MikeBR

We are booked with Movenpick's going upstream on the Nile, Cairo to Luxor on 21st March (We have already done Luxor to Lake Nassar on a number of other cruises)  and we are not really bothered that things will escalate in that direction, But the news coming out of Ukraine is not putting us in 'Holiday Mood'. We have done the Danube a number of times with a variety of lines including Viking and it is one of the best rivers to explore for first time river cruisers and I can understand the reticence many are feeling worrying what Putin will do next. We did the St Petersburg to Moscow cruise with Viking back in 2018 and we found it very eye opening as well as enjoyable traveling during the 'May Day' celebrations and it makes us sad because the normal Russians that we met when we were out on our own very openly did not like Putin calling him a dictator even back then and what surprised us most was that away from the two main city's the poor standard of living the ordinary Russians have. We met a retired School teacher singing in the streets  for penny's because her state pension could not keep her and her disabled husband. So we feel very sorry for the average Russians because they do not want war and you can see that in the broadcast's that the likes of the BBC have been showing of the protests by amazingly brave  Russian people against Putin and what he is doing to Ukraine. I'm normally a pacifist, but I would dearly love to see the people of Russia behave in the same way as the Italians treated Mussolini .🙏

11 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

A river cruise may seem upscale (especially if you are looking at a higher price than you have ever paid for a vacation – as we were on our first river cruise!) – but the onboard atmosphere is actually quite informal.  Not slob informal, but country club informal.  A man might wear a sport coat for one or two dinners, but otherwise a golf shirt and pants is all he needs.  So no need for dry cleaning.

Totally agree. We have done dozens of River Cruises and generally find the more affluent the other guests are the more casual the dress, they have nothing to prove, even down to 'Primark Jewelry' LOL,  So smart casual. It can be very humid on the Danube at that time of year so linen and cotton is advised even if you have to put a sweater on top it makes you feel more comfortable. Don't do what a USA person did and pack 'Chemical Hand Warmers' in their hold luggage. Homeland Security thought it looked suspicious and did not allow their luggage to be loaded so they arrived in Budapest with the clothes they traveled in. Luggage caught up with them the day of going home!

36 minutes ago, thunter1224 said:

Does anyone know if AMA has irons in the rooms or onboard .. to take care of the wrinkles from packing ?

I don't know of any cruise company [River or Sea] that allowed Irons or any other heating device in the cabin as it can set off heat sensors or smoke alarms. But they do offer a Laundry/iron service  on AMA ships at a charge. Lots of video's online to show you how to pack to avoid wrinkles.Basically iron everything then roll it up before packing, don't fold, or hang up in a steamy shower after unpacking

16 hours ago, castle701 said:

THANK YOU SO MUCH for posting. We are taking our first River Cruise on Magna with a dozen people in September. If I could ask a few questions:

Are there any other alternative surcharged excursions that are available?

How hard is it to get a bike excursion since they have to be done once onboard? - 

So basically after dinner, if there is no piano music and local entertainment, there is nothing to do at all?

For the Captain's Gala-what would be the dress code?

Did you have the Chane Des Rotisseur dinner?

Do you have any daily AMA schedules you could share?

Any pictures?

 

 

No alternative excursion other than in brochure, included or paid extra.

They have an awful lot of bikes and I have never seen them all booked out, but I have seen guests being refused as they did not pass the proficiency test as being safe to cycle on roads or paths [They could not cycle in a straight line or were not fit enough]. The cycle excursions sometimes get canceled at short notice due to wind or rain so have a tour 'B' you want to take.

There is always a keyboard player/vocalist. and some nights other local entertainment.

Dinner is always 'Smart Casual' a few guests sometimes get dressed up, but is the exception.

Everyone gets the Chane Des Rotisseur dinner. But book 'Chef's table' as soon as you board to get the night you want and who you want to dine with to avoid disappointment. Last cruise we took in May half of the nights had already been booked up by those on the 'Pre-Cruise' stay, and it was fully booked up by breakfast  of second day.

