2019 Basel to Amsterdam - which Line?

Glad you enjoyed it! Now you're hooked;p Where's your next one going to be?

 

Robin

Thanks Robin. Not sure what we will do, maybe France so we can spend some time in Paris? Don't know which cruise line would be best. Also thinking of hopping through France on a train stopping in small towns.

Thought I’d come back and thank all of you for your assistance, and let you know what we are doing for this cruise.

I picked Viking. Wanted to go with one of the Luxury Lines, and also looked closely at Ama, but Viking has a major discount on their SR’s and on their flights. I had run a spreadsheet comparing Viking, lma, Crystal and Uniworld, and prior to the Viking flight/SR discounts, the pricing looked pretty close, but ended up with major savings with what our TA found.

I agree that picking an all-enclusive cruise could be great, but as one poster said, you need to realize are you going to take full advantage of all the ‘free’ drink packages and other freebies that you actually pay for in the overall costs and so on. I personally drink like a fish, but my wife does have limits, and although Crystal dining sounded fun, we had dined on Viking and found it fine.

With only one river cruise experience, I’d found the ship-board amenities are nice, but since you spend so much time in ports/tours, it’s not as major of a decider as on an ocean cruise.....my subjective view.

Crystal had the 2-night stay in Amsterdam and 1 night in Basel, but we found very nice hotels, in fact staying 3 nights in Amsterdam, that kept the pricing low and Viking as a good pick. In fact, the pre-stay Viking was offering for 2 nights was twice the cost of us getting nice hotel near the art museums for 3 nights. That was another input from a poster here - check out the hotels you can get instead of the pre/post Line stays. Did it and it’s all working out. Today with all the hotel websites and good TA’s, and GREAT inputs from Cruise Critic posers, you can really do fine.

Going to get TA help with a Basel hotel and Munich since we don’t see too much on CC yet. And I’ve learned my lesson on some of these hotel websites with 3-4 Star ratings and the hotel is a dump. DId that in Instanbul! Lesson - check with actual people who have stayed there, not ‘reviews’ you realize are written by the hotels after the fact.

Enough. Thanks for all the help. I’ll be checking this thread and just keep an eye out for more gouge, especially Basel or Munich hotels and what to do there. You guys are great, and the standard threads above comparing river cruise lines and so on are Very Very helpful.

Den

Den, thanks for letting us know what your final decision is. You have researched it well. Now, comes the hard part, waiting...and paying for the cruise. We'll be waiting for the review. 😉

RB

Den

Can HIGHLY recommend The Charles Hotel in Munich. In the museum district and a 5 minute walk to the main train station. We stayed pre Christmas cruise 23rd, 24th and 25th before catching a train Christmas morning - it was fabulous. When I booked special rate included breakfast - we still are talking about the breakfast spread / buffet they had every morning - unbelievable. Would stay there again in a heartbeat.

Just returned from our first river cruise (Uniworld Castles Along the Rhine) and loved it. Great food, tours, accomodations, staff. No issues at all. If you go upstream to Basel, the Gorge portion takes about 5 hours vs. 3 hours going downstream. Glad we went upstream as the views are fantastic.

So glad to hear you had a great time. We are doing this exact same cruise in Sept. did you have a favorite tour ?

Hi Denny, thanks for coming back to let us know what you decided to do.:)…….now I am in the 'WHICH ONE"

to do as well:D……...there are so many awesome itineraries. I am looking at Paris as I have never visited there before and have read quite a few reviews. So the research continues:)

Hi Lois

We love Paris. We did the Prague to Paris Viking Cities of Lighhts cruise, and there are great wine cruises in S France that start from Paris and bus down to the river start.

We did a bus tour with GoAhead Bus tours that we liked. It was all done from Paris. Each day had a 1/2 day tour around Paris or somewhere nearby. Stayed in one hotel and had a lot of time on our own. Many ways of enjoying Paris.

thats always the problem, so many great choices!

Den

Sorry - Just saw this post. May be too late to factor into your decision, but I wanted to add a vote for the Uniworld Castles Along the Rhine cruise. We did this itinerary last summer (Amsterdam to Basel, but reverse is an option) and really enjoyed it. It was our first river cruise (actually first cruise of any kind), but we liked Uniworld so much that we are getting ready to book another cruise with them for next summer. We are not big drinkers, but we definitely appreciated that Uniworld is all-inclusive - many evenings we would go up to the top-deck bar, get a drink after dinner, and visit with other passengers. As was explained to me by an AMA Waterways representative, beer and wine are included with dinner but an extra charge after the meal? Just a consideration.

So glad to hear you had a great time. We are doing this exact same cruise in Sept. did you have a favorite tour ?

