Budget lines vs "mainstream" lines

[mrobstad]

I've read the articles here on CC and tried to discern the real difference between the budget lines/companies (Key tours, Croisi, Globus, Cruise Maritime) and the others. Obviously price is a big difference, and it looks like most excursions are optional (plus an additional cost) on the budget lines, but what else? I saw a Key Tours Tulip Cruise that was a third the price of Viking, so obviously suspicious. This past spring, I went on a moderate land tour in Ireland that was lovely, so I'm wondering if it's like that, only on a river.....

[caviargal]

We have never cruised on a budget river cruise line and are upscale travelers overall. We have been aboard other boats as well as seen them / walked through them in port. We have sailed a couple of times over the years on budget ocean lines and know it is something we are not interested in repeating. When we travel in Europe by land, we normally stay in 4 star hotels, with an occasional 3 or 5 star depending on where we are.

 

Some big differences we noted were cabin size; quality of stateroom and public room furnishings; bathroom size and design; number of options for meals (Croisi for certain has very limited dining options); inclusions overall.

 

You really have to compare a specific boat as well as cruise line to understand the differences IMO. They may or may not be relevant to your decision.

Edited December 22, 2015 by caviargal

[mrobstad]

Thanks caviergirl! I, too, normally travel (what I think is ) upscale. Though I've not cruised on Regent or even Oceania, I like new ships, purchase dining, drink and "privacy" like Vibe on NCL or the sanctuary on Princess. I guess the suite life defines luxury on mass market lines, but I'm a solo traveler, so just finding a good rate is a challenge.

 

Thus, my question. Viking and similar cruises run around $6000 for a basic cabin, Tauck closer to ten, and good luck finding a low or zero single supplement, making my cruise fare 200%. I didn't even know companies like Key Tours or Gate One had river ships!

 

I'd love to hear from someone who's done both.

 

Thanks again and happy holidays!

[Roz]

Mrobstad,

 

Solo cruiser here. In November I took my first river cruise on Uniworld - 8 days from Budapest to Passau. A big consideration for me in choosing this particular line and itinerary was they waived the single supplement. Every year Uniworld publishes a list of cruises where they eliminate or reduce the single supplement. While I was onboard, they released the list for 2016. You may want to check it out on their website.

 

I paid a little over $3,000 for a Category 3 cabin, and it truly was an all inclusive experience. The only charge on my onboard acct. was for some postage stamps I purchased from the front desk.

 

I would be happy to answer any questions you have.

 

Roz

[Host Jazzbeau]

Several river cruise lines, such as AMA, have Single Cabins, which would be much less expensive than paying the single supplement on even a "budget" line.

[Roz]

Thanks for that info, Host Jazzbeau. When you're a solo cruiser, you have to work every angle.

 

Roz

[Roz]

Mrobstad,

 

Small correction - I was in Cat. 2 cabin, not Cat. 3

 

Roz

[caviargal]

Both AMA and Uniworld offer quite a few sailings next year with no single supplement. It is not just in the designated single cabins but is mostly limited to specific room categories.

 

I highly recommend you work with a qualified travel agent who can advise you about your best options.

[Coral]

The lowest category on Tauck waives the single supplement.

[Roz]

Thanks for that info, Coral.

 

Roz

[Hydrokitty]

Like Caviargal we have never done a budget trip, nor do we use the really high end companies...we've done land trips with Trafalgar and 8 river trips with Vantage...but my cousin did a last minute Danube cruise with Gate One and loved it...said everything was what she had hoped for.

[Lois R]

I am a solo cruiser too and booked my first River Cruise with AMA. The

SS is waived and I have a good TA who I know personally. She (and

her husband) are big River Cruisers and she recommended AMA....I

booked a cabin that has no SS. It is a window cabin and I am planning

on having a great time:)

 

When one speaks of a "budget cruiseline"......I normally sail with

Celebrity. I know they are Mass Market and I have been cruising with

them regularly (2 to 3 times a year) for the past 12 years. There have

been a lot of changes with them recently and after this River Cruise

I am not sure I am going back to them.

