river cruise walking tours - general info

[bgtravler]

There has been a post working the last couple of days regarding "slow walker groups". My wife and I will be on an Avalon river cruise later this year and would like to hear more about how the varying capabilities of the travelers is handled by the various campanys and Avalon specifically. And, how well has it worked? I haven't seen many comments regarding this aspect of a cruise expressing an opinion either way.

[NanciEA]

I can't comment on Avalon having never cruised with them. I can tell you that on our AMA Tulip Time cruise last month, the various levels of walking tours did not work very well for the "active" walkers. Cruisers are left to decide for themselves what group they want. They are color coded and you ask for the color you want. There was an elderly woman on one of the first "active" tours who needed assistance walking. She said she was "active for my age". Most days there were four groups (120 passengers) gentle, active and two medium. I decided that people either think of themselves as gentle or active. After the active group was the slowest on one day, we decided the best bet was to go with the smallest "medium" group.

[caviargal]

It did not work well at all on Avalon. They advertise multiple levels but we have done two cruises with them in the last 18 months and neither offered a fast walked group. Everything was geared to the slow walkers.

 

Because of this we rarely participated in the group tours.

 

We are trying AMA this time and hope to have a better experience.

[surroundedbyboys]

Caviargirl~ was it easy to break off and do your own thing? We are very active, and love to see as much as possible.

[jacksonnh]

surroundedbyboys - you can go off on your own and need not take any of the offered tours. Just make sure you are back in time for sailing.

[caviargal]

Caviargirl~ was it easy to break off and do your own thing? We are very active, and love to see as much as possible.

 

We are the same way. I researched the ports ahead of time and we just headed off by ourselves most every day. Sometimes when the center was not walking distance we would take the bus transfer offered by the boat into town and then get off when the tour started. We very rarely participated in the tours as they were simply too slow.

 

Twice on our itinerary we visited two ports in a day. In between there was a large chunk of time on the boat; for us this was wasted time. When we are in Europe we want to be out exploring as much as possible. On these days we would simply find out where the boat would be docked at the second port and then used public transport between the two stops. In this way we were really able to maximize our time in port and really enjoy ourselves. We always had the number of the reception desk with us in case we need to contact them - this is important as occasionally docking spots change.

 

We are very active and also experienced travelers so using the local transport was not an issue for us and we really enjoyed this time on our own.

[bgtravler]

It doesn't sound like this part river cruising turns out real satisfactory for a lot of the folks on the tour although it is advertised as one of the big benefits of river cruises. Does the walking speed issue seem to be a problem with many folks or is it just one of those annoyances you have to deal with. We don't want to be leaving tours where knowledgable guides will be telling us what we are seeing and the history. Going out on our own isn't the answer as we don't have much background on the various stops. We'd like to be told about the places, not do a lot of research; this is vacation. When we strike out on our own that will be for shopping, stopping at a coffee/pastry shop or enjoying a relaxing cafe. While we are medicare age we are avid walkers. Hope our Avalon tour is able to organize our folks so everyone feels relatively satisfied.

[NanciEA]

Bgtravler, my husband and I decided it is just one of those annoyances of group travel. Some people are considerate of others, and some are not. Some are organized, attend the cruise director's briefing and are well informed, while others are clueless. Most of the tours stopped often for the guide to point things out, etc., so it is not continuous, active walking anyway. The key is to find the smallest group, as they tend to move faster. The tour guides were almost uniformly great on our river cruise, so I would not skip it and go off on my own. There was so much to learn, and there was always free time on your own at the conclusion of the tour.

[Second seating]

We have cruised with Uniworld twice and have never had problems with the walking groups. I am mid 50's and can walk faster than most younger. On the last cruise in Oct. they did have active, medium and slow and it worked great.

 

Second seating

[Big Al B.]

We were on the Avalon Tulips tour in April. They did specifically offer one slower walking group tour at one of the stops (which did entail more walking). The other tours were just "pick a color" with no specific speed attached. It seemed to work well.

[RachelG]

I have been fretting about this walking speed thing as my husband and I are very active and fast walkers, yet I hate to miss out on the information given on the tours. I have done a lot of research, so I guess we will just go with the flow and if things are moving too slowly, we will do our own thing. Maybe they should have a fitness test--if you can't go up and down a flight of stairs in less than a minute, you are not in the active group.

[Kellie Poodle]

I have been fretting about this walking speed thing as my husband and I are very active and fast walkers, yet I hate to miss out on the information given on the tours. I have done a lot of research, so I guess we will just go with the flow and if things are moving too slowly, we will do our own thing. Maybe they should have a fitness test--if you can't go up and down a flight of stairs in less than a minute, you are not in the active group.

 

 

It was our experience with Uniworld that everyone seemed satisfied with the tours. One woman had a foot in a cast. Another walked with a cane and my DH, who has congestive heart failure, needed frequent rests. They did not have a special group for "slow walkers" but everyone in whatever group these people found themselves in was tolerant of the needs of others and not a single soul complained about the disability of others ruining their trip.

