While Uniworld Boutique River Cruises didn’t have a ship at this year’s CLIA RiverView Conference, in Budapest, that didn’t stop the company delivering my personal wow experience of the entire event.
Showcasing its Rail and River Journeys offering, around 70 lucky travel professionals got to board a Golden Eagle Luxury Train which was set up exactly how it would be for real guests arriving to journey onboard.
Enter the old room in the train station, which is clinging on to old world glamour, get handed a glass of champagne while you check in to your train and you immediately feel like you are transported back to the glory days of rail travel. The brass band on the platform, all the onboard chefs lined up outside and then the crew waiting to welcome you onboard. This was real ‘pinch me’ stuff.
The luxury trains have two cabin types, deluxe and superior deluxe. While there’s not much difference in the rooms when looking at them, I’d personally go for the superior deluxe, as this is real bucket list stuff and it gives access to the superior dining space – which your guests will love. This is an all inclusive product with drinks, food and touring all included.
The bar car is just as you’d imagine: classy, elegant and with uber talented musician Gabor onboard taking all types of requests and delivering some of the best played piano I’ve ever come across.
Uniworld’s team of Chris Townson, Managing Director, Uniworld UK and Europe; Angela Sloan, Head of Sales UK and Europe; Lee Evanson, National Account Manager UK; Dawn Quinn, UK National Trade Sales Manager and David Broad; UK Trade Sales Manager; and Golden Eagle Luxury Trains Owner and Founder Tim Littler (a man so passionate about his product that one could not but want to send him hundreds of bookings); Megan Bardsley, Business Development Manager, Australasia and James Masterson, Product Development Manager (and grandson of Tim) were on hand throughout the morning presentation, cabin tours and a 3-course lunch, which was an elegant affair, as one would imagine.
Check out https://www.uniworld.com/eu/cruise-and-rail?market=EU for the range of rail and sail journeys and get ready to be bowled over. This one is really, really special. It’s luxury and travel at a whole new level.
Biased I know, but Uniworld never, ever, fails to delight. And with Golden Eagle Luxury Trains now pairing up with them, this is a luxury holiday your clients will thank you for over and over.
