Your favorite river cruise line and why?

[hcross888]

I know that "best" is subjective. This group seems so well-traveled. I just wonder what your favorite river cruise has been and why.

[steamboats]

hcross888,

 

I doubt you will find anyone on this board who has travelled all of them. So it´s really subjective. Many will rave on their cruise with a certain company (not having experienced anything else). Some might respond "don´t use ..." because they made one cruise with this certain company and had a bad experience (e.g. food, but this could change within two weeks). Other´s will rave about the same company. I´ve answered this in many similar questions: The most important on a river cruise is definitely the itinerary. The major river cruise companies plying the US market are all playing in the same league (Avalon, Amadeus, GCT, Uniworld, Vantage, Viking). I don´t know much about Intrav or Tauck but they seem to offer a bit more upscale product. And then there are the top notch - but German - companies with international guest like Deilmann and Sea Cloud.

 

The German market has much more varieties... There are real low budget companies and the high end products like Deilmann. There are some cruise ships offered on the German market where I would say I won´t set a foot on those ships. But others are really happy.

 

Or just to say: You get what you´ve paid for!

 

steamboats

[unberwoob]

Steamboats,

 

Great response. Especially about the first time river cruiser with the food problem! :D

 

Dennis

[hcross888]

Steamboat,

Right now I have looked at 5 companies that offer the Danube cruise which goes to Brataslava. It seems like they all make pretty much the same stops, and the ships all look nice. Tauck looks especially nice, but maybe a little too pricey, but then it is more inclusive than the other lines. Also it seems like several lines don't have their 2008 tours scheduled yet. The more I read, the more exciting it seems. Do Europeans vacation on the American line cruises? I really like to be around Europeans since I'll be in Europe.

 

Hcross

[Coral]

Steamboats,

 

Great response. Especially about the first time river cruiser with the food problem! :D

 

Dennis

 

This sounds like it may have been directed towards me (possibly).

 

The food on our Amadeus Tolstoy was terrible. I was not the only person who thought this. Other people I had spoken to had been on many river cruises including Russian river cruises and they also thought the food was extremely disappointing. I can also say that I have been to Russia previously and had no complaints about the food at that time.

 

I find it interesting that last year people raved about Amadeus's food and the reports the past several months have been very disappointing. It makes me wonder if Amadeus changed something as these reports are coming from a couple of different ships.

[steamboats]

Hcross,

 

The US cruise lines do not sell on the European market. Therefore you´ll "only" find Americans, Canadians, Australians (incl. New Zealand) on their ships. The only company which is also operating in Europe is Viking. But Viking has separate ships for English and German speaking passengers. Only Deilmann and Sea Cloud do have international guests (mainly Europeans - Deilmann is featuring a couple of cruises in the US and on those the percentage of American passengers is much higher).

 

If you´re comparing the itinieraries you´ll find a lot of differences. No German would book a cruise Paris - Prague or Prague - Budapest. That would not make much sense in our eyes. Paris - Prague includes two busrides (5 hours each). Noone would do that over here. We would visit both cities separately. Of course if I´m coming over from the US to Europe I want to see a much as possible and surely those itineraries do make sense. Another example: on our recent cruise on the Elbe river Deilmann did offer a shore tour from Madgeburg to Berlin, for US passengers only. No German would book this tour. We would go there by car / plane and spend a couple of days there.

 

So on the Danube river you mainly find roundtrip cruises out of Passau offered for the German market. There are a lot of German cruise lines offering this itinerary and it´s pretty much the same with all of them. The cruise lines differ very much over here: there are some low budget ones, some more or less 3 stars ones, one line is trying to attract younger people with more sporty shore tours and buffet style dinners and there are the upscale, 5 star cruise lines like Deilmann offering a perfect service and dinner experience. It´s simply that the group of passengers are different.

 

steamboats

[hcross888]

Steamboat,

 

Thanks for the information. What you wrote makes perfect sense. I wish that the American lines were more international, but it makes sense that Europeans and tourists from other continents are going to have different needs.

 

Hcross

[unberwoob]

This sounds like it may have been directed towards me (possibly).

 

The food on our Amadeus Tolstoy was terrible. I was not the only person who thought this. Other people I had spoken to had been on many river cruises including Russian river cruises and they also thought the food was extremely disappointing. I can also say that I have been to Russia previously and had no complaints about the food at that time.

