AirGorilla

I was on a Tauck riverboat cruise a few years ago which started in Prague, and ended in Budapest.  We stayed at Marriott full-service hotels is both cities.  I simply went to the front desk for checkin, and showed my Platinum credentials.  I was given a room on the Concierge Floor, Lounge access, etc.  'Twas easy!

194 pax is a lt of people, compared to what I am used to on Tauck. Not to criticize, but just to compare!

Good trips to all,

AG

We've stayed at the Renaissance Amsterdam multiple times - probably at least five times. We like it. It is a good use of Marriott points - not sure if you have to use real money!!

Good luck,

AG

I can only speak for Tauck, having been on three of their river cruises. Let's just focus on dinner.

There is a fairly broad time slot when you can enter the dining room for dinner, say 6:30-8:00 pm. Tables are not assigned, and are available in various sizes, from 2 to 8 people. Never had to wait for a table we liked. Sometimes we ate by ourselves at a two-top, and other times we dined with folks we liked, at larger tables.

There were only 82 passengers on our most recent cruise, which made the dining room experience great! They had 14 chefs!

Enjoy,

AG

We recently used Tours Plaza for the second time. Used them on trips to Cozumel in both 2016 and 2017. Great service both times. Had same driver both times. Antonio (our driver) was terrific! Went to the chocolate factory, tequila factory, and a great place on the East coast of the island (beachfront) for lunch. I recommend them highly!!

As someone who flies first class, I can tell you how annoying it is when everyone crowds the queue and you can't even get through to board. You ask "are you in line" and they say yes, but they are not really. You try to be nice and people don't move. So you kind of have to push your way through a bit. I want my preflight cocktail while I people watch all the miserable coachies standing in line trying to fight for overhead space, dangit.

 

Maybe consider not standing there and blocking the line?

 

If they were 2/3 of the way back on the plane, they were not first class. That would be priority, who boards after first class (depending on airline). And they want to get on to make sure they have overhead space before it crowds up.

Diamond Medallions, even those with Coach boarding passes, board with First Class passengers at Delta Air Lines.

AG

Thanks, I've been looking on line this morning, and I couldn't find anything on Tauck's web site.

Hi again --

There may not be anything about this perk on the website. We have gotten letters advising us of this perk, following the cruise.

AG

Repeat river cruise guests receive a complimentary pre- or post- cruise stay of one night at the Tauck-selected hotel affiliated with the particular cruise. This perk applies only to reservations made far in advance. I forget how far exactly, but there is a "drop dead date" in the year before the cruise takes place.

These are in very nice hotels.

Enjoy,

AG

AirGorilla,

Not sure if you're still active here but how did you like the food on board Esprit? We've sailed Uniworld only and really enjoyed the jars of candy and snacks, coffee and tea always available. Does Tauck have that?

 

What type of cabin did you book? Was it comfortable?

 

Was there much free time in ports?

 

 

thanks

Have done one additional trip on Esprit since my original post, in July 2016. Liked the food very much. Yes, there is always food and beverages available in the restaurant at the stern of the boat. In addition, you can order from a list of snacks which are deliverable to your stateroom, or the location of your choice.

We had a stateroom on Ruby Deck, which is on the second level. It was quite comfortable. Small, but well-designed for space usage.

There was free time in every port.

Hope this is helpful!

AG

Greetings fellow CC adventurers! Looking for some advice/suggestions/ideas from those of you who may have already taken this trip. We've decided to spend 3 days post cruise in Switzerland. Probably go to Lucerne, and then possibly take the Wilhelm Tell express to Lugano, or take an excursion to the Bernese region. Then fly out of Zurich or Basel. Can anyone offer some thoughts or ideas? Thanks! You guys are the best!

Last summer, after a river cruise from Amsterdam to Basel, we took the train from Basel to Zurich, stayed there two nights at the Marriott, and flew back to ATL out of Zurich. We enjoyed Zurich … took a boat trip on Lake Zurich, ate at a great Italian restaurant, and explored the city. Had a fine time!

AG

We used it in March 2016, and liked it a lot:

https://www.thefastpark.com/location/atlanta/?gclid=CLTzvOrh_8wCFdgKgQodVZAMaw

AG

Hi! Do you recommend a tour company in specific for that activity?

I have read that there are many.

 

Thanks!

http://www.ftlauderdaleairboatrides.com/index.html

AG

We were on Tauck last July for the Rhine/Moselle itinerary. It was hot. Some passengers in Cat 7 cabins complained that their cabins got overheated, due to being on the top deck with the sun hitting, and that the a/c didn't do an adequate job of cooling.

