rogerdawhip

I would go with GCCL. They include 10 days on the ships vs 7 for most others doing the Seine trip. Their trips are one way ... Paris to Honfluer or reverse. The ship, MS Bizet, holds only 120 passengers. It was built in 2002 but still feels new. I have been on 12 river cruises and this is by far my favorite.

I have not done the Dalmation Coast with Vantage but I've done it twice with GCCL, once in the summer and once in the winter. They have a small 50 passanger ship. The seas were pretty calm in the summer but we had quite a few sick people on the winter trip due to rough seas. I hope to do the summer trip again next year.

I have been lucky enough to have traveled on eleven river cruises since 2001.

My favorite itinerary was Paris to Normandy. The scenery is great and the villages visited cannot be topped (IMO).

My favorite time of year is June/July. It is a little more crowded this time of year but I enjoy the sun not setting until after 9 PM. This allows sitting on the sun deck to watch the sun set and/or walking around the town/village nearby if docked overnight.

I did the Paris to Normandy cruise in August 2013. It was warm and humid but not unbearable. We did not have one bit of rain during our 11 day cruise. I would go again in a heartbeat.

I loved being able to sit on the sundeck with a beer or glass of wine as the sun went down.

Was anyone on the recent 11/3 Royal cruise. I think there were a group of 500 or so "bears" on it. Did the group "take over" any of the venues?

I was on the 11/8 Ruby cruise where a large group of "bears" took over the aft pool area. This is my favorite spot on the Ruby and they made it so uncomfortable for me I had to leave.

A good example of booking direct is the $$$$ I saved on an AMA cruise a few years ago.

I was traveling with some friends who insisted on AMA and used a TA. I called AMA direct and received the same trip for $500 less then they paid. TA's get money from the cruise lines which make costs increase.

Many people want to use TA's as a security blanket but I travel with GCCL 99% of the time and they do not use TA's which suits me fine.

I prefer GCCL (Grand Circle) for my river cruises. I have been on nine with them and three of their small ship cruises with two more booked for 2015.

Their ships may be older but they are all look and feel like new. I also think you get more bang for the buck with GCCL but if money is not a problem then Avalon might be a better choice. The main drawback many have is their fold down Pullman beds. I am 6'2" and have never had a bad nights sleep in one of them. If you need a queen size bed or a suite cabin chose Avalon of another line.

I've also traveled with AMA, Vantage and Viking. IMO the service and attention to detail is much better on GCCL.

You should have a great time no matter which line you choose.

I always cruise solo and prefer the obstructed view cabins...they have only a 60% single premium. I used to always get inside but like to be wakened by natural light from the window. On more than on occasion I've been upgraded to an unobstructed view or balcony. I would love to always cruise in a balcony cabin but the 100% premium prices me out.

Looking forward to the rest of you blog. I did this itinerary last year on the Emerald and it is one of my favorite cruises in terms of ports visited. My favorite was Corner Brook which is not visited this year. We arrived in a blinding snowstorm which I have not encountered since I left Michigan 30 years ago. After about a hour the weather got much better and spent the day hiking the many trails around the town. A second reason I'll be reading the blog daily is I'm board the Ruby in FLL after you get off for B2B (5+7) Caribbean cruises. The Ruby has been my favorite ship since I first sailed on her in 2010.

My opinion is the opposite of caviargal. I usually cruise during the warm months and prefer only 1-2 hours in port and the rest of the time cruising. I'm always on the sun deck enjoying the fantastic scenery. Some people on my trips wanted more time docked in the small towns. They constantly complained the to the PDs who are not responsible for the itineraries. As caviargal has said many times...check the itinerary before you book a river cruise and you should not be disappointed.

I do think that if you dont stick to the dress code of the evening you shouldnt be allowed to eat in MDR.

One of the problems I have with this comment it the best(??) food is usually served on formal nights. If I don't get all gussied up I'm not allowed to eat the lobster or filet?

