Cruise Critic on Scenic?

[Live4cruises]

I'm certain that I saw a thread that one of the Editors was to be on the inaugural sailing of Scenic Jewel. Did I miss a review? We are going in 6 short weeks, and I'd love to read about this new boat! :)

[alexandra cruiser]

and look forward to YOUR REVIEW too.

So few threads on Scenic(or member reviews).

Will be interested in ALL the details.:)

[Lexy08]

I'm certain that I saw a thread that one of the Editors was to be on the inaugural sailing of Scenic Jewel. Did I miss a review? We are going in 6 short weeks, and I'd love to read about this new boat! :)

 

You are right!! I remember that and am still waiting too!!! What happened I wonder. My first River Cruise is on Scenic on the Rhine on Sept. 30th. Wish we had more reviews here.

Jackie

[Live4cruises]

In a fit of curious desperation, I turned to Google, and found these terrific pictures.

http://cruises.about.com/od/Scenic-Jewel/ig/Scenic-Jewel/

[tinylady]

What great pics, thanks so much for finding them. I was on the Diamond last year but have been curious about the changes they have made as we are planning another cruise for 2014. We will need to book soon, however, as the one we had pre registered for wasn't available, I'm having trouble deciding which cruise I want to take. I just know I want it to be with Scenic. Any suggestions, anyone? Last year's was the Danube.

Thanks again,

Mary

[conan]

We were on the Scenic Ruby from Amsterdam to Budapest last October. We live in a city that boasts the largest Oktoberfest celebration outside of Munich but had to celebrate this year on the Rhine/Danube. Loved it!!!

Am already booked on a Scenic Moscow to St. Petersburg in September of 2015 taking advantage of the pre-publication early bird specials

I'm open to questions about our experience if you have any

 

Ciao for now and Happy sails

[Erica@cruisecritic]

Oops, that was me! It's been nonstop action here since I came back, and my review hasn't posted yet.

 

What do you want to know about (or see pictures of), and I will try to oblige.

 

I thought the ship was lovely, and the cabins are amazing. The Sun Lounges really open up the space and provide great light. I found the food to be good but not outstanding -- and appreciated the "local" options at the buffets. People who had been before said the food had improved. Service was sub-par, but the higher-ups kept saying those were shakedown issues and would be gone in two weeks. And I'm in love with electric bicycles.

[alexandra cruiser]

the food and service below par for so called LUXURY cruise.Hope it improves or my FIRST will be my LAST on this line.

Did upgrade to jr.suite,will see how that is.]

How were the excursions,small groups,handled well?

How about entertainment?

Really ANY details you care to share.Look forward to it,will it be on member review section?:confused:

[ComoCruiser]

We would appreciate feedback on the quality of the all-inclusive spirits/wine package. We love pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc & good italian reds....... Also, we're in a Cat. BB; is the closet/drawer space adequate or should I pack "lean"?? Thanks!

[Erica@cruisecritic]

The food wasn't subpar -- I just wasn't wowed, but that may be my palate. There were some very very good dishes (the pasta at Portobellos notably).

 

There wasn't much in the way of entertainment. There's a singer/pianist/DJ who was mediocre and one fun local performance (I was on for 7 days). And they took us on a private tour and dinner at a castle, which was fun. The crew show was very entertaining and not to be missed.

 

Excursions were typical walking tours but the guides I had were very good. The technology is outstanding -- you get these devices that let you listen to the guides, provide self-guided tours with maps and provide commentary on the river. The electric bicycles are great, and I recommend doing at least one guided bike tour if you like biking.

 

The cabins may be the highlight of the ship and most have large closets with shelves and hanging space. There's not much bathroom storage until you get up into the larger suites. (If you remind me which category is BB, I can comment on storage.)

 

I'm not a big or expert drinker so I can't comment on wine selection/quality. Everything I had was tasty! They come around with a red and a white at breakfast and lunch but you can order other wines/drinks as well. You can pretty much order anything at anytime and the bar staff may have provided some of the best service onboard. It's a nice addition.

 

My official review will show up on the editorial review site (http://www.cruisecritic.com/reviews).

[ComoCruiser]

Thanks Erica. One more question re: electrical outlets in the cabins. In our cruise docs. (received yesterday!) it states that current onboard is 220V (standard for Europe I guess) & that there are 3 outlets per cabin, 2 with "European" plugs, one Australian. Does that mean my hubbie will not be able to recharge his camera that has a North American-style plug? TKS in advance.

PS, BB is a balcony suite on the Rhine deck/

[jacksonnh]

Como - most of the electronic devices can be used with both systems. It means you can use it in the US with 110 VAC, 60 Hz, or in Europe with 220 VAC, 50 Hz, without any voltage converter. All you would need is an adapter so you can plug it into the wall. This info is imprinted on the device as - input: 100 - 240v 50 - 60Hz.

[tinylady]

The food wasn't subpar -- I just wasn't wowed, but that may be my palate. There were some very very good dishes (the pasta at Portobellos notably).

