RiverViews Newsletter April 2024

Karnak Temple Complex, Luxor, Egypt

The Uniworld River Heritage Club E-Newsletter

Hello, River Heritage Club!

Welcome to the April issue of our RiverViews digital magazine, a past guest exclusive! This month, we’re doing a special highlight on one of my favorite destinations: Egypt. I fell in love with this country, and our Splendors of Egypt & the Nile itinerary, when it was the first leg of our 2023 Rivers of the World cruise. While I couldn’t stay for all 5 segments— I wish!—I was thrilled to get to kick off the journey and experience this itinerary for myself with our adventurous Rivers of the World cruisers. It’s such an extraordinary place to be, and you really have to go for yourself to understand it.

It’s not too late to join our 2024 Rivers of the World cruise. Spanning 10 countries across South America, Europe, and Southeast Asia, this is the farthest-reaching journey in the entire river cruise industry, and it’s packed with once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Warmest regards,

ELLEN BETTRIDGE CEO, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises

At the Abu Simbel temples in Egypt

UNIQUELY UNIWORLD

LOOKING FORWARD TO 2024

The 2024 sailing season has officially started, and it kicked off in extraordinary fashion with the debut of our newest Super Ship vessel, the S.S. Victoria, during our annual Kickoff Event in Amsterdam. The beautiful S.S. Victoria began her maiden season on March 24, and we can’t wait to see how much everyone loves this ship. Take a look below for new photos of the ship, posted by the Cruise Manager of the S.S. Victoria—Piet (@uniworldpiet)—during the ship's first sailing!

CELEBRATING OUR FABULOUS ONBOARD CREW

Our warm and friendly crew members are the heart and soul of Uniworld. Every one of them is incredibly talented and dedicated to making guest experiences special. So, at our yearly Kickoff Event, where we prepare for the start of a new European sailing season, we like to celebrate our crew at an awards gala dedicated to them, recognizing those who have gone above and beyond for our guests. Meet the winners of this year’s Kickoff Gala Awards—you might just recognize a few faces from your own travels!

RISING STAR HOSPITALITY

Darko Sarenac 7 Years

KITCHEN STEWARD OF THE YEAR

Sandor Nyomo

5 Years

RISING STAR NAUTICAL

Stanley Schuurman

2 Years

ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

Gregoire Ober

6 Years

RISING STAR CRUISE MANAGER

Louisa Warman 6 Years

HOUSEKEEPER OF THE YEAR

Mihaela Lupse

2 Years

NAUTICAL DECK CREW OF THE YEAR

Dusan Milojevic

1 Year

WAITER OF THE YEAR

Blagoj Bogatinovski

1 Year

BARTENDER/SOMMELIER OF THE YEAR

Augustin Dobre 4 Years

PURSER OF THE YEAR

Dorina Bita

2 Years

RESTAURANT MANAGER OF THE YEAR

Aleksander Raykov

8 Years

COOK OF THE YEAR

Viktor Ba

14 Years

BUTLER OF THE YEAR

Sandor Tomasek 9 Years

EXECUTIVE CHEF OF THE YEAR

Peter Magač 10 Years

WELL-BEING COACH OF THE YEAR

Mary Rose Dumayas

3 Years

CRUISE MANAGER OF THE YEAR

Anthony Bank 8 Years

HOTEL MANAGER OF THE YEAR

Martina Seinen 10 Years

RECEPTIONIST OF THE YEAR

Wiktoria Justa

3 Years

HOUSEKEEPING MANAGER OF THE YEAR

Anastasiya Dimitrova 7 Years

CAPTAIN OF THE YEAR

Malte Buining

13 Years

DESTINATION SPOTLIGHT

Splendors of Egypt & the Nile

Curious to learn more about one of the world’s premier bucket-list destinations?

Let’s zoom in on our 12-day Egyptian itinerary, Splendors of Egypt & the Nile .

TRAVEL IN STYLE, ONBOARD & ONSHORE

Bookend your cruise with 2 nights at an opulent hotel in Cairo, both before and after your cruise for a total of 4 nights. Depending on your cruise/tour package, you’ll stay at either the Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza or The Nile Ritz-Carlton, each of which is a stunning and centrally located property.

