Comments on: Uniworld’s River Tosca a work in progress http://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/2009/10/uniworld%e2%80%99s-river-tosca-a-work-in-progress/ Advice and Guidance on River Cruises Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:16:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: lindsey http://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/2009/10/uniworld%e2%80%99s-river-tosca-a-work-in-progress/comment-page-1/#comment-1570 lindsey Mon, 12 Apr 2010 20:22:28 +0000 http://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/?p=833#comment-1570 Oh dear, I am wanting to travel this September on the Tosca and have asked friends to join us. I read that they took the Tosca into dry dock to fix all the problems last December.Yet in January, I read it is the same. Can anybody recommend any other cruise line to take on the Nile. I do like a big cabin. I thought Uniworlds River Ambassador';s cabins tiny when I went on the Rhine cruise. I felt that the restrictive times for breakfast and dinner and the allowance of one hour to eat, felt like I was in boarding school. Oh dear, I am wanting to travel this September on the Tosca and have asked friends to join us. I read that they took the Tosca into dry dock to fix all the problems last December.Yet in January, I read it is the same.
Can anybody recommend any other cruise line to take on the Nile. I do like a big cabin. I thought Uniworlds River Ambassador’;s cabins tiny when I went on the Rhine cruise. I felt that the restrictive times for breakfast and dinner and the allowance of one hour to eat, felt like I was in boarding school.

]]> By: Judy and Tim http://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/2009/10/uniworld%e2%80%99s-river-tosca-a-work-in-progress/comment-page-1/#comment-1384 Judy and Tim Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:50:44 +0000 http://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/?p=833#comment-1384 We just returned from Spendors of the Nile with Uniworld on the Tosca, and our comments would certainly echo most of those above. This was our third trip with Uniworld, two of them being in Eurpoe. In our opinion, the Tosca is not a NEW boat, but rather a refurbished one. The room size and bathrooms are fabulous, but that white paint is already getting dirty and the floors are all in bad shape in the public areas. We would, however, trust Uniworld for another trip. We know they can provide a better boat in a different market. Let's see if they can get their Egypt marrket fixed. We just returned from Spendors of the Nile with Uniworld on the Tosca, and our comments would certainly echo most of those above. This was our third trip with Uniworld, two of them being in Eurpoe. In our opinion, the Tosca is not a NEW boat, but rather a refurbished one. The room size and bathrooms are fabulous, but that white paint is already getting dirty and the floors are all in bad shape in the public areas. We would, however, trust Uniworld for another trip. We know they can provide a better boat in a different market. Let’s see if they can get their Egypt marrket fixed.

]]> By: chris charstone http://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/2009/10/uniworld%e2%80%99s-river-tosca-a-work-in-progress/comment-page-1/#comment-1197 chris charstone Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:22:04 +0000 http://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/?p=833#comment-1197 Well The ship is supposed to be brand new and luxuryious beyond any othe rship on the Nile. However many fittings look as if they have been recycled. The ship is newly painted and all (inside stank of paint when we first arrived) But inside it is like an older boat that has been done up...and nice enough for that..however NOT brand new. Wood parquet floors are also scuffed and marked and buckling. They polished them up to a high shine after we arrive which looked good but made them letheally slippery. Mosaic tiles on the floors and in the swimming pool are flacking off. You kick tiles around in the dinning room all the time. The very large (for a boat) cabins are all white inside sounds fine excpet it attracts the mosquiotes like crazy and Sam the Manager of the boat admitted this was unparactical bothe for the mossies and for the fact that Egypt and white are not practical together. Also even if you dont open the large sliding door to the outside the mossies get in through the gaps in the ceiling panels in the bathrooms! Luckily I had mossie coils with me, as am very allegic to mossie bites and took them as a prcaution...but it would be nice if Uniworld offered them to guests...!!! especially at the prices of this "luxury" boat trip. Also the white fabric furniture in our cabin at first was FILTHY looked as if people before us had vomited on one chair and sat down naked after having doirreha (sp?) on the other. We finally received - after three changes - chairs that were clean enough ones we could live with for 7 days. The boat was also rather noisy and went aground once...sounded like a clapped out motor to me...but they say it is because the Nile was low. Of course trhe trip are exhausting enough to sleep anyway and I also had earplugs!! Another point for me was that the promissed international dialing direct from the cabin was not available at first..a problem for me because I had just been informed my 82 year old mother was extremely ill and so I wanted to have lengthly conversations with her in private rather than from the lobby. The problem there was that they said they could not "trust" one to give the correct time of the phone calls for billing (they did not have the ability with this brand new boat to record it from thier end in reception?!!) Our guide felt so badabout this that he was offering each day to let me use his mobile phone when and as long as I wanted...VERY generous of him - unlike the uniworld people- as my Mum is in Australia!! That problem is perhpas was one that only affected me personally and anyway is probably fixed now I think. The other problem that is also fixed I think is that of the masseur who bruised three of us on our trip. I think he is gone now...that was a serious problem for me..,but should not be one for you...the other masseur on board was apparently great. After all the gripes about the BOAT I have to say though that the TRIP was very good...destinations excellent, guide fantastic, food fine no problems with stomach, bottled water supplied regularly free, GREAT crew in dinning room and cabins - darling guys who were fun (and VERY good musicians) not quite five star polish maybe - but a MUCH better quality...they REALLY liked to be there for you and do whatever it took. So I think you will enjoy the trip so long as you know what to expect...which we on our cruise did not know. Think of it as a rejevenated older boat and you would be thrilled with it!! (Just not sure if the prices we paid quite reflect that?!) Well The ship is supposed to be brand new and luxuryious beyond any othe rship on the Nile.

