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Adopting River Cruises Practices...

NavyCruiser
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NavyCruiser

NavyCruiser

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After 30+ ocean cruises, we took our first Danube river cruise last month. We both loved it.

Now my wife refuses to go on our next Caribbean cruise, so I'm taking my Mom instead. She now wants to book the Rhine river cruise for the end of the year instead.

So comparing the two very cruising experience we're wondering what's the very slim or no chance that the mass cruise ship lines may adopt some of the unique river cruise practices that we prefer:

- no kids

- walking tours included in each port

- alcohol served at lunch & dinner

- small intimate ships

- etc...

 

We know, ocean & river cruising are two completely different experiences. But for the few of us who now has grown children, who now wants the convenience & enjoyment of a cruise lines we've known for years, but with a new experience. Of course it will cost more, but we'll save on the airfare & inconvenience of flying to Europe or Asia, included walking tour excursions (or included transfers to the beach at each port) & included one or two alcoholic drinks at lunch & dinner (not all day alcohol) will negate some/most of the higher fare.

Please no flames from you hard-core ocean cruisers defending the status quo, since we used to be one once too...

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rjrpar

rjrpar

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After 30+ ocean cruises, we took our first Danube river cruise last month. We both loved it.

Now my wife refuses to go on our next Caribbean cruise, so I'm taking my Mom instead. She now wants to book the Rhine river cruise for the end of the year instead.

So comparing the two very cruising experience we're wondering what's the very slim or no chance that the mass cruise ship lines may adopt some of the unique river cruise practices that we prefer:

- no kids

- walking tours included in each port

- alcohol served at lunch & dinner

- small intimate ships

- etc...

 

We know, ocean & river cruising are two completely different experiences. But for the few of us who now has grown children, who now wants the convenience & enjoyment of a cruise lines we've known for years, but with a new experience. Of course it will cost more, but we'll save on the airfare & inconvenience of flying to Europe or Asia, included walking tour excursions (or included transfers to the beach at each port) & included one or two alcoholic drinks at lunch & dinner (not all day alcohol) will negate some/most of the higher fare.

Please no flames from you hard-core ocean cruisers defending the status quo, since we used to be one once too...

 

Try Viking or Oceania - about the same price as river cruising.

 

Also, I don't think that most river cruises ban kids or that ocean cruise lines don't serve liquor with lunch or dinner. It comes down to $$$

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Biker19

Biker19

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Yes but I wonder if it will be as high as the luxury lines?

No, more like Celebrity. Their ships will be much too big (size of Celebrity Edge) to be like the luxury lines. I expect their early itineraries by the end of the year.

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Homosassa

Homosassa

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If you want to stay in the RCCL family, try Azamara.

 

Excursions are not included in every port and I am not sure what the policy is on kids, but Azamara will tick all the other boxes.

 

That being said, we are trying our first Viking Ocean cruise in 2019.

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Homosassa

Homosassa

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Great.

Thanks for all the informative posts so far.

Now wish Viking, Azamara, Celebrity, Virgin, Oceana, etc... cruise out of Galveston, New Orleans, or other local ports, & at a lower price point...

 

That is the problem. To get the on board experience of a Viking, Azamara, or Oceania, one must pay a higher fare to give the cruise line a higher passenger per diem rate to base food quality and other on board experiences. One isn't going to get caviar on a Guy's hamburger fare.

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RDC1

RDC1

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Yes but I wonder if it will be as high as the luxury lines?

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

 

I believe that they are aiming in that direction according to its president

 

The company hasn’t said what the price point will be, but McAlpin called it a “premium plus product.”

“We are not going to be a mass market [cruise line] competing on price,” he said. “I think that’s a very slippery slope. We’re about a premium experience.”

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Panda3

Panda3

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Agree with others that there are options out there on the smaller cruise lines. Doubtful that 'mass' cruise lines like RCI would adopt as they cater to families with children. Plus RCI cruises are so dang affordable. I think you have to shell out $$ for the luxury to cruise without kids as fellow PAX. Also, river cruises have no casino to help keep the costs down, which helps keep our fares so low.

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mek

mek

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That is the problem. To get the on board experience of a Viking, Azamara, or Oceania, one must pay a higher fare to give the cruise line a higher passenger per diem rate to base food quality and other on board experiences. One isn't going to get caviar on a Guy's hamburger fare.

