Interested in a comparison between HAL and a Scenic River cruise?

[1of4]

36 minutes ago, Cruise NH said:

This is an interesting topic for us!  We're on our first river cruise, on Amawaterways, next month.  We're going from Budapest to Nuremberg and then onto Prague for a couple of days.  The cost of flying business class to Europe is so high we felt we had to do more while there so after Prague we're flying to Amsterdam to do a 14 day Baltic cruise on HAL.

 

I guess we'll see the comparisons up close and personal.

That sounds amazing!  I’m sure you will love both. We are flying Premium Economy both ways across the Atlantic as we have to pay for a dog sitter 🤷🏻‍♀️😊😆 as our dog is old and very anxious. 

[Petronillus]

4 hours ago, McDeb2119 said:

I’ve only been on one river cruise with Avalon. However, before choosing I did a ton of research. Like you, I wanted a Buick. Not a Focus or a BMW. I also wanted something a little more active as it was for

my 50th birthday and we had a small group ranging in ages from 40-70. Avalon fit the bill and so did AMA so it came down to itinerary as all the ships were very similar. Although now I might consider AMA for their newish ship the AMA Maga.  Drinks are included with lunch and dinner. There are many different tours offered and most are included. 2 tours per day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.  My group and I would go to the lounge for a nightcap and then off to bed as the breakfast was not to be missed before the morning tour.  We have another planned for 2025 and can’t wait.  

Assuming that's a photo of you under your moniker, I surmise that your 50th birthday was 15-20 years in the future when you did the Avalon cruise. 

I'd appreciate it if you cleared a point of confusion for me (another one!): if you're using the same Buick standard I do, did Avalon exceed it? If so, was it closer to the BMW or the Buick? Do you think your experience with Avalon matched OP's with Scenic, as more fully amplified in her/his later posts?

OP had me hooked at complimentary Pringles.

[McDeb2119]

1 hour ago, Petronillus said:

Assuming that's a photo of you under your moniker, I surmise that your 50th birthday was 15-20 years in the future when you did the Avalon cruise. 

I'd appreciate it if you cleared a point of confusion for me (another one!): if you're using the same Buick standard I do, did Avalon exceed it? If so, was it closer to the BMW or the Buick? Do you think your experience with Avalon matched OP's with Scenic, as more fully amplified in her/his later posts?

OP had me hooked at complimentary Pringles.

Has. You are too kind. That photo was actually taken on that trip, so about 5 yrs ago.  In my research I came across quite a few lines and most I would group into 4 categories. Budget, tourist, luxury and ultra luxury.  I would say Avalon is Luxury and Scenic, Tauck, Crystal would be ultra luxury. For the price, I couldn’t justify free pringles for the extra cost. lol. Honestly, I wanted to make sure I had one of the cabins with a balcony, etc and none of it mattered because I was never in the room except to sleep and shower.  There was plenty of food available at all times. Even though drinks were only included at lunch and dinner, my bar bill for 7 days was less than $100.  The food and staff were amazing. The tours were excellent.  I just can’t see paying more for just the boat portion. That’s just me though. Now, if the extra cost gets you a better room on the land portion (often cruises longer than 7 days, there is a land portion included on River Cruises), it may be worth it.  Avalon suited me just fine, exceeded the Buick standard.  Next year we are going with AMA but only because we liked the itinerary better. 

[1of4]

Comparisons are very subjective (and I don’t drink alcohol or eat Pringles 😀). So when deciding on which river cruise company it was the itinerary that was the most important factor. Secondly was the flight was included and we controlled the routing and date we flew. Those were the reasons we chose Scenic for our first river cruise in 2019. We wanted to travel the Seine and Scenic had an 11 day itinerary that hit all our “musts” with many “wants”. But most importantly for us, Scenic is one of only a few companies that sail to the English Channel and into Honfleur. The majority of companies sail only to Rouen and then bus passengers to Normandy. That was the deciding factor for us.  Was it nice to get anything I wanted whenever I wanted?  Of course!  But I am not a fussy person and don’t drink alcohol so they made money on me. 
 

I looked at charts such as these to help me decide. But I can’t find the one that broke down the costs on an all inclusive per day. That is the cart that showed me that although Scenic was one of the most expensive on first looking at total cost, it was actually one of the least expensive when you factor in the inclusions like no tipping, laundry, all drinks, flights, transfers, etc. 

