New Question; Any comments as to Vantage vs Ama?

[Wapak]

Thanks to all for your previous input. I hadn't considered Vantage. Ama sound pretty good. I am interested in their Germany routes. How does costs, food, tours, rooms, average passengers, # of people on board, etc compare?

[Talisker92]

Thanks to all for your previous input. I hadn't considered Vantage. Ama sound pretty good. I am interested in their Germany routes. How does costs, food, tours, rooms, average passengers, # of people on board, etc compare?

 

There are so many variables that you have to consider what your priorities are. I have been on 4 Vantage river cruises, and really enjoyed them.

The variables are:

cabin size and location

number of shore excursions included

are tips and transfers included

airfare charge

are soft drinks and wine included

number of passengers

number of ports

Stories and pictures of our cruises are on our website. We are happy to answer any questions.

Edited February 3, 2014 by Talisker92

[alexandra cruiser]

AMA is much more highly rated,but costs more too.So you get what you pay for.

 

Vantage DOES NOT allow TAs ,which rules them out for me.

 

Do read the member reviews for both.

 

I ve taken 10 river cruises,with all the main lines,and now realize that SO much research is inv.to find right line for YOU.

 

What I like and need may vary,so take all info into consideration.

 

PS.saw Burt Wolf on Travel Channel and he was on AMA,figured good enough for HIM..haha:)

[pbnjrockette]

We have traveled 10 times with Vantage---rivercruises, land tours and on cruise ships. We have NEVER had a bad experience with them.

 

As for needing a TA…have had 3 local ones and am still searching for a good one!

When I call Vantage we have a dedicated "President's Club" number and have always gotten excellent service. For our upcoming trip in July there is a dedicated agent that is working directly with our group.

 

We have always stayed at excellent hotels, enjoyed our included tours and optional tours. We have never been disappointed.

[caviargal]

We have not cruised with Vantage but have cruised with AMA twice, and have two more booked.

 

We have taken 6 river cruises and often see many vessels in port, and cross through some or are docked directly next to them and have to cross through.

 

For us, we prefer an upscale experience and Vantage feels/looks much more basic than what we are used to and prefer.

 

We really enjoy the cabins and quality bedding on AMA, the power showers, the high standards for food and wine. Their boats feel like upscale boutique hotels IMO.

 

We would not be interested in Vantage, or GCT, based on what we have seen of their boats in port.

 

It is a matter of personal preference.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

We have don 2 with Vantage one for 11 days and one for 27 day, Both were flawless. I would tell any one doing a river cruise to us them Vantage is a tight run operation. who really cares about there customer ..

[4774Papa]

We have done two river cruises with land trips on Vantage, Russia and China. We stayed in first class hotel when not on the cruise. Program Managers were super.

 

AMA was excellent as well, although a little more expensive than Vantage.

 

Both have great products and I am sure you will enjoy either.

 

The first river cruise company that I became aware of was Viking, due to receiving a brochure in the mail from them.

 

However, before I selected my first river cruise, I researched all the available river cruise offerors.

I selected Vantage based on what they offer for what they charge.

Every time I do the research and consider Viking, Vantage, and others, I picked Vantage, except for the one time I picked AMA, due to the timing of the cruise.

 

Vantage beats Viking every time for what you pay for.

This doesn't mean Viking is not a good company, just that they may not offer the best value.

[pacmom]

We have travelled on both lines. One thing that no one has mentioned is the pax mix--only Americans on Vantage, but many different nationalities on AMA. Personally feel that AMA pampers their pax more--plate of cookies in cabin, absolutely fantastic shower in bathroom. Both lines did well on Christmas markets, still think AMA has the edge with food and handling weather related events--we cruised during the closed Danube in 2011 and never missed a port. We are blessed to have so many choices and to be able to see much of the world by river. Pat

[Hydrokitty]

We have travelled on both lines. One thing that no one has mentioned is the pax mix--only Americans on Vantage, but many different nationalities on AMA. Personally feel that AMA pampers their pax more--plate of cookies in cabin, absolutely fantastic shower in bathroom. Both lines did well on Christmas markets, still think AMA has the edge with food and handling weather related events--we cruised during the closed Danube in 2011 and never missed a port. We are blessed to have so many choices and to be able to see much of the world by river. Pat

 

I agree, I've taken 5 trips with Vantage including Egypt and Russia and have two more scheduled. I have never had a bad experience with them and being a control freak, I like dealing with the President's Club rather than a TA. Vantage does indeed cater to the American and particularly retired professional traveler (lots of teachers) and sometimes I do miss a mix of non-American passengers. But I agree with Pat I don't think you would be disappointed with either line. Compare the two of them specifically with included shore excursions....I think that is probably the biggest difference.

