overwhelmed by options!

[World Gallery]

I posted questions last week and the amazing insights made me realize I don't know anything about river cruising (compared to ocean) therefore, I am stuck! I am trying to find a travel agent that specializes in river cruises but I am not having any luck in my area.

If I can get some help using the following criteria, I think I can narrow it down to a few options.

Would like:

1. Ship that can accomodate our family of 5 (bringing daugthers, 16, 18, 20). Cabin for 2 and 3 or "three, 2- person cabins" if we don't have to pay the single supplement for the 3rd cabin.

2. 7 to 13 day cruise but will extend on one end or would even flight into a city that teen girls would enjoy and take a train to departure port

3. Our time frame - We can fly out as early as May 24th. We have to be back home by the end of June.

4. We want to avoid very warm temps in ports

5. Want a lot of time in port (morning til night) and would rather not have long bus rides once we dock.

6. Would like to avoid rivers that will most likely flood during the end of May and June.

We would considered all lines but would probably choose the one that is the most affordable.

Surely this list can narrow down our options (or leave me with none!) but it feels very overwhelming trying to juggle all the options. Thanks!

[nancyevans]

Emerald had some single cabins. Also had a pool and a cinema. If you are looking at 2017, you are running late to be able to book the cabins you want. Look at the Rhine since the ports are close to the river. Consider Basel to Amsterdam (Or vice versa).

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Host Jazzbeau]

AMA's newest class of ships have cabins for 3 (unusual) and connecting cabins designed for groups of 5, but they are not among the low-cost options (although once you figure in the inclusions the price differences shrink some). There are several lines (especially lately) that are waiving the single supplement.

[World Gallery]

We are looking for 2018.

I guess it wouldn't matter then if we choose an affortable option that didn't waive the single supplement. Also, we are mostly focused on the amount of time we can have in the ports. When we are docked, we plan on being off the ship. We have done many ocean cruises and we are the first ones off and the last ones back on so I am thinking the ship doesn't matter as much.

[gnome12]

Doing your own thing isn't as easy on a river cruise as on an ocean cruise. Timing can change based on water levels and traffic on the river, and, if there are locks, on your schedule to get through the locks. You will usually only find out the evening before. In addition, on most river cruises you have already paid for shore excursions, so if you ditch all of them you are wasting money. Most people think that they are pretty good.

 

I think CroisiEurope also has cabins for 3. They are somewhat less all-inclusive, but that might be a better fit for you.

[Lois R]

I sailed AMA last year and the ship was docked every day with tours in both morning and afternoon. So I was

off the ship every day. I can't answer for the other lines but from what I have read, many of the itineraries have the ship

docked during most days.......

I was able to get off the ship and no bus was needed for any tours except one and that was for an optional tour that I chose

to do.

[sunsetbeachgal]

We took our first river cruise last year after over 40 ocean cruises (with another river cruise booked) but if I was taking three young ladies of that age along I'm not sure I would go in the direction of a river cruise. The clientele is generally older and there is very little to nothing to do at night other than dinner. And time in port is somewhat unpredictable due to river levels.

 

We loved river cruising don't get me wrong! But for us if we wanted to go with our teen granddaughters to Europe (which we are doing next summer-London then a British Isles cruise) and haven't already done Mediterranean, Baltic, Greek Isles and British Isles, one of those would be my choice.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Edited May 15, 2017 by sunsetbeachgal

[Floridiana]

I agree with sunsetbeachgal.

We took a Baltic cruise with our adult children, enjoyed it tremendously. Lots of interesting ports.

[SuiteTraveler]

Often while you are on the ship's tours during the day, the river ship will have moved to another location that your bus takes you back to in the evening. This could be miles away from where it originally docked. Also your ship may be rafted with other ships where you can't see it. So, doing your own thing is NOT the best idea and often will not work as you will not know where your river ship is when it is time to return unless you really plan ahead, have phone numbers of people to call on the ship to find out where it is and don't mind hiring taxis to bring you back to the ship, wherever it is. Really, a river cruise is much more like a bus tour through Europe EXCEPT your hotel goes with you along the river. So what you would expect is to get up early each morning, have breakfast, get off the ship and onto a bus and go on tour. Either come back at noon for lunch on the ship and then possibly some free time in the afternoon or another tour OR stay in town for lunch and continue touring until around 5pm, then the bus brings you back to the ship and you go to a meeting about the next day and then dinner. Remember, you are paying for all of your tours (except possibly 3) with the purchase of your river cruise, so if you don't go on the scheduled tours, you are wasting a lot of your money.

