What is going on with Scenic Cruises

[Daisi]

@Fouremco, we sail Avalon. I go to the KLM site, choose Ottawa Railway station as my starting place, Amsterdam (or Budapest this time) for final destination. If you book from Ottawa Airport, then you fly to Mtl or Toronto, then Mtl. I laughed when I saw that one in 2018 when we were doing our bookings!

[loriva]

On 7/18/2022 at 9:07 AM, pete_coach said:

Getting from Ottawa to almost anywhere requires a lot of routing. From Toronto you can get there on 2 flights or less.

Ours was a Budapest to Amsterdam trip.

We departed from Frankfurt too. It is a traveller friendly airport. I suggest you stay near (at actually) the Frankfurt airport. The hotels all have shuttle to and from the airport and you can take a train from  the airport to downtown Frankfurt for a bit of sight seeing.

I cannot compare other river cruise lines but I can attest that Scenic has the service and extras that others do not seem to offer. As I said in a different post, we had several choices every day of excursions to go on (as well as an easy walkers choice for those with mobility issues). Great extras such as big dinners in a castle and a concert in Vienna Palace. They brought local entertainment on board almost every evening. The menus, on the right side were the same every day while the left side was the local cuisine. A mini bar in a cabin or hotel room are always a no no and stay away thing except on Scenic where they encourage you to have a drink or snack or chocolate bar 🙂

 

 

Looking forward to hearing your comparison of Scenic now versus before the pandemic.  We did have a choice of excursions most days (on our 7-day Rhine cruise, not the land portion of our package with Scenic) but there was so little information provided on the tours it was difficult to plan other activities around them.  An example was the walking tour in Amsterdam, which turned out to cover a tiny slice of the city and focused on food and some fairly obscure sites.  The full tour description provided by Scenic--both online and in the final documents--was "Explore Amsterdam on a guided walking tour."  Luckily after three emails I was able to get a response from the CD and found the tour times, so was able to book museum entries for after the tour.  We had no off-ship dinners included on the cruise.  Our Scenic Enrich experience of a concert in a castle near Rastatt in the evening had a reception beforehand with wines from the ship and breakfast pastries.  The dining room menus also seemed different than your description--I think there were about five "always available" choices.  Our minibar had no snack options--there was a glass canister on the desk with some commercially produced Palmiers (we saw one of the waiters refilling the canisters at the tea station in the lounge from the box)  The steward--who was very good at keeping our cabin spotless--never did manage to stock our minibar to our requests, although the ship did have the items available in the lounge.  None of these were major issues but contributed to our sense that things were just a bit out of step on Scenic.  I do hope they are listening to passenger feedback and improving for incoming guests.

[Catlover54]

Have tried all day at varying intervals to look at Scenic cruise options for 2023  (USA site) .  Nothing comes up,  I get a spinning gear, LOL.

I have no problem with other cruise websites including some based overseas. 

I had avoided Scenic cruising in the past due to pre-cruise logistical issues, and this is not encouraging me to give them a try after all. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

13 minutes ago, Catlover54 said:

Have tried all day at varying intervals to look at Scenic cruise options for 2023  (USA site) .  Nothing comes up,  I get a spinning gear, LOL.

I have no problem with other cruise websites including some based overseas. 

I had avoided Scenic cruising in the past due to pre-cruise logistical issues, and this is not encouraging me to give them a try after all. 

Just tried – their US website is working perfectly for me.  Have you tried a different browser, or clearing the Scenic cookies?

[Host Jazzbeau]

I'm surprised (and disappointed for the posters) at the terse descriptions of shore excursions you are reporting.  I felt that the descriptions on the Normandy & Gems of the Seine that we just took, and the Unforgettable Douro that we have booked for next year are detailed enough to allow me to choose among them each day and to figure out what other top sites I would want to see in the free time.

 

Example:  

Rouen (B,L,D)
Freechoice: Enjoy a walking tour of Rouen, the capital of the Normandy region. Take in the famous sites relating to Joan of Arc, and admire the city’s half-timbered houses and the historic Rouen Cathedral.

