Are you ready to set sail with Uniworld River Cruises?
The Countdown Has Begun!
We're sure you're excited to set sail with Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, but the journey starts well before you step onboard your floating boutique hotel.
Uniworld's all-inclusive approach means there's very little to worry about once your river cruise begins, but there are still a few important things to organise before you travel. From completing Express Check-In and accessing My Uniworld to understanding your included excursions, Masterpiece Collection experiences, dress code and what happens if river conditions affect your itinerary, we've answered the questions our guests ask most often below.
If there's anything you're still unsure about, our team is always here to help.
Your main pre-departure portal is My Uniworld, Uniworld's online guest portal.
You can use My Uniworld for cruise registration, accessing travel documents and other useful information relating to your journey.
You'll find your Uniworld booking reference within your Paramount Cruises documentation, while your booking, payments and Paramount Cruises travel documentation can also be accessed through My Trip.
You can access the My Uniworld guest portal online.
If you'd like to make a change to the holiday you've booked through Paramount Cruises, please contact our team rather than making amendments directly with Uniworld.
Uniworld's pre-cruise registration process is known as Express Check-In.
Every guest is required to complete a Passenger Information Form, which provides Uniworld with the information it needs before you travel and helps make your physical check-in at the ship quicker.
You can access the Uniworld Express Check-In page using your Uniworld Booking ID and Passenger ID or surname.
You'll be asked to provide information including:
- Your contact details
- Passport information
- Emergency contact details
- Travel insurance information
- Dietary requirements
- Mobility or medical requirements
Uniworld asks for your Passenger Information Form to be completed by the time your final payment is due, but we'd recommend completing it as soon as you're able.
Uniworld does not currently promote a dedicated guest cruise-management app in the same way as some other cruise lines. Instead, your main digital resource before travelling is My Uniworld, which you can access through the web browser on your phone, tablet or computer.
Once onboard, you'll receive a daily programme with information about excursions, activities, dining and the following day's schedule. Uniworld ships also have onboard information systems, although facilities vary by ship.
Your Uniworld travel documents are processed once the required pre-departure information has been completed.
It's particularly important to finish your Passenger Information Form and travel insurance declaration, as Uniworld states that cruise documents won't be released until this information has been provided.
Once available, your travel documents can be accessed through the My Uniworld guest portal.
Read them carefully before travelling, particularly the information relating to transfers, embarkation and the itinerary you've booked.
You'll need a valid passport for travel. It must have at least 6 months validity from your date of return to the UK.
Please check the entry requirements for the countries you’ll be visiting, some destinations do require a visa to be organised prior to departure. You can find the latest information at www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.
This is one of the most important things to check before joining a river cruise.
Uniworld has a dedicated Port Locations & Boarding Times page showing the latest embarkation address and all-aboard time for individual ships and departure dates.
Uniworld specifically recommends checking this information again 24 hours before arrival, as river cruise berths can change at short notice.
You can check the latest information on the Uniworld Port Locations & Boarding Times page.
If you're making your own way to the ship, don't rely solely on an address saved several weeks before travelling.
This is completely normal.
In popular river cruise destinations, several ships may need to share the same docking area. Your Uniworld ship can therefore be moored alongside another river vessel.
You may occasionally need to walk through another ship to reach shore, while guests from another vessel may need to pass through yours.
It can also mean your stateroom view is temporarily obscured while the ships are alongside one another.
Docking arrangements are controlled by local harbour authorities rather than Uniworld.
Yes. A wide range of guided shore excursions is already included within your Uniworld river cruise fare.
Your itinerary will normally feature a selection of carefully curated experiences hosted by English-speaking local experts.
Some ports offer a single featured excursion, while others give you a choice between several included ways to explore.
Uniworld also offers different styles of experiences, including more active Let's Go excursions and, on selected itineraries, Do as the Locals Do experiences.
Optional Masterpiece Collection experiences are available for an additional charge.
Not usually. Uniworld's Featured Excursions don't generally require advance booking.
Where your itinerary says Choose between..., you'll make your selection onboard. There's no additional charge for these included choices.
Your Cruise Manager will explain the available excursions, activity levels and selection deadlines during your journey. Some groups have limited capacity, so it's worth making your choice promptly once selections open.
Let's Go is Uniworld's collection of more active included excursions.
Depending on your itinerary, these might include:
- Guided cycling tours
- Longer walking tours
- Hiking
- Kayaking
- Other active ways to explore
They're ideal if you'd rather experience the destination at a slightly faster pace than on a traditional sightseeing tour.
You don't have to choose active excursions throughout your holiday. You can mix Let's Go experiences with more relaxed sightseeing depending on how you feel each day.
Masterpiece Collection experiences are Uniworld's optional premium excursions.
These go beyond the standard programme of included sightseeing and might feature special access, culinary experiences, private visits, performances or other more unusual ways of discovering the destination.
Masterpiece Collection experiences carry an additional charge.
Selected experiences can be pre-booked before departure, currently up to around six days before your cruise, subject to availability. Others can be booked onboard through your Cruise Manager.
Spaces can be limited, so if there's a particular Masterpiece Collection experience you don't want to miss, we'd recommend arranging it before travelling where pre-booking is available.
Yes. On many European Uniworld ships you'll find Brompton G-Line bicycles available for guests.
They may be used as part of guided Let's Go cycling excursions and, where conditions and local regulations permit, for independent exploration.
Uniworld also provides Nordic walking sticks on applicable European itineraries.
Availability varies according to ship and destination, so speak to your Cruise Manager before heading out independently.
Uniworld's dress code is best described as smart casual and resort style.
During the day, comfortable clothing is ideal both onboard and ashore. You'll often be walking over cobbled streets and uneven surfaces, so good walking shoes are far more important than formal footwear.
For dinner, Uniworld asks guests not to wear shorts. For normal evenings, smart-casual clothing is perfectly suitable.
You may want to bring something slightly dressier for the Captain's Welcome and Farewell events or special dining occasions. Men might choose a sports jacket, while ladies may prefer a dress or smart trouser outfit, but traditional black-tie cruise wear isn't required.
Uniworld does hold Welcome and Farewell Gala Dinners, along with the Captain's Welcome and Farewell Receptions on many itineraries.
However, these shouldn't be confused with the traditional formal nights found on some ocean cruise ships.
There's no requirement to wear black tie or an evening gown.
Guests often choose to dress a little smarter for these occasions, but smart resort wear remains perfectly appropriate.
Evening entertainment tends to reflect the destinations you're visiting, with local musicians, dancers and cultural performers sometimes joining the ship.
Yes, please ensure that you have adequate Travel Insurance in place for your holiday and that your insurance covers cruises and the countries you are travelling to. We’ve partnered with award-winning Travel Insurance Just Travel Cover to help you find the right insurance for your next cruise. At Just Travel Cover you can compare prices from multiple insurers; there’s no age limit and cover for pre-existing medical conditions.
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Travel Insurance is provided by Just Travel Cover, a trading style of Just Insurance Agents Limited, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (610022).
Terms, conditions and exclusions apply, and all quotes are subject to underwriting criteria.
To review Uniworld River Cruises' terms & conditions, please visit their website.
