Included tours on River Cruises

[Daisi]

Have to say, we weren't to impressed with the big buildup of the coffee, I also drink my coffee black (well, occasionally with the shot of Irish Whiskey). I don't mind a bit of cream on top occasionally, usually i tend to eat it off before getting to the good stuff. Maybe because I didn't find it much different than the fancy alcoholic coffees we usually go for when we want a desert in a restaurant. All that hype for nothing different really.

[Host Jazzbeau]

8 hours ago, pontac said:

I'm also grumpy because I can no longer ask for a black coffee but they insist it's an americano.

I'd be grumpy too, because they are not the same thing at all.  Black coffee is brewed to the proper intensity – Americano is an espresso (strong and bitter) that has been watered down.

[Canal archive]

Precisely!

[Daisi]

18 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I'd be grumpy too, because they are not the same thing at all.  Black coffee is brewed to the proper intensity – Americano is an espresso (strong and bitter) that has been watered down.

 

I even drink my espressos black. My after dinner drink is a double espresso when cruising.

[SelectSys]

On 4/15/2024 at 3:07 AM, CDNPolar said:

Looks like a dessert.

That's what I thought this coffee was when I saw the picture posted.  As a dessert person, I hope I get to at least try something similar.

[notamermaid]

Have had the problem with coffee in England in recent years. Me "I would like a coffee, please". Attendant "Americano?" Etc, etc. Me: " A normal coffee, please." (with impatient puzzled expression). I mean, when I go to a café I order coffee. What else?? Okay, could be a hot chocolate in winter.

 

As regards the Rüdesheimer Kaffee. It is the same principle as Irish Coffee. Basically alcohol, sugar, coffee and cream. Not my cup of tea [pun intended].

 

I do not really like Rüdesheim. But the mechanical music machines museum does look interesting with the right person doing the explanation. From what I have read over the years and seen on land tours, other excursions are superior and other places more culturally interesting than Rüdesheim.

 

Edit: For me, Bingen on the other side of the river at Rüdesheim is a more interesting place for various reasons. Rüdesheim is touristy old world charm with wine and merriment.

 

With the Viking Rhine Getaway it seems that the long Black Forest excursion is the least favourite.

 

End edit.

 

notamermaid

 

Edited April 16 by notamermaid
added info

[Host Jazzbeau]

57 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

Have had the problem with coffee in England in recent years. Me "I would like a coffee, please". Attendant "Americano?" Etc, etc. Me: " A normal coffee, please." (with impatient puzzled expression).

I remember a newspaper column many years ago noting variations in local usage on the US East Coast.  "Regular coffee" was a slippery term, because in some places it meant black, others with sugar, others with cream...

[Host Jazzbeau]

58 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

I do not really like Rüdesheim. But the mechanical music machines museum does look interesting with the right person doing the explanation. From what I have read over the years and seen on land tours, other excursions are superior and other places more culturally interesting than Rüdesheim.

Rüdesheim may be more enjoyable in the Amsterdam to Basel direction than the other way.  Early in the cruise, before you have been exposed to very much authentic German culture, it seems fun.  And that mechanical music machine museum is indeed a lot of fun.

[Rebel54]

Hmmmm now I need to go make a coffee 🙂

[Kristelle]

I enjoyed the cable car there too. 

[reeves35]

Rudesheim was fun.  I went to the Music Museum with fairly low expectations but it was OK and only went for 30 minutes anyway.  The only issue we had was that it was a hot day and the place is not air conditioned.  After the museum we wandered around the town and came across a summer wine festival in the town square which sated the thirst nicely.

 

The included tours are, by their nature, only a brief introduction to the town or city.  Ideally, if time allowed, we went on the tour in the morning and in the afternoon went out by ourselves and explored a bit further and at a gentler pace that allowed for a wine or beer along the way as well as some shopping.  The brevity of the tour is obviously more of an issue in cities where you only see a fraction of what the city has to offer and we came away from places like Vienna, Amsterdam and Budapest wishing we had had more time. 

[Canal archive]

To a certain extent it’s the juxtaposition of the large (but certainly not the largest no room) static music “makers” and the exquisite tiny bird boxes with there little tweeters.

 

My DH was at first not best pleased when I purchased a bean to cup machine he soon learnt how to use it though. I’ve now got about six different coffee making systems including a stand alone grinder so I usually purchase beans rather than pre-ground. It’s amazing the different varieties that are available.

[pontac]

@notamermaid as a resident of Germany you probably have a different perspective than the intended audience.

 

Me too. As someone who lives in a city with a history going back more that 2,000 years, a mediaeval centre,  a cathedral dating from 900, Roman and ancient British tribal ruins all within 20 minutes walk of my house, I am less impressed by visiting old towns than many of the New Worlders on  cruises with me who live in towns where buildings more than 100 years old are to be remarked on.

 

Also, as you are aware, practically most excursions must be to places that can be travelled to, guided around and travelled back from in the space between mealtimes.

[notamermaid]

@pontac You are perfectly right about my perspective. But added to that is my inclination to steer away from wine towns as such when they are crowded. For me Rüdesheim is just a small town with two streets to look at. I prefer the slightly less crowded Bernkastel-Kues and Eltville and Bacharach, etc. Just a different vibe.

