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- - UNIWORLD tours (https://www.fodors.com/community/asia/uniworld-tours-113088/)

We are thinking of an October trip on Uniworld's Grand Tour of China and the Yangtze Cruise (and possibly a Bangkok extension). Has anyone traveled with Uniworld, especially to China. Would love to hear your comments about Uniworld vs other tour companies. Thank-you.

Hi, just did a search and found your posting. Did anyone ever answer? I too am thinking of Uniworld and would like some first hand info. I"ve just used google and looked up the hotels..they seem posh. I would like to do the Shanghai extention if possible. If you have any other info or if I do...'ll find you again! Meanwhile if you go....please come back and tell us all!! OK??? I'm thinking of April 2002.

We traveled with Uniworld to Russia and my inlaws have traveled with them several times to Europe. They are a top notch company that provides excellent service! Fred

Hey thank you!!! It helps to get some feedback on a company cause there are so many choices. Thanks again! :)

Thank-you for your reply Fred. I've been trying to get some info on UniWorld for quite a while now with no luck until your reply. Also, Leanna, I mistakenly said that we plan to go in October, but I should have specified October of 2002. So....if you go first, please let me know. We are also interested in Pacific Delight Tours. It's so difficult to decide.

Uniworld is not a good deal when compared to Pacific Delight Tours. For an "apples to apples" comparison, Uniworld is usually $300 to $400 more expensive for the same thing or less, and both sell the same kind of trip insurance ... Uniworld for $295 and Pacific Delight for $95.

Lucy you gave me such a chuckle, with your email address!!! To tell you the truth.....its the brouchure that put me off from P. Delite. Its hard to figger out! A tours B tours..gold tours red tours...Uniworld's brouchure was so much easier to understand. I know I know!!!! :) Anyway...ok James....Which ever tour I end up with.....I'll keep you posted...ouch..no pun intended! :)

Even though I highly recommended Uniworld as a travel company, my wife and I are actually taking a tour to China this summer through Rim-Pac International(www.rim-pac.com). It is not quite as "deluxe" as Uniworld but it is of the only companies that travels down the Yangtze AND the Li River in a tour that is 16 days or less. Every other company that went there was 20 days or longer. Fred

Sorry that you find the Pacific Delight brochures confusing ... part of the issue is that we have the largest selection of tours, cruises, and departure dates on the Yangtze River. If you like, you can call directly Pacific Delight directly at 1-800-221-7179 if you would like us to better udnerstand your needs and which tour is most appropriate for you. We also customize our Yangtze tours to meet your needs.

OK Lucy...have jotted down that number and may very well call it. I am having a horrid time trying to compare and decide....so if they can put up w/ me...maybe we can work something out. I will call..THANK YOU!

Have just returned from the 24 day China Experience Tour with Pacific Delight. There were 10 in our group and we all felt it was a very good value and even wonder how they provide so much for the price. I would be happy to try to answer any questions. Our accomadations were excellent, schedules reasonable and do not feel we missed anything. Our guide was preceptive in our needs and anything we may wish to do not on the schedule. I have no complaints. Great tour value.

We are planning a Yangtze-Tibet trip for May 2002, and it boils down to PDT or Uniworld. I think we will go with Uniworld because the itinerary looks better. PDT had more good trips last year, but this year the number has decreased significantly, and I don't know why. LEANNA - what did you finally do? The price on Uniworld seems a little higher, but it is difficult to compare exactly. The hotels and ship seem equal and 5 star, and the reports here and on AOL (which has many more posts on this) seem similar (mostly very good.)

Dear Dave, Leanna did make the decision to travel with Pacific Delight ... so feel free to follow up with her directly as to her decision making process. At this point, Pacific Delight has released our China Experience brochure (which is 96 pages long) for 2002-3 on Northwest Airlines on our web site, and more brochures on other airlines will be following shortly. To help you with your decision, point out some of the key differences between Paicifc Delight and Uniworld for your information: Pacific Delight Tours is the largest US tour company to China and the Yangtze River. Additionally, Pacific Delight was the first US tour company to do business in China when relations were normalized with the US in the 1970's ... and coupled with our volume, results in the best prices, quality, and tour delivery in the market. Pacific Delight consistently offers the most number of cruises on the Yangtze River and departure dates ... Uniworld only uses Vicoria Cruises and offers fewer itineraries, and even fewer departure dates. 1. Pacific Delight's tour prices are lower by 3 figures (usually $300 to $400), and quality of hotels is better, which means overall a much better value for your money. Pacific Delight also offers better priced business class upgrades and cabins on our Yangtze River Cruises. 2. Both provide similar trip insurance ... Uniworld's charges are as follows: Trip Cost Premium Under $3,000 $199 $3,001-5,000 $259 $5,001-7,500 $399 $7,501-10,000 $499 (Over $10,000, 5% of trip cost up to $20,000) Pacific Delight's minimum charge is $89 and maximum charge is $129, and is very comprehensive. 3. Uniworld's required deposit is $400 per person, and Pacific Delight is $200 per person (only $100 per person if the booking is made over our web site) 4. Uniworld's cancellation fee schedule is one of the steepest in the industry, and is as follows: Land and Cruise: For cancellations 121 days or more before departure: $100 per person. For cancellations 120 - 90 days before departure: 10% of the land and cruise price. For cancellations 89-60 days before departure: 35% of the land and cruise price. For cancellations 59-30 days before departure: 50% of the land and cruise price. For cancellations received less than 30 days before departure: 100% of the land and cruise price. 5. Uniworld's revision fee is $30 per revision, Pacific Delight's is only $10. If your revision with Pacific Delight is made to buy addition services, the fee is waived. 5. I could go on more and more, but it is very clear that Pacific Delight provides more for alot less. If you would like more information, feel free to e-mail me directly.

LUCY!!! I think my TA talked to you just today and we got things even more set!! How neat!!! Ok...Yea I finally did decide on PD and the REAL cincher was when Andrew said, "Why not choose a company that is Chinese and specializes in China!" That did it..and made up my mind. I had set on the YR Victoria C trip BUT..then the new tours hit the presses and I just upgraded today to a very similiar tour ..lets see the 24 Day Classic YR Experience YX24VUN. Thats the one! So I think I"m more or less set....although my TA is looking into other airlines besides Northwest..just cuz I personally am not a fan of theirs. But the people at PD have been very nice and PATIENT w/ me and my fussin, and questions!!! BTW....after seeing my TA I had chinese food for lunch!!! :):):)

Leanna ... thanks for the compliment! In addition to Northwest Airlines, we also provide United, Air Canada, and Korean to China ... so if you would like to use a different airline than Northwest, just let us know ... OK?

Boy, if this thread were on the European Board, Lucy and PDT would be thrashed for this kind of blatant commercialism. This Board is to be used to seek information from other travelers, not from the tour companies themselves. The premise is that other travelers are more objective about which company is better than the tour companies which obviously have a slanted perspective. Lucy, go away from this Board and promote your company off-line. You're breaking Fodors' rules for no commercialism on this Board.

I couldn't agree more to what E [email protected] said about Lucy and PD. You'd think company of PD's size would have some class. The language Lucy used about Uniworld is very unprofessional and insulting to our intelligence.

Well I aint no travel pro.....I's just a middle aged lady tryin to see the world. And I APPRECIATE a company that helps me when Im trying to plan my vacations!! Andrew.....ok..got it....I'll tell my TA tomorrow! Once again..thank you!

wHAT IS THE PRICE OF A FOUR DAY THREE NIGHT YANGTZE CRUISE, DELUXE SUITE ON VICTORIA LINE IN OCTOBER????