 

There is another option, however which is designed for young adults where the ship will be in town in the evening as they have excursions such as bar hopping and other active excursions. This is called U by Uniworld. Yes, I know that won't be ideal for a 16 or 18 year old as this is really a vacation for people 21 to 45 but it will be more cost effective as it is not so all inclusive. https://www.ubyuniworld.com/US

 

Another thought might be a Disney River Cruise, which is appropriate for the whole family:

https://www.adventuresbydisney.com/river-cruising-with-disney/

 

Finally, there is a completely different type of cruise, which I think might work and that is river barge cruising which can range from self-drive (it's a river you can't get lost!)

http://www.leboat.com/?gclid=CIP776X38dMCFZZWDQodXJUDew&gclsrc=aw.ds

to luxury:

https://www.abercrombiekent.com/cruises/european-canal-barge-cruises/

http://eurorivercruises.com/Destinations/Barge_index.htm?gclid=CI2xhd338dMCFRNXDQoddR0GUQ

you could even charter a barge:

http://www.bargenilaya.com/index1.htm?gclid=CKvf_YH48dMCFd2CswodpLQDKw

 

Avalon, Uniworld, Viking, AmaWaterways, Avalon, Emerald and Tauck all offer some cruises without a single supplement.

 

Sometimes river cruises really just become bus tours as the rivers are low, so the river cruise ship is parked and you are taken by bus to various cities, then back to the river ship and when that is no longer possible, they put you in a hotel and bus you from there. The thing is, there is no way to predict river conditions. It could be low, it could be high or it could be normal.

 

Honestly, with your daughter's ages, I would think you would be a lot better off doing a Med Cruise or a barge cruise so you can focus on what you want to do. Your daughters are perhaps a bit too old for a Disney cruise and a bit too young for U. And on most river cruises, they will be the youngest onboard and there will not be any others in their age group at all. In fact, you too, might be the youngest onboard - there's no way to know ahead of time but the average age is around 70 on most river cruises.

[notamermaid]

For rivers in Europe in May/June I would say not the Rhone, already a little warm. All other river areas will be fine. The Elbe is nice but as regards the ports for teenagers, hmm, don't know. Asia is probably not a good choice. Russia, again, perhaps not ideal. It also depends a bit on your children's interests. Paris is obviously brilliant for art and going out in the evening. You could fly into London and take the Eurostar to Paris. That is a great experience. If the children like castles, the Rhine is best. On the Danube choose an itinerary that focusses on Vienna and Budapest.

 

CroisiEurope has always made it its policy to be open for children, they are family-oriented.

 

notamermaid

 

notamermaid

[FuelScience]

Avalon, Uniworld, Viking, AmaWaterways, Avalon, Emerald and Tauck all offer some cruises without a single supplement.

I think that Avalon has waived the single supplement on all 2018 cruises.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=7737

[gnome12]

I think that Avalon has waived the single supplement on all 2018 cruises.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=7737

 

Just note that this will be instead of other discounts; they waive the single supplement off of the brochure price.

[tulok]

Our first river cruise was the Viking Rhein Castles from Basel to Amsterdam. I think it is a good starting river cruise. I will agree that there is not a lot to do in the evening. There were a couple of teenagers on the boat, but not very many. We had great weather so river height was not an issue (we went middle of June 2014). You are under the rain mercy for planning ahead. I went with another couple and we would take the morning tour but in the afternoon and many evenings, we would explore the city alone. The best thing about this cruise is the docking right in the middle of town in many ports. Only once did our boat dock at one town and move to pick us up. It was in the itinerary and Viking included time to explore both towns.

More experienced river cruisers may have better options.

[World Gallery]

I sailed AMA last year and the ship was docked every day with tours in both morning and afternoon. So I was

off the ship every day. I can't answer for the other lines but from what I have read, many of the itineraries have the ship

docked during most days.......

I was able to get off the ship and no bus was needed for any tours except one and that was for an optional tour that I chose

to do.

