Who’s booked for 2019 Season?

[boblerm]

12 hours ago, wanderingoz said:

We are booked on the Uniworld Ultimate European Journey from Bucharest on 30 Sept. 25 nights but I'm sure we won't be bored.  So looking forward to it. Our first river cruise.

 

11 hours ago, gnome12 said:

Some people love it and some hate it.

I suppose anything is possible, but for me, the terms "hate" and "river cruising" used together just do not compute!😉

[Got2Cruise]

13 hours ago, wanderingoz said:

We are booked on the Uniworld Ultimate European Journey from Bucharest on 30 Sept. 25 nights but I'm sure we won't be bored.  So looking forward to it. Our first river cruise.

It’s impossible to be bored. Everyday a new adventure. Can’t wait to hear about it 

[Got2Cruise]

1 hour ago, boblerm said:

 

I suppose anything is possible, but for me, the terms "hate" and "river cruising" used together just do not compute!😉

Same here😀. It’s the most stress free way to travel. 

[gnome12]

Just remember the people who hang around this board are the people who like river cruising. Those that don't are here to complain for one cruise and never come back.

 

I have done 4 river cruises because they fit the way I enjoy travelling. Even for my previous ocean cruise and the one coming up, I describe it as a river cruise on the ocean, so still in the ball park.

 

But there are cruisers coming from ocean cruising to river cruising who miss the entertainment, and the multiple  dining venues (I know there are a few more on river cruising than there used to be, but not a lot.)  They sometimes find river cruising very limiting. That was why I made my comment.

[acwmom]

16 hours ago, need2travel1 said:

We just booked this morning!  Uniworld's Castles on the Rhine Basel to Amsterdam on July 26, very excited!  I know we'll probably encounter water level issues but that's the date/ pricing that worked best for us (Hub is a teacher so can only travel July-very early August)  Any & all tips/info more than welcome!!.  

1. Do the vinegar farm tour 

2. Go to Heidelberg

3. Climb to the top of the Cologne Cathedral (this is a DIY)

4. In Rudesheim, we chose the active hike instead of winery tour, and really enjoyed it 

 

Have fun!

 

Robin 

[Jimmyford51]

Booked on our first river cruise with Crystal on the Mozart at the end of October. Budapest to Vienna. Leaving from SW Florida so the cooler temps and smaller crowds will be a welcomed change. We'll cross our fingers on water levels! 

Edited March 31, 2019 by Jimmyford51

[need2travel1]

2 hours ago, acwmom said:

1. Do the vinegar farm tour 

2. Go to Heidelberg

3. Climb to the top of the Cologne Cathedral (this is a DIY)

4. In Rudesheim, we chose the active hike instead of winery tour, and really enjoyed it 

 

Have fun!

 

Robin 

Thanks Robin!  I've been following some of your recommendations for a few trips now & they're all spot on:)

[acwmom]

1 hour ago, need2travel1 said:

Thanks Robin!  I've been following some of your recommendations for a few trips now & they're all spot on:)

Unfortunately, you missed out on Mont St. Michel:-(  Of the 4 tours above, all were included except Heidelberg. I don't expect that one to have too little participation to happen. I should mention, we traveled in late March. Your dates could make #3 and #4 a little more taxing, depending on the heat.

 

Robin

[need2travel1]

21 hours ago, acwmom said:

Unfortunately, you missed out on Mont St. Michel:-(  Of the 4 tours above, all were included except Heidelberg. I don't expect that one to have too little participation to happen. I should mention, we traveled in late March. Your dates could make #3 and #4 a little more taxing, depending on the heat.

 

Robin

Missing out on that was a real bummer!  But we figure w/ Castles along the Rhine we've never been to any of the places on the itinerary so any site/town/city is new to us &  that's great.  We've also done almost all of our vacations in July so we're used to the heat.  We hit 109 degrees in Rome once, after that anything feels cool to us!   

