lactose intolerant and one day in the dining room, I asked the staff if something had cream in it. It did, but by the time I got back to my table, the head of the dining room presented me the dish without cream in it!

My granddaughter wasn’t eating much at lunch so the head of the dining room came over and asked if there was anything different she’d like to eat. She asked for chicken nuggets and 15 minutes later, he brought her some and every day after that, there were chicken nuggets ready for her. I could not say enough good things about our experience on that ship!

Any plans for a future Uniworld cruise or another multi-generational cruise?

My grandson asked if there would be a cruise when he graduated. I told him if he graduated, yes, which sure motivated him! I’m looking forward to taking him.

I can’t say enough good things about our cruise. We have such wonderful memories. We made friends from all around the world and have been in touch. We’re so grateful for all the staff—the people on the ship took wonderful care of us.

Thanks for speaking with us, Ginny!

Do you have a story or photos to share from your Uniworld cruise?

Email RHC@uniworld.com if you’re interested in being featured in a future Guest Spotlight.

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UNIWORLD Q&A: Louisa Warman, Family Host, Generations Program

As a Family Host for our Generations cruises, can you describe your role with Uniworld?

As family hosts, we are responsible for running the Generations programs onboard our ships. This means making sure our families, in all their varying ages and aspects, get the most in-depth experience whilst visiting our destinations. We ensure that the younger travelers enjoy and experience the places we visit in a meaningful way, delving deeper to understand places, their cultures, history and customs using a dynamic that is more suitable to their energy, understanding and concentration levels.

How long have you worked with Uniworld?

I started as a guide in 2013, and as a Family Host in 2016.

How involved are you in the process of building the Generations programs? Are there different programs for children vs. teens?

I am very lucky to have helped develop some of the programs. We offer onboard activities that are specific to locations and seasons like mask decorating in Venice to the shore excursions such as Venetian rowing in the lagoon.

The collaboration between program services and the family hosts is great. Together we have fine-tuned lots of our offerings through experience and brainstorming and the results are great.

We offer plenty of activities for all ages, so that families can explore together, but also specific activities for younger children and teens. Offering specific tours and activities for teens allows them to meet each other and begin to feel like independent travelers. The younger kids also have a lot of special hands-on, shorter-time-span activities with park visits and games to break up the information for them and, again, allows them to meet each other and enjoy their time more.

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How do you bring the history of the destinations to life in a fun way through the Generations program?

I think that children and teens like active tours even when the focus is on history and culture. We make sure that the explanations are much more of a discussion than a presentation. For example, how they go to school normally and how it would be in Venice. Obviously there are loads of culinary opportunities as well, which are always really well appreciated.

What’s different about the onboard life for children and teens? Why do you feel like a Family Host is essential onboard?

Our program is not a kids club: it gives young travelers the same in-depth exploration of histories and cultures with equal parts respect and enjoyment. Different ages of kids approach new experiences in different ways, and we accommodate that. And of course, they make friends with the other kids.

Can you walk us through a day in the life of a Family Host?

Family Hosts have a full program! Just as regular guests, young travelers can join any of our early morning wellness activities.

What is your favorite part about being a Family Host with Uniworld?

I love the enthusiasm and fun that children bring. I love their ability to see beyond the differences and adjust to new situations and experiences.

We start our excursions making sure the kids are engaged and ready to go by chatting with them and seeing how they are. Once on tour, we keep them on their toes with questions and making sure we get them to take photos or note little details in the towns and places we visit.

When onboard, we encourage all of the young travelers to participate in activities like painting, mask making, drawing, ship quizzes and so forth. We make sure that their downtime is fun and relaxed.

What do you like to do for fun outside of work?

I love to travel and explore with my three daughters. I love to listen to Jovanotti and walk my dog on the beach.

I love to eat and discover new pastries and delicacies and wines and coffees. I love to spend time at home with my seven cats.

If there is anything else that you think would be interesting to talk about, please feel free to add!

I love that our Generations program helps to introduce In the evening, we give the families a possibility of a teen our young guests to all these amazing places and table and a hosted younger travelers’ table with the family experience so much more than a kids club onboard. These hosts. This means dinner for the kids is fast and fun and young people are growing up with respect for these allows them to enjoy after-dinner activities like a disco places and are not intimidated by otherness—they or a film with ice cream and popcorn. embrace it. I love how we get parents and grandparents asking us which program to do next because they loved it so much—and then seeing them return the next year.

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MAKE TRAVEL MATTER PLEDGE We’re Taking the Next Step in Our Commitment to Sustainable Tourism and Conscious Travel.

Alongside The TreadRight Foundation and our parent company, The Travel Corporation, we’ve launched the Make Travel Matter Pledge. We understand what a joy it is to be able to see the world, and with that comes the responsibility to ensure it’s around for generations to come.

