European river cruising: Which cruise line is the best?

[bwhitedd@yahoo.com]

We are thinking of doing a river cruise in Europe.

I have just started looking and, for no particular reason, seem to like Viking but am also interested in UniWorld.

Any suggestions?

[travelfirst]

I am booked with Viking for my 4th river cruise in November. I am happy with them, they look after everything.

I think because river cruises are so different from ocean cruises everyone seems to like the river cruise line they go with.

 

You have to read reviews and see what you would like.

[deec]

If Money were no object I would have chosen Uniworld's all incusive.

However, we really wanted a french balcony....the cost difference was considerable even factoring in more excursions, available bikes, any drinks, included all tips, self-laundry facilities...so we are going on Viking Budapest to Amsterdam September 2014. I am sure we will have a terrific time!

[Shorex]

I have my personal favorite, but I have no idea whether it would be "best" for you. It's a natural tendency on this board for people who are happy with their cruise line to indicate that it is "best."

 

My opinion as to which line is best is one I have never cruised on --

Tauck. Others such as Avalon, Uniworld, Amawaterways, Scenic and others are still very fine -- just not quite to the luxury standard of Tauck. Viking is generally thought to be at the lower end of the spectrum, but again, Viking has its avid proponents.

 

Before our first river cruise I spent a lot of time on the websites of each company -- that will give you a sense of what you will experience on board. Look at all the pictures of staterooms, dining venues and public areas. After that research you determine your own priorities. Some cruisers spend little time in their stateroom and don't mind if it is small, others love gazing out of their own balcony in more spacious quarters. Some cruisers prefer to have multiple dining choices, others don't mind one dining room. Different strokes.

 

Itinerary is very important -- which river, starting where, ending where, and on and on. The good news is that there are no bad choices, only lots of choices. Happy cruising.

[caviargal]

I suggest you try the search feature to pull up the many threads on this often discussed topic.

 

For us, AMA has been our favorite so far and we have two more cruises with them booked. Tauck looks lovely but is too pricey and inclusive (we do not choose to pay more for added inclusions we have no interest in); we do not care for Viking's ships (based on seeing them in ports over the years as well as comparing apples to apples) or customer service reputation; Vantage and GCT are too budget/basic for what we enjoy; Uniworld's decor is a turnoff; Avalon was nice but lacking the overall excellence and attention to detail we personally enjoyed on our two AMA cruises.

[Tiggertastic]

thanks, you have listed companies I have never heard of, so I am going to check them out.

[ddschur]

I can say that we have only cruised with Tauck but, based on our experience, Tauck is the best.

 

I say that based on watching this board and reading other people's experiences on other lines and our experience with Tauck.

 

First, Tauck is expensive but other's have crunched the numbers and have said that when they dial in things which are NOT included in other lines (tips, etc.) that Tauck is very competitive

 

However, I think there is much more to consider.

 

It is how you are treated not only when things are going well but, more importantly, how adversity is handled...particularly on river cruises with issues which often come up like "high" water levels and "low" water levels.

 

We experienced "low" water levels on a cruise we took with Tauck (BUD/AMS) and Tauck was MAGNIFICENT.

 

During the same period, there were postings where other lines had, basically, told their passengers that they couldn't go any further and "dumped" [my words] their passengers and left them on their own.

 

We were able to complete the cruise and it did NOT turn into an expensive bus trip as it was with many other lines.

 

Passenger's were offered the ability to cancel and get help with Tauck for proceeding if they did cancel. Not one passenger cancelled and ALL of the passengers we talked with were happy they stayed on board.

 

Also, on another cruise with Tauck, we arrived much earlier than the normal check-in (Basel, Switzerland) and we asked the cruise director if he might get us a cab so the six of us could visit the Basel Zoo. Not only did he arrange a cab for us but gave us $350Euro to pay for the cab and lunch if we chose to have a bite to eat and for the return cab ride with the proviso that we return any unused euro's and to please provide receipts for their accounting!

 

We had NOT asked for this freebie, only help with getting a cab.

 

This is what I call SUPERIOR CUSTOMER SERVICE and, believe me, we ALL felt this act by him far exceeded our expectations!

 

The rest of that trip only enhanced our feeling that Tauck is definitely the kind of cruise line for us.

 

Anyway, as mentioned before, everyone has their own opinion on what is the "best"...for us it is Tauck!

[pbnjrockette]

We have been very happy with our Vantage cruises. With several new ships with wifi, elevators, etc. I don't understand why they keep being referred to as "budget".

[Talisker92]

We have been very happy with our Vantage cruises. With several new ships with wifi, elevators, etc. I don't understand why they keep being referred to as "budget".

I think Vantage has kept it costs lower because it does not advertise or use travel agents. We have sailed on 3 Vantage cruise and have 2 more booked. One nice thing is the 5% credit they give to your next trip

[pacmom]

As stated above only you can tell what is best for you. Just returned from our 17th river cruise on many of the popular lines with 2 more scheduled next year on lines not traveled yet. We have never had a veranda or suite--only once a French balcony. We spend most of our ship time on the sun deck or in the lounge. Have found the amenities different in small things--like a frozen washcloth on return on a very hot day--hot drinks on return on a cold day. Ozjohnno has created a wonderful spreadsheet that he willingly shares. Of all the lines , our favorites are AMAwaterways and Uniworld. Good luck and keep the questions coming. Pat

[bwhitedd@yahoo.com]

It seems that it is difficult to make a bad choice in river cruising.

Thank you all for your advice.

Still looking at options but a river cruise of France on Viking seems the most likely at this point (early in the decision making process).

[Poulsbo Cruisers]

I think Vantage has kept it costs lower because it does not advertise or use travel agents. We have sailed on 3 Vantage cruise and have 2 more booked. One nice thing is the 5% credit they give to your next trip

 

We are taking our first river cruise in three weeks and chose Vantage after doing a lot of comparison. Only time will tell if this is a good choice. But, we did not make this choice because they were a budget line. My wife and I are not wine drinkers so we didn't want to pay for wine as part of the cost of sailing when we would not use that benefit. Also, we have no problem making our own arrangements and do not need a travel agent. Again, this saves money on the cost of the cruise.

 

We also noted that their newer ships have a much smaller minimum draft. This means they can keep sailing when other ships are left high and dry.

[2DesertRats!]

The thing I have gotten to look for in the river cruise line reviews is "How did the line handle a the....(fill in the blank) problem" that developed. The better lines handle difficulties very very well, others, not so well.

 

Look for the problem resolutions, do your research, and have fun. The rivers are Totally different than the ocean liners, and, (to us) much more enjoyable.

[BlueAngel1009]

I have no basis for comparison, but we have taken Viking to Russia, to China, and last year the "Grand European," which went from Budapest to Amsterday. Next month we will go with Viking to the Ukraine. We have had a wonderful experience on each of our cruises. The staterooms were adequate (loved the balcony on the Rhine), the food incredible, the service wonderful, the tours extensive, the learning experiences on the ship varied and interesting, our hotels, when we needed to stay in one, for the most part outstanding.

 

Viking is first class all the way.

 

My only concern is which we will run out of first -- money or new cruises. :D