river cruise or a ocean cruise

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

We have been on 35 ocean cruises would we be happy on a river cruise? we are in our late 50s

[paul929207]

We think both are great. We have been on 5 river cruises and 21 ocean ones, but there are differences.

 

River ships are much smaller. They usually hold 100 to 150 passengers. I think the food is good, but not as good as the ocean ships. There was less choice. There is little evening entertainment. Some times, they bring on a local folklore group. We had a whirling dervish in Egypt. We had a waiter who played the harmonica. None of the big production shows of the ocean ships.

 

Time is port is usually shorter. Since most tours are included, there is one tour at most ports. They usually last almost the entire time you are docked.

 

Just to be clear, I am not complaining about anything above, just trying to point out some of the differences.

[Talisker92]

I second Paul's assessment. This past June, we did a B2B with a river cruise, 2 nights in Amsterdam, then a 10 day Baltic cruise. We loved them both.

Our trip story and pictures are on our website http://www.stevekathytravels.com

[EmsMom]

We have done many ocean cruises and one river cruise. I found the river cruise to be much slower paced than the ocean cruise. If you like the many activities offered on an ocean cruise and would be bored without them, you might not like the river cruise. I like to read so I spent a lot of time reading as we cruised the river and I don't care about the shows...but what I really missed was the gym. The gym on the river cruise was about the size of my closet and was VERY limited. I did enjoy the river cruise and I would consider doing another one if I liked the itinerary but I know that some people would find it boring. So, bottom line, I think it's a matter of personal preference as far as what you like to do. It is nice to be docked near the towns so you can get off the ship and walk right into the town.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Thank you all I think we will try a river cruise in 2012, from what I see it pays to wait till January 2012 to book it since air is included and thay do 2 for 1s we are not fussy on room choice , On ocean liners we take inside room

[H2Otstr]

I much prefer river cruising to ocean cruising. Too many people on the large ships. I would much rather cruise down the river, sitting on the sundeck, taking in the sights of the towns, vinyards, groves of olive or fig trees, seeing the banks of small towns, etc. than watching the water of the ocean go by.

 

I would suggest that you contact all the larger cruise companies and get their brochures and DVD's to peruse. You can get a good feel for what river cruising is all about by watching the videos.

 

Good luck. We will be going on our 6th river cruise in a couple of months and am looking for a new one to go on in September.

[caviargal]

I have done over 100 ocean cruises and 2 river cruises. They are apples and oranges.

 

I am over the mega size ships with their ridiculous number of passengers and ever increasing surcharges for everything from a freshly prepared meal of good quality to a freshly brewed cup of coffee. I do enjoy the nightlife on cruise ships but cannot tolerate the number of people and the children running amok everywhere.

 

River cruising is a different animal. We are very active 50 somethings and the suggestions I would make would be to start with a short cruise (7 nights) in case you do not care for it. Look for an itinerary without long stretches on the river unless you are looking for lot of reading or quiet time. We like this part of the experience the least as we are all about enjoying every possible minute experiencing the ports and not the ship.

 

If you want to be able to watch a movie or something besides CNN in your room, make sure it is offered by the line you choose.

 

If you want the option of a table for 2, make sure it is offered.

 

If you would like walking tours grouped by ability, confirm the line offers it.

 

This year we chose a themed cruise all about wine, one of our favorite things. Lots of port time, three overnights, walking groups by capability, and special wine functions throughout. We are spending time before and after the cruise on our own in Europe which is a nice mix for us.

 

And when you mention air is included, that is not the case with every line and it is not always a better deal. I like to have control over my airlines, aircraft type, flights, seats, etc. so booking my own air is a must for me.

[stephmcvail]

I much prefer river cruising to ocean cruising. Too many people on the large ships. I would much rather cruise down the river, sitting on the sundeck, taking in the sights of the towns, vinyards, groves of olive or fig trees, seeing the banks of small towns, etc. than watching the water of the ocean go by.

 

I would suggest that you contact all the larger cruise companies and get their brochures and DVD's to peruse. You can get a good feel for what river cruising is all about by watching the videos.

 

Good luck. We will be going on our 6th river cruise in a couple of months and am looking for a new one to go on in September.

 

Could you please tell me more about the river cruises you have taken? Which company did you like the best?

 

stephmcvail

[mike35]

River cruising is the fastest growing segment of the cruise industry. The major river cruise companies are building new vessels at a pace unparalleled by any of the ocean cruise companies. We love both river and ocean cruises, but as has been pointed out, there are major differences.

 

Most river cruise ports are right in the center of town. One can walk off and walk on at one's leisure. Tours are conducted in English by expert local guides, who use the latest "audioVox" equipment. This allows you to lag behind or peruse other things of interest, while still listening to your guide. I can't think of a better way to be able to absorb the local culture than to experience a river cruise.

