holomoana

Allison - I appreciate your posts and comments as my husband and I have not been on river cruise and are seeking information. Although we have a different itinerary scheduled for next year, we were thinking of adding the Douro to make the most of our time in Europe. You and the other posters have given us much to consider. Thank you.

We've been looking into this cruise and appreciate your opinions. Thanks to you and those who contribute to this blog.

We cruised with Celebrity exclusively from 2002 to 2019 and considered ourselves Celebrity loyalists. In 2021 we tried Viking Ocean. This was our first cruise after COVID and we chose Viking because we liked their COVID protocols. We had also heard great things about the cruise line. We loved Viking and did 2 more with another 4 booked. We like the inclusion of wine/beer with meals and a reasonably priced drinks package. The specialty restaurants are complimentary and overall, we really enjoyed the food. A free shore excursion is available at every port with optional ones on offer. Guest speakers were a cut above and the crew was fantastic! We also tried Oceania, which we also enjoyed and would consider them again. For us, Celebrity has changed and not for the better. This is no reflection on the wonderful crew. It seems Celebrity is decreasing what you get for increased prices. The costs for specialty dining and shore excursions are far too expensive. No lounger or eat-off table on the balcony, really? We came across a number of Celebrity "loyalists" whilst on Viking and Oceania who are of the same opinion. We are so close to reaching Zenith but that will not hold me to Celebrity. That being said, we recently did the 11 night Galapagos on the Celebrity Flora. It was fantastic from start to finish. The shoreside staff and crew of the Flora exceeded all expectations as did the ship itself. Our last Celebrity cruise is this September with no future Celebrity cruises planned, a first for us.

We really enjoy the food on Viking Ocean however the best entrée thus far was the Scallop Pie that was on offer this past Christmas/New Year. Apparently a favorite in Tasmania. I'm still craving it!