On 4/24/2019 at 7:12 PM, Got2Cruise said:

They do not provide lunches for the long days. We take this as an opportunity to sample authentic regional foods. There  are food stands in Salzburg so you can sample a sandwich and a drink for not much money. Plus don’t forget the desserts in that region. lol. You will definitely return in time for dinner. Don’t worry about that. And, if you choose the optional excursion to a concert hall in Vienna, the dining room will be open early to accommodate the group attending the concert. You won’t go hungry. 

Rather than take the Salzburg tour we opted for the Cesky Krumlov tour which I and all others on the tour loved. Pedestrianised Medieval town, virtually intact with the second largest Castle in Bavaria. It was interesting that at dinner that night everyone was raving about Cesky Krumlov, but those that went to Salzburg were rather subdued

1 hour ago, thunter1224 said:

  I know that I can bring Paprika back to the states .. But has anyone brought Cheese's or sausages home ? I have friends from Hungary that said they would love if I could pick them up a few things ..like strudel , chocolates, and the cheese and Bratwurst .. 

 

I suspect not as the USA ban the import of Haggis and Black pudding from Scotland which are both basically sausage. I think it might be party because the EU banns the import of chlorinated poultry and meat products containing steroids and that have been fed GM grain which are widely sold in the USA, but are all listed as not fit for human consumption in the whole of Europe because of long term health risks.

8 hours ago, KY Deb said:

We are doing the reverse route of this cruise, from Budapest to Vilshofen in August.  I recently was able to sign up for our shore excursions on line.   I noticed that there was no evening concert option offered for sign up in Vienna.  Does this mean that AMA  won’t offer this optional tour, or do they have it, but you sign up once you are on board?  

We were told is was number dependant once we joined this cruise and they took the bookings then. Unless it is fully booked already [It is an open venue where anybody can book tickets] I would think it will be offered. Well worth going to.

On 4/1/2019 at 2:00 AM, texasstar said:

I would suggest getting a Rick Steve's guide book and read about each port you are going to.  In some ports, you have time to do some things on your own.

I have been to Budapest many many times doing it on my own as well on river cruises now  6 times and just back 3 weeks ago. The DK Eyewitness tour guide of Budapest [not the 'Top 10'] is far better than Rick Steve's which IMO is 'Misleading ' in parts.

On 5/24/2019 at 1:27 AM, thunter1224 said:

I collect walking sticks.. and I see that in Europe they add the metal medallions of the cities over there .. did anyone see them in souvenir shops at stops along Danube stops   or maybe the sticks them self ?

You see them in virtually every souvenir shop all over Europe and most ar 'Self Stick' with the option of 2 pins.

16 hours ago, Got2Cruise said:

Yes. You’ll be able to visit the market in Budapest. The ship is docked walking distance. 

When in Budapest go to the main market and go up the stairs. On one side there is a restaurant layed out with tables and chairs and sometimes some musicians, This is for the tourists. On the other three sides you will find dozens of small family owned 'Fast Food' stalls serving the 'Real' local dishes at a fraction of the cost of the restaurant. Every stall has its own specialties often served with a 1/2 pint [1/4 Lt] of the local red wine to wash it down, though beer is now becoming more popular. This is where you can sample the local cuisine at its very best. You can also buy the best herbs & spices here in the market, where the locals buy them.

On 4/13/2019 at 12:11 AM, Swannee50 said:

Booked a long-awaited Basel-Prague Christmas markets Avalon cruise for November-Dec 2018. Due to drought, we learnt 11 days prior to departure, that  due to low water level, itinerary might have to be concluded by bus & hotel. Offered full refund if desired, but we were happy with the bus/ hotel option so decided to continue on that understanding. We were happy that we would still see all the towns & Christmas markets in Germany, as per our original plan.  

