Is European River Cruising For Us?

[RevCindy]

Hello,

 

We are considering a river cruise in Europe for our 30th wedding anniversary but I have a couple of questions:

 

- There will be three of us, hubby, me and our 24-year-old son. Will the son feel out of place? Is this an older person type of cruising?

- We are all introverts. Will we be made to feel like we "have" to interact if we don't want to?

- We aren't adventurous eaters? Will that be a problem?

- How on earth do I choose a company to go with? I'm overwhelmed trying to compare/contrast.

 

Thank you for your help.

[notamermaid]

Hello RevCindy,

 

welcome to the river cruise board on Cruisecritic. We have a great host here, host jazzbeau, who welcomes people to crusiecritic with a nice introduction and a link to river cruising in general, but he is in France at the moment not posting very often. He shouldn't do anyway and enjoy his holiday instead. :D

 

So here is the link from me: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2233868

 

To answer your specific questions:

 

from what people have reported and written in their reviews I would say that Viking has the oldest demographic, a different company might be better, but as you have guessed right, your son will always be much younger than the average cruise age on the ship you will travel on. On my cruise in 2013 there was a relatively young average of about 50. North American and Canadian cruises appear to be somewhat higher than that.

 

As you will be among a crowd of like-minded people age often does not matter much and cruises accommodate slow-walkers and those with a higher activity level.

 

Talking of which, being introverts, no you do not have to mix with people much, you will probably find some interesting people that you will want to talk to and bear in mind that ships only take a maximum of 220 people. Perhaps choose one that has max. 180 pax stated in the brochures. Others can point you in the right direction on this subject.

 

There is often light entertainment of sorts but you can stay in your cabin if it does not suit you.

 

Be prepared for a couple of evenings of "captain's dinner", etc.

 

If the three of you travel well together than certainly have a go at river cruising.

 

Have you decided on Europe or elsewhere? Specific interests? Any of you having a "I have always wanted to see ..."-wish?

 

Been to Europe before? A foreign language you might want to practice on the locals?

 

Food, difficult one. It is best to be open to new tastes a bit, as chefs do try out local specialities on the boats. But there are options. Others I am sure are happy to assist here. The food on my cruise was entirely German-European (with some Hungarian specifically thrown in in Budapest).

 

Have fun planning.

 

notamermaid

[caviargal]

<- There will be three of us, hubby, me and our 24-year-old son. Will the son feel out of place? Is this an older person type of cruising?>

 

It depends on your son and his interests. The onboard experience is very low key and there is not a lot happening in the evenings. We have had quite a few 20s somethings on our holiday river cruises which attract a wider demographic. Shorter (7 night) cruises also would be a better option.

 

<- We are all introverts. Will we be made to feel like we "have" to interact if we don't want to?> It is not a forced participation cruise and there is no pressure. With 3 you should be able to get a table for 4 for meals. DH and I like our time alone and when not traveling with friends will seek out a table for 2, as is our preference. We often DIY in ports as well and head out on our own.

 

<- We aren't adventurous eaters? Will that be a problem?> Most lines have an "everyday" option of simple dishes: chicken, steak.

 

<- How on earth do I choose a company to go with? I'm overwhelmed trying to compare/contrast.> Work with a qualified TA.

[Floridiana]

If your son likes riding a bike, choose a company that provides free bikes and bike excursions for the athletic minded. Large stretches of the Danube have bike paths through the villages and small towns along the river.

[ural guy]

The cabins on river cruises only sleep 2. Some companies have single cabins; they are more expensive unless they waive the single supplement, which they do sometimes as an incentive to book.

 

I cruised on Viking with my 24 and 21 year old daughters. They had a great time, but they had each other to run around with. I think the bicycle idea was a good one.

 

A good travel agent can help. People can't post links to their favorites on-site, as it could be considered advertising. If you're interested, I'm sure someone could e-mail some info. I booked direct from Viking, so can't help you there.

 

Congrats on 30 yrs together, just celebrated our 30th on Monday. We don't get our present until next September though, when we sail Budapest to Bucharest with Vantage. :)

[4774Papa]

I won't answer all your questions, since you others have responded in excellent fashion.

 

Regarding which cruiseline. Doing your own research is not that hard and some cruiselines don't accept TAs.

 

We prefer Vantage and have a cruise booked on them for next May.

Vantage doesn't require you to pay in advance like Viking and it always beats Viking's prices.

Vantage provides an excellent product as well.

The cruiselines include a lot of excellent lines.

The high end includes Tauck, Uniworld and Avalon with AMA not far behind.

The nice but not as prices lines include Vantage, Viking and Grand Circle.

The budget line is Gate 1

Compare how many days on the ship and/or in hotel cost per day. For example, we found that Vantage's Douro river cruise and pre-cruise in Lisbon was the same price as Viking, but Vantage's was one day longer. Vantage and AMA had about the same price, but AMA only included the river cruise, while Vantage included a three day tour in Lisbon.

