OVERVIEW/SUMMARY:

Uniworld extended a generous offer to us for this trip in late January for a reduced fare. My husband and I, both early sixties, jumped at the offer since after over 40 ocean cruises, we had never personally experienced a river cruise. (Not counting the San Antonio River on the Riverwalk.) We have been to France and Europe previously however we wanted to try the river cruising experience. This is not a trip for those with mobility problems as most tours are walking. Slow paced, but walking and some over uneven terrain. The boat has no elevators, some newer ones do, but not the Baroness.

Overall our experience was as follows:

Ship/Cabin: Positive, small but met our expectations.

Itinerary: Wonderful!

Dining Service: Good-Continental, open seating.

Hotel Service: Positive

Entertainment: Limited

Shore Excursions: Wonderful-Most included with the fare.

Book for clients: In a heartbeat for those looking for this type of experience..

DINING:

The dining room in on the lower level of the boat.

Breakfast is buffet with an omelet/egg station. There is an “early risers” station near the office with juices, coffee and Danish. Standard dining room fare each morning of hot and cold cereals, yogurt, fresh fruit, cheeses, sausage/bacon, scrambled eggs, potatoes. Luncheon, if on board, was also a buffet including sandwich makings, pizza, usually a main hot course such as beef, ham, and turkey with side dishes.

There is one dinner seating at approximately 7PM for all 140 guests. Tables are available for two, four and six. Staff is very attentive. Served very Continental with many courses but each with small portions. Each evening’s main course consisted of a fresh fish and usually a fowl, port or beef with entrees, soup, salad, cheese and dessert. Steak, chicken and broiled salmon were available every evening if desired.

Rating Scale 0-10 (Poor-Excellent) Subjective to the Author.

Ambiance (10), Food Selections (9), Food Quality (8), Service (7)

• Highlights: Ambiance (how can one improve the French Countryside floating by your dining window), décor, good (not great, many staff have multiple jobs on board) service.

• Lowlights: Tables are too close together making it difficult for waiters to serve and getting up and down from the table. At a window seat, you were pretty much there for the duration.

DINING RECOMMENDATIONS:

• Don’t do all your dining onboard. Try the local restaurants; they are wonderful. In Honfleur, we spent approximately $30 each for lunch. It was a full meal, delicious and representative of the average cost.

THE CABIN:

Use of space is one of most efficient I’ve seen; not a wasted inch. Cabins are all identical in décor and size and on two decks. Typically, the better cabins are on the upper deck for better views. The cabin is approximately 120 to 125 sqft including the bath. Small closet, approximately 48 inches wide with three drawers at the bottom and a safe operated with your room key. A floor to ceiling mirror just inside the cabin door. Beds were made as an “oversized” double but with typical European duvets; a single duvet for each. The headboard for the bed is actually shelving; similar to a bookcase across the entire top and down each side. There was one chair and a small “cube” table with storage on a bottom shelf. The window was a picture window approximately four feet square. The bath was extremely small; unable to bend over in the shower, small basin area with limited storage and commode. It was very clean and kept that way during the week.

BOAT:

Two deck with cabins and public rooms and a top sun deck with chairs and lounges. Some of the newer river cruises have hot tubs available on this open deck but not on the River Baroness.

On river boats standard cabin accommodations (excluding suites found only on the newer boats) are all the same size and décor. Fares are based solely on location. The lesser expensive cabins are located on the lowest level with windows very close to the water line. These cabins do not always offer the better views. In addition, a small gift shop and the dining room were on this deck.

The second deck had the higher fared cabins, the purser’s office area, small seating area where “early bird” Continental breakfast was served beginning at 6:30 AM and afternoons offered coffee and tea and the main lounge. This lounge is where all the port talks were given; Captain’s Welcome Cocktail party and local talent were brought on board a couple of evenings.

EMBARKATION/DEBARKATION

• We booked our own air due to a preferred schedule from San Antonio to Houston and direct to Charles de Gaulle in Paris. We purchased transfers from Uniworld at a cost of $50 per passenger round trip. After considering we would be tired after a long over night flight and the taxi fare could easily be $40 to $50 including tip to the City Center from Charles de Gaulle, we elected to purchase Uniworld’s transfers. As soon as we cleared immigration and picked up our luggage, our driver was standing right at the door we exited with our names clearly signed. He took the luggage cart and off we went in a private car.

