Scenic - Gems of the Danube.....

[euro cruiser]

Euro cruiser- not trying to get too far off topic from Fran's posts, but how much time would you recommend for changing plans in Frankfurt? I'm going from Bucharest - Frankfurt- Chicago and have only 1 hr, 45 mins. I don't always trust what the airlines say is enough time.

Felicia

This may be enough time, but it could be tight because Romania (Bucharest) is not part of the Schengen Borders Agreement. Therefore, you will go through passport control twice, once upon departure from Bucharest and again when you change terminals at Frankfurt. This additional delay may only be minutes but it could be more if there are long lines, it's impossible to know in advance.

[BBWC]

You have to go through passport control in Frankfurt if you are coming from a Schengen country as well because you will be leaving the Schengen area. I think the main difference is that you don't have to go through security in Frankfurt again coming from Schengen because Schengen countries are considered "clean" but you will have to go through security coming from Bucharest so you should allow time for that. That being said, last week our flight from Budapest (Schengen) arrived at a bus gate (very common) and we had to wait for the last very slow passengers to get off the plane before the bus left. After passport control (no line), our gate was at the very end of the Z gates from where the US flights leave. Nevertheless, time from when the plane stopped to arriving at the connecting gate was 30 minutes (but we are fast walkers).

[franski]

Hi everyone -

 

DH and I planned a leisurely morning on the day we were to do Durnstein and Melk. After all, Durnstein isn't very big - and we have already been there. However, at dinner the night before, we were cajoled into going to Durnstein and acting as the tour guide. The time in Durnstein was to be self-guided, so I was a better guide than the GPS systems.

 

We actually docked outside of Durnstein - about 8 km further up the river. At first, I thought it was because Scenic is the "new kid on the block" and therefore has fewer chances to get any of the treasured spots - but there was a Uniworld boat docked right behind us when we returned to our boat.

 

We were bussed in around 8:30. Although it was a Sunday morning, lots of shops were open. It was good weather, so it was pleasant to wander around. We left Durnstein around 10 am - and were back at the boat before 10:30. This was great for the people that wanted to bike to Melk - as they could do Durnstein AND Melk (normally it is one or the other....)

 

Scenic has electric assist bikes - and the people that went on the ride said they were great. They went with lunches, so had something to eat somewhere along the trip.

 

Our tour in Melk started around 2 pm. We opted for the walking tour as we had been to the Abbey before. Not really that much to see, and not much open as it was a Sunday. But, again, it was nice to get out and walk around a bit.

 

Dinner service was a bit better... although still not stellar. My main course was very tasty, and beautifully presented. We asked for cheese platter at the end of the meal - and they asked if we wanted a large one for the table.... And it was VERY impressive. We thanked the staff for this - and they seem genuinely pleased. Again - closed the lounge - around 11 pm.

 

Just a bit of a info that you might find interesting/useful.... You can actually watch the port talk on your TV. Tune into TV, look for the lounge cam - and wait. When the CD starts speaking, there is audio. Makes is easy to spend a few extra minutes in your cabin before heading to dinner.

 

Fran

[franski]

Hi everyone -

 

Will post later about our day in Salzburg - but did want to say that we did not make it to Passau today because of the strikes. We were off the boat early to go to Salzburg - and the boat sailed another 3 hours before pulling over and docking --> still in Austria. The group scheduled to do a tour in Passau were bussed there - and still had their tour.

 

Tomorrow, we are hoping to get through the locks early (they will open at 6 am) but we will be bussed to Regensburg (they are unsure yet where our pick up point will be) and then returned to the boat later. We will dock in Regensburg overnight - and disembark there. We will not sail between Regensburg and Nuremberg. We will miss the Main-Danube Canal. Not great, but such is life.

 

Fran

[alexandra cruiser]

it seems a bad year for river cruising,what with the strikes and flooding.Many cruises seem to be turning into bus trips.Lets hope it improves SOON.