4 days prior, told there would be no bus/ hotel option, instead we would sail only to Strasbourg where we would dock for 5 days, then sail back to Basel. Again, refund offered but in the 4 days, we were unable to find an alternative tour that would also fit in with our non-refundable air fares, which were not part of the tour package, therefore not covered by travel insurance. Under Avalon’s terms & conditions, we had to accept that this change was also allowed.

However, the tour we received bore no resemblance to the one booked, in either places visited or value for money. Why is Avalon/ Globus, or any company for that matter, allowed to substitute inferior tours when a change has to occur? We can accept the changes but not being short-changed after paying a lot of money for what ended up being a budget tour. Being docked for 5 days in a poor area of town with no nice outlook, wasn’t our idea of a river cruise! 

We received a refund for not being able to have the same sized room on the substitute vessel & a refund of the one night we didn’t spend on board. These were refunds of money already paid , not compensation for any inconvenience, disappointment & stress caused by Avalon/ Globus. They were also paid by cheque, in spite of the assurance they would be paid in the manner we had used when booking, which was direct deposit. And 1 of our party had her cheque dishonoured, for which she had to pay the bank fee! Repeated appeals to Avalon through Circuit Travel in  Sydney, have been dismissed out of hand. 

Our first trip with Avalon will be our last. Never again. 

 

2018 was a terrible year for all rivers in Europe because of low water. We managed our June cruise with Emerald on the Rhone, But our October cruise with Viking on the Danube was ultimately completely changed to a bus trip at the last minute. Having experienced water problems way back in 2012 we knew the consequences of such changes and took the offer of a complete refund.  We always book direct with the cruise company no matter where we go and because of this within 7 days we had the full cost of the cruise refunded back into our bank, but within 14 days we had all our other expenses of flights, airport lounge, and airport parking all refunded as well

11 hours ago, Got2Cruise said:

Yay! I’m so glad everything is coming into place for you. I always wondered if those CC contests are legit. Lol. Munich is great. Amawaterways has a wonderful product. Don’t forget to book the Chef’s Table. 

We will be doing this particular cruise with AMA in two weeks for the second time [First time was the 'Wine' version' which misses Bratislava] suggest to book the Chef's Table as soon as you board for mid week, as you may like we did get the invitation to 'Captains Table' on the last night.

It can be handy to carry a 'Tote Bag' to easily   carry all the discarded layers.

19 hours ago, cruiselvr04 said:

 It's a real problem for alot of women or it wouldn't come up so often on these boards.  And in one area of their site it just says no devices that produce heat and doesn't specifically list curling irons.  

I'm also very sure alot of women never even read the list and have no idea....cruise critic members are few on river cruises.

They do not search your luggage.

 

The problem is the number of Guests who leave hot devices such as tongs, straighteners, Irons, both electric & gas on and leave them on the furnishings in the cabin causing damage, evacuation because of heat & smoke detectors and on a cruise I was on the Nile quiet a serious fire.

It can be helpful if you use standard European temperatures in Centigrade as 'Fahrenheit' went out of use more than 50 years ago. But to answer your question I will be back on the Danube in two weeks having cruised it many times, but have also visited Prague and Budapest [I love looking a good Scottish engineering in both towns] as a city break more than 12. Temperature can  be in Fahrenheit anything from 40 to 80 [5c-25c] in May. Dress in layers and have a light weight 'Waterproof' top layer preferably breathable to stop you having a 'Sauna'. You will be visiting a wonderful part of the world and Prague and Budapest two of the worlds most beautiful city's, but all the other towns you will visit are also a delight to visit, enjoy.

10 hours ago, Abiding said:

Forgot to mention that one of the differences between ocean and river cruises is that  they don’t have any spa amenities, or even a swimming pool (at least on.the  Viking longships.). When I ocean cruise, that’s my favorite part of the trip, so  it might be something to consider. 

AMA & Emerald both have small swimming pools [Emerald converts to a cinema at night] and both have massage available.

