UNIWORLD SS BEATRICE RIVER CRUISE REVIEW

S.S Beatrice, one of Uniworld’s Super Ships, took part in the recent River Conference in Budapest, and Amy and Rachel had the opportunity to enjoy a night onboard, as well as a ship tour.

Find out more about this luxury river cruise ship in our S.S Beatrice river cruise review.

S.S BEATRICE RIVER CRUISE REVIEW

Without a doubt, the  S.S Beatrice  was the most opulent and luxurious ship out of the ten river cruise ships at the River Cruise Conference in Budapest. After all, she’s a  Uniworld Boutique River Cruises ship, and Uniworld (quite rightly) prides itself on each of its river cruise ships being a work of art. Of course, like art, it is subjective, and the flamboyance of Uniworld’s ships aren’t to everyone’s tastes, but I have to admit that I am very much a fan.

I’d been lucky enough to have experienced a Christmas Markets cruise when she was the  River Beatrice  (you can read about my experience here  Christmas and Gluhwien with Uniworld ), but it was the first time I’d had the opportunity to see her in her new resplendent glory, since she had been ‘Super Shipped’ in 2018. As a result of these renovations,  S.S Beatrice  has been lengthened by a few feet to feature a new, sleeker hull, her decor had been reimagined, and there were additional venues on offer.

During the refurb, three larger suites were added, and four cabins reconfigured as interconnecting family rooms, so capacity has reduced slightly. S.S Beatrice accommodates 152 passengers.

As soon as you step onboard  S.S Beatrice , you’re greeted by the striking custom-made Murano chandelier, which caught my eye the first time I stepped onboard when she was the  River Beatrice. However, the  S.S Beatrice  has a very different look and feel to the  River Beatrice , with cool blue and white finishes throughout, and light wood throughout, which gave it more of a Scandi-chic vibe than previously, when I recall feeling like the decor ‘hugged’ me. She’s been brought up to date with contemporary cool, and this gives the  S.S Beatrice  a lighter, crisper, and airier feel, and she still feels as fresh as if she’d just been renovated yesterday.

Rachel and I had the opportunity to stay onboard overnight, and we were delighted to stay in a suite. There are six different categories on stateroom or suite onboard  S.S Beatrice , starting with just 10 entry-level  Classic Staterooms  on the Moselle deck. This deck is at, or just under, the water level, so staterooms here have a picture window to let in some natural air, rather than a floor-to-ceiling window.

CLASSIC STATEROOMS

Classic staterooms are 150 sq ft (or 14 sq m in metric), and other than featuring a picture window rather than a French balcony, are the same size and feature the same amenities as  French Balcony Staterooms  and  Deluxe French Balcony Staterooms  found on the decks above. 

DELUXE FRENCH BALCONY

Unusually for a Uniworld ship, French and Deluxe French Balcony Staterooms are the same onboard  SS Beatrice  (sometimes, depending on the ship, there may be variations between the two categories); the only difference is the ship position, as French Balcony Staterooms are on the Danube Deck, while Deluxe French Balcony Staterooms are on the Rhine Deck. As their name suggests, they feature a French balcony, and this is the differentiation between these two categories of stateroom, and the Classic Stateroom.

In all of these categories, guests can enjoy a comfortable night’s sleep in a sumptuous, handcrafted Savoir bed, and enjoy decent storage space with built-in closets, while the bathrooms are lined with marble and boast Asprey bath and body products, plush towels, a backlit magnifying mirror, and (to my eternal delight!) cozy bathrobes and slippers.

During our ship tour, we saw a Deluxe French Balcony stateroom ‘dressed up’ to celebrate an anniversary or birthday, with rose petals, champagne, and a romantic bow on the bed.

SUITES ON S.S BEATRICE

There are three categories of suite onboard  S.S Beatrice , all of which feature butler service, trained to the same exacting standards of excellence required by Betty in Buck House.  Uniworld Suites  are all found on the Rhine Deck, and we stayed in the leading suite category.

As with the stateroom categories, you’ll enjoy a handcrafted Savoir bed, built-in closets, a marble bathroom with Asprey bath and body products, plush towels, a backlit magnifying mirror, cozy bathrobes and slippers, but you’ll enjoy much, much more expansive space with 225 sq ft (or 20.9 sq m). This might sound silly, but the pale blue and cream stripe silk that adorns the walls of the suites just made me feel so decadent and luxurious, the brocade lining the walls added an extra level of detail – it’s not just about looks, it’s the feel and touch, too! (There’s a practical advantage with the fabrics used for soundproofing too.)

GRAND SUITES AND ROYAL SUITES

The two remaining Uniworld suite categories are  Grand Suites  and  Royal Suites . These two pairs of suites boast enhanced amenities, over and above the other staterooms and suites, as well as custom decor, making each individual suite – whether Grand Suite or Royal Suite – unique. The Grand Suites are a new addition, befitting one of Uniworld’s Super Ships, and there is now an additional Royal Suite, to create a pair (a King and a Queen, perhaps). At these levels of suites, guests can enjoy a separate living space area, as well as a rain shower and tub, and a secluded toilet area. Grand Suites are 310 sq ft/28.8 sq m, but Royal Suites are even more spacious at 390 sq ft, or 36.2 sq m, and they also boast heated mirrors, a special towel warmer, and the rain shower is separate from the tub. Personally, I preferred the darker blue Royal Suite, it looked more extravagant, and the light wood of the frames of the mirrored wardrobes and the bedside tables set off the perfect contrast to the depth of the dark blue and the gold of the walls, bed, and sofa.

