The Uniworld River Heritage Club
UNIQUELY UNIWORLD: NO REQUEST IS TOO LARGE pg 2 A PEEK INTO THE 2019 RIVER HERITAGE CLUB REUNION CRUISE. pg 3 DISCOVER SPAIN’S IMPRESSIVE AND PRECIOUS FLAMENCO TRADITION pg 9
August 2019
E-NEWSLETTER
RIVERVIEWS
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ELLEN’S 360°
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UNIQUELY UNIWORLD: NO REQUEST IS TOO LARGE
A PEEK INTO THE 2019 RIVER HERITAGE CLUB REUNION CRUISE.
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GUEST SPOTLIGHT: JANNY’S EXPERIENCE IN PORTUGAL & SPAIN
August 2019
UNIWORLD Q&A WITH ALEXANDER OOST, DIRECTOR OF NAUTICAL OPERATIONS
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HELPING FLAMENCO FLOURISH: PRESERVING A LONG-STANDING CULTURAL TRADITION.
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11 FROM THE KITCHEN OF BEA TOLLMAN:
GREEN GODDESS SALAD
#ExploreUniworld
Ellen’s 360° While summer may be winding down, I’m so excited for our upcoming fall and holiday season cruises. There really is no shortage of unforgettable experiences to be had with Uniworld, both this year and beyond. In this issue of RiverViews, learn more about our commitment to outstanding service, get the inside scoop on our day-to-day ship operations from our Director of Nautical Operations, Alexander Oost, enjoy another delicious recipe from the kitchen of Bea Tollman, and so much more. I look forward to welcoming you back onboard to experience all that’s new and evolved as we continue to elevate luxury river cruising to an entirely new level, thanks to feedback from loyal guests like you. Warm regards,
Ellen Bettridge PRESIDENT & CEO, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection
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UNIQUELY UNIWORLD:
NO REQUEST IS TOO LARGE onboard or onshore.
Our spirit of service, “No request is too large, no detail is too small,” is one that is rooted in the Tollman family values and is carried out by each and every member of the staff and crew. Whether remembering a favorite drink order from day one or surprising a guest with a treat mentioned in passing, these Tiny Noticeable Touches are just one emblem of Bea’s thoughtful nature. After all, the smallest details draw the biggest smiles.
DISCOVER OUR SPIRIT OF SERVICE
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Ellen with our guests and crew on the top deck of S.S. Bon Voyage.
Giuditta Brozzetti
A peek into the
2019 RIVER HERITAGE CLUB REUNION CRUISE. Ellen Bettridge, Uniworld CEO & President, recently joined our guests onboard a summer sailing of Brilliant Bordeaux for the second annual River Heritage Club Reunion Cruise. This exclusive sailing took place onboard our newest Super Ship, S.S. Bon Voyage, designed to immerse guests in French culture, art and wine. Take a look!
Ellen sabering champagne on the top deck to kick off the cruise.
A fabulous day in Saint-Émilion!
A quick stop for fresh oysters and local wine.
Exploring the Blaye Fortress.
Cruising through Bourg sur Gironde.
Want to get in on the fun next year? Keep an eye out because we’ll be announcing Ellen’s 2020 River Heritage Club Reunion Cruise soon!
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We enjoyed speaking with travel consultant and avid traveler Janny Jager, who recently embarked on our Portugal, Spain & the Douro River Valley cruise. How did you hear about Uniworld? When I was a travel consultant in Michigan, I got a lot of recommendations on different cruise lines. One of the agents had just gone on a Uniworld cruise and she came back and just raved about it! She said, “If there is any place you want to put a client, it’s on a Uniworld cruise.” So that’s what I’ve been doing and I’ve seen great reviews on all of the cruises and I’ve never had any complaints. I highly recommend Uniworld. What aspects of your Uniworld cruise did you find most appealing? The tour, the tour guides and the all-inclusive rates that you offer. It’s easy when someone wants to go on a cruise and they see all these things they have to pay extra for, to tell them that while on Uniworld, you just have to get on the cruise—you can leave your wallet at home!