All of the included tours/guides were very good. They keep the groups small for each tour (20-30 per guide), but some destinations, like the churches in Cologne and Strasbourg are very crowded with other tour groups. I'm not really a city tour person, so my favorite was the 5 mile hike in Rudesheim. The only optional tour we took was the Black Forest tour which was about 6 hours and included lunch and a walk through a farm museum. We thought it was worth the extra cost. Uniworld uses a wireless system so you can always hear the guide. Enjoy your cruise.

As was explained to me by an AMA Waterways representative, beer and wine are included with dinner but an extra charge after the meal? Just a consideration.

Except for the full glass you are encouraged to leave the dining room with. ;)

Can HIGHLY recommend The Charles Hotel in Munich. In the museum district and a 5 minute walk to the main train station. We stayed pre Christmas cruise 23rd, 24th and 25th before catching a train Christmas morning - it was fabulous. When I booked special rate included breakfast - we still are talking about the breakfast spread / buffet they had every morning - unbelievable. Would stay there again in a heartbeat.

Second all of this. Rocco Forte is a small-ish predominantly European collection of high-end hotels that we have discovered over the past few years. The Charles in Munich is one of them. Gorgeous views of the Old Botanical Gardens from your room, and I agree, it's a simple walk from the Hauptbahnhof. Did you discover the close entrance to the S-Bahn, where you don't have to cross the street into the main building? We've been there a few times and it is now our go-to hotel in Munich.

They do run specials that occasionally include breakfast, but they are also one of AMEX Platinum's Fine Hotel & Resort members. So if you book through AMEX you get breakfast included, plus $100 food and beverage credit (they obviously convert that to Euros). We had a fantastic dinner there during one of our stays, at a nice discount. The other time, we did a special like you did because we wanted to eat dinner elsewhere.

We have also stayed in Rocco Forte hotels in Brussels and in Frankfurt; they are equally great. I look for them now when I'm searching hotels.

Except for the full glass you are encouraged to leave the dining room with. ;)

We have sailed 3 times with Ama (4th one booked for next year), and I might add that you can bring whatever wine (or anything else) you want on board with you. It's nice to be able to buy a local wine and enjoy it in your cabin.

Allyson

Thank you! Keep you inputs coming, greatly helps. And I agree with Host Jazz, many of the ‘drinks at dinner’ or happy hr deals on cruises, the servers make sure you walk out with a full glass, even encouraging it. I plan to take a gallon jug with me and tell them that’s what i drink out of!!

Den

I'm not really a city tour person, so my favorite was the 5 mile hike in Rudesheim.

Thanks,

Sterling

Hi Lois

 

We love Paris. We did the Prague to Paris Viking Cities of Lighhts cruise, and there are great wine cruises in S France that start from Paris and bus down to the river start.

 

We did a bus tour with GoAhead Bus tours that we liked. It was all done from Paris. Each day had a 1/2 day tour around Paris or somewhere nearby. Stayed in one hotel and had a lot of time on our own. Many ways of enjoying Paris.

 

thats always the problem, so many great choices!

 

Den

Just curious how you liked the itinerary on City of Lights. We are looking at that as our next river cruise although it may be a year or two away.

We are doing the Rhine Getaway this year in November. Second time but different direction. Part of a family get together.

I also have looked at other river cruise lines but keep returning to Viking because of past experience and lower price points. Any questions about the Rhine cruise please ask.

Dave

Can you say more about that? Was it guided or on your own? Did you walk up to the monument or take the cable car and start at the top? We'll be in Rudesheim for the second time next year and I don't feel the need to see the town again. I was thinking a hike in the woods would be a nice break from the crowds, so seeing your post made me happy to start thinking about the logistics.

 

Thanks,

Sterling

The boat docked in Rudesheim at about 1:00 after going through the Gorge and our tour guide met us at the dock and we walked with her for about 15 minutes through the town to the cable car which took us to the monument. Our guide gave a short talk about the monument and we enjoyed the view. We then proceeded on our hike which was mostly downhill and thankfully very shady. We stopped several times at lookouts over the town and rivers. The trail was not steep but some parts were a little rocky so I wouldn't recommend flip flops. We ended up at the small town of Assmannshausen in about 2 hours, where a bus met us for a short ride back into Rudesheim. We had plenty of time to stop in town for shopping and a beer before returning to the ship which departed about 8:00. It was a hot day, so we were rather tired and glad to get back to the ship to shower before dinner.

Jerry

Just curious how you liked the itinerary on City of Lights. We are looking at that as our next river cruise although it may be a year or two away.

We are doing the Rhine Getaway this year in November. Second time but different direction. Part of a family get together.

I also have looked at other river cruise lines but keep returning to Viking because of past experience and lower price points. Any questions about the Rhine cruise please ask.

