New Cruisers on a Rhine River Cruise

My wife and I are planning a River Cruise on the Rhine, Basel to Amsterdam or visa-versa, in 2018. Any suggestions on the best cruise lines and why you liked them? Also is it better to go in the summer months, June, July, August or to go in the Spring or Fall?

I know there are no definite answers here but just looking for ideas and opinions before we book something.

Thanks

My wife and I are planning a River Cruise on the Rhine, Basel to Amsterdam or visa-versa, in 2018. Any suggestions on the best cruise lines and why you liked them? Also is it better to go in the summer months, June, July, August or to go in the Spring or Fall?

 

I know there are no definite answers here but just looking for ideas and opinions before we book something.

 

Thanks

We have a River Cruising forum here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=365&f=191

We used Vantage for our Grand European river cruise - loved it. Lots of things included, lots of personal attention. Our cruise was in July, and it was hot, HOT, HOT! Next time we're thinking of spring.

Welcome to Cruise Critic by the way.:)

The big unknown with river cruises is the water level. Some years, the levels are low and the ships can't get over the sand bars. Other years it is high and the ships can't get under the bridges. Most year the levels are in between and all works.

My husband and I and two good friends went on Viking Amsterdam to Basel. It was a wonderful trip. We left Amsterdam on Nov. 2, 2014. Didn't really have any rain. The fall leaves were still beautiful! The ships crew gave lots of personal attention to all passengers. River cruising is much more low key than ocean cruising on a big ship. The Rhine ships are much smaller 200 -250 people including the crew. Great to just pull up to the shore and get off and you're at your next destination. Great tours in the morning and usually have the rest of the day to do whatever you want at each destination. We loved it! Can't wait to do another!

We went on the Rhine (and the Mosel) during the fall, and the vineyards (green, but very pretty) on the hillsides were a nice addition to the normal scenery of a river cruise. We sailed on Viking in early September. My pictures are here: http://www.pbase.com/roothy123/cities_of_light

We did not go to Basel or Amsterdam on this cruise, but the itinerary was wonderful, as the cruise started in Paris (who doesn't love Paris?), ended in Prague (wonderful city), and went down the Rhine and Mosel in between. Therefore, we saw parts of 4 countries, several great cities, lots of castles and vineyards, and small German river cities over the course of less than two weeks.