2015 Editors' Picks Awards: River Cruise Lines

New article on Cruise Critic:

2015 Editors' Picks Awards: River Cruise Lines

http://www.cruisecritic.com/editors-picks/river/

Here are the details:

Best River Cruise Line: Uniworld

Best New Ship: Uniworld Maria Theresa

Best for Dining: AmaWaterways

Best Cabins: Avalon

Best Enrichment: Grand Circle

Best Shore Excursions: Uniworld

Best for Active Cruisers: AmaWaterways

Best Itineraries: Viking

Best Value: Emerald

Note: Hosts did not have a vote, and I have no idea how these decisions were made!

Read all this news closely--great picks here and in the UK. BUT, the best ocean ship is the Viking Star. Don't know how to let Carolyn Spencer-Brown know what a huge disappointment it is. A ship that had a very, very rocky first voyage, then lost propulsion and missed 65% of a trip, then lost 2 great overnites on the next cruise and had at least 2 shower walls shatter in bathrooms where you cannot turn off the heated floors. Know this is not the proper forum. but can you "oh great and good" host get this to Carolyn.

Thank you, now off to Spain with Road Scholar on CroisiEurope. Pat

Read all this news closely--great picks here and in the UK. BUT, the best ocean ship is the Viking Star. Don't know how to let Carolyn Spencer-Brown know what a huge disappointment it is. A ship that had a very, very rocky first voyage, then lost propulsion and missed 65% of a trip, then lost 2 great overnites on the next cruise and had at least 2 shower walls shatter in bathrooms where you cannot turn off the heated floors. Know this is not the proper forum. but can you "oh great and good" host get this to Carolyn.

 

Thank you, now off to Spain with Road Scholar on CroisiEurope. Pat

Can't wait to here about the Road Scholar program!

I believe Cruise Critic missed one important category

A category Best for Slow Walkers would be very useful. Some of us are not that active anymore and would appreciate the editors considering us.

Dear LauraS, my comments about the Viking Star were gleaned from the reports on CC Viking Ocean. Have made 4 Viking river cruises and they are no longer on our preferred list. Had considered a trip on the Star, but after reading the comments so far have decided against it.

Thanks for the response. Pat

Got2Cruise, will happily report on my trip after we get back--don't like using DH's netbook. Pat

Hello pacmom:

 

The best way for your cruise voice to be heard is to write a review; if you haven't done so already here's a direct link: Write a Review

Hi Laura, thought I was hiding from you here! :D

You still owe me a drink...:D

jc

Best Itineraries? Really, they all have variations of the same ones??? Confused.

Best Itineraries? Really, they all have variations of the same ones??? Confused.

Maybe it was based on volume - V sure has the most ships and therefore the most itineraries. I agree that there is no more variety with V than anyone else.

I'm even more confused, if you follow the link in the first post, the actual results of who 'won' are nothing like the summary in that post?

Sorry to confuse you MarkT. My rant and that is what it is was about the ocean part of Viking winning best new cruise ship. Knew this was the best host on the boards and he would get it to the powers that be. Pat

It wasn't your post that was confusing.

I've solved the problem though, I'm in the UK right now and the site is using geographic location to show different results to different people.

The 'UK' results are completely different in almost all categories.

When I get back to Dallas at the weekend I imagine I'm going to see the list that is in the first post, but until then as far as I'm concerned you don't have to worry, Viking didn't win the best new cruise ship in the results I'm seeing :)

Sorry to confuse you MarkT. My rant and that is what it is was about the ocean part of Viking winning best new cruise ship. Knew this was the best host on the boards and he would get it to the powers that be. Pat

Your post was absolutely on point for many!

Well since I am seeing a different set of winners right now it may interest some to know that in the 'UK' version, Viking did not win in any category in the River section or the Ocean section :)

Huh! Interesting ;)

Well since I am seeing a different set of winners right now it may interest some to know that in the 'UK' version, Viking did not win in any category in the River section or the Ocean section :)

Can you cut & paste for us?

Can you cut & paste for us?

Best River Cruise Line

AmaWaterways

Best New River Cruise Ship

Loire Princesse, CroisiEurope

Best River Cruise Line for Dining

AmaWaterways

Best River Cruise Line Cabins

Sanctuary Retreats

Best River Cruise Line for Enrichment

Tauck River Cruising

Best River Cruise Line Shore Excursions

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection

Best River Cruise Line for Active Cruisers

AmaWaterways

Best River Cruise Line Itineraries

CroisiEurope

Best River Cruise Line for Value:

Emerald Waterways

Best River Cruise Line

AmaWaterways

 

Best New River Cruise Ship

Loire Princesse, CroisiEurope

 

Best River Cruise Line for Dining

AmaWaterways

 

Best River Cruise Line Cabins

Sanctuary Retreats

 

Best River Cruise Line for Enrichment

Tauck River Cruising

 

Best River Cruise Line Shore Excursions

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection

 

Best River Cruise Line for Active Cruisers

AmaWaterways

 

Best River Cruise Line Itineraries

CroisiEurope

 

Best River Cruise Line for Value:

Emerald Waterways

Sounds interesting and perfectly reasonable! Thanks :)

All those categories and not a mention of Tauck.

All those categories and not a mention of Tauck.

Check the UK version of the winners which I posted just above, Tauck do feature there ...

Well, congratulations to CroisiEurope on getting two awards. The launching of the LoirePrincesse was a daring idea. And they certainly have a greater number of rivers on their itineraries put together than any other river cruise line I have come across so far. Although I do not really understand whether the award is for variety in total or the overall itinerary experience of cruisers.

Good to see Tauck, too.

notamermaid

Although I do not really understand whether the award is for variety in total or the overall itinerary experience of cruisers.

Here's the citation:

Part of French cruise company CroisiEurope's vision for attracting international passengers is introducing river itineraries that no other cruise line offers. The line built innovative paddlewheeler Loire Princesse to tackle the notoriously tricky Loire River and has Elbe Princesse ready to go for 2016. The company also offers unique combination cruises like its Seine and Rhone River itineraries.

Best River Cruise Line

AmaWaterways

 

Best New River Cruise Ship

Loire Princesse, CroisiEurope

 

Best River Cruise Line for Dining

AmaWaterways

 

Best River Cruise Line Cabins

Sanctuary Retreats

 

Best River Cruise Line for Enrichment

Tauck River Cruising

 

Best River Cruise Line Shore Excursions

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection

 

Best River Cruise Line for Active Cruisers

AmaWaterways

 

Best River Cruise Line Itineraries

CroisiEurope

 

Best River Cruise Line for Value:

Emerald Waterways

That list makes far more sense, IMO. Croisi hands down has the most diverse itineraries and the Loire Princess is a new design of river boat, which looks really interesting.

Thanks for posting!

Thank you, Mark T. It is from reading the CroisiEurope catalogue that I found out one can actually sail the Neckar on a cruise ship. The "international" large vessels all stop in Mannheim or Speyer on the Rhine to bus people to Heidelberg on the Neckar. CroisiEurope and some other German or continental-European companies actually sail the Neckar past Heidelberg on some itineraries.

I do not know why that is and if there are restrictions on the river and its locks.

So much out there to find out about, I feel somewhat a little sorry for North-American cruisers if the editors' pick reflects what is available to the general public in the US and Canada. Although I am sure the companies mentioned have had thousands of satisfied customer apart from the ones here on CC that report so happily from on board the ships and after their return home. :)

notamermaid