I don't really consider them a budget line.......but I know they are no

longer "premium" either.......Oh, I could never afford a suite on any

line.....

I think AMA will be a good fit for me though:)

[Host Jazzbeau]

I am a solo cruiser too and booked my first River Cruise with AMA. The

SS is waived and I have a good TA who I know personally. She (and

her husband) are big River Cruisers and she recommended AMA....I

booked a cabin that has no SS. It is a window cabin and I am planning

on having a great time:)

 

When one speaks of a "budget cruiseline"......I normally sail with

Celebrity. I know they are Mass Market and I have been cruising with

them regularly (2 to 3 times a year) for the past 12 years. There have

been a lot of changes with them recently and after this River Cruise

I am not sure I am going back to them.

I don't really consider them a budget line.......but I know they are no

longer "premium" either.......Oh, I could never afford a suite on any

line.....

I think AMA will be a good fit for me though:)

 

I think AMA will be a good fit for you too. The budget river cruises have only buffet at dinner, lots of nickel and diming -- so they are not even at the 2016 Celebrity level. Probably closer to some Mediterranean cruises that don't market to the US [but that's just a guess].

[4774Papa]

We have friends that did a Gate one tour as well as a river cruise. They gave it good marks.

[Lois R]

I think AMA will be a good fit for you too. The budget river cruises have only buffet at dinner, lots of nickel and diming -- so they are not even at the 2016 Celebrity level. Probably closer to some Mediterranean cruises that don't market to the US [but that's just a guess].

 

 

Hi Jazz, thanks:)......only buffets for dinner?:eek:...no thanks......

I enjoy sitting down and being served;):)

[Hydrokitty]

Hi Jazz, thanks:)......only buffets for dinner?:eek:...no thanks......

I enjoy sitting down and being served;):)

 

Lois: I'm doing by second Celebrity cruise in March and my 3rd in October....My first was PAnama Canal and it was wonderful. How has the service changed?

[Host Jazzbeau]

Lois: I'm doing by second Celebrity cruise in March and my 3rd in October....My first was PAnama Canal and it was wonderful. How has the service changed?

 

Read the Celebrity forum. It's all about cutbacks here, there and everywhere. Ex: AquaClass no longer gets bottled water every day [people suggesting it should be remained SaharaClass].

[Lois R]

Lois: I'm doing by second Celebrity cruise in March and my 3rd in October....My first was PAnama Canal and it was wonderful. How has the service changed?

 

 

Good morning:)........I wish I could give you 1 specific answer....but

after all my years of cruising it is not 1....just my overall cruise.....

I just feel like the overall experience is different. I went on Summit

last month and it was fine....nothing terrible by any means but nothing

outstanding.....sort of, ho hum. And maybe it is me and after all these

cruises I am the one who has changed?.......

This is probably not helping you......others still love it....but I think they

could do better and for the price I pay? I think I can find better....will

see how the River Cruise goes.

[caviargal]

I have been reading about the recent cut backs on Celebrity and think it is a shame. While my last two Celebrity cruises were disappointing, and while we have no interest in sailing with them again, the line was still a step up from the other mass market lines IMO. Nickel and diming seems to be way of the world with mass market these days. A low entry price for the cruise and then extra charges for everything they can think of. We much prefer the luxury all inclusive resorts for our Caribbean vacations nowadays. No nickel and diming, great food and service and all adults.

 

As for cruising, we really just prefer river cruising these days as we have come to enjoy the travel style it offers. For ocean cruises, we only look at Oceania and Windstar when we are considering one.

[4774Papa]

We started ocean cruising in July 2010 and have done 9 Celebrity cruises as well as 5 on NCL.

 

Celebrity is our cruise line of choice. In my opinion, little has changed since our first cruise on Celebrity. Of course, five years ago, there was no Aqua Class. Food and service are still excellent. The entertainment is generally very good, but the production shows don't change enough.