Or learn about the Viking Warlord Rollo ‘the Walker’, who will host a guided walking tour through the medieval laneways of Rouen.

This region is also the gateway to the historic Western Front, and this afternoon you’ll have the opportunity to gain fascinating insights into the Somme battlefields and learn about what life was like for a soldier during WWI with a fascinating lecture.

 

After dinner, a local patissier will come on board with a selection of their finest desserts for your dining pleasure.

[Canal archive]

Loriva I’m also surprised did you talk to your, I’m almost afraid to say this -  your Butler he or she would I’m sure have addressed your concerns. If they don’t know they can’t sort it. We learnt this after our first cruise with Scenic which was pre all inclusive, the next year all inclusive. Strange to say not a lot of difference just subtle but it worked and has continued to do so. If Scenic says they will do it they will.

[loriva]

I only report what I have personally experienced with Scenic on our cruise in June or what was said to me by someone on the ship.  Others' experience may vary.

 

The excursion descriptions on Scenic website and in the final documentation sent to us consisted only of fragmentary information:  "Explore Amsterdam on a guided walking tour."  The sign-up sheet provided on board had additional information including the planned length of tours and timing; see attached.  This information is known to Scenic--they have to contract with the tour providers--and they could publish it with a caveat that it could vary due to river conditions, etc.  Viking River provides descriptions like the attached--including length of tours and timing--on its website for the background of clients in choosing.  Not having the timing information makes booking other activities--visiting the Anne Frank House, the Van Gogh Museum, or Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, for example, that all require prior bookings for a set time--difficult.  (Or you must spend time on your own in the city before or after the cruise, which we did, but is not an option for all.)

 

On our sailing, we found the butlers busy serving as waiters in Portobellos or filling in for waiters in the Crystal dining room.  We called our butler once for coffee on our first morning.  Then discovered the time we called was outside the listed hours for delivery, so then I fetched our coffee from the lounge the rest of the mornings.

 

Both of these go again to my main conclusion after sailing Scenic--inconsistency on standards.  Scenic has fuller information on its FreeChoice excursions and could choose to publish it.  And I don't think you should "have to know it to ask"--being proactive is part of luxury service.  After delivering our coffee the first morning on the Crystal Ravel (our only previous river cruise in October 2021), the butler asked if we wanted the same order every day at the same time.  Only 8 days into sailing since its resumption after the breakdown earlier in the season, the Scenic Jade and its crew may not have a chance to jell yet.  So, the jury is still out on whether we'd choose to sail with Scenic again.

Scenic FreeChoices.jfif

Edited July 24, 2022 by loriva
Trying to fix attachment

[loriva]

[Canal archive]

I also can only speak from my personal experience. Of Scenic over eight cruises and although I have no experience of Viking,  I have read extensively on CC’s pages and heard from friends and relatives who have traveled with them about Viking so have also been informed. I would not necessarily expect the quality of service from Viking that I have always received from Scenic Unless things alter drastically I’m fairly sure I won’t be cruising with Viking. I know that they have many ships but I’ve personally seen to many of them damaged during our cruises so maybe I’m a wimp. 

[Canal archive]

I’ve just had an email from Glen Moroney founder & Executive Chairman of Scenic I suspect all previous customers will have as well, i cannot work out how to copy it here. It explains what has happened with Scenic. I will work on the copying.

[pete_coach]

12 minutes ago, Canal archive said:

I’ve just had an email from Glen Moroney founder & Executive Chairman of Scenic I suspect all previous customers will have as well, i cannot work out how to copy it here. It explains what has happened with Scenic. I will work on the copying.

Interesting. I would like to read that letter.

It seems not every one of Scenic's clients gets these letters. Maybe only a few selected ones or maybe there is still issues with Scenic's systems and distribution has failed?

[Canal archive]

Have you heard of other letters then? I’ve not seen anything on these boards.

