RiverViews Newsletter February 2023

Monet's Garden, Giverny, France

FEBRUARY 2023

IN THIS ISSUE

1 ELLEN’S 360°

2 UNIQUELY UNIWORLD: MYSTERY CRUISES

3 WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT FRANCE

7 GUEST SPOTLIGHT: 50-TIME UNIWORLD CRUISER

9 CHEF ROBERT'S CORNER: BEEF BOURGUIGNON CRÈME BRÛLÉE

ELLEN’S 360°

Hello, River Heritage Club!

I’m so excited to bring you our first RiverViews newsletter of the year. As this issue was being prepared, I spent much of my time with our crew in Europe getting ready for our upcoming 2023 sailing season. It was incredible to see everyone, and I can speak on behalf of all of our teams in declaring that we’re all eagerly awaiting welcoming you back onboard soon.

We’ll start off this issue of RiverViews with a video from yours truly, answering some common questions about our Mystery Cruises You’ll also meet a 50-time Uniworld river cruiser and take a virtual trip through France with us. I hope you enjoy!

Warmest regards,

ELLEN BETTRIDGE

CEO, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises

MYSTERY CRUISES

your questions, answered

Picture this: you embark on a vacation for which you know the airports you’ll be flying in and out of, but everything in between is a complete surprise. It’s the ultimate adventure, and a promise for a truly one-of-a-kind experience.

Because a Mystery Cruise is such a unique concept, we knew that people might have some questions. That’s why we put out a survey this month to discover what everyone wanted to know. Watch the video below to see these questions answered by Uniworld CEO Ellen Bettridge !

WHAT WE LOVE

About France

This might just be our favorite part, as evidenced by the well-stocked wine caves on the S.S. Joie de Vivre and the S.S. Bon Voyage. Due to its popularity, you can enjoy French wines anywhere in the world, but there’s something special about drinking a local product amongst the vineyards that created it. Head to Burgundy & Provence regions for excellent rosés, syrah and pinot noir. And if you’re looking for a journey all about the finest French wines, go for Bordeaux. You’ll find yourself becoming a proper connoisseur in no time.

We’re in the mood for indulging our imaginations and going on a little trip through France together. Why? To share our love for one of the most classic vacation destinations in the world with you. It’s one of those places that not only sits on every traveler’s bucket lists, but draws return visitors back time and time again.

Truly, it’s hard to run out of things to enjoy in the country, when its wonders are so varied. Region by region, you’ll find major shifts in architecture, culture, wines, cuisine, climate and more. Never, though, will you leave behind this common thread, the joie de vivre that permeates French culture—a zest for enjoying life that we admire so much we named one of our ships after the phrase.

To travel through the cuisines of France is to discover new palates everywhere you go. In Normandy, you’ll spread creamy Camembert cheese on warm baguettes and sip on spirits crafted from the region’s apple orchards. Butter, of course, brings rich flavor to many of the country’s most famous dishes, but you’ll find it being replaced with the Mediterranean flair of olive oil the farther south you travel. And don’t miss the chance to pair oysters and white wine in Bordeaux.

It takes a talented chef to meet the full potential of French cuisine, which is why we make sure our guests sample the best bites onshore and onboard. Flip to the recipes in this newsletter for some favorites from our ships.

Certainly, France has hosted far more than its fair share of visual and literary artists. Many were born there—including Henri Matisse, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Victor Hugo—and countless others moved to the country in search of inspiration, such as Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh, and Gertrude Stein.

Their work captured the beauty and vivacity to be found in so many aspects of French life, and they found themselves creating some of the most defining moments in all of art history.

You’ll find a piece of that inspiration for yourself any time you visit France.

Walk the gardens of Giverny, where Claude Monet painted many of his most iconic paintings (like his Water Lilies series). Stand in the exact perspective from which Van Gogh captured Starry Night. Or stroll through the Louvre for an up-close look at the masterpieces.

by the Waterways of France

2. BORDEAUX

3. SAINT-ÉMILION

4. GIVERNY

5. ROUEN

6. BEAUNE

7. ARLES

8. LYON

9. HONFLEUR

10. AVIGNON

1. PARIS

A retired teacher living in California, Mary has been a beloved part of the Uniworld family since her first cruise in 2008. Now, 14 years later, she’s finally reached her 50 th cruise! Read on to get to know one of our most frequent travelers.