 

There wasn't much in the way of entertainment. There's a singer/pianist/DJ who was mediocre and one fun local performance (I was on for 7 days). And they took us on a private tour and dinner at a castle, which was fun. The crew show was very entertaining and not to be missed.

 

Excursions were typical walking tours but the guides I had were very good. The technology is outstanding -- you get these devices that let you listen to the guides, provide self-guided tours with maps and provide commentary on the river. The electric bicycles are great, and I recommend doing at least one guided bike tour if you like biking.

 

 

 

The cabins may be the highlight of the ship and most have large closets with shelves and hanging space. There's not much bathroom storage until you get up into the larger suites. (If you remind me which category is BB, I can comment on storage.)

 

I'm not a big or expert drinker so I can't comment on wine selection/quality. Everything I had was tasty! They come around with a red and a white at breakfast and lunch but you can order other wines/drinks as well. You can pretty much order anything at anytime and the bar staff may have provided some of the best service onboard. It's a nice addition.

 

My official review will show up on the editorial review site (http://www.cruisecritic.com/reviews).

 

Hi, could you give some info on what you thought of their Scenic Enrich and Freechoice tours? I was expecting much more than the standard walking tours. From your comments there doesn't seem to be much to put them above other much less expensive lines? I hope someone will be able to comment on the quality of the included drinks as I think that would be a crucial part of any review of Scenic. Did they really serve wine with breakfast? I personally don't drink but to others in my party the quality of drinks would be of interest. In what way was the service sub par? What other river cruises have you been on and how would you compare them?

Thank you in advance for your reply to these questions, we will be booking very soon for our 2014 trip and had settled on Scenic, however, I am now, based on your comments, second guessing that decision.

I look forward to your answers.

[tinylady]

We were on the Scenic Ruby from Amsterdam to Budapest last October. We live in a city that boasts the largest Oktoberfest celebration outside of Munich but had to celebrate this year on the Rhine/Danube. Loved it!!!

Am already booked on a Scenic Moscow to St. Petersburg in September of 2015 taking advantage of the pre-publication early bird specials

I'm open to questions about our experience if you have any

 

Ciao for now and Happy sails

 

Conan, I am guessing you are from Kitchener ? We did the Danube last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. We are now looking at 2014 but don't want to repeat. I had put a deposit on the Rhine/Rhone but it turns out they are not offering a fall sailing next year so I am a bit lost. Thought about the Am to Basil plus Swit. But again the add on is only available early or late in the year. Do you think the am to Basel would be a good choice despite being a bit short without SW. Also thinking of France or Russia although others in our party may not go for Russia. It may have to wait until 2015. I didn't know that we were able to book 2015 already, can you tell me where you got the info to enable you to do it, thanks in advance,

Anyone who has any thoughts on where to go please jump in and help.

[Erica@cruisecritic]

I used a converter for my laptop, but check what voltage your electronics can handle. You will at least need an adapter.

 

The balcony suites have plenty of storage. There aren't a lot of drawers but there are a full hanging section and several long shelves in the closet.

 

The Scenic tour names are a bit of hype. FreeChoice just means that you have a choice of tours in port, which is very nice. The choices are typically a walking tour, a tour to another destination or museum, a bicycle tour and independent exploration with the GPS devices. I have not been on other river cruises, but I don't get the sense that the walking tours on Scenic are any better -- just that you might have a choice of two. Quality really depends on the individual guide and how much time you have in port and what is of interest there. If you like to explore on your own, the GPS devices are terrific -- they have a map that shows your movements and commentary that automatically turns on. On every itinerary, they have at least one special land-based exclusive event (I forget their name for it). We had dinner in a castle with a private tour, and it was a great evening. Other lines will typically charge for that kind of event, or not offer it, whereas Scenic includes it. Same thing with the options -- other river lines have extra, for-fee tours. Scenic's are all included.

 

I really am no wine expert -- but I may have a wine list I can post. There was Champagne at breakfast for mimosas. I'm sure if you really wanted wine you could order it. The company does employ a sommelier to source wines throughout Europe, so they do take that seriously.

 

It's hard to say whether the service issues we had will be apparent by the time you cruise as mine was a pre-revenue sailing and the Hotel Director was very bent on fixing any issues. But for whatever it's worth, my butler never introduced herself on the first day, the dining staff was very confused about which dishes were on the buffet and which had to be ordered, and they also struggled with special requests (eg, can I have this dish without the prosciutto). The bar staff was excellent. My guess is that a few weeks onboard and familiarization with the ship will fix most of those.

[Erica@cruisecritic]

Here's the wine list. Let me know if this attachment doesn't work.

Wine list 2013.pdf

[alexandra cruiser]

as I admit I was. I went on Scenic tour facebook page and found lots of info and more reviews.Most VERY POSITIVE.So I feel a little better about my choice.

We definitely need MORE reviews on CC to get a better feel for it.

Also, some cruisers just do not care for river cruises that much.For MANY reasons.Is is possible that Erica(on his FIRST river cruise)might be in that category?

Will look forward to other opinions.;)

[tinylady]

as I admit I was. I went on Scenic tour facebook page and found lots of info and more reviews.Most VERY POSITIVE.So I feel a little better about my choice.

