This was my husband's and my second Uniworld Cruise (we cruised the "Castles along the Rhine" itinerary several years ago), but the first with our children (ages 12 and 16). Our first river cruise experience was amazing--attentive staff, excellent dining, sumptuous decor, comprehensive guided tours--so we enthusiastically rebooked with Uniworld. This itinerary of "Paris and Normandy" on the new Joie de Vivre was a Generations cruise. My review will focus on our experience on this family cruise; since I found very few reviews that focused on Generations when I was researching, I want to provide insights that may be helpful for other families.

As Uniworld caters to mature guests (with fine dining and minimal on-board entertainment), we weren't sure what to expect with the Generations itinerary. However, we were pleasantly surprised to see many families on-board (including middle-aged parents, children, and grandparents). There were approximately 30 children on ship, and throughout the week, our children--especially our 12-year-old--had many opportunities to interact and make friends.

There were two youth counselors assigned to our ship, and they supervised kid-friendly activities and tours. On-board activities included a movie night (with popcorn and snacks) and a crepe-making session with the ship's pastry chef. Often there were kid-friendly tours (parents were welcome), where the tour guide focused on information that would appeal to a younger crowd. Children/families could join these designated tours at will. There were also bonus kid-only activities after the regularly scheduled tours, such as visit to a clock tower and a round of miniature golf. (No additional charges for these activities.) Read more