OUR STORY
TABLE of CONTENTS 4
C E L E B R AT I N G 4 0 + Y E A R S
6
OUR PHILOSOPHY
8 10 12
OUR PEOPLE
SAVOR AND SIP
U N I Q U E LY U N I W O R L D
16 18 20 22
ARTWORK
OUR FLEET
UNIWORLD CARES
U BY UNIWORLD
CELEBRATING 40+ YEARS of LUXURY.
4
In the 15 years since we purchased Uniworld we have transformed it from a river cruise company with six vessels to “the best river cruise company in the world.” Our involvement in Uniworld began with a creative vision and a dream—to bring the experience of staying in the world’s best boutique hotels to the rivers. With our award-winning sister company, Red Carnation Hotel Collection, as a model, Uniworld began with a fleet of six ships and a desire to develop a cruise that was beyond compare. Over the years, we have grown the company to include 13 work-of-art ships and have earned the distinction of The World’s Best and Most Awarded Luxury River Cruise Line. Each ship in our boutique cruise collection is one of a kind, with handcrafted furniture, unique original artwork and a design that captures the beautiful essence of the places we visit. We have garnered a reputation for everything that makes river cruising one of the world’s greatest travel experiences, with voyages on the rivers of Europe, Egypt, Russia, India, China, Vietnam and Cambodia. YOU DESERVE THE BEST. It’s not just a saying, but a thorough commitment to ensuring every aspect of Uniworld is crafted with the goal of providing a matchless experience for our guests. Our passionate staff and crew aim to go above and beyond every day, and it’s apparent the moment guests step onboard. There are many river cruise companies that make the claim of “luxury,” but Uniworld truly stands in a league of its own. We welcome you onboard and hope you will enjoy your cruise just as much as many other satisfied passengers have year after year.
Sincerely,
Stanley Tollman CHAIRMAN THE TRAVEL CORPORATION
5
OUR PHILOSOPHY
WE PUT YOU, OUR GUESTS, AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING WE DO – your needs and wants always come first. We are committed to establishing lasting relationships with you by exceeding expectations the first time and every time, by providing you with outstanding service quality, great experiences and very good value. My parents taught me this from when I was a very young boy, growing up around their luxury hotels. As a fourth-generation, family-run business, we live and breathe this philosophy and company culture, passionately and tirelessly, every day of the year, year in and year out. From the very first warm welcome when you come aboard, we want you to feel valued, special and appreciated throughout your cruise. To achieve this lofty and very important guest-centric philosophy, we have built a superb, passionate team who are also passionate about our guests. They are caring, dedicated, hardworking and very loyal. (The average length of service among our European team is 8.4 years.) We have put them first, and in doing so, they put you first. We respect and appreciate all they do for you, and in turn, they respect and appreciate your business—as we do, very much. They are empowered to go above and beyond to ensure you have an unforgettable experience.
6
We all have the same Mission Statement:
To passionately deliver unique and luxurious river cruises to inspiring destinations while respecting the communities where we live and travel. Our Core Beliefs and Values, which guide us and which we live by each day are... • We act with honesty and integrity. • Our guests, our partners and our employees are at the heart of everything we do. • We respect each other and encourage new ideas and open communication. • We hold ourselves accountable to deliver what we promise. • We listen and give personal attention to each of our guests and work together to exceed your expectations. • We strive to enhance the communities we live, work and play in and we do not compromise safety. We all recognise that you have many choices for your holiday, and we have one chance to not just “get it right,” but to exceed your expectations and delight you. We want you to return home having enjoyed the holiday of a lifetime, and to become a devoted customer with us, as we are devoted to wanting you to return again and again to cruise with us. We are honoured you have chosen Uniworld. Thank YOU. We look forward to welcoming you back. Sincerely and with best wishes,
Brett Tollman CHIEF EXECUTIVE THE TRAVEL CORPORATION WWW.TTC.COM
7
OUR PEOPLE
What makes Uniworld
TRULY SPECIAL? For us, it’s not about being the biggest river cruise line; it’s about being the absolute best in everything we do, and this starts with having an extraordinary team of truly engaged, passionate and talented people. Unlike many other river cruise lines who use third parties to cater their onboard operations, Uniworld proudly operates ALL aspects of our own onboard operations—hospitality, culinary and nautical. We invest tremendous resources in recruiting the very best and the brightest team members, nurturing their skills with ongoing training and creating an environment that fosters personal as well as professional growth. Empowered with the philosophy “No request too large, no detail too small,” every Uniworld employee goes above and beyond to deliver an exceptional experience to each and every guest. Whether it is the people working in our call centers who diligently assist guests with their travel plans or our culinary team preparing the next delicious meal for our guests to enjoy, no matter what our roles may be at Uniworld, we stay committed to consistently exceeding our guests’ expectations.
