Douro River Cruise Company Choice

[donaldsc]

My wife and I are considering a Douro River cruise in October 2015 as an add on to our Celebrity Spain cruise. I have been able to find 3 cruise companies that do US traveler oriented tours. I have not done any exact cruise comparisons yet but the price comparisons are Viking - $3056; Uniworld - $3699 or $3199 if you drop the Lisbon portion of the trip; and AMA - $3099. I need to do more research on the differences between the cruises but based just on the price, it seems as if Viking and AMA are about the same price and Uniworld is $200 to $500 more expensive depending upon whether you take the pre-cruise.

 

We have never done a river cruise before. My question what do I get for the additional money that Uniworld costs and is it worth it? We can easily afford the more expensive cruise but I do not like to throw out money.

 

Also, are there any more European passenger oriented cruises that we should look at the might give us a different cruising experience?

 

DON

[nana541]

Uniworld is completely "All-Inclusive" all tours, all drinks (wine, etc) not just at meals....Viking has many add on fees, AMA not as many but not All-Inclusive. A fast trip to their websites will give you a clearer picture. I believe you will find more passengers on the Viking ship 200 vs 140 - 160 on Uniworld & AMA.

 

If you spend any time on Cruise Critic River Boards you will find many happy cruisers with all three companies and some great reviews of all. Many here would tell you that AMA and Uniworld are considered higher end companies than Viking, but Viking loyalists might dispute that characterization.

 

These cruises sell out more than a year in advance so it may come down to who has availability in the category you want to travel. Spend some time reading reviews on this board.

 

Isn't it great to have a choice like this! Welcome to the River Cruise Board :)

 

 

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[cole]

My wife and I are considering a Douro River cruise in October 2015 as an add on to our Celebrity Spain cruise. I have been able to find 3 cruise companies that do US traveler oriented tours. I have not done any exact cruise comparisons yet but the price comparisons are Viking - $3056; Uniworld - $3699 or $3199 if you drop the Lisbon portion of the trip; and AMA - $3099. I need to do more research on the differences between the cruises but based just on the price, it seems as if Viking and AMA are about the same price and Uniworld is $200 to $500 more expensive depending upon whether you take the pre-cruise.

 

We have never done a river cruise before. My question what do I get for the additional money that Uniworld costs and is it worth it? We can easily afford the more expensive cruise but I do not like to throw out money.

 

Also, are there any more European passenger oriented cruises that we should look at the might give us a different cruising experience?

 

DON

 

Here is another vote for Uniworld. Not only is Uniworld all inclusive with excursions, wine, etc. your gratuities are also included - so you can add that to what you pay on other ships. I would also encourage you to consider the extension in Lisbon (if you do Uniworld). We loved that experience as well as the cruise itself. The second day in Lisbon, we opted for a tour to Sintra and it was well worth the addition $50 per person. The Douro is a wonderful river cruise no matter which company you choose because you will cruise the river during the day and see beautiful scenery along the way.

Cole

[donaldsc]

Here is another vote for Uniworld. Not only is Uniworld all inclusive with excursions, wine, etc. your gratuities are also included - so you can add that to what you pay on other ships. I would also encourage you to consider the extension in Lisbon (if you do Uniworld). We loved that experience as well as the cruise itself. The second day in Lisbon, we opted for a tour to Sintra and it was well worth the addition $50 per person. The Douro is a wonderful river cruise no matter which company you choose because you will cruise the river during the day and see beautiful scenery along the way.

Cole

 

We will do Lisbon but maybe not w Uniworld. We will be doing the river boat trip after a Celebrity cruise that starts in Barcelona and end in Lisbon. We will have 4 or 5 days on our own between cruises so that will be our Lisbon time.

 

My daughter has told us that Lisbon is great and she will not talk to us if we skip the place - LOL!!

 

DON

[4774Papa]

Have you considered Vantage, it is a quality line and their prices will beat the other three lines you mentioned.

 

We have been looking at a Douro River cruise ourselves. I found that for the same price I could get an 11 day tour including river cruise with Vantage for the same price that AMA charges for the cruise alone.

 

We have done AMA and Vantage cruises/trips and like both. The difference was negligible.

[aquilegia]

We will do Lisbon but maybe not w Uniworld. We will be doing the river boat trip after a Celebrity cruise that starts in Barcelona and end in Lisbon. We will have 4 or 5 days on our own between cruises so that will be our Lisbon time.

 

My daughter has told us that Lisbon is great and she will not talk to us if we skip the place - LOL!!

 

DON

 

The Viking Douro cruises spend the first 2 nights in a hotel in Lisbon. This is not a tour extension, it is a fixed part of the itinerary included in the basic price.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Here is another vote for Uniworld. Not only is Uniworld all inclusive with excursions, wine, etc. your gratuities are also included - so you can add that to what you pay on other ships.