We arrived at the boat moored just down river from the Eiffel Tower at approximately noon. Our luggage taken and we were greeted and walked on board. Rooms were not to be available until 2PM. In the lounge we found several of other agent’s from our group and where a luncheon buffet was set up. We ultimately were into our rooms by 1PM.

Our bags were waiting in our cabin when we arrived with a welcoming bottle of champagne from our Uniworld representative.

• According to departing flight schedules, colored tags were assigned and schedules posted on the board. Some left as early at 6:15AM for 9AM flights; our departure was 12:55PM luggage had to be in the reception area by 8:30 AM and our bus transfer was at 10AM. Slept a little longer, dressed leisurely and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast.

SHORE EXCURSIONS:

• All shore excursions on most European River cruises are included with the cruise fare, adding to the value. There can be Optional Tours offered at various prices.

• On this trip, only two optional tours were offered. On the second day to The Louvre at 44E each (about $60US) and the following day to Versailles at 66E each (about $90US). We passed on the Louvre tour. I had been there before and two hours in the museum is not close to enough time. I did take the Versailles tour and was disappointed. It has been a number of years since I’ve been; like forty, and the first trip Versailles was spectacular with very few tourists, the formal gardens exploding with color and all the fountains running. I walked through the Hall of Mirrors at that time when there were probably no more than 45 people in the Hall; saw the desk where the Versailles Treaty was signed. This is really a spectacular palace and the history of the French Monarchy tantalizing.

This trip was elbow to elbow. We left on Easter Sunday and that began the first of a two week spring break vacation time in Europe. There were many families traveling and a many school groups. I said once again, you should never, never go back!

ITINERARY:

• Day 1, Sunday, April 8th we arrived at the boat approximately noon. Once in our cabin and unpacking, we elected to take a short nap to be able to enjoy our first dinner and the Seine River night boat trip taking in the dancing lights of the Eiffel Tower, passing the Louvre, the government buildings and under numerous gorgeous bridges. Back about 11 PM without any difficulty in sleeping. The boat overnights in Paris.

• Day 2, Monday, April 9th we take a bus tour of the city. Two stops during the tours. General tour down the Champs e lese, the Arch de' Triumph, Concord Place where Marie Antoinette and Louis lost their heads to the guillotine, past the Louvre the Eiffel Tower; your typical “city tour”. That afternoon was free and we took the opportunity walk back to the Eiffel Tower, a leisurely walk along the Seine. That evening was the Captain’s Welcome cocktail and dinner party.

Our Captain did not speak one word of English but the only member of the crew who did not. One from our group was invited to dine at his table and we all mentioned it would be a tough evening. Fortunately the Tour Director was also there and acted as interpreter. Dress for the evening was simply a nice dress or pantsuit. Most men wore shirt, tie and sport’s jacket. Some did not. It is very casual. Dinner was a fixed menu of about seven courses. That evening we left our moor in the city center with our first stop to be Conflans Ste Honorine just north of Paris. (This entire trip is only 200 miles.)

• Day 3, Tuesday, April 10th we awoke to this wonderful little village and watched as people began their daily routines; a trip to the local bakery or off to work. Following a buffet breakfast. We were bused to the tiny village of Auvers sur Oise, the last home of Vincent Van Gogh during the impressionist period. Many locations in the tow were inspirations for many of Van Gogh’s famous works. This trip did give me an “art” fix!

We returned to the boat and elected to have a local lunch in this wonderful little village. It is difficult to eat a “light” lunch in Europe as most take their main meal of the day at noon eating a light meal in the evening; perhaps a lesson we should all take. Following lunch we bused to our Versailles tour located outside of the city of Paris explained in greater detail above.

• Day 4, Wednesday, April 11th A day on the river and a day I had to attend a business meeting at the invitation of my host for the week. That afternoon we moored in the little town of Vernon until 4AM.

