Your favorite river cruise?

[ripaula]

We are considering our first river cruise and would like to ask this most basic of questions..

 

What was your favorite river cruise (and what cruise line)?

 

*If you've only done one and would highly recommend, please do!:)

[Hydrokitty]

We are considering our first river cruise and would like to ask this most basic of questions..

 

What was your favorite river cruise (and what cruise line)?

 

*If you've only done one and would highly recommend, please do!:)

 

Hi ripaula.....I've done 8 river cruises all with Vantage....and of course I highly recommend them. They deliver a really good trip and everything is top of the line, but cheaper than Viking. All shore excursions are included with only a couple of optional tours that usually involve a chartered coach (with bathroom) admission to someplace unique, like a castle and often lunch in a restaurant. Plus they have free wine, beer and soda with dinner on most cruises and the food is excellent. My favorite cruise would have to be my first one, Castles on the Rhine, Amsterdam to Budapest, (now Cologne to Budapest) and that is tied with my last one, which was last month: Amsterdam to Basel, the Rhine and Moselle. Both have wonderful ports with lots of things to see and do and the scenery is magnificent.

[Host Jazzbeau]

We have taken two river cruises, both on AMA -- and loved both of them. The Rhine may be the better first cruise, because you visit 4 countries and one day you sail the famous Rhine Castles stretch which is probably the single most scenic day on a European river. We just completed the Rhone cruise and we liked it even better. French cuisine and French wines are just better [in my foodie/wino opinion!], the scenery is very nice and there are lots of castles [if not as many], the Roman history starting in Lyon and continuing all the way to Arles was an unexpected treat -- and there seems to be plenty of water in the Rhone so we never had to worry about getting stranded.

Edited September 24, 2015 by Host Jazzbeau

[notamermaid]

I loved my only river cruise so far, on the Danube. A fantastic experience, especially if you, like me, you do not know the area at all. Comparing towns and history to "my" area (the Rhine and France, Luxembourg, Belgium) was great. The cruiseline probably does not appeal to a North-American potential cruiser. I agree with hostjazzbeau that the Rhine is preferable for a first river cruise but others might disagree. And I also recommend - based on my land trip -the Rhone with its Roman architecture, best river cruise for it. Would love to do that on a river cruise. Yes, also for the food and wine. :)

 

notamermaid

Edited September 24, 2015 by notamermaid

[cole]

Every river we have cruised has been our favorite ;) Seriously though, our first was the Rhine 6 years ago and returning again next year. We did the Danube for Christmas Markets and then the Douro - which was magnificent. We have also done south France and that was probably our least favorite, although it was probably due to the time of year (everyone in France was on summer holiday and many shops were closed). The Elbe was wonderful, but river levels can be a problem at times. Uniworld, Avalon and Vantage have been the ones we have used and have no complaints with any of them. We just wish there were more rivers in Europe to cruise. But for your first - try the Castle Rivers cruise. You will love it!

Cole

[ripaula]

Wow.. thank you all! This is a big help. So glad I have this resource!!:)

[ripaula]

Hi ripaula.....I've done 8 river cruises all with Vantage....and of course I highly recommend them. They deliver a really good trip and everything is top of the line, but cheaper than Viking. All shore excursions are included with only a couple of optional tours that usually involve a chartered coach (with bathroom) admission to someplace unique, like a castle and often lunch in a restaurant. Plus they have free wine, beer and soda with dinner on most cruises and the food is excellent. My favorite cruise would have to be my first one, Castles on the Rhine, Amsterdam to Budapest, (now Cologne to Budapest) and that is tied with my last one, which was last month: Amsterdam to Basel, the Rhine and Moselle. Both have wonderful ports with lots of things to see and do and the scenery is magnificent.

 

Thanks Hydrokitty. What do you like about Vantage?

[ripaula]

Thanks B. Cole! You named 3 cruise companies.. Do you choose by price or itinerary?