 

Well exactly - people who pay more expect more and it's totally unrealistic to think a more all inclusive experience with the perks listed would be available at a lower price on mass lines. I would imagine most people sailing on the premium lines would actually be unhappy if the prices dropped. Higher prices keep most families and the demographic of mass cruising away.

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xpcdoojk "Live from...." Rare

xpcdoojk

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Is the no kids because of a policy that everyone has to be over 18 or 21? Or just simply because it's not the type of cruise catered to children?

 

River cruises don’t generally have children because they don’t match well with young families. There are no children’s events, they don’t have a nursery. I would guess that the average age on a river cruise would be in the 70s, maybe 80. Our first river cruise in 2014, the cruise director did the classic welcome aboard meeting, and talked about the toilet system and ladies don’t flush those products down the toilet. I looked around the room and I didn’t see anyone under the age of 50 other than crew.

 

JC

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dogs4fun

dogs4fun

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Is the no kids because of a policy that everyone has to be over 18 or 21? Or just simply because it's not the type of cruise catered to children?

It is a policy specifying an age - for example, Viking River Cruises do not allow any children under the age of 12 and they can limit the number of children under 18. From Viking:

"Children/Minors

Due to the nature of our cruise and travel itineraries, the Carrier does not maintain facilities or services for children aboard cruise vessels or otherwise during the trip. On all cruises and cruise journeys, minors under the age of 18 must be accompanied and share a stateroom with a parent, legal guardian or other responsible adult over the age of 21. We reserve the right to limit the number of minors under the age of 18 years on board and on land excursions booked through us."

Age requirements for the river cruise lines vary but are somewhat near the Viking category above.

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  • 1 month later...
Merly

Merly

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Silver sea and Regent Seven Seas ( who include excursions at each port) are excellent and as they are smaller ships can go into different ports. Stay vigilant and you can get a good deal, just like on other lines. On our last Silversea, when we looked at all which was included, all beverages, WiFi etc it wasn’t much more than paying for them all separately on Celebrity, or some of Royal ships.

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waterbug123

waterbug123

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we're wondering what's the very slim or no chance that the mass cruise ship lines may adopt some of the unique river cruise practices that we prefer:

- no kids

- walking tours included in each port

- alcohol served at lunch & dinner

- small intimate ships

 

Don't hold your breath. For mass market cruise lines most of these things are not practical.

Kids: The big ships have invested a lot of money into kid-friendly features (kids clubs, teen spaces, recreational activities geared toward kids/families, etc.) Banning kids would mean renovating those spaces and it would mean a huge decrease in target market if they can't market to families to fill their ships, especially during the summer.

Walking tours: Not practical to include these for everyone when "everyone" means 2-5k passengers. And for a number of mass market destinations, there isn't much to see on a walking tour where the ship docks, so buses would have to be involved and that increases cost significantly.

Alcohol with lunch/dinner: keep dreaming. Alcohol sales are big business for mass market lines. They aren't about to start giving away upwards of 5-10k drinks per day!

 

 

Bottom line: When you have a ship that carries 2-5k pax, you are largely selling the cruise on price, which means lots of add-ons to increase revenue. To include things like tours and drinks (even just at meals) would mean increasing prices to a point that wouldn't be sustainable for those sizes of ships unless every mass market line did likewise.

 

 

 

Try Viking or Oceania - about the same price as river cruising.

 

Also, I don't think that most river cruises ban kids or that ocean cruise lines don't serve liquor with lunch or dinner. It comes down to $$$

 

Viking has recently announced that kids under 18 will indeed be officially banned. I think the prior age was 14 and under. (?). And yes, ocean cruises do serve liquor with lunch/dinner but you have to pay extra. It is often included in the cruise fare at meals on river cruises. And you're right- it comes down to money. River cruise boats are small and hold relatively few pax. They can charge a high price that allows them to include these things, and still have enough people willing to book. Mass market cruise lines would have difficulty filling their big ships if they raised prices enough to include these things.

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Eslader

Eslader

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Alcohol with lunch/dinner: keep dreaming. Alcohol sales are big business for mass market lines. They aren't about to start giving away upwards of 5-10k drinks per day!

 

I don't really see the difference between included alcohol on a high-price fare and separately-bought alcohol on a lower-price fare. You're paying for the booze either way. Once you're willing to pay for it, you can have all the booze you want at lunch and dinner.

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