We were bused to Giverny the home of Claude Monet. We did a walking tour of the town while learning the interesting history of this man. His home and gardens have been fully restored by the government it was interesting to see the bridge and garden area where he was inspired to pain his famous water lily paining. He is probably my favorite of the impressionist era.

Following our evening meal, about seventeen of us all walked into this charming small village. In the old, old Cathedral there was a wonderful choral concert taking place we just happened upon. From there further up the street a small sidewalk café/bar getting ready to close for the evening until he saw us coming. We must have looked thirsty. I think we had two very expensive rounds of beer. But, we made a French café owner very happy! Another good day. Upon returning to our boat, we discovered something else about river cruising. The boats "double park". In order to return to our boat we had to walk through a Viking boat. Common and done all the time in river cruising.

• Day 5, Thursday, April 12th we awoke moored in Rouen. We enjoyed a walking tour in this bustling city of over 100,000 and where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. I have failed to previously mention, due to the warm weather, the fruit trees and Dogwood trees were in full bloom and breathtaking. Rouen was especially bursting with color. We stopped on a lovely town square area just to “people watch” which we love and enjoyed a local beer prior to walking back to the boat. We overnighted in Rouen.

We were to have moved to Le Havre but were unable to due to permits and squabbles between the owners of the Baroness, the Dutch and the owners of the River, the French. Red tape in every country. Uniworld arranged for all wine and cocktails on both the Captains nights complimentary for the inconvenience. The impact was additional hours on a bus leaving less time at the Normandy beaches or US Cemetery or Honfleur where more time would have really been nice.

• Day 6, Friday, April 13th we bused to Honfleur, a small boating village close to the mouth of the Seine River. A picture postcard place popular with the Europeans as a vacation resort. I could have spent days here. The walking tour around the village was wonderful. Afterwards we ate on the square. A luncheon for four, full meals of chicken, fish and prawns (forgot in Europe they serve them and all fish with their heads on and eyes staring up at you). Luncheon for four with a bottle of local red wine and gratuity was approximately $135 or $34 each. On the return trip to Rouen, we drive through Le Havre and learned it has taken its place as the 5th largest port in Europe.

• Day 7, Saturday, April 14th we awoke to a misty, cloudy day. The first and only day. Eerily recalled the weather was similar for the actual invasion of D-Day. We first bused to Normandy, approximately a two and a half hour drive. We first went to Gold Beach which lies between Juno and Omaha beaches and where the British landed. There was a very nice museum with interactive movies and talks. I learned more than I ever did from a school book. We had lunch in a nice local restaurant sitting right on the beach. We also learned this area is very well known for their hard apple cider.

That afternoon we went on to Omaha Beach where the terrain is not much changed. Craters in the ground where remain from bombs and German bunkers remain. We saw the huge cliff where our US boys grapple hooked up and I could only say I would not have done that today under sunny skies let alone with the Germans firing at me. One is humbled and is made to recall what a brilliant plan it was and how different our lives would be today had it not been successful!

We ended our time in Normandy at the US Cemetery where over 30,000 of our “boys” remain. The French government gave this land to us and you are actually on US soil while in the Cemetery. Following our two and a half bus ride back to our boat knowing our trip was quickly coming to an end. We enjoyed our last Captain’s Dinner, again a seven course meal. Said our good byes, extended our gratuities and retired to our cabin for the unhappy job of packing to return to the real world.

• Day 8, Sunday, April 15th up at approximately 7AM with time to shower and pack the few remaining articles before having them in the designated reception area by 8:30AM. We then went down to the dining room for our last buffet breakfast. Then retired to the lounge where we awaited our transfer. It was here we learned the next week’s trip only had 35 passengers on board. Some crew members were transferred to other boats until passenger counts increased on this trip. All those arriving were moved up to the Category 1 cabins all located on the upper deck for simplicity for the crew. It was extremely tempting to inquire about staying on board and changing our return flight. Unfortunately, sanity with the realization I had a business and clients waiting for my return, made us come back to reality. We arrived back in San Antonio at 9PM that evening. I hope to have photos posted shortly.