Scenic River Boats

[lindaanddon]

We have been on Avalon and AMA and are thinking of taking a Scenic River Boat. I would appreciate any feedback on their sevice. Does their dining rooms have tables for 2 or 4?

Thanks.

[alexandra cruiser]

and look for threads and posts,not many but quite a few.

Also, member review section.But,agree,we need MORE.

I ,too,have taken same cruiselines and booked a Scenic for next June.

Got the brochure and looks great.But have seen mixed reviews(some GREAT and others not).

Hear not many(if at all)tables for 2,most river boats don t have them.Wish they would.PS.look at roll call section,some reviews there too.

Lots of research, I googled Scenic and found some you tube,etc.:)

[franski]

Hi -

 

Can't remember many tables for two - but we "found" fellow travellers we enjoyed so much that we ate most nights at a table for 8 - in a section with a waiter who was really wonderful. So - there may have been, but we weren't looking for any.

 

We did have a table to two the night we ate at Portobello's.

 

I am planning to note things like this on our cruise in September - and will be posting along the way. Not sure if that is soon enough for you.

 

Fran

[newfirsttimer]

There were tables for 2 and for 4 on the Emerald last year. If you don't want to sit with others at meals, just tell the staff and they will separate the tables for you. Just keep in mind that the tables are all close together just like on the big ships so a table for 2 is really cozy.

[lindaanddon]

Thanks for the feedback. We enjoy dining with others, but don't like the large tables. Since their prices are higher than some other lines, I was wondering if it was worth it.

 

 

 

 

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[franski]

They are truly all inclusive.... so - you probably need to do the math to figure out if it is worth it for you.

 

Many people have said they don't care about all of the excursions (if they are independent travelers) - or don't drink - so all included beverages (including alcohol) doesn't interest them.

 

Now that we have put our final payment on for our cruise in early September - and have paid for our air - we will have nothing to pay when we get off the boat.... unless we purchase something in the gift shop. So - we only need money for souvenirs!!!

 

Fran

[newfirsttimer]

Every time I have travelled in the past, I have done all the planning, all the pre and posts, the extra excursions etc. and decided that for this year's trip, I would just sit back and let someone else plan it for me. I chose Scenic to do that knowing also that when I disembark, I will having nothing to pay, no surprise extras, extra tours that I really wanted to do, gratuities, bar bill. Are the all inclusive's more expensive, sure, but I am hoping that the extra cost is worth the 'no hassle' travel. At least I am going to give it a try. I travelled with Scenic last year when it was not totally all inclusive and found their product of high quality, so I am giving them another try.

[KazLoudspeaker]

Have just come back after cruising with Scenic from Amsterdam to Bucharest (21 nights). There are tables for 2 and 4 mostly, although close and not all together private, wait staff can move together or apart as the need may be, There are about 6 tables that seat 6 and one that seats 10 (used as the Captain's table on welcome and farewell night).

I was with my mother, father, Aunty & Uncle, so we usually sat together, although sometimes we sat on our own or with others. In Portabello's there are tables for whatever you want, 2, 4, 6 or 8, you just have to ask. The Table la Rive seats about 10, I think and this is always up towards the galley end of the dining room.

We had no problems with the dining options.

 

Karyn

[lindaanddon]

Thanks, it is sounding better and better.

 

 

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[Laine]

Came back end of May from Amsterdam to Budapest on Scenic Jewel. As others have indicated tables are fairly close together and you can do 2, 4 or larger. This was an amazing trip and cannot say enough wonderful things about the ship, the crew, the excursions and the great captain who was always around and available. You can have the best of both with all of Scenic's excursions and still be able to wander around the towns on your own as well. We very often did both. It was nice for a change having them look after absolutely everything. Our cruise director was likely the best on any cruise we have ever been on. Enjoy and we do need more people posting on Scenic.

[lindaanddon]

Thanks. We are looking at the fall of 2014. We usually do all our own reservations. It would be wonderful to have everything taken care of. Hopefully more people will post.

 

 

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[seabournaddict]

this is a report on Scenic from a long time ago but may give you some ideas. I have it on good authority that "Granny" would choose Scenic for her next river cruise!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=883284

Edited June 27, 2013 by seabournaddict

[lindaanddon]

If Granny liked it, it can't be all bad. LOL. We are Americans and have found the Aussies to be a lot of fun. The best part of traveling is meeting people from other countries.

