During the trip, Guests will be required to complete a self-assessment daily. The line reduced capacity on its five older vessels, which are smaller, bringing the passenger counts from 118 to 98. Wine plays a role on both ships, with regional varietals served at every meal. On all these journeys from the Ganges to the Rhne dining is a big part of the adventure. Choose Tauck ifyou want an all-inclusive river cruise with more extras and a higher-end feel -- and don't mind paying for it. Riviera **: Riviera's beverage package, which includes wine and beer with lunch and dinner, ranges from $99 per person to $299 per person depending on the duration of the cruise. They often feature DJs, silent discos, mixology classes, yoga, and rooftop camping (tents are supplied). She also happens to be a shopaholic whose personal mission is to find the coolest and best new things out there. AmaWaterways, with over 25 ships, is known for having a smaller amount of passengers on board. Catching up with Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection - What's it Like On Board Evrima? (Scenic has. River cruising is an efficient way to travel visit a variety of destinations and only unpack once. The Tauck Suites are large, at over 300 square feet and have a large bed as well as a fold-out sofa. Both lines provide generous pours of wine during lunch and dinner, mostly regional varietals. The entry-level cabin is the Avalon Deluxe Stateroom. Which Royal Caribbean Suite Should I Book? They also tend to have more inclusions than a traditional cruise. You can also buy wine along the trip and have it served with your meal at no additional cost. Dinner is served to the table and, on both lines, staff are very attentive. I was on the River Queen last year, and although the cabins are a bit small, they were well designed. Scenic makes sure that its passengers have a variety of things to do in the evening. Click here . Automobile lovers have the chance to visit BMW World to see luxury German-made cars. For passengers who like convenience, though, the extra money is worth it. Pros:The boats have a small number of guests so they feel very intimate. Viking has more weeklong cruises than Tauck and sails in more places and on more dates. Compare River Cruise Lines: Which Company Fits Where? There is a very low crew to guest ratio. They will tend to your needs throughout the journey including nightly turndown service and laundry concierge. For example, on the S.S. BonVoyage in France, the Le Salon Champagne was inspired by Yves Saint Laurent's home, Villa Majorelle. Visit a farm along Normandy's Cider Route to taste the region's elegantly crafted apple ciders and calvados, and see how they're made; in Normandy, cider is an art, like winemaking, centuries old. The cruise lines are priced to start at $241 per night, depending on the time of year and the cruise line. It all boils down to what is important to you. Read on for our look at Scenic vs. Tauck. Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos, http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1224277, Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Policy regarding COVID related Discussions, C858B0A9-6769-424D-B129-59363EDAC023.jpeg, B5073042-BF8A-4EEC-BD19-0938D8732763.jpeg. Typical starting price: Starting at $2,299 per person for 7 nights (per person based on double occupancy $328 per night, all-inclusive). In 2023, they will launch Seven River Journeys which will cover seven rivers and 14 countries over the course of 45 nights (starting at $24,999 per person, double occupancy). In other words, if you are used to the added magic that occurs on a Disney Cruise Line, you won't find that here. We have only cruised with Avalon and the modern ships and large cabins were an important factor in our decision. Passengers often get a choice of excursions, both of them included. Viking has the largest fleet, by far, in Europe, with 55 nearly identical Scandinavian-inspired Longships. Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. Learn to make goulash and feast on it in the Hungarian countryside while listening to a live performance by Hungarian folk musicians. Venturing off the beaten path away from well-traveled highways is part of the appeal, as are the opportunities to savor a real taste of daily life along Europe's rivers. And that is the very essence of our France river cruises. We have done 2 cruises - Paris/Normandy with Uniworld - and Blue Danube Discovery with AMA. It lacks the grandeur of the suites, and is small at about