KathyK13

I have been following with interest the posts on the Rhine and Danube low water conditions and am curious about how all the cruise lines are dealing with the levels. Riviera appears to have turned a cruise into a bus tour. I have seen comments on how Crystal and Avalon have changed itineraries or canceled cruises. Viking usually does ship swaps. How about AMA, Uniword, Tauck, Evergreen, Vantage, Gate 1? While cruise lines obviously have no control over mother nature, how they handle these situations can make a huge difference. I would rather pay more to cruise on a line that goes above and beyond to make the trip enjoyable than one that automatically turns the cruise to a bus tour.

I totally understand the OPs reaction to the disappointment. We are booked from Amsterdam to Basel in October 2019 for our 35th Wedding Anniversary. While I do know that there is a chance of this happening, I would still be very upset.

 

I really think that the cruise lines need to give people who really, really hate bus trips the opportunity of cancelling the trip with a full refund. There is no doubt that river cruising is an extremely expensive type of holiday and simply replacing the cruise with a bus and hotels is simply not good enough.

 

I would much rather get my money back and then do my own thing in Europe, using trains and hotels of my own choice. A bus tour can be purchased for around 10% of the cost of a river cruise, so it is not a suitable replacement.[/quote

 

If you feel that having any part of your cruise turned into bus trips, buy cancel for any reason insurance. Then you could get your money back and DIY your trip.

I'm sure it was very disappointing to spend most of your river cruise on land, but this is something that the cruise lines have no control over and is hard to predict. They were probably hoping for the best too,but you can't just increase the water levels. For our river cruises, we have always been warned prior to booking about the possibility that parts of the trip may not be possible on the river due to water levels. There's only so much the cruise lines can do.

While it's true that cruise lines have no control over high/low water levels, some do a much better job at dealing with the situation. I read a post recently by someone on an Avalon cruise. They were able to swap boats, with Avalon providing free extra excursions and meals in between. Having so many ships on the river, Viking is usually able to provide ship swaps. I read somewhere that AMA ships are sometimes able to make it through low water when others couldn't. Maybe a lighter boat or lower draft?

Check with your cruise line to see if you can leave your luggage on the ship and pick up before leaving for the airport. Ships usually dock in the heart of Budapest so it would be easy to go back for your luggage.

How much do you enjoy socializing? If you're looking forward to meeting new people you might not want to miss the last night. We enjoyed the final dinner and sitting on the deck looking at Budapest lights with new friends. If you prefer to keep to yourselves you might not miss the last evening.

The OP gave a balanced review of HIS experience with Viking River Cruises. If his review isn’t useful to you, fine. But for those of us who are considering Viking, his review is useful. Based on his description, neither the dining service or food was good. Granted, his views are subjective, but that is the nature of reviews. Further, did you miss the fact that he was finally able to check in at nearly 4:00, not 3:00? I don’t know anyone who would be pleased about that! The OP wrote a balanced review, for which you promptly flamed him.

Iwasn't trying to 'flame' him but was mainly pointing out that many of the things he complained are inherent to river cruising about which he could have learned ahead of time by reviewing Viking's travel documents and reading posts on this site. There are MANY Viking reviews here that are mostly positive. I haven't cruised with Viking but have several friends who have and they had nothing but praise. I've done 2 river cruises with another company that I chose because their rooms were larger and the ship had fewer passengers. Yes, having to wait an extra hour to get into a room is annoying but I prefer to let little things go and try to enjoy myself regardless.

Comparing ocean cruising with river cruising is comparing apples and oranges. The only thing they have in common is they are both boats. Many of the things you complained about you could easily have found out ahead of time. Yes, Viking's lower rooms are small. You could have checked other lines like AMA, Uniworld, Tauck, Avalon all who have larger rooms and fewer passengers. Yes, the pre and post excursions are expensive. Some people like to do the cruise line's extensions because it's easier than making their own arrangements. Many people, like myself, prefer to DIY before and after. It was your choice. You complained about the bus ride. Didn't you ask ahead of time how you were getting to Budapest? All cruise lines use busses. And why did you expect to be checked into a hotel at noon? Would you expect that in the US? European hotels are similar to US hotels in that the check out time is late morning and check in time usually around 3. Most people drop off their luggage then explore the city, if only to find a cafe to have lunch and relax. Yes, river cruising can be more expensive than ocean cruising but sounds to me like you understood that before you went on the cruise. Not sure why you came here to complain about cost.

Well, we’re two days from our flight, so I guess I can post some details about the Active Discovery cruises on Avalon myself. 🙂

 

We’re off to a good start already- our cabin was upgraded from aquarium class to the next deck up. (I’m happy about the upgrade but I think I might miss that ledge under the windows that we had on our 1st cruise.)

 

I can’t remember which excursions we signed up for, except the art class in Amsterdam. My other half signed up for a running excursion that I will certainly skip! I’m hoping to have a nice balance of hiking, culinary, and other excursions, without completely overwhelming myself. (I used to get sick after vacations because I tried to do EVERYTHING and wore myself out.)