8
“COULD NOT HAVE BEEN TREATED BETTER.” - Donald, Castles along the Rhine
Our guest reviews are 100% genuine—unedited, uncurated and independently managed by Feefo, a global ratings and reviews provider used by the world’s most trusted brands. See all guest reviews at Uniworld.com/Reviews.
We care about our people—a fact that makes a career with Uniworld one of the most desirable in the river cruise industry. Many staff members both onboard our ships and in our corporate offices around the globe have been part of our Uniworld family for more than 10 years. They love what they do and their enthusiasm for the company and our guests creates the best possible experience for everyone.
I greatly appreciate the many fine women and men who continually exceed my expectations; they are truly the cornerstone of our company. They are our family.
Ellen Bettridge PRESIDENT & CEO UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER CRUISE COLLECTION
9
SAVOR AND SIP
From my first days in business, I have always believed that we should delight our guests with delicious food served in a warm and friendly manner, accompanied by excellent local wines and drinks that create memorable meals and value. - Bea Tollman
10
I have thoroughly enjoyed working alongside our Master Chef and his talented culinary team each year on new ideas and dishes. Together we have created varied menus that balance our guests’ desires to taste and enjoy local cuisines along the rivers we cruise, as well as offering some of my own recipes, focused around comfort foods and seasonal farm-to-table ingredients, many of which are featured in my best-selling cookbook, A Life in Food. Together, our collective experience and passion for food ensures that every Uniworld guest enjoys the freshest of foods, voyaging through the special dishes of each region. Our award-winning dining and service are recognised by the most highly regarded publications in travel and cuisine. Our unique dining experiences are enhanced by our carefully selected wines. Our world-class sommeliers work closely together to research and source vineyards from the regions the ships visit. We also feature some of the best award-winning wines from our family’s renowned vineyard in the Hermanus Valley of South Africa, Bouchard Finlayson. We hope you enjoy them. Every fabulous cruise includes enjoying quiet or social moments with new or long-standing friends over a cocktail or craft beer in our beautiful bars and lounges. Our master mixologists create amazing libations to relish as well as your favourite traditional drinks. River cruising is so relaxing and the views from our lounges so stunning, we also encourage you to enjoy our scrumptious afternoon teas, featuring freshly baked pastries, handmade sandwiches and a wide selection of international teas and specialty coffees. And today our menus include vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and other diet-sensitive selections. We hope that you thoroughly enjoy your cruise and culinary journey, as much as we constantly enjoy creating these delicious offerings for you.