For the cruise portion of your journey, you have your choice between the two most luxurious ships on the Nile River. The River Tosca is decorated with cozy wood finishes and Egyptian antiques, while the S.S. Sphinx features a vibrant palette of Egyptian blues and ornately carved furnishings. Both are intimate ships that accommodate less than 90 passengers and have a nearly 1:1 guest-to-crew ratio.

THOROUGHLY IMMERSED IN YOUR DESTINATION

Imagine visiting an ancient temple with someone whose entire life passion has been studying Egyptian history. Then you return to your ship, and the immersion never stops. You’ll be welcomed back from each excursion with a refreshment—perhaps even one inspired by your excursion, like a chilled glass of date juice after visiting a monument covered in date palm symbolism. Enjoy your refreshments on the top deck, cooling off in the pool or relaxing in a shaded cabana as you watch the Egyptian countryside float by.

EVERY LUXURY INCLUDED

You’ll spend every day dining on delicious Egyptian cuisine, enjoying such fun onboard activities as cooking classes and local entertainment, and heading ashore to soak in millennia of history with an expert Egyptologist. When you return onboard from these outings, you’ll be presented with a refreshment. Please note that, due to local regulations on the sale of alcohol, our beverage policy is less inclusive in Egypt than on Uniworld ships in Europe. However, you can look forward to local wine, beer, and spirits served during lunch and dinner onboard, in addition to a daily happy hour!

Abu Simbel is one of the most jaw-dropping monuments to Egyptian ingenuity, famous for a “miracle” embedded into its design thousands of years ago—but the story only gets more incredible from there. Follow the history of Abu Simbel across this spread to discover Egypt’s “Miracle of Light” and how it’s been preserved through a series of architectural marvels since.

13TH CENTURY BCE

The Temples of Abu Simbel were constructed by Rameses II in 1244 B.C. Inside the Great Temple, there sits a collection of statues known as the “Holy of Holies,” which represent Rameses II and three gods: Ra-Hor, Amun, and Ptah. In an incredible display of ancient mathematics and cosmological understanding, the temple was designed in such a way as to allow a ray of light to shine on the Holy of Holies twice a year, first on February 22 (Rameses II’s birthday) and again on October 22 (his coronation day).

Interestingly, the light hits only three of the statues, leaving Ptah, a god often associated with darkness, in shadow.

The temples were built to sit on the west bank of the Nile River, and there they remained for the next 3,000 years.

THE 20TH CENTURY CE

The Nile's annual floods, both lifeblood and menace for millennia, were finally controlled in the 1960s with the Aswan High Dam. This marvel, however, threatened ancient treasures like Abu Simbel. In a remarkable feat, Egypt and UNESCO meticulously dismantled and relocated the temples to higher ground, ensuring even the sun's alignment remained unchanged.

2024 CE

Today, the Grand Egyptian Museum, the world's largest archaeological museum, is about to open. Its design reflects the rich symbolism of Egyptian architecture. Inside, a colossal Rameses II stands in a hall designed to replicate the miracle of light at Abu Simbel, allowing a ray of natural light to honor the pharaoh twice a year, on his February 22 birthday and October 22 coronation day.

Guests on our Splendors of Egypt & the Nile itinerary can visit Abu Simbel on a Masterpiece Collection excursion in Aswan, and get an early access visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum on a Masterpiece Collection excursion in Cairo.

MEET CAMERON THOMAS

On being a kid, and later, a young adult who got to join her family on river cruises, Cameron remarks, “I mean, I can't imagine anything more fun. You get to eat and drink and see cool places. Sounds good to me.”

a look around the page for photos from her trip!

Cameron Thomas returned from her SPLENDORS OF EGYPT & THE NILE cruise on the S.S. Sphinx in January, and couldn’t wait to share her thoughts. Read what she had to say here, and take

Cameron in Cairo, Egypt

Why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself, Cameron?

Hi, I am 22 years old and I graduated college in May 2023. I’ve lived in Florida my whole life and went to school for engineering there, but recently moved out to California for work as an avionics engineer at a space startup. Growing up, I was very lucky to be able to travel a lot with my family, and that’s a passion I want to continue as an adult. I’m also really into photography and being active outdoors.

It sounds like Egypt was the perfect trip for you.