Of course, a river cruise ship is more than just a floating hotel, a place to lay your head to rest at the end of a day exploring riverside destinations, and that’s why you’ll find a range of different public areas onboard any river cruise ship. The heart and hub of the ship is always the lounge, which in the case of  S.S Beatrice  is  Wolfgang’s , on the Rhine Deck.

It was unrecognisable from when I cruised on the River Beatrice! But it’s not just the decor and upholstery that’s been brought up to date, there are USB ports that are handy for any guest whose device is starting to run a little low on charge.

Wolfgang’s is the place to be for onboard entertainment, port talks, or simply watching the passing riverside as the  S.S Beatrice  cruises the Main and Danube rivers.

Continuing forwards through Wolfgang’s to the bow, you’ll discover  Schubert’s , a new S.S Beatrice dining venue added when the  River Beatrice  became Super-shipped. Banquet sofas wrap around the edge, and there are wonderful views to be enjoyed here, along with light refreshments for lunch and afternoon bites, and sharing plates in the evening.

Dishes in this Austrian-styled café are inspired by the local destinations you’ll be visiting, continuing Uniworld River Cruises commitment to  ‘farm-to-table’ cuisine , using only the finest locally-sourced ingredients, and dishes inspired by and reflective of the regions visited.

A second new dining venue that was added in 2018 is  Max’s , named after the (more recent) Austrian composer, Max Stein, the first Golden Globe winner for Best Original Score, and composer of the scores to Golden Era Hollywood classics, such as Gone With the Wind, Little Women and King Kong.

This is one of the few chargeable experiences onboard, but it’s proved popular with guests keen to learn culinary secrets from the ship’s chef with intimate, chef-led cooking classes, or to savour steaks aged to perfection in the dry ager.

Most dining will be enjoyed in the main restaurant,  Mozart’s , found on the Danube Deck, again completely reimagined from its  River Beatrice  incarnation. Trendy booths with banquet seating having been introduced, and the decor is more reflective of the ship throughout, creating greater cohesion, with the blonde wood and blues continuing the ship’s motif.

Although wellness is becoming increasingly popular, it’s not a new fad for Uniworld, as their wellness experts have an average tenure of ten years with Uniworld!

You can burn some of your calories and keep your fitness regime up in the  Fitness Centre  on the Moselle deck, or join a yoga class on the sun deck or TRX® Suspension Class. Although quite a cosy size, the fitness centre is nonetheless well-equipped, with various dumbbell weights, and cardio equipment, including a treadmill, rowing machine, cross trainer, and bike machines. (It is also possible to request the ‘Travelling Lite’ menu, which offers healthier alternatives in the restaurant.) Plus, there’s an on-shore programme of ‘Let’s Go!’ Excursions, with guided walking, hiking, biking, kayaking, and even golf tours, to get your heart rate up while exploring the local destinations. If you’d rather go on an independent adventure, you can use one of the ship’s bikes or Nordic Walking sticks.

Finally, you can rejuvenate with a soothing facial or massage treatment in the  Serenity Riverside Spa  (also on the Moselle deck, next to the Guest Laundry), to complete taking care of your mind, body, and soul.

S.S Beatrice has four decks, starting with the Sun Deck, followed by Rhine Deck featuring Max’s, Wolfgang’s, Schubert’s and the top Uniworld suites. The Danube Deck is where you’ll find Mozart’s as well as the Reception desk, and the French Balcony Staterooms. Finally on Moselle Deck are the Classic Staterooms, guest Laundry and Spa & Fitness Centre.

The  S.S Beatrice cruises the Main and Danube rivers, including the lower Danube to Bucharest. There are a variety of classic, festive, and Lower Danube river cruises, ranging from 8 to 19 days.

DELIGHTFUL DANUBE

Delightful Danube  – the ‘classic’ Danube river cruise between Nuremberg and Budapest for 8 days (you can extend this with the  Delightful Danube & Prague , with a two-day extension in Prague, staying at the Art Deco Imperial Hotel). Highlights of this cruise include options such as:

EUROPEAN HOLIDAY MARKETS

European Holiday Markets   – Enjoy Germany and Austria’s famous festive markets as you cruise between Nuremberg and Vienna for 8 days. Highlights of this cruise include options such as:

GRAND CHRISTMAS & NEW YEARS CRUISE

Grand Christmas and New Year’s Cruise  – Cruising for 13 days from Nuremberg to Budapest, this itinerary has been curated to make the most of the festive season for the most memorable Christmas and New Year. Highlights of this cruise include options such as:

HIGHLIGHTS OF EASTERN EUROPE

Highlights of Eastern Europe  – Go beyond Budapest and discover the Lower Danube on this 10-day cruise between Budapest and Bucharest, exploring lesser visited towns and cities and, of course, cruising the iconic Iron Gates.  Highlights of this cruise include options such as:

PORTRAITS OF EASTERN EUROPE

Portraits of Eastern Europe  – An in-depth Danube adventuring, combining both the ‘classic’ upper Danube with the lesser visited Lower Danube, cruising through eight countries over 14 days on a journey from Prague to Bucharest. This cruise includes a two-night extension in Prague, Czech Republic, staying at the Art Deco Imperial Hotel, and two-nights in Bucharest, at the Radisson Blu Hotel.  Highlights of this cruise include options such as: