pontac

Another reason river ships start/end in Amsterdam  is its proximity to an airport with excellent international connections.

So the airport benefits from airline fees, Amsterdam gets mooring fees, and perhaps licence fees from tour guides.

On our river cruise beginning and ending in Amsterdam last month we bought an evening meal in a restaurant, paid for visits to two museums, bought coffees and shopped.

The included canal boat cruise provided employment for the canal boat crew and money to the canal boat company which of course was taxed. I don't know if anyone bought things at the diamond factory visited at the end but enough river cruisers must so to make it worthwhile to the factory. Then there are the coaches and taxis the river cruise companies use.

And the hotels used for pre & post extensions, and consequential meals and museum entry fees.

I reckon Amsterdam and the Netherland government do all right out of river cruisers

4 hours ago, Canal archive said:

they wouldn’t know there Gucci from there Armani

Your post  said 'fashion police' should know and that's how you easily recognise them, so it figures that you do know the difference.

As you have only been with Scenic these people must be on Scenic so I will look out for  'fashion police' on my cruise next month

11 hours ago, like2cruise33 said:

On a different cruise, some teenagers were barred from the dining room, but a gentleman wearing a Hawaiian shirt was allowed to be seated. The girls were dressed nicely but I guess not up to the guards standard

As per @Kristelle's comment. I have never seen 'guards' outside the dining room on a Viking River cruise. I have never seen anyone turned away or not served because of what they are wearing.

I don't know Armani from Gucci, unless

16 minutes ago, gnome12 said:

Basically everyone except Viking has some single cabins on some cruises 

If it's a single cabin then it must be there on all cruises. I don't think single cabins are that common; however many lines offer discounts , or scrap them entirely, on cabins for certain cruises at certain times, usually at short notice when they have unsold cabins.

Regarding Viking - their FAQs say "On occasion, Viking will make special solo traveler fares available."

But I'd suggest @Nippy Sweetie's friend looks first at Saga because he won't be the only solo traveller on the cruise, and because Saga include car transport between home and airport 

Agree with comments about jet-lag and about possibility of flight being delayed, but this cruise has two nights moored in Budapest.

I don't think you need have any concern about noise coming from crew cabins. With the long hours they work I should imagine they want nothing more than to sleep through to their next shift.

I agree that you write to Scenic HQ with a plain statement of the facts.

If there is a design fault with the boats (and there seems to be) then only Scenic HQ are able to do something about it. The accident you suffered could also be happening on other boats in the fleet. They're unlikely to be reported by staff on the boat, so it's important Scenic centrally know.

Hi @Nippy Sweetie

A good place to start is Riviera & Saga

"We’ve waived the single supplement on middle and upper deck cabins and suites across a large selection of our August and October classic river cruise departures in 2024."

No solo supplements on select river cruises in 2024 (rivieratravel.co.uk)

"Our solo travellers can enjoy the privacy of their own single cabin with 12 dedicated singles cabins on every Spirit of the Rhine and Spirit of the Danube cruise."

Solo River Cruises | Find your cruise | Saga Cruises

16 hours ago, Australia08 said:

showing us photos of Hitler and his *** compatriots at these same buildings.

The sentence make sense without the starred out word, but in case anyone is puzzled by it CC software has starred out what the National Socialist German Workers' Party (In German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (NSDAP) was commonly known as.

It was known by  the four letters ANIZ but not in that order, and that was what was starred out.

(I was similarly censored in my trip report on a Bordeaux cruise when talking about a visit to wartime submarine pens) 

14 hours ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

great wine tasting experience be sure to take the BERNKASTEL HISTORY & WINE excursion. You’ll visit an enormous wine cellar that

We didn't book that optional excursion but intended to visit the Vinothek on our own. Unfortunately it was closed as it doesn't open till 11:00 and we had to be back on board by 11:15 for departure to Trier

I presume Viking have arranged a private early opening, although I didn't see anyone inside the cellar.

Viking's website gives the tour duration as 2.5 hours, though the Viking Daily for our cruise in 2023 had only two hours, from 09:00 - 11:00. As that includes a walking tour of Bernkastel and a visit to the castle ruins and ends with a tour of the wine cellar before the tasting, I wonder how much time was left for the tasting - certainly not long enough to taste all 140 wines on show!

Well, there's very little Dutch and Belgian wines produced and I'd imagine not enough volume or  at low enough prices to stock on cruise ships.

When I worked in these countries I had to make a real effort to find a bottle. And to be frank when I did they weren't worth finding. 🙂

No doubt quality has improved since then 

I'm interested to read your account of the cruise and to see Viking Daily front pages as I've just booked this cruise for 2025 on (I think) the same ship but it's named Kadlin.

We did the cruise Passage to Eastern Europe in 2019 from Budapest to Bucharest which covers much of the same route so I am keen to find out what to expect on this.

Well, unless one has been a crew member one wouldn't know for sure but it seems a good bet as the water level windows continue all the way along. 

Too many variables - especially as we don't know what your priorities, like/dislikes are.

The actual cruise runs between Trier on the Mosel in Germany  and Basel on the Rhine in Switzerland. We did this cruise last year from Basel to Trier and the majority of the passengers were North American doing the holiday that you are considering, i.e. the pre-extension in Zermatt and the post- extension in Paris. They were accompanied all the way from the start by the Viking Programme Director.

Personally I liked the direction of travel as the Rhine is a wide busy river while the Mosel is a narrow quiet river and you sail through idyllic country side and charming villages.

I think once such a long holiday is over you want to get home with as little fuss as possible, so for me, a direct flight home (which you say you can get from Paris) is a mighty good reason for ending in Paris. 

You also have the attraction of Paris to look forward to all through your holiday. Would you be yearning for Zermatt is the same way?

What month? Do you prefer warm weather and sitting on the sundeck or cooler weather? I think what month is a question only you can answer. What is certain is that it's a terrific cruise.

We went in April; you may like to read my cruise report

18 hours ago, ricka47 said:

So, it's a 14-night cruise starting in Budapest with an overnight stay, and I'm wondering if anyone has experience with using the cruise line airfare arriving the day of boarding the cruise.

Viking will book flights that get you to your ship on time. Flights from USA to Europe are mostly over nighters so you should have no problem in getting to your ship during the day even if you have to fly via some European gateway.

Budapest airport to the boat is about 30 minutes.

What puzzles me is that I cannot find any cruises that match a 14 night cruise with an overnight stay in a hotel. Grand European Tour is shown as 15 days and starts with an overnight on the boat in Budapest;  is that the one you are one?

2 hours ago, Canal archive said:

Look out on the BBC for the lady London Marathon runner that tasted 26 different wines as she ran the course guessing the type etc

By 'lady' I think you mean Tom Gilbey. 😁

Should've gone to Specsavers.

Tom Gilbey, nicknamed “the wine guy”, sampled 25 glasses of wine during the race, stopping to guess the drink’s grape variety, country of origin and vintage at each mile.

London Marathon ‘wine guy’ on how he sampled 25 wines during race | London Marathon | The Guardian

1 hour ago, CDNPolar said:

Have been to SA and work with SA daily remotely.  Have never heard this term.

What can I say? I should imagine your remote working doesn't involve you waiting at tables.😁

It's a word well established in Western Cape and Gauteng, see

Waitrons Jobs - 20 April 2024 | Indeed.com South Africa

and here.

I assumed it was a RSA word because I only hear it there but it seems it was coined in the USA, Merrion-Webster says Our earliest evidence of "waitron" in print is from 1980.

14 hours ago, robertmartha said:

has that section of the airport been updated? 

I last flew out of Budapest in 2018, but the press release says

The airport in the Magyar capital, which was recently renovated, is characterised by welcoming, elegant and bright spaces in line with the best European standards

So let's hope so

14 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

r [unless it's a 'waitron' – try to find a real waiter, male or female  😀]

Female waiter? - the word is waitress

I'm a frequent traveller to  South Africa where waitron is the term for both waiter and waitress and I think it makes a lot of sense, and waitron is certainly shorter to write than waiter or waitress and male or female waiter.

Being under-age for buying drinks is sadly long long behind me. I'd suggest phoning Viking and saying that as the other person in the cabin is not allowed to drink can you just buy the silver spirits for one.