Many will feel unhappy due to these delays and changes.Important to see how company handles these problems.So far sounds like they re doing the best they can.:confused:

[franski]

Hi everyone -

 

Sorry for the delay - and my tardiness in posting!!! Was having so much fun in the evenings that I was ready to fall into bed at the end of the night. Internet was a bit spotty - so couldn't always get on when I wanted to.

 

So... Salzburg.

 

We did the optional tour to the Salt Mines - and it was very interesting. There is a tour (about 1 hour) underground. You dress up in jackets/pants to protect your clothes from the salt - and then ride a small train into the mine. Further in, there are 2 slides to get down to the lowest level. There is also a short boat ride across a salt lake. Lots of walking - and not well lit. Definitely not for people that have mobility issues, or are at all claustrophobic. Of course - this may not be an issue for next year, as it is not on the list of free choice excursions. I commented on the evaluation card that this would be a loss, as it is a great excursion.

 

After the Salt Mine tour, we went back into Salzburg. We had about a 10 minute walk into town (parked at the bus terminal on the outskirts) and had lunch at a restaurant run by the local monastery. There was a beef noodle soup to start (the guide called it a "pancake soup" ??) and then chicken and vegetables for the main course. Beverage was a choice of wine (red or white), beer, water or soft drinks. We then had some free time to wander. We did end up a bit lost on the way back ( the bus driver had to find where the bus was docked!!) so our tour guide taught us to yodel... Lots of enthusiasm, but not a lot of talent within the group....:D

 

I had chosen not to do Salzburg the last time we cruised the Danube, so was glad to see it this time.

 

For the people who chose to stay on the boat and see Passau, then did get to complete their excursion. The CD called a bus for them and so they did get their walking tour and their organ concert. It was about a 40 minute drive to (and from) Passau.

 

Fran

[franski]

Woke up to the boat sailing.... YAHOO!!

 

However, during breakfast, the boat starting going in reverse.... :confused:

 

Apparently the captain started up towards the lock hoping it would be open. Multiple phone calls to the lock and the office there were unanswered - in spite of the assurance that the lock would re-open that day. When we arrived, we discovered the lock was still closed, and there were a number of boats docked in the area. Back to Schloegen we went. The CD was very good to explain what was happening when the boat started to travel back...

 

So - the trip to Regensburg was still on if people wanted. I said right up front that I would stay and relax on the boat if we ended up with multiple bus trips - but DH wanted to get to Regensburg for the toy store - and the lure of the Wurstkuchl was hard to ignore.

 

In the end I caved, and went along. We were to have about 2 1/2 hours in town - long enough for a toy store visit AND sausages/beer. Again I ended up with an impromptu tour - and was able to explain about the salt cellar/tower, the bridge, the church etc. The Porta Praetoria was covered (am guessing there was some damage that they are trying to repair) and the bridge had some scaffolding in place. The Sausage Kitchen had been flooded up to the awning - but up and running again fairly quickly I understand.

 

The weather was horrible when we got there - and I was one of the few prepared. Not sure why the CD didn't warn people about the risk of rain - as there are umbrellas in every cabin. In the end, the 3 people that DH and I toured with all stopped to buy umbrellas - and then the rain settled down. Magic umbrellas, obviously.... :D

 

DH got his toys (including 2 Trabant models) and I got my sausages/sauerkraut/beer. And, the food was absolutely worth the drive. I bought a number of bottles of mustard to bring home as well. While it would have been wonderful to dock in town - and to cruise further up the Danube - all was not lost.

 

Am home now - and still trying to get my mind into this time zone - so will post about our disembarkation day, and our time in Nuremburg a little later. Will also post some "generic" thoughts about the cruise in general.

 

Fran

[jan can]

Frankfurt airport is huge. We flew into terminal 2 from Vancouver. With carry-on only, we were at the exit of terminal 1 heading to the taxis before we finally encountered a police officer who looked at and stamped our passport. That is a long distance from the plane to the police/customs.

[franski]

Given the fact that we were still docked in Schloegen, everyone got on a bus around 9 am on the last morning.