5 hours ago, lucky cal said:

My mother and I are cruising on Viking's Paris to Swiss Alps itinerary on August 5th. We have taken a number of ocean cruises but this our first river cruise. I tend to be a detailed planner, and two things are driving me crazy. The first is not knowing how long we will be docked in each port. The second is not knowing exactly where we will dock for each location.

 

We have reserved an excursion in each port, but I'd like to know how long we'll be docked. That way I would have a better sense of timing and know if I can/should research and plan any other activities for time on our own.

 

As far as docking location, I'm trying to determine how close we will be to each town. Are we able to walk to and from the ship for free time on our own, and if not, does Viking provide a shuttle into town?

 

I'm sure we will receive more detailed information with our final documents but we won't receive those until 3 weeks before the trip and that's not much time to research and plan.

 

If anyone can shed light on the timing and docking location for the following ports on the Paris to Swiss Alps itinerary, I'd be grateful!

 

Strasbourg

Speyer

Mainz

Koblenz

Cochem

Bernkastel

Trier

Totally agree with the other two posts. On the dozens of River Cruises I have done you will not find out details till the night before in your news letter about the following days program. Unfortunately I've even had to put up with a port being skipped because of water or docking difficulties. Some River Cruise lines do have their own Docking stations on some rivers so sometimes you can guarantee where you will be docked but not always.

3 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Have an open mind. this is not the typical Viking itinerary. You are not sailing on a Viking longship. Viking must lease the ship and they must staff it with Ukrainians except for some of the upper management on the hotel staff.  If you are expecting it to be like a sail down the Danube, you are setting yourself up for disappointment--and I think that is why you are seeing so many negative reviews, because people did not do their homework before sailing.

We have done St.Petersburg to Moscow with Viking which we really enjoyed [Having done many Viking Longship cruises before] Looking at the photo's of the ship it looks very similar & size. 

AMA, Viking and Emerald certainly send you a guide book of the places you will be stopping at  with your final itinerary generally 3-4 weeks prior to sailing so you can peruse things that may particularly interest you. If this is a first sailing on any particular river generally the program is so packed  you generally don't have time to do your own thing, But if you have a Pre or Post stopover for a few days then I would recommend the DK Eyewitness guides.

It's not so much the top being waterproof [ I'm also a fan of Silicone Spray] but having a good grip on wet polished cobbles and sandstone or going through 4" of water pouring down the streets.

19 hours ago, JerryInIL said:

We would like to take a Spring cruise.  What month(s) are most likely to have acceptable water levels for cruising on the Danube?  

We will be sailing south from Vilshofen at the end of the month towards Budapest and we are hoping to have good water levels as our cruise in the Fall down to Bucharest was  was completely cancelled because of low water and the ship being grounded at the 'Iron Gate'. Hopefully there was enough snow fall and they get a nice slow snow melt and keep the levels stable, because it is not just us cruisers are suffering but also the amount of freight that is carried on these rivers is considerable. 

There was a discussion on BBC Scotland the other day about UK citizens trying to get into the USA the other day , because f the number of refusals, and even for 'Travel Experts' from one of the National UK newspapers being totally confused by the questionnaire and also being refused entry. One of the questions really stood out as being quite bizarre, " Are you involved in terrorist activity against the USA or any other country"?. Who in 'Homeland Security' thought that question up?. If You were a terrorist would you answer it honestly? One of the other major criticism of the form is that if you are filling it up on a small device like a iPad mini the spaces between the tick boxes is so small it is very easy to make a mistake.

As a small update to Viking I have just received my 'Info Pack' from Viking for my next trip in 3 weeks through Eastern Europe and it is so comprehensive tailored to the individual explaining all documentation, passport requirements, currency and Credit card protocol and basically taking you by the hand through every procedure from the time you leave home heading for the airport, to the time they leave you at the airport at 'Check In' there is no way you are going to make a mistake, If You Read It. I did almost make a big mistake ( picked up by Viking) that my PC auto filled in a recently expired Passport Details.