[CPT Trips]

As a PP noted, river boats do not have cabins for three. You TA should be able to find you a ship with either single cabins or low/no single supplement. Neither Vantage nor Grand Circle commission TAs, so a TA likely won't recommend them. Some of their fleet have single cabins, and they sometimes offer low/no single supplements.

[xpcdoojk]

Welcome to cruise Critic.

 

I think that a river cruise could be for anyone. I believe if you are wanting an escorted trip, and are willing to pay for that premium experience, that a river cruise is most likely more enjoyable than a bus tour around in Europe. My first trip to Europe was 30 years ago, when I was a poor gradual student working on my PHd (which I never finished, but managed to have a great life anyway:D) in Economics. My young wife and I took a ski trip to Austria. It was a week of bus rides in Austria. I remember feeling trapped on the bus, watching cars whiz by me on the highway, and I vowed that is how I would visit next time. 30 years later we have been to Europe at least a dozen times. Our shortest visit was about 2 weeks and our longest almost a month. I have done completely on my own trips that were very inexpensive. I have rented a house in Italy and shared it with friends. We have done river cruises and Med cruises, we have gone and bought a car doing European Delivery (the best trip along with the house in Italy trip). What I am trying to say is if you are not comfortable on your own. I think a river cruise is the best escorted way to go.

 

I find that it is a lot more expensive than doing our own thing, but it is a lot easier, less planning and less effort. For example, we are going to do the Avalon Visionary because it was not sold out and we booked it recently. I booked it for at least 40% than our previous cruise which we booked 18 month in advance and was sold out over a year in advance. On our upcoming trip, we are meeting up with the river cruise group in Prague. I made all of my bookings (flights hotels tours, etc.) and only will utilize the cruise line for the bus trip to Nuremburg, and the sailing itself. At the end, we are renting a car and leaving the cruise group, and while they continue to Paris immediately, I am going to drive through the Ardennes and visit the WWI battlefield of Verdun. Then we will go to a French town with a large outlet shopping mall before driving thru the Loire valley to look a Chateau's and stay a night in Tours, then a bit more looking at the French countryside, before arrinving in Versailles to visit the palace and spend the night and get rid of the rental car. Then we will take the train into Paris, and use the local transportation subway, buses, river boats to spend a few days in Paris before flying home.

 

The long (mostly:D) and short of it. There are lots of choices for how you visit Europe. The range of prices can be very cheap, staying in small hotels renting a small car, eating lunches as picnics or you can spend a fortune staying in deluxe hotels and eating a Michelin starred restaurants. You can be a passenger on a tour bus going from one hotel to another hotel in another town and be herded around. A river cruise is on the pricier side, but I find it to be a very civilised way to go, as you don't generally have to go from hotel to hotel.

 

Your son depending on his nature could be bored as he may be the only person in his 20s. If he mingles well with older adults he could be fine. Dinner is generally somewhat communal as you generally do not have assigned seating. There may be a table where you can sit by yourselves, but no guarantee.

 

Hope that helps. You have to decide what kind of experience you want, and how adventurous (on your own) to unadventurous (escorted trip) or some combination of that you are comfortable and desire. Once you figure that out then you can figure out if a river cruise is what you want then you can describe the level of luxury you want to pay for to get to which particular cruiseline you want to choose. Then you just have to figure out where and when you want to focus on.

 

Good luck.

 

jc

[tribbs1]

I would recommend AMA Waterways. They generally have a younger demographic. They have different ability groups for the tours as well as offering more than one tour option, such as biking tours and hiking tours. This would give your son more flexibility in deciding what to do as well as keeping him active on the cruise.

 

River cruising is a great way to see some great cities and towns in Europe without having to spend time traveling from place to place and packing and unpacking your bag. The included tours are interesting and there is often a lot of free time to explore the cities on your own as well.

[Host Jazzbeau]

River cruising is not about the ship. That is the first thing to understand, especially if you are used to ocean cruising. The ship is basically your floating hotel and restaurant.

 

With three people, you should be able to have your own table on most lines (certainly on AMA, which is the line I am most familiar with). Don't worry about the cuisine -- breakfast includes familiar cereals, omelets, fruit and all sorts of cold cuts, as well as menu items you can order (Eggs Benedict, waffles). Lunch includes salads, sandwiches [not the kind you brown-bagged to school, but the kind you may buy at Panera], as well as menu items you can order if you like. Dinner includes at least three appetizers and three entrees, plus an "everyday" menu of steak, chicken and salmon and you can order French Fries (thin cut or steak cut). They are also very accommodating, so they will encourage you to try something outside your comfort zone with the assurance that a familiar entree is available to replace it. You won't go hungry.

