FuelScience

The responses you're getting are typical for those received when someone asks for a comparison of cruise lines. People who've cruised with each line all respond that they loved their line. This should tell you that you can't go too far wrong with either. It would be great though, if there were people who had done both lines and could compare.

You may want to do some research with regard to the details of the itineraries and things like whether tours are optional or included. For instance, with GCT it looks like you don't see Bruges unless you take the optional early 3-night precruise option, whereas with Vantage Bruges is part of the itinerary.

Other differences may or may not be important. For instance GCT has free soft drinks, beer, and wine at lunch AND dinner, whereas Vantage serves them free at dinner only.

A more important consideration may be the date you cruise. You probably want to try and hit Keukenhof sometime in the last half of April.

FuelScience

Take a look at lister ingo's page on listening devices.

FuelScience

http://www.rivercruiseinfo.com/content/audio-headsets-tour

We've done three river cruises now (Viking Cities of Light, Romantic Danube, and Tulips and Windmills). We've managed to do all three with carry-on luggage only (along with our "personal item" each). One time it probably saved us from missing a connection when we returned to the U.S.

My wife has become a real pro at picking outfits that combine comfort and style. For what it's worth, on our last cruise (Tulips and Windmills), I only saw two women in skirts (one was my wife). That was on the evening of the captain's dinner.

FuelScience

Actually, since I would be leaving on the normal debarkation day, the transfers on the back end of the cruise would still be included. It's just the front end transfers that wouldn't be included. We would have to arrive on embarkation day for those transfers to be included.

Sorry that I wasn't clear in the first post.

FuelScience

I posted a question about this a couple of weeks ago and thought that I had the right answer, but a call to Vantage today showed that I was wrong.

I wanted to fly into Amsterdam a day or two early for a cruise next year. If I used Vantage for air, it would require that I pay $100 for their FlightChoice service. The normal air service includes transfers from airport to the ship.

I was told today that by paying $100/person extra to fly in early, I lose all the transfers, so in addition to paying extra for early flights I would have to arrange and pay for all my transfers--airport to hotel and hotel to ship.

I'm seriously thinking about NOT using Vantage for my air arrangements.

FuelScience

I agree with sippican. There are a lot of good map/city guide apps for smart phones. One nice thing about GPS is that you can easily found out where you are! Sometimes that's not as simple as it might seem with a paper map. Make sure that you get one that lets you download maps before you leave so that you don't have to use data roaming.

I've used several. Tripso has country guides with decent maps. Tripadvisor also has an app with downloadable maps. City Walk is another good provider.

If T-Mobile is your cell provider, some of their plans do not charge for international data and text use.

Have a great cruise. We look forward to getting your reports!

FuelScience

Check out the public transport page from the airport's website.

http://www.schiphol.nl/Travellers/ToFromSchiphol/PublicTransport.htm

FuelScience

When I suggested that we could travel around a bit by train, my wife asked if we would need to lug our suitcases around the entire time. With this service, I thought maybe we can have the DB send a few ahead for us.

 

Here's a page from the German railroad site with info on luggage services.

FuelScience

http://www.bahn.de/i/view/USA/en/prices/luggage/courier-luggage-service.shtml

I would talk to a travel agent who specializes in river cruises. They may be able to find something quicker than you would looking through lots of internet sites.

FuelScience

I would suggest that you ask the local tour guides. On all the walking tours we've done, the local guides have always known where to find ATMs, toilets, etc. along the tour route.

FuelScience

What you want will require some serious searching, but it's not too hard. You'll need to first decide where you want to go, i.e., Rhine, Danube, Seine, etc. Then you will have to go to each cruise line's web site and compare itineraries. When I've done it, I use a spreadsheet. You should be able to list all the included excursions for a give itinerary.

Your question is not a common one on these forums, so you probably won't find an answer by searching. An easier approach may be to just compare itineraries and prices--don't bother with worrying about paying for tours. Just see who offers the most of what you want at the best price.

From what you said, you'd like to explore towns on your own. In some towns, the ship may dock, unload passengers, and immediately take off. The passengers on the tours are then transported by bus up (or down) the river to catch up with the ship. In these cases, you need to be sure that you get all the information you need to be sure that you catch the bus back to the ship in those instances.

Good luck!

FuelScience

Thanks HydroKitty. I did get back with Vantage, and apparently all transfers will be included.