[Ritabob]

Every river cruise was wonderful for different reasons. Uniworld's Grand Christmas and New Year's was so great we did it again two years after the first time. Getting away from north American commercialism and frantic craziness (and dysfunctional family holiday dynamics ) made it an experience we'll never forget.

You have to spend time reading all the brochures / websites and deciding which one (s) appeal to you according to what is important to you....route, price, cabin size, etc. Good luck and have a great cruise!

[Hydrokitty]

Thanks Hydrokitty. What do you like about Vantage?

 

The non-suite cabins are all the same size...the food is excellent with a variety of choices...there is an included shore excursion in every port...the staff on the ships are wonderful...there's a chair life to the sun deck for those who have trouble with stairs and an elevator from the main deck to the lower one....there are enough chairs and chaises on the sun deck for everyone....they allow passengers to chose their walking group and the slow group gets the exact same tour but at a slower pace....basically, I feel I get the most for my money wth Vantage.

[cole]

Thanks B. Cole! You named 3 cruise companies.. Do you choose by price or itinerary?

 

What we have found is that the companies generally have the same itineraries. There isn't that much of an opportunity to vary where the ships will dock. We look at the length (7 - 9 days is our preference due to the length being away from our fur babies ;)) but others prefer the longer ones because if you are going to be in Europe, you might as well see as much as you can. Then, of course, the price is always a consideration - but you have to take into account what is included. Some companies are all inclusive (meaning the service charge, alcohol for all meals, etc.). The choices for the Elbe are limited as far as companies go due to the depth of the river. Not all companies have ships that can sail in water that shallow, which is why we chose Vantage - but no complaints about them at all. Right now, we are leaning toward Avalon due to their beautiful new suite ships. But be forewarned, once you take your first river cruise, it won't be your last.

Cole

[Hydrokitty]

What we have found is that the companies generally have the same itineraries. There isn't that much of an opportunity to vary where the ships will dock. We look at the length (7 - 9 days is our preference due to the length being away from our fur babies ;)) but others prefer the longer ones because if you are going to be in Europe, you might as well see as much as you can. Then, of course, the price is always a consideration - but you have to take into account what is included. Some companies are all inclusive (meaning the service charge, alcohol for all meals, etc.). The choices for the Elbe are limited as far as companies go due to the depth of the river. Not all companies have ships that can sail in water that shallow, which is why we chose Vantage - but no complaints about them at all. Right now, we are leaning toward Avalon due to their beautiful new suite ships. But be forewarned, once you take your first river cruise, it won't be your last.

Cole

 

That is SO true!!! River cruising becomes an addiction:D

[CPT Trips]

Our favorite was the Rhein and Mosel, Antwerp to Basel in two weeks with Grand Circle. We have been on five trips with Grand Circle and have enjoyed every one.

[ripaula]

Thank you!!

[marco]

We've done 8 now, including a barge cruise in France. The most recent was last month "Portraits of Southern France" with Viking. We've done Viking, Grand Circle, Vantage and I don't remember who the barge cruise was through, but it was sponsored by a museum and was through the "French Impressionists" area south of Paris. The most memorable one was down the Nile. I'm not so sure that would be a good choice right now and don't even know if anyone is offering them at this time. 2nd most impressive, I would have to say was St Petersburg to Moscow. Vienna to Amsterdam was the most scenic whilst on the river. I would not hesitate to recommend any of the companies we traveled with. On all, the guides were EXTREMELY knowledgeable not only about the included sites, but on what there was to see/do in the towns/cities we overnighted in based on what your specific interests might be. On all the dining was quite good, beer wine included at dinner on all and at lunch on some. On Viking, there were even mimosas available at breakfast. After having done 3 "oceanliner" cruises in Europe, a European river cruise is the ONLY way will travel in Europe, if not a land tour.