Warmest regards,
Bea Tollman
FOUNDER & PRESIDENT RED CARNATION HOTELS (UNIWORLD’S SISTER COMPANY)
11
UNIQUELY UNIWORLD
OUR GOAL IS TO CREATE A LUXURIOUS JOURNEY ABOARD the world’s most spectacular river cruise ships. Since 2004, our design team has focused on creating a spectacular collection of luxurious floating boutique hotels, each ship as unique as the destinations we visit. Our main goal of continually exceeding guests’ expectations is solidified in the mantra of “No request is too large, no detail is too small.” Each ship’s design aims to extend luxury and pleasure into every room. We know that after a long day of exploring incredible locales, returning to an immaculate stateroom is not only a desire, but a necessity. That’s why we have created your private spaces to be luxurious sanctuaries that you look forward to coming home to. These staterooms are vibrant extensions of the destinations you visit and encompass all things luxury—300-count Egyptian cotton sheets, handcrafted Savoir® of England beds, Italian marble, and personal amenities including Hermès (in suites) and L’Occitane products. We often refer to these details as Tiny Noticeable Touches (TNTs)—all the little things that will make your overall cruise experience something to marvel at. Whether it’s the gorgeous waterfall in the grand lobby of the S.S. Catherine, the original Picasso artwork in the River Duchess or the inviting fireplace in the River Queen (one of the only ships on the rivers of Europe with a working fireplace), we’ve spared no expense. And we’ve done it for you. We’ve engaged only the most exquisite engineers, architects, technicians, craftsmen and artisans to bring you our dynamic and one-of-a-kind fleet—each ship artfully and skillfully mastered to be its very own destination.
Toni Tollman DIRECTOR OF DESIGN & PROJECTS
12
“BEAUTIFULLY DONE BY UNIWORLD. PERFECTION AT ITS BEST!” - Rose, Delightful Danube & Prague
Shown right: Ruth Smoking by Julian Opie Shown below: Blue sapphire chandelier by Strauss Baccarat
13
“WE ARE MAJOR UNIWORLD FANS. THE TWO CRUISES WE HAVE TAKEN HAD US FEELING LIKE ROYALTY. WE WERE SO WELL TREATED AND MADE TO FEEL SPECIAL.” - Mary, Castles along the Rhine
14
15
ARTWORK
A WHOLE FLEET THAT’S STATE OF THE ART. LITERALLY.
“
Creativity takes courage. – Henri Matisse
”
Think of the most astonishing hotel you’ve ever seen. Now picture it on water. The ships in our award-winning fleet reflect the vibrancy and beauty you’ll see at each one of your destinations. And like each destination, each ship is as diverse as the cultures you’ll experience. It’s the definition of poetry in motion—artfully designed ships from top to bottom that enamor guests wherever we go. When you travel with us, you’ll experience unique design elements and art from world-renowned artists like Henri Matisse, Picasso and Joan Miró. On the S.S. Catherine, guests will find a specially commissioned life-size Murano glass horse from the Tollman family’s (Uniworld’s owners) Venice glass factory. And in the S.S. Antoinette’s two-story foyer, there’s a 10-foot sapphire chandelier that once hung in New York City’s famed Tavern on the Green restaurant. With distinct themes on all 13 ships, every voyage is undeniably one of a kind.
16
17
OUR FLEET
Europe S.S. Joie de Vivre
Seine River
S.S. Maria Theresa Rhine, Main & Danube Rivers S.S. Catherine
SaĂ´ne & Rhone Rivers
S.S. Antoinette
Rhine River
S.S. Beatrice
Danube River
River Queen
Danube, Main, Moselle & Rhine Rivers
River Royale Garonne & Dordogne Rivers River Countess
Venice Lagoon & Po River
River Duchess
Rhine, Main & Danube Rivers
River Empress
Rhine, Danube & Main Rivers
River Princess
Danube & Rhine Rivers
Queen Isabel
Douro River
Egypt River Tosca
Nile River
Vietnam and Cambodia Mekong Navigator
Mekong River
India Ganges Voyager II
Ganges River
Russia River Victoria
Volga River
China Sanctuary Yangzi Explorer
18
Yangtze & Li Rivers
19
UNIWORLD CARES
THE WORLD’S A BIG AND BEAUTIFUL PLACE. And we’d like to keep it that way.
Mother Nature has provided us with a beautiful playground, and supporting the places we visit and those who call our destinations home is essential to ensuring that the future of travel remains bright. We work to advocate for environmental, social and economic responsibility. We love sharing with you experiences from around the world and it’s why we’re committed to preserving those experiences for many years to come. Uniworld makes a company-wide effort to make a positive impact on all of our voyages.