[3Shelaghs]

Geez, this is another example of communication failure. Surely it would have been wiser to post letter onto their website news pick down list, or send to all customers past and present. It helps dissuade incorrect info etc. I would like to know what happened to their Vancouver office and if they plan to reopen?

Scenic if your listening, I'm available to work for just room and board, onboard one of your ships!!! 🙂 🙂 

[Canal archive]

You never know it might be because I actually had the courtesy to write to him. 
 

 

[PhD-iva]

Just now, Canal archive said:

You never know it might be because I actually had the courtesy to write to him. 
 

 

Can you share the letter w us?

[Canal archive]

Here are a few points from the email. 
On 20th February all of Scenics computers went blank globally.

Then a few messages stating that all core operating systems and data had been encrypted so we had been cyber attacked.

Then a ransom demand was made which he refused to pay. 
They had to carry out a total system rebuild which took some length of time.

All methods of contacting all involved customers, TAs, airlines etc had to be rebuilt.

 

These are very short extracts from a quite long explanatory and apologetic email. 

[Canal archive]

As I said I can’t work out how to copy the whole email here when I do I will.

Edited July 25, 2022 by Canal archive

[notamermaid]

1 hour ago, 3Shelaghs said:

Scenic if your listening, I'm available to work for just room and board, onboard one of your ships!!! 🙂 🙂 

You have given me an idea there... On the Rhine we have a Burgenblogger, a gentleman or a lady is appointed to write articles on things relating to the area and put them online. For that purpose the person is given a room in a castle. Not sure how long the appointed period is.

 

If a company gave me a room on a river cruise ship I would be happy to write stories along the way, you know, sailing up and down my river with an international crowd, listening to the stories of the US American ex-soldier meeting the retired British engineer, or the two lovely Australian ladies on their first visit to Germany, etc., etc. Oh, the stories are endless!

 

Good that Scenic has been in touch with a letter. Sure helps to understand what has happened - it was obviously major, really major.

 

notamermaid

 

[3Shelaghs]

I like your thinking. We could double as tour guides in-between house keeping 🙂 and writing.

[notamermaid]

11 minutes ago, 3Shelaghs said:

I like your thinking. We could double as tour guides in-between house keeping 🙂 and writing.

That's it. Now we just need contacting by Scenic or another river cruise line.

 

notamermaid

 

[CJANDH]

6 hours ago, Canal archive said:

As I said I can’t work out how to copy the whole email here when I do I will.

I may be stating the obvious, but you should be able to highlight the text of the email, right click on it and hit copy. Then just paste it into a new posting here. Sorry if I am being naïve.

[pete_coach]

7 hours ago, Canal archive said:

Here are a few points from the email. 
On 20th February all of Scenics computers went blank globally.

Then a few messages stating that all core operating systems and data had been encrypted so we had been cyber attacked.

Then a ransom demand was made which he refused to pay. 
They had to carry out a total system rebuild which took some length of time.

All methods of contacting all involved customers, TAs, airlines etc had to be rebuilt.

 

These are very short extracts from a quite long explanatory and apologetic email. 

I am surprised they sent that only to you.

As someone said, that letter should be on their website so we all know.

[Host Jazzbeau]

4 hours ago, 3Shelaghs said:

I like your thinking. We could double as tour guides in-between house keeping 🙂 and writing.

Not so easy – tour guides are heavily regulated in Europe, with specialized educational programs and exams.  'Influencers' don't need any of that.

[gnome12]

1 hour ago, pete_coach said:

I am surprised they sent that only to you.

As someone said, that letter should be on their website so we all know.

I presume it is because he/she contacted hom directly, and this was meant to be a personal response. 
 

However, I agree that it is information that all Scenic clients should know. 

Edited July 26, 2022 by gnome12

[Canal archive]

Have since found out I’m not the only one. I’m doing this on my iPad so as I’m off to play at archiving I will see what I can do there on Microsoft. Seeing as there now talking to each other rather than never the Twain shall meet!