 

I personally recommend a French balcony, which carries a premium price over a porthole. French balconies are a relatively new feature on cruise ships, and they allow you to open your sliding glass door and experience the countryside much better than you would through a porthole. The cabins with a porthole are on a lower deck, much closer to the water line, so the view is rather restricted.

 

I've found cuisine to be good to excellent, depending on the cruise line and the particular chef on board. Keep in mind that the galley is tiny, and it's amazing to me that they're able to provide terrific meals at all!

 

Many of the river cruise lines provide local wine with dinner and complimentary bicycles for passenger use. I would suggest contacting a travel agent to get further information, brochures, pricing, etc.

[LHT28]

A couple of river cruise lines have a balcony ..not as big as an ocean going ship but still someplace to sit

Check Scenic tours or AMAwaterways they have twin balcony part outside deck & part french balcony

 

Just depends on what you are looking for in a river cruise

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Could you please tell me more about the river cruises you have taken? Which company did you like the best?

 

stephmcvail

Me two which company do you like the best??????? THANKS gmwg@juno.com gail and marty

[paul929207]

We have sailed with both Grand Circle and Uniworld. We liked both, but prefer Grand Circle.

[Windy56]

I have done over 100 ocean cruises and 2 river cruises. They are apples and oranges.

 

I am over the mega size ships with their ridiculous number of passengers and ever increasing surcharges for everything from a freshly prepared meal of good quality to a freshly brewed cup of coffee. I do enjoy the nightlife on cruise ships but cannot tolerate the number of people and the children running amok everywhere.

 

River cruising is a different animal. We are very active 50 somethings and the suggestions I would make would be to start with a short cruise (7 nights) in case you do not care for it. Look for an itinerary without long stretches on the river unless you are looking for lot of reading or quiet time. We like this part of the experience the least as we are all about enjoying every possible minute experiencing the ports and not the ship.

 

If you want to be able to watch a movie or something besides CNN in your room, make sure it is offered by the line you choose.

 

If you want the option of a table for 2, make sure it is offered.

 

If you would like walking tours grouped by ability, confirm the line offers it.

 

This year we chose a themed cruise all about wine, one of our favorite things. Lots of port time, three overnights, walking groups by capability, and special wine functions throughout. We are spending time before and after the cruise on our own in Europe which is a nice mix for us.

 

And when you mention air is included, that is not the case with every line and it is not always a better deal. I like to have control over my airlines, aircraft type, flights, seats, etc. so booking my own air is a must for me.

 

Caviargal makes some excellent points.

 

We did our first river cruise at Christmas on Uniworld's River Queen and, like the poster, had a fairly long history of ocean cruising. We wanted to try something different. My advice, also, is do your homework.

 

We hated the short time in port and the fact that our boat rarely docked close to the town centre. We learned that we are not the "guided tour type". (We added our own time in Paris after the cruise and we loved it because we got to choose where we went and for how long.) This being carted around in busses drove me nuts. When doing the tours, regardless of how kowledgeable the guide was, I always felt like we were being herded and it became increasingly unpleasant. Some people like being told things. We like discovering things. I want to read beforehand and then see what I read about. It's just a matter of taste, really. You could do that on a river cruise but the fact remains - you are still being guided along at their pace, not yours. Our cruise did not group the passengers by abiltiy and no effort was made to accomodate those people with mobility issues. In fact, on several occasions slower people were left behind and had to find the location on their own, much to their dismay.

 

Caviargal is right. It's about the ports and not about the boat. The vessel offers little in terms of diversions. We were lucky in that our onboard entertainment during Christmas week was quite good. I'm not sure that's always the case.

 

Meals, overall, were disappointing in terms of selection and quality. They had a pastry chef but on the few days that tea was offered in the afternoon, the selection and food were not great. The quality of food offered as snacks in the late afernoon consisted of "store bought cookies" and this was at Christmas! We had lots of snow and mulled wine was only offered once on the cruise. Also, you're locked into a two hour dinner each night and that whole process got tedious, after a few evenings.

 

Again, Caviargal is right when she says look for a cruise with overnights, as many as possible, walking tours by ability and a theme which adds a focus to the cruise and which would make for a much more memorable experience. Consider doing your own walking tours, based on a bit or research before you leave for your trip. I really wish we had done that. Watch out for the airfare included deal. It is often not much of a deal and in our experience rarely included nonstop transportation but instead will feature long layovers. In this day and age it is so easy to find your own flight and we make a point of doing so.

 

River cruising was not what I expected it to be. It had its advantages but too many glitches for me, in the end. Having said that, I would probably give it one more try but would follow Caviargal's excellent guidelines before I booked.

 

Whatever you decide, have a wonderful vacation!

[H2Otstr]

Could you please tell me more about the river cruises you have taken? Which company did you like the best?