Environmental Responsibility One way we advocate for the preservation of the environments around us is by identifying critical strategies, energy consumption and waste generation improvements on our cruise ships, and sharing those with other river cruise companies. We’ve also led “The Sustainable River Cruising Project” since 2010, where we’ve documented and provided measures in efforts to reduce the environmental impact of cruising. As a result, the Travel Foundation has developed the first-of-its-kind Environmental Sustainability for River Cruising guide offering best practices to river cruise companies worldwide. We’ve worked to develop relationships with the people and places we visit, in the hope of preserving these precious environments and their wildlife for years to come.
Social Responsibility We want you to experience each destination in as many ways as possible, fully immersing you in new cultures at each stop. By providing excursions and tours that let you do just that and by supporting various charities, we strive to continually expand our reach and influence around the world. 20
The world’s been good to us and we’d like to return the favour. As part of our passion for sustainable tourism, we focus on making a positive impact with the help of three amazing partners. We partner with WE.org to provide communities across the globe with clean water for drinking, cooking and irrigation. Not only that, we also work to educate communities about healthy hygiene practices and how to prevent waterborne disease.
With the help of TreadRight, we’ve completed over 40 projects that have benefited the environment as well as local cultures and heritage. In 2015, TreadRight named their first ambassador, Cêline Cousteau, a leading environmentalist and explorer. Our new partnership with ME to WE combines authentic volunteering with sightseeing in India. This opportunity to participate in community development projects alongside locals is a five-day extension to our India’s Golden Triangle & the Sacred Ganges cruise.
A f a m i ly of br a n d s
21
22
WE’VE MADE HISTORY WITH A RIVER CRUISE FOR A NEW GENERATION.
U by Uniworld—river cruises for the young and young at heart. Years ago, our sister brand and travel company for 18-35 year olds, Contiki, did a survey asking some past travellers a simple question: “Would you go on a river cruise for millennials?” The answers can be summed up into one resounding yes. The only questions that remained were when and how? With the launch of Uniworld’s S.S. Joie de Vivre in March 2017, those answers were made clear. Since the Joie de Vivre would be sailing on France’s Seine River, that gave us the opportunity to take a current French-focused ship in the Uniworld fleet and think about how we could use it differently. Then, we sat down one afternoon and said, “Let’s do this!” So we did. Uniworld’s River Ambassador and River Baroness were transformed into The A and The B, and in March 2018, a new generation of river cruisers for the young and young at heart will be able to enjoy a floating boutique hotel experience throughout Europe on U by Uniworld. Our new brand holds fast to many of the reasons why guests love Uniworld, while tailoring the entire experience to U’s audience. And what began as a casual brainstorm soon became a major innovation for river cruising.
UbyUniworld.com 23
Some of our most recent accolades: Acknowledged as Best River Cruise Company 2017 by UK TRAVEL WEEKLY Globe Awards Awarded Best New River Ship: S.S. Joie de Vivre and Best Service by CRUISE CRITIC US 2017 Editors’ Picks Named Best River Cruise Line, Best River Cruise for Luxury, and Best River Cruise Service by CRUISE CRITIC UK AND AUSTRALIA 2017 Editors’ Picks Honored as 2017 Best River Cruise Line at the UK Telegraph Travel Awards Voted World’s Best River Cruise Line in TRAVEL + LEISURE’s World’s Best Awards 2016 (ranked among the top for the past 7 years) Recognized for Best River Cruise Line, Best for Accommodation and Best New River Ship for S.S. Maria Theresa by WAVE AWARDS in 2016 Received awards for Most Distinctive Ambience and Best For Active Travelers at the 2016 TOWN & COUNTRY AWARDS Gold Award Winner of Cruise: Overall River Cruising at TRAVEL WEEKLY’s 2016 Magellan Awards Honored as World’s Best River Cruising for Families by TRAVEL & LEISURE 2013–2016
#EXPLOREUNIWORLD UNIWORLD.COM
Uniworld is a member of the family-owned The Travel Corporation (TTC) and is renowned and trusted for its outstanding quality, service, value, reliability and financial stability.