 

There were 3 buses to take people to Prague, and 2 buses to take people to Nuremberg. Our travel time to Nuremberg was around 3 hours - as explained in a disembarkation meeting the day before. The people that went to Prague went directly (ie: did not go through Nuremberg, so missed the tour....)

 

When we arrived in Nuremberg, our bus went around to the Documentation Centre and **** Parade grounds --> and picked up a guide there. We had about a 1 hr tour in total (Parade grounds, and drive around Nuremberg). When we arrived in the old town, a few of us left the group - while the rest went into the Old Town Square. The people that left the bus were those that had made alternative arrangements (ie: extra days, going on via train etc). The main group would be transported to the airport later in the afternoon.

 

We had booked 2 nights at the Hotel Agneshof. I booked it primarily for the location --> and when we got off the bus, there was a sign pointing towards the castle area identifying where the hotel would be!!! Couldn't be any simpler.

 

It was about a 5-7 minute walk (only because we were dragging our suitcases, and the entire area is cobblestones....). We checked into our hotel and then headed back downtown for lunch....

 

Fran

[franski]

This post is about our stay in Nuremberg. When we booked this cruise, we wanted to stay an extra couple of days in Nuremberg to see some things that we didn't get to see the last time we were there.

 

Hotel: As mentioned above, we stayed in the Hotel Agneshof. This is on Agnes street (named after Agnes, wife of Albrecht Durer) - about 2 streets below the castle area. You cannot beat the location --> it is within walking distance of a number of restaurants, the main city square, the Toy Museum and the Historic Art Bunker. There are only about 70 rooms in the hotel, and the entire hotel is a non-smoking facility. Breakfast is not included - but is available for 7 euros pp - and is quite substantive.... Rooms are fairly simplistic - but clean. Flat screen TV has a number of channels in multiple languages. Our bathroom had a shower - no tub. There is no air conditioning - so the rooms might be rather hot in the summer. WIFI is free.

 

Restaurants: Many restaurants close after lunch for a few hours before dinner. We tried to eat in one restaurant (German food) off the main square, but were told they were closing (it was close to 2 pm). So we went across the road to an Italian Restaurant - and had a great meal there. A gentleman came in and sat at the table beside us - and had his dog with him. The waiter brought out a dog bowl of water, and the dog's owner (after asking if it we had any issues with having a dog so close....) told us he always orders "salami bread" for her when they go there.

 

For dinner that evening, we ate at the Alte Kuche - just around the corner from the hotel. We had traditional Nuremberg sausages, riebekuchen (potato pancakes), sauerkraut and salad. It was DELICIOUS. The place was packed with locals, so figured it must be good.... For dinner the next night, we ate at another old sausage kitchen around the corner --> but exchanged the sauerkraut for potato salad.... Again, the place was packed, and the food was great. (Not sure if you notice a pattern here.... sausages always the food of choice in Germany!!! :D )

 

Sightseeing: On our full day in town, we went to the Toy Museum - and really enjoyed it. If you plan on seeing more than one museum, you can buy a day pass for 7.50 euros. This was our entry into both the Toy Museum, and the Documentation Centre. We had to pay extra for the tour of the **** Art Bunker.

 

The Art Bunker is only accessible with a guided tour. Until just recently, the tours were only available in German, however, they now have audio guides in English, so we were able to go along. It was 10 euros total for DH and I to go.

 

We had booked a private guide through Tours by Locals. It was great as Kevin has a chauffeur's license, so could take us out to the Documentation Centre (instead of going by public transport). We didn't have long enough in the Documentation Centre (IMHO) - so want to go back again sometime in the future. We would book Kevin again as he was very knowledgeable about WWII, and we would like to see Courtroom 600 (if possible) if we go back.

 

Lebkuchen: The best ones are in Nuremberg - called "Elisen Lebkuchen". They are called "gingerbread cookies" - but there is no ginger in them!! Found the store where I bought them last time. The store is around the corner from the stature of Albrecht Durer - and only sells lebkuchen made in their factory. It is a family business - since the early 1900s - and the company/family name is Fraunholz. They make their cookies WITHOUT flour - using only ground nuts, honey and spices. I like the ones with a bit of sugar on the top..... SO good....