 

I find it interesting that last year people raved about Amadeus's food and the reports the past several months have been very disappointing. It makes me wonder if Amadeus changed something as these reports are coming from a couple of different ships.

 

Coral

 

Sorry, it was not directed to you. You are giving your honest opinion, in a positive, not negative way, and you are not criticizing other postings about river crusing.

 

Dennis

[letsgo39]

Hi hcross888.

 

I have traveled with Globus many times on land tours and always enjoyed the company of the Aussies and Kiwis on these tours. What a fun group.

Beacuse I have always been really happy with Globus I have chosen Avalon (owned by Globus) for my first river cruise.They have a large Austaralian and New Zealand customer base so I am looking forward to cruising with somewhat of an International group. Do check into Avalon as they have been getting really good reviews on here for the last couple of years and they include many things in their price that some of the other companies do not.Land tours are included in every city as is wine and beer with dinner.At least put Avalon on your short list to consider.

I have to agree that some of the best times I have had traveling were mingling with the locals in Germany,Ireland and England in the local pubs!!:D

[spindrift]

Avalon was wonderful, but I was invited to the inaugural of the Artistry, so it should have been good.

 

However, we are looking at Uniworld. Anyone sailed with them and your comments please. Thanks.

[unberwoob]

We have done two trips with Avalon, Budapest to Prague and Budapest to Bucharest. Both cruises were great. We did a Christmas market cruise and a Russian cruise with Uniworld, both of them being great as well. I think Avalon, Uniworld or Viking would all be good choices, bu go with the itinerary you like best.

[letsgo39]

I really think there MUSt have been a change in the Amadeus food service this year as everyone has complained this year and last year evryone was raving about the food. I know there was some kind of merger with an Australian company in the spring and perhaps they are trying to save money. I don't know but I am sure there must have been some changes this year because everyone who has cruised this year and posted on here has had negative comments about the food.

[spindrift]

tban, I'm not sure where you eat in "Europe," but I don't believe you are correct on what you are referring to as the European taste in food. We have travelled Europe extensively, and I'm afraid to say, but you are not in line as to what we had been served. Yes, you can have those, but in the US you can also have chocolate covered roaches, rattlesnake, etc. etc. Let's be realistic when we are looking for suggestions. And frankly, we have some of the best steak tartar you can find.

[tban]

spindrift

I travelled extensively in Europe when we lived several years in Germany.

yes you are right we have the best beef tartar one can find, but were do you find it ? I know a handful of restaurants in NYC, LA and Chicago that serve it.

"Beuschl" (kidneys wirh dumplings) you can get at every other corner pub in Vienna. "Bloodsausage' and braised "Calfs Brain" are common in all German speaking countries and you can ad to the list some specialities from Italy, france and Spain, which will make the average American tourist cringe. All I am saying is that the ships cuisine trys to offer local specialities without going "overboard'' and offending American taste buds. This is not a consideration for Deilmann cruises and other European cruise lines, which cater mainly to a European clientele. For exampe the menu on the Amadagio offered "Tafelspitz" when we were in Austria, "Viennese Schnitzel" when we were in Vienna,and "Hungarian Gulasch" when we were in Hungary. Also on the menu were "Bohemian Apricot Dumplings", a "Bavarian Frushoppen" (brunch) with Munich Weisswurst and Bratwaurst and pickled Herring and "Kaiserschmarn", a desert named after the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph. I personally do not care for this dish but it still is a "historical" dish and I would not dare to declare the food on the ship as inferior, because of my personal taste. Also served was a "shrimp cocktail" (which actually should have been named a "Garnelen Cocktail" -- only nobody would have know then what it is). The shrimps used were Northsea Garnelen, which are much smaller than the to us known species from the Mexican Gulf and the Pacific. Their meat is sweeter and firmer.

By the way, where do you get the chocolate covered roaches in the US ??? I am always interested in new fairs !

[steamboats]

tban,

 

Especially in Bavaria you sometimes have to search quite a while to find a restaurant serving local food. And "calf brain" isn´t served anymore since the mad cow disease. We even had to order Italian Osso Buco in advance as this dish isn´t on the menu anymore. "Saures Luengerl" (sour lung) is a Bavarian specialty but believe me I´ve never tasted that in my life. Nor would I eat "Kutteln" (tripe) which you also find in Italy. Anyway you won´t find any snails in a regular restaurant in Germany (unless you´re in a wine region).