BTW, how was your recent Gateway to the Black Sea cruise? Were you on the River Navigator? I'd love to hear about your trip, the ship, etc. If you've already written a summary/review, please post a link to it for those of us who are lazy.

FuelScience

We've scheduled a Vantage cruise for next year and are considering flying into Amsterdam a day or two early. If we use Vantage air, this would require using their FlightChoice service ($100 per person).

Does anyone know if Vantage would include transfers from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to the ship with the FlightChoice option? I have a call in to Vantage, but they haven't gotten back.

Thanks,

FuelScience

Glad you had a good cruise. I'd suggest that you just start a new thread here with your review. If they get things straightened out, you can always post it again there.

FuelScience

Thanks for a great review! Glad that you have a wonderful time. Cities of Light was our first river cruise as well (Viking Sun, 2012), and we loved it. We've done two more Viking cruises since (Romantic Danube and Tulips and Windmills), and will try Vantage next year (Rhine and Moselle). Warning: river cruising can be addictive!!

FuelScience

CPT,

I too searched the patent office site--including published applications. The numbers are not in the proper format for either US patents or application numbers. I also searched the European patent office, but got no hits there either.

FuelScience

I believe that Viking has applied for patents on several aspects of the longships including the offset hall design.

FuelScience

We were on the Viking Amsterdam city tour this spring and decided to strike out on our own part way through. I told the guide, and she didn't mind at all. She was eager to help us with directions and/or suggestions on other places to visit.

FuelScience

What if river cruise companies offered the following option? Before cruising, or at the beginning of the cruise, the line would give you the option of sharing some of your personal information with fellow river cruisers.

Along with your name, you could give your hometown, a sentence or two about yourself, and email address. The info could be printed up and distributed to cruisers after boarding. It would be totally optional with the opportunity to not participate at all, and to give as much or as little information as you wanted.

On my three river cruises, I've always wished that I would have known a little more about my shipmates.

Is this a good idea? Would you participate?

FuelScience

We've cruised on the Viking Sun, and last year on the MS Vienna (leased) before taking our first longboat cruise this spring. We had a French balcony cabin, and 135 sq. ft. is very small. I think that I would have preferred aquarium class (150 square feet). If you look at the room diagrams on the Viking web site, you'll notice that both of those cabins only have a small desk chair, so if you want to sit in your cabin, it's pretty much sitting on the bed. Of course, you won't spend much time in the cabin. You'll be in the lounge or up top most of the time you're cruising.

FuelScience

Is this your first trip with Vantage? If not, where else have you gone.

This will be our first Vantage Cruise. We've cruised three times with Viking (Paris to Prague, Budapest to Nuremberg, and Netherlands and Belgium). We liked this itinerary and decided to give Vantage a try.

FuelScience

We have this trip booked with Vantage for 2015.....I can't wait to read your review!!!

Opps! Sorry, ours is in 2015 as well. There will be a review, but it'll be a while before it appears!

FuelScience

Tips can be a significant factor if you follow the guidelines. Viking, for instance, has the following recommendations:

In Europe, we recommend that you tip in euros. Guidelines:

Program Director – €2 per guest, per day

Onboard staff – €12 per guest, per day

Local city guides – €2 per guest, per day

Coach drivers – €1 per guest, per day

So for two people that's €34 per day. So for a 7 day cruise, that works out to be about $320.

FuelScience

Can't express how helpful trip reports are and urge those of you who have returned recently to write one. Especially those on trips that are unusual or rarely get reviewed. Somehow the 'post trip letdown' must hit a lot of folks hard as they seem to disappear from CC when they return home.

I totally agree. This is especially true for "non-Viking" cruises. I recently ran the numbers, and Viking has about as many ships as everyone else combined. I've booked Vantage Rhine & Mosel for next year, and there's not a lot of info out there.

I've been particularly frustrated in trying to find photos of cabins on the River Navigator--along with info on availability of 110/220 V outlets, etc. I've got lots of time, but others may be more anxious.

FuelScience

I like having a small backpack for spare jackets, raingear, water, etc. I've been very pleased with the Eagle Creek Packable Daypack. It folds into itself and is about 4"x6"x1" when folded. It's available on Amazon for less than $30.

FuelScience

http://*******.com/me5mv5f