Was that included in the cost of the tour?

Yes, all transportation back to Paris and the hotel at CDG were included..even for those that arranged their own airfare.

How do you get back to Paris from GCT's cruise?

We took a bus back from Honfleur to Paris with a lengthy stop on the Caen Peace Museum. We then spent a night at a hotel at CDG.

Not to take anything away from Scenic, which I think really is a great new high-end entry to the North America market for European river cruises -- BUT, this article seems to have been written from a Scenic press release rather than from the author's own experience on board.

I agree with your comment. I would love to try Scenic once but their cost is twice what I pay for as a single on the same trip on GCT.

Scenic may be the most luxurious on the Seine but their claim to be the most relaxing may be incorrect. They have a 10 day roundtrip from Paris to Honfleur while GCT's is 10 day one way.

I was on GCT's Holland cruise in April 2010 when the volcano ash problem occurred. We stayed on the ship for an extra 3 days at no cost. GCT rescheduled our flights and made it home without an problems. They were able to do this because the arriving passengers could not fly into Europe. I'm do not know how GCT handled them.

I have cruised Europe in all months except February. I prefer June and July. The weather is great, I love the crowds, and the sun does not go down until after 9 PM allowing for strolls after dinner.

I never use a TA any more. Why give my money to them when. Most TA's get substantial commissions and steer passengers to the ones they get the most $$$$ from. They are in a business and are not chartable institutions. The internet had taken much of their business and most are having trouble staying afloat.

I have saved thousands of dollars in the past 12 by researching and booking river cruises as well as land trips without a TA.

There is no self laundry on the Aria.

Why mess up a good thing. The way it is now is very good.

I so much agree. I hate running shoes! Never take them on a trip. They are too bulky and make you look like a tourist. I wear Merrills, Naots, Mephistos, etc here in the US and they work VERY well in Europe. Many of them are made in Europe. Many of them work for evening too.

Not all athletic shoes are running shoes. I have been using walking shoes for years. They look like the running (or as some say tennis) shoes but are specially built for walking. I have never heard of the shoes you mentioned but then again I'm not a shopper.

I have a funny (at least I think it is funny) story about wearing shorts to lunch on a river cruise. One of the female passengers on the cruise asked to sit at the table I was occupying. She then noticed I was wearing shorts and left for another table saying she preferred to eat with a gentleman who cared about his appearance. Again, this was lunch not dinner. I always pride myself on looking nice and had very enjoyable lunch with others who cared more about good conversations than dressing up for lunch.

Roger

Thank you. Good to know GCT's air option has also worked out for you. What time of year did you take these trips? Did you prefer one direction over the other for time in ports, going through the Rhine River gorge, etc.? And did you take either of the extensions?

 

I hear that the beds are pretty comfortable. I know that the couches are tapered, and our friend who travels OAT & GCT wasn't sure whether the pull down beds are tapered as well. In the photos, they look like typical twin beds.

 

Thank you again for your input on all of this.

I traveled in June and August (I prefer warm weather and it still being light on deck after dinner). I preferred the Basel to Antwerp route because I liked Lucerne as a pre trip. I've done both extensions and highly recommend them. The pull down beds are typical twin size and very comfortable. (I'm 6'2")

I have traveled on a river cruise in each of the months you mentioned. My favorite was August. The temps were in the 80s but this was cool to me being from Arizona. My second favorite was late November. The costs are lower and we had beautiful snow as we cruised.

I have done GCT's Romance of the Rhine & Mosel twice ... once in each direction ... and would go again in a heartbeat. The major downside for some people are the beds. They are Pullman type fold down beds. When up, they give you much more room in the cabin though. I've had a balcony cabin each time and one of my favorite things was having my coffee on the balcony as we cruise in the am. I also find that GCT's air option is cheaper (for) me and their routings have been excellent.

I think these figures are to low. GCT is considered budget but their lowest price cruise in July is $275 a day. Their lower price off season is about $200 a day.