Inspired by Debbie Remengesau, the first lady of island country Palau, who introduced the Palau Pledge, this pledge is the next step in our long-standing commitment to sustainable tourism and conscious travel.

Take the pledge to join us in making travel matter.

THE MAKE TRAVEL MATTER PLEDGE: I will make my travel matter—for our planet, for people and for wildlife. When I explore this planet, I will do my best to tread right. I will refuse single-use plastics when I can and recycle what I cannot avoid. When possible, I will offset my travels. When I meet new people, I will honor their home as I do my own and do so in the spirit of diversity and inclusion. I will purchase locally made items wherever possible and pay a fair price. When I experience wildlife, I will do so in nature. I will not ride animals that ought not be ridden, nor support animal cruelty in any way. Together, we will tread right upon the earth—and we will make our travel matter.

A f a m i ly of br a n d s

ttc.com

For more information, visit treadright.org/pledge

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From the Kitchen of Bea Tollman

CHILI CON CARNE This is a fabulous recipe to feed a lot of people, and can also be an addition to BBQ meats. It can be made well ahead of time and frozen.

INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION

2 lbs coarsely ground beef (I like to use ½ top side and ½ rump) 1 large onion chopped to equal 1 cup ½ green pepper chopped to equal ½ cup 2 tablespoons oil 2 tablespoons butter 2 large cloves garlic 2 teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon cumin powder 3 x 14 oz cans chopped tomatoes 2 x 14 oz cans kidney beans 1 cup stock salt and pepper

In a large, heavy-based pot, sauté the onions in the oil and butter until transparent, add the chopped pepper and garlic and sauté for a few more minutes.

Optional: rice, sour cream, red onion, grated cheese and fresh coriander for serving.

Add the beef, season well with salt and pepper and sauté until brown. Add the chili and cumin powders and stir well. Add the tomatoes, making sure to add a little water to the can and swill it around to get all of the tomato purée from the sides of the tin.

Add in the kidney beans. Turn the heat down to a low simmer and cook for about an hour, stirring occasionally.

Taste and adjust the seasoning. If you like your chili hot, add more powder. If it has become too thick, add a little stock (you can make the stock by using a cube and water). Serve with rice, sour cream, chopped red onion, grated cheese and fresh coriander.

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AN OUTSTANDING LOYALTY PROGRAM FOR OUR EXCEPTIONAL GUESTS. After your first Uniworld cruise, you will be automatically enrolled in our River Heritage Club loyalty program and begin receiving benefits, savings and rewards reserved exclusively for our loyal guests.

EXCLUSIVE SAVINGS ON ALL CRUISES, COMBINABLE WITH ALL PROMOTIONS.* plus

An exclusive WELCOME GIFT to commemorate your membership.

PRIORITY NOTIFICATION on new cruises and programs.

Join the captain for a members-only COCKTAIL PARTY onboard.

Special MEMBERS-ONLY OFFERS.

Complimentary LAUNDRY service.

Exclusive RIVERVIEWS E-MAGAZINE.

Enjoy exclusive access to our dedicated, members-only reservations line: 1-800-307-4699.

Complimentary IN-ROOM FRUIT PLATTER waiting onboard for you upon arrival.

NOTE: Benefits in China may vary.

Coming soon: Earn credit toward your next cruise with our REFERRAL PROGRAM

EVEN MORE VALUE COMES TO THOSE WHO PLAN AHEAD. It’s never too early to begin thinking about your next adventure, and if you do, you’ll enjoy added savings. When you book your next voyage while onboard, you’ll save AN ADDITIONAL 3% ON TOP OF YOUR EXCLUSIVE SAVINGS FOR RIVER HERITAGE CLUB MEMBERS. Know you’ll be cruising with us again, but don’t know where? No problem. Now, you can put down a FLOATING DEPOSIT to secure those 3% savings, and don’t have to decide on the exact cruise until a later date.†

CAN YOU NAME THIS SHIP? Each ship in our fleet is a one-of-a-kind floating boutique hotel, designed to be an extension of the destinations it sails through.

If you can name which Uniworld ship this is, email us at RHC@Uniworld.com. The first to answer correctly will be featured in our next issue of RiverViews.

LAST ISSUE’S VICTOR Congratulations, Jo Anne Gori, for being the first to correctly identify River Queen as last issue’s mystery Uniworld ship.

Visit Uniworld.com/River-Heritage-Club for more information. * River Heritage Club savings and amenities are available to guests after completing their first Uniworld cruise. †This offer is combinable with the River Heritage Club Member Benefit and Early Booking Savings. Onboard savings are calculated on the cruise-tour price (including any upgrades and single supplements), after all applicable flat-rate discounts are applied. Bookings must be created and/or Floating Deposit processed while onboard to qualify for 3% onboard savings. Other restrictions apply. See Uniworld.com for complete terms and conditions.