Cabins Poll

[editor@cruisecritic]

When planning a river cruise, how important is your cabin (as opposed to cuisine, picking an itinerary, entertainment, enrichment, etc.) to you? Please weigh in on our poll.

 

And please share below if you have any comments -- and we'd love to know if you've had a great cabin. Give us specifics.

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

[orchestrapal]

Have avoided all River cruises because of the small cabins. For us 300 square feet is not large enough to be comfortable. Others seem to think 165 sq ft does it and more power to them.

Edited August 12, 2015 by orchestrapal

[pbnjrockette]

I have found river cruise cabins to be very comfortable with adequate storage space. There is rarely a need for a "balcony" and many river ships only have "French" balconies. Spend very little time actually in the cabins as the joy of river cruising usually involves exploring the wonderful towns and villages or tours along the rivers or when sailing being on the Sun deck or in the lounge enjoying the "ambience" of a slowly sailing (without fear of seasickness!!)

 

I have only ever felt "cramped" in a cabin on a river cruise in Russia when a much older ship was used. But it was such a delightful and amusing experience !!

[Valley Girl of VA]

For our first river cruise, with just about everything else being equal, I went with the line having the larger cabin size. Now it doesn't really matter. I go with the itinerary that I like, the amenities on board, the reputation of the cruise line and the excursions that they have.

[gentlemancruiser]

We choose to sail with Avalon specifically because we liked the cabin layout.

 

The panorama suite cabins with the beds facing the window make so much sense!!! The large French balcony make the cabin 'feel' very open and airy.

Edited August 12, 2015 by gentlemancruiser
spelling

[Lois R]

I voted "other".......I am going on my first River Cruise in April:D....AMA

offers single cabins and so that lovely Single Supplement:rolleyes: is waived:).

I am taking one of those single cabins and it should be fine. Now, after

the cruise, if I feel like it is "too small" (for me) and I LOVE everything

else then maybe if I take another river cruise I will look at a larger cabin.

 

Is the cabin important? Somewhat yes.....example, I have seen photos

of the single cabins on NCL.....I would never book one of them:eek:....now

those look teeney.....and from what I have read they are only about

100 square feet.......yikes!

 

But I am happy with my decision on this river cruise:)

[OctoberKat]

Have avoided all River cruises because of the small cabins. For us 300 square feet is not large enough to be comfortable. Others seem to think 165 sq ft does it and more power to them.

 

Word.

[pbnjrockette]

I voted "other".......I am going on my first River Cruise in April:D....AMA

offers single cabins and so that lovely Single Supplement:rolleyes: is waived:).

I am taking one of those single cabins and it should be fine. Now, after

the cruise, if I feel like it is "too small" (for me) and I LOVE everything

else then maybe if I take another river cruise I will look at a larger cabin.

 

Is the cabin important? Somewhat yes.....example, I have seen photos

of the single cabins on NCL.....I would never book one of them:eek:....now

those look teeney.....and from what I have read they are only about

100 square feet.......yikes!

 

But I am happy with my decision on this river cruise:)

 

Wish we could "LIKE" a post!! What a nice positive attitude! am sure you will find your cabin comfortable and enjoy your cruise!

[caviargal]

I voted "Other" as well. While we don't choose based on cabins, we definitely eliminate lines and boats with cabins too small for our preferences.

[CPT Trips]

The first response . . . One who avoids river cruises :confused:

 

We go for itinerary (and for us that includes the available tours) and cost. The amount of public space on the ship and the layout of the cabin is more important to me than its size. I guess that is because we enjoy mingling with our fellow pax rather than being locked away by ourselves.

Edited August 12, 2015 by CPT Trips

[Lois R]

Wish we could "LIKE" a post!! What a nice positive attitude! am sure you will find your cabin comfortable and enjoy your cruise!

 

Thank you:)....cruising is one of the things I love ALOT:D so my attitude

is usually positive:D and I am really looking forward to this whole new

event:)

[squarevanman]

I have tried to vote but seems it does not want to accept my iPad or iPhone. Personally I just do not care about the cabin size as I tend to cruise alone and only use my cabin for sleeping, washing etc. I certainly accept the cabin size is important to many others and would not decry this.

It has dawned on me that if cabins were larger then ships would be constructed to carry less passengers. With the popularity of river cruises this could end up with more ships being needed to supply demand. This in turn would increase both river congestion and rafting.

[Sharra13]

Our first cruise is next week (YAY!!) and we went with the "aquarium" cabin. I HOPE it doesn't bother me and I am going in with a good attitude about it, especially after reading so many posts about not being in your cabin much and rafting, etc.

 

I have never been on ANY type of cruise, but I know for sure I would never book an interior or non-balcony on an ocean cruise *shudder* Something about being on a river doesn't bother me as much or give me Titanic-style nightmares, lol.

 

The room does make a difference to me, but not above the actual trip. I knew we wanted this itinerary and a pre-stay in Nuremberg with a small window of dates we were available to go. Not getting a balcony was the one concession I made to stay more in budget, so I think we did pretty good!

[4774Papa]

We don't spend much time in our cabins, so why pay a lot for one.

