After a few days on the annual AAA Western and Central New York Member Appreciation Trip, travelers have forged many new friendships and you hear people calling each other by name. It’s such a wonderful feeling to be sailing on a river cruise through Europe with the entire ship filled with visitors from Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse.

On this particular day, travelers had many options to choose from, ranging from walking tours and free time for exploring to castle tours and vinegar tasting. What we quickly learned is that there is no poor choice while river cruising! Every option is a good one even if you choose to stay on the ship and relax!

The vinegar tasting was a very unique experience. Uniworld arranges transportation to take guests through the German countryside to a family-owned vinegar making facility in a quaint village with picture perfect homes. Once inside, guests are taught the benefits of different vinegars as they learn the process and hear folklore stories. They enjoyed touring the cavern in special “Harry Potter” style capes and tasting the barrel aged vinegars.

Some guests stayed for a cooking demonstration while others returned to the ship to prepare for the afternoon excursion to Heidelberg castle, which dates back to the 12th century. Heidelberg is a vibrant college town with many shops, bars and cafes. The main market square is full of people sipping drinks in the sunshine. Travelers took time to wander the streets and take photos.

One thing that is extra special about the AAA Member Appreciation Trip is the fact that the ship is filled with local travelers. What an experience to be walking down a German street and run into people you recognize from the ship knowing that you have so much in common! (Next year’s 2020 Member Appreciation trip, which will also be a river cruise with a special focus on history as it explores Paris and Normandy following the 75th anniversary of D-Day. You can find more information at: https://westerncentralny.aaa.com/travel/trips/paris-normandy.)

After everyone returned from their busy days, it was back to the dining room to share experiences over dinner. The menu on a river cruise is extensive and guests can choose multiple courses that include local regional cuisine or American style dishes as well. There is no shortage of food on such a trip!

Following dinner, Uniworld offered live entertainment with a band that brought everyone to their feet. The dance floor was filled with smiles as the ship full of regional travelers danced the night away. Eventually everyone drifted off to sleep anxious to see what the next day would bring. 

Read Day 5