Uniworld's team was very professional and helped with each aspect of the tour. We were very pleased and will consider them in future travel plans. The itinerary covered a lot of territory in a very short time. On days where it was too hot or we were too tired to participate in excursions, the team checked on us to see if they could do anything for us. They were very good at what they do.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
After Oberoi Hotel airport pick-up and hotel check-in, Uniworld's Tour Director Vishal Bhaskar greeted us in the hotel lobby and provided us the welcome package for our tour. Everything was well organized.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
The Ganges Voyager II is a small ship that can accommodate about 50 passengers. There were only 29 in our group tour. The ship was well kept, the dining room staff were very helpful for the breakfast and lunch buffets. Dinners were plates with many options. The food was always fresh and presented well.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
There were daily and sometimes twice daily shore excursions that divided guests into two groups with an English-speaking guide that stayed with us throughout the cruise portion of this tour. Onboard, the crew provided entertainment that included a shore-side dance with fireworks and candle lanterns that floated into the night skies. We also had both saree and turban events to dress up and henna tattoos. They also had a cooking demonstration that we did not attend, but were provided copies of the recipes. We had a movie night and both drinks and popcorn were served.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
A magician did a show for us one day and two dance troupes were brought on the ship to entertain us as well. Everything was well done and entertaining.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
All the crew we encountered were excellent. Although we did not have direct contact with the Marine Team(engineering) they were present and always happy to say hello (namaste). The housekeeping was great with twice daily cleaning/refreshing our room. The Culinary team did an outstanding job preparing and presenting dishes in the dining room. The Bar team was excellent and even took song requests to play from bluetooth from all genres of music.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Everything seemed to be well maintained. It was easy to get around the ship with a large deck on the top level to relax, have a drink or nap.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Our cabin stewards (Suraj and Rohit) were always available to keep our cabin well stocked and clean. The only problem we encountered was the "sometimes" availability of internet access even in port. It was a bit frustrating and did not have anything to do with the crew. It would seem that Uniworld could find a way to get better service especially near port towns - including Kolkata.
Ship tip
Have a great time, don't let the little stuff get in the way. Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. The heat and humidity are hotter than you would think.
The rickshaw ride through the markets was fun. It was a very colorful experience. The city bus tours was interesting, but it would be nice to have been able to get out to see some of the major historical sites.
It was great to see the Taj Mahal at sunset! As expected, it was crowded but our hotel was close and able to get there and do our tour in time to see the sun come down. Although there was an option for sunrise the next morning as well, the pollution would not have provided the best view of the Taj Mahal.
The tour to the flower market was very interesting. The colors were vibrant and the activity very quick. We were warned to watch out for workers carrying good on their head as it could be quite difficult to avoid them. As we were in festival season, it was very busy and even though they try to keep it clear of debris, it would be impossible. Caution would be the buzz word.
We had an interesting walk through the village and enjoyed watching the crew play some cricket with several of the guests on the local field. The children in the village were as interested in us and we were in them.
It was interesting to see the building of the Hare Krishna complex and temple. It was a very active area with many followers from around the world. We were welcomed by many locals and other visitors to the site.
Uniworld was the best in scheduling disembarkation. With 29 passengers with multiple flights and travel arrangements. They allowed late departures with transportation to the Kolkata airport. Some disembarked on the last night, throughout the night and some at 3 p.m. Everything was well accommodated for each passenger.
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