Which would you do Next?

[loriva]

We're getting ready to embark on Viking for a trip from Budapest to Bucharest.  And next year we're doing the Douro with AMA.  We've also been on the Danube from Budapest (really Esztergom) to Vilshofen (with Crystal river (RIP--but could try Riverside)), the Rhine from Basel to Amsterdam (Scenic), and the Elbe from Berlin to Prague (well, close by those cities with Viking).

 

What would you experienced river cruisers recommend next?  We still have a few of the major rivers yet to cover before we branch out to @notamermaid's smaller ships and areas, so looking to focus on those next.  Thinking European but would consider other regions as well (did the Nile years ago, so not that).  Would love to hear your thoughts on rivers as well as your experiences with various cruise lines.

 

[pontac]

Trouble is, one soon runs out of European rivers. We're doing rivers we've done before, either different cruises or different cruise lines, both with the intention of having different excursions.

 

I really enjoyed our cruise two years ago along the Mosel(le) which was uncrowded, had pretty villages and great scenery. Unfortunately the Mosel stretch was quite short and the cruise started in Basel and went down the Rhine. All the same we saw things we hadn't before and felt no guilt about missing excursions to places we'd been before.

 

If you're interested in wine then try Bordeaux; if you're interested in wine, history and scenery try the Rhone Lyon>Avignon. We've done that twice now, both directions, attractive scenery, ancient towns.

 

We've not been on the Asian cruises, looking at the brochures there seems to be a lot of flying when you get there. Toying with the idea of cruising on the USA rivers.

[ural guy]

Maybe look at doing a Rhine cruise that spends 3-4 nights on the Mosel?  We've sailed the Danube and Rhine; the time we were on the Mosel is our favorite after 5 cruises.

 

Skipping the included tour and doing your own thing, or visiting in a different season, make revisiting a port a different experience.

 

I do want to try some of the smaller boats in the future.

[ural guy]

Riviera has a 7N RT from Cologne that visits Cochem, Trier and Bernkastel, so half the stops are on the Mosel.  A few other lines have newish routes that spend more time on the Mosel, just can't think of them right now.

 

Pre cruise or after, Cologne train station can get you to lots of interesting places if you want to extend your time.  Easy transfer to ship.

 

Riviera's route:

 

 

[Daisi]

CrosiEurope has some interesting cruises, they do the Loire, the Garonne, Gironde, Guadalquiver, Guidana, and also one that sails on the Vltava.

[Roz]

What about the Dutch and Belgian waterways? 

[RobInMN]

I didn't see Nuremburg to Luxemburg? Ama calls this "Rivers and Castles". If you do that, you'll have completed Amsterdam all the way to the Black Sea (minus the last few miles, and possibly Vilshoffen to Nuremburg). This was our first Ama cruise, and we loved it.

Ama has also started 2 Columbia cruises that look interesting.

There are river cruises in Southern Africa that are usually combined with safaris.

My dad was looking at some Amazon river cruises, but eventually never did one...yet, there's still time.

[notamermaid]

4 hours ago, ural guy said:

A few other lines have newish routes that spend more time on the Mosel, just can't think of them right now.

Viva Cruises is one of them.

 

@loriva Nice to know that I have whet your appetite for smaller boats and rivers/canals. Must admit that I second the idea of the Moselle.

 

Riviera Travel flies into Düsseldorf from Heathrow and other British airports I believe and they transfer you to Cologne.

 

3 hours ago, RobInMN said:

I didn't see Nuremburg to Luxemburg? Ama calls this "Rivers and Castles".

That is the one I would really like to try. Moselle, Rhine and Main with the Main Danube Canal that would be. The places I know from land trips. I always enjoy seeing the Amawaterways ships on the river. As we know, many people are very happy with them.

 

Looking forward to cruisers' thoughts and what you choose in the end.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[loriva]

So many great ideas--always love to hear from the great minds on CruiseCritic!

 

Bordeaux is one that has been on my mind.  And what I've heard on the Moselle makes that a contender as well--especially a route that combines some rivers into a grand voyage.

 

So many choices, so many decisions--but all good ones!

[JordanF]

We just returned from a land tour of SE Asia (with Gate 1), primarily in Vietnam.  This was a terrific place to see.  There are tours of the area that include river cruises on the Mekong River.  As you note, it is far to get there, so I would make sure the total trip was at least two weeks.

