Just returned from Tauck ... Questions?

Hi folks --

Just returned from a Tauck river cruise on the Esprit from Amsterdam to Basel, including the Moselle. Had a great time, and will be pleased to answer questions.

My best,

AG

Welcome home! Were you offered optional tours during the cruise or were they all included? How was the food and service?

I am interested in the demographics of the group on your cruise and what people wore to dinner in the evning.

Thank you. We are sailing the Rhine with Tauck on 10/7.

Were you offered optional tours during the cruise or were they all included? Same question as above, we are traveling with them next year. Thanks

We are doing Tauck from Monte Carlo (Nice) to Lyon and then a bullet train to Paris 9/16. We have done AMA (Prague to Budapest) in 2013. Do you see a difference from other cruises that justifies the cost? How many on each tour?:confused:

I'll pre-empt the Op here and say that Tauck NEVER offer any optional tours that you will have to pay for on their river cruises. There may be options on what is offered on a particular day and all you'll have to decide is what included option will I take but it's all part of the price.

Welcome home! Were you offered optional tours during the cruise or were they all included? How was the food and service?

Hi DLM --

All tours were included ... no add-ons. The food/service were great! Breakfast and lunch are served buffet-style in the main dining room, and dinner is waiter-served.

AG

I am interested in the demographics of the group on your cruise and what people wore to dinner in the evning.

Thank you. We are sailing the Rhine with Tauck on 10/7.

Regarding the demographics on this particular sailing, the great majority of passengers were American, with a smattering of Aussies. Like 98 Americans and 8 Aussies. No other nationalities were represented. A few single women, but mostly couples. Agewise, lots of retirees ... average age was probably late 60's/early 70's.

Most evenings people wore "smart casual." For gents, long pants and a sport shirt. Two evenings were more dressy ... I wore a blue blazer, grey slacks, dress shirt and tie. Some still dressed smart casual, though.

AG

Were you offered optional tours during the cruise or were they all included? Same question as above, we are traveling with them next year. Thanks

Hi --

All tours were included. You could participate as desired. No add-ons.

AG

We are doing Tauck from Monte Carlo (Nice) to Lyon and then a bullet train to Paris 9/16. We have done AMA (Prague to Budapest) in 2013. Do you see a difference from other cruises that justifies the cost? How many on each tour?:confused:

Hey Sassy --

I have only been on Tauck twice, with no other river cruise experience, so I cannot comment on AMA, nor any other line. I can tell you that this trip was truly all-inclusive, with the exception of laundry, massages and the gift shop. Even the tips were included, as were all adult beverages, tours, etc. One could go on a Tauck trip, and not spend one dime in excess of the published price.

The numbers on each tour varied somewhat, I would guess the average was in the range of 15 people per tour.

I hope you enjoy your trip to France next year!

AG

I'll pre-empt the Op here and say that Tauck NEVER offer any optional tours that you will have to pay for on their river cruises. There may be options on what is offered on a particular day and all you'll have to decide is what included option will I take but it's all part of the price.

My best,

AG

Thank you. Can't wait.

My husband and I are considering the Tauck Rhine Moselle cruise for 2016. I don't read much about the food and would appreciate any comments. Our only river cruise has been with AMA and the food was wonderful but AMA does not offer the Moselle as an option.

Hi DLM --

 

All tours were included ... no add-ons. The food/service were great! Breakfast and lunch are served buffet-style in the main dining room, and dinner is waiter-served.

 

AG

Thank you for answering my questions. :)

To those considering Tauck - I have never, ever heard a bad word about Tauck and have never heard anyone regret they went with them. Can't say that about some of the other cruise lines. If you choose them, be prepared for professionalism and a great experience. Wish I could go again!

My husband and I are considering the Tauck Rhine Moselle cruise for 2016. I don't read much about the food and would appreciate any comments. Our only river cruise has been with AMA and the food was wonderful but AMA does not offer the Moselle as an option.

Hello allyg --

Breakfast and lunch were served buffet-style; dinner was waiter-served. Both the breakfast and lunch buffets had fine variety of dishes, and some were delicious ... no complaints here!

