River cruise additional costs

[Sugar&Buddy]

We are planning our first river cruise on the Danube. Have checked Avalon, AMA, Viking and Uniworld. Except for Uniworld which appears to be truly all inclusive, what additional costs can we expect?

[DaKa2002]

On our Uniworld cruise on the River Countess, there were no extra charges. On our own, my DW did get a spa treatment, and she bought a UW sweatshirt from their boutique - both extra charge for us. Some folks on board paid extra for their own separate shore excursions; we found most of the regular shore excursions very acceptable.

[YoungDubFan]

On Avalon - we paid for alcohol (non beer / non wine) drinks in the bar before dinner. We tipped our tour guides, and we did 3 optional excursions. We also paid to buy stamps from the ship to mail our post cards versus trying to find post offices in the towns. We prepaid our tips to the staff on the shop. Other than this, no fees.

[peterdkiwi]

Our first river cruise was with Avalon last July Basel to Amsterdam, total spend over 8 days was Euro270 that included 2 extra optional tours for both of us, a couple of btls of wine purchased on wine tour, drinks at happy hour 3 nights, 5 coffees when of the boat walking through towns, a few small presents, some extra tips over and above prepaid tips. We could not believe how little we had spent. Yes we track everything. Found Avalon so good we are sailing with them again in 6 weeks.

[Host Jazzbeau]

On AMA last year we paid for drinks in the bar (wine and beer were free at lunch and dinner) and gratuities (tour guides, Cruise Director, and crew -- AMA gave guidelines for the latter two). One purchase in the ship store (book about the Rhine castles). There were no optional excursions (except on the land extensions, where they were prepaid). AMA provides postcards pays the postage (nice touch).

[FuelScience]

Tips can be a significant factor if you follow the guidelines. Viking, for instance, has the following recommendations:

 

In Europe, we recommend that you tip in euros. Guidelines:

Program Director – €2 per guest, per day

Onboard staff – €12 per guest, per day

Local city guides – €2 per guest, per day

Coach drivers – €1 per guest, per day

 

So for two people that's €34 per day. So for a 7 day cruise, that works out to be about $320.

 

FuelScience

[CPT Trips]

In addition to the things mentioned above, we skip lunch on board to have more tour time, so there is that expense too along with the museums we do in the extra time.

[aquilegia]

On Viking our onboard spend consisted of gratuities, a few drinks at the bar and we took one optional excursion. That was it. Unless you have laundry done or buy something from the small shop area, I can't think offhand of what else you could spend on your shipboard account.

[Ozjohnno]

If you travel with Tauck then except for laundry you will have nothing to pay at the end of the cruise. Everything is included in the price.

[Hydrokitty]

If you travel on Vantage most of your shore excursions are included. There will be a couple that cost extra but they usually involve a long bus ride, lunch or dinner or a higher than usual admission rate. On many, but not all, of their cruises wine is included with dinner, wine is include on all ships for the welcome and farewell dinners. Tips to crew staff, TM, guides and bus drivers are NOT included. If you have lunch on shore, many times Vantage gives you money for lunch, I don't know what criteria they use, but in several places we've been given Euro as we get off the ship to eat (or not) where we choose and if you have laundry done on board it's extra and an be pricey.

[ggo85]

On Viking, tips are optional. Unlike ocean cruises, they aren't automatically added to your bill. Rather, at the end of the cruise, you either drop off an envelope in a box or go to the front desk and have whatever you want charged to your credit card. Unless things have changed in the past year. :confused:

 

We were very pleased with our service and tipped accordingly. But, if you wanted to give nothing, no one but you would know.

 

We've done Viking 3 times. Additional charges have only been for alcohol between meals (beer/wine is included at meals). Even that was VERY reasonable -- I think about 2 Euros for a beer and 3-5 Euros for a glass of house wine. Definitely won't break the bank!

 

IMO, this is one of the huge advantages of river cruising. Your bill at the end is either very small or nonexistent.

[Host Jazzbeau]

On Viking, tips are optional. Unlike ocean cruises, they aren't automatically added to your bill. Rather, at the end of the cruise, you either drop off an envelope in a box or go to the front desk and have whatever you want charged to your credit card.

 

On ocean cruises you have the right to delete the auto tips. But if you do that, or if you don't tip on the river cruise, it's the crew -- not the cruise line -- that suffers. Their income is based on the tip guidelines, and even at that it is not what you would expect for the hours and effort they put in.

Edited June 13, 2014 by Host Jazzbeau

[purduemom1]

On AMA last year we paid for drinks in the bar (wine and beer were free at lunch and dinner) and gratuities (tour guides, Cruise Director, and crew -- AMA gave guidelines for the latter two). One purchase in the ship store (book about the Rhine castles). There were no optional excursions (except on the land extensions, where they were prepaid). AMA provides postcards pays the postage (nice touch).