[loriva]

9 minutes ago, JordanF said:

We just returned from a land tour of SE Asia (with Gate 1), primarily in Vietnam.  This was a terrific place to see.  There are tours of the area that include river cruises on the Mekong River.  As you note, it is far to get there, so I would make sure the total trip was at least two weeks.

 

Thanks!  My own rule is a minimum of two weeks when I have to fly to Europe and a minimum of three for Asia or Oceania.  It takes about half of that time just to adjust to the jet lag!  (It's a pain getting old--but still better than NOT getting old.) 

[1of4]

We loved our 11 day Seine voyage on Scenic. It is one of only a few that sails directly into Honfleurs and you spend 2 nights there. Beautiful place, especially when all the coaches from the other riverboat companies leave. 

[Kristelle]

12 hours ago, pontac said:

We've not been on the Asian cruises, looking at the brochures there seems to be a lot of flying when you get there.

 

We are going on land/ cruise of Cambodia and then Mekong river down to HCMC.

 

No flying after we g et there ( obviously flying to arrive and depart the trip) 

 

I guess if you do add ons of Hue and/ or Hanoi you would need to fly within the trip as well.

We have been to Vietnam on land trip b efore so we are not doing that.

 

[pontac]

I've not seen any trips to Asia where it's a long cruise that you can fly in, go straight to the boat, cruise for a couple of weeks and fly home. We don't want a lot of travelling - whether by air or road - connected with a relatively short cruise.

 

 

[twototravel]

@loriva What about the barge cruises in France or England? I've seen a lot of ads lately for them. They look really nice. Also, as others have mentioned - Asia, although most are cruisetours. Don't forget the good ole USA - Mississippi River, Snake River, Puget Sound, etc. 

[Canal archive]

 

How about DIY cruising  all locks in France are operated by the waterways crews who of course have a French lunch break so here is us moored up in a lock lunching in the sun and waiting for the lock keeper. We met various other hirers several who were from the USA. It was an idilic holiday, lovely people and excellent food.

[Kristelle]

Our Mekong river cruise is 11 days - 4 land days in Cambodia then 7 night cruise

[capriccio]

We did a two week B2B Seine - Rhone on Uniworld in 2016 and loved it.  They also offered a three week B2B2B Seine - Rhone - Bordeaux. I'm not sure if those itineraries are still offered but worth checking.

[gnome12]

34 minutes ago, capriccio said:

We did a two week B2B Seine - Rhone on Uniworld in 2016 and loved it.  They also offered a three week B2B2B Seine - Rhone - Bordeaux. I'm not sure if those itineraries are still offered but worth checking.

They are still on offer.

[Got2Cruise]

Have you done the Seine? I adored that itinerary. 

[pontac]

3 hours ago, twototravel said:

@loriva What about the barge cruises in France or England?

 

If you're fit enough to get on and off a boat and turn a windlass you could rent a canal boat in England and drive yourself.

 

We used to do this in our younger days, but in 2022 we got our son and his partner to crew a longer narrow boat that would take four in some comfort. I've just reread my report and it bought back good memories.

 

 

[pontac]

2 hours ago, Kristelle said:

Our Mekong river cruise is 11 days - 4 land days in Cambodia then 7 night cruise

 

Which cruise line?

[loriva]

9 hours ago, twototravel said:

@loriva What about the barge cruises in France or England? I've seen a lot of ads lately for them. They look really nice. Also, as others have mentioned - Asia, although most are cruisetours. Don't forget the good ole USA - Mississippi River, Snake River, Puget Sound, etc. 

 

We'll definitely do the Columbia and Snake River one day.  I grew up in one of the ports on the Mississippi River cruises, so that one is also on the list for "one day."

[loriva]

8 hours ago, capriccio said:

We did a two week B2B Seine - Rhone on Uniworld in 2016 and loved it.  They also offered a three week B2B2B Seine - Rhone - Bordeaux. I'm not sure if those itineraries are still offered but worth checking.

 

The French rivers are probably the highest on my wish list next.  And I like the idea of a B2B (or even B2B2B).  The biggest problem is finding somewhere my sister and her husband have not been--they started river cruising long before we took our first three years ago,

[Kristelle]

6 hours ago, pontac said:

 

Which cruise line?

 

Scenic