 

stephmcvail

 

Our first was with Viking on the Saone/Rhone.

Second was with Uniworld; Castles along the Rhine

Third was a Thanksgiving cruise on the Danube visiting Christmas Markets

Fourth was AMAwaterways on the Duoro in Portugal

Fifth was Grand Circle on the Rhine and Mosel

 

They were all very similar. Can't say I have a favorite; would go with any of them again. There are only minor differences in cruise lines, bed arrangements, all food is similar. Wine is now served by almost every line; Grand Circle had the SAME white and red throughout the trip, whereas the others served red and white regional wines.

[stretchcruz]

We've been on 40 big ship cruises, and went on our first river cruise Oct/Nov on Avalon, the Tranquility, Budapest to Prague. We loved it. We loved the small ship, meeting our fellow passengers, the food was exceptional (not as many choices, as has been mentioned, but plenty). We loved the wine and beer included with dinner...different wines each night, very free flowing. Our cabin was big (172 square feet), extremely clean, and the bed was SO comfortable! We had a French balcony and loved keeping the drapes open and watching the world go by. The staff was very personable and our cruise director exceptional...so knowledgeable and personable. We did discover that we are not "bus tour people"...we did the walking tours and enjoyed those, but did not enjoy our time in the bus where they were pointing out sights on the right and the left. We always stayed in town and did our own thing after the tours, didn't take the buses back to the ship.

 

I think after so many big ship cruises we are a bit tired of the big ship nickel and diming, extra charges for everything, children unsupervised, and masses of people everywhere. We started cruising back in the 80s on the smaller ships and loved those. We don't like the mega ships, crowds, and lines.

 

I didn't miss the entertainment on the big ships....seen one show, seen em all. We loved the local entertainment on our Avalon cruise....members of the orchestra, etc.....fun!!! I'm usually in bed early anyway.

We did hire a private guide in Prague and she was the highlight of our cruise...found her in Rick Steves guidebook.

 

We had an Alaska cruise booked for May and cancelled it, now we have an Australia/NZ booked for Jan but we're thinking we may cancel that one, save more money and go on another river cruise spring of 2012, we loved it that much.

 

I would check in advance what the included tours are...because in a few ports I think we would have preferred to not get on the bus and do our own walking thing, which is certainly possible. Didn't like the buses!!

 

As others have said, apples and oranges....

[pacaduli]

I am not nearly as well-traveled as others here, but I can give a bit of a different perspective.

 

The very first cruise I ever went on was a river cruise...on the Rhine.

I had nothing to compare it with, so perhaps did not have a 'jaded' eye, so to speak.

 

One thing I really liked was always having land and passing sites to look at, no matter what time of day or nite. It was wonderful to have a french balconey where we could leave the door open and feel fresh air and see the billowing of the drapes. I found the food to be exceptional, there were choices, but not a large amount. Free bottled water was a nice perk, which we took on all of our included tours. The pace was really what you chose to make it. You could join the included group tour, or go out on your own. We always chose to go on the group tours, which we found rich in the history, geography, and architecture of the locale that we were visiting. We are the kind of people who like this type of thing. Other people might have different interests...

The local guides were exceptional and presented themselves as very proud of their countries, and very professional. Really top-notch!

 

After that wonderful experience I went on a few ocean cruises. There are certainly distinct differences between the two types of cruises. Would I pick one over the other? NO.

Both had their positive sides, and in comparing, a person could say that larger ocean vessels have much more entertainment, more food selection, etc...

A person could say that the atmosphere of a river cruise is set a bit more for the mature traveler. You will most likely not find very young children on river cruises. You will find smaller more refined entertainment (tho limited). We had two evenings where musical groups came on board and played wonderful classical music.

I would say that you will not have as many additional add-on charges on a river cruise. The very precise tours and itinerary make for a very organized vacation.

I plan to go on more ocean and river cruises. They cannot really be placed side by side and compared...and it is not fair to, IMO.

 

I always keep in mind that I have been blessed to be able to experience the trips that I have been/and will go on. I try to view with an open mind and a positive outlook.

 

Heck I'll take any cruise, any day!!!!

Happy travels, Carol

[ddschur]

Could you please tell me more about the river cruises you have taken? Which company did you like the best?

 

stephmcvail

 

Everyone seems to enjoy their own particular river cruise experience...mine would be Tauck!

 

You can do a search for Tauck on this board and find out more detail; however, it is all inclusive, the boats are beautiful, the staff superb, the food good...they are, IMHO, the Crystal Cruises of the rivers!

 

Again, though, it depends on YOUR expectations!