 

Transportation to the airport was quick and easy. The front desk called a taxi for us. It arrived in about 3 minutes (there before we could roll our suitcases out the front door) and had us to the airport in less than 20 minutes. The taxi cost about 15 euros.

 

I think that covers the main points... Please fee free to ask any questions.

 

I will post about my overall impressions tomorrow.... I like to opportunity to reflect before I post about the "big picture".

 

Fran

[franski]

Frankfurt airport is huge. We flew into terminal 2 from Vancouver. With carry-on only, we were at the exit of terminal 1 heading to the taxis before we finally encountered a police officer who looked at and stamped our passport. That is a long distance from the plane to the police/customs.

 

Frankfurt is not only huge, but can be confusing. We had to go to Terminal 1C for our flight home - so took a train over to the main terminal before going to find concourse C. We kept walking towards "C" - then the signs disappeared... Looking back, we realized we had to go through a sliding door off to the side --> then down a corridor, down and then up an elevator to get into "C". We were scheduled to start boarding 45 minutes before take-off, and we had 45 minutes after we disembarked our first flight to get to the departure lounge of our 2nd flight. We JUST made it... (had to go through customs to get into that concourse, and there was NO fast track here). I knew we were cutting it short, but we didn't have a lot of options flying out of Nuremberg (unless I wanted a 7 am flight....:eek: ). I opted for Frankfurt as there were other flights leaving a few hours later if we missed that flight.

 

BTW, we flew Lufthansa, and we left Nuremberg early, and arrived in Frankfurt earlier than planned (ie: ticket stated 50 minutes flying time, we landed 30 minutes after take-off.... but then had to wait for out "parking" spot at the terminal!!!

 

Fran

[tassietravellers]

Perhaps I am confusing things - but this is how is played out.

 

Came into the main terminal (arrived at a terminal, had to LEAVE that terminal for a bus to the main terminal....) but instead of going through passport control as we have done every time we have traveled through Frankfurt (and we have transferred through there a lot...) we had to go to a booth with a Police Officer (yes, the badge indicated he was police....),and answer questions about where our final destination was, how long we were staying etc. He then stamped our passport and we were on our way.

 

In Budapest, when we exited the plane, the customs officer was standing on the top platform of the steps (we exited on the tarmac). As long as you waived your passport at him, you were free to go. When we got to the terminal, we just went right to the baggage carousel.

 

No idea why it happened this way... but it did. So - I still feel I cleared customs in Frankfurt.

 

Fran

 

 

It was similar when we arrived in Budapest last August, but at that time no one checked anything..we just got off the plane and went straiight to the carousel to collect luggage, we commented at the time how odd it felt..maybe because it was close to midnight and everyone was home in bed!! lol

[tassietravellers]

Thanks for your detailed report Fran

 

At least the strikes didnt affect your trip excessively..we had similar problems last year, where we had to bussed some days, not because of strikes but high water levels , a barge accident and bridge repairs, all out of our control....theres always plenty going on on the rivers!!! :-)

 

was good to follow along with you, we did similar stops on the rivers as part of our Budapest to Amsterdam cruise last year with Avalon. ..good remembering places we'd been...glad to hear the old sausage place wasnt badly affected by the floods and they could get back up and running so quickly.

 

Also found the Documentation Centre to be so interesting, we had a few hours there but could have easily stayed a couple more.

 

looking forward to our cruise next year...Deb

[franski]

So - as a "wrap up", I wanted to post over-all impressions....

 

First off, we truly enjoyed the cruise. We met great people and had wonderful new experiences (even though we had done this itinerary before....).

 

Some things did not live up to expectations. We had cruised with Scenic before, and found the service in the dining room on that cruise to be amazing. Our main complaint re: food (OK, my main complaint) was that there was little to no variety in the dessert options. Lots of ice cream and puddings - very little cake or pastry. Well - the dessert options improved considerably this time - but the service wasn't great. There were one or two stone-faced waiters, although most were pleasant ---> just slow. Things were better if you sat closer to the back (ie: closer to the kitchen....) - or perhaps we just found a waiter that was pleasant AND efficient. Food helpings were small - but beautifully presented. You could ask for a 2nd entre if you wanted - and it was delivered without problems (ie: one of our table mates asked for the lobster and the beef.....).