 

 

 

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[AZCruiserguy]

Glad to hear some positive comments about Scenic. We are booked for Sept '14 Amsterdam to Budapest.

[BarbaraM]

I'll be posting a review soon. Scenic did not meet my expectations, we were "lucky" enough to try three different ships in 14 days budapest to Amsterdam cruise on July1st this year. There was a notable difference in staff and service, with the Jewel being sub par. I don't think I met anyone who would river cruise again, or if they did they would try a different line and different river. Do not plan on dining at a table for two, the separation is inches, and you are closer to your neighbor than your partner. The dining room is chaotic, and takes a long time. You will be allowed to eat in portobello once, which is fun, and we met people who had the captains dinner and they raved about it, but this was only offered to level 3 cabins. The quality of the food was better than I expected. There were more buffets than I had expected, and staff did their best to hide the fact there are cooked to order choices at all meals. It was my impression that they are understaffed In order to provide the dining experience they advertise.

 

I'd be glad to answer questions, there are a few things we would have chosen to do/not do that might have made a small difference.

 

 

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[alexandra cruiser]

and wonder WHAT differences would you have made?Will be taking my FIRST Scenic cruise next June(after 10 other river cruises).Was this your FIRST or just FIRST Scenic one?Do you think it was just because of river flooding,etc. problems?You d think since this is billed as "luxury line" it would be better in all respects than others?:confused:

[BarbaraM]

Unlike Laine, who sailed a month before us, we had to change boats twice. There was initial disappointment that we didn't start on the Jewel, as most booked a new ship, and the Diamond is somewhat worn. The staff however was terrific. So expectations were high after boarding the Jewel 3 days later. The cabins were much better, especially the shower and balconies. It was pretty obvious at first that the staff fell short. They didn't smile, didn't make eye contact, and neglected people waving them down for drinks. Lots of grumbling among passengers. It left many of us scratching our heads. This was not a complaining crowd of passengers, most understood the problems the flood left, with ships out of sync, etc. I personally felt the blame was with the hotel manager on the Jewel.

 

If I had a do-over, I would have skipped the cheesy castle tour, dinner, it was terrible, and the handful left on board had a wonderful time. I might have also skipped another port stop or two. I also would have eaten more lunches in the bar, avoiding the lengthy lines and crowds at the buffet in the dining room.

 

This was our first and probably last river cruise. There were more bus tours, longer bus rides, and very little time to tour on our own in the towns. The ship often dropped passengers off, then moved as soon as all were off. Stopped to pick up busses who drove an hour to meet the ship, then took off again. I can't add the hours we spent on busses of 45-50 people, stopped for bathroom breaks, load, unload etc. free time on tours were sometimes 15 minutes. My vision of taking a morning walking tour followed by lunch on board, and time in the Afternoon for DIY touring never happened. Our lengthy port stop was in an industrial area, with a 10€ one way fare to the center of town.

 

 

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[alexandra cruiser]

I can understand your disappointment.If that was my first river cruise, I would hesitate to try another.I have NEVER been on one that had that much time on a bus,or dropped you off and met later down river.Perhaps take a breather,ocean or car trip and try another later on?Believe me, not ALL that way.

Good tip about lunch in bar and avoid long buffet line.We TRY to eat on shore,if possible.

We booked Diamond,glad the staff was helpful.

If things arent MUCH BETTER on our cruise,may be my first and last with Scenic also.Try sending an email with your complaints to customer service,they NEED to be a top notch line with these hi prices.PS.do post on Member Review section too.;)

[alexandra cruiser]

Have just come back after cruising with Scenic from Amsterdam to Bucharest (21 nights). There are tables for 2 and 4 mostly, although close and not all together private, wait staff can move together or apart as the need may be, There are about 6 tables that seat 6 and one that seats 10 (used as the Captain's table on welcome and farewell night).

I was with my mother, father, Aunty & Uncle, so we usually sat together, although sometimes we sat on our own or with others. In Portabello's there are tables for whatever you want, 2, 4, 6 or 8, you just have to ask. The Table la Rive seats about 10, I think and this is always up towards the galley end of the dining room.

We had no problems with the dining options.