The drinking age in France is not as ridiculous as in the USA, you can legally buy & consume alcohol in France at 18 (and from16 years with a meal in a restaurant with an adult).

While in France you are subject to French law, not US (I'm assuming you are in USA). Of course Viking can apply any rules they want, but I wonder if the staff on board are aware of the restriction and would stop you purchasing the Silver Spirits Package when you get on board?

Anyway, I'll bet the waitrons don't ask your sisters age when they're pouring the house wines

Re Bon Voyage: the wine prices seem jolly expensive and there's little info about what they mean. Red Wine could be anything - likely a bottle of the house red served free with meals. Viking Sparkling Wine is €20 a bottle on board, less than half the Bon Voyage price. I'd suggest asking your friend to get a special bottle before the cruise and wrap it, and for you to take it in your case. You can enjoy it with lunch or dinner, the waitron will gladly open it and there's no corkage.

1 hour ago, robertmartha said:

not be weighed down with both a suitcase and a carryon

Hold on - you need a carry on for your plane trip: you don't want to pack essentials (medicines, chargers, e-readers, cameras and valuables in checked in cases, if for no other reason than the bag might not arrive with you.

A good reason to fly home from Budapest:

(from a press release - edited somewhat to take out excess floweriness ...)

‘Prosecco Bar’ has opened in a new spacious venue at Budapest Airport in a location easily accessible for passengers waiting to board flights.
 

‘Prosecco Bar’ has the philosophy of the Venetian bacaro, that is, of an informal osteria, where food is presented both as 'cicheti', or appetisers to be eaten at the counter, and as more structured dishes to be served at the tables. The combination with Prosecco, favoured for its versatility, and with other Italian wines closes the circle and contributes to making every short or long moment spent in a bacaro a pleasant experience that enriches the spirit and refreshes the soul. 

The range of wines includes Prosecco, prestigious reds (Amarone, Brunello di Montalcino, Ripasso), dessert wines, a selection of white and barrique grappas, together with the wide range of fruit and cream-based liqueurs, plus signature cocktails, created ad hoc by expert bartenders, organic wines and liqueurs and alcohol-free sparkling drinks.

@robertmartha Hi Bob, if Emerald wanted to restrict baggage to one item they'd have said so.

One suitcase means what it says, hand baggage is OK.

Usually we are collected from the airport by the cruise line, and our cases go in the coach hold while we keep our hand baggage with us. When we get to boat we get out, go to boat reception to get cabin keys and go to cabin.

The cases are collected from the coach and delivered to cabins by boat staff. You'll get tags with your cabin number you attach to your case so the crew know where to take them.

At the end of the tour, cases are collected from outside the cabin and loaded on the coach.

You don't need to carry your cases from time you get to transport on way there to getting to the airport on way back.

If you make your own way to/from the boat, your cases will be taken from/to your taxi.

You'll get baggage tags that indicate what time you're leaving and how.

If there are 180 people on your boat, the crew have to carry 180 cases up a gangplank and get them to cabins; if people were allowed two cases each then crew could be taking 360 cases.

It's as @Roz says.

One time I made my own way (I didn't fancy an early morning flight, so I came day before and stayed  in hotel near mooring spot) the boat crew saw us walking along quayside and came running towards us to take our cases.

13 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 I will be seeing the one in Bordeaux next year.  Each year they feature different artists, so it's something you can keep going back to if you enjoy it.  

I saw that in 2022.

Parts of paintings I didn't know by artists I've never heard of slowly moving across walls and floors to a background of muzac was interesting for about 10 minutes. Then it was 'how much longer?' Too much longer.....

Tip:- at first you're invited to sit on large concrete steps facing a basin; some are part cushioned. Grab a cushioned seat, your bottom can thank me later.

You can get up and move around, other pens have bits of other pictures projected.

There's also information boards about the pens; they're difficult to read in the gloom of the show but more interesting, I thought.

I won't be going back.

3 hours ago, sharkster77 said:

  I don't believe I saw anyone wearing a suit, sports jacket, or dress.

You would have done if you'd been on the previous sailing.... 😁