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So, you sailed through Portugal with Uniworld. What did you think of the Douro River Valley? Loved it! It’s been on my bucket list for a couple of years and I finally got a chance to do it. I enjoyed it. It’s a beautiful and captivating river. When you go down the river and see the little cities on the sides of the rivers, the hills and the vineyards it’s absolutely gorgeous. It’s a fairytale! Out of the cities you visited on your trip, did you have a favorite? Porto was one of them. I loved the façades of the buildings there. It’s the age of the city and how it’s coming back—I think there was a lot of work to be done in that city and their tourism wasn’t as strong as it is today, but the buildings are just unbelievable. When you walk inside some of the buildings, they’re absolutely gorgeous. We found out that they have to keep the façades of the buildings, but they can
do whatever they want on the insides. The tiled buildings— the blues, the greens, the yellows—I’ve never seen a city that does that. Also in Porto, the São Bento rail station. I highly recommend that to every client that goes there. That is one stop you need to do and spend time there. It’s just amazing that the pictures and tiles each tell a story. What surprised you the most about Portugal and Spain? The age of the cities. I was surprised that it’s the oldest country in Europe—I guess I never really paid attention to that. The people are very helpful and friendly, they love the tourism. The area that we went to between Porto and Salamanca was just very, very beautiful. What did you think about the local food? I didn’t really get a chance to taste a lot of it. I ate mostly on the ship. I have no complaints about that. The food was very good. On the ship, they showed us how to make this custard in a flaky crust and gave us the recipe and that was delicious!
From your travels, did you have a favorite memory? Yes. On that cruise, I loved the city of Pinhão. It has another breathtaking train station, this one with blue tiles on the inside and outside, and it’s just unique. It’s something you don’t see in train stations. Never have I seen train stations like the ones in Portugal. The other memory was the vineyard we visited, it’s a close second for my favorite of the trip. It has an incredible cellar and magnificent views from the top of the hill. It was in a beautiful setting and we really enjoyed that tour. Any plans for a future Uniworld cruise? I would love to do Brilliant Bordeaux. That’s on my bucket list. Also, I’d love to go to Vietnam.
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: Alexander Oost, Director of Nautical Operations
As the Director of Nautical Operations, what is your day-to-day role with Uniworld? I am responsible for the Uniworld ships that we own and operate in Europe. I make sure that all ships sail their itineraries as planned and are staffed with enough nautical crew members, and ensure that we operate the ships with the lowest possible impact to the environment. Additionally, I make sure all safety and security standards are implemented and followed, as our guests’ safety is our number one priority. How long have you been with Uniworld? I started working for Uniworld in 2004. I had a short break from 2017-2018, but am now happy to be back with the wonderful team that I’ve worked with for so long. What types of training have you had that make you successful in your role? I started in shipping on my father’s cargo ship. I climbed the ladder and earned my Captain’s license for the Rhine and Danube rivers and then completed further training in management and safety. Can you describe the measures we take onboard to ensure the safety of our guests? Besides the many standard security features we implement on our European ships, what’s unique about Uniworld is that we are the first company to have a 24-hour Gangway Security Officer (GSO) when the ships are docked. Anyone who wants to come onboard our ships needs to identify themselves to the GSO. At the same time, we have a closed-door policy, which means that only people with a valid boarding card can open the door to the ships.
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Tell us about the hiring and training processes for our Captains. Any Captain who joins Uniworld needs to have the appropriate license to sail the rivers they are assigned to. We train continuously when they are with Uniworld to keep them up to date with safety regulations. In 2019, we even started simulator trainings to raise awareness for the different situations they can face on the rivers. When we’re hiring a new Captain, we look for a combination of experience and attitude/personality. It is important to us that our Captains value safety above all, but also have a high level of hospitality to make our guests feel welcome onboard. Operating a ship is all about teamwork, so we want to make sure the Captain will work well with the rest of the crew. We are proud that most of the Captains on our ships have been with us for years.
As part of our dedication to sustainability, the Captain does everything possible to protect the local environment we’re sailing through, managing waste from the ship and ensuring the ship has the correct levels of fuel, freshwater and ballast to sail efficiently. In terms of nautical operations, do they differ based on which river we’re sailing on? The basics of sailing are the same on all rivers, but of course some Captains have a favorite river to sail on. Our Captains in France are hired specifically for France—mainly that has to do with the language. Many of our Captains in Central Europe are flexible and can sail on the Rhine, Main or Danube rivers.