However many fittings look as if they have been recycled.
The ship is newly painted and all (inside stank of paint when we first arrived) But inside it is like an older boat that has been done up…and nice enough for that..however NOT brand new.
Wood parquet floors are also scuffed and marked and buckling. They polished them up to a high shine after we arrive which looked good but made them letheally slippery.

Mosaic tiles on the floors and in the swimming pool are flacking off. You kick tiles around in the dinning room all the time.
The very large (for a boat) cabins are all white inside sounds fine excpet it attracts the mosquiotes like crazy and Sam the Manager of the boat admitted this was unparactical bothe for the mossies and for the fact that Egypt and white are not practical together.

Also even if you dont open the large sliding door to the outside the mossies get in through the gaps in the ceiling panels in the bathrooms! Luckily I had mossie coils with me, as am very allegic to mossie bites and took them as a prcaution…but it would be nice if Uniworld offered them to guests…!!! especially at the prices of this “luxury” boat trip.

Also the white fabric furniture in our cabin at first was FILTHY looked as if people before us had vomited on one chair and sat down naked after having doirreha (sp?) on the other. We finally received – after three changes – chairs that were clean enough ones we could live with for 7 days.

The boat was also rather noisy and went aground once…sounded like a clapped out motor to me…but they say it is because the Nile was low. Of course trhe trip are exhausting enough to sleep anyway and I also had earplugs!!

Another point for me was that the promissed international dialing direct from the cabin was not available at first..a problem for me because I had just been informed my 82 year old mother was extremely ill and so I wanted to have lengthly conversations with her in private rather than from the lobby. The problem there was that they said they could not “trust” one to give the correct time of the phone calls for billing (they did not have the ability with this brand new boat to record it from thier end in reception?!!) Our guide felt so badabout this that he was offering each day to let me use his mobile phone when and as long as I wanted…VERY generous of him – unlike the uniworld people- as my Mum is in Australia!!

That problem is perhpas was one that only affected me personally and anyway is probably fixed now I think.

The other problem that is also fixed I think is that of the masseur who bruised three of us on our trip. I think he is gone now…that was a serious problem for me..,but should not be one for you…the other masseur on board was apparently great.

After all the gripes about the BOAT I have to say though that the TRIP was very good…destinations excellent, guide fantastic, food fine no problems with stomach, bottled water supplied regularly free, GREAT crew in dinning room and cabins – darling guys who were fun (and VERY good musicians) not quite five star polish maybe – but a MUCH better quality…they REALLY liked to be there for you and do whatever it took.

So I think you will enjoy the trip so long as you know what to expect…which we on our cruise did not know.

Think of it as a rejevenated older boat and you would be thrilled with it!! (Just not sure if the prices we paid quite reflect that?!)

]]> By: Tom http://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/2009/10/uniworld%e2%80%99s-river-tosca-a-work-in-progress/comment-page-1/#comment-1189 Tom Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:51:47 +0000 http://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/?p=833#comment-1189 We are scheduled on the River Tosca beginning February 14. I am getting nervous. Any REAL news on when/if the boat will be taken out of service? We are scheduled on the River Tosca beginning February 14. I am getting nervous. Any REAL news on when/if the boat will be taken out of service?

