Avalon vs Emerald for Danube 2023

[Croooser]

Looking for some informed opinions from those of you who are well versed on River Cruises.

 

We are an early 70s couple with no mobility challenges who would like to take our first river cruise in 2023 after 30+ ocean cruises. We have spent a lot of time understanding how river cruises differ from ocean cruises and are ready to make a deposit. We are looking at a Budapest to Prague itinerary to give us a good intro cruise. We have never been to that part of Europe - all would be new for us.

 

Here is our situation. We have narrowed our choice down to either:

 

• A 10 day (2 nights in a Prague hotel) Avalon Cat P which is currently $11196 without air and includes tips.

 

• A 11 day (3 nights in Prague) Emerald Cat C which is currently $8740without air and includes tips and a $250 fee to allow cancel for any reason up to 90 days prior to departure.

 

Based on our research, it appears that Avalon and Emerald are comparable in terms of the experience that they deliver, albeit not identical.

 

We know that Scenic/Emerald has had issues related to being hacked and we figure that spending $250 to lock in the price is a reasonable risk that will allow us to cancel if it appears that Emerald continues to have issues.

 

Questions:

 

1. It looks like a no brainer - are we missing something?
2. If anyone has sailed on both Avalon and Emerald, we would greatly appreciate any comments?

[BPCruiser]

First let me say we have never cruised Emerald. However we have done 6 cruises with Avalon since our 1st in 2010. They have all been great which is what keeps us coming back for more. Service excellent, food  pretty good with breakfast & dinner in our opinion excellent compared to Dinner. Wines free flowing & local guides & excursions enjoyable. Ship cabins very comfortable for as little time as we spend in them. The beds facing the river is a nice feature not offered by all cruise lines. We always book a French Balcony cabin to front of ship. Decor contemporary & clean. We were most impressed on our last river cruise in Sept 2021, Basel to Amsterdam. They ran the cruise with only 28 passengers on board a ship that has Capacity of around 150. They could have easily cancelled due to low bookings Post Covid but they did not. We had a wonderful cruise and were treated royally despite the few passengers on board. There were no short comings from the crew we could notice due to low passengers on board. We had our own private so to speak cruising vessel for 13 days, it was wonderful!!

So my view point cannot provide any comparison for you but can only say we have been more then satisfied with all our Avalon Cruises. Budapest to Prague is a beautiful  itinerary and most of our cruises are Fall cruises as we prefer the less crowded atmosphere compared to Summertime travel. I wish you luck in your choices and hope whoever you decide on you have a wonderful cruise!

[franski]

Hi - We have travelled with both - and you can't go wrong with either IMHO.

 

I am of the opinion that there are more similarities than differences in river cruising.  The biggest  variable (at least to me) is the cruise director... and you have no control over that. Next is the chef - as he often brings his own crew along. Again - no control  Food is subjective - so hard to rate that. 

 

Many river cruisers are brand loyal... we are not particularly.  We look for itinerary, then dates, then prices.  After travelling with most of the major players, we feel that Avalon is a good fit for us.  That being said, we have another Emerald cruise booked in February next year.  (We leave with Scenic - water levels permitting - in just over 2 weeks...).

 

If you are unsure - and price is not the driving factor - I suggest you compare a couple of things.

1) The cabin - size, layout etc.  We usually travel lowest category (aka Aquarium Class) so that isn't a big deal for us.  

2) Stop and excursions.  Although many stops on the river are the same, often there are differences in what the included excursion is. If there is something you really want to see, is it included in the daily excursion?  

3) Where is the hotel located?  If it isn't close to Old Town in Prague, how easy is it to get there?  Will the company provide transport?  The last time we were in Prague, it was before a cruise of the Elba with Viking.  The hotel was not convenient - but Viking had shuttle buses so you could get in & out of the downtown core quite easily. 

 

You can stay extra time in Budapest on your own... Very easy to organize.

 

Enjoy!!

 

Fran

 

[Daisi]

I'll start off saying I have only cruised Avalon, so can't compare the two lines apart from the research I did trying to choose between the two for our upcoming Danube cruise.  We chose Avalon because: 

 

1) the itinerary - although I wanted to go to Bratislava, Czesky Krumlov & Nuremburg were "must sees" for me, and Emerald didn't include Czesky Krumlov with it's Nuremburg cruise.