How difficult is it to navigate a river lock? That is not something you can learn in a week—you have to have special training. So, you train first to sail How many sailors do we have on each ship and what out of a lock for a while without bumping. Then you start to sail in a lock and it’s all about the angle of are their roles? All ships have four sailors and a Gangway Security the ship to the lock and how quickly you can react to Officer. Every winter they receive a refresher training the movements of the ship. Captains who are new on course and are trained in first aid. The sailors make sure a passenger ship need a minimum of one month of the ship stays clean and shiny and that it gets tied up training to sail in and out of a 12-meter-wide lock safely at each port of call. When guests arrive, the without bumping. sailors are the first point of contact as they bring the luggage on the ship. During night sailings, one of them What do you like to do for fun outside of work? will stay with the Captain for safety reasons. Overall Since I’m not often sailing on Uniworld ships, I very much enjoy sailing small motor and/or sailboats. It’s safety and security is a big part of their job. relaxing for me to work with my hands a bit! I like to be active, and in the winter, I love to ski. Can you describe a day in the life of a Captain? A happy Captain is a sailing Captain! But there is much more that goes into the day-to-day role of a If there is anything else that you think would be Captain on our ships. In addition to managing the interesting to talk about, please feel free to add! nautical crew and ensuring safety procedures are What makes my job interesting is the team I work with. being followed, he or she will also meet with guests It makes me proud to have great teams on the ships that make our cruises so special for our guests. When I visit onboard at the port talks. the ships and see how the ships look, and how my crew performs, I know why I like to go the extra mile.
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HELPING FLAMENCO FLOURISH
Preserving a long-standing cultural tradition. Founded in 2008 by Uniworld’s Parent Company, The Travel Corporation, The TreadRight Foundation’s mission is to safeguard people, wildlife and the planet for generations to come. The TreadRight Foundation’s new partnership with the Cristina Heeren Foundation of Flamenco Art aims to promote, teach and conserve the flamenco tradition in Southern Spain and internationally. Established in 1993 by Cristina Heeren, it is the only flamenco arts school in the region. The school provides training in flamenco singing, dancing and guitar to more than 6,000 students from around the world. TreadRight was so inspired by the foundation’s efforts that they worked alongside it to create four new scholarships to launch in August 2019, in hopes of helping four advanced-level students complete their training when they wouldn’t be financially able to otherwise. The goal of this scholarship program is to help talented students master their craft and go on to perform professionally all over the globe, teaching the world about the deep roots of the culture where flamenco was born.
Through this new commitment with the Cristina Heeren Foundation of Flamenco Art, TreadRight will continue to build bright futures for young members of the community and their families for generations to come.
2019 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS MAKEDA BENITEZ - Dancer, Canada JUAN THOMAS DOMINGUEZ - Dancer, Spain MARTIN FAYOS - Guitarist, Spain MARIAN FERNANDEZ - Singer, Spain
A f a m i ly of br a n d s
ttc.com
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from the kitchen of Bea Tollman
GREEN GODDESS SALAD Treat your guests to this Bea Tollman twist on a green goddess salad. “There are few sights on a table more appetizing than a well-prepared green salad. I’ve been serving this one for longer than I care to remember, and it never fails to delight.” —Bea Tollman
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INGREDIENTS
PREPARATION
DRESSING 1 ripe avocado 1 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup sour cream 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 5 tablespoons anchovy fillets, well rinsed, drained and chopped 2 tablespoons spring onions, finely chopped 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 small garlic clove, chopped or crushed SALAD 1 iceberg lettuce, cut into quarters 1 small romaine lettuce, cut in half 1 bunch watercress
Peel the avocado, discard the stone and chop the flesh coarsely. Add all the other ingredients except salad leaves; salt and pepper to taste. Blend the dressing in a blender and chill for 24 hours. The salad leaves can be served in a large bowl with some dressing in the center, or dressed on individual plates with an extra bowl of dressing on the side.
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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 MEMBER-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.
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.†
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, Juan Lopez-Campillo, for being the first to correctly identify Baden-Baden as last issue’s mystery destination. You can experience this legendary spa town for yourself on our Rhine, Moselle & Blissful Baden-Baden itinerary.
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 full deposit processed while onboard to qualify for 3% onboard savings. Other restrictions apply. See Uniworld.com for complete terms and conditions.