 

This is a major, major cost on river cruises. Here are AMA's tipping guidelines:

Europe: For good service, we recommend 3 Euros per passenger, per day for the Cruise Manager and 12 Euros per passenger, per day for the crew, which will be divided up among the ship's personnel. It is also customary to acknowledge a particularly good performance of a local guide by leaving a tip of 1-2 Euros per tour. Gratuities on most vessels, but not all, may be charged on credit card as well as cash.

That's 30 Euro per day for a couple. I assume that Viking would be similar. Factor that into your comparison of prices, and Uniworld looks really good.

[1westover]

We cruised Uniworld River Beautrice on the Danube. It was excellent. In 2015, we are cruising the Duoro on AMA Waterways. Going in September 2015 and holding the last 5 cabins on the ship for friends.

Chose AMA for a few reasons. We had a French Balcony cabin on U. 185 sq, ft. After a few days. I really felt closed in. The full veranda cabin on A is 215 sq. ft. and offers a full veranda. Cruising during harvest time on the Duoro, a French balcony is useless and we want a little more space. Now we can enjoy our veranda.

[rrgator]

Uniworld is completely "All-Inclusive" all tours, all drinks (wine, etc) not just at meals....Viking has many add on fees, AMA not as many but not All-Inclusive. A fast trip to their websites will give you a clearer picture. I believe you will find more passengers on the Viking ship 200 vs 140 - 160 on Uniworld & AMA.

 

 

I am curious as to what you consider many add on fees. I have been on 2 Viking cruises and the only add on fees that I am aware of are drinks other than lunch and dinner, and if you buy the Silver Spirits package, you have unlimited drinks, both alcohol and soft drinks, 2-3 optional excursions which run approximately 45-55 Euros, and tips for the staff. Other than those, I am not aware of any others. That does not seem like many to me. What am I missing?

Edited June 17, 2014 by rrgator

[donaldsc]

I am curious as to what you consider many add on fees. I have been on 2 Viking cruises and the only add on fees that I am aware of are drinks other than lunch and dinner, and if you buy the Silver Spirits package, you have unlimited drinks, both alcohol and soft drinks, 2-3 optional excursions which run approximately 45-55 Euros, and tips for the staff. Other than those, I am not aware of any others. That does not seem like many to me. What am I missing?

 

Was that 45 Euros each or total? 45 Euros is about $60. If total, that is not so bad. If each, that is $180. Also, how much did you spend on tips on Viking? If tips are $12.50 / day, that is $87.50 for a 7 day cruise plus tips to the tour guides.

 

DON

[rrgator]

It was per person per optional excursion.

 

There are tipping guidelines for the program director and then the rest of the staff. Here are the guidelines:

 

Europe

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

 

That works out to 224 euros for 2 people on an 8 day cruise, about $315 US. We also tip individuals, cabin cleaner, bartenders, wait staff, etc, individually, also. Probably $400 total in tips. I also tip the tour guides 5 euros and the drivers 2 euros each trip.

 

The Silver Spirit package for an 8 day cruise was $210 US each. I believe I got my money's worth the 1st night. :D

 

I also forgot that you do pay extra for any laundry services, which I have used both times. I don't remember exactly what it cost, but it seemed reasonable and is done very well.

[donaldsc]

I did notice one interesting thing when comparing cruises. Vantage and AMA count the day you do the overnight flight to Europe as the first day. Uniworld and Viking do not. Therefore, comparing apples and apples, you have to knock off one day on the advertised cruise length for Vantage and AMA cruises.

 

DON

[nana541]

I did notice one interesting thing when comparing cruises. Vantage and AMA count the day you do the overnight flight to Europe as the first day. Uniworld and Viking do not. Therefore, comparing apples and apples, you have to knock off one day on the advertised cruise length for Vantage and AMA cruises.

 

DON

 

 

Good catch and real common!

 

 

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[Ozjohnno]

I found this is common practice with tour companies. It makes working out a true per Diem quite difficult. BTW a Tauck holiday starts the day you arrive.

Edited June 18, 2014 by Ozjohnno

[fred111]

My wife and I are booked with Uniworld Sept 2014. We have cruised with them several times before and are extremely satisfied. We are looking forward to some extra time before the cruise in Lisbon and after the cruise in France.

[donaldsc]

I found this is common practice with tour companies. It makes working out a true per Diem quite difficult. BTW a Tauck holiday starts the day you arrive.

 

I know that it is common practice but the other companies that do the Douro do not count the transit day as the first day.

 

My general practice is to assume that any information that a cruise company gives you is deceptive at best and a total untruth at the worse.

 

Also, it is fairly easy to compare the true and total per diems if you use Excel. I do it all the time. You just have to remember not to leave stuff out.

 

DON

[4774Papa]

Vantage does not count the travel day. It counts 11 days of the 12.

 

The prices are almost the same but Vantage has one more day.