 

There is plenty of time to explore things on your own at our own speed after the normal morning tour.

 

Generally speaking, river cruises do cater to an older demographic. Perhaps a faster moving land tour would be more in line for those with no tolerance for their fellow slow-moving passengers.

[bgtravler]

I sense from the comments (especially Kellie Poodle's use of the words "no tolerance for slow moving passengers") on this subject that folks are not totally happy with the way walking tours are handled, but they don't seem to say much, at least not at the time. I guess they are minding their manners. On the cruise she mentioned it sounded like each group got their share of folks who needed lots or extra time. Why?? On a cruise of 120 - 160 people there must surely be a more effective way of grouping the folks. And, being tolerant shouldn't be an issue.

 

I can guarantee that I will be talking to the CD on our trip about how he/she plans to handle the walking issue. Folks who want or need a relaxed pace, those who want the "cliff notes" version and those of us in between should have a decent chance of being accommodated.

 

No one has commented specifically on numbers of groups. Sounded like 3 or 4. What has been typical?

[surroundedbyboys]

Thank you Jacksonnh & Caviargirl. It's nice to know that we can play it by ear and choose to either stay with the group or break off on our own as needed.

 

We're a young family who are really looking forward to our first river cruise. We may not fit the demographic but we're up for anything and can't wait for the new experience!

[Sea42]

Can anyone clarify for me, if the tour includes admission for a site can you still tour the site on your own without the guide and without paying an admission price?

Thanks

[Kellie Poodle]

Can anyone clarify for me, if the tour includes admission for a site can you still tour the site on your own without the guide and without paying an admission price?

Thanks

 

It's the tour guides who do the ticket stuff. You might ask the cruise director if they have the tickets and can give you yours in advance.

[franski]

On any of our cruises, they usually divide the group into 4 --> occasionally 3 if less passengers are going. They often offer a "gentle walkers" group - but have no idea of the "success" of these as we have not joined that group.

 

Most times, the tour is a "start and stop" scenario. If the guide wishes to point something out on a piece of architecture, or explain a bit about the history or a place or person, he/she will stop and explain. So, even the "regular" group isn't walking without a break (ie: if you are looking for a "power walk" experience, this isn't it...)

 

With the Audiovox system, you can wander off a bit, and still hear what the guide is saying. You can move off to get pictures, look at things from a different angle etc.

 

I don't believe you can enter a site on your own without paying the admission. How would anyone know that you are with the river cruise if you did that?? You could, however, enter with the group - and then break away once inside.

 

One thing to be aware of is that sometimes the boats have their docking location changed. When we were in Strasbourg, we were scheduled for a canal boat tour. The canal boat would accommodate all passengers, so there was one large group. The boat was docked much further away from the canal boat than was expected - so it resulted in quite a walk. One gentleman - who walked with a cane because of a stroke - took much longer to walk the distance than anyone else. There were no complaints - nor should there have been. This was no ones "fault".

 

I would like to think that everyone can be gracious and tolerant in circumstances such as those described above (cast on a foot, walking with a cane, history of congestive heart failure...). I am sure that there will be times in life when we all would like (or may need) some "accommodation" - and hope that I am in the company of people who understand that when it is my turn.

[RachelG]

I am not trying to be mean or intolerant. But if I broke my foot the week before the trip and had it in a cast, I certainly wouldn't put myself in the fast walkers group. I have been on many tours where there were 80+ year olds who were very fast walkers, so it isn't necessarily an age thing.

 

BUT, if a person is a slow walker AND a slow group is available, the slower walking person should be in that group instead of the fast group. Just makes sense. Then the slower person isn't stressed by having to try to keep up, and the faster people aren't frustrated by having to wait.

 

Just because no one says anything about having to wait on someone who is moving slowly doesn't mean they aren't wishing that person took the slower tour. They are probably just being polite (as we would be), or they just leave the group and go off to do their own thing (which we have done on occasion).

 

Now if there is no slower group or faster group available, I wouldn't be complaining. I would just take it as is.

[Sea42]

Thanks for the information!

[roger62305]

BGTRAVELER you won't have any problem with the tours. We were on the Avalon Felicity the first of April, Amsterdam to Basel. We took most of the tour and only had a problem with two, Our problem was not about the walking speed because the tours would normally only walk about a half a block at a time before stopping and pointing out the sites. Even if you had to stop for any reason most of the people would take pictures or wonder around in the area before the tour went on it's way. The radios they give you make it easy to hear the guide so you don't need to be directly on they're tail all the time. There was no fast or slow tour groups that I was aware of.

Most of the time first time cruisers are more interested in seeing the sites and on the tours then the more experienced cruisers.

The problem we had on the tours was with the guides. One we couldn't understand and the other was just too detailed with the facts.

Have a great cruise and let us know how it went.