Absolutely. I thought Egypt was amazing, I’m very happy that I did it. I guess I would say it’s not a trendy place in terms of where the young people are going, but it should be because it’s so iconic in terms of history. It was beautiful and unique, I’ve never been anywhere like that.

How did it feel to check such a big bucket list destination as Egypt off of your list?

I kept thinking that this was such an iconic life experience, being at the beginning of civilization, the heart of civilization. It’s definitely a bucket list place, and the other travelers I was with were always raving about what a cool opportunity it was. So in that way, it felt really good to check that off.

Did you enjoy the food onboard?

Oh yes, the food is always good. I think that’s true of all the Uniworld cruises I’ve been on. I love Mediterranean food and it's kind of in that realm with chickpeas and all the dips and pita bread, so I was happy. There was an Egyptian spin on it that I hadn't had before, with different spices and preparations, which was cool and new.

Any favorite meals?

There was a day when they did an Egyptian-style breakfast and I had falafel with pita and baba ghanoush, and then a fava bean dish that was awesome. It was really this great, perfect breakfast.

How was the weather in Egypt in January?

The weather was good! Overnight it would get cool, and during the day it was an extremely pleasant sunny and 70s. I would recommend bringing a light jacket if you’re visiting in the winter, because it can be cold during the early morning excursions.

Was there any onboard programming during your cruise?

The local performances onboard were really fun. There was music and dancing and it was all very immersive. There was an Egyptian night where everyone dressed up in the local clothing, and all the crew members were there, and we all danced and partied together. That was a lot of fun.

What was your favorite onshore activity?

The high tea at the Old Cataract in Aswan. I just thought the hotel was so cool, and there was a little walking tour in Aswan. We also went to the Luxor temple at night. There was no one else there. The lights were illuminating the statues and columns. That was spectacular.

How did you like the Four Seasons in Cairo?

The Four Seasons in Cairo was probably the nicest hotel I’ve ever stayed in. Super nice rooms, so comfortable, beautiful architecture and interior design, and good food.

Did you feel comfortable traveling to Egypt right now?

I felt completely safe. It felt like we were anywhere in the world.

MEET KELLI CARPENTER

Kelli at the Luxor temples in Egypt

Kelli Carpenter of KelliGreg Travel—our amazing partners behind the OUT! On the Rivers series of river cruises for LGBTQ+ travelers and their loved ones—took a group of 42 travelers on our SPLENDORS OF EGYPT & THE NILE itinerary this year. Hear what she had to say about this incredible trip.

Hi, Kelli! How did you choose to travel to Egypt this year?

Well it’s interesting, because we weren’t setting this up as a formal OUT! On the Rivers sailing. So I was like, selfishly just wanting to visit Egypt with my wife, and didn’t feel safe going with just the two of us, and I knew Uniworld had this amazing program in Egypt. So I thought, “You know what? Why don’t we grab 8-10 cabins and just do a group so we’re all there together?”

So this was your first time visiting Egypt?

Yes, it was a magnificent trip. Uniworld did such a great job for people who had never been to Egypt and really wanted to see everything. They felt like they could check Egypt off the list. The group was very, very happy.

The Egyptologists are a major highlight of the trip, since they are all experts with at least 12 years of education in the field. What did you think of your guides?

The Egyptologists were amazing. The tours were organized, they moved people from place to place and it involved a lot of internal flights, but it felt like a seamless experience. And I mean, I’m a little bit of a history buff, so just to stand in a location that is still absolutely stunning with etchings and a structure that’s 4,000 years old is pretty unbelievable, but the guides were so great at talking through the history in a simple enough way, that those of us that didn't study it in school could really understand and also absorb as much as possible.

You host groups for a variety of travel styles with different companies, why go with Uniworld for your trip to Egypt?

Because I trust and value Uniworld as a brand and I felt safe, especially bringing an LGBTQ+ group to Egypt, with Uniworld knowing that no matter if something were to happen, that they would have our back.

Did you enjoy the food and drinks onboard?

I thought the food was delicious and I love that they had the local flavors on board all the time. My favorite was the Egyptian pasta with chickpeas. And then we also did a cooking class on board and they taught us how to make some of the traditional Egyptian dishes. So yeah, the food is very well embraced. Also, there's a cute happy hour that happens, where the bartender creates a Nile themed cocktail.