 

Froglegs and turtle soup are political incorrect in Germany and you won´t find it on the menu. I only saw it on the menu on our US river cruises (but refused to eat it).

 

Our food is not that bad :D !

 

Here´s a nice website including some recipes:

 

http://www.food-from-bavaria.de/en/reg_spez/

 

steamboats

[macca]

As an Aussie I would say that the majority of our countryfolk would use APT as their travel agent for European River Cruises.

 

We are in fact leaving Budapest on the MS Sound Of Music on July 12th booked with them...see http://www.aptouring.com.au/content.asp?Document_ID=42286

 

Like many of you we would prefer a mix of Europeans & Yanks on our trip and you are right about one thing...we will be having fun! It won't matter what the food & drink & itinerary is like we are out for a good time with good people.

 

Mike

Tasmania.

[ofoley]

Franz,

 

Any problems with the Rhine or Danube levels right now? We are looking at a last-minte booking.

 

Thanks,

 

Jim

[steamboats]

Jim,

 

You got mail.

 

steamboats

[tban]

steamboats:

 

tban,

Our food is not that bad :D !

Here´s a nice website including some recipes:

http://www.food-from-bavaria.de/en/reg_spez/

steamboats

 

I did not say your food is bad - just the opposite.

My comments were in response to some complains about food on the Amadagio and then someone expressing the view that more "local flair" would be nice on the "all American cruises".

More local flair on the food sector with dishes like "saures lungerl" or 'kutteln" or "blood sausage with sauerkraut" (all dishes I like except the kutteln) would certainly sent food complains through the roof; especially since some cruisers have obvious difficulties to handle such well known dishes like "Tafelspitz", "Apricot Dumplings", "Hungarian Gulasch" etc.

Your food is phantastic !

[steamboats]

tban,

 

I did understand you correctly but I couldn´t resist to comment :D .

 

BTW Deilmann does offer regional food too. And on our recent Elbe river cruise Dresdener Quarkkeulchen were offered as dessert. I asked our waiter how they do translate this and it was "fried cottage cheese dumplings" which doesn´t even come close. But how to translate "Quark" which you don´t know in the US?

 

steamboats

[gillianrose]

tban,

 

I did understand you correctly but I couldn´t resist to comment :D .

 

BTW Deilmann does offer regional food too. And on our recent Elbe river cruise Dresdener Quarkkeulchen were offered as dessert. I asked our waiter how they do translate this and it was "fried cottage cheese dumplings" which doesn´t even come close. But how to translate "Quark" which you don´t know in the US?

 

steamboats

 

Hi Steamboats,

 

I have seen Quark offered for sale here in the San Francisco Bay Area, but my experience with it is from Germany.

 

It is most similar to our sour cream in texture and flavor, though not identical. I would say that Quark is somewhat richer than most sour cream.

 

It is milder in flavor than yoghurt.

[steamboats]

gillianrose,

 

Quark has much less fat than sour cream and the taste is more neutral (you can use it "sour" or "sweet"). If I need to replace it in the US I take cream cheese. That´s the closest you can come. We do use Quark for our kind of cheese cake.

 

steamboats

[gillianrose]

gillianrose,

 

Quark has much less fat than sour cream and the taste is more neutral (you can use it "sour" or "sweet"). If I need to replace it in the US I take cream cheese. That´s the closest you can come. We do use Quark for our kind of cheese cake.

 

steamboats

 

Wouldn't you say that cream cheese is much denser than Quark?

[steamboats]

Yes, cream cheese is much denser than Quark. BTW my online dictionary is giving "curd" or "curd cheese" as translation for Quark.

 

steamboats

[Coral]

Yes, cream cheese is much denser than Quark. BTW my online dictionary is giving "curd" or "curd cheese" as translation for Quark.

 

steamboats

 

On my Amadeus cruise recently -they had "Cottage Cheese eggs" which sounds absolutely horrible IMO. I didn't try them. They also used cheese curd several times. For example, dessert one night was "cheese curd with marchanario (sp?) cherries). It was served in a sundae dish and tasted like whipped cream cheese with cherries on the top. It was ok.

 

So Amadeus is trying to translate these items also.