]]> By: next trip? http://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/2009/10/uniworld%e2%80%99s-river-tosca-a-work-in-progress/comment-page-1/#comment-1102 next trip? Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:17:24 +0000 http://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/?p=833#comment-1102 We just returned from our trip to Egypt and our 7 day Nile cruise aboard the River Tosca. I was on the same cruise with DakotaBear and the comments made would echo ours. We have been on 3 other Uniworld Cruises and all of those ships met our expectations. The workmanship on the River Tosca is appalling and you would never know it is a brand new ship. The negatives have already been stated but on a positive note the beds are very comfortable, bathroom and stateroom very roomy, staff is excellent and aim to please and there was a good choice of food with beautiful presentations. Once the ship is "fixed" it truly will be lovely. It should have never been put into service the way it looks. Several of our group that had never sailed with Uniworld stated they would not be doing another cruise with them. This is unfortunate since Uniworld, in the European market, is excellent! I truly believe that the upper management personnel that were onboard our cruise to inspect the ship were appalled at the state it was in! We just returned from our trip to Egypt and our 7 day Nile cruise aboard the River Tosca. I was on the same cruise with DakotaBear and the comments made would echo ours. We have been on 3 other Uniworld Cruises and all of those ships met our expectations.
The workmanship on the River Tosca is appalling and you would never know it is a brand new ship. The negatives have already been stated but on a positive note the beds are very comfortable, bathroom and stateroom very roomy, staff is excellent and aim to please and there was a good choice of food with beautiful presentations.
Once the ship is “fixed” it truly will be lovely. It should have never been put into service the way it looks. Several of our group that had never sailed with Uniworld stated they would not be doing another cruise with them. This is unfortunate since Uniworld, in the European market, is excellent!
I truly believe that the upper management personnel that were onboard our cruise to inspect the ship were appalled at the state it was in!

]]> By: dakotabear http://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/2009/10/uniworld%e2%80%99s-river-tosca-a-work-in-progress/comment-page-1/#comment-1101 dakotabear Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:57:46 +0000 http://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/?p=833#comment-1101 Just returned from the Splendor of Egypt and the Nile on the Tosca. The Tosca is still not up to par. Uniworld management was onboard for several days inspecting the terrible condition the ship is in. It is really disappointing in how shoddy the workmanship of this ship really is. I am a past guest who sailed on the River Royale in May 2008 and really loved the standard I saw there and expected the same on the Tosca, but the Tosca is a great disappointment. There were many first time Uniworld participants in our group and many of them are disappointed and stated they would not sail with Uniworld again. I myself will have to think very hard before I trust Uniworld again myself. Just returned from the Splendor of Egypt and the Nile on the Tosca. The Tosca is still not up to par. Uniworld management was onboard for several days inspecting the terrible condition the ship is in. It is really disappointing in how shoddy the workmanship of this ship really is.

I am a past guest who sailed on the River Royale in May 2008 and really loved the standard I saw there and expected the same on the Tosca, but the Tosca is a great disappointment. There were many first time Uniworld participants in our group and many of them are disappointed and stated they would not sail with Uniworld again. I myself will have to think very hard before I trust Uniworld again myself.

]]> By: Ed Honeyman http://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/2009/10/uniworld%e2%80%99s-river-tosca-a-work-in-progress/comment-page-1/#comment-1095 Ed Honeyman Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:56:56 +0000 http://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/?p=833#comment-1095 Michelle, My wife and I were on the Tosca on the Nov. 2 sailing. The ship has not been fixed up at all. In fact, Jan said they have found many more problems and that the ship will be taken out of service in January to fix the problems. There were no workers on the ship and the floor in the dining room and the swimming pool tiles are coming up. There is dripped paint in every stateroom and some of the marble countertops in the bathrooms are cracked. You are right about the staterooms being large and the beds are terrific. I feel there could be a little more variety in the food, especially at breakfast. I'm sure Uniworld is not happy about the workmanship and the ship will be repaied the Uniworld's high standards. Michelle,
My wife and I were on the Tosca on the Nov. 2 sailing. The ship has not been fixed up at all. In fact, Jan said they have found many more problems and that the ship will be taken out of service in January to fix the problems. There were no workers on the ship and the floor in the dining room and the swimming pool tiles are coming up. There is dripped paint in every stateroom and some of the marble countertops in the bathrooms are cracked. You are right about the staterooms being large and the beds are terrific. I feel there could be a little more variety in the food, especially at breakfast. I’m sure Uniworld is not happy about the workmanship and the ship will be repaied the Uniworld’s high standards.

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