EMPLOYEE TRAVEL JOURNAL

EMPLOYEE TRAVEL JOURNAL / PATRICIA PRADO

Patricia Prado is the Manager of Uniworld’s Product Development Department. An employee for 14 years, Patricia and her department work closely with Uniworld’s European office—as well as vendors in Asia and Egypt—to develop Uniworld’s collection of itineraries. Last year, Patricia traveled with her husband and two sons on a Generations family-friendly departure of “Castles along the Rhine.”

Planning The Trip

Each year, my husband Sam and I talk about our plans for the summer. Most years we choose an amusement park vacation, as we are sure our boys (Sammy, 13 and David, 10) will enjoy it. But last year we thought it was time to do something new, adventurous and educational, as the boys are at a good age to appreciate and understand other cultures and their history.

Though I have been with the company many years, this was our first international family trip together with Uniworld. We had several Generations family-friendly itineraries to choose from, but we decided on “Castles along the Rhine,” sailing from Amsterdam to Basel.

First Impressions

Sam and I had already been on several Uniworld ships, so we knew exactly what to expect, but the boys had not. As we walked towards the ship, slight smiles formed on their faces. They didn’t say a word; they just followed us onto the ship. As they entered the lobby, they said, “Wow! This is cool!” As we were guided to our staterooms, the excitement built. During a short tour we were given, it didn’t take long for each of them to decide which stateroom they wanted. As the door closed, the first thing they did was throw themselves on the bed, as if creating a snow angel, and say, “This is so soft.” At that moment, we knew the trip was a great idea.

Onshore Excursions

The excursions we took were enjoyed by both our teenager and our 10 year old. While in Koblenz, we took the aerial tram to Fortress Ehrenbreitstein. As we were taken up, we had a unique view of where the Moselle and Rhine rivers meet, which is also known as Deutsches Eck (“German corner”). Later that afternoon, we were taken to Marksburg Castle—this was one of their favorite excursions. As we were guided through the castle, we saw several cannons, the dining room, bedrooms and even a torture room.

Speyer’s Technik Museum was also a highlight—the museum has a huge collection of fire engines, locomotives, vintage cars and an airplane that the boys could walk up and then slide down. One of

Click here to view Uniworld's 2016 Generations Family River Cruises brochure

the coolest things they saw was a family of storks in their nest during the Alsatian village tour.

Onboard Experience

The onboard experience was not only great for my husband and me, but also for the kids. Several activities were organized especially for them; they had a baking demonstration and tasting with the ship’s pastry chef, and the captain gave them a tour of the wheelhouse and even let them blow the horn, which was quite exciting for them. Our boys also took advantage of the bicycles that were onboard, going onshore to take rides along the river. During the week, the kids—along with the Family Host—prepared an end-of-cruise talent show which they presented to the guests.

Cuisine

I’m sure many parents can relate to me when I say that my kids are picky eaters. I will admit that I was a little concerned about the meals, especially lunch and dinner. Well, that concern was short lived. The first dinner was a hit and each breakfast, lunch and dinner after that was met with zero complaints. The selection was plentiful and the kids had their own menu: soup, salad, main dish with several entrées to choose from, dessert and their very own “drink of the day.” Throughout the week, they enjoyed schnitzels, hamburgers, fries, chicken nuggets and pizza. They were also able to order off the standard menu if they wanted.

During dinner, a table was set up so all the kids, if they chose, could dine on their own with the other kids. This was great for them and the adults, as the parents were able to enjoy some alone time. The staff was great and made sure the kids had everything they needed.

In the end, Sammy and David loved the trip as much as my husband and me; they were entertained, they experienced new things, they enjoyed the service onboard and they were treated like royalty. Best of all, they want to go back! Happy kids mean happy parents, so our next family summer vacation will definitely be another Uniworld cruise in Europe. But next time, we are hoping to do a 15 day cruise, “Grand European Discovery.”