 

The cutbacks, like no free water in Aqua are minor. There is very little nickel and dimming on Celebrity. If you want to see nickel and dimming, check out NCL. We still cruise them when the price is right.

 

The one issue that does concern me about Celebrity is the significant price increases for many of its cruises (especially Europe) as well as the Go BBB. This inclusive pricing serves as a means of inflating prices. We will continue to cruise Celebrity as long as the best value, price wise is still there.

[caviargal]

We started ocean cruising in July 2010 and have done 9 Celebrity cruises as well as 5 on NCL.

\.

 

Perhaps that is why you have not noticed as much as a difference as some of us. I took my first cruise in 1963 and used to do a lot of ocean cruising, on many lines. Then the ships got larger and larger and that was a turn off for us. Food started to decline and we were booking specialty restaurants every night to have good food and service. We started having to pay for a decent cup of coffee, fitness classes and prices for drinks and bottled water became - IMO - ridiculous. The nickel and diming has only become worse over the years and we no longer will pay more to get less and then have to share a ship with thousands of people, and too many kids.

 

We have only done two ocean cruises since 2005, one on Princess and one on Oceania. Princess was awful and we loved Oceania. Very good food, no nickel and diming, specialty dining included, all non alcoholic drinks included, no announcements, no photographers, no kids (got lucky but this line does not market to families and is a very adult experience), included specialty coffee bar, wonderful accommodations and service. We would not go back to mass market should we choose to ocean cruise again.

 

Our last Celebrity cruise was on Century in 2005 and it was very disappointing, based on our previous experiences with Celebrity. We saw a huge difference then from previous cruises and have no interest in trying them again.

 

YMMV.

Edited December 23, 2015 by caviargal

[Hydrokitty]

We started ocean cruising in July 2010 and have done 9 Celebrity cruises as well as 5 on NCL.

 

Celebrity is our cruise line of choice. In my opinion, little has changed since our first cruise on Celebrity. Of course, five years ago, there was no Aqua Class. Food and service are still excellent. The entertainment is generally very good, but the production shows don't change enough.

 

The cutbacks, like no free water in Aqua are minor. There is very little nickel and dimming on Celebrity. If you want to see nickel and dimming, check out NCL. We still cruise them when the price is right.

 

The one issue that does concern me about Celebrity is the significant price increases for many of its cruises (especially Europe) as well as the Go BBB. This inclusive pricing serves as a means of inflating prices. We will continue to cruise Celebrity as long as the best value, price wise is still there.

 

Thanks everybody....I will let you know what I think after my March cruise.

[Hydrokitty]

Read the Celebrity forum. It's all about cutbacks here, there and everywhere. Ex: AquaClass no longer gets bottled water every day [people suggesting it should be remained SaharaClass].

 

I went to the Celebrity Forum....all I'm going to say is that's a tough crowd over there!! I woudn't last a single post!!

[Lois R]

We started ocean cruising in July 2010 and have done 9 Celebrity cruises as well as 5 on NCL.

 

Celebrity is our cruise line of choice. In my opinion, little has changed since our first cruise on Celebrity. Of course, five years ago, there was no Aqua Class. Food and service are still excellent. The entertainment is generally very good, but the production shows don't change enough.

 

The cutbacks, like no free water in Aqua are minor. There is very little nickel and dimming on Celebrity. If you want to see nickel and dimming, check out NCL. We still cruise them when the price is right.

 

The one issue that does concern me about Celebrity is the significant price increases for many of its cruises (especially Europe) as well as the Go BBB. This inclusive pricing serves as a means of inflating prices. We will continue to cruise Celebrity as long as the best value, price wise is still there.

 

And that is the rub.....what is good value to one person is not

necessarily value to someone else. I have over 40 cruises with X......

And with this new BBB? I don't like it at all. But that is just my

opinion.

[Lois R]

I went to the Celebrity Forum....all I'm going to say is that's a tough crowd over there!! I woudn't last a single post!!

 

Not everyone is mean:).....I learned a long time ago, every forum can

be tough:eek:......if you have any questions I would be happy to answer

them. (we can do that here if you want).