All Things Vantage

We are leaving Oct. 20 on our first river cruise.

Does anyone know if the broken lock on the Seine has been fixed?

Do men need sport jackets for Captain's dinner?

Are we allowed to bring alcohol and/or soft drinks on board?

If anyone knows this boat, can you tell me about cabin 331? It s an end cabin and I am concerned about possible noise factor.

Thanks for any insight.

Don't know about the lock on the Seine tried googling but all that came up were locks of love!

Men do not need sport jackets for Captain's dinner unless you're invited to sit at the Captain's table. You get invited if you've taken 5+ cruises with Vantage. Otherwise, some men wear jackets, but they are not required and I wouldn't worry about it.

You are allowed to bring your own wine on board. I would suggest you also bring a corkscrew because the corking fee is up to 7-10E now. Of course that includes opening, storing and making the wine available to you whenever you want it. I don't know about hard liquor....and soda is quite expensive is Europe and unless you have a fridge in your room (and you probably don't) it will be hard to keep cold.

I looked at the map of the River Venture and cabin 331 is at the stern. I don't think noise will be a problem. You're far enough from the restaurant, I don't believe the captain's club is open at night and it looks like the area next to you is not in use for passengers, plus you shouldn't get much traffic outside your door as people will have to go away from your cabin to get to the public areas.

You can carry on liquor, wine and soft drinks for consumption in your cabin. There are two ice machines on the boat for passenger use and if you are going to have wine in your cabin pack a cork screw in your checked luggage. Keep in mind that wine is included with dinner.

Have a good trip.

You do not need a sport jacket for the captains dinner. Maybe 25% of men wore one while the rest wore a nice shirt and slacks. Next time my husband will not pack his sport coat...leave it at home.

Thanks hydro and tiegs for the helpful input. I had never heard of the 'love locks' before......amazing how many of them were there.

Still wondering if lock is fixed and msVenture can dock closer to Paris.

It is my understanding that wine is only served at 2 of the dinners on the Paris to Normandy cruise. We are not wine connoisseurs so we usually keep a box of Bota-Box wine on our sailboat. Even our 'wine-snob' friends drink it without complaining. : )

I'm thinking of maybe bringing one of those in the suitcase. Does that sound like a good idea?

Thanks hydro and tiegs for the helpful input. I had never heard of the 'love locks' before......amazing how many of them were there.

Still wondering if lock is fixed and msVenture can dock closer to Paris.

 

It is my understanding that wine is only served at 2 of the dinners on the Paris to Normandy cruise. We are not wine connoisseurs so we usually keep a box of Bota-Box wine on our sailboat. Even our 'wine-snob' friends drink it without complaining. : )

I'm thinking of maybe bringing one of those in the suitcase. Does that sound like a good idea?

IMHO that would not be a good idea. You'd never get it through carry-on and if Bota-Box is the "milk carton" type container, I'd really hesitate to pack it in my suitcase...with my clothes...that would get ruined if it ruptured...and instead of sightseeing I would have to spend my first day buying clothes....in Paris! (not a good thing). I would rather see you buy a nice bottle of wine at one of the wineries you'll probably be visiting. If you want to avoid the corking fee, throw a corkscrew in your check-in. Many of the places that have wine tasting will allow you (some will insist on it) to keep your glass, or you could pack a couple of wine glasses in your suitcase with the corkscrew..

IMHO that would not be a good idea. You'd never get it through carry-on and if Bota-Box is the "milk carton" type container, I'd really hesitate to pack it in my suitcase...with my clothes...that would get ruined if it ruptured...and instead of sightseeing I would have to spend my first day buying clothes....in Paris! (not a good thing). I would rather see you buy a nice bottle of wine at one of the wineries you'll probably be visiting. If you want to avoid the corking fee, throw a corkscrew in your check-in. Many of the places that have wine tasting will allow you (some will insist on it) to keep your glass, or you could pack a couple of wine glasses in your suitcase with the corkscrew..

I agree with the above -- and would add that you can probably find better-quality wine in Europe for the price you are used to paying for the box. You will need a corkscrew, because the screw-top innovation is still frowned on in Europe. But glasses are highly portable on ships and you should have no trouble getting some wine glasses from the dining room or the bar to keep in your cabin -- that's another breakable item I wouldn't want to pack!

It is my understanding that wine is only served at 2 of the dinners on the Paris to Normandy cruise. We are not wine connoisseurs so we usually keep a box of Bota-Box wine on our sailboat. Even our 'wine-snob' friends drink it without complaining. : )

I'm thinking of maybe bringing one of those in the suitcase. Does that sound like a good idea?

I would check your information with Vantage. Last year wine was only served on special nights. I believe that for 2015, wine is complimentary with all dinners. It was on our recent two-week cruise on the Rhine & Moselle.

