choosing which company.....

Hi All,

We are looking to book our first river cruise and have 3 options at this point. We want to sail Amsterdam to Budapest in July or August 2017 for our 25th anniversary. Our TA has suggested Viking, Avalon or Scenic. Scenic is the most expensive but we love the included tours (feast at a castle, sound of music, concerts, etc.) The info on the other lines doesn't show options like this and if they have them how much they cost. I will connect with my TA tomorrow but figured this community would have lots of answers as they did with ocean cruises we have booked.

Also, we are considering booking a lower room without balcony y to save money, it's the experiences in port we are excited are out. Any thoughts?

Any feedback are out out your experiences would be most appreciated. We are younger then many river cruisers, mid 40, and have never been to Europe.

Erin

I've done both balcony and Aquarium Class. I wouldn't hesitate to book Aquarium class again if it meant saving $1000 which many times it does. I've been on Avalon twice and they give a very good product for the price point. Their customer service is excellent when it comes to unforeseen circumstances on the river. Avalon does offer special sailings with bike and active tours, you might want to investigate that. That said, if you save some money going Aquarium Class on Scenic, then you'll get your "special" anniversary cruise and still be within your budget. Everyone has positive comments concerning Scenic.

Hi Erinsnotes,

Well Looks to be that we have something in common as we also did a European River Cruise for our 25th Wedding Anniversary.

Like most folks from the US we were booked with Viking in an Explorer Suite, however when I really started doing some looking around and comparing we went with Scenic. Not only ALL INCLUSIVE, but for us we went with a Royal Panorama Suite same time of year in fact when we boarded the Jasper the Viking ship that we were to be on The Lif was right next door.

Anyways are you sitting down for this as for us Scenic was $10,000 cheaper plus final payment was due only 90 days out not the 16 months that Viking wanted. Got so much more in the way of Perks that for our Anniversary made it so very nice. With having a Limo to pick us up and take us to our hotel, which in Amsterdam we chose not to go with Scenic as they use the Doubletree and we want a European Botique experience The Toren is rated number one by TripAdvisor and in Budapest we stayed at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace Hotel. The Limo came and got us and took us to the ship and the same at the end.

With having our cabin all the way in the very back of the ship was nice not a lot of trafgic goi g up and down the hall, so having the Private Butler to bring coffee and Orange juice in the mornings was nice and sometimes we would have him set up breakfast out on our balcony. Oh these cabins are huge 475 Sq. Ft. of pure Luxury. Tub and Shower. The Mini Bar that is stocked daily and like me I am a Crown Royal drinker so I asked and later had a bottle in our bar.

They have a Pillow Menu which is very nice and had remotes on the beds as to raise and lower your head and feet.

Everythi g was top notch. Yes the evening at Marksburg Castle is nice as so is the Private Concert at The Lichtenstein Palace, when I say private it is only your ship unlike some of the other companies that you are considering. Oh drinks are all included and you have E bikes if you want to follow the river and the ship. Electric Assistance.

All I can say is nothing but good about Scenic.

Oh funny as we rafted with the Viking Lif in Colone and just so happened that the folks that were in the Explorer Suite were out on there balcony and we got to talking and we invited them over for a Glass of Wine and well you shouls have seen the look on there faces when they entered into our cabin. Just wish I would of had a camera. Yes they feel in love with Scenic.

If need be give me a shout.

Dakota242@windstream.net

Lisa and Gary

LoneStarCruisinCouple

Sent from my SM-G925P using Tapatalk

Oh forgot to say that we enjoyed so much we are booked for two more cruises. One is another European River Cruise, Spectacular South of France with Paris and Monte Carlo September 2017 and on Scenic New Discovery Yacht for Cuba in Depth for October 2018.

If you happen to go on the Scenic website they are currently traveling the US and having information sessions. I myself am going to another one October 6 here in Houston.

Gary

Sent from my SM-G925P using Tapatalk

We loved Scenic and the two special evenings with private concerts were highlights of the trip. Be sure to do an "apples to apples" comparison of the three lines, Scenic includes all gratuities and all tours, and one free bag of laundry. Also all alcoholic beverages, not just beer and wine with dinner. Service was excellent, food very good and quality of tours also very good. We also enjoyed the company of the fellow passengers many of whom were from Australia.

Good luck and congrats on the anniversary!

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Suggest reading the sticky at the top.

The read reviews on various lines.

Then scroll down the page where folks compare various cruiselines.

Many of them include shore tours by the way.

Hello erinsnotes,

just a quick info as you have mentioned your ages. On all three lines I am sure you can fill the day with many activities to make you feel really tired at the end of each day and you feel you have seen a lot and are ready for a relaxing drink in the bar and an early night. :)

But Viking actually has made it known in their marketing that they go for an older demographic. They have no active bike tours or similar activities on board or on shore.

The Scenic port offers sound great, by the way.

I hope you find your dream river cruise for your anniversary.

notamermaid

Morning Erinsnotes,

just wanted to also send you a link that Ralph Grizzle ( RiverCruiseAdvisor ) did for us last year as he had done a review on The Jasper just before Lisa and I set sail and had sent this to us. Oh by the way the picture of The Royal Panorama Suite just happened to be our Cabin. 337. Hoping that this may help.

Yes it is so hard to say that this one over that one as I am sure that they all are good in their own special way and it is more a matter of what may appeal to you both. Maybe it might be ports of call and or maybe the type of excursion that is offered or maybe the time of year or possibly like most of us what you get for the Money that you pay.

Being that it was our Twenty-fifth Wedding Anniversary I wanted everything to be Just Perfect.

The All Inclusive feature is nice and it means exactly what it says ALL INCLUSIVE.

www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/2015/04/scenic-tours-jasper-day-3-sailing-the-danube/

You may also want to take a look at this as River Cruise Advisor answers a lot of various questions.

http://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/author/asaunders/

Cheers Gary