Portugal & the Douro River Wine Country

Portugal • Spain

 

 

 

 

 

$3199 for June 2015

 

 

11

 

days

 

 

 

 

Viking price for June 2015 for 10 days

$3,156

[Riversanddale]

We did the Douro with Viking over Christmas 2013 and loved it. It was our 5th cruise with them (since taken another and booked for one more) and the crew and Program Director were all excellent. It was one of our favorite trips. We were on the older boats but very comfortable and a few less passengers. Two lunches were off the boat as well as two dinners which really made for a good experience. Weather was cold and the river came up while we were at the Spanish end but Viking did an excellent job of persuading the lockmasters to let us back down the river before they opened the flood gates. Viking was the only line sailing over Christmas.

 

We actually did 3 additional nights in Lisbon on our own before we started the Viking tour. It's a favorite place for us since we discovered it on our own after a European Spring cruise in 2013. For a private guide try Lisbon Explorers (our favorite is Paolo) - they are truly value added.

 

We loved the Viking itinerary in Lisbon and on the Douro (especially loved the tile museum experience, the male Fado singers and University in Porto and the bakery in Favaios among other places).

 

Enjoy your trip whatever your choice.

[MarbellaSD]

I am doing this cruise on the AmaVida starting next week, with one extra day in Lisbon and the 3-day AMA Lisbon package that includes Sintra, and will post a full review, either as we go along or when I return. I've gotten so many tips from CC for our cruises that I want to be helpful to others as well. I also do a trip journal which I email to friends with a few photos of the day (and it will be the basis for whatever I post on CC). If you are interested in getting it, you can provide me your email. Apparently CC no longer has the private message function; at least I can't find it anymore! :( Be sure to spell it out as follows to prevent being picked up by a spambot: [emailname] at [domain] dot [com. net etc.]

 

Regards,

[alexandra cruiser]

It was fantastic,but if all things being equal I d take the one with full balcony.I ts just so pretty you hate to miss any sites,at all.

I ve taken 2 Uniworld and 3 AMA and give slight edge to AMA as far as rooms,service,food,excursions. AMA was also featured on Burt Wolf travel show,and if good enough for HIM,eh.

Quite frankly the area is so pretty and towns so cute,you could take a rowboat and enjoy it.HAHAH

Just figure out ALL the costs,what s important to YOU and just go for it.If not up to par, try next company on the following one.Now if Scenic did that area,not sure?...THAT WOULD BE THE ONE I D CHOSE. Really top of the line,if that's what you want.Worth every penny.

[1westover]

I am doing this cruise on the AmaVida starting next week, with one extra day in Lisbon and the 3-day AMA Lisbon package that includes Sintra, and will post a full review, either as we go along or when I return. I've gotten so many tips from CC for our cruises that I want to be helpful to others as well. I also do a trip journal which I email to friends with a few photos of the day (and it will be the basis for whatever I post on CC). If you are interested in getting it, you can provide me your email. Apparently CC no longer has the private message function; at least I can't find it anymore! :( Be sure to spell it out as follows to prevent being picked up by a spambot: [emailname] at [domain] dot [com. net etc.]

 

Regards,

 

 

Marbella

 

Look forward to reading your Duoro River Cruise report. This particular trip is getting several mixed reviews. Thank you.

[1westover]

Marabella

 

Now, several of us are wondering wether to go or not go. We are not reading positive reports on this particular Duoro cruise. What a shame!!

 

Any additional comments?:confused:

[Host Jazzbeau]

Marabella

 

Now, several of us are wondering wether to go or not go. We are not reading positive reports on this particular Duoro cruise. What a shame!!

 

Any additional comments?:confused:

 

There are far more positive reviews than negative ones, so I'm not sure where you are reading. [There are other websites than Cruise Critic? Sorry, you can't expect me to admit that! ;)] We have 6 reviews of AmaVida. Two are 5+ stars; two are 5 stars; and two are 3 stars. One of the 3 star reviews is from March 2014 [i.e. probably the first cruise of the season, when the crew is just getting to know each other] and the reviewer is a first-time river cruiser whose comments give me the feeling they will not like river cruising. That only leaves one negative review by a credible reviewer, against four extremely positive ones. The "Douro River 2015" thread has one review from pacmom which is also positive. And CC's Carolyn Spencer Brown reported on a great experience on AmaVida this year. You won't find a better ratio of positive to negative on very many cruises.

[fred111]

I agree with Jazzbeau. We took the Douro River cruise with Uniworld in September. It was out tenth river cruise overall (more than one company).

 

I compared my experience on the Douro with a couple of the negative reviews and can't believe that I was on the same cruise.

 

Take every review with a grain of salt and go on the cruise. You will be happy that you did.

[cole]

As I have stated before, we have been on only 4 river cruises, but next to the Rhine, this was our favorite. We felt that one of the plusses of the cruise was sailing during the daylight hours so you could enjoy the beautiful scenery. We had no complaints and would do it again in a heartbeat! (But more places to go before we do a repeat ;) )

Cole