AG

The best way to find out about train travel options in Europe ( and also to find out where to check prices and book tickets) is on the website of "The Man in Seat 61" . http://seat61.com/

His information is detailed and up to date.

Cheers

Andona

Just Friday, booked 2 First Class train tickets Budapest-Prague (reserved seats) for mid-July for 35 Euros each. Used "The Man in Seat 61" and this made the process of using the Hungarian website much easier. I heartily recommend this also.

Cheers,

AG

If you're a fan of Mexican food, Carlos & Pepe's is a great place … probably a 5 - 10 minute walk from the Hyatt Place. And … their top-shelf Margarita kills!

AG

That's great, but it's not what the OP was asking. They aren't concerned with how long the process will take, as they have 10 hours. They want to know how early BA will accept their checked bags.

The OP is from Owensboro, KY., and flying EVV-ATL. I am not sure if he/she has ever been in the ATL airport, and am not sure if he/she is familiar with the domestic vs. international terminals here. I am merely trying to be helpful to the OP. I have no idea how far in advance of flighttime bags are accepted by BA. Never flown 'em.

AG

You'll claim your bags at the ATL domestic baggage area. Then you'll have to take the shuttle van to the international terminal, where you'll re-check them. This is not a quick process. Make sure to allow 30-45 minutes for the transfer. It sounds as though you'll have lots of time, but make sure to allow for the transfer time.

Hi Anne --

Great review ... agree with everything you said. We were on that specific cruise with you! I thought the Captain "the Voice from Above" and crew were outstanding!

Thanks,

AG

We were in Cozumel on 1/9/16, on the Brilliance of the Seas. We were four people, and were scheduled with Aldo of TP for a tour using a sedan. Unfortunately, Also was ill that day, and we had Antonio (who had a van). Antonio was great ... we visited some historical sites/statues, the Antigua tequila factory, and had a great fresh seafood lunch at a beach restaurant/bar. I would use their services again without any qualms!

AG

We were in Cozumel on 1/9/16, on the Brilliance of the Seas. We were four people, and were scheduled with Aldo of TP for a tour using a sedan. Unfortunately, Also was ill that day, and we had Antonio (who had a van). Antonio was great ... we visited some historical sites/statues, the Antigua tequila factory, and had a great fresh seafood lunch at a beach restaurant/bar. I would use their services again without any qualms!

AG

Can anyone comment on what time you actually disembark the cruise? We'll be ending in Cologne, but I'm assuming the answer should cover most of their European ports. Trying to figure out and schedule flight times home from Cologne. We can't find any definitive answers on the Tauck website. Thanks.

We found Tauck to be flexible, due to a variety of pax travel plans: some had flights, some had trains, some went to hotels, some picked up rental cars.

The bottom line is that disembarkation happens thoughout the morning of the last day, with numbers/departure times assigned to each travel party based upon their travel plans. The Tauck cruise director on board provides a short questionnaire two/three days before the end of the cruise asking about travel plans and preferences. So, Tauck will accomodate your travel plans. This is a little different from ocean cruising.

My best,

AG

Hi folks --

One thing that has not been mentioned so far in this thread is the effectiveness of air conditioning on the top deck. We were on a Tauck river cruise in July, on the Esprit, and had a cabin on the Ruby (middle) deck. Our air conditioning worked fine.

We met some folks who had a cabin on the top deck, and they commented that their air conditioning wasn't keeping their cabin cool enough. They thought it might be due to the sun beating down on their roof, causing their cabin to heat up, which isn't a problem on the bottom or middle decks.

This is probably not such a big problem in spring or fall, but I thought I would mention what I heard.

Have a fine trip!

AG

I really hope Tauck's not like that.

It's not!

AG

My husband and I are considering the Tauck Rhine Moselle cruise for 2016. I don't read much about the food and would appreciate any comments. Our only river cruise has been with AMA and the food was wonderful but AMA does not offer the Moselle as an option.

Hello allyg --

Breakfast and lunch were served buffet-style; dinner was waiter-served. Both the breakfast and lunch buffets had fine variety of dishes, and some were delicious ... no complaints here!

Dinner dishes were menu-listed, and featured excellent variety and tastes ... no complaints here, either! Both lunch and dinner featured beers and wines that were complimentary, and were sourced from the regions which we were visiting.

So, we were very pleased!

My best,

AG

We recently returned from a Tauck river cruise on the Rhine and Moselle Rivers. To my surprise, Tauck saved us more than 30% vs. the prices on the DL website. We were able to specify the exact flights that we wanted: ATL-AMS and ZRH-ATL nonstops. I realize this may not work for all itineraries and US airports, but we were very pleased.

AG