MEET MARY

HOW DID YOU FIRST HEAR ABOUT UNIWORLD? TELL US ABOUT YOUR VERY FIRST TRIP WITH US.

I learned about Uniworld from a friend who went on a Christmas cruise in 2005. She and her adult children enjoyed it and told me all about it. They planned to go on Rhine Holiday Markets in 2008. It sounded interesting, so I decided to go with them. That was the beginning.

WHAT KEEPS YOU COMING BACK FOR MORE UNIWORLD EXPERIENCES?

I keep coming back for several reasons, whether with friends or traveling on my own. It started with the Solo Traveler Savings. That’s a great deal for single people. I think this is a very safe way for a single person to travel. I also enjoy the freedom to customize my activities. There’s always a new experience, even in a familiar city. After several years of booking a single cruise each time, I started booking back to back cruises to stay longer and minimize the number of flights each time. At first, I looked for cruises with an easy connection between, and now, if I don’t see that, I book the same cruise back to back.

WHAT DREW YOU TO OUR HOLIDAY MARKET ITINERARIES FOR YOUR 50TH CRUISE?

Ever since my first Christmas market cruise in 2008, I’ve booked Christmas market cruises. In 2014, I started booking two Christmas market cruises back to back. Since Uniworld only had 5 different itineraries, I repeated many of them and enjoyed every single one.

50 CRUISES IS A PRETTY BIG DEAL, HOW DID YOU CELEBRATE THE OCCASION ONBOARD?

Actually, we’ve been celebrating for the last 4 cruises! Cruises #47, #48, and #50 were all on the River Queen, so it really felt like I was celebrating with family. Cruise #49 was on the S.S. Beatrice with many more familiar crew members. Flowers, special gifts, and recognition of the number of cruises I’d taken were part of that celebration on all of those cruises. Upgraded staterooms, even a suite on my 50th cruise made me feel like royalty. Dinners with the Captains and Managers on two cruises were very special occasions. The best gift of all was to be given my own Uniworld name tag which I will always wear with pride.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE SHIP?

I don’t actually have a favorite ship. For me, it’s all about the crews. I love seeing all of the familiar crew members, some of whom I’ve traveled with multiple times over the last 15 years. I am always happy to see that the people who were cleaning my room or serving in the restaurant years ago are the Hotel Managers and Restaurant Managers today. It was great to see so many crew members back after the two years without cruising.

WERE THERE ANY PARTICULAR DESTINATIONS OR EXCURSIONS THAT STOOD OUT TO YOU?

There are some excursions I will go on every time they are offered. I love the tasting tours during the Christmas market cruises. Among my other favorite excursions are the day in Rothenburg, the visit to the Doktorenhof Vinegar Estate, Siegfried’s Music Museum in Rüdesheim, and the art museums in Amsterdam. As I return to familiar cities, I often visit other museums on my own, such as the Nuremberg Toy Museum, the Lindt and Valrhona chocolate museums, historical museums in various cities, and the Mustard Museum in Cochem.

ARE THERE ANY EXPERIENCES YOU APPRECIATE DIFFERENTLY NOW THAN YOU MIGHT HAVE WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED TRAVELING?

Over the years I’ve become much more independent. I’ve been able to sample new excursions, or use my time in a city to visit other places I’ve read about. The Cruise Managers and front desk staff have always been very supportive in helping me to access my individual activities. Since I often book the same cruise up and back, I can choose to go on all of the excursions, or repeat the ones I really enjoy. I’ve learned a lot from guest speakers about the rivers and the history of the places we visit. I also enjoy just sailing on the river, watching the world go by.

SO… WHERE NEXT?

My friends and I have actually booked two of the new cruises for this year, the Rhine River Valley, and Belgian Holiday Markets, going up and back on each one.

Chef Robert’s Corner:

BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Straight from the kitchen of the S.S. Catherine , our Super Ship in Burgundy & Provence, comes this classic Burgundian recipe. It is prepared in the traditional oven method used by the French. You’ll also find a wine pairing from our onboard sommelier. To top it all off, a sweet treat recipe from our pastry chef.

CRÈME BRÛLÉE

INGREDIENTS

4 ¼ cups heavy cream

16 yolks (approximate)

1 cup sugar

PREPARATION

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

¾ cup brown sugar

1. Mix together the egg yolks and granulated sugar until well combined. Gradually stir in the hot cream. Add the vanilla and salt.