FuelScience

I would check your information with Vantage. Last year wine was only served on special nights. I believe that for 2015, wine is complimentary with all dinners. It was on our recent two-week cruise on the Rhine & Moselle...

Thom

When I logged into "My Portfolio", under 'Ship' I found this........

"Single seating dining with a tempting menu of American and European favorites, plus wine with dinner at Captain’s Welcome & Farewell Dinners".

But, since a number of cruisers have had the wine served every night, it seems you are all correct and vantage did not update their info.Guess I'll go with 'Actions speak louder than words'and enjoy the wine at every dinner!

Thanks all who chimed in.

When I logged into "My Portfolio", under 'Ship' I found this........

"Single seating dining with a tempting menu of American and European favorites, plus wine with dinner at Captain’s Welcome & Farewell Dinners".

 

But, since a number of cruisers have had the wine served every night, it seems you are all correct and vantage did not update their info.Guess I'll go with 'Actions speak louder than words'and enjoy the wine at every dinner!

Thanks all who chimed in.

If portfolio says wine at captain's welcome and farewell I would go with it. It's true that last year Vantage started free wine with dinner but I have found it's not on ALL cruises. For instance several if the French itineraries do not include wine while most of the Danube cruises do. If this is important to you I would call Vantage and ask if your cruise is included. Or go to home page for your trip and see what it says. That will be your most updated info. Assume nothing. :D

We are sailing aboard Navigator right now, on our way to Bamberg for an afternoon walking tour. We had a Vantage "sales talk" by Nico, our Cruise Director, this morning, where he mentioned that Navigator will no longer be sailing with Vantage (retiring?) in November. We are enjoying the ship very much and Nico has sailed it since it was new. The size of the ship is very nice and he has told us it is faster than all the newer larger ships! We passed a Viking ship last night to beat them to one of the locks. :D

If portfolio says wine at captain's welcome and farewell I would go with it. It's true that last year Vantage started free wine with dinner but I have found it's not on ALL cruises. For instance several if the French itineraries do not include wine while most of the Danube cruises do. If this is important to you I would call Vantage and ask if your cruise is included. Or go to home page for your trip and see what it says. That will be your most updated info. Assume nothing. :D

I find that asking questions of agents often does not yield very reliable information. The VP of Vantage who came to Cruise Critic to answer questions made two conflicting comments concerning gratuties and NEITHER matched what I had encountered happening on their boats only a few months before. I do assume that the info I get over the phone may well be wrong.

Thom

Unless I'm missing something, Vantage only has two boats in France (River Venture and River Discovery II). I have sailed on both of them this year and as I stated above (msg #308) had wine every night. Do you have information that they have changed this since the spring of this year?:confused:

 

I find that asking questions of agents often does not yield very reliable information. The VP of Vantage who came to Cruise Critic to answer questions made two conflicting comments concerning gratuties and NEITHER matched what I had encountered happening on their boats only a few months before. I do assume that the info I get over the phone may well be wrong.

 

Thom

No I do not...and I'm sorry for the confusion. I think this is only the second year that they're offering wine at dinner and as I recall it wasn't on every cruise at the beginning, but if you've been on them and had wine then I stand corrected. :D

I agree the CC question/answer event was disappointing. I felt like each answer was run through legal before it was posted! Corporate aside, as you already have discovered, once you get off the plane Vantage delivers all that was promised. It's a shame that the main office causes more problems than it fixes!

The above brings up some confusion I've encountered from the Vantage web site about tipping. Before we get on the ship, how do we tip the local guides and drivers? Then, once we are on the ship are the tips for everyone (both on the ship and during the excursions) just added to our on-board account with the exception of the tour director? Also, do we tip in Euros or US $?

We sailed the River Venture and River Discovery II last July in France and had free flowing wine every night with dinner. Some wines were better than others and when we discovered our favorites we were able to request them.

The above brings up some confusion I've encountered from the Vantage web site about tipping. Before we get on the ship, how do we tip the local guides and drivers? Then, once we are on the ship are the tips for everyone (both on the ship and during the excursions) just added to our on-board account with the exception of the tour director? Also, do we tip in Euros or US $?

Local guides and drivers are tipped as you get off the bus. Don't worry, they'll be standing there to greet everyone as you get off the bus! This is the same whether you're pre/post-cruise or during cruise excursions. Usually 1-2E to the driver (IF he gets off the bus and assists passengers down, but that's just me) and we usually give 3-5E depending on how good the tour/guide was (they're usually excellent). Once you're on the ship you will be billed 11E per day per person for the crew, which includes dining, housekeeping and everyone else except the TD and concierge. They will be billed separately 5E per person per day. This is amount can be changed at any time up until the night before disembarkation. NOTE: If you do NOT notify hotel manager to change the amount, the above amounts WILL be charged to your account. I believe the tips are charged as Euros, but can be paid in cash if you prefer...again it's up to you to notify the hotel manager what you want to do.