 

it is a very personal choice so only you can decide what it is that is important to you. 

[1of4]

Our boat departs today on its first voyage of the 2024 season. Next week we board!

[helby]

Thanks for starting this thread, 1 of 4.  As a past Scenic passenger with fond memories of my Budapest to Amsterdam cruise I'll be following you along your journey.

 

 

[1of4]

6 hours ago, helby said:

Thanks for starting this thread, 1 of 4.  As a past Scenic passenger with fond memories of my Budapest to Amsterdam cruise I'll be following you along your journey.

 

 

Glad to have you follow along. Since our first Scenic trip was pre-covid, it will be interesting to see what, if anything, has changed. Admittedly, our home weather is making packing a bit challenging since my mind just can’t accept temperatures above zero or what that would feel like!

[1of4]

Well one thing is exactly the same: the last minute crunch before leaving for the airport!  Luggage mostly packed, dog sitter arriving this afternoon, laundry in the machine, dog bummed out and jumpy….  This adds up to today is the start of our adventure!

 

I hope to keep this thread interesting and informative and so looking forward to discovering a new part of the world. 

[*Miss G*]

What a great picture!  Have a fantastic time and safe travels, @1of4!  Looking forward to reading along.

[boone2]

Thank you for this thread. We are toying with the idea of a river cruise next year so it will be very interesting to follow along. Safe fight!

[Haljo1935]

On 4/2/2024 at 1:13 PM, Cruise NH said:

This is an interesting topic for us!  We're on our first river cruise, on Amawaterways, next month.  We're going from Budapest to Nuremberg and then onto Prague for a couple of days.  The cost of flying business class to Europe is so high we felt we had to do more while there so after Prague we're flying to Amsterdam to do a 14 day Baltic cruise on HAL.

 

I guess we'll see the comparisons up close and personal.

Sounds terrific. I hope you'll share some feedback on both cruises when you return. 

[Haljo1935]

On 4/4/2024 at 3:39 PM, 1of4 said:

... Admittedly, our home weather is making packing a bit challenging since my mind just can’t accept temperatures above zero or what that would feel like!

 

Given we hit 90° in Feb, this picture looks wonderful!!

I am excitedly following as we have talked for years about doing a river cruise, but so far have found them to be cost prohibitive. I keep fingers crossed 🤞 🙏 that we're able to find something that will work.

I like sea days sprinkled among port days as they're relaxing, DH prefers heavy port-intensive itineraries and thinks he would find river cruising better suited.

Edited April 6 by Haljo1935
Typo

[puppycanducruise]

3 hours ago, 1of4 said:

 

Oh, poor puppy.  So cute.

[Haljo1935]

4 hours ago, 1of4 said:

...  Luggage mostly packed, dog sitter arriving this afternoon, laundry in the machine, dog bummed out and jumpy…. 

Let's be honest, that adorable dog is saying "look - if I fold in my ears, you know I fit in this suitcase so what's your excuse for leaving me behind?!"

[1of4]

2 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Let's be honest, that adorable dog is saying "look - if I fold in my ears, you know I fit in this suitcase so what's your excuse for leaving me behind?!"

She breaks my heart and we miss her so much!  But our dog sitter will keep her as comfortable as possible in her home…but you’re right, that’s probably exactly what she is thinking!

[1of4]

33 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Given we hit 90° in Feb, this picture looks wonderful!!

I am excitedly following as we have talked for years about doing a river cruise, but so far have found them to be cost prohibitive. I keep fingers crossed 🤞 🙏 that we're able to find something that will work.

I like sea days sprinkled among port days as they're relaxing, DH prefers heavy port-intensive itineraries and thinks he would find river cruising better suited.

Wow on those temperatures!

 

yes river cruises seem more expensive and I haven’t been on an ocean cruise since 2015 when I suddenly fell sick with his vestibular condition so I am not up on current costs. That said, we chose Scenic because on certain promotions air travel is included and we say when and what airline and routing we prefer. Then Scenic is truly all inclusive so we have zero bill to settle at the end. We like having transportation from the airport to the hotel and back to the airport so we don’t have to think about it. But we don’t travel every year so our travel budget is dived over 2-5 years. That makes it way more affordable. 