Dave

It was our first river cruise, and loved it. The tour spent a 2 nights in Prague prior to joining the ship. Good Hilton hotel with excellent breakfast and restaurants nearby. We could walk to Old Town along the river.

We stayed three nights prior to joining the tour at Hilton and stayed in a nice Euro-type hotel in Old Town Prague - The Metamorphis - and wandered on our own. We bought 3-day tickets to use the subway and buses/trams through Prague. Wonderful city. One of the few that weren’t bombed in WWII so has many original classic buildings. When joined the ship group at the Hilton, had excellent walking tours of Prague Old Town, and up to the Palace and Cathedral, and lunch listening to a 4-string group. Fantastic.

Bussed to ship Via a tour or Nuremberg and then started the cruise. Lovely ship and good tours. I’m a bit use to Ocean cruises where you have a few at sea days and a bit more relaxing than a tour-intensive river cruise, but did fine. All excellent tours. On this river portion, the tours weren’t all right in port, but areas that took bussing an hr or so to get to it, but still well worth it. We took the tour of Heidelberg that was an additional cost and loved it.

All river cities were interesting and fun. At the end, we bussed to Paris, going through Luxembourg, a city and the Amercain war cemetery tour. Again very interesting and well lead.

Paris was two nights and as always, never enough time. Excellent tours and gave us good time on our own to wander. Our hotel was near the Arch d’Trimph. Nice sidewalk cafes and classic walking Paris areas. Again, enough time on our own to enjoy, and good overall tours.

Loved the cruise, loved Viking.

Den

It was our first river cruise, and loved it. The tour spent a 2 nights in Prague prior to joining the ship. Good Hilton hotel with excellent breakfast and restaurants nearby. We could walk to Old Town along the river.

 

We stayed three nights prior to joining the tour at Hilton and stayed in a nice Euro-type hotel in Old Town Prague - The Metamorphis - and wandered on our own. We bought 3-day tickets to use the subway and buses/trams through Prague. Wonderful city. One of the few that weren’t bombed in WWII so has many original classic buildings. When joined the ship group at the Hilton, had excellent walking tours of Prague Old Town, and up to the Palace and Cathedral, and lunch listening to a 4-string group. Fantastic.

 

Bussed to ship Via a tour or Nuremberg and then started the cruise. Lovely ship and good tours. I’m a bit use to Ocean cruises where you have a few at sea days and a bit more relaxing than a tour-intensive river cruise, but did fine. All excellent tours. On this river portion, the tours weren’t all right in port, but areas that took bussing an hr or so to get to it, but still well worth it. We took the tour of Heidelberg that was an additional cost and loved it.

 

All river cities were interesting and fun. At the end, we bussed to Paris, going through Luxembourg, a city and the Amercain war cemetery tour. Again very interesting and well lead.

 

Paris was two nights and as always, never enough time. Excellent tours and gave us good time on our own to wander. Our hotel was near the Arch d’Trimph. Nice sidewalk cafes and classic walking Paris areas. Again, enough time on our own to enjoy, and good overall tours.

 

Loved the cruise, loved Viking.

 

Den

Thank you for the great info. River cruising is definitely more tour intensive. I really liked being docked in the old town areas and being able to go explore on your own though.

Agree that The Charles in Munich is wonderful. We just returned from another Uniworld cruise and began our journey at the Charles. Do use AMEX Platinum if you have that card as the benefits are superb.

We have taken many cruises on Uniworld and found the product to be outstanding. Not so any longer. Food was mediocre at best, with tough cuts of meat, both beef and veal, repetitive breads, dry pastries, minimal fresh fruit, and more recycling than one can imagine. The buffets were left empty well before closing time with no replenishment of cheese boards. Breakfast buffet had hard as a rock muffins, and doughnuts, never any Viennese pastries, coffee cakes, etc. The pancakes, and waffles on the buffet could have been used to kill someone as they were hard as rocks. The multi-course dinner in Bar Lepard was totally inedible . There was a snack offered following the superb evening Strauss and Mozart concert with frankfurters, pretzel rolls and goulash soup, not exactly what I want to eat at 10:30pm. Friends just returned from Joie de Vivre with similar experiences.

Excursions were a mixed bag. The day tour of Linz was outstanding with a lunch at a Farm to Table restaurant. Most were just poorly executed with long stays at ABC.

Our room was a Tier 1 yet seemed smaller than the same room on a similar SS ship. Our room was well maintained throughout the cruise.

Service is superb and the crew is delightful.

Agree that The Charles in Munich is wonderful. We just returned from another Uniworld cruise and began our journey at the Charles. Do use AMEX Platinum if you have that card as the benefits are superb.

