Queen Isabel Cruise Reviews - Reviews

Having cruised with Uniworld before, we booked this cruise based on our past experience.  While they used the Uniworld trademark, this was not a Uniworld cruise...not the quality of the ship, the service, the food.  Only TWO of the people on the staff actually worked for Uniworld and the ship was leased (-as are all ships on the Duoro River by Duoro Azul).  Anyone on the ship who had cruised with Uniworld before expressed great displeasure and disappointment in everything from the uncomfortable beds and lumpy pillows, to very average food and service. I will certainly contact Uniworld to express my displeasure.  T

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It was a marvelous trip.  This is our 3rd river cruise on Uniworld and it was the best.  Great scenery and the daily tours were really good.  The food was OK, with breakfast and lunch being the best and dinners above average but not great.  This cruise boat had many upgrades since we last traveled.  The internet was better and the addition of US plugs were appreciated.  Our cabin was fine but would have preferred an upgrade to the 2nd deck so we would have had a floor to ceiling window. 

We would recommend this tour/cruise for those who want to learn more about Portugal, Spain and Port wine.  Lisbon and Portugal were the highlights as the Lisbon tour director/Uniworld rep. was the best.  She gave us suggestions of local restaurants and things to do in our free time in Lisbon.  We spent 4 hours enjoying a museum she recommended near the hotel.  The Intercontinental Hotel in Lisbon exceeded our expectations but we cannot say the same about the Palace Hotel.  The only great thing about the Palace was the location and door staff.   It did not live up to the 5 star rating, beds and pillows were too soft, quite a few on the tour complained and were told they were in the "cheap" rooms, what did they expect so the staff put a board under the mattress.  The beds were soft in the higher priced rooms too.  The Uniworld staff and tour guides in Spain did not measure up to the high bar set by the Portugal staff and guides.  The River part of the trip was very interesting, the boat staff was trying but service and quality of the food was just not there.   The cruise did not live up to what we expected from  Uniworld , maybe it was because we had just been spoiled by excellent service on a 14 day Seabourn cruise before arriving in Lisbon to begin this adventure.  We had been told that Uniworld was equal to Seabourn in service and accommodations, but we did not find that to be the case.  The food and service was equal to a previous Viking tour we had taken at lesser price.  We enjoyed the Douro River but spent too much time of buses for the time spent touring.  If we book another river cruise, we would try another all inclusive company before returning to Uniworld.

Guide was awful cruise was awful. Only on ship 4 days of the contracted 7 rest of time on buses and dragging from hotels no efforts for our comfort or safety or enjoyment. When on ship it was docked in Punhao usually between 2 ships. No view lots of diesel fumes.

Was a lovey day of cruising down the Rhine River valley. Stopped numerous little towns and got to explore Germany.