U by Uniworld a German River Cruise
Which River Cruise is the Best?
I took my first ever cruise with U by Uniworld for 8 days and 7 nights down the Main and Danube Rivers in Germany. We sailed through the Main river most of the time, then eventually transferred to the Danube, hitting six German cities along the way. Transferring between nearly 100 locks. But one of the best parts of this cruise was the theme…tattoos!
In a world of celebrity chefs and celebrity spokespersons, I never imagined that there were celebrity tattoo artists! But that’s who was with us on this cruise. A number of them were on hand to make this cruise extra special. Along with all of the incredible sights, it was definitely a week dedicated to all things ink and being creative, whether you had tattoos or not.
Since the cruise was tattoo themed, creativity was flowing everywhere on the boat and we had tattoo judging contests. Those with tattoos got the opportunity to show them off for a chance to win some prizes or even new ink!
Day 1 - Frankfurt
We arrived in Frankfurt. A German city that bustles with a certain excitement. Or maybe it was just my own excitement I was feeling in anticipation of the cruise. Either way, Frankfurt is an awesome city. We met up with our fellow cruisers on the boat for a quick orientation, followed by exploring the city at night attending a cider festival. The on-board party was co-hosted by the tattoo artists who were to accompany us on the cruise, and they were all fantastic!
Then it was time to set sail! We left at around 10pm, and cruised leisurely down the Main River overnight onto our next destination.
Day 2 – Miltenburg
We awoke the next morning near Miltenburg, Germany and walked into town. It was a Bavarian wonderland of a town and we hiked up to the Miltenburg Castle. Entry was 3€. If you take the scenic hike up it will take nearly 30-45 minutes. For a quicker arrival, find the stairs at the bottom of the castle and head all the way to the top. Another great aspect of this trip was that we visited the cutest quaint towns you would only see in pictures or movies. We got to see much of Old-World Europe in the form of cobblestone streets and rustic, colorful buildings.
We rode bikes around town and stopped in cafes to people watch.
Day 3 - Wűrzburg
Today is where we really got to let our creative juices flow! While the boat was cruising, the guests on board got to participate in a wine and paint day on the boat. We all sat at easels and painted what ever images we were storming up in our heads. Then we arrived in Wűrzburg for a Bavarian Palace tour, followed by enjoying locally made wine on the Old Main Bridge. We had the opportunity to drink from several different wines from the region, it was almost like a wine tasting!
Then we got ready for a night in town to spend exploring on our own.
Day 4 – Rothenburg
In the morning, we hopped on a bus and rode into Rothenburg. We started out with a guided tour of the city, then the rest of the day was ours to explore freely as we wished. Rothenburg is another stunningly picturesque town that was full-on Bavarian style. I didn’t want to stop taking pictures! The true town where the famous Christmas Markets take place.
As night fell, we met back at the boat for a silent disco celebration! If you don’t know what silent disco is, it’s where everyone wears headphones and there is no band or DJ – the music is coming directly into your ears. With 3 different genres of music to choose from, everyone seems to be dancing to their own beat. Silent disco should be an up and coming thing in the world because it was so much fun.
Day 5 - Bamberg
Our next stop was waking up in Bamberg. Here we checked out the Old Town Hall and cathedral, which was simply stunning. The Old Town Hall sits right in the middle of a bridge across the river that runs through town. Later, I tried something completely new and different – a glass of Rauchbier – which is a smoked beer. It tasted very interesting, to say the least!
After a day of exploring Bamberg, it was back on the boat for some singing! Karaoke night was so much fun because whether you were a good or bad singer, everyone applauded for you!
Day 6 – Nuremberg
In the historical town of Nuremberg, we joined a World War II tour. Here we visited where the Nazis rallies were held, went into a WW2 museum and rounded out the tour in the Nuremberg Trial CourtHouse. While there were somber moments during the tour, it was a fascinating look into world history and very eye-opening.
Then it was back on the boat for disco night! It wasn’t silent this time – if you wanted to you could dress up in 70’s garb and danced ‘til you dropped. It was a day spent in the way-back machine, for sure! Our themed nights on the boat seemed to be the most innocent fun and we danced all night to songs we haven’t heard in a while. So much FUN!
Day 7 – Regensburg
The next morning, we awoke in Regensburg and walked the castle there. It was a breathtaking example of European architecture and was so incredible to be up close to such an immense stone structure. Afterwards, we attended a mini Oktoberfest fair for, you guessed it, more beer! But even if you were not a beer drinker, there was plenty of tasty foods and drinks to enjoy!
The farewell party on the last night of the boat was beyond memorable! Cruising on a boutique styled cruise truly allowed the guests on board to really connect with each other. Officially leaving with friends from all over! And for the staff, amazing service all around! You're truly catered to 24/7.
While we were on the boat, U River Cruises provided us with utmost service all around, and all the amenities we could want. Food was served three times a day buffet style, with an open bar ALL day. It was an intimate boutique boat where all of us got to know each other quickly and by the end of the cruise, we were almost like family!
On the boat, there were yoga workouts in the AM, with daily cleaning service and Bluetooth in our rooms. Massages, free laundry, and a gym were available. All throughout the week, we were in constant communication with staff via Whatsapp, which provided us with a digital itinerary so we always had it on hand. U River Cruises also takes pride in being plastic free, which is very admirable.
All of this made for an incredible week of exploring Germany and unforgettable memories of a life time. I truly had no idea that a cruise could be this much fun, and I can’t wait until the next sail!