 

 

 

We have taken many cruises on Uniworld and found the product to be outstanding. Not so any longer. Food was mediocre at best, with tough cuts of meat, both beef and veal, repetitive breads, dry pastries, minimal fresh fruit, and more recycling than one can imagine. The buffets were left empty well before closing time with no replenishment of cheese boards. Breakfast buffet had hard as a rock muffins, and doughnuts, never any Viennese pastries, coffee cakes, etc. The pancakes, and waffles on the buffet could have been used to kill someone as they were hard as rocks. The multi-course dinner in Bar Lepard was totally inedible . There was a snack offered following the superb evening Strauss and Mozart concert with frankfurters, pretzel rolls and goulash soup, not exactly what I want to eat at 10:30pm. Friends just returned from Joie de Vivre with similar experiences.

 

 

 

Excursions were a mixed bag. The day tour of Linz was outstanding with a lunch at a Farm to Table restaurant. Most were just poorly executed with long stays at ABC.

 

 

 

Our room was a Tier 1 yet seemed smaller than the same room on a similar SS ship. Our room was well maintained throughout the cruise.

 

 

 

Service is superb and the crew is delightful.

I do hope that your experience was a one off. We were on the Joie de Vivre just a year ago and the food was wonderful at breakfast, lunch and dinner. As was our week cruise through Bordeaux. I will remain optimistic that your experience was the exception since we will be on our own Uniworld Amsterdam to Basel cruise in April

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Agree that The Charles in Munich is wonderful. We just returned from another Uniworld cruise and began our journey at the Charles. Do use AMEX Platinum if you have that card as the benefits are superb.

 

We have taken many cruises on Uniworld and found the product to be outstanding. Not so any longer. Food was mediocre at best, with tough cuts of meat, both beef and veal, repetitive breads, dry pastries, minimal fresh fruit, and more recycling than one can imagine. The buffets were left empty well before closing time with no replenishment of cheese boards. Breakfast buffet had hard as a rock muffins, and doughnuts, never any Viennese pastries, coffee cakes, etc. The pancakes, and waffles on the buffet could have been used to kill someone as they were hard as rocks. The multi-course dinner in Bar Lepard was totally inedible . There was a snack offered following the superb evening Strauss and Mozart concert with frankfurters, pretzel rolls and goulash soup, not exactly what I want to eat at 10:30pm. Friends just returned from Joie de Vivre with similar experiences.

 

Excursions were a mixed bag. The day tour of Linz was outstanding with a lunch at a Farm to Table restaurant. Most were just poorly executed with long stays at ABC.

 

Our room was a Tier 1 yet seemed smaller than the same room on a similar SS ship. Our room was well maintained throughout the cruise.

 

Service is superb and the crew is delightful.

I’m so hoping your experience is not the norm for uniworld. After much research uniworld won out for my first river cruise this September.

Sadly we were a group that had traveled with Uniworld hence our desire to continue with them due to service, cuisine and excursions. Everyone agreed this was a subpar experience to say the least. I did not mention the long and I mean long wait at airport with no Uniworld rep in site, then having to drag luggage to the bus, the poor entertainment, and more. It just pains me to see such a great line decline. I do think that much of this began this year.

We had other friends on the Joie de Vivre. They experienced the same disappointing cuisine. Example, one evening a guest requested a green salad and was told that it was just too difficult to honor the request. A green salad, lettuce, tomatoes, and some dressing.

The cutbacks are in effect; and as one of our group said, this is just Viking on steroids.

We had a great experience on the JdV in March. The staff went above and beyond, and the food was on par with the excellent food we've had on past Uniworld cruises.

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I recently took two Uniworld Cruises within five months. The Joie de Vivre in December 2017 was outstanding. The food was incredible; prime cuts of beef; creative, delicious meals every day. The service was equally first rate.

The second cruise was four months later onboard the Maria Theresa in April 2018. Disappointingly, the food was significantly inferior: tough cuts of meats, boring selections, and poorly prepared options.The service in the restaurant was unreliable as was the service from front desk personnel.

My TA attributed the striking difference of the food to the differences in ‘locally sourced ‘ foods. (France providing higher quality items than countries along the Danube). Don’t know if I agree with that assessment, I personally feel that Uniworld is cutting back on high quality foods and are using inferior cuts of meats instead . Nevertheless, I am willing to give Uniworld another try and have booked ‘The Remarkable Rhine’ for 2019 and I hope to have an experience similar to my first.

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My brother, sister-in-law and her mom (our usual river cruise traveling companions) just returned from their 4th Uniworld cruise, Amsterdam to Basel on the SS Antoinette last week. These said the food was exceptional as always, they greatly enjoyed the excursions - especially the active ones (including an approximately 30 mile bike ride), and the staff - and especially the cruise director - were top notch. They were traveling with first time river cruisers (my SIL's two brothers and spouses) and everyone had a wonderful time and are planning another Uniworld cruise for next year.