Recommend October 2017 - 48

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onboardreview

Uniworld's Aptly
Named Joie de Vivre

Accommodations with a view
on board the Joie de Vivre.

Geri Bain

Sitting in S.S. Joie de Vivre's intimate
Le Bistrot, admiring the burgundy leather
banquettes, classic red- and white-checked
tablecloths and Moulin Rouge poster and
enjoying scrumptious onion soup and
cassoulet, it would be easy to think I was
at a Parisian cafe. Introduced this spring,
Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection's
newest Super Ship is as French as the Seine
River it sails, from the Pierre Frey Braquenie
fabrics and plush velvet dining room ceiling
to the local wines the sommelier selects to
complement regional culinary choices featured
at each meal.
What first struck me as I stepped aboard was
the sumptuous decor. My 194-sq.-ft. French
balcony stateroom, picture-perfect with its
Savoir of England bed, rose fabric headboard,
silk-covered walls and puffy white bedding,
had a floor-to-ceiling window that lowers
halfway to convert to a French balcony or
can be covered by drawing the elegant drapes,
all with the press of a button. Generous
storage space included six drawers plus two
large under-bed drawers and a full closet. The
marble bathroom's heated floor and towel rack,
L'Occitane products, comfy robes, and regular
and rain showerheads felt totally indulgent.
Despite carrying only 128 passengers, the
ship offers a choice of dining styles. In addition
to the bistro and 24-hour room service, the
main dining room, Le Restaurant Pigalle,
served buffet breakfast and lunch and a la carte
dinner. Claude's had a fun sharing menu in
a versatile space that converts every evening
from the Club L'Esprit pool area to an intimate
starry-ceiling supper club. Self-serve areas for
gourmet coffees, teas, fresh fruit and candy
48 october 2017

added a homey-touch, and afternoon tea
was served daily in the Salon Toulouse. Two
experiences came with surcharges: a cooking/
wine-pairing evening in Caves des Vins; and a
guided behind-the-scenes Progressive Dinner,
visiting the bridge, engine room, galley
and laundry. After dinner, several evenings
featured local entertainers at Salon Toulouse,
while depending on the night, Claude's
offered quieter music or movies.
Highlights of the 8-day Paris & Normandy
itinerary included tours of Monet's Garden
at Giverny and Rouen, with tastings of local
cheeses and treats in the market, and a fullday bus trip from Rouen to Normandy's World
War II sites.
The ship's all-inclusive pricing includes
excursions, gratuities, WiFi, unlimited
beverages, airport transfers and more,
and many departures waive or reduce
single supplements.
Owned by the hands-on Tollman family,
Uniworld brings a highly personal touch
to all its ships and Joie de Vivre was clearly
designed for this itinerary. In addition to posh
French-inspired decor, its shortened length,
125 meters, allows it to dock within walking
distance of the Eiffel Tower. It also docks
right in the center of Rouen, Caudebec-enCaux, Les Andelys and Mantes-la-Jolie. As an
active traveler, I was delighted by the quality
bicycles that travel with the ship and are at
the ready at each port. The ship also has a
decent spa/fitness center featuring a small
pool with a resistance current for swimmers
and morning yoga, aquasize and other classes.
At many ports, Go Active options, like guided
bike tours and golf, complemented more

traditional sightseeing, generally walking tours
or bike tours. Gentle Walker options were also
offered, although some still required a fair bit
of walking.
"The Joie de Vivre appeals to everyone from
Baby Boomers to younger honeymooners,
and we see a great demand among
multigenerational families traveling together
on our Generations sailings in the summer,"
says Kristian C. Anderson, Uniworld's senior
v.p., global sales.
Lisa Long and Rick Amsden of Luxury
Vacations LLC, an independent agency in
the Avoya Network, who were on my sailing,
noted, "It's the little touches that make all
the difference, like the way the Uniworld
staff tunes into our guests, how the bar never
closes until the last person leaves, the pillow
menu.... The nice part for us is that so many
clients come back and want to book their
next cruise right away!"
Getting there: I flew Norwegian's
nonstop Boeing 787 Dreamliner service
from JFK to Paris in Premium class, which,
according to a spokesperson, often costs half
of its competitors' Premium Economy fares.
Norwegian's Premium travelers have access to
a dedicated check-in line, fast-track security, a
lounge, onboard dining and surprisingly wide
seats with 46 inches of legroom. Norwegian
also flies to Paris from Los Angeles, Fort
Lauderdale and Orlando and will be adding
service from Newark (Feb. 28), Denver (April
9), Oakland/San Francisco (April 10) and
Boston (May 2). ■
Contact Information
Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection: uniworld.com
recommend.com
http://www.uniworld.com http://www.recommend.com
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