[wanderingoz]

On 3/31/2019 at 11:57 PM, gnome12 said:

Just remember the people who hang around this board are the people who like river cruising. Those that don't are here to complain for one cruise and never come back.

 

In my limited experience I have encountered 4 distinct types of posters here.

- those that wish to research and learn

- those that wish to genuinely assist and share

- those that wish to complain

- and those that wish to pontificate.

 

I know which of these I listen to. 

 

[cruisesusie]

On 3/11/2019 at 6:24 PM, CUTTERSAM said:

Off to tip-toe through tulips AMAKristina April 8 from Amsterdam.  Second time of AMA. LOVE LOVE

We're doing the same cruise April 22.  Its also our second time with AMA.  

 

Susan

[NorthWildwood]

First River Cruise.  Flying to Paris on 8/18 to board 8/20 on the Avalon Tapestry II for the Paris-Normandy cruise.  Staying in France, don't know where as yet, two nights after the cruise ends on 8/27.

[TMLAalum]

Avalon's Legendary Danube November 7 on the Illumination  On the "swan" deck aka "aquarium" deck with 12 friends aboard. We are meeting the boat in Nuremberg following 12 days on our own in Germany, Alsace & Switzerland. River cruise virgins😳!

[Got2Cruise]

1 hour ago, NorthWildwood said:

First River Cruise.  Flying to Paris on 8/18 to board 8/20 on the Avalon Tapestry II for the Paris-Normandy cruise.  Staying in France, don't know where as yet, two nights after the cruise ends on 8/27.

Our first River Cruise was with Avalon for the Paris-Normandy itinerary. We loved it. 4 of my relatives then did the same and also loved it. 

[Got2Cruise]

33 minutes ago, TMLAalum said:

Avalon's Legendary Danube November 7 on the Illumination  On the "swan" deck aka "aquarium" deck with 12 friends aboard. We are meeting the boat in Nuremberg following 12 days on our own in Germany, Alsace & Switzerland. River cruise virgins😳!

With 12 friends on board you are assured a good time! We are proud to sail Aquarium Class! We tried a balcony once and we went back to Aquarium. We use the $$$ saved for extra travel while in Europe. Can’t wait to hear all about it. 

Edited April 29, 2019 by Got2Cruise

[jpalbny]

All this river cruise talk has made me feel left out. So we have put together our Portugal and Douro DIY trip over the past week or so. Close to a river cruise, so I'll put my itinerary out there to compare to the cruise. Chris spent a few weeks with a guidebook and came up with a few months' worth of things to see in a week...here are the details:

 

We will fly into Lisbon arriving on a Saturday morning and drop our bags at the hotel, then grab a train to either Sintra or Cascais. Have been to Sintra but not Cascais, and if the weather is nice then a long lunch with an ocean view may win out over a hike to Pena Palace. Staying at Avenida Palace right by Rossio Station.

 

Sunday we pick up a rental car and drive to Tomar with a few stops along the way. Staying at a place called Hotel dos Templarios for 2 nights. There seems to be a ton of stuff to visit in this area. I will go where she tells me.

 

Monday we will visit Tomar and probably Coimbra which will take up most of the day. If we are faster than expected, Chris has many other things we can do in the area.

 

Tuesday we drive to Porto and spend two nights. Some drives to wineries along the river and some other non wine-related stops to keep it safe. Staying at the Intercontinental Palacio das Cardosas. Looks beautiful!

 

Thursday we will head to Salamanca for a night. Any hotel recommendations there? I am looking at Grand Hotel Don Gregorio or maybe Hotel Rector. Does anyone who has taken a Douro cruise remember where they stayed?

 

Then Friday we head to Madrid for 2 nights. Looking at the Gran Melia Fenix or Gran Melia Palacio los Duques. Haven't booked anything yet. 

 

So compared to a cruise, we will see more outside of the Douro region and we will have to compress the time on the river, but even if we splurge on fancy hotels we will probably not spend as much.

