Ladyshopper23 Posted May 15 #1 Share Posted May 15 Sailing on the Travelmarvel Vega next month (Rhine cruise). We said with Avalon on the Danube in April, and absolutely loved it. Fell in love with river cruising, and decided we wanted to do a Rhine cruise. Found a really good deal with APT Travelmarvel, but there doesn't seem to be as many reviews about as for the other river cruising companies. Just wondered if anyone had sailed with them, and how did they find it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CastleCritic Posted May 15 #2 Share Posted May 15 I believe they are still using the AMAWaterways ships this year (that relationship is ending) so the ship part will be just fine. Cant speak for their excursions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare reeves35 Posted May 16 #3 Share Posted May 16 Travelmarvel does not use AMA Waterways ships though APT still does until the end of 2024 when it receives 2 bespoke ships of its own. Travelmarvel has 3 identical bespoke ships all launched in 2021. I sailed on both Vega and Polaris last year from Amsterdam to Budapest. We were originally on Vega but had a ship swap in Nuremberg due to water levels on the Danube. I did put up a review Travelmarvel Review but feel free to ask me any other questions you may have. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladyshopper23 Posted May 16 Author #4 Share Posted May 16 10 hours ago, reeves35 said: Travelmarvel does not use AMA Waterways ships though APT still does until the end of 2024 when it receives 2 bespoke ships of its own. Travelmarvel has 3 identical bespoke ships all launched in 2021. I sailed on both Vega and Polaris last year from Amsterdam to Budapest. We were originally on Vega but had a ship swap in Nuremberg due to water levels on the Danube. I did put up a review Travelmarvel Review but feel free to ask me any other questions you may have. Awesome, thank you. Will have a read then get back to you! It's Vega that we're sailing on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladyshopper23 Posted May 17 Author #5 Share Posted May 17 @reeves35, thanks so much for pointing me to your review. It's really in-depth, and very helpful. You also did the cruise that we're doing, albeit we're doing it the other way round to you (Nuremberg to Amsterdam). If you happen to have any photos of any dinner menus that would be fantastic, along with any photos of the breakfast and lunch buffet set up. We have some special dietary requirements (both need to be gluten free for medical reasons, plus I'm also vegetarian), so would love to get some ideas of what the food is going to be like, and how much I should be prepared to place special orders! I'll be packing plenty of gluten-free snacks, as I always do when we go on a cruise line (whether ocean or river) that we haven't travelled on before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare pontac Posted May 17 #6 Share Posted May 17 Excellent informative review, @reeves35, thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare reeves35 Posted May 18 #7 Share Posted May 18 Travelmarvel are really good with dietary needs. Speak to the Hotel Manager when you get onboard but wait staff tended to ask at every meal if there was special dietary needs so they could bring GF breads etc. Meals are flexible so if you want to substitute one thing for something else, that is not a problem usually. The menus are displayed every day outside the restaurant so you can decide if you want to have the restaurant meal that night or the casual meal in the Irish Bar. I managed to find a couple of photos of menus I had taken. We usually took them on the way into breakfast if they were up so we could have a look. Daily newsletters are not distributed in your rooms but available on the TV as well as posted on the wall outside reception. I've added a sample here too. Hope this helps. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladyshopper23 Posted May 18 Author #8 Share Posted May 18 That's fab, thanks so much for the menu photos. The select excursion - is that something that's included, or an extra charge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare reeves35 Posted May 18 #9 Share Posted May 18 Select are extra cost. The sample is from a day where there were no included excursions which was unusual. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladyshopper23 Posted May 18 Author #10 Share Posted May 18 2 hours ago, reeves35 said: Select are extra cost. The sample is from a day where there were no included excursions which was unusual. Great, thanks for the confirmation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frikki Posted May 20 #11 Share Posted May 20 Just jumping on to this thread. We are doing this cruise in August. Reeves35, I remember reading your informative review a few weeks ago and it made helped me to understand the day to day activities. I have a couple of questions… 1. Is there tea/coffee available other than meal times? If so, is it an extra cost? I do like my cup of tea! 2. I have heard that push bikes are available on some cruises. Does Travel Marvel have them? Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare reeves35 Posted May 20 #12 Share Posted May 20 2 hours ago, Frikki said: Just jumping on to this thread. We are doing this cruise in August. Reeves35, I remember reading your informative review a few weeks ago and it made helped me to understand the day to day activities. I have a couple of questions… 1. Is there tea/coffee available other than meal times? If so, is it an extra cost? I do like my cup of tea! 2. I have heard that push bikes are available on some cruises. Does Travel Marvel have them? Thank you! Glad you are doing the cruise in August. You'll have a great time. Tea and coffee is available 24/7 in the lounge along with cookies. This is included in your fare. Bikes are available though I didn't use them as the most popular spot for riding is between Melk and Durnstein and the person I would have ridden with was sick on the day. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frikki Posted May 20 #13 Share Posted May 20 Thank you so much for your quick and helpful reply. I don’t know if I will actually attempt a bike ride but the option sounds interesting. Would love to do a tour of the Melk monastery - we’ve driven past it twice. Also very interested in Durnstein. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare reeves35 Posted May 20 #14 Share Posted May 20 6 hours ago, Frikki said: Thank you so much for your quick and helpful reply. I don’t know if I will actually attempt a bike ride but the option sounds interesting. Would love to do a tour of the Melk monastery - we’ve driven past it twice. Also very interested in Durnstein. A visit of Melk Abbey is included as part of the Travelmarvel tour. You get bussed up, do the tour and then can walk back to the ship through the town or get a bus back if you want to. The early afternoon is spent cruising the Wachau Valley with a late afternoon visit to Durnstein which is really pretty 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frikki Posted May 28 #15 Share Posted May 28 Thank you so much, sounds perfect! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canal archive Posted May 28 #16 Share Posted May 28 Beautiful part of the world, enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the wandering two Posted June 6 #17 Share Posted June 6 We were on Vega two years ago, Nuremberg to Budapest, couldn't fault the service. Going back later this month for the full two weeks from Amsterdam, don't mind repeating the 2nd half over again, so beautiful. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootscooter Posted June 16 #18 Share Posted June 16 On 5/16/2024 at 5:24 AM, reeves35 said: Travelmarvel does not use AMA Waterways ships though APT still does until the end of 2024 when it receives 2 bespoke ships of its own. Travelmarvel has 3 identical bespoke ships all launched in 2021. I sailed on both Vega and Polaris last year from Amsterdam to Budapest. We were originally on Vega but had a ship swap in Nuremberg due to water levels on the Danube. I did put up a review Travelmarvel Review but feel free to ask me any other questions you may have. Hi, please can you remember if there are robes and slippers in the cabin or do we take our own? We're very much looking forward to the Vega later this month and found your review very helpful. Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare reeves35 Posted June 16 #19 Share Posted June 16 3 hours ago, bootscooter said: Hi, please can you remember if there are robes and slippers in the cabin or do we take our own? We're very much looking forward to the Vega later this month and found your review very helpful. Thank you I'm pretty sure they had robes. I can't remember on the slippers but assume they did have the standard single use type Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladyshopper23 Posted June 17 Author #20 Share Posted June 17 17 hours ago, bootscooter said: Hi, please can you remember if there are robes and slippers in the cabin or do we take our own? We're very much looking forward to the Vega later this month and found your review very helpful. Thank you Sounds like you might be on Vega at the same time as us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootscooter Posted June 17 #21 Share Posted June 17 15 hours ago, reeves35 said: I'm pretty sure they had robes. I can't remember on the slippers but assume they did have the standard single use type Thank you :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootscooter Posted June 17 #22 Share Posted June 17 1 hour ago, Ladyshopper23 said: Sounds like you might be on Vega at the same time as us! We're sailing from Nuremburg on 28th. There will be 4 of us from Cheshire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladyshopper23 Posted June 17 Author #23 Share Posted June 17 14 minutes ago, bootscooter said: We're sailing from Nuremburg on 28th. There will be 4 of us from Cheshire Yep, same sailing! Two of us from Northants. 🙂 Got a bit of a wait at Munich airport, as our flight gets in at 11.50am, but the coach to the ship doesn't leave until 3pm. Slightly annoying, but I guess they're waiting for a few different flights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootscooter Posted June 17 #24 Share Posted June 17 1 hour ago, Ladyshopper23 said: Yep, same sailing! Two of us from Northants. 🙂 Got a bit of a wait at Munich airport, as our flight gets in at 11.50am, but the coach to the ship doesn't leave until 3pm. Slightly annoying, but I guess they're waiting for a few different flights. That's a pain! We're similar. Going via Amsterdam, at 6am from Manchester. We then have a 4 hour wait at Schipol for a fight to Nuremburg, and that's after leaving home at 2.30am! You might not see much of our party on the first day. We'll be the ones falling asleep everywhere. We'll look out for you onboard. Have a good journey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladyshopper23 Posted June 17 Author #25 Share Posted June 17 20 minutes ago, bootscooter said: That's a pain! We're similar. Going via Amsterdam, at 6am from Manchester. We then have a 4 hour wait at Schipol for a fight to Nuremburg, and that's after leaving home at 2.30am! You might not see much of our party on the first day. We'll be the ones falling asleep everywhere. We'll look out for you onboard. Have a good journey. Yikes, those flight times sound horrid! Hope you have a great time. If you see a blonde lady with a walking stick taking photos of food with a ginger Scottish guy, then you've found us (I write a gluten-free travel blog hence the food photos!). Feel free to say hi. 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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