 

You will also be able to choose from a range of excursion options each day, so you could split up based on interest and ability. Speaking of interest: you should probably start with this issue, which will help you choose a river. DW and I just did the AMA Rhone cruise, which is chock full of Roman history (great ruins, especially the Pont du Gard). Even if you or your son think you hate history, I have to say the excursion guides make it come alive so that DW and I have never been sorry we took the guided tour [even though we are quite happy doing it DIY with a Rick Steves walking tour].

 

There are a few river ships that have cabins for 3 [e.g. the latest AMA ships have both family suites and connecting cabins, and some Tauck ships (I believe)], but they are rare -- and with a 24 year old son I suspect you all would be happier if he had his own cabin. So when you have chosen a river, look for a cruise line that has single cabins or that is waiving the single supplement. [AMA has both on certain sailings].

 

I have given you detailed answers based on AMA. Other lines are similar, but details differ. Once you pick a river, you can start to finesse the details of the different cruise line offerings. Don't be fooled by fake "2 for 1" sales that never end -- compare the actual price per person and factor in what is included on each line that matters to you [for example, AMA and many lines include wine and beer at lunch and dinner only while some lines include all alcohol all the time; AMA includes a wide range of excursion choices at no extra charge, while some lines only include the basic choices; Tauck and some others include gratuities while most expect you to pay them (although your TA may give you a credit that will cover this).

 

OK, now it's even more overwhelming than it was before! So take courage: the vast majority of first-time river cruisers have a great experience no matter which river or which cruise line they choose. There are better choices, but I don't think there are any bad choices.

[caviargal]

I

The cruiselines include a lot of excellent lines.

The high end includes Tauck, Uniworld and Avalon with AMA not far behind.

The nice but not as prices lines include Vantage, Viking and Grand Circle.

The budget line is Gate 1

 

 

I would disagree with your including Avalon as high end - IMO and IME they are more mid range. IMO, Uniworld and AMA are premium lines, then Avalon, then I agree with your remaining list.

 

Scenic and Tauck seem to be most high end, but I have no personal experience with either to comment personally.

[Got2Cruise]

I actually think River cruising is fine for introverts. Plenty of quiet time to read or meditate. When you are on the tours you are not interacting with other pax, simply listening to the guide. Then you are always given free time.

 

I have only done Avalon in the summer and there were always families with young adults on board. Plus teachers and plenty 50 something Aussies.

 

I noticed that the folks who really wanted a 4 person table would send up part of their party to the dining room while the CD was still talking about the next day's activities.

 

As the parent of young adults myself, I would say if your son is onboard with the itinerary everything should be fine. It doesn't matter to them 55,65,75. It's all considered old folks. Haha

[warm47]

Fortunately when we selected Tauck for our river cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam last year we were guided by friends who had done several land tours with Tauck and highly recommended them. They were right. I am an introvert and can't wait to go again. The four of us stuck together most meal times at a table for four although there were a few times when you were joined by others. I am not familiar with rooms on Tauck for more than two persons but they do offer special pricing for single rooms. There were persons in the 20's on our cruise. Many of the staff on a Tauck ship are younger and I know of cruisers who went running in the mornings with a staff member. One was the captain's wife. When we were in a region that had a place to climb there was one of tour directors who offered to take persons who wanted to hike on the hike up a mountain or two to see a special sight. Otherwise we had a choice between a guided tour, an introductory tour and time on our own, or to stay on the ship and rest up for the day if we wanted some alone time. We had musicians, lecturers, and glass blowers join us on the boat sometimes in the day time and sometimes at night. There was also a pianist who provided music in the evenings for those who stayed up later. Our dinner hour was open seating between 6 and 8:30 whenever you wanted. We liked to eat early and get to bed earlier. The food was very good. I do like to try new things but even the person with us who likes to stick to more familiar foods never had a problem finding a good meal. There was lots of variation and quite delicious. On Tauck all of your food, water, alcohol, as well as all your excursions are included in the price. That is something to consider when choosing a line. Do you prefer to pay upfront and sit back and enjoy or do you want to add on extras and pay at the end. Some lines do not include all beverages. They may include wine with dinner but you have to put other drinks during the day on your room tab. Tauck also offers special excursion such as our night in Vienna at the Princes Palace with special food and entertainment. We cruise a lot and will be leaving for one very soon, but nothing will even top this river cruise. When you look at the Tauck website and they say you will feel like a member of the family they are not kidding. It was hard to say good-bye. It was more than a cruise, it was truly a grand experience! Hope these comments along with those before will have you make a choice, but do go, it is worth every penny!!!!

[bubbulz]

We just booked a trip on Uniworld's SS Maria Theresa, and a number of the suites have a notation that a third berth is available. Likewise on Uniworld's SS Catherine. (There may be others in the fleet as well.)