 

Jazzbeau, you mentioned tips for tour guides, did those tips go on your ship board account or did you hand those tips directly to the guide at the end of the tour? I'm wondering if we will have to make sure we have the correct amount of Euros for each excursion. Were most of the tour guides locals or AMA employees? Thanks.

[Canal archive]

Scenic is also all inclusive, so no worries about tipping.

[CaroleSS]

We are going on an Avalon cruise in July (14 days) and have done the math for how much we'll spend. We have a short land tour (3 days) prior to getting on the boat, so only breakfast is included.

 

Here is my breakdown:

$600 for meals off the ship (a minimum of 5 lunches and 4 dinners)

$400 for optional excursions

$150 in additional tips - we have prepaid gratuities

$150 in tips for daily guides/driver

$200 activities not included by Avalon

 

That's an additional $1500! I may be a little high in some areas, but I've thought about this a lot and my numbers make sense to me.

 

As some have said, some lines include gratuities and all your excursions, but that would only reduce our expenditures by $550, thus leaving $1000.

 

I think it is important to put a number to the OP's question.....or at least it was to me.

[CaroleSS]

Jazzbeau, you mentioned tips for tour guides, did those tips go on your ship board account or did you hand those tips directly to the guide at the end of the tour? I'm wondering if we will have to make sure we have the correct amount of Euros for each excursion. Were most of the tour guides locals or AMA employees? Thanks.

 

I've always heard that you should tip in cash. The tour operators are usually local guides, so it would be difficult to get ship board monies to them.

 

we are going to try our best to have as many low bills as we can. For our trip, that'll be €120 in singles!! Guess we'll get money from the ATM and then find a bank who will convert that to singles.

[cruiseryyc]

When I got off my Scenic cruise last year my entire bill was less than 100 Euros and that was for a bracelet I bought onboard.

 

Tours - included

Onboard tipping - included

Shore tour guides tipping - included

Drinks 24/7 - included

[CPT Trips]

I've always heard that you should tip in cash. The tour operators are usually local guides, so it would be difficult to get ship board monies to them.

 

we are going to try our best to have as many low bills as we can. For our trip, that'll be €120 in singles!! Guess we'll get money from the ATM and then find a bank who will convert that to singles.

 

That's going to weigh a lot! Ones and twos are coins . . . :D

[CaroleSS]

That's going to weigh a lot! Ones and twos are coins . . . :D

 

I thought about bringing a wheelbarrow, but they won't let me carry it on the plane!! :eek:

 

Honestly, we are hoping to get them as change when we buy other stuff, but we'll do what we can!

[CaroleSS]

When I got off my Scenic cruise last year my entire bill was less than 100 Euros and that was for a bracelet I bought onboard.

 

Tours - included

Onboard tipping - included

Shore tour guides tipping - included

Drinks 24/7 - included

 

I'm envious.....but if you compare apples to apples, you more than likely paid those fees in your original fare. I'd do that in a heartbeat if they let me! (although we did pre-pay gratuities - but what we paid is not nearly enough, so we'll add to that).

[Host Jazzbeau]

Jazzbeau, you mentioned tips for tour guides, did those tips go on your ship board account or did you hand those tips directly to the guide at the end of the tour? I'm wondering if we will have to make sure we have the correct amount of Euros for each excursion. Were most of the tour guides locals or AMA employees? Thanks.

 

These were local guides (and bus drivers). We tipped 1 or 2 Euros per day. You need to carry coins: most WCs charge .50 to 1 euro (and only Tauck hands you the coin as you go in).

[CaroleSS]

....most WCs charge .50 to 1 euro (and only Tauck hands you the coin as you go in).

 

My Mother says overseas - McDonalds is your friend! She says the bathrooms are always clean and if you buy a soda you don't feel so guilty using the facilities there!

[YoungDubFan]

I did Avalon's Basel to Amsterdam cruise in May 2010. We did not have to pay to use any WCs. There were plenty of free ones available. Sometimes we asked the tour guide, but never had to pay for any. We did tip the local guides and drivers 1-2 Euros per day in coins.

[cruiseryyc]

I'm envious.....but if you compare apples to apples, you more than likely paid those fees in your original fare. I'd do that in a heartbeat if they let me! (although we did pre-pay gratuities - but what we paid is not nearly enough, so we'll add to that).

 

Of course we paid those in the original fare, the OP asked about "additional" costs over and above the cruise fare. My point is that some cruise lines are truly "all inclusive" if that is what people are looking for.

[purduemom1]

These were local guides (and bus drivers). We tipped 1 or 2 Euros per day. You need to carry coins: most WCs charge .50 to 1 euro (and only Tauck hands you the coin as you go in).

 

That's what i figured. Guess I will just have to shop so I can make sure we have the correct coins for tipping....at least that is what I am going to tell my DH:)