[bubbulz]

We've only done one, but thought it was so fantastic that we have already booked our second and are planning a third. We chose Uniworld's Castles along the Rhine for some of the reasons mentioned here. Also, we wanted to go on one of Uniworld's 'super ships' (SS Antoinette, SS Catherine, and SS Maria Theresa). We chose to go at the end of September since we thought the ports would be less crowded with tourists than in the summer, and it would be cooler. I think Uniworld has spoiled us so badly that we probably will never try another cruise line. We really liked that it was completely all-inclusive, and everything was top of the line.

[Hydrokitty]

We've only done one, but thought it was so fantastic that we have already booked our second and are planning a third. We chose Uniworld's Castles along the Rhine for some of the reasons mentioned here. Also, we wanted to go on one of Uniworld's 'super ships' (SS Antoinette, SS Catherine, and SS Maria Theresa). We chose to go at the end of September since we thought the ports would be less crowded with tourists than in the summer, and it would be cooler. I think Uniworld has spoiled us so badly that we probably will never try another cruise line. We really liked that it was completely all-inclusive, and everything was top of the line.

 

And that's the way it goes! I think most of us on CC who had a really wonderful first cruise tend to stay with the same company. You know what you're going to get and the perks start to add up. Castles on the Rhine with Vantage was our first trip.....it was wonderful and we've just completed our 8th with them.

[TravelerThom]

Our favorite was the Rhein and Mosel, Antwerp to Basel in two weeks with Grand Circle. We have been on five trips with Grand Circle and have enjoyed every one.

In Europe we have done 8 river cruises with Grand Circle, 2 with Viking, 2 with Vantage and 1 with UniWorld (and other river cruises in Asia, Africa and South America). I enjoyed all of them, but have to agree with CPT Trips that the Grand Circle Rhein and Mosel was my favorite. Grand Circle is one of the few companies to still have a dedicated Program Director for every 40 passengers, and having that personal contact is a significant plus in my estimation. Grand Circle seems to give me the best value for my money, but be aware that most of their boats are older (but well maintained) and most have only fixed twin beds.

 

Thom

[Hydrokitty]

In Europe we have done 8 river cruises with Grand Circle, 2 with Viking, 2 with Vantage and 1 with UniWorld (and other river cruises in Asia, Africa and South America). I enjoyed all of them, but have to agree with CPT Trips that the Grand Circle Rhein and Mosel was my favorite. Grand Circle is one of the few companies to still have a dedicated Program Director for every 40 passengers, and having that personal contact is a significant plus in my estimation. Grand Circle seems to give me the best value for my money, but be aware that most of their boats are older (but well maintained) and most have only fixed twin beds.

 

Thom

 

You and I have been on the same page with this TM/concierge issue for a long time now...however, after my last trip with Vantage I find myself having to re-evaluate my position on the matter. Several things were new this time (Rhine/Moselle): one being that we were all asked to fill out a brief questionaire indicating our walking preference and interests and broken up daily into groups that were color coded so there was no "yellow is the turtle group"...(I am one of the turtles) our TD, Jessie, was one of the best I have ever had...by the second day she knew everyone by name and had watched each of us move about so was able to recommend the best group. Our concierge, Agnes, was also much better than our last cruise. Aggie always had time to sit and talk about where we were going and what we could do on our own from points of interest to cafes and shopping. She had brochures, maps and I think she knew every person in every port we stopped in..including the passenger who wanted a "European style haircut"...Another thing that was different was the amount of time we had on our own to explore. The bus would take us all from the ship to the main square (or there would be a walking tour) and then we would be directed to where the bus would pick us up at specific times to bring us back to the ship leaving us free to sight see, shop or sit and people watch with a beer, coffee and strudel! I have to say that it worked and I was pleased. :D And while my favorite river cruise was and probably always will be Castles on the Rhine, this one ranks right up there in the top 5...Russia and Egypt were unforgettable and so was Holland during tulip season!

[Andromeda93]

I concur with all the posters who are recommending the Rhine / Mosel trip as a 'first foray' into river cruising. We've done two trips so far with AMA and have a third coming up soon, all on different rivers.

