Vantage Grand European River Cruise 9/23/10

[rickreck]

We are new to river cruises although have been on several ocean cruises. We are not sure what expect in regards to room quality and services. I have a couple questions regarding room differences, bringing licquor on board and laundry services.

What are the differences between cat D and cat C rooms and is the $700 upcharge worth paying for the larger window?

Can you bring alcohol on board for a cocktail in your room? Is there a laundy on board that is reasonably priced?

If we book our own air is it difficult to get from the airport in amsterdam to the ship and back to the airport from the ship in budapest since we will not have vantage transfers?

[rogerdawhip]

I personally do not think it is worth $600 to upgrade for D to C. The cabins are the same except for the window. Category D only has a half window while C has a large window.

 

You can bring your own alcohol on board but a corkage fee is charged if you wish to drinlk your own wine in the dinning room.

 

A laundry service is provided and the cost is fairly reasonable.

 

Getting from the airport to the ship in Amsterdam is very easy. Taxis are not expensive and there is also a train into town(the ships dock next to the train station). I'm not familiar with the transfers in Budapest.

[rickreck]

Thank you for the info very helpful

[npphotog]

hi RickReck - Regarding your upcoming trip with Vantage. Wife and I did the Amsterdam to Budapest river cruise with Vantage in 2005. Not sure I would want to make our own air arrangements. We arrived in Amsterdam around 10am and could not board the river boat until 2pm. Vantage picked us up at the airport and put us up in a big motel just out of town. Used the room to rest up, went down for lunch (Vantage paid this) and we were picked up around 1:30 and taken to the ship.

As to cabins, we always book the bottom of the ship. Rooms are the same unless you get a suite. Size of window not important to us as we are only in there to sleep. Spent most of the time up top on the deck. We have done 3 trips with Vantage and are booked for the Eastern Europe and the Black Sea for August 2010. Leaving August 26th for the pre trip to Transylvania and meeting the rest of the tour on August 30th. Have any questions on what you will see and what you should no miss, email me at WillardWKrieble@ij.net

Willard (Florida)

[marco]

We've had both category cabins. For us, the upgrade is not worth it. The "half" window is still quite large enough to enjoy the views.We don't spend a lot of time in the cabin anyway, but it's more than adequate for watching the sites go by while you are in the cabin and the amout of light they let in is fine. Keep in mind the bottom of the window is pretty much on the water line, so the lower half of the cabin is below the water line. Other folks have commented that this makes the noise of the water while the ship is moving, noticable. Some have said it is relaxing, some have said it is annoying. No problem bringing alcoholic beverages onboard for use in your cabin and even on the upper outside deck. Laundry service is availalbe, resonably. As far as Budapest to the airport. It's about a 40 minute ride, cab or car service is very easy to arrange, (your ship guide can probably arrange it for you) and I think it's about $40 for the car/cab, not pp.

[Hydrokitty]

hi RickReck - Regarding your upcoming trip with Vantage. Wife and I did the Amsterdam to Budapest river cruise with Vantage in 2005. Not sure I would want to make our own air arrangements. We arrived in Amsterdam around 10am and could not board the river boat until 2pm. Vantage picked us up at the airport and put us up in a big motel just out of town. Used the room to rest up, went down for lunch (Vantage paid this) and we were picked up around 1:30 and taken to the ship.

As to cabins, we always book the bottom of the ship. Rooms are the same unless you get a suite. Size of window not important to us as we are only in there to sleep. Spent most of the time up top on the deck. We have done 3 trips with Vantage and are booked for the Eastern Europe and the Black Sea for August 2010. Leaving August 26th for the pre trip to Transylvania and meeting the rest of the tour on August 30th. Have any questions on what you will see and what you should no miss, email me at WillardWKrieble@ij.net

Willard (Florida)

 

Willard and I almost always agree, except when it comes to our cabins!!! I think it is worth the extra money for the upgrade, not from D to C, but to A! I admit it, I'm spoiled and I love my creature comforts!! also the french balcony. I tend to be a little claustrophobic and that could be why, but it's probably mostly because I'm spoiled. I do agree with Willard on making your own air connections though. We took the same trip only reverse direction, arriving in Budapest around 10 a.m. Boat wasn't ready till 2 p.m. so they bused up into budapest to a really nice hotel where they had a buffet lunch set out for us. We had time on our own to explore the hotel neighborhood, the hotel (which was very interesting historically) or just sit and rest and get acquainted with each other. Then they bused us to the ship. I guess that's SOP for the river cruises because they turn around the same day and they need time to clean it up! We were in the latest group to leave the ship for the airport in Amsterdam and we had to vacate our cabins around 10 a.m. with a 12 p.m. departure for the airport, let me tell you everyone on that ship cleans cabins!!! The waiters, the bus boys, the bartenders.....everyone was changing beds and vaccuuming like mad.

 

Willard: can't wait to hear about Black Sea trip. It's on my list! We're doing tulips and windmills end of april and may.

Judy

[npphotog]

Hydrokitty (Judy) Have you done China/Yangtze yet. A fantastic country. We went there in 2007 with Vantage. I have 37 photos on this site -

http://s191.photobucket.com/albums/z210/1Willard/

Only problem was that somehow I loaded them backwards. Hit slide show and there is a key you can hit to reverse the photos.

China is such a different country. Loved ever bit of it. Willad

[Hydrokitty]

Will....I have seen your China pictures and I'm working on dh to get him interested in China. We're going to Washington, DC in December to see the terra cotta warriors at the National Georgraphic....I can't wait, only down side is now he says we don't have to go to China to see them! HELP!!:) I told him if he didn't go with me, I'd take husband number two!!

And of course, we'll be going with Vantage. I really don't understand why people complain about them, we've had nothing but good experiences and this will be our 3rd or 4th trip with them. Judy:)