The above brings up some confusion I've encountered from the Vantage web site about tipping. Before we get on the ship, how do we tip the local guides and drivers? Then, once we are on the ship are the tips for everyone (both on the ship and during the excursions) just added to our on-board account with the exception of the tour director? Also, do we tip in Euros or US $?

The brochure that you are sent with your final documents will outline the suggested amounts for tipping. If you have any local guides or drivers before you sail, use the suggested amounts to tip. We usually try to tip in local currency whenever possible (Europe is less of a problem with money transfer).

On board the tips can be added to your on-board account OR they can be placed in an envelope for the ship staff and cruise directors/concierge. It should be explained once you are on board and you will have the choice to raise or lower the set amount.

We are sailing aboard Navigator right now, on our way to Bamberg for an afternoon walking tour. We had a Vantage "sales talk" by Nico, our Cruise Director, this morning, where he mentioned that Navigator will no longer be sailing with Vantage (retiring?) in November. We are enjoying the ship very much and Nico has sailed it since it was new. The size of the ship is very nice and he has told us it is faster than all the newer larger ships! We passed a Viking ship last night to beat them to one of the locks. :D

I've done 4 trips on the Navigator and I was really sad to get off her on 9/11 this year. I loved the smallness of the ship....but it will be exciting to try one of the new ships too. Especially the Captain's Club with outdoor dining. I'm sure Navigator was/will be sold to another line....I just wonder who.

Fingers crossed! We're in the Danube on our way to Passau. We should have sailed overnight, but because of the low water, the Captain sailed this morning at 5:00 am, to have mostly daylight for the voyage. We are having a "sea day," and may or may not be able to stop there. At least we are moving, though slowly, and that is a good sign that we will get to Vienna & Budapest.:)

Fingers crossed! We're in the Danube on our way to Passau. We should have sailed overnight, but because of the low water, the Captain sailed this morning at 5:00 am, to have mostly daylight for the voyage. We are having a "sea day," and may or may not be able to stop there. At least we are moving, though slowly, and that is a good sign that we will get to Vienna & Budapest.:)

If you have the same Captain we did, you'll make it!! I sure hope so, Passau was one of my favorite stops. If you have an opportunity to attend a brief organ concert at St. Stephen's Cathedral...TAKE IT...the church is exquisite and the concert (about 20 minutes) was amazing. I could actually feel the vibrations in my bones! It's the largest pipe organ in Europe (possibly the world but I doubt it). Good luck...keeping good thoughts for you guys!!!

We made it! We got to Passau in the afternoon and had enough time to walk around town on our own, as we were supposed to arrive in the morning and the tour guides were not available so late. We were unable to attend the organ concert, but we did get inside to see the beautiful Cathedral. We're now on our way to Vienna and should be arriving in an hour. :)

If you have the same Captain we did, you'll make it!! I sure hope so, Passau was one of my favorite stops. If you have an opportunity to attend a brief organ concert at St. Stephen's Cathedral...TAKE IT...the church is exquisite and the concert (about 20 minutes) was amazing. I could actually feel the vibrations in my bones! It's the largest pipe organ in Europe (possibly the world but I doubt it). Good luck...keeping good thoughts for you guys!!!

Just read in the paper the other day that the largest pipe organ ever built is in Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall, but it doesn't all work. Largest fully functioning is the Wanamaker Grand Court Organ in Philadelphia (department store is now Macy's). Stop down at Christmas time to hear it.

Just read in the paper the other day that the largest pipe organ ever built is in Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall, but it doesn't all work. Largest fully functioning is the Wanamaker Grand Court Organ in Philadelphia (department store is now Macy's). Stop down at Christmas time to hear it.

I would love to....I played the organ for many years and have always loved it. I think St. Stephen's might be the largest working organ in Europe (Germany?)...it was amazing.

Just read in the paper the other day that the largest pipe organ ever built is in Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall, but it doesn't all work. Largest fully functioning is the Wanamaker Grand Court Organ in Philadelphia (department store is now Macy's). Stop down at Christmas time to hear it.

The organ in Wanamaker's (now Macy's)is absolutely wonderful. Love to hear it at Christmas. The pipe organ in Atlantic City is currently being restored but backstage tours are available. Guess I'm going to have to go listen!

We did 4 river cruises with Vantage and enjoyed all of them. We did a Xmas market cruise from Budapest to Passau,

We're going on the Vantage Budapest to Passau this December - wondering if you can recommend any tours or shops?

If you have pictures, I'd love to see them.

kwbts124

Can't wait for our cruise - still hot here in Key West.