 

Karyn

 

and glad to read it was so good too.Esp.after 2 poor ones.Makes me feel better about my choice.Will be doing Budapest to Bucharest which you also did,was going to chose Dracula s castle.Did you hear any feedback on that one?Figured,hey AM in Transylania.Too bad that hotel is on outskirts of town,but with only 2 days there..most of time spent on Scenic tours.

We have Jr.suite and it also has breakfast in suite,did you get a menu?Think we get that Captains Table,not sure.Did you park up to other boats a lot on that stretch of river?Sorry,to pick your brain,,but THANKS.:)

[Stratheden]

Unlike Laine, who sailed a month before us, we had to change boats twice. There was initial disappointment that we didn't start on the Jewel, as most booked a new ship, and the Diamond is somewhat worn. The staff however was terrific. So expectations were high after boarding the Jewel 3 days later. The cabins were much better, especially the shower and balconies. It was pretty obvious at first that the staff fell short. They didn't smile, didn't make eye contact, and neglected people waving them down for drinks. Lots of grumbling among passengers. It left many of us scratching our heads. This was not a complaining crowd of passengers, most understood the problems the flood left, with ships out of sync, etc. I personally felt the blame was with the hotel manager on the Jewel.

 

If I had a do-over, I would have skipped the cheesy castle tour, dinner, it was terrible, and the handful left on board had a wonderful time. I might have also skipped another port stop or two. I also would have eaten more lunches in the bar, avoiding the lengthy lines and crowds at the buffet in the dining room.

 

This was our first and probably last river cruise. There were more bus tours, longer bus rides, and very little time to tour on our own in the towns. The ship often dropped passengers off, then moved as soon as all were off. Stopped to pick up busses who drove an hour to meet the ship, then took off again. I can't add the hours we spent on busses of 45-50 people, stopped for bathroom breaks, load, unload etc. free time on tours were sometimes 15 minutes. My vision of taking a morning walking tour followed by lunch on board, and time in the Afternoon for DIY touring never happened. Our lengthy port stop was in an industrial area, with a 10€ one way fare to the center of town.

 

 

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Can you please let us know if the change of boats was caused by lock strikes?

 

I don't know if Scenic can be held accountable for industrial action. Perhaps they were doing their best to give you your tour in the only way possible.

 

I know that Scenic have always provided a very full itinerary - there would be lots of people complaining about not getting their monies worth if an all inclusive tour did not include excursions. If I felt that I had had enough of coaches, I would just give a tour a miss and stay on board and drift along the river.

[Nixmuts]

We sailed with Scenic from BudaPest to Amsterdam towards the end of June and had an absolute ball. Being first time cruisers, we had nothing to compare it to and it lived up to our expectations and more. We were originally meant to sail on the Scenic Pearl, but due to the recent flooding, we ended up sailing on the Scenic Crystal and about 12 days in, we swapped to the Scenic Ruby. We were fortunate to not be affected by the flooding or the lock strikes.

We loved the food, the cocktail of the day and the staff. They were just the best on the Crystal.

I would sail with them again in a heartbeat!

[KazLoudspeaker]

and glad to read it was so good too.Esp.after 2 poor ones.Makes me feel better about my choice.Will be doing Budapest to Bucharest which you also did,was going to chose Dracula s castle.Did you hear any feedback on that one?Figured,hey AM in Transylania.Too bad that hotel is on outskirts of town,but with only 2 days there..most of time spent on Scenic tours.

We have Jr.suite and it also has breakfast in suite,did you get a menu?Think we get that Captains Table,not sure.Did you park up to other boats a lot on that stretch of river?Sorry,to pick your brain,,but THANKS.:)

 

Alexander,

Dracula's castle we didn't do, but my father, uncle & aunty did. It was a long trip. About 3 hours there and 3 back, with about 2 1/2 hours at the castle and surrounds. They loved it, was very interesting with plenty of opportunities to buy souvenirs around the castle, they also said the countryside on the trip there and back was beautiful. Just tiring is all. My husband, my mother and I went to Lake Snagov monastery, which we enjoyed very much and then had the opportunity to be dropped off in Bucharest for several hours wandering the city centre. The hotel (Marriott) isn't too far out, & has a great view of the People's Parliament. Taxi's are cheap, just make sure they have their rates published on their doors, and that the meter is on. Bucharest has had some problems with unscrupulous taxi driver's and these were the recommendations from our guides.

