Silver Sea Equivalent in River Cruising

[Bolshoi]

Sort of off-topic, but which river cruise lines, if any, offer an experience similar to Silver Sea's oceanic experience? I'm thinking in terms of size, accommodation, and culinary.

 

Thanks!

 

Kevin

[RachelG]

Size wise, all river boats are pretty small. They have to be to get through the locks. The rooms are going to be at least somewhat smaller too. We have sailed AMA and enjoyed it very much. The food was very good. But river cruising is a totally different thing than ocean cruising. Everyone pretty much eats at the same time. The dining room is way louder. Usually there is only 1 bar/lounge.

[farbster]

I've never been on it, but I believe several of the old management from SS are involved in http://www.arosacruises.com/

 

That may be a good or bad thing ;)

 

Lawrence

[torst]

I asked this question a few years ago and we ended up on Tauck. Highly recommended, great service, comfortable... not the same as a SS cruise but pretty fabulous.

[CanadianKate]

I'll second Tauck just because stuff went wrong and they handled it brilliantly. And their tours were far better than anything on SS (plus they are included.) The passenger demographic was way different than SS and you lose the dressing up. As well, the non-Tauck staff (ship is leased, fully crewed) is nowhere near the quality of SS. Nor is the food anywhere as good (despite the access to fresh food along the way.)

 

River cruising isn't at all the same as ocean cruising. It can be noisy and smelly (we had another boat rafted to us and our suite was up against their generator exhaust.) These are things that are completely out of the control of the company or the passenger (you can't book a suite that won't be up against another suite if you are rafting.) Rafting is a HUGE issue for me and as a result, I won't river cruise on the Danube (or likely anywhere) again.

 

I'm all about sea days and there are precious few days on board when you are in motion. You leave port, most often after dinner, often after midnight. You arrive long before you wake in the morning.

 

Since I paid for the tours, I felt I should go on them so I didn't stay back on the boat when in port (which is basically every day.)

 

There are lots of advantages (little chance of seasickness, easy to leave the cruise if there's a storm or illness or family emergency, you see more of a country than its coast-line) but the disadvantages are too great for me. Perhaps if I was on a private yacht but even on a Tauck tour, the ship part was misery for me.

[newlondon]

I whole heartedly recommend Tauck particularly in a suite.

Canadian Kate is right that rafting is a problem, but in 3 river cruises we have never been next to an exhaust.

I also would point out that a river cruise has some advantages to ocean cruising; specifically if you want to tour on your own it is light years easier and can be done for free.

Tauck's food is outstanding, maybe not as much selection as SS, and imo the service (except bar) is absolutely at the same level.

[CanadianKate]

My complaint about the service may relate to bar. We don't drink alcohol but expected to get mocktails for free during the 'happy hour' when cocktails were free (since the mocktails retailed for less than the cocktails.) But we were told we had to pay.

 

As well, the one 'sea day' we had, we were on the upper deck and asked the server to bring us a pretzel when we were offered something. And were told NO, it wasn't available to us. But we got the idea when we saw another couple being brought one, so my dh went downstairs and hunted down the manager to ask why we were told no when others were being served the same thing. We got our pretzel but it was the last straw since we felt we had to insist on service throughout the cruise. Unlike SS.

 

I'm just spoiled by SS and not used to being told 'no' ever. And certainly not because the server is too lazy to get it for me when other servers are happily doing the work.

[newlondon]

Hi CK, Absolutely not our experience on Tauck. We asked, it came!

In the bar because we don't drink cocktails we would arrive just before the presentation and previous drinkers continued to be served before we were asked:mad:

[wripro]

AS everyone else here has said Tauck, Tauck, Tauck. Nothing else comes close.

[Bolshoi]

Thank-you all for your input!

[CruisinPashmina]

Oh, dear, guess I'll be the odd man out (again).

 

We went on one of the Viking Longboats, last December,on a Christmas Markets' trip on the Rhine. We had a fabulous time.

 

The boat was beautiful, the tours were fun, the excellent guides entertained and informed us, the food was delicious,the wines were good, the service was friendly and efficient. A + from us. In September, 2014, we are booked again on a Rhone cruise on another Viking Longboat.

 

We thought our first experience was, except for the very damp, cold weather, just great. actually all the sparkling lights made up for any drizzles.

 

Never heard anything but good Tauck reviews, but we suggest another look at Viking.