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I am planning to get a pup in June and know about the health problems to watch out for, but am confused as to whether both UKC and AKC are of equal high quality.

The AKC and the UKC are both only registries. The health of your new pup will depend on your breeder. Here is a link that explains some of the differences between both registeries.
AKC vs UKC
When you get your new pup please post back!! Good Luck until then!

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If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.

In my experience, yes teh UKC and AKC are of similar caliber. I would not say that about any other registries though.
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Chelle and the rest of the crew including, but not limited to Kita and Taiko (the shiba inu wrestle maniacs), Adi (reserved and dignified tabby cat), and all 28 reptiles

>>I am planning to get a pup in June and know about the health problems to watch out for, but am confused as to whether both UKC and AKC are of equal high quality.

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No, they are not. AKC has field inspectors who go out to the kennels of higher-volume breeders and verify that they are meeting certain requirements, including specific evidence that the puppies are in fact out of the parents the paperwork says they are. Because they are not willing to meet AKC standards, higher volume breeders with bad practices are moving away from AKC registration.

If the breeder you are considering does not register with AKC and it is a breed that AKC does register, you need to either walk away or verify that they have a very good reason not to use AKC. Don't think you're saving money by getting a puppy from a breeder who doesn't register AKC in such a breed. There's a very good chance you'll spend far more money with the vet trying to nurse the dog, lifelong, through genetic problems. You could get a dog with temperament problems, too.

Another thing you need to do when asking about registries is spell out the actual words of the registry name. American Kennel Club and ---United Kennel Club? Some of the bogus registries, of which there are several now, are using the same initials as the legitimate registries! So if you say CKC and you mean Continental Kennel Club but I think you mean Canadian Kennel Club, I might tell you it's fine, when it is far from fine.

Then again, the conformation show clubs in various cities and states are also called "Kennel Clubs." So if you don't know the ins and outs of this stuff, people can easily con you. Remember that the person who breeds your puppy has your pocketbook--for the veterinary expenses on this dog the next 10-15 years as well as costs of potential dog bites!--and your heart, if this puppy breaks it.

Get to know someone before you get a dog from them. If they just want to sell you a puppy and get you out the door, find someone who cares about where their puppies live. That is the same person who will breed the healthiest dog they can, and will take that dog back for life if you ever get in a bind and have to find it another home. That person will also take your calls and help you when you run into a problem with your dog, for life. And when you have given that dog a good home and it has gone to heaven, that person will help you find another good one. You don't want a "slam-bam, thank-you ma'am" breeder. You want someone who will be there.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47

In my opinion you'd do better to worry less about the registration organization and more about the puppy's sire, dam, grand parents and great grand parents.

Cavalier's have a horrible health record - not because of "bad" breeders but because of a very narrow gene pool.

One of the consequences of this narrow gene pool is a
shortened average longevity.

At the very least, ask the breeder of your prospective puppy for exact longevity records for the last 4 generations. If they aren't tracking longevity- realize they're ignoring the #1 moral responsibility of someone breeding Cavaliers- an attempt to improve the incidence of health related issues witihin the breed.

Also, ask about cardiomyopathy. A huge percentage of Cavaliers suffer from it.

You might want to consider a first generation mixed breed where one of the parents is a Cavalier and the other a similar looking but unrelated different breed. (Be sure the other breed didn't originate in the UK!)

- My guess is the you like the breed because of the way it LOOKS - not because of it's exact ancestral inheritence.

Best of Luck.