 

Service did not improve with the buffets. We just got to the point we moved our dirty dishes to another table if they hadn't been cleared by the time we wanted to go back up to the buffet area.

 

As an fyi - there were more tables for 2 than we have ever seen on another boat....

 

Portobello's, however, was amazing across the board. Good food, great service. Truly a wonderful option. Portobello's can hold around 30 people. This took some of the stress off the main dining room at dinner, so it never felt crowded.

 

The all-inclusive bar was a well used delight. I am not a big drinker, and am usually happy with wine (or beer) at dinner - but enjoyed a gin & tonic, or a Bellini after dinner. Although the literature indicated that premium spirits and french champagne were extra charges, not sure what constitutes a "premium" spirit. Single malt scotch was an included option. A couple of night I did have an Irish coffee after dinner, and they were very generous with the Irish part..... :D

 

The Scenic Free Choice system still needs work. The system is bigger (and heavier) than an I-phone, so it was a bit awkward to manage. It does have a wide lanyard, however, so doesn't cut into your neck. The ear pieces are a step up from the usual "Vox Box" systems. They were more like a head-phone ear piece (is: did not sit in your ear) and therefore could fit either ear. One of my concerns with the other systems is that it has to go into your left ear, or doesn't work well. Some people had problems with the system, but some people ALWAYS have problems with whatever system is being used.

 

The choices for the included excursions had options not found on other cruise lines. The Skanzen Open Air Museum in Budapest, and the Salt Mine at Hallein (outside Salzberg) were two that we did --> and they were great. But, as indicated in previous posts, they are not listed in next years itineraries, so not sure if they will be continued. In Budapest, there were also options to go to one of the baths, or to the Hospital in the Rock --> both items are optionals on many other cruises. As is the concert in Vienna - again, an included excursion for everyone. The stop in Durnstein did *not* have a guided tour option - and the Scenic Free Choice dialogue was really weak.... I think I was the better option for people that tagged along with me....:D fyi - there was always bottled water at the front desk to take along on any of the excursions.

 

CD is always an unknown, and we have had better. He seemed uncomfortable in his role - and yet he indicated he had been in this type of position for a number of years. He was quite organized, however, and pulled things together for the passengers when the lock strike interrupted the cruise. And, he was quite quick to keep us informed about what was happening.

 

The lounge musician was a great keyboard/guitar player.... but vocals weren't his forte. However - he was a great DJ one night!!!

 

We travel Aquarium Class, so didn't have the option of room service, or Table La Rive. We did meet people who were travelling in the 300 series cabins, and they had coffee delivered every morning --> and then made sure they brought their designer desserts over from the Table La Rive to show us what we were missing. (We did resist the urge to throw buns at them... and still talked to them after!!!) They indicated that the meal and the wine was wonderful during that dinner.

 

One area that Scenic excelled at was the condition of the ship. Absolutely SPOTLESS. Our cabin steward was the best we have ever had. And - would greet us by name by the 2nd day. We noticed no noise/vibrations when we were sailing - and no bumping at all in the locks. The Captain was quite visible during the sailing.

 

One other thing that is great is the whole issue of hand sanitizing. They had stations outside each of the restaurant doors, and often reminded people to clean their hands . When you arrived back from an excursion, they moved a portable hand sanitizing station VERY close to the doors, and asked that you cleaned your hands when you entered. I have never travelled with a company that was so conscious of hand hygiene.

 

Over all.... was it the 5-star service they advertised? No, don't think our cruise was. I do believe that Scenic has put that claim out there, and is now struggling to meet those expectations.

 

However, we didn't book for a 5-star experience. We booked because it was a great price (it was the same or less than others..... and ours was all inclusive) - and we definitely feel that we got our money's worth. Not sure if the people who booked for 5 star felt the same way.... But - most people who booked a balcony cabin loved the fact that they had one, and that there was a glass partition that could raise/lower - making the balcony enclosed as desired - and therefore usefull in all weather.