 

Roger

[bettee]

Rachel G,

You do not want to miss the local tour guides telling you about what they are trained for and know best. Enjoying a place is all about the tour guide. Ours on Uniworld were all wonderful except one. They are very knowledgeable and enthusiastic and give fabulous information. We were a little "toured out" by the end of our cruise and did our own thing in Cologne and did not get any info about the Cathedral. I was disappointed. What I would do next time is bring a guide book about all the ports and then if a tour guide was not great, leave the tour group with book in hand and see the rest on our own. My only complaint about the tours is that sometimes they stay longer than I would like for free time at a certain site. Since we were bussed, we could not leave and get back in time for shops to be open in a small village I wanted to see. These are minor annoyances, but the touring is great over all and makes the trip to Europe.

[KCcruisin07]

BGTRAVELER you won't have any problem with the tours. We were on the Avalon Felicity the first of April, Amsterdam to Basel. We took most of the tour and only had a problem with two, Our problem was not about the walking speed because the tours would normally only walk about a half a block at a time before stopping and pointing out the sites. Even if you had to stop for any reason most of the people would take pictures or wonder around in the area before the tour went on it's way. The radios they give you make it easy to hear the guide so you don't need to be directly on they're tail all the time. There was no fast or slow tour groups that I was aware of.

Most of the time first time cruisers are more interested in seeing the sites and on the tours then the more experienced cruisers.

The problem we had on the tours was with the guides. One we couldn't understand and the other was just too detailed with the facts.

Have a great cruise and let us know how it went.

 

Roger

 

This is close to my experience with AMA last year. We didn't have any slow walkers in the medium group. My husband went with the fast walkers' group once, and they didn't go any faster than the other groups. He went on his own after that.

 

I agree with Bettee that you do not want to miss the local tour guides' commentary. We were on the Danube cruise and hearing about life before and during the two world wars and Communism was extremely interesting.

[Bowie MeMe]

Like with most tour guides you pay your money and hope that you get an intellegent, hard working, clear speaking, funny and insightful person who is also tall enough to see in the crowd and relaxed enough that you don't worry she/he will pass out. Sometimes you get close to all above factors other times well not so close. I have had small groups (4) for private tours, ship tours, cattle calls where I almost ended up in the wrong bus/ship because I followed the wrong #3 sign:o and one poor old man that should have retired 25 years prior to when he led us through the most interesting beaches and festivals in a forced march to his lecture point. Face it --it is luck of the draw and even somewhat the luck of your group makeup (one complainer or attention junky AHHHHH:eek:) I have had guides on river cruises, ocean cruises, land trips, bus trips and safaris. Most thank heavens were wonderful and well deserved a good tip. Others sole purpose was to make the good guides look even better:D Nothing on these boards will allow you to know what your experience will be. Going expecting the very best usually leads to a satisfactory trip. River cruises have a wonderful advantage with the voice box system -- can hear well and walk around where you want and still be "part of the group".

[Redtravel]

Took a cruise with AMAwaterways. My spouse walks slow. There was sometimes a group of slow walkers. If there wasn't a slow walkers group designated, we did our own thing....usually better than the organized excursions. In some places, it was fine. In others it wasn't good. For example, in Cologne, the regular walkers walked to the cathedral and the slow walkers were sent by taxi. Taking a taxi was a nice touch. However, we were then included in the walking tour with the regular walkers....moved too fast and left us in the dust. In Cochem, the slow walkers were told that the castle tour would be the same for all walkers and that after the castle tour we would be in our own group. Everyone was to driven up the hill and down the hill. Then the regular walkers would take a town tour and the slow walkers were to be driven back to the ship. Unfortunately, it didn't happen. The tour guide threw everyone off the van in town and insisted that we take the walking tour. After a short time, we were abandoned and forced to walk back to the boat. We had no map, no directions, and no assistance. It was a disaster...and a long walk with steep stairways to climb...no taxi available. The AMA cruise director resposne was "sorry". She never went with any group on any tour. As a slow walker, I would never trust AMAwaterways again. I may think about another riverboat cruise. It will never be on AMAwaterways. They sound great on paper, but in reality they don't measure up. Other people that we traveled with have had better experiences on Viking and Uniworld.

[Lexizmom]

On our 14 day Avalon cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest (just finished), we had five groups for all but one daily tour - they were color coded, and one was designated 'slow-walkers'. We found that after the first day or two, people tended to go with the same color groups, and those groups tended to have people walking at a similar pace.

 

Those of us who wanted to drift off to take pictures or look in a shop window had no problem doing so, and because we had headsets programed to our color-coded guide's receiver, we could still hear what the guide was saying if we chose to listen. Entrance fees, where applicable, were paid by the guide.

 

Occasionally people chose not to join the groups and did their own thing. Your CD will give you particulars on how to do things on your own.

 

However, down the Rhine/Main/Danube, most stops are small towns and you are never far from the group - even when the tour ends and your free time starts. In Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava, and Regensberg, people went their own way after the walking tour was done.