Rhine/Danube River Levels

[G.M.T.]

I have received a reply from Scenic Tours regarding my claim for compensation ( I claimed under $AUD500 per passenger - under 5% of the fare I paid for the cruise -for Scenic Cruises not meeting their end of the contract i.e. suppling all the services that we provided on the boat in the same quantity and quality). In a nut shell Scenic blamed everyone else for lost busses, poor service, inadequate meals and having to tour in cramped busses. I quoted Scenic “the circumstances which impacted your tour were outside our control we do not believe that compensation is warranted in this instance. We do however regret that your tour was negatively impacted” I the letter did not address all the issues that I raised yet on the issues that they did address they blame others rather than accept responsibility Scenic admit that the tour was “negatively impacted” yet will not address the issue in a positive manner. Shame Scenic Shame. I will be pursing the matter further with Scenic (and beyond if necessary) and will keep this site posted.

If you need any help info etc., just let me know (best off-line).

 

Ron

[steamboats]

Bapak,

 

This response is not a proof of good customer service!! Scenic is definitely responsible for contracting the companies. And anyway you booked with Scenic and not a bus operator or a hotel. Sure Scenic can´t offer the same service as on the ship when the hotel doesn´t offer it. But that´s why it´s up to Scenic to offer a compensation for the loss of this service.

 

steamboats

[G.M.T.]

Bapak,

 

This response is not a proof of good customer service!! Scenic is definitely responsible for contracting the companies. And anyway you booked with Scenic and not a bus operator or a hotel. Sure Scenic can´t offer the same service as on the ship when the hotel doesn´t offer it. But that´s why it´s up to Scenic to offer a compensation for the loss of this service.

 

steamboats

Totally agree. The contract is between the cruise company and the passenger, if the cruise company sub-contracts parts of the cruise (busses, hotels, etc.) they are still responsible, they made the arrangements and picked up the tab.

 

Ron

[Bapak]

Sorry about the gap, in time, of keeping everyone informed. My wife and I have been away on overseas and Australian holidays and of course there was Christmas.

 

I recieved a letter from Donna Willis of Scenic Tours, who states that she is acting on the personal behest of Mr Glen Moroney.

 

Donna Willis states that Scenic Tours are depending on clauses 14, 37 and 97 of their terms and conditions to defend their rejection of compendsation claims.

 

None of the items will defend Scenic Tours against claims for services not rendered.

 

I quote Donna Willis in her letter of the

We do however regret that your tour was negatively impacted

.

 

At this point I am collecting any and all information that I can present to Scenic Tours in additional support of my, exeptionally fair (I would even say that I am bending over backwards to try and be overly fair) claim for compensation.

 

I can be contacted on the email address KeithRHooper@hotmail.com

[skipal]

Hello,

 

We are considering taking one of the last Viking cruises for 2010. Because of work and family commitments we are unable to leave Australia until after Christmas.

Will the weather be too cold to be enjoyable?

Would we be better waiting a couple of years when we will be free to travel at all times of the year?

We did an NCL Eastern med cruise last month ( from Barcelona) and didnt find the weather too cold.

I would welcome advice from experienced "river cruisers"

:)

[steamboats]

Expect temps at freezing point / 0°C maybe a bit more or less. There might be snow but January/February do have more snow. It´ll be definitely colder than in the Med. Might have fog and rain/snow.

 

steamboats

[gocalfan]

In September 2002, we did the Great Rivers of Europe with GCT which are the rivers Danube, Rhine and the Main. The rivers were low at both ends. We started off in Vienna on the pretrip and could not get on the ship until Regensburg due to the Danube being so low. We were in one hotel for the pretrip and had to move to another hotel the last night before busing to Regensburg. On the way to being bused to Regensburg, we stopped at the Melk Abbey for our tour and finished the day in Regensburg and stayed on the ship. The next morning, we took a bus back to Passau and did our tour and came back to the ship. Now, the next day the intinery picked up where it should of been, in Regensburg. The middle of the trip went as planned. Okay, now the Rhine is low, so we had to be bused to Cologne from Rudensheim and then bused all the way to Amsterdam and stay in a hotel for a few nights at the end of the trip. That was a long day on the bus, but GCT did the best they could because of the rivers being so low. Of course we were disappointed not seeing all of the beautiful scenery along the rivers. The one thing GCT should of taken care of during dinners was the wine since it is included when you are on the ship. There was a complaining among some of the passengers. We ended up in 2006 doing this same trip but in reverse and it worked out fine, it was the end of June and beginning of July.