 

2) the layout of the cabins - I know Emerald says their Panorama suite is 273 Sq. feet, but it looks cramped, and looking at the window, I'm sure the split "rail" for the drop down will be at my eye level, whereas Avalon's sliding doors opened the other way.

 

3) the videos I saw online (which are hard to find for either line) and reviews found through various sites, Avalon's just seemed to "suit" us more.

 

4) the ability to see what hotels we will be in, and areas. I am a major "planner", so like to plan eating, and sights to see and the distance from the  hotel.

 

As to the risk of having to cancel 90 days prior, I know for Avalon you would only lose the deposit, you may wish to check that you don't have to pay extra for Emerald.  We always purchase Cancel for any Reason insurance, I have older parents and after the past couple of years, you never know if something can happen. That would cover any full payment if we had to cancel after the 90 days.

 

What made us choose Avalon for our first cruise was the fact that they were connected with a company that has a great reputation for land tours that a lot of our family & friends had taken. They couldn't say enough about how they were, so that transferred over to Avalon, as they are all under the same umbrella.  Also, they had a saying when we booked something to the effect that they would rather see smiles on their guest faces than white gloves on their staff. We aren't "fussy" people, when we go on holidays, we go to relax (ha ha for river cruising by the way), we don't want to dress up, we want to discover the areas we are in and enjoy the sights.  The first night, after our Captain demonstrated the safety drill (with his crew behind him obviously enjoying him having fun trying to get the life jacket done up among other things), he said they were a family on the ship, and they wanted us to feel as if we were a special part of the family. 

 

Hearing all the problems of the past 3 years (Covid, rush to get back to travelling with air & staffing issues, low water), I am very glad we chose Avalon for our Danube cruise, as from what I have heard, Avalon has gone above and beyond to be not only fair to their passengers, but to help them out any way they can.

Edited September 3, 2022 by Daisi

[Croooser]

Thanks very much to each of you for the detailed responses. They are very helpful and I know that they take some time. Much appreciated. 

 

Sounds and looks like Avalon might be our best bet, but hate to pay approx. $2000 more for one day less. OTOH, if we are taking the time, effort and expense to go, we should do everything that we can to make it as good a trip as possible.

 

Thanks again.

 

 

[Daisi]

One way to "cut the cost" would possibly move down to the Saphire deck. The cabins will be the same, and you are closer to the water, so get a more "straight out" view over looking down.  While you aren't in your cabin much, it's nice to be able to enjoy it while you can. On the Rhine, it was great seeing the swans cleaning off the ship right at our cabin.

[Host Jazzbeau]

There is a big difference on Scenic if you are on the top deck, with several valuable amenities added.  Does Emerald make such a distinction?  If not, we have always viewed the middle deck as the best location.  [Safe from noise form early risers on the Sun Deck; safe from noise from gravel bottoms going through low water.]

[franski]

2 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

There is a big difference on Scenic if you are on the top deck, with several valuable amenities added.  Does Emerald make such a distinction?  If not, we have always viewed the middle deck as the best location.  [Safe from noise form early risers on the Sun Deck; safe from noise from gravel bottoms going through low water.]

No - the amenities aren't different for upper deck cabins with Emerald.  Scenic is the higher end of the 2,  and treat their upper cabin guests a little differently. 

 

We almost always travel Aquarium class.  On Scenic, that still gets us a butler, and one bag of laundry/trip.  Very happy with those perks.  I can pay for extra laundry if needed - for a lot less than I would pay for an upper deck cabin!!

 

Fran

[Canal archive]

See I said we should call it the Swan deck. Aren’t they cute when they carry the cygnets on their back

All aboard. On the Canal du Nivernais France.

Edited September 4, 2022 by Canal archive

[Wings55]

@Canal archive The Swan Deck... That's always been our term too.  😉

Paul

[Coral]

3 minutes ago, Wings55 said:

@Canal archive The Swan Deck... That's always been our term too.  😉

Paul

I have been on swan deck also!

[Canal archive]

Only one thing to say ‘great minds think alike’ 😁

[franski]

I have always called the lowest level Aquarium Class - as a good portion of the cabin is below the water line... 

 

I would have to be much taller to be able to stand by the window and see those swans!!  They would be a bit below the window ledge - so probably would only be able to see the tops of their heads!!

