Sailing in Luxury on the Rhône

Tis the season for river cruise inaugurals! Last month I flew to France to participate in the christening of 18 new Viking Longships. I returned home to New York for three days and then headed back to join the celebration for Uniworld Boutique River Cruises' newest ship, the S.S. (Super Ship) Catherine, which was christened by famed French actress Catherine Deneuve.

Now Uniworld President Guy Young told me that his brand new ship, the 11^th in the company’s fleet, was named well before Deneuve was selected as its godmother. But it certainly seemed appropriate that an actress known for her beauty, sophistication and class was naming a river ship bearing her name that reflects those very same qualities. And I even got to speak with her briefly, which as a fan was quite thrilling, I’ll have to admit.  

The 159-passenger, 57-crew S.S. Catherine is Uniworld's newest entry into the higher, more luxurious end of the river cruise market, following the debut over the last three years of sister ships S.S. Antoinette and River Beatrice. Unlike many other great ships in the river cruise market, these new Uniworld vessels are remarkable for their unique decor, fine food and added amenities. They aim to be a cut above what is already a very strong fleet of river ships launched by competing companies.

Indeed, as I keep emphasizing during several of the river cruise panels I've moderated over the past few months at various trade events, river cruise companies are now seeking to differentiate themselves into luxury, high premium and premium categories—though I hesitate to say there is truly any contemporary or mass-market entry today, save for maybe some of the new European brands trying to enter the river market today. In fact, all of the major U.S. river cruise brands now deliver a great and mostly all-inclusive product.

What truly differentiates these companies is the level of all-inclusive experience they deliver, as well as the decor, service, tours and quality of food that they offer. Measured by those qualities Uniworld clearly provides an experience that is one of the most luxurious in the river cruise business today.

One of the reasons for that is Uniworld’s product is very much a labor of love and hospitality by the company’s owners, the Tollman family, who through their company The Travel Corp. own such tour operators as Trafalgar, Insight, Contiki, Brendan, African Travel, Lion World and several others.

More importantly, they own Red Carnation Hotel Collection, which has a series of properties in the U.K., Ireland, South Africa, Switzerland and the U.S. that are all four- or five-star hotels. The common factor for all these properties is that they are elaborated and elegantly designed decorated by Beatrice Tollman, who oversees the hotel collection, and her daughter, Toni Tollman.

Indeed, the S.S. Catherine's christening event was very much a family affair attended not only by Beatrice and Toni Tollman, but by Travel Corp. Chairman Stanley Tollman, Beatrice's husband; Stanley's son, Brett Tollman, president and CEO of Travel Corp., and his family; and Stanley's nephews Gavin Tollman, CEO of Trafalgar Tours, and Michael Tollman, chairman of the company's South Africa holdings, as well as other family members.

On S.S. Catherine, Beatrice and Toni Tollman have put their talents on display using a French-inspired decor that is at once elaborate and elegant. Using rich materials, ornate furniture and original works of art, they have created a luxurious environment that is also quite livable.

Like other European river cruise ships, S.S. Catherine only has a certain amount of space for its accommodations and public spaces, due to the depths of the rivers it sails on, the height of the bridges it must pass under, and the width and length of the locks it must navigate. The ship is just 443 feet in length and 37.5 feet in width.  But Uniworld manages to pack quite a bit in that limited space, including spacious suites and some surprising public areas. Here's a rundown of what the vessel features:

Public Spaces: The ship’s lobby and atrium is notable for its Murano chandelier overlooking a three-story glass elevator. There's also a waterfall cascading down one side of that elevator and a bronze statue of a horse across from the reception desk. Mirrored walls, marble floors and potted green plants lend an opulence to the atrium, even though it is only three decks high.

S.S. Catherine also features its signature Bar du Leopard, a bar decorated with leopard sculptures and spotted upholstery that echoes the Leopard lounges found in some Red Carnation Hotels and on S.S. Antoinette. The bar also includes the ship’s small indoor pool, which adds a new element of décor at night.

The Van Gogh Lounge, which includes a lavish bar and even a fireplace (with no real fire, of course), is where guests can gather for nightly entertainment, lectures, afternoon tea and evening drinks. The Ce´zanne Restaurant, located on the deck beneath the Van Gogh Lounge, is an ornate space for elegant dining. There’s also a small coffee and tea bar on the lowest deck. There’s a massage/spa room and a fitness center.

Dining: The Ce´zanne Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with open seating and tables of four, six and eight. A well-trained wait staff provides full a la carte service for dinner, and both buffet and a la carte service for breakfast and lunch.

Like other Uniworld ships, S.S. Catherine serves high-quality cuisine made from local ingredients. Chefs visit local farmers’ markets to ensure that Uniworld guests can expect gourmet dishes for every meal. Cuisine is French and Continental, but also veers off to showcase some of Beatrice Tollman’s favorite dishes (she doubles as a culinary consultant), including special chicken dishes (Bea’s lemon chicken), soups and desserts.

Accommodations: The ship has 80 staterooms, five suites and one Royal Suite. The Royal Suite, which has a French balcony and a full open-air balcony, measures 410 square feet, while the five other suites are each 305 square feet. Stateroom Categories 1-3 are each 194 square feet while categories 4-5 are 162 square feet. Suites and Category 1 staterooms, located on the Camarague Deck, have full balconies that with the touch of a button raise the glass to create a completely enclosed conservatory.

Suites and the Royale Suite also can accommodate three people. Category 2 staterooms on this same deck have French balconies. On the lower Avignon Deck, all staterooms have French balconies. On the lowest Saint Remy Deck, lower category staterooms have just windows.

A typical suite or stateroom has a Handcrafted Savoir of England queen or king-size bed, large built-in closets, hair dryer, individual climate-control thermostat, direct-dial telephone, flat-screen TV with infotainment center, bottled water and safe.

Itineraries: S.S. Catherine sails itineraries on the Rho^ne and Sao^ne rivers through Burgundy and Provence, but also offers tour extensions to Normandy and Paris. The eight-day Burgundy & Provence departs Lyon and stops at Tournon/Tain L'Hermitage, Viviers, Avignon and Tarascon before disembarking back in Avignon for the transfer to Marseille Airport. The 15-day "Grand France" takes guests from Paris to Avignon, with the first part of the journey by bus and train in Normandy.

Rates: Burgundy & Provence" starting rates range from $3,399 to $4,499 cruise and land only per person depending on the season. Uniworld’s all-inclusive product features all meals onboard, including seven breakfasts, five lunches and seven dinners on the eight-night sailing. Guests also can attend captain’s welcome and farewell receptions, welcome and farewell gala dinners. They also get unlimited beverage service onboard, including top wines, beers, spirits, soft drinks, specialty coffees and teas, and bottled water; use of bicycles and Nordic walking sticks; onboard local entertainment; a lecture series; free Wi-Fi Internet; and arrival and departure day transfers.

It all adds up to a very upscale river cruise experience, one that clearly puts Uniworld among the leaders in luxury for the category.