[1of4]

Okay, Tink is really laying on the quilt 😔 

[Toad]

Have a wonderful time.  We have been considering a river cruise so I am very curious to follow your thread.

[1of4]

Greetings from Amsterdam!  We arrived just before noon on Sunday and were greeted by above average temperatures and sunshine!  Not expected but very welcome. 
 

One of the big differences between booking a Scenic River cruise and a HAL cruise, is that if you opt to fly in early and stay in Scenic’s choice of hotel (even if you book it yourself and provide them with your confirmation number) all transfers are included. 
 

In this case it means staying at the Hilton Doubletree Centraal Station. By booking myself, I used my Hilton Honors cash & points and got a king room for 3 nights for half the cost of Scenic’s rate for 2 nights in a basic queen room. Then a week before arrival I requested an upgrade to a king corner room for €25/night which includes breakfast that would have cost €21/person per night. 
 

DH heard the concierge tell someone that the cost for a taxi to the airport would be €115. Instead of paying that twice, we were met in the airport and brought to the hotel and on Wednesday will be brought to the boat. The following Wednesday we will be returned to the airport to fly on to Austria. 

More photos are on my life thread on the River Cruising board. 

 

[Nang]

I thought I would offer my experience with Scenic ...

 

We did Amsterdam-Budapest in 2015. It was mostly a great experience with a few, not insignificant issues for me (but not my DW).

 

Scenic restock their drinks only in Nuremburg, 9 days from Amsterdam. When we boarded in Amsterdam they were out of Stella, 2 days later no Heineken, one day later my next beer of choice was done. Given beer is a big part of my holiday experience I was less than impressed.

Each afternoon everybody meets for pre-dinner drinks, a briefing for the next day and sometimes for some entertainment. Unsurprisingly most people want a drink or two. The wait was AT LEAST 20 minutes, all due to a severe lack of wait and bar staff. They tried hard but were very much overwhelmed. OK, so just walk up to the bar. Nope, told only service is via one of the wait staff (no great surprise there given the situation). After the daily briefing we are invited to move to the dining room for dinner. Exactly the same situation repeated itself regarding drinks. This occurred every day. 

 

Entertainment was severely lacking compared to an ocean cruise. Some late afternoons an act would board the ship and perform, often with a focus on local culture/traditional performances. There were quite good, but short. During and after dinner is was a solo piano player/singer who played chamber/elevator music, every night, except on the rare occasion we attended an off ship, high quality night of entertainment.

 

The above negatives were much outweighed by the quality of the itinerary/destinations, the ship itself and the food. Staff were efficient and polite, but not in the same league as HAL's friendly staff in enhancing my holiday.

HAL ocean cruises and Scenic river cruising are different products, but both have delivered me a pleasurable experience with Scenic a mix of high highs and disappointing lows.

[McDeb2119]

13 hours ago, 1of4 said:

Greetings from Amsterdam!  We arrived just before noon on Sunday and were greeted by above average temperatures and sunshine!  Not expected but very welcome. 
 

One of the big differences between booking a Scenic River cruise and a HAL cruise, is that if you opt to fly in early and stay in Scenic’s choice of hotel (even if you book it yourself and provide them with your confirmation number) all transfers are included. 
 

In this case it means staying at the Hilton Doubletree Centraal Station. By booking myself, I used my Hilton Honors cash & points and got a king room for 3 nights for half the cost of Scenic’s rate for 2 nights in a basic queen room. Then a week before arrival I requested an upgrade to a king corner room for €25/night which includes breakfast that would have cost €21/person per night. 
 

DH heard the concierge tell someone that the cost for a taxi to the airport would be €115. Instead of paying that twice, we were met in the airport and brought to the hotel and on Wednesday will be brought to the boat. The following Wednesday we will be returned to the airport to fly on to Austria. 

More photos are on my life thread on the River Cruising board. 

 

How are you finding the Doubletree?  We are staying there post cruise in July also on points.   Can’t beat the location between the cruise docks and the Train station.  Also note you can take the train from Schipol to Centraal station.  Do you have Hilton status?  Is that how you requested the upgrade?

[1of4]

We are in a city view room which, to us is worth it. The other side of the hallway has no view to speak of. Originally I booked us into a deluxe king (I think) without breakfast because my Scottish blood runs thick and the cost I felt was too high. 
 

