Venice & the Jewels of Veneto - Uniworld S.S. La Venezia - Introduction

 

This was our 22^nd cruise and the first with Uniworld. We have cruised with Viking 16 times, Scenic 3 times, Riviera once, and during Covid, two weeks on English waterways in a canal boat.

 

We picked this cruise because we’ve been on all the other rivers (except the Elbe which was cancelled in May because of low water), and we chose Uniworld because they seem to be the only company cruising there.

 

It’s not actually river cruising but it’s not ocean cruising either, the boat cruises marked deeper channels between shallows. Venice is on one of the many islands in a shallow lagoon separated from the Adriatic Sea by narrow barrier islands with five channels through which large ocean ships can enter to replenish the area with goods, and ocean cruisers, though they are no longer allowed to moor at Venice.

 

As there were no other river cruisers in the lagoon, we were not rafted at all.

The Boat

Uniworld claim to be ‘Ultra-Luxury’ but while some may like the over decoration it did nothing for me.  La Venezia is ornately decorated with huge vases filled with artificial flowers, heavy cumbersome oversized chairs, and bedrooms with padded patterned cloth walls, matching curtain and a patterned painted ceiling.  Apparently each of Uniworld's boats are differently decorated.

The boat had split decks so rooms were on Decks 1, 2, 3 & 4 and unusually the main dining room was at the rear of the boat at the end of Deck 4 cabins.

Access to the sundeck was mostly via metal steps with one metal handrail that doesn’t go all the way down. Metal handrails get too hot to hold in bright sunlight.

Reception area, bar & lounge ahead and pizzeria steps either side

I went up the four steps beside the bar entrance, pushed open the heavy door and up inside wooden steps into the night-time’s  pizzeria. Doors outside give access to the lower sundeck at the bow where two large umbrellas give total shade.

The upper sundeck has four awnings supplying some shade, but not total shade as they are perforated. Under each, running lengthwise is what looks like a sofa with a central back rest  with seating either side. However, the seating is wide, so if you use the backrest your knee is on the seat, and if you keep feet on the ground you can’t reach the backrest. There are also tables and chairs.

Ship Wi-Fi didn’t reach the sundeck. However, when moored in Venice I logged in to the Hilton opposite using my cabin number and surname and got immediate access.

 

There is one hot drinks machine, located in a tiny cubby hole by the stairs on Deck 2. There’s also  a guests clothes washer  and ice dispenser s on floor 1.

The lift services all floors other than the sundeck. It consists of a moving platform with  a waist high control panel on one side. To reach the desired floor one must keep the button pressed as releasing it stops the lift. Also to summon the lift one has to keep the button pressed until the noise stops and you can open the lift shafts door. I would not like to use this with children as their fingers could be scraped or trapped.

The Room

We had a French balcony on the top floor. According to the relevant sites the Uniworld room is larger than Viking’s Longship French balcony, but it didn’t feel like it.  There is no desk and no fridge (unlike Viking, Scenic & Riviera). As I have medicines that need a fridge this was an important omission, and one I did not even consider as all my other cruises had a fridge in even the cheapest cabin. There was one chair and one stool.

There is a large drawer under the bed, and there’s still room for cases

In the cabin are metal water bottles and room card wallets to keep. A glass bottle of water is topped up each day.

Only the suites get butler service, unlike Scenic, and also unlike Scenic there is no free refilled mini bar and snacks.

 

None of the rooms have a veranda. (Veranda that you can step outside your room onto, as opposed to a French balcony which is a floor to ceiling window that can be slid open.)

The Bathroom 

The bathroom seemed cramped.

I was pleased there was a blue ceiling nightlight as the bathroom door opened onto to the beds.

 

Water temperature on the shower fluctuated; toiletries were in refillable containers screwed to the wall, and   high in the shower

There was an area of the mirror above the sink which was heated, but it was so high I could see only my pate if I stood back. I’m 5ft 7inches, so I suspect it was of little use to many and the height of the shower dispensers would cause many problems.

Dining

I appreciated being welcomed by name when I entered the restaurant at dinner.

The restaurant is on deck 4 at the rear of the boat. There were ample tables for two, four and larger groups. We always ate at a table for two. Heavy big chairs obstructed. Partitions break up the rear part of dining room into smaller intimate areas.

 

The front part is separated from the rear part by wine coolers, waiters’ stations and entrances to the galley. Seating in the front is around the side as the centre is occupied by the buffet tables. The buffet gets crowded and it’s hard to move about.

 

The website claims ‘Unlimited beverages, including fine wines’ but the first thing seen at dinner is a list of Premium wines facing the food items: these have an extra charge. 

They were eight white and eight red wines that are included. From these the on-board sommelier picked one red and one white to be poured with lunch and dinner. It’s possible to get another from the included list if you don’t fancy to chosen wine. Unlike Scenic and Viking where wine glasses were continually refilled, one could wait a long time with an empty glass and on several occasions I got up from my table to ask.

 

Breakfast and lunch were served as a buffet, as was one dinner. There was a chef station where variously spaghetti  bolognaise, salmon en croute, spare ribs, roast chicken etc were served and carved daily. I liked the fresh salads, though there were only two salad dressings, plus oil & vinegar. There were three small plates of fruits, usually two types of grapes and one of strawberries, but the latter went fast and were not restocked.

 

There was no egg station at breakfast. Scrambled egg was available on the buffet but all other egg dishes had to be ordered from wait staff who’d get it from the galley.

One day I ordered eggs over-easy ‘with very runny yolks’. The menu says “two brown free-range eggs cooked to your preference (sunny side up, over easy, over medium, over hard…)”. Uniworld is an American company and I’ve ordered over-easy eggs in cheap diners and posh hotels across the USA and never been presented with anything like this:

I got a second attempt which wasn’t any better, and when the third attempt arrived like this:

I decided to do without.

On  three evenings the pizzeria is open; there’s just four pizzas on its menu and it must be booked. We didn’t eat there.

Panani Bar laid for early breakfast

Before breakfast service opens, there are self-serve croissants, flaky pastries ,coffee and orange juice at the front of the lounge. No jams, butter, bread or tea. This are is grandly titled the Panini Bar whose menu lists three paninis. I never saw anyone have one.