Dinner dishes were menu-listed, and featured excellent variety and tastes ... no complaints here, either! Both lunch and dinner featured beers and wines that were complimentary, and were sourced from the regions which we were visiting.

So, we were very pleased!

My best,

AG

Are there tables for two in the dinning room? Do you know if there is a butler for the suites and room service as one would have on an ocean cruise?

Orchestrapal - there were tables for two in the dining room; however, the tables would be close together so you would almost as if sitting together. These had a bench along the wall and the second seat would be facing it with the table between. For a group of us that we met on the first and second day they pushed four of these together for a table of eight. There aren't butlers for the suites. We don't recall room service such as you would find on an ocean liner. They did provide snacks in the lounge (like hot pretzels, etc.) that could be taken back to your cabin.

Are there tables for two in the dinning room? Do you know if there is a butler for the suites and room service as one would have on an ocean cruise?

If you like Butler Service as I do I believe the only two lines that provide this are Uniworld and Scenic. I sailed with Uniworld last year and it was wonderful. The butler services is provided currently with suites on their 3 newest ships but I read that next year it will be with suites on all their European sailings. By my definition they are all inclusive but by the strictest of definitions many disagree because in addition to all of their provided excursions they do offer a few special optional excursions at a cost. Uniworld also provides breakfast room service through the butlers. The Butlers also provide free laundry service.

I've read Scenic has butler service in all cabins but the level of service varies by level of cabin.

I have two more cruises booked with Uniworld but am looking at Tauck as well which is why I'm reading this thread. From all accounts Tauck offers a wonderful experience even without the Butler but we do enjoy that service.

I have traveled twice with Tauck and I agree there is no Butler service per sae. However one day we asked for some snacks to be served in our cabin to have with a bottle of wine we purchased on shore earlier. The snacks were delivered inside 10 minutes along with two glasses and a bottle opener. The wine was opened for us and poured. To me that is as good as any "Butler" service. You don't have to advertise and make a big deal of an onboard service if it's part of the normal customer service provided to everyone onboard.

Can anyone comment on what time you actually disembark the cruise? We'll be ending in Cologne, but I'm assuming the answer should cover most of their European ports. Trying to figure out and schedule flight times home from Cologne. We can't find any definitive answers on the Tauck website. Thanks.

Can anyone comment on what time you actually disembark the cruise? We'll be ending in Cologne, but I'm assuming the answer should cover most of their European ports. Trying to figure out and schedule flight times home from Cologne. We can't find any definitive answers on the Tauck website. Thanks.

We found Tauck to be flexible, due to a variety of pax travel plans: some had flights, some had trains, some went to hotels, some picked up rental cars.

The bottom line is that disembarkation happens thoughout the morning of the last day, with numbers/departure times assigned to each travel party based upon their travel plans. The Tauck cruise director on board provides a short questionnaire two/three days before the end of the cruise asking about travel plans and preferences. So, Tauck will accomodate your travel plans. This is a little different from ocean cruising.

My best,

AG

Plus you are dealing with 100+ people, not 2 to 3 thousand.

My husband and I are considering the Tauck Rhine Moselle cruise for 2016. I don't read much about the food and would appreciate any comments. Our only river cruise has been with AMA and the food was wonderful but AMA does not offer the Moselle as an option.

Our first AMA cruise was on the Rhine and Moselle and it was wonderful! The Moselle was the prettiest of the rivers we have sailed. It is "Europe's Rivers and Castles".

My husband and I are considering the Tauck Rhine Moselle cruise for 2016. I don't read much about the food and would appreciate any comments. Our only river cruise has been with AMA and the food was wonderful but AMA does not offer the Moselle as an option.

Our first AMA cruise was on the Rhine and Moselle and it was wonderful! The Moselle was the prettiest of the rivers we have sailed. It is "Europe's Rivers and Castles".

They still do:

http://www.amawaterways.com/europes-rivers-castles-2016

They still do:

http://www.amawaterways.com/europes-rivers-castles-2016

Yes, I meant to include a link to the current itinerary, even though it is not entirely on the Moselle.