We received an email on April 1, one week before arrival, with a number of upgrades available. They wouldn’t guarantee any until digital checkin but when I did that April 6 I saw that the room upgrade was granted and I could choose which king corner suite I wanted. I was informed at checkin that the breakfast was denied because the king corner suite comes with free breakfast. 
 

The hotel itself is good. Location for transportation is amazing. And you can walk everywhere if you don’t have mobility issues like me. Of course it is European so the bathroom could use a bit more space but for 3 nights it’s just fine. 
 

I am a Hilton Honours member but not high in points so I don’t know why received the email but it was a nice surprise as was breakfast this morning. It is extensive with variety of choice and quantity of items. 

[McDeb2119]

9 hours ago, 1of4 said:

We are in a city view room which, to us is worth it. The other side of the hallway has no view to speak of. Originally I booked us into a deluxe king (I think) without breakfast because my Scottish blood runs thick and the cost I felt was too high. 
 

We received an email on April 1, one week before arrival, with a number of upgrades available. They wouldn’t guarantee any until digital checkin but when I did that April 6 I saw that the room upgrade was granted and I could choose which king corner suite I wanted. I was informed at checkin that the breakfast was denied because the king corner suite comes with free breakfast. 
 

The hotel itself is good. Location for transportation is amazing. And you can walk everywhere if you don’t have mobility issues like me. Of course it is European so the bathroom could use a bit more space but for 3 nights it’s just fine. 
 

I am a Hilton Honours member but not high in points so I don’t know why received the email but it was a nice surprise as was breakfast this morning. It is extensive with variety of choice and quantity of items. 

Thank you. Very helpful!!

[Iamthesea]

Great choice!!!   We stayed there last May after taking the train from the airport...so easy! 

 

The hotel is nice and in a great location.  While we did not walk to the port on embarkation day (we asked guest services to call a cab and it was quick and reasonable) we did do a test walk over to the Movenpick Hotel (to get their ice cream 😀).  After walking up and over the bridge, we decided that it would be too hard with large suitcases, smaller roller carry-ons, and a shoulder bag/backpack, each!

 

Our hotel room was the standard King Deluxe and had enough room for our suitcases.  The bathroom is exactly as shown.  Tiny, but it worked if taking turns.  We did not purchase the breakfast buffet.  Instead, there is a small bakery at one end of the hotel.  Early the night before, we purchased a container of OJ, and some pastry, for room consumption soon after waking up.  I believe there was also a coffee machine. 

Edited April 8 by Iamthesea

[Petronillus]

11 hours ago, Nang said:

I thought I would offer my experience with Scenic ...

 

We did Amsterdam-Budapest in 2015. It was mostly a great experience with a few, not insignificant issues for me (but not my DW).

 

Scenic restock their drinks only in Nuremburg, 9 days from Amsterdam. When we boarded in Amsterdam they were out of Stella, 2 days later no Heineken, one day later my next beer of choice was done. Given beer is a big part of my holiday experience I was less than impressed.

Each afternoon everybody meets for pre-dinner drinks, a briefing for the next day and sometimes for some entertainment. Unsurprisingly most people want a drink or two. The wait was AT LEAST 20 minutes, all due to a severe lack of wait and bar staff. They tried hard but were very much overwhelmed. OK, so just walk up to the bar. Nope, told only service is via one of the wait staff (no great surprise there given the situation). After the daily briefing we are invited to move to the dining room for dinner. Exactly the same situation repeated itself regarding drinks. This occurred every day. 

 

Entertainment was severely lacking compared to an ocean cruise. Some late afternoons an act would board the ship and perform, often with a focus on local culture/traditional performances. There were quite good, but short. During and after dinner is was a solo piano player/singer who played chamber/elevator music, every night, except on the rare occasion we attended an off ship, high quality night of entertainment.

 

The above negatives were much outweighed by the quality of the itinerary/destinations, the ship itself and the food. Staff were efficient and polite, but not in the same league as HAL's friendly staff in enhancing my holiday.

HAL ocean cruises and Scenic river cruising are different products, but both have delivered me a pleasurable experience with Scenic a mix of high highs and disappointing lows.

Thanks for providing a balancing viewpoint. It reaffirms the old adage, that if sounds too good to be true, it likely isn't. I'm the guy who likens HAL to a good solid Buick. What you've described makes me think more of a Cadillac than a Beemer or a Merc.