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Uniworld Boutique River Cruises has added a second cruise and train cruise in Europe this year, a combination that is growing in popularity among travelers in Europe but has so far only been offered by a handful of river cruise lines.
Building on the success of its cruise and train programs and its partnership with Golden Eagle Luxury Trains, Uniworld launched a new itinerary this year, Castles of Transylvania and the Magical Danube, with two itineraries — one lasting 12 days, the other 13 — that allow guests to explore parts of Eastern Europe. to explore.
The cruise and train program will be launched by the line in 2021, driven by its desire to expand its offerings and serve more European guests.
Uniworld CEO Ellen Bettridge said the partnership with Golden Eagle is a new and innovative way to explore different destinations in different countries on a single trip via different modes of transport.
“Each year we focus on innovation in the river cruise space,” says Bettridge of how the partnership with Golden Eagle has evolved. “To bring this programming to life, we needed a partner that matched our five-star standards, and we were fortunate to find that through our existing industry relationships in Golden Eagle Luxury Trains.”
Photo credit: Nicole Edendo
What sets Uniworld’s itineraries apart is that the train journey is part of the journey rather than an extension of a pre- or post-river excursion.
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Although there are a variety of luxury train options, from day trains to overnighters in destinations worldwide — such as India and Peru — Uniworld says Europe is the clear and best choice for the company to lean into. The railway work.
“Europe, a region we know very well, was the right place to start,” said Bettridge, adding that the first cruise and rail voyages will complement the line’s newly transformed SS La Venezia, taking Uniworld to destinations previously unvisited. .
But the combined benefits of a cruise and train don’t just extend to the scenic advantage of seeing destinations across the rivers. In an increasingly hot and changing climate, shipping and rail options can also be a viable option.
Low water levels affect almost all river cruises on Europe’s Rhine and Danube rivers from late July to late August. Extreme heat and drought conditions have reduced the water to stagnant levels along some river banks. Late summer rains helped fill the rivers to navigable levels, but not before many cruises were canceled, delayed or rescheduled.
“It allows us to appeal to different travelers, offer a product unlike anything else on the market, and adapt when needed,” Cruise & Rail’s Bettridge said.
Luxury train is more popular.
Uniworld is one of the few river cruise companies to include rail travel in an existing cruise that is not part of a pre- or post-cruise extension package. On most lines, travelers must independently book the luxury train body, which providers say is growing in popularity.
“We’re doing a lot of pre- and post-river cruises this year,” says Frank Marini, CEO of Rail Bookers Group, a rail vacation package that specializes in customizable FIT itineraries. “There’s a lot in Switzerland — that’s a big place these pre- and post-river cruises are taking travelers.”
Most river cruises to Switzerland start or end in Basel on the Rhine and transfer by coach or train to start a train journey. Uniworld’s first itinerary, featuring 14-day Milan, Venice and Swiss Alps and 12-day Venice and Swiss Alps trips, begins or ends the Golden Eagle train experience in Zurich.
The company’s new 13-day cruise and train itinerary begins with an overnight stay in Budapest, followed by four nights on the Golden Eagle train and then a seven-day river cruise on the Danube via Austria, returning to Budapest. And before the end in Passau, Germany. The 12-day scenic Danube and Castles of Transylvania cruises in the opposite direction and does not include an overnight stay in Budapest.
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