 

Fran

[Host Jazzbeau]

I think calling the lower deck 'swan class' would be confusing.  The middle deck cabins are the ones where the swans come up to your French balcony expecting handouts.  Two 'swan' decks?–too confusing!  Let's stick with the accepted terminology.  😀

[Canal archive]

It was only ever a whimsical shall we say aberration 🤪
 

Gliding like a swan above and paddling like a lunatic below.

 

Or Otter class not so many in Europe especially not like this.

Edited September 6, 2022 by Canal archive

[marieps]

May I ask why you have ruled out AmaWaterways?  We just completed the 7 day Magna on the Danube cruise and it was extraordinary.    Four days in Budapest at a VRBO and 4 days in Prague after.  We found a great car service to Prague from Vilshofen about which I posted on another thread.  The Magna is the largest river cruise ship and offers much larger rooms, most with full balconies, not just a window that opens.

[KathyK13]

I agree with Daisi that switching to the Sapphire deck would make sense.  We have done 3 cruises in rooms on this middle deck; definitely wouldn't spend the extra for an upper deck.  Although we will be staying in the upper deck on our upcoming Christmas Markets cruise in December, but only because it was a free upgrade!

 

What time of year do you plan to sail?  The Rhine and Danube were at historic low levels last month and boats couldn't sail the whole itinerary.  Companies with more boats on the river (Viking, Avalon, Ama) were sometimes able to do ship swaps.  Smaller companies like Emerald and Scenic might not have a 'matching' boat to swap to.  Also look at how the companies treated customers affected by low water.  I read several posts on an Avalon FB page that said they had to spend a night or two in a hotel instead of sailing and Avalon gave them full refunds for the days spent in the hotel, even though Avalon paid the hotel bill.  While disappointed that their cruise was impacted, everyone was very happy with Avalon's customer service.   I don't know how Emerald dealt with the low water because I don't follow them.  But worth you looking into.  

[Croooser]

On 9/8/2022 at 2:47 PM, marieps said:

May I ask why you have ruled out AmaWaterways?  We just completed the 7 day Magna on the Danube cruise and it was extraordinary.    Four days in Budapest at a VRBO and 4 days in Prague after.  We found a great car service to Prague from Vilshofen about which I posted on another thread.  The Magna is the largest river cruise ship and offers much larger rooms, most with full balconies, not just a window that opens.

We tried to look at AmaWaterways but could not find pricing online. Apparently you must call? We spend a LOT of time comparing various lines, sailings and cabins when booking. And we do it online.

 

On 9/8/2022 at 4:01 PM, KathyK13 said:

I agree with Daisi that switching to the Sapphire deck would make sense.  We have done 3 cruises in rooms on this middle deck; definitely wouldn't spend the extra for an upper deck.  Although we will be staying in the upper deck on our upcoming Christmas Markets cruise in December, but only because it was a free upgrade!

 

What time of year do you plan to sail?  The Rhine and Danube were at historic low levels last month and boats couldn't sail the whole itinerary.  Companies with more boats on the river (Viking, Avalon, Ama) were sometimes able to do ship swaps.  Smaller companies like Emerald and Scenic might not have a 'matching' boat to swap to.  Also look at how the companies treated customers affected by low water.  I read several posts on an Avalon FB page that said they had to spend a night or two in a hotel instead of sailing and Avalon gave them full refunds for the days spent in the hotel, even though Avalon paid the hotel bill.  While disappointed that their cruise was impacted, everyone was very happy with Avalon's customer service.   I don't know how Emerald dealt with the low water because I don't follow them.  But worth you looking into.  

See next reply.

[Croooser]

So, we booked Avalon View 9/10/23 Budapest - Prague which is a 7 Day Danube with a 2 day Prague extension. We plan on a few days in Budapest on our own prior to the cruise. We did change to the Sapphire deck midship. We understand that the lowest level would save us $$$, but we want the window and are willing to pay for it. 

 

Hated to walk away from a $2000 saving on Emerald for basically the same itinerary with similar excursions but...

 

The low water levels are a concern, but September fits our schedule and seems like a good time to be on the Danube IF the water levels are OK. There have been several comments that Avalon is taking care of it's guests when trips are interrupted by low water levels. That was a factor in our decision. Also, the Globus connection has been mentioned as giving Avalon an advantage on dealing with hotels and excursions.