[Got2Cruise]

54 minutes ago, jpalbny said:

All this river cruise talk has made me feel left out. So we have put together our Portugal and Douro DIY trip over the past week or so. Close to a river cruise, so I'll put my itinerary out there to compare to the cruise. Chris spent a few weeks with a guidebook and came up with a few months' worth of things to see in a week...here are the details:

 

We will fly into Lisbon arriving on a Saturday morning and drop our bags at the hotel, then grab a train to either Sintra or Cascais. Have been to Sintra but not Cascais, and if the weather is nice then a long lunch with an ocean view may win out over a hike to Pena Palace. Staying at Avenida Palace right by Rossio Station.

 

Sunday we pick up a rental car and drive to Tomar with a few stops along the way. Staying at a place called Hotel dos Templarios for 2 nights. There seems to be a ton of stuff to visit in this area. I will go where she tells me.

 

Monday we will visit Tomar and probably Coimbra which will take up most of the day. If we are faster than expected, Chris has many other things we can do in the area.

 

Tuesday we drive to Porto and spend two nights. Some drives to wineries along the river and some other non wine-related stops to keep it safe. Staying at the Intercontinental Palacio das Cardosas. Looks beautiful!

 

Thursday we will head to Salamanca for a night. Any hotel recommendations there? I am looking at Grand Hotel Don Gregorio or maybe Hotel Rector. Does anyone who has taken a Douro cruise remember where they stayed?

 

Then Friday we head to Madrid for 2 nights. Looking at the Gran Melia Fenix or Gran Melia Palacio los Duques. Haven't booked anything yet. 

 

So compared to a cruise, we will see more outside of the Douro region and we will have to compress the time on the river, but even if we splurge on fancy hotels we will probably not spend as much.

Your plan seems marvelous. I wish we were brave enough to dare international driving. But with our track record  somehow we’d end up in Outer Mongolia. 🤣. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, jpalbny said:

All this river cruise talk has made me feel left out. So we have put together our Portugal and Douro DIY trip over the past week or so. Close to a river cruise, so I'll put my itinerary out there to compare to the cruise. Chris spent a few weeks with a guidebook and came up with a few months' worth of things to see in a week...here are the details:

 

We will fly into Lisbon arriving on a Saturday morning and drop our bags at the hotel, then grab a train to either Sintra or Cascais. Have been to Sintra but not Cascais, and if the weather is nice then a long lunch with an ocean view may win out over a hike to Pena Palace. Staying at Avenida Palace right by Rossio Station.

 

Sunday we pick up a rental car and drive to Tomar with a few stops along the way. Staying at a place called Hotel dos Templarios for 2 nights. There seems to be a ton of stuff to visit in this area. I will go where she tells me.

 

Monday we will visit Tomar and probably Coimbra which will take up most of the day. If we are faster than expected, Chris has many other things we can do in the area.

 

Tuesday we drive to Porto and spend two nights. Some drives to wineries along the river and some other non wine-related stops to keep it safe. Staying at the Intercontinental Palacio das Cardosas. Looks beautiful!

 

Thursday we will head to Salamanca for a night. Any hotel recommendations there? I am looking at Grand Hotel Don Gregorio or maybe Hotel Rector. Does anyone who has taken a Douro cruise remember where they stayed?

 

Then Friday we head to Madrid for 2 nights. Looking at the Gran Melia Fenix or Gran Melia Palacio los Duques. Haven't booked anything yet. 

 

So compared to a cruise, we will see more outside of the Douro region and we will have to compress the time on the river, but even if we splurge on fancy hotels we will probably not spend as much.

 

I don't think the Douro cruises stay overnight in Salamanca.  It's either a day trip on the rt cruises, or a stop along the way from Madrid to Vega de Terron on the ow itineraries.  In either case you sleep on the river boat.

 

We stayed at the NH Paseo del Prado in Madrid – across the street from the tony Westin Palace [and across the avenue from the Prado and the Botanical Garden, and very near the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum and the Caixa Forum].  Madrid is small enough that the walk all the way across town to the Royal Palace wasn't bad, and it was nice to be away from the noise and near the museums and park.  It was much cheaper than the Palace, but very nice indeed.