[WhansaMi]

Thanks to all for your previous input. I hadn't considered Vantage. Ama sound pretty good. I am interested in their Germany routes. How does costs, food, tours, rooms, average passengers, # of people on board, etc compare?

 

We have only done one river cruise, with Vantage, and it put me off even considering another river cruise. My review is on the site: River Odyssey. I have come to realize that, maybe, just maybe it was the line, or the particular cruise, or whatever, and so one day I might try again, but definitely with another line.

[jacksonnh]

WhansaMi,

Can you post a link to your review?

[WhansaMi]

WhansaMi,

Can you post a link to your review?

 

Wow. Interesting. I guess the Odyssey has been sold or decommissioned? There is no listing for it.

 

I can summarize some of the problems I had with the cruise:

 

The sights on the excursions tended to be second or third tier sights, not the ones you would think they would have you going to. Some were, quite frankly, misleading. One listed itself as a "cultural connection" wherein you had "lunch with the locals". By that they meant that they local people *served* us lunch.

 

 

 

When I envisioned "smaller ship", I also envisioned smaller groups on the excursions. I dislike being herded, and tend to feel that it wastes a lot of time, as moving groups of 35 or 40 people is simply time consuming. We also seemed to have a great number of people in our group who would walk through a doorway and stop dead, to look around. The guides kept asking for everyone to come in and move to the far side of the room, but, it didn't happen.

 

Since the price of the cruise included the tours, we were hoping the main sights in the morning with the group, and then go out on our own in the afternoon. Since the groups were so large, and often the sights were not the major ones, we felt that whatever money we might have saved from being on Vantage was not really saved, as we ended up not using the services, by halfway through the trip.

 

The passengers were well traveled, but many had gotten to the age where they no longer seemed to have much intellectual curiosity anymore. One, who arrived for the pre-cruise extension in Budapest, didn't know what currency was used there. :-O I'd guess that 95% of the passengers went on the canned tours in the morning, returned for lunch, and never again left the ship, even if we were docked until midnight.

 

As some folks have mentioned, Vantage tends to serve only Americans. In my case, the cruise was right before the presidential elections, and many people on the cruise were quite vocal about their positions, and, more problematic, seemed to make the assumption that everyone on the ship agreed with them (because, everyone with a brain must, right??). I don't blame Vantage for that, but it did call home to me the fact that, with only two common areas on the ship (the dining room and the lounge), there aren't many places to escape to. If I ever take another river cruise, I will go with a more international group.

 

While there is "open seating" in the dining room, there is only one seating *time*. In our case, it was pretty much at 6 pm. Since we tend to eat late at home, this felt too early for us. There is no room service or other options for a meal or even a snack in the evening, unless you are docked and you leave the ship.

 

I need to run now, but these were the main problems I had with the cruise.

 

Let me know if you have any questions.

[Host Jazzbeau]

While there is "open seating" in the dining room, there is only one seating *time*. In our case, it was pretty much at 6 pm. Since we tend to eat late at home, this felt too early for us. There is no room service or other options for a meal or even a snack in the evening, unless you are docked and you leave the ship.

 

This is true of all river cruises, I believe.

[npphotog]

Re: WhansaMi comments.

We have done 5 river cruises plus their Best of Africa tour with Vantage and have been really well pleased. Never had any problems with the program itinerary they provide. I think that most tour companies offer the same type of schedules. We are looking toward our next adventure with Vantage. Could be that river boat touring might not be your thing.

[alexandra cruiser]

This is true of all river cruises, I believe.

 

and another café for snacks etc. But this is only one I ve found with that.

 

Plus,another venue besides just the one dinner area option is a plus.

 

Will be taking my first cruise with them,but sounds like top of the line and worth extra to me.Even booked a jr.suite with butler,tub,full balcony with removable top,,etc..know I m paying for it,but WORTH it to us.Even pick you up from airport,without having to use THEIR air.All exc.inc.,,so not having to pay extra for them onboard.Plus,inc.drinks,tips,ALL Day,NOT just dinner times.That can add up.

 

So there are exceptions on river cruises,;)