[Barrheadlass]

My iPad won't let me vote either. I've sailed aquarium class and balcony and my next cruise (Bucharest to Budapest) is aquarium again. I've sailed with the lovely Uniworld and with Grand Circle. I agree with some of the other posters...I spend nearly no awake time in my cabin so wouldn't care if it was 10 by 10. And the Murphy beds on GCT? Perfectly comfortable.

[Got2Cruise]

I'm on an iPhone no poll. But, I do look at the photos in the brochure, and there is one line I just can't consider, due to the decor. Much too fussy, it doesn't seem relaxing. Jmo. Cabin square footage and sleek modern bathroom should be considered.

Edited August 12, 2015 by Got2Cruise

[Canal archive]

First my iPad let me vote, yippee! I love a real balcony okay so your not in your cabin a lot but I do so like the occasional feet up, glass of bubbly and a good book time, or just watch the world go by and my camera to hand if needed. Just my 5 pence worth.

CA

[Rebel54]

We choose to sail with Avalon specifically because we liked the cabin layout.

 

The panorama suite cabins with the beds facing the window make so much sense!!! The large French balcony make the cabin 'feel' very open and airy.

 

Me too!

[4774Papa]

We choose to sail with Avalon specifically because we liked the cabin layout.

 

The panorama suite cabins with the beds facing the window make so much sense!!! The large French balcony make the cabin 'feel' very open and airy.

Suites on river cruises usually cost about double a regular cabin.

[caviargal]

First my iPad let me vote, yippee! I love a real balcony okay so your not in your cabin a lot but I do so like the occasional feet up, glass of bubbly and a good book time, or just watch the world go by and my camera to hand if needed. Just my 5 pence worth.

CA

 

We, too, love a real balcony. The twin balcony cabins on AMA are our favorites and we often sit outside with a coffee or a glass of wine and relax.

 

We have had a Panorama cabin on Avalon and a large and very well appointed French balcony cabin on Uniworld, the most luxe cabin overall we have ever had on a river cruise. The bedding was fabulous! We did miss having a real balcony and would have enjoyed not having to hunt for a chair outdoors when we wanted one as they were in short supply.

Edited August 12, 2015 by caviargal

[Hydrokitty]

First my iPad let me vote, yippee! I love a real balcony okay so your not in your cabin a lot but I do so like the occasional feet up, glass of bubbly and a good book time, or just watch the world go by and my camera to hand if needed. Just my 5 pence worth.

CA

 

 

Canal archive: I won't set foot on a big ship unless I have a real balcony for just the reasons you said....a good book, glass of wine, my camera and call me when it's dinner time......on a river cruise I prefer the french balcony because it gives me the sense of open air that I need and I can drink my coffee looking out, smelling fresh air and feeling like I'm not missing anything, but I really don't spend as much time in my cabin on a river cruise.

[papa B me]

For me the cabin sets the mood for the whole vacation. It's the first thing I see in the morning and the last thing I see when I go to bed. We seem to spend a couple of hours a day in the cabin getting ready for the days events or getting cleaned up for dinner. Finding a cabin with 300 sq ft, a balcony, and bath with double sinks was one of my considerations when choosing the ship(s) and lines we would travel with. Loved our suite with Uniworld last July and picked the Christmas cruise itinerary for this December that had a ship with a comparable suite. And sitting on the balcony while cruising down the river whether early in the morning with coffee or late in the evening with a drink in hand was pure bliss.

[Poconolady]

Without a doubt, we choose by itinerary first, cruise line second and then either French balcony or balcony, depending on cost and availability. We have been on two AMA and will be on Viking in Nov, strictly an itinerary and dates choice. After you have done a few cruises during the Christmas Market season you start looking for new places to go. We really like traveling in the off seasons. AMA cabins are very nice, especially the balcony cabins, great for watching the river villages float by by day.

[franski]

Thank you:)....cruising is one of the things I love ALOT:D so my attitude

is usually positive:D and I am really looking forward to this whole new

event:)

 

Fair warning... river cruising can be addictive!! :D

 

(Not that this is a bad thing....)

 

Fran

[franski]

Our 1st cruise was on the River Baroness - Aquarium class (although the Baroness has quite large windows....) We decided we would like to upgrade to a French balcony on our 2nd cruise.

 

We did - and discovered the extra cost wasn't worth it for us - we would sooner save the money for the next trip. So - we try to book entry level cabins now.

 

I always said that I wouldn't do a river cruise with a line that didn't have hotel style beds. But - changed my mind on that as I wanted to do the Elbe. The rooms on the Viking Fontane were much smaller than average -but we survived, and actually enjoyed our (very) tiny room.

 

We are doing China with Viking this October - and the only room available was a junior suite. Big gulp as I looked at the price difference. But - it was the date we wanted - and the direction we wanted (Beijing to Shanghai) so we decided to splurge and go for it.

 

So - bottom line - we look at itinerary, and dates and then prices. The room really doesn't factor into our decision (unless the only cabins available are above the price point we are comfortable with...). The sheets are clean - we have running water in a private bathroom --> and those are the main things - at least for us!!

 

Fran

Edited August 13, 2015 by franski