Premicon Queen - new luxury river cruise ship

[steamboats]

In fall 2007 Premicon, a Munich investment company, announced a new sister company called Premicon Line. Premicon is owning more than 20 river cruise ships (some used by Viking, some used by Avalon and other companies). Premicon is also a majority owner of the German excursion ship line K-D on the Rhine river. They are also involved in Viking River Cruises. Premicon Line will operate a new 5 star river cruise ship called PREMICON QUEEN starting in 2008. Here´s there new website

 

http://www.premiconqueen.com/

 

Looks pretty interesting.

 

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[letsgoeverywhere]

It looks fabulous. I think it may be out of my price range!

[orchestrapal]

Thank you for the information. Love the large(by river boat standards) suite but am disapointed in the short cruises. Maybe we can combine one of these with a road trip.:)

[webfoot]

I agree that it looks great ... but I, too, would love to see longer cruises. Maybe they will make changes for 2009!

[steamboats]

Yes, you´re right. The itineraries are a bit "strange".

 

Regarding the US cruise market they are way too short. Even if you start in Prague for a trip to Budapest you board at Regensburg (not Nuremberg like the other cruise companies are doing). And there´s no difference in driving for the Munich option. Nuremberg and Regensburg are app. 1:15 h from Munich.

 

As for the German cruise market the intineraries are interesting but we are "used" to roundtrips like Passau-Vienna-Budapest-Passau. I can drive to Passau leave my car there and drive back home again. But with a one-way itinerary I have to take the train to Regensburg and a flight back from Budapest.

 

We´ll see how it will work out! But they do have the largest cabins on the rivers. And I´ve never seen a golf putting green on a river cruise ship.

 

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[gillianrose]

We´ll see how it will work out! But they do have the largest cabins on the rivers. And I´ve never seen a golf putting green on a river cruise ship.

 

I'd like to find out more about the dining experience. Hopefully, it won't be buffet-style for both breakfast and lunch. For breakfast, I want "echte brötchen" and German meats and cheeses (or Austrian or the food from whatever region is adjacent).

 

I definitely would enjoy something other than cruising in a North American "bubble," so to speak, and would enjoy meeting folks from other countries onboard.

 

I don't like the idea of the putting green at all, and wonder about the sounds in the cabin below as the ball goes into the cup. :eek:

 

Of course, a strict nonsmoking policy will be essential for us, too.

[LuAnn]

Yes, you´re right. The itineraries are a bit "strange".

 

Regarding the US cruise market they are way too short. Even if you start in Prague for a trip to Budapest you board at Regensburg (not Nuremberg like the other cruise companies are doing). And there´s no difference in driving for the Munich option. Nuremberg and Regensburg are app. 1:15 h from Munich.

 

As for the German cruise market the intineraries are interesting but we are "used" to roundtrips like Passau-Vienna-Budapest-Passau. I can drive to Passau leave my car there and drive back home again. But with a one-way itinerary I have to take the train to Regensburg and a flight back from Budapest.

 

We´ll see how it will work out! But they do have the largest cabins on the rivers. And I´ve never seen a golf putting green on a river cruise ship.

 

steamboats

 

It's you old friend LuAnn from CC..you met us in Munich when we did the Christmas cruise in 06 on Viking and we took the train up from Nuremberg and you were our wonderful tour guide!!...how's the Delta Queen fight coming? Hope you all are well...did have a question for you...we are looking to do a river cruise in the fall of 09 ...in the France area since we saw quite a bit on the Christmas cruise of the Danube and also went on to Budapest...which line would you suggest? I am looking at Deilmann, Viking and Uniworld..also Grand Circle but they are very small ships and all the passengers look really old in the pictures :cool: ..not that we are spring chickens! Prices, of course, seem to go down the later in the year you go...would November apt to be cold? We were ok in December 06 but that could have been a fluke? Would October be better? Any help and advice would be appreciated! LuAnn

[steamboats]

Hi LuAnn,

 

Actually I can´t help you very much with France. Although I´ve relatives there I´ve never been there (o.k., I´ve been to Villefranche sur Mer a couple of weeks ago with the Norwegian Gem).

 

Generally I think October would be the better choice. It can be rainy even in Southern France in November. October should be still fairly nice. But speaking of weather we all know nothing is really predictable. Currently we have rain, rain, rain here in Munich with severe weather warnings coming in each day. And the rest of Germany is dry and hot (up to 90ies today!!).

 

As for people in brochures do you really think those folks are looking old :D

 

 

(Does that woman on the far right side look familiar? O.k., I have to confess that the Deilmann photographer did ask us as Deilmann wanted some younger folks on their brochure pix).

 

River cruise ships in France are a bit smaller than those on the Rhine, Main, Danube river system because of the smaller rivers and locks. This limits cabin space of course.

 

I thought about Deilmann´s Princesse de Provence this year but it didn´t fit into our holiday schedule. You might also consider Amadeus Waterways which offers a 15 night cruise starting with a pre cruise stay in Paris and ending with a post cruise stay in Barcelona (great city, been there with the Norwegian Gem). Also the ship they are using there (not their own, but chartered for certain dates) is really beautiful, the Swiss Pearl owned by Scylla Tours. The other company is A´Rosa which has pretty nice ships. But it´s a German company (www.arosa.de). They tend to a younger crowd and offer buffet style dinners only.

 

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[LuAnn]

Thanks for the info...and that VERY YOUNG couple in the picture is so attractive!!!! (especially the young, professional woman! ;) )

 

I'll let you know what we decide...

 

As always...appreciate your help and information! LuAnn