 

For view, the Niederwalddenkmal above Rüdesheim is great, I enjoyed it many years ago.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

[notamermaid]

To the OP. You will be on the Rhine but you have not actually stated from where to where I think, i.e. your itinerary with Avalon. I assume you will be sailing through the Rhine Gorge at one end of which Rüdesheim is situated. All in all I would say most cruisers that have reported back were happy with the excursions they took. Specifically as regards the option of either going into the Black Forest or going to Alsace (that is Colmar, etc.) I would say the Alsace one is coming across as being better/more enjoyable. In case you need to make choice. Of course, it will also depend on where your interests lie.

 

notamermaid

 

[Rebel54]

16 hours ago, Canal archive said:

To a certain extent it’s the juxtaposition of the large (but certainly not the largest no room) static music “makers” and the exquisite tiny bird boxes with there little tweeters.

 

My DH was at first not best pleased when I purchased a bean to cup machine he soon learnt how to use it though. I’ve now got about six different coffee making systems including a stand alone grinder so I usually purchase beans rather than pre-ground. It’s amazing the different varieties that are available.

Oh I was just thinking about the little bird boxes.  That was probably my favorite part!.

I've given up all my electric coffee machines.  I grind my own beans and I use an Aero Press to make my one cup a day.  Nice thing is it is light weight, plastic and travels every where I go :).

 

[Canal archive]

One of my son in laws introduced me to the Aero Press and it’s in my collection but I must admit to having a few battles with it so I tend to use my Brew Stick when travelling.

[sharkster77]

In Ireland 7 years ago, I was looking for the plain back coffee setting on the machine.  A waitress told me that they called it coffee creme as some there thought there were racial implications calling it black coffee.  Not saying it's true or not true, but that's what we were told by a local.

 

Personally, I see no racial implication----I mean, black coffee is black in color, so ...

[Canal archive]

Must admit we’ve heard the same excuse. If everything was listed that we supposedly should steer clear off discussion wise you’d have forgotten the beginning by the time you got to the end. 

[SelectSys]

On 4/17/2024 at 2:24 PM, notamermaid said:

To the OP. You will be on the Rhine but you have not actually stated from where to where I think, i.e. your itinerary with Avalon. I assume you will be sailing through the Rhine Gorge …

 

We are going from Amsterdam to Bucharest which spans both the Rhine and Danube rivers.

 

We have decided to basically follow the included tours and mix in a couple of the optional selections for tours that are a bit off of the river proper.

 

Again, thanks to all for their input!

[SelectSys]

On 4/17/2024 at 11:14 AM, pontac said:

@notamermaid as a resident of Germany you probably have a different perspective than the intended audience.

 

Me too. As someone who lives in a city with a history going back more that 2,000 years…I am less impressed by visiting old towns than many of the New Worlders on  cruises with me who live in towns where buildings more than 100 years old are to be remarked on.

 

Also, as you are aware, practically most excursions must be to places that can be travelled to, guided around and travelled back from in the space between mealtimes.

I appreciate this perspective.  When you live in a certain place, what is familiar fades to the background and no longer creates the same level of interest.

 

 I am also learning that scheduled meals and especially lunchtime do influence the schedule of many tours.  This is a distinct difference between river and ocean cruises.

[CDNPolar]

3 hours ago, SelectSys said:

 

 

 I am also learning that scheduled meals and especially lunchtime do influence the schedule of many tours.  This is a distinct difference between river and ocean cruises.

 

This is because on many River cruises, you only have one seating for each meal.

 

You will find breakfast to be people trickling in as they get up and the dining room is rarely full.

 

Lunch is same as excursions get back at various times, so the dining room serves as you arrive but between very set hours.

 

Dinner is basically all sit at the same time.

 

If you are not on the ship over lunch hours - which can vary daily depending - then you are either enjoying an included lunch on shore, or you have stayed on shore to eat on your own.

[pontac]

16 minutes ago, CDNPolar said:

Dinner is basically all sit at the same time.

 

This is so because passengers go directly to the dining room after the Programme Manager's port talk and because they want first pick of the tables - and after a hard day's sightseeing - they're hungry.

 

I think 7pm is a late time to dine for many North Americans but for us1pm and 7pm are the times we dine at home.

 

Later arrivals are served. Latest time we got to the table was 8:30pm, not ideal but forced on us, but we have been alter then 7pm.

[SelectSys]

We have now completed our first week onboard the boat and have been taking the included tours.  My conclusion is that river cruises are really designed to incorporate ships tours to a greater extent than on ocean cruises.  The tendency, at least on this cruise, is to have shorter port visits and frequent ship movements.  These factors make it a bit more difficult to venture out on your own.  We will see what the next week brings.
 

 

[CDNPolar]

2 hours ago, SelectSys said:

We have now completed our first week onboard the boat and have been taking the included tours.  My conclusion is that river cruises are really designed to incorporate ships tours to a greater extent than on ocean cruises.  The tendency, at least on this cruise, is to have shorter port visits and frequent ship movements.  These factors make it a bit more difficult to venture out on your own.  We will see what the next week brings.
 

 

 

Shorter stops and frequent ship movements does depend on the river you are on...

 

Some river ships stay in port overnight... 

 

Just depends.