Where you on the River Tosca or the S.S. Sphinx?

I was on the S.S. Sphinx. I thought it was absolutely gorgeous. I love the ornate woodwork and the fabrics. One thing I love about Uniworld ships is they reflect where they are and it definitely did that. It was absolutely beautiful.

What were your favorite sites?

Luxor was probably my favorite stop. And also seeing Abu Simbel was unbelievable.

Do you have any tips for guests considering traveling to Egypt?

I would say that there wasn't one moment that we didn't all feel safe. In the more crowded areas, we had security with us at all times and there was never one moment where anybody felt nervous. I would also encourage people to know that Egypt is a country full of many different types of people, and sometimes what we see on the media here is not necessarily reflective of daily life in Egypt. See it for yourself and experience it for yourself.

Recipes from onboard: KOSHARI

Egypt’s national dish, koshari , is a popular comfort food that you’ll find sold in street food stands nearly anywhere you go in the country. It’s made by layering rice, macaroni, lentils, and caramelized onions in a richly spiced tomato sauce. It’s a favorite with our guests onboard, and trust us when we say you only have to try it once to fall in love.

KOSHARI

INGREDIENTS

190 g beluga lentils

Vegetable oil

370 g uncooked white rice

Salt

450 g uncooked macaroni

5 small to medium onions, minced

2 cloves garlic

3 tbsp vinegar

4 ripe tomatoes, diced

8 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp black pepper

2 ½ tsp cumin

1/4 cayenne pepper

PREPARATION

1. Soak lentils in water for at least 30 minutes. Drain, rinse, and drain again.

2. Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add rice and stir for 3 minutes. Add 700 ml water and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.

3. Meanwhile, cook the macaroni until al dente in lightly salted water. Drain and return the macaroni to the pot and cover to keep warm.

4. Bring 500 ml water to boil in a new pot and stir in lentils. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until lentils are tender (15-20 minutes). Stir in ½ tsp of salt.

5. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large frying pan over mediumhigh heat. Caramelize the onions for 10-15 minutes, then add garlic and cook another minute. Remove from pan and place on a plate lined with a paper towel to soak up the excess oil.

6. Place half of the onion mixture back into the pan. Mix in the vinegar. Add chopped tomatoes and tomato paste, black pepper, 1 ½ tsp salt, cumin, and cayenne. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 12 minutes.

7. Layer the rice, then macaroni, then the lentils on a platter. Sprinkle with the remaining caramelized onions, then top with the tomato sauce.

Why not go all out and make a complete meal of it? Try this recipe for hummus—the same one used by our chefs onboard—and learn about how one Jordanian winery is reviving their country's wine culture

HUMMUS TOP IT OFF

INGREDIENTS

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

¼ cup tahini

Juice of 1 lemon

1 clove garlic

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cumin

TOPPINGS

A few dashes of paprika

4 cups fresh parsley

¼ cup fresh basil

¼ cup fresh dill

½ cup sliced radishes

PREPARATION

1. Add all ingredients (minus toppings) into a food processor and blend until smooth.

2. Pour onto a platter and spread with the back of a spoon.

3. Top with paprika, herbs, and radishes.

JORDANIAN WINE

Despite being one of the oldest wine-growing regions in the world, Jordan has a newly burgeoning wine industry. After centuries of taking a cultural backseat, the ancient tradition is making a comeback, largely thanks to Jordan River Winery. The label reintroduced the industry in the late 20th century and also established the first wine-tasting experience in the country, where visitors can taste how the basalt terroir of Northern Jordan lends a distinctive taste to several international grape varieties.

You can visit the Jordan River Winery tasting room on a Masterpiece Collection add-on experience during the pre-cruise Jordan extension to our Splendors of Egypt & the Nile itinerary.

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 PROMOTION S

An exclusive WELCOME GIFT to commemorate your membership

Complimentary IN-ROOM TREAT waiting onboard upon arrival

Complimentary LAUNDRY service

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Members-only onboard COCKTAIL PARTY

PRIORITY NOTIFICATION on new cruises and programs

Dedicated PHONE NUMBER

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

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