 

Hope some of this helps.... Please feel free to ask any questions.

 

I am sure that I will think of other "things" I forgot to mention, and therefore will post a "misc" entry later.

 

Fran

[cruiseryyc]

Fran, thanks very much for posting your "honest" opinions - unlike some who just come on to bash the cruiseline. It gave me hope for my upcoming Amsterdam to Basel cruise as I was starting to get nervous that we booked with the wrong cruiseline.

[Stratheden]

Thanks Franski for your honest report. We have many friends here in Oz who have travelled on Scenic cruises and your report sounds spot on.

I am really pleased that Scenic are still on top of the hand sanitising program as they were on our recent land tour of Canada and Alaska.

We are really looking forward to our cruises with Scenic next year.

[euro cruiser]

Fran, thanks very much for posting your "honest" opinions - unlike some who just come on to bash the cruiseline. It gave me hope for my upcoming Amsterdam to Basel cruise as I was starting to get nervous that we booked with the wrong cruiseline.

While I agree that unhappy folks often find their way to these (and other) message boards to vent their frustration, I don't think it's right to characterize everyone who posts critical comments as not honest (which is how I read your comment about honesty). They simply had a different experience, or they experienced the same voyage in a different way.

 

Clearly Scenic, with whom I'll be sailing in a few weeks, struggled to deal with the double whammy of floods and strikes in the past few months, as did all of the river cruise companies. Their response has not satisfied some, and they've come here to say so. Angry people rarely present balanced reports, and for some folks if one thing goes wrong nothing goes right. Dealing with that (and ignoring it, in some cases) comes with a public forum.

[cruiseryyc]

While I agree that unhappy folks often find their way to these (and other) message boards to vent their frustration, I don't think it's right to characterize everyone who posts critical comments as not honest (which is how I read your comment about honesty). They simply had a different experience, or they experienced the same voyage in a different way.

 

Didn't mean to come across that way, however I do see how one could assume that is what I meant.

[franski]

Fran, thanks very much for posting your "honest" opinions - unlike some who just come on to bash the cruiseline. It gave me hope for my upcoming Amsterdam to Basel cruise as I was starting to get nervous that we booked with the wrong cruiseline.

 

Thank you for your response. I do try to post a balanced review....

 

My TA asked me again today what my "favourite" company is... and I really don't have one. Uniworld does have an upper edge in some ways (IMHO) but price still does impact our decisions, and they are "up there" price wise.

 

Was our cruise perfect? No, but haven't had a "perfect" cruise yet. Was it 5 star? Again, don't think it was - but there were enough little things that were over and above what the other lines have offered so far that it was certainly in the "top drawer" category.

 

The things that did not go as planned were disappointing - but not devastating. Others might feel differently. Given the degree of angst and anger that has been expressed by a number of people on CC, my suggestion now to people when they ask about river cruising is that there are situations that cannot be anticipated or controlled (weather, water levels, strikes) - and if they want a "perfect" holiday, then river cruising may not be the best choice for them.

 

We travel with a Plan B - although I didn't stick to it this time!! (Decided I would stay on the boat if we ended up bused to ports.... but then changed my mind - and was glad that I did!! :D)

 

Truly enjoyed the cruise - and would travel with Scenic again if the situation presents itself. Enjoy your cruise!!

 

Fran

[franski]

This post will be a number of random items... things I forgot to mention earlier - or are (IMHO) worth mentioning again....

 

ATM in Budapest: I found a bank that has 2 separate ATMs.... one for forints, and one for Euros. It is across the square from Gerbaud's (kitty corner, going away from the Danube....) There is a sign out front that shows where both ATMs are.

 

Coffee Machine in the Lounge: There is a very high end coffee machine in the lounge. They did ask that you use the glasses if you make a latte as the amount of coffee is too much for the regular cups. I did that - but still made a mess as the spouts were so low that they ended up in the coffee in my cup.... The I discovered that the spout lifts up. BTW, the other side of the lounge door has a tea station... some flavours are in bags, but many loose teas as well. On the top shelf above the tea area are tea pots - most with built in filter baskets for the loose tea.

