Host Jazzbeau

I would say Yes to all the above, based on my May 2022 Seine cruise on Scenic.

Thanks for posting this! Sláinte!

Zero in on one itinerary, then go to each cruise line you are considering and download the detailed itinerary/excursion information. You will find that most lines stop at mostly similar ports, but some are different. You will also note that many lines offer only basic walking tours (and maybe only one choice) but some offer a range with really interesting choices. [What's harder to find out is the size of the groups on different lines. My experience is that Viking lollipops are always followed by very large groups.]

He must still be paying off the ransom, because the next day he was dressed as Rollo the Viking for a tour of medieval Rouen! Scenic really has the best shore excursions!

This year it’s necessary to reset expectations. 😀

When you go to Château Galliard with Scenic, your guide is actually Richard the Lionheart himself! Great tour!

Or you buy luggage tag holders from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=luggage+tags+for+cruise+ships&crid=3MHBZA2PNW91P&sprefix=luggage+tag%2Caps%2C303&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_4_11

New article on Seatrade Cruise News: Viking Saigon begins inaugural Mekong River season

We have done Rhine, Rhône, Chobe [African river safari], and Tulip Time on AMA, and Seine on Scenic. Enjoyed them all very much. Favorite was the African, but that isn't really relevant here. Each of the European cruises had unique features, so your taste is all that matters. The Rhine is a great introductory cruise as it covers so many countries from Amsterdam to Basel, especially with an extension to Lucerne and Zurich. The Rhône is strong on food and wine, Roman ruins [esp. Pont du Gard], and Van Gogh. Tulip Time gives in depth coverage to Holland and Belgium [and flowers, flowers, flowers – but only if you can go in April] The Seine starts and finishes in Paris and with the proper shore excursions covers a huge swatch of French history from Rollo the Viking and Joan of Arc in Rouen, Richard the Lionheart in Les Andelys, WWI and WWII battlefields, and chateaux [Versailles, Chantilly, Vaux-le-comte] You wouldn't go wrong with any of them!

I combined your two threads and moved it to Ask a Cruise Question, which I believe is the proper forum for this question. [Other Cruise Lines gets very little traffic.] Since last September DW and I have taken 7 cruises, and we are completely Positive about all of them. Four were on Noble Caledonia Hebridean Sky, a British cruise line that sails two of the original Renaissance ships [the generation before the 'R-ships' that Azamara and Oceania sail] with fewer than 100 passengers. One was on Oceania Riviera, and despite the constantly changing itinerary forced by Caribbean islands last-minute Covid policy changes we had a wonderful time. The other two were River Cruises – on AMA and Scenic – and we enjoyed both of them as well. We have sailed on Viking Ocean in the past and did not experience any issues of being squeezed out by the top suites, but we had a Penthouse Veranda which you consider being in the top suite category... I haven't seen the negative reviews you refer to – because I rarely read the Reviews section of Cruise Critic. It seems to get a lot of 'one post wonders' who only join to vent. The reviews, 'live from's, and comments on the CC Boards for each cruise line are IMO a much better gauge of the pluses and minuses and overall quality. You do have to go with a more tolerant attitude toward unexpected changes and possible service shortfalls due to staffing issues [e.g. when the entire production show cast came down with Covid on the second day of our Riviera cruise and the entertainment director had to scramble the guest artist schedule to keep the lights on]. But if you are 'cruisers by nature' you will still have a good time and appreciate the things that cruising uniquely offers.

New article on Cruise Industry News: American Cruise Lines Adds American Symphony to its Riverboat Fleet

American Cruise Lines and American Queen Voyages have their own forums on Cruise Critic. Viking is here on the River Cruising forum.

I would suggest you add Scenic to your list. Their Nile itineraries are a little different from the usual, and I find them more interesting. [Haven't done the Nile yet, but like you planning for the future. I have zeroed in on Scenic's Essence of Egypt & Jordan 20-day cruise/land journey, but they also offer a 7-night Secrets of Egypt & the Nile]

It's designed to help you – leaves room in your luggage for the souvenirs you buy on the trip! 😉

So now I have a dilemma: upgrade to the Ultimate package to get Hendricks to mate with that lovely tonic, or take the Connoisseur Wine package? If I have a G&T (or two) before dinner, the quality of the wine may not matter... 🤣

Can’t read the typeface on my phone. Please use ‘default’ type and size.

Cruise Directors on river cruises are not paid a salary – those tips are their entire income. [Except obviously on lines like Scenic that include all gratuities in the fare.]

I doubt that there is any more of the Journey/Quest carpet available. Even the Pursuit carpet may be discontinued by now.

Oops, yes. They are not named after the American humorist Don Marquis [pronounced mar-quiss] 🤣 *except, apparently, in Massachusetts – it was this google hit that threw me off: https://chasecanopy.com › marquis-tents

We have 3 categories in America: 'apple juice' is non-alcoholic and filtered (so clear); 'apple cider' is non-alcoholic and unfiltered (so cloudy); 'hard cider' is alcoholic.

Oceania has recently designated those deck 6 sideways oceanview cabins on their R-ships as Solo Oceanview Staterooms, at a special single fare. That makes up for the smaller size with a smaller price, and for a single the size should be less of an issue [except the shower, which only 1 person ever uses at a time!]

What Americans call 'pop-up tents' are called 'marquis tents' in England

Very disappointing. A reason to praise Viking's strict 18 year old minimum on oceans and rivers.

I do not.

If I test positive on the first day back from my current cruise – that will be a WIN. I know I'm going to get it sometime [triple vaxxed at present, will get #4 when the new BA5 vaccines are released], and as long as it doesn't affect a cruise I will deal with it.