 

We found the scenery on the Rhine gorge section to be so beautiful (the 'castles' everyone is talking about) it really made our trip very special. The Mosel valley is also beautiful; slopes of shale planted with impossibly steep vineyards where grapes are hand-harvested by pickers hauled up via a cable system. It's amazing and the towns visited on those cruises usually cover the whole range from tiny villages right on the river to larger cities.

 

Another consideration is ease of entry/exit into the major cities for a given river, and how comfortable you are with the relevant languages, currencies, etc. The Rhine is an easy entry because it usually starts or ends in Amsterdam which is a wonderful city to visit and easy for English speakers to navigate. Our Rhine cruise ended with a land transfer to Paris via Luxembourg which made it easy to return home after a stay in Paris. The Danube usually involves starting or ending in Budapest or farther east, which could be more challenging now given the situation in eastern Europe (not knowing how long things there could be in flux).

 

One consideration as you are researching cruise companies is to look at total capacity of the ship (in terms of crowding) and also their payment structures. Some users on CC have noted that Viking requires payment far in advance of most other companies. Others have mentioned their customer service was sub par to most other companies in crises such as high or low water levels. I'm not trying to Viking-bash, just pointing out that there can be non-cruise-specific factors which may affect your choice of cruise line.

 

River cruising is an incredible way to see historic and beautiful sights and natural features, and I hope you do book a trip and really love it. Good luck!

[Hydrokitty]

I concur with all the posters who are recommending the Rhine / Mosel trip as a 'first foray' into river cruising. We've done two trips so far with AMA and have a third coming up soon, all on different rivers.

 

We found the scenery on the Rhine gorge section to be so beautiful (the 'castles' everyone is talking about) it really made our trip very special. The Mosel valley is also beautiful; slopes of shale planted with impossibly steep vineyards where grapes are hand-harvested by pickers hauled up via a cable system. It's amazing and the towns visited on those cruises usually cover the whole range from tiny villages right on the river to larger cities.

 

Another consideration is ease of entry/exit into the major cities for a given river, and how comfortable you are with the relevant languages, currencies, etc. The Rhine is an easy entry because it usually starts or ends in Amsterdam which is a wonderful city to visit and easy for English speakers to navigate. Our Rhine cruise ended with a land transfer to Paris via Luxembourg which made it easy to return home after a stay in Paris. The Danube usually involves starting or ending in Budapest or farther east, which could be more challenging now given the situation in eastern Europe (not knowing how long things there could be in flux).

 

One consideration as you are researching cruise companies is to look at total capacity of the ship (in terms of crowding) and also their payment structures. Some users on CC have noted that Viking requires payment far in advance of most other companies. Others have mentioned their customer service was sub par to most other companies in crises such as high or low water levels. I'm not trying to Viking-bash, just pointing out that there can be non-cruise-specific factors which may affect your choice of cruise line.

 

River cruising is an incredible way to see historic and beautiful sights and natural features, and I hope you do book a trip and really love it. Good luck!

 

Well said, Andromeda!!!

[bubbulz]

And that's the way it goes! I think most of us on CC who had a really wonderful first cruise tend to stay with the same company. You know what you're going to get and the perks start to add up. Castles on the Rhine with Vantage was our first trip.....it was wonderful and we've just completed our 8th with them.

 

Yes, very true! I'm glad that I felt I got every penny's worth on this last trip and wasn't one of the folks here on CC complaining that my cruise left something to be desired.

[Hydrokitty]

Yes, very true! I'm glad that I felt I got every penny's worth on this last trip and wasn't one of the folks here on CC complaining that my cruise left something to be desired.

 

Me too..:D

[ripaula]

Thank you, one and all!! All information is being duly noted and going onto my spreadsheets! :)

[Hydrokitty]

Thank you, one and all!! All information is being duly noted and going onto my spreadsheets! :)

 

As one northeasterner to another have fun spending winter planning your cruise!!:D