August 2022 The Uniworld River Heritage Club E-Newsletter Varanasi, India
1 1 Ellen’ s 360° 2 Uniquely Uniworld: Cruise & Rail Journeys 3 Travel Through the Seasons 5 Red Carnation Hotels 7 Guest Spotlight 9 Three Reasons to River Cruise through Asia or Peru in Early 2023 10 From the Kitchen of Bea Tollman: Shrimp Stroganoff August 2022 #ExploreUniworld In This Issue 360°ELLEN’S Greetings, River Heritage Club! I hope you enjoy reading this month’s issue of RiverViews, because it’s full of exciting features and inside peeks. Flip through its pages to learn about the newest luxury hotel from our sister brand, the Red Carnation Hotel Collection You’ll also meet a fellow past guest to hear about her wonderful time onboard our Enchanting Danube cruise, see our recommendations for where to travel at any time of year and Bea Tollman’s delicious shrimp stroganoff recipe. And just for you, our treasured River Heritage Club members, we’re sharing a special offer for travel in 2023. Happy reading! Sincerely, ELLEN BETTRIDGE UniworldCEO Boutique River Cruises
We searched high and low to find a rail partner that met the standards of a Uniworld voyage: comfort, luxury, exceptional service and amazing experiences in a variety of destinations. And, of course, it had to be allinclusive. We’re thrilled to have found that Golden Eagle Luxury Trains is all of that and then some. WHY
WHERE CAN I GO?
WHAT DO THEY VISIT?
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Though these trips are perfect for anyone searching for a unique new way to travel, we designed these especially for our treasured past guests, people who love the Uniworld experience and want a way to take that quality of experience to the places our ships can’t reach.
WHO IS CRUISE & RAIL?
WERE THESE TRIPS CREATED FOR?
Combine a cruise around Italy’s Veneto region with a rail journey through the Swiss Alps or complement your Enchanting Danube river cruise with a trip into the mountains of Romania—with a special emphasis on the history surrounding Europe’s most infamous villain, Count Dracula.
To learn more about this program and our itineraries, please visit UNIWORLD.COM/CRUISE-AND-RAIL
UNIQUELY UNIWORLD CRUISE & RAIL JOURNEYS
Nothing short of the ultimate luxury travel experience. Between the world’s rivers and its railways, a wealth of unique destinations is open for your exploration—and you can see it all in the utmost convenience when your boutique hotel is also your method of transportation, five-star restaurant, bar and more.
We are officially booking Cruise & Rail for 2023! Book online or call our reservations team at 800-307-4699 to reserve your spot.
WHEN DID WE SELECT GOLDEN EAGLE?
TRAVEL THROUGH THE SEASONS WHERE TO GO ANY TIME OF YEAR
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JANUARYWINTERTOMARCH
MARCHSPRINGTOJUNE
This is the time of year that Europe blooms with color, and there’s no better place to appreciate it than in Belgium and the Netherlands. On Holland & Belgium at Tulip Time, Dutch Delight and Tulips & Windmills, you’ll get your fill of flowers while also getting to enjoy one of the most charming regions we visit.
Kick of the year in style with something big in 2023. Our suggestion? Explore monuments to Ancient Egypt while the heat is more manageable, visit the islands of the Mekong Delta before the rainy season begins or sail through the Amazon Rainforest while the water is high and you can venture deeper into the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve.
SEPTEMBERFALL
NOVEMBERHOLIDAYTOJANUARY
TO DECEMBER
Europe is utterly transformed in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Cities light up with festive decorations and wooden stalls fill the streets to offer handcrafted gifts, hot mulled wine and seasonal treats. On our Holiday Season Cruises, you can fully appreciate the magic of the season with visits to several of Europe’s best Christmas markets.
Soak in the sunshine in brilliant destinations like Italy, the south of France or Portugal. For many of us, this is also the perfect time to embark on a vacation with the whole family. Our Generations Collection cruises are designed for you and for the young travelers in your life, and many of these departures are conveniently scheduled for summer breaks from school.
The Danube has more than its fair share of breathtaking riverscapes, and it’s especially eye-catching in the autumn. Embark on our Authentic Danube or Enchanting Danube voyages to watch the hillsides flanking the river burst in shades of red, orange and yellow.
JUNESUMMERTOSEPTEMBER
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If you love Uniworld’s floating boutique hotels, then look to Red Carnation for your stays on land. They’re designed and decorated by the same creative minds that craft our onboard spaces. We’re also proud to share the same passion for warm and generous hospitality, delicious cuisine, and a guiding ethos that “no request is too large, no detail too small.”
The guest experience is always at the heart of Red Carnation Hotels. With 18 exceptional properties worldwide, including the renowned Ashford Castle in Ireland, Red Carnation Hotels have over 100 years of experience in curating exceptional guest experiences that foster an authentic connection with the local area.