2. Divide the custard mixture equally among your ramekins. Bake at 195° F for 40-65 minutes, depending on the ramekin size. (do not use a bain-marie for this recipe)

3. Cool the custards down to room temperature. Never refrigerate before serving, as it may prevent the sugar from caramelizing.

4. Top with brown sugar, then torch them just before serving. If you do not have a torch, you can achieve a similar effect by broiling the custards for a few minutes.

BEEF BOURGUIGNON

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

6 strips of bacon, roughly chopped

3 lbs beef shoulder

1 large carrot, sliced ½-inch thick

1 large white onion, diced

6 cloves garlic, minced (divided)

2 tablespoons flour

12 small pearl onions (optional)

3 cups red wine (like Merlot, Pinot Noir, or a Chianti)

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F.

2. Heat the oil in a large dutch oven. Sauté the bacon over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until crisp and browned. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large dish and set aside.

3. Pat dry beef with paper towel; sear in batches in the hot oil/bacon fat until browned on all sides. Remove to the dish with the bacon.

4. In the remaining oil/bacon fat, sauté the carrots and diced onions until softened, (about 3 minutes), then add 4 cloves minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Drain excess fat (leave about 1 tablespoon in the pan) and return the bacon and beef back into the pot; season with ½ teaspoon coarse salt and ¼ teaspoon ground pepper. Sprinkle with flour, toss well and cook for 4-5 minutes to brown.

5. Add the pearl onions, wine and enough stock so that the meat is barely covered. Then add the tomato paste, bullion and herbs. Bring to a simmer on the stove.

6. Cover, transfer to the lower part of the oven and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, or until the meat is fall apart tender (adjust the heat so that the liquid simmers very slowly).

7. In the last 5 minutes of cooking time, prepare the mushrooms. Heat the butter in a medium-sized skillet over heat. When the foam subsides, add the remaining 2 cloves garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds), then add in the mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes, while shaking the pan occasionally to coat with the butter. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Once they are browned, set aside.

WINE PAIRING

Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune Nuiton-Beaunoy

2-3 cups beef stock

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 beef bullion cube, crushed

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped

2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped (divided)

2 bay leaves

1 lb small white or brown mushrooms, quartered

2 tablespoons butter

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

8. Place a colander over a large pot. Remove the casserole from the oven and carefully empty its contents into the colander (collect the sauce only). Discard the herbs.

9. Return the beef mixture back into the dutch oven or pot. Add the mushrooms over the meat.

10. Remove fat off the sauce (if any) and simmer for 1 minute, skimming off any additional fat which rises to the surface.

11. You should be left with about 2 ½ cups of sauce thick enough to coat the back of a spoon lightly. If the sauce is too thick, add a few tablespoons of stock. If the sauce is too thin, boil it over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until reduced to the right consistency. Taste for seasoning and adjust salt and pepper, if desired. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables.

12. If serving immediately, simmer the beef bourguignon for 2 to 3 minutes to heat through. If serving the following day, allow the casserole to cool completely, cover and refrigerate. Then on the day of serving, remove from the refrigerator for at least an hour before reheating. Place over medium-low heat and let simmer gently for about 10 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.

13. Garnish with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, rice or noodles.

This Pinot Noir has a purple “robe” with darker purple glints. The bouquet offers a wide palate of red and black fruits aromas while giving some fine toasted notes. Pinot Noir is best served slightly chilled about 55° F.

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 this Foldable Wine Rack

Handcrafted in Bavaria, products like this wine rack from FAIRWERK sit at the intersection of style and social contribution. These designs give people with disabilities a space to find self-confidence and joy at work, by providing more inclusive equipment for the making of their high quality, durable products. Start shopping here

AN OUTSTANDING LOYALTY PROGRAM FOR OUR EXCEPTIONAL GUESTS

To show our appreciation for our past guests, we automatically enroll you in our River Heritage Club loyalty program, so you can begin receiving exclusive 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

Special MEMBERS-ONLY OFFERS

Dedicated PHONE NUMBER

Complimentary IN-ROOM FRUIT PLATTER waiting onboard upon arrival

PRIORITY NOTIFICATION on new cruises and programs

Complimentary LAUNDRY service

Exclusive RIVERVIEWS E-Newsletter

Members-only onboard COCKTAIL PARTY

Plus, ADDITIONAL SAVINGS when you refer friends or family

Can you name this ship?

Each ship in our fleet is a 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 Pat Lyon for being the first to identify the December 2022 Mystery Photo, Lobby on the S.S. Antoinette

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. 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.