Uniworld River Cruises Adds ‘Conscious Travel’ Itineraries
by Jessica Montevago
The new ‘Conscious Travel’ itineraries include Uniworld's Castles on the Rhine sailing. Photo: Uniworld.
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises and U by Uniworld, members of The Travel Corporation’s (TTC) family of brands, will begin offering itineraries aimed at having a positive impact on the people and communities visited on sailings.
The “Make Travel Matter” experiences will be offered in 2021 and 2022 throughout India, Europe, and the Middle East—directly advancing United Nations Global Goals, including clean water and sanitation, gender equality, and sustainability.
Om India’s Golden Triangle & the Sacred Ganges itinerary, Uniworld guests will have the opportunity to board a pedal-powered Trishaw in the “Temple City” of Kalna to explore the Rajbari temple complex dating back to 1739. They will support local artisans that have been making ornamental brass objects and visit Mother Theresa’s home and tomb as well as the local NGO Calcutta Rescue in Kolkata, which serves the area’s underprivileged children through health clinics, schools, vocational training, and preventative health programs.
In Europe, the Tulips & Windmills itinerary includes a day on a ‘Dutch Cheese Trail’ at a sustainable, self-sufficient dairy farm on and a saffron tasting and lesson.
There will also be a ride into the Austrian countryside to a typical “Mostheurigen Farm,” owned and operated by the Bauernfeind family in Linz on the Enchanting Danube itinerary and a visit to the Doktorenhof Estate just outside of the village of Vennigen to learn about the generations-old traditions used to make vinegar on the Castles Along the Rhine itinerary.
A tutorial on how “honest” Belgian chocolate is made from the sustainable company Neuhof, which uses beans harvested from their own cacao farm will be available on the Holland & Belgium itinerary.
U by Uniworld’s Make Travel Matter Experiences in Europe include the opportunity to go plastic fishing and clean the waters of Amsterdam’s iconic canals on U’s Amsterdam & Brussels Bound itinerary and a day on a family-run apple plantation on U’s Rolling on the Rhine itinerary.
In Jordan, Uniworld guests can visit the Iraq Al Amir women’s cooperative Association, which is aimed to provide meaningful employment for local village women while preserving local heritage. Travelers will visit the workshop and explore the women’s handmade paper, pottery, and fabrics as well as fresh produce, on the Splendors of Egypt & the Nile Jordan extension.