[PCruzer]

We have been on 35 ocean cruises would we be happy on a river cruise? we are in our late 50s

We also have been on 30+ ocean-type cruises and are in our late 50's' date=' too. We tried a river cruise in 2008 and loved it! Like other posters have stated, they are two completely different types of trips. Our first river cruise was 7 days in France on the Seine. We added the pre-tour of the Loire Valley. Our second river cruise was 2 weeks on the Rhine & Mosel. Both trips were through Grand Circle Travel. We found that the 7-day trip had more passengers in our age range. The 14-day trip had mostly much older passengers. We found the food to be very good on both trips. We never went hungry!;) Variety of food was not as extensive as on a larger ocean cruise ship, but we never had trouble finding something we would like. There are not as many "nooks and crannies" on a riverboat as there are on a larger cruise ship. There is 1 lounge, an upper outdoor deck, and your cabin to spend time in. What we loved about river cruising is that you are (mostly) docked right in the middle of town. You walk a few steps and you are there. There is always a tour of the town you are in which lasts about 1 hour. Then you are on your own to discover whatever you want. Our thing is to find a great bakery in every town and sit down to a yummy pastry with coffee about mid-morning. You are always within an easy walk to go back to the boat for lunch, or you could eat in town. The entertainment on a riverboat is [i']very[/i] low-key. Some nights there was no entertainment at all. On our most recent trip, there was a singer/keyboardist who would entertain when there was no local entertainers brought onboard. Other nights we had a magician, a cabaret singer, and a crew show (which was quite funney and entertaining!)

 

My suggestion would be to try river cruising. I'm sure there will be aspects of it that you will like. Maybe try a shorter river cruise the first time. Maybe 7-10 days. I'm betting that you will have a wonderful time!

[MVPinBoynton]

I believe you have been given very good information on the differences of ocean versus river cruises. We loved our AMA river cruise so much, we immediately started looking for another one, which we will be doing in August. You might want to check out our Danube River cruise review on our website www.thepreismans.com. It has lots of photos of the ship, menus and food; along with way too many photos of the beautiful places we saw while in port. I would not wait too long to book a river cruise, since they do fill up relatively fast, since the ships are so small. We missed out on river cruises for several years because the ones we wanted were all booked.

[Kellie Poodle]

I am not nearly as well-traveled as other posters. We've done about a dozen ocean cruises and 1 river cruise.

 

I think there is a big difference between river cruising and ocean liner cruising. The river ships are small and very intimate. You will get to know just about all of the passengers.

 

Our river cruise was on Uniworld and I can't complain at all about food. It was plentiful and delicious. The chef, who became my friend and took me on a tour of the galley one evening, was able to purchase whatever fresh produce he found at local markets and we enjoyed the creative use of that produce.

 

There are many more food choices on a cruise ship, but there was always simple fish, chicken and beef mains on the menu if you weren't enticed by the evening's fare. I believe there were at least 3 main dish choices at dinner.

 

What struck us as the biggest difference between the types of cruising is probably best defined as the "graciousness" of river cruising. It is slow, it is personal, it has an element of luxury that we just don't find on the ocean liners, even though we book premium cabins and don't sail the bargain basement lines.

 

We have just come off a 7 day Caribbean cruise and, as you can see from my sig, we are booked on a 15 day Hawaii cruise next year. We will still continue to do ocean cruising, but we are also about to take our second river cruise in June and we are really looking forward to it.

 

It is impossible to compare the two kinds of cruising. They are very different, but, as the French say: "viva la difference" :D

[captgeo]

We're about to take our forth river cruise with Uniworld. We've cruised on the big ships and are tired of the crowds, extra charges for this and that, etc. etc. What cruising we have done has always been itinerary driven -- those places we want to see before we die. What sold us on river cruising was our very first trip from Amsterdam to Vienna. Here we were, sitting in the lounge or up on deck watching castle after castle after castle slowly slip by -- so close you could almost touch them. Try it, you'll like it!

captgeo

[Jesterscourt]

What I liked most about our river cruise was the free cappuccino machine. There's nothing like grabbing a hot chocolate to bring to the lounge, your room, or up on deck! Stretchcruz, would you mind giving the name of the guide you had in Prague? We are given a general bus and walking tour with the cruise line. Did you use her in addition to that? Steve

[stretchcruz]

We did use Jana in addition to Avalon's bus/walking city tour. We did Avalon's tour the first day, and met Jana the next day. She was very flexible about what/where we wanted to go, especially since we didn't know in advance exactly where Avalon would take us.

 

Her name is Jana Hronkova, and her email is: janahronkova@hotmail.com

 

She charged us 600 CZk per hour, that is the price for a group of from 2 to 8 people. We used her by ourselves, well worth the money. We did a lot of walking and also took the electric train. If you contact her, tell her you heard about her from me (Dobie). I emailed her some pictures of our trip and she sent me some pics of her gorgeous children at Christmas....she's a really nice, smart, informative person. She met us at our hotel and we took off from there.