 

Deposit is $500. So, we have until next June to walk away at a cost of $500 which is acceptable to us. Emerald would have been a $1000 deposit.

 

We gave Avalon's ships a small advantage compared to Emerald because we like the bed orientation and the window slider better. Also, the pool/movie theater on Emerald is innovative but wasted space for us.

 

Reviews on CC from this year seem to be somewhat inconsistent on Emerald.

 

Emerald's issues this year in recovering from the hacking and the pandemic were a concern. Who knows where they will be a year from now?

 

Thanks again to those who provided some really on point first hand info. It is greatly appreciated and was very helpful.

 

🤞 Fingers crossed that it will be a great trip.

 

 

Edited September 10, 2022 by Croooser

[Daisi]

Crossing fingers for you, as we leave for Budapest on the 16th of Sept next year. Let's hope the weather holds well, but if not, at least we know that Avalon will look after us well.

 

Oh...and free happy hour for 2023, so you can enjoy a drink before dinner!  I'm also hearing lots of good for the AvalonGo App, and that the receivers used for tours also work for hotspots for wifi.

                   *************************************************************

Tried to edit with a quote but it won't let me.  I do agree with you about the AMA site, as well as many others. To much work to figure out online just what is available and costs. One more plus for Avalon...very easy site to go over, and when you are shopping online, the less time you are going back & forth, the more I for one will stick with that site.

Edited September 10, 2022 by Daisi

[marieps]

9 hours ago, Croooser said:

We tried to look at AmaWaterways but could not find pricing online. Apparently you must call? We spend a LOT of time comparing various lines, sailings and cabins when booking. And we do it online.

 

See next reply.

The website is not as friendly as it ought to be.  When looking at a cruise, there's a link above that says "Dates and Pricing."

[hihandycap]

On 9/10/2022 at 8:07 AM, Croooser said:

We plan on a few days in Budapest on our own prior to the cruise.

Several suggestions:

-pre-book earliest Parliament tour for one of your mornings

-use Rick Steves for planning (don't miss one of the ruin bars & Central Market) 

-consider a 48/72-hour Budapest card (even though Lukács Thermal Baths are free with card, Széchenyi is a memorable experience.)

 

Enjoy (we sure did).

[Mary229]

I also have this question.  If it helps I like a Holland America for ocean cruises - quiet cruising at a value oriented price but not budget.  
 

I took a river cruise and was very disappointed.  Instead of rehashing that experience, see review if interested, our biggest disappointment was we were never docked in a convenient position.  We expected to be able to walk off the boat into the “main” tourist area of town.  We like to explore on our own, usually opting for a 1/2 day excursion freeing us to walk around on our own for the 2nd part of the day.

 

so the question is would by docking position be any better for Avalon versus Emerald?  Do the boats dock in town for the most part on Danube cruises?  Thank you for your input.  
 

otherwise most of you seem to think the two experiences are equivalent. 

[Daisi]

As far as I know, all ships use the same docks, with the odd exception of Viking in some areas that have their own.

 

Unfortunately, since there is no way of knowing which river cruise you took, or with whom, we really can't help. I know the Avalon Rhine does do most stops in the "old town" areas, however you have to consider that you are limited on rivers as to where they dock and if their older areas are on the river. 

 

We are planning the Danube next Sept on Avalon, and know that when we stop in Vienna, we will not be in the older section, and that going to Nuremburg we will also be bussed. However I believe those are the only 2 places.

[Mary229]

49 minutes ago, Daisi said:

As far as I know, all ships use the same docks, with the odd exception of Viking in some areas that have their own.

 

Unfortunately, since there is no way of knowing which river cruise you took, or with whom, we really can't help. I know the Avalon Rhine does do most stops in the "old town" areas, however you have to consider that you are limited on rivers as to where they dock and if their older areas are on the river. 

 

We are planning the Danube next Sept on Avalon, and know that when we stop in Vienna, we will not be in the older section, and that going to Nuremburg we will also be bussed. However I believe those are the only 2 places.

Thank you for your assistance.  Is there a way to find out the locations of the docks for any given voyage, assuming navigable conditions. 

Edited September 28, 2022 by Mary229