 

From Porto you can take a day cruise up the Douro to Régua or Pinhão with train/bus return.  

 

[We are planning something similar to you for 2020 with 4 nights in Porto, then a VBT hiking trip that visits the Minho, Douro, and Beiras regions of Portugal, then 3 nights in Lisbon and 1 in Sintra before boarding a Windstar cruise from Lisbon to Barcelona.  We will probably include the Douro day cruise, so it will still be a 'river cruise' trip!]

[cruiselvr04]

On 4/1/2019 at 3:06 PM, wanderingoz said:

 

In my limited experience I have encountered 4 distinct types of posters here.

- those that wish to research and learn

- those that wish to genuinely assist and share

- those that wish to complain

- and those that wish to pontificate.

 

I know which of these I listen to. 

 

 

Hmmmm.  Hope I’m always in the first two categories.  

 

First river cruise in June after about 37 ocean cruises ( hard to keep track sometimes). 

 

We cant wait!  And while I’d love sometimes to be a bit more adventurous on our own it takes a lot planning.  We find it more relaxing to let someone else do the driving so to speak as we consider it a vacation since we’re still working.  Perhaps when we retire we will “travel”.  We will do 2 days pre and post on our own but that’s all we have time for.  We do know this won’t be as relaxing a trip as usual but we don’t need a casino or entertainment.  It will be nice to relax in the evening for a change and any free morning or afternoon will be savored.

[djh1959]

7 hours ago, jpalbny said:

So compared to a cruise, we will see more outside of the Douro region and we will have to compress the time on the river, but even if we splurge on fancy hotels we will probably not spend as much.

We are planning something similar for next year (after our first river cruise this year).

 

Unlike you though, we hate to drive on holidays so tend to use trains.  Our plan is Bordeaux for a few days, train to San Sebastian for five days or so incorporating a visit to La Rioja, train to Madrid for three days, train to Lisbon for five days, ending in Porto for four or five days.  From Porto we will do at least a day trip to the Douro, either by train or a private driver.  

 

We too will see lots more than on a cruise for half the price.

[Solent Richard]

8 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

I don't think the Douro cruises stay overnight in Salamanca.  It's either a day trip on the rt cruises, or a stop along the way from Madrid to Vega de Terron on the ow itineraries.  In either case you sleep on the river boat.

 

 

 

 

 

[We are planning something similar to you for 2020 with 4 nights in Porto, then a VBT hiking trip that visits the Minho, Douro, and Beiras regions of Portugal, then 3 nights in Lisbon and 1 in Sintra before boarding a Windstar cruise from Lisbon to Barcelona.  We will probably include the Douro day cruise, so it will still be a 'river cruise' trip!]

 

You are correct. The visit to Salamanca was a full day included excursion...

 

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2014/08/06/viking-hemming-and-portugals-river-of-gold/

 

[Solent Richard]

And a little help for those planning their own visit or pre and post Douro cruises.

 

Porto...

 

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2015/06/28/one-way-to-do-porto/

 

 

...and Lisbon...

 

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2014/08/20/one-way-to-do-lisbon/

 

 

[Lois R]

6 hours ago, Solent Richard said:

And a little help for those planning their own visit or pre and post Douro cruises.

 

Porto...

 

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2015/06/28/one-way-to-do-porto/

 

 

...and Lisbon...

 

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2014/08/20/one-way-to-do-lisbon/

 

 

Great pictures😁....I just booked Uniworld's  cruise on The Po.  Going in October and I love Venice!!!

[keokukjoe]

Emerald Sky, 7/12-26, Amsterdam to Budapest.  First river cruise. Hope that the water levels cooperate. 

[bobcatalfie]

Uniworld cruise July 2 - July 11, Magnificent Moselle and Rhine, Frankfurt to Cologne. Last July we did Uniworld's Highlights of Eastern Europe on the Danube, Bucharest to Budapest. Can't wait~