What river was this for?

[World Gallery]

I agree with sunsetbeachgal.

We took a Baltic cruise with our adult children, enjoyed it tremendously. Lots of interesting ports.

We already took them on a Mediterranean and Baltic ocean cruise. They were great but a river cruise has been our dream for a while now since you can get to places you cannot get to by ocean cruise. We really want to be able to get off of the ship and almost walk into town. Also, we are interested in the ports, not the ship experience this time. I am almost viewing this as a floating hotel used to sleep at night.

[Lois R]

What river was this for?

 

Hi, it was the Belgium Waterways.........a cruise called TULIP TIME:D...sailing Amsterdam-Amsterdam, roundtrip.

[acwmom]

We already took them on a Mediterranean and Baltic ocean cruise. They were great but a river cruise has been our dream for a while now since you can get to places you cannot get to by ocean cruise. We really want to be able to get off of the ship and almost walk into town. Also, we are interested in the ports, not the ship experience this time. I am almost viewing this as a floating hotel used to sleep at night.

 

I have now been on four river cruises, most recently the Rhine, from Basel to Amsterdam. For what you're describing, Paris-Normandy may be your best bet. On the Rhine, the ports where we could get off and "walk into town" were either small, and/or we were only there part of the day. (Breisach, Rudesheim, Boppard, Koblenz, Cologne) The first four are small, and Cologne, we arrived close to midnight. Paris-Normandy really doesn't cover a long distance, so there are more overnights along the way.

 

River cruises have a fairly regimented schedule, but one that is often at the whim of the river conditions and port masters. There were a few times when we left early last month. We do a fair amount of DIY on our cruises, but it was rare that we were in a single port for an entire day (with the exception of the bigger cities-Paris, Vienna, Rouen, Venice)

 

Robin

[nancyevans]

We already took them on a Mediterranean and Baltic ocean cruise. They were great but a river cruise has been our dream for a while now since you can get to places you cannot get to by ocean cruise. We really want to be able to get off of the ship and almost walk into town. Also, we are interested in the ports, not the ship experience this time. I am almost viewing this as a floating hotel used to sleep at night.

 

 

In this case look at a new offering: Teeming River Cruises. Company in Florida appears to have charted a ship. No feedback yet on thus since it is brand new.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[SuiteTraveler]

We already took them on a Mediterranean and Baltic ocean cruise. They were great but a river cruise has been our dream for a while now since you can get to places you cannot get to by ocean cruise. We really want to be able to get off of the ship and almost walk into town. Also, we are interested in the ports, not the ship experience this time. I am almost viewing this as a floating hotel used to sleep at night.

 

http://www.tauck.com/family-travel/why-tauck-bridges/family-river-cruises.aspx

No single supplement on the lowest category cabins. Seems like this is much more what you want or you could do small ship ocean cruising - Tauck does these as well...

[notamermaid]

I agree with acwmom that the Seine could be good for you. One recommendation for that: do not go with Viking or ARosa (new for this year on the Seine). They do not dock in Paris centre but in Le Pecq, next to St. Germain-en-Laye on the map. Go for the new Uniworld ship or check another company. Only boats up to 125m length are allowed to dock in Paris. If old European history interests you, you can go and see the Bayeux Tapestry on an excursion with some companies.

 

notamermaid

[need2travel1]

My hub & I did the Uniworld Paris to Normandy itinerary a few years ago & it was awesome! We were on one of their multi-generational cruises so there were a lot of extended families on board as well as the usual assortment of adults. We (49&46) don't have kids but that was the departure date that worked best for us so off we went. The D Day beaches were very moving, Monet's gardens were gorgeous, Rouen was a great town to walk around & Paris....well, it's Paris! As an extra bonus this itinerary is roundtrip from/to Paris so in many cases it's a direct flight-no layover, yay!

 

Enjoy your planning!

[World Gallery]

Thanks for the info. Paris to Normandy does sound like a good option for teens.

I have checked into everything suggested here. There is so much to think about! Thanks so everyone.

 

Just showed my daugther some options and asked her what her top country would be to see on a river cruise and she said, "Poland, definitely Poland! Paris would be nice but its not on the top of my list." Funny how teens can be!

Edited May 17, 2017 by World Gallery