Onboard Review: Uniworld’s S.S. Catherine—Intimate Luxury on the Rhone River

SHIPUniworld’s S.S. Catherine—Intimate Luxury on the Rhone River By Laurel HermanImmediately upon boarding Uniworld Boutique River Cruises’ luxurious S.S. Catherine river ship, we’re drawn in by the Murano chandelier and Murano glass horse sculpture displayed in the atrium. These are just two of the hundreds of exquisite art pieces sprinkled throughout the S.S. Catherine (fun fact: French actress Catherine Deneuve serves as godmother to the ship). Adding to all that eye candy is the staff’s attentive service, the onboard culinary excellence, the stellar onboard spaces and the well-executed shore excursions. S.S. Catherine sails the Rhone River from Arles to Lyon (in reverse from May to October), making it a perfect match for your oenophiles, and history- and art-loving luxury clients. Alexandru Marinescu, the vessel’s hotel manager, and Tania Mirão, its cruise manager, sat down with Recommend during the sailing for a chat. They tell us that with its uniquely designed boutique river ships and top-notch service provided by its handpicked crew, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises’ focus is to meet the expectations of its luxury clientele. Says Marinescu, “We hold ourselves to a certain standard, offering quality food, premium spirits and wine, an all-inclusive concept and included daily shore excursions.” Customer satisfaction is evident. “Many of our guests are repeat customers and because the crew has longevity, averaging 10 to 12 years, crew members recognize returning guests, which makes them feel really good,” says Mirão. “Uniworld really takes great care of its crew members, so their turnover rate is low. So, happy crew, happy guest.” OYSTERSOnboard ExperienceBuilt in 2014, the S.S Catherine goes into maintenance every winter to keep it in tip-top shape—and the refresh is palpable with the 81-cabin, 160-passenger vessel offering well-appointed staterooms, sumptuous amenities and impressive public spaces. The cozy staterooms have plenty of storage space, a sitting area that offers a full view of the passing scenery, Asprey products such as 100 percent cotton sateen sheets and 100 percent cotton Egyptian towels and bathrooms with heated flooring. Advisors should note that there’s a handful of suites for guests wishing more space; these accommodations come with butler service. There’s also 24-hour room service for all guests. Most of the cruises have primarily English-speaking guests, with many passengers coming from the U.S. as well as Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia and Germany. “There’s always a mix of seven to eight different nationalities,” says Mirão. Entertainment on board is stellar, with one of our favorites being Los Chiquitines, a flamenco group that performs in the ship’s Van Gogh Lounge. This is also where guests can enjoy cocktails pre and post dinner. Passengers can expect three to four different local entertainment experiences during a 7-day cruise. Additionally, there are educational lectures that complement the port stops—during our cruise, we sat in on a “Women of Impressionism” art lecture as well as a demonstration of the art of silk painting by L’Atelier de Soierie in Lyon, one of the city’s oldest. ART When it comes to its F&B offerings, Uniworld doesn’t shy away from being extravagant. For example, while relaxing in the Van Gogh Lounge guests can sip on the ship’s signature cocktail, the Lavender Collins—known as the herb of love, lavender flourishes in the Rhone Valley. Or they can request one of the fleet’s other exclusive cocktails. The bartenders are well trained and can make anything your clients desire; all cocktails are included in the cruise price. Marinescu points out that the crew is “here for our guests. Let’s say we don’t have a brand on the ship the guest wants,” he continues, “we’ll go out and get it. And if it’s requested several times by different guests, we’ll incorporate it into our menu.” In terms of the exquisite onboard cuisine, menus change daily and feature dishes that incorporate local products. Regional culinary experiences include French onion soup, salade gourmande, pan-seared Mediterranean dorado, pork tenderloin and eggplant steak. There’s always steak, chicken or salmon fillet available, a variety of desserts such as chocolate mousse, and, of course, there’s always an ample cheese selection (this is France, after all). Speaking of local delights, the wine served for lunch and dinner during our sailing was spot-on, with one of my favorites being the 2021 La Reserve de Lucien Lurton, a white Bordeaux. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the Cezanne Restaurant. S.S. Catherine was designed to sail exclusively in France and this is exemplified by the Provence-style decor. Says Marinescu, “Each Uniworld ship has its own identity, designed to reflect the destination it sails in. From its design to its culinary offerings, the S.S. Catherine is very French.” BARTENDERPorts & ExcursionsDuring our time at the various port stops, we opted for many of the included excursions as well as the curated Masterpiece Collection tours, which are offered at an additional nominal cost. For those included in the fare, we most loved the Arles Walking Tour, during which we were shown many of the spots portrayed in Van Gogh’s famous paintings, including “The Starry Night,” just steps from where the S.S. Catherine docks. “These programs,” says Mirão, “are curated with the concept of being away from the crowds for the most part. Our vendors work only with us and we are very proud of this. We’re the only company to hire guides on a year-round basis that work only for us—they’re exclusive to Uniworld. They’re local and they know the quality of service our company requires. [Passengers can expect] authentic experiences that are intimate and exclusive.” For the Masterpiece Collection, we highly recommend the Olive Farm Visit and Immersive Art Experience tour in Arles, which includes a visit to an active olive farm as well as to Carrieres des Lumieres, an art-based multimedia space projecting images of famous paintings set to music. Within this former limestone quarry that’s dug into the mountainside and features towering ceilings, we viewed the “From Vermeer to Van Gogh: The Dutch Masters” exhibit as well as “Mondrian: The Architect of Colour” presentation. It’s an absolutely mind- blowing experience. Another must-recommend Masterpiece Collection excursion is to a family-owned truffle farm outside of Viviers, where we learned about their black-diamond truffles, watched Labradors hunt them and then partook in a tasting of truffle oil and truffle canapes with wine. While docked in Macon, we traveled to Beaune and its famous farmers market (open to all guests) and then, as part of a Masterpiece Collection excursion, visited Chateau de Rully, a 12th-century medieval fortress owned by the same family since inception. The current count and owner gave us a tour of his home, led a wine tasting in his cellar and hosted us for lunch in a barn space that’s used for such events. BIRDS ARTSustainability Sustainability is important to Uniworld, says Marinescu, with the cruise line committed to net zero by 2050 or sooner and the banning of 60 types of single-use plastics across all operations—including straws, water bottles and plastic bags. Additionally, the cruise brand has partnered with food waste management company Leanpath with a mission to reduce its food waste. Contact InformationUniworld: uniworld.com

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