Meet our sister brand RED CARNATION HOTELS REDCARNATIONHOTELS.COM
100 PRINCES STREET
EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND
In line with the Red Carnation brand, 100 Princes Street will offer a “whatever, whenever” service approach, ensuring guests’ needs are consistently anticipated and met. Alongside warm and caring service with a 2-to-1 guest-to-staff ratio, guests can be assured of the finest cuisine with a carefully curated menu featuring time-honored classics, delicious cocktails, and exclusively hand-crafted spirits Culturally inspired design & thoughtful touches
Unique and exclusive, 100 Princes Street will be a luxury hotel adorned with hand-crafted, bespoke pieces, including custom-made tartan, designed by Araminta Campbell, and a central staircase that features a hand-painted mural by Croxford & Saunders. Its exclusive ‘Explorers' Club’ will boast an incredible wine wall of over 200 fine wines and a second wall displaying an incredible collection of acclaimed Scottish whiskies. Be among the first to stay at the historic and highly anticipated 100 Princes Street, Edinburgh, located at the heart of one of Edinburgh’s most famed streets.
The 100 Princes Street location is notable for its rich history as the place that many great Scottish explorers and adventurers made their ‘home away from home’—a history that will be encapsulated and paid tribute to in the quintessentially Scottish design that the hotel will boast, all set against the backdrop of the magnificent Edinburgh castle. A haven of excellent service & warm hospitality
Exceptional historic location
Opening Spring 2023
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HOW DID YOU LIKE THE S.S. MARIA THERESA?
Oh my goodness! The ship is decorated so gorgeously. I initially booked a Classic room and then upgraded to a French Balcony, which I did not regret at all. The room was stunning. I loved the floor-to-ceiling window that opened halfway. The bathroom with the marble tile was beautiful and spacious. The rain shower was a treat. The turn-down service and having my room refreshed with more water and towels was the ultimate in pampering.
For me, it was a combination of the nostalgia of going to Germany and Austria—particularly Salzburg and Vienna, which I visited in 1993 with my parents and brother—as well as going to two new countries of Slovakia and Hungary.
WHAT DREW YOU TO ENCHANTING DANUBE?
As beautiful as the ship is, it’s the staff that makes it. Captain Jorg was very friendly and visible throughout the cruise. Gyongyi, our Program Manager, was the first person we met. She was very personable and approachable
MEET VALERIE
Get an in-depth look at our Enchanting Danube itinerary from the perspective of a first-time river cruiser.
8 to ask any questions we might have. Martin, the Hotel Manager knew every passenger’s name by the second day of the cruise and greeted us by name. We also became regulars at the Bar du Leopold with Rado as the bartender. He made the best chocolate martinis but also was willing to learn how to make grasshoppers for us!
ANY FINAL THOUGHTS YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE?
Before the trip I was a bit skeptical because I had taken two ocean cruises and thought they were “meh” and cruising wasn’t for me. I have also done bus tours of other European countries. I am now sold on river cruising for a few reasons. We got to see so much and so many places in eight days and in most places we were able to walk off the ship and right into town. I loved being able to unpack the first day and then not having to pack again until the last day, unlike on bus tours where you are repacking daily or every few days. Additionally, every night I knew that the bed I was sleeping in was going to be super comfortable and the food was going to be of the same quality. Also, I am a solo traveler. As such, you’re never quite sure what you’ll encounter and if you’ll feel alone for the trip or how friendly people will be. At the very least you want someone when the tour guide says “Everyone here?” to know you are or aren’t. This was a trip that from my transfer from the airport, I had a group of people that we enjoyed each other’s company and then hung out for the rest of the trip. In the end, we all exchanged emails.
WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE FOOD WHILE YOU WERE THERE? HOW ABOUT ONBOARD? The food was outstanding. Breakfasts and lunches were buffet and you could eat as much or as little as you wanted. I fell in love with the French Toast for breakfast! For dinner, Uniworld highlighted regional cuisine and wine each evening. I made the regional choices whenever I could and they did not disappoint!
WHERE TO NEXT? Possibly Portugal, Spain & the Douro River Valley next. When I retire, Tulips & Windmills is tops on my bucket list.
The day trip from Linz to Mondsee and Salzburg on The Sound of Music tour was my favorite. I love the Austrian architecture and all the gorgeous flowers and flower boxes on the houses. Mondsee is a charming little town with an amazing view of the lake. There we toured the church where Maria and Captain Von Trapp got married in the movie as well as the trees the children were playing in. We then went on to Salzburg and had a walking tour that showed more sights from the movie, but also where Mozart was born and raised. I had a wonderful lunch in a beer garden. I tried the pretzel soup and then had pork roast, potato dumplings and salad. It was all delicious.
GUEST SPOTLIGHT
IF YOU HAD TO PICK, WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY FROM YOUR TRIP? Oh boy, telling my favorite is always hard for me. I met a lot of great people on the cruise and appreciate them welcoming me and letting me hang out with them. I find myself talking about them when people ask how the trip was. Uniworld’s unique experiences also stand out—such as visiting the Vienna Art Museum before opening hours, the concert in Vienna and visiting Melk Abbey before opening hours. The quality of excursions made it difficult to choose each day what to do. Luckily, in the end, I knew I couldn’t go wrong. The onboard “Progressive Dinner” was also quite a highlight. I was one of eight people who participated as we toured the ship with the Hotel Manager, Martin guiding us through the ship. We saw the wheelhouse, staff’s dining hall, laundry room and staff quarters. We had appetizers in the kitchen and soup in the Viennese Cafe. We ended our evening in the bar at the back of the ship and ate our main course and dessert. The eight of us then stayed there getting to know each other and talking until about 11pm.
IS THERE A PARTICULAR EXCURSION OR ACTIVITY THAT STANDS OUT FOR YOU?
9 THREE REASONS TO RIVER CRUISE THROUGH ASIA OR PERU IN EARLY 2023 A GRAND START TO 2023 Set the tone for your new year with the trip of a lifetime. Not many river cruises sail between January and March, but it’s actually one of the best times to visit destinations such as Vietnam & Cambodia, India and Peru. It’s sure to be a trip you’ll never forget. UNIQUE DESTINATIONS River cruising is blessed with the ability to take guests to soughtafter destinations in addition to places most travelers never get to see. This is especially true of the memorable islands we visit on the Mekong, the lush environs of the Amazon rainforest and the villages of the Ganges. EXCLUSIVE SAVINGS More and more of our guests are looking to go big when they venture out into the world, which is why we’re offering our River Heritage Club members a limitedtime, exclusive offer on select departures of our journeys in Asia and Peru. Combine this with other offers for even better savings!* Save on Select 2023 Departures: RHC Exclusive Limited Time Offer 2023 Regular RCH Member Savings 2023 Early SavingsBooking Timeless Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong January 10, 24 Save $1,500 per person + Save $300 per person + Save 10% India’s Golden Triangle & the Sacred Ganges January 2, 20, 28; February 16, 25; March 6 Save $1,500 per person + Save $500 per person + Save 10% Peruvian Amazon & Machu Picchu Exploration March 1, 22 Save $3,000 per person + Save $200 per person + Save 10% Savings listed in USD. Offer dates and amount may vary by region. For complete offer details, please visit Uniworld.com/RHC2023
Ingredients
1. Sauté the shrimps in a large skillet until lightly browned, then remove from the pan and keep warm. Add the onion and sauté until softened, then add the mushrooms and cook until browned.
1.5 lbs shelled and deveined shrimps
3. Season and cook the mixture, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until the shrimps are heated through, but do not boil.
4. Serve with rice Serves 4 Is it goulash or stroganoff? Goulash is more of a hearty soup usually cooked in a slow cooker that often contains noodles. Stroganoff, on the other hand, is pan-fried on the stove with a cream sauce traditionally served over rice instead of noodles.
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2. Sprinkle flour over the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to moderately low and add the brandy, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice. Add the shrimps, sour cream and double cream.
SHRIMP STROGANOFF From the Kitchen of Bea Tollman
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Served best with rice, shrimp stroganoff makes for a deeply flavorful, satisfying meal.
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Preparation
3-4 Tbsp butter 1 small onion, minced 8 oz mushrooms, quartered 1 tablespoon plain flour 1 tablespoon brandy 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce juice of 1 lemon cup sour cream cup double cream
A unique way to prepare both stroganoff and shrimp, this recipe from Bea Tollman is a delightful surprise.
Visit
* River Heritage Club savings and amenities are available to guests after completing their first Uniworld cruise. Exclusive savings are based on the cruise or cruise/tour-only price (including any upgrades and single supplement) after other cash discounts are applied. Savings are combinable with all current Uniworld promotions. Restrictions may apply. Uniworld.com/River-Heritage-Club for more information. Bring a piece of your Uniworld river cruise home Find authentic, handmade items from our destinations and exclusive Uniworld merchandise in our online shop, such as these nutcrackers. The history of glass art in the Black Forest can be dated back to the 12th century when glassblowers lived and worked in places where the main ingredients for glass production (wood, silica sand, potash made of beech, and water) could be found. That’s what made the Black Forest an attractive place for the artisans. Today’s artisans are reviving this historic art. Start shopping here
. An exclusive WELCOME GIFT to commemorate your membership Special MEMBERS-ONLY OFFERS Dedicated PHONE NUMBER Complimentary IN-ROOM FRUIT PLATTER waiting onboard for you upon arrival EXCLUSIVE SAVINGS ON ALL CRUISES, COMBINABLE WITH ALL PROMOTIONS * Earn credit toward your next cruise with our REFERRAL PROGRAM EXCLUSIVE TTC LOYALTY SAVINGS of 5 % on select trips across our family of more than 40 award-winning brands PRIORITY NOTIFICATION on new cruises and programs Complimentary LAUNDRY service Exclusive RIVERVIEWS E-MAGAZINE Join the Captain for a members-only COCKTAIL PARTY onboard plus 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. 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 to James F. for being the first to identify the June 2022 Mystery Photo, Blue Danube Lounge on the River Duchess