OMG the breakfasts were fantastic. You get a feel of what is available from the buffet breakfasts on board, as the menu provided is only a rough guide. As there are many early departures, a couple of days we had breakfast bought to our suite. It was always on time and hot. Just write down exactly what you want. We tended to order more than we actually ate, not sure what we wanted the night before. Muffins, fresh fruit often made for great snacks, especially if there was a bit of time on the bus. Order what you like, my bet is you WILL get it. The butlers are great to ask any questions of. Captain's table is for all passengers that have a suite, either the welcome or farewell dinner. You stay in the lounge after dinner is announced for everyone else, here you have a chat with the Captain & Hotel Manager, in our case there were only 6 of us, so nice size, not too big. Our Captain was really great and we had lots of questions about locks and water levels etc. Was very well done. Also, if you are on the Danube deck, there is another dining experience, the La Rive table. This was my favourite, much better than Portabello's in my opinion. A degustation with a detailed explanation of accompanying wines. Fantastic night.

We were only docked next to other boats about 3 times during the 21 days. We were in Mohacs and another boat (not sure what line) was walking through our lobby to go ashore. We had our stacks of bottled water waiting for those who wanted one to grab it as they disembarked, and the other ship's passengers started taking them as they had to pay 5 euros for their bottled water (ours was free). Mohacs, Belgrade and Budapest were the 3 times I remember, and most of these were only for 4 or 5 hours not the whole time we were docked. In Budapest we were docked right across from Parliament, such a great view. At about 7.30am another boat came alongside and blocked our ship's view. It wasn't a real problem for us, as we were at the rear of the ship and none of the boats were as long as ours, so no one leaning in on our balcony, and we had the view out the back anyway. The cabins on the Moselle deck found it to be more oppressive in their cabin when a ship was alongside as their rooms were darkened, others on the 2 higher decks, were just peeved when a boat came alongside on their side, and they just shut their curtains for privacy!! I remember we were in the dining room when they pulled away, and all the passengers broke out in spontaneous applause as our unobstructed view of parliament was restored.

Pick my brain as much as you want, loving talking about it, and your questions have reminded me of things I had nearly forgotten.

Karyn

Edited July 28, 2013 by KazLoudspeaker

[KazLoudspeaker]

If I had a do-over, I would have skipped the cheesy castle tour, dinner, it was terrible, and the handful left on board had a wonderful time. I might have also skipped another port stop or two. I also would have eaten more lunches in the bar, avoiding the lengthy lines and crowds at the buffet in the dining room.

 

 

Barbara,

funny how different people perceive things differently. We went to Marksburg castle (not sure if this is the same as you did) for a tour, which was one of the best tours we did whilst away. The guide was knowledgeable and gave relevant and informative talks about each room visited. Loved having the place to ourselves, and really enjoyed the various ages of buildings and the history of the castle. The meal and show, was a bit cheesy, but we had a great bunch of performers and our table was fantastic. Our 'volunteers' were also quick witted, so a great night was had by all. I would strongly recommend this excursion to anyone going with Scenic.

 

Karyn

[Joh50]

Just came in quickly to say that in amongst lock strikes and two ship moves we couldn't praise Scenic more!!! They did their best of us under hard conditions. And our Cruise director Katarina was the best ever. total value for us. We are a planning our next Scienic trip with great new friends we met on board

Edited July 30, 2013 by Joh50

[newfirsttimer]

Barbara,

funny how different people perceive things differently. We went to Marksburg castle (not sure if this is the same as you did) for a tour, which was one of the best tours we did whilst away. The guide was knowledgeable and gave relevant and informative talks about each room visited. Loved having the place to ourselves, and really enjoyed the various ages of buildings and the history of the castle. The meal and show, was a bit cheesy, but we had a great bunch of performers and our table was fantastic. Our 'volunteers' were also quick witted, so a great night was had by all. I would strongly recommend this excursion to anyone going with Scenic.

 

Karyn

Karyn, I couldn't agree with you more. Loved the Marksburg tour and dinner. So maybe the show was a bit cheesy, but it went with the theme and the meal. Scenic does a great job. We also enjoyed the winery tour and BBQ in Marktheidenfeld, the entertainment was fabulous that evening as was the food and wine and the owner and his family could not have been more gracious.