 

River Cafe: On one side of the lounge there are small tables and chairs. They face the "River Cafe" area. This spot always has sandwiches, desserts, and ice cream. All you have to do is ask.... (lovely sugar cones for the ice cream if you want one...) A couple of times I had a small dessert with a cup of coffee.

 

Laundry: One day there was a notice (and a bag) put in our room that there was an option to have laundry done off the ship. Instead of a "per piece" charge, it was charged by weight. We didn't need that (not travelling that long) - but it was nice to have that option if desired.

 

Currency Exchange: They will exchange currency at the front desk. So, if you wanted forints, you could exchange for them. I think you could also exchange dollars for Euros. They wouldn't exchange forints for euros however (I did ask - as I found forints that I didn't realize I had... and no plans to go back to Hungary any time soon....)

 

Mini-Bar: As mentioned in an earlier post, the mini-bar can be customized. We really didn't use much out of it --> just one Diet Coke. But it was replaced quickly. I was talking to someone who ate the chocolate bars from there - and they were quickly replaced as well.

 

TV : The TV was a bit temperamental.... We never could get it to turn on with the remote - so ended up turning it on manually. It would turn off easily with the remote. Internet was available on the TV - but it was slower than on my tablet. We did enjoy the CC feature from the lounge - so could hear the port talk from our cabin if we didn't want to fight our way into the lounge.

 

Rafting: Very rare on this cruise.... We were rafted with someone when we were docked in Linz (docked long enough for the groups to go to Salzberg or Cesky Krumlov) - and then again on our last day when we disembarked. But - otherwise no concerns when people opened their cabin curtains.

 

Think that is it for now... Will post if I think of anything else - or if anyone has any questions I can answer....

 

Fran

[euro cruiser]

Coffee Machine in the Lounge: There is a very high end coffee machine in the lounge. They did ask that you use the glasses if you make a latte as the amount of coffee is too much for the regular cups. I did that - but still made a mess as the spouts were so low that they ended up in the coffee in my cup.... The I discovered that the spout lifts up. BTW, the other side of the lounge door has a tea station... some flavours are in bags, but many loose teas as well. On the top shelf above the tea area are tea pots - most with built in filter baskets for the loose tea.

I love this kind of detail, thanks for sharing.

[Motowner]

Fran

 

Many thanks for sharing your experiences while on this cruise.

When we booked with Scenic last September for our recent Aug. 28 Nuremburg to Budapest cruise, I anxiously awaited your comments. It seemed that when floods and strikes challenged all of the cruise lines, you managed to keep a very optimistic attitude and put a positive spin on things.

Thank you for this!

In one of your comments you suggested that your cruise was not exactly the 5-star experience that you had expected.

I 'm curious as to what you believe constitutes a 5-star river cruise experience.

[alexandra cruiser]

could you also post a review in Member review section.

Have seen 3 positive ones just recently,good to have quite a few to read when trying to choose next cruise.Many people look to that section,it seems,rather than using search engine.

Glad it was ALMOST a 5 star,sounds pretty good to me.PS. love all the detail,very helpful.Thanks.:)

[franski]

Fran

In one of your comments you suggested that your cruise was not exactly the 5-star experience that you had expected.

I 'm curious as to what you believe constitutes a 5-star river cruise experience.

 

Hi -

 

I think that the service in the dining room has to "better" (ie: more attentive, less waiting for the tables to be cleaned....) for it to be 5-star.

 

I think that you also have to have a CD that is more engaged than ours was on this trip. We have had 2 outstanding CDs on past cruises --> 1 with Scenic, and 1 with Viking. While this CD was organized (and certainly pulled things together when faced with lock strikes, and the fact that disembarkation was NOT going to be in Nuremberg as planned....) I felt that he was not entirely comfortable in his role.... Either that, or I am more threatening in person that I realize!!!:D

 

Fran