 

Happy planning, everyone.

I hope you enjoyed your cruise and come back to tell us how it went. I'm considering this cruise for May 2019. I like that the cruise stops in towns like Xanten, Duisberg, and Eltville which no other cruises visit. How did you like the excursions, both the active and the regular guided walks? I am interested in some of the optional hikes but I have a wonky hip that I hope is healed by then. If not I would be doing the less active excursions. I just want to make sure the less active excursions are interesting enough to make the trip. Thanks!

Boarding Time in Nuremberg

 

We are on Avalon's Legendary Danube cruise in November '19. Prior to that we are spending a week at a timeshare in western Germany close to the borders of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg leaving us 5 nights until we board the Illumination in Nuremberg. We will have a rental car with pickup at FRA and return in Nuremberg.

 

After the timeshare stay we plan on spending 2 nights in Colmar FR and then on to Lucerne CH, where I'm thinking 3 nights there is ideal. Google says its a little over a 5 hour drive from Lucerne to Nuremberg.

 

If we depart Switzerland on the day we sail from Nuremberg will that be doable? Or would you advise spending the night prior to we sail in Nuremberg? Thanks!

You should be fine driving to Nuremberg the day the cruise begins. We took the train from Munich to Nuremberg the day our Legendary Danube cruise began, arriving at the boat around 1 pm. 3 pm is the usual official embarkation time, but we were allowed to wait in the lounge until our room was ready. I think the boat left Nuremberg around 5:30. You should check with Avalon to comfirm the estimated time the boat will leave, since our cruise was several years ago and the itinerary may have changed.

Ewwww.

My thoughts exactly.

If the window doesn't open...I can't. I need to be able to get out the window. I know it probably an irrational fear....but having lost a few friends on a ship below deck and claustrophobia....it's worth it to me to spend the money for my sanity.

I'm with you; I would feel claustrophobic without the french balcony windows. And although we did spend most of our time on the top deck when sailing, there were times I wanted some time to myself and enjoyed watching the river go by from our room.

Air Canada never used to fly to Amsterdam; I believe when they inaugurated the route it was flown by Rouge. As far as I know they never just substitute Rouge planes; however it is possible that they changed some routes from Air Canada to Rouge. You should be able to tell that they are operated by Air Canada Rouge. That said, it is pretty lousy; I flew home from Lisbon and even premium economy wasn’t very nice. And in terms of Aeroplan rewards they charge the same number of points for either airline.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Thanks for the explanation. I'd never heard of Rouge. We live in Western NY and occasionally fly to Europe out of Toronto; we're able to get a direct flight and it's only a 2 hour drive from home if we're lucky at the border crossing. We'll keep this in mind if for our next trip.:):)

We had no problem booking our seats, we wanted window seats & to be together...Avalon sent us the flight info the day we booked, and I chose our seats through KLM that day. We had to pay KLM for selecting seats, but nothing to Avalon for deviation fee to arrive & depart from Amsterdam or any other charges. They beat both my checking online for KLM & our TA's pricing. We had very limited choices here, and I refused to do Air Canada...they like to downgrade to Rouge with no notice.

Did you ask Avalon to book you on KLM? Just wondering what your airline choices were. Our last trip to Europe we flew direct from Toronto to Munich on Air Canada and were very happy with them. What do you mean by 'downgrade to Rouge'? Never heard that term...

We're not in a position to river cruise in the near future, but this line looks interesting. I'd be fine without included excursions and alcohol. I'm looking forward to some reviews here.

I see that you cruised with Croisieurope last year. How did you like it? Were there many english speakers on the cruise? We're considering cruising with them next year but have some reservations. Don't want to be the only English speakers on board.

I have sailed both Uniworld and Avalon, and much prefer Uniworld. I found the passenger mix on Uniworld to be more our age (50's), and Uniworld was much more inclusive. I feel the staff, including the cruise director and reception staff, to be much more interactive and engaging with the passengers. For the Uniworld staff, it's a passion, for the Avalon staff (at least on our one cruise) it was a job.

 

 

I've never cruised with Uniworld, but have done 2 cruises with Avalon. I can't compare the staff, but must respectfully disagree that for Avalon staff it's just a job. We found Avalon staff very attentive and engaging. I have dietary restrictions that I only needed to mention once to our waiter; he would make recommendations to me at each following meal. I was surprised how quickly the staff remembered our names and always greeted us by name with a smile. The bartender knew our names and our preferred drink by the second day. I can't imagine what else the staff could have done to be more welcoming.

So sorry to hear of your illness and hope your recovery is swift and complete!

I would also be very interested in your experiences with Gate 1. They have only recently (it seems to me) started advertising to the NZ market and there isn't that much information on CC about them. They seem a little cheaper than some competitors like Avalon and Uniworld, so will be interesting to read your comments.

Add me to the list interested in your review, especially the quality of the meals and the excursion guides. We've already done the Danube and are looking at the Rhine cruise. Other lines have gotten more expensive and now that we're retired cost is more important than it was when we were working1

It's going to be a glorious weekend in the Rhine and Moselle Valleys!

With our heart and soul belonging to the Alsace Region, we've been cruising on the Moselle for a long time. This year, we launched our first cruises starting in Remich on the Moselle:

https://www.croisieuroperivercruises.com/cruise/3-rivers-beautiful-valleys-moselle-romantic-rhine-neckar-classic

We're interested in your 2019 cruises. When will 2019 information be posted on your website?

We are booked on this cruise June 2019, Amsterdam to Basel.

Question for those who have taken this cruise.

How long are the included excursions?

Is there enough time, generally speaking, for either time on your own, or to book another independent tour, with someone like Tours by Locals.

We don’t want to waste a minute😉

It would be helpful if you listed the cruise line, as the tours can vary depending on the line.

Looks like the bean counters may be at work. That would suck if they were going to combine the fast and gentle walkers together to save money.[/quo

 

Sure would. Combine a fast walker group with a people struggling to catch up and nobody would enjoy it.

I don’t even understand how this saves money. Boats have a number of walking groups (4, 6, ?). Let one group be “gentle”; problem solved at zero cost. What am I missing here? Seems like the home office solved a problem that didn’t exist. They need to told that they are being stupid.

Maybe they decided there weren't enough people choosing the gentle walkers group to cover the cost of an additional tour guide. Very shortsighted on their part; I think it will cost them business. It does seem that they are more interested in attracting a younger demographic. The OP is rightly angry that they were promised an experience that wasn't delivered. I hope they receive a lot of complaints and change their policy.

I'm puzzled by this. I thought May Day was a national holiday in most countries in Europe. Since Viking has the most river ships I would have thought they adjusted their schedules on all cruises for May 1. Surely shows lack of planning on their part. I wonder if other cruise companies adjusted their schedules ahead of time.

There are rivers and landscapes beyond the standard Rhine, Main, Moselle, Danube, Seine and Rhone, or even the Elbe and the Douro, the last one getting ever more popular.

 

Here is the catch: you cannot see them on a 135m ship. Even the 110m ships might not be small enough. Do not get me wrong, I am not talking of the very expensive barge cruises on the canals in France. I mean other rivers and canals built as trading routes. They criss-cross Europe and give you access to towns and landscapes that you might never have heard about...

 

So, in order to see such places you need to downsize, go for the smaller ships and forget about multiple dining options, swimming pool, sundeck lounge, etc. If you are still interested read on.

 

One example of such a cruise crossing Europe is CroisiEurope's offering: Amsterdam to Berlin! Yes, there is a different way out of Amsterdam, you do not need to go to Cologne. :)

 

The problem: there are very few sailings.

 

But to give you an idea what is possible on smaller ships, here is the itinerary: http://www.croisieurope.co.uk/cruises/amsterdam-berlin-formula-port/port-without-transfer

 

I have given the Neckar and Oder rivers their own threads and mentioned a few companies in those.

 

More info to come. And please ask away... beyond the language divide I might be able to find out something for you. :)

 

notamermaid

I am very interested in this itinerary, however the link shows no dates and prices!

Is Erlangen the only place in/near Nuremburg for the river cruise ships to dock?

I don't know about Viking, but our Avalon boat was docked in Nuremberg on the Main Danube canal. Quick taxi ride from the train station.

Your Croisieurope trip sounds interesting as it's different from the usual Rhine/Danube cruises in Germany. How did you find out about it? I can't find any information on the 018 cruise on their website (US version). The 'Dates and Prices' tab shows no dates or prices! I tried to request a brochure but it only shows 2017 and 2018 brochures.

Well, I have to vote in the negative/bad category for Paris. Was there last October and stayed for 4 days. DW and I swore we would avoid Paris at all costs in the future. I was even threatened with arrest for trying to carry a camera at the Arch de Triumph. No way I would ever consider going back. I talked about it with a friend upon my return and his mother is from Strabourg. When she flies home she avoids flying into CDG or coming even close to Paris. Now, our overall impression of the people we met along the Rhine river during Christmas Markets and the people along the Seine (other than Paris) was great. I would go back in a heartbeat.

 

To join in the hat conversation, I am another folliclely (sp?) challenged man who wears a hat to protect against sun exposure. Have a few skin cancers cut out and you will see the reason for a hat and quite frankly, don't care what other people think.

I was apprehensive about our reception as Americans before our visit to Paris in September 2016. I have to say we had the opposite experience to yours. We found Parisians to be, for the most part, very friendly and at worst reserved. Although hardly fluent in French, we did offer greetings in French which seemed to break the ice. We absolutely loved Paris and can't wait to go back.