We definitely need MORE reviews on CC to get a better feel for it.

Also, some cruisers just do not care for river cruises that much.For MANY reasons.Is is possible that Erica(on his FIRST river cruise)might be in that category?

Will look forward to other opinions.;)

 

Alexandra cruiser, thanks for the heads up. Also regarding the review I think you may have something there, exactly what I was thinking and that was my reason for asking what river cruises the individual had been on previously.

[LHT28]

It may also have something to do with where you are coming from

Some people from certain Countries adapt better to mediocre food than others

 

The wines we had last year were very good ..some from Australia, Italy France & maybe a California one

 

The free choice tours are usually "Optional" (fee based) on other river cruises

 

take a 2 prong plug to use for your camera etc... but be sure to check it it is dual voltage

 

The walking tours were usually small groups & you have the headsets which work very well

[tinylady]

It may also have something to do with where you are coming from

Some people from certain Countries adapt better to mediocre food than others

 

The wines we had last year were very good ..some from Australia, Italy France & maybe a California one

 

The free choice tours are usually "Optional" (fee based) on other river cruises

 

take a 2 prong plug to use for your camera etc... but be sure to check it it is dual voltage

 

The walking tours were usually small groups & you have the headsets which work very well

 

I guess I must be from one of those countries that adapts to mediocre food, although I have been in Canada for 36 years. I found the food to be almost as good as many fine dining restaurants in the GTA. Having said that a plate covered with a huge steak as I've seen on some cruise pics would not be my idea of good food. Give me delicious, small portions beautifully presented to a Keg meal any day. To each his own.

[LHT28]

I guess I must be from one of those countries that adapts to mediocre food, although I have been in Canada for 36 years. I found the food to be almost as good as many fine dining restaurants in the GTA. Having said that a plate covered with a huge steak as I've seen on some cruise pics would not be my idea of good food. Give me delicious, small portions beautifully presented to a Keg meal any day. To each his own.

I was not talking quantity but quality

I did not find the frozen boxed M & M quality foods appealing but others though the food was good ...go figure ;)

[cruiseryyc]

Checked out the wine list and I will certainly be happy with any of those choices. Will have to be careful though, if I start to have wine or champers with breakfast, I'll never get off the boat to tour!

[go2trav]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm new to this forum but definitely not new to Scenic. In fact I was the Global General Manager of Operations for Scenic Tours before I started my own travel company a few years ago, and have inspected the ships in the finest detail.

 

I am however very capable of being unbiased and independent, so if anyone still has questions, please feel free to post them here and I should be able to answer them.

 

As you can imagine, each new ship has to be settled in when it is launched. Although Scenic generally tries not to have a whole new crew on a new ship, it take a while for newbies to get into the swing of things even though there is a huge investment in training leading up to launch. They do however take great pride in getting it right, so my recommendation is to give the first few cruises of a new vessel a miss, and wait until the crew and vessel have settled in.

 

The new ships are definitely a new generation of vessel, however Glen (the owner) has retrofitted quite a number of the best features of the new vessels into the older ones (when I say older, they're still only a few years old in most cases!). Each year a couple of the ships are completely gutted and reconfigured to match the new ones in the fleet to constantly refresh them, and all are upgraded to some extent. I have the photos to prove it since I used to do the preseason ship inspections!!

 

Anyway, please feel free to ask any questions you like, I'd be happy to help.

 

Kind regards,

Samantha

[tnr]

Thanks Samantha. We'll be on the Ruby in October. This is our first Scenic (and river) cruise. It was difficult to decide which company to go with, but Scenic seemed to be the best fit for us. We are looking forward to a whole new experience, and can't wait for this trip.

[editor@cruisecritic]

Erica: They offered a choice of red or white at breakfast? I love wine but ugh, not sure it's a breakfast beverage :)

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

 

 

The food wasn't subpar -- I just wasn't wowed, but that may be my palate. There were some very very good dishes (the pasta at Portobellos notably).

 

There wasn't much in the way of entertainment. There's a singer/pianist/DJ who was mediocre and one fun local performance (I was on for 7 days). And they took us on a private tour and dinner at a castle, which was fun. The crew show was very entertaining and not to be missed.

 

Excursions were typical walking tours but the guides I had were very good. The technology is outstanding -- you get these devices that let you listen to the guides, provide self-guided tours with maps and provide commentary on the river. The electric bicycles are great, and I recommend doing at least one guided bike tour if you like biking.

 

The cabins may be the highlight of the ship and most have large closets with shelves and hanging space. There's not much bathroom storage until you get up into the larger suites. (If you remind me which category is BB, I can comment on storage.)

 

I'm not a big or expert drinker so I can't comment on wine selection/quality. Everything I had was tasty! They come around with a red and a white at breakfast and lunch but you can order other wines/drinks as well. You can pretty much order anything at anytime and the bar staff may have provided some of the best service onboard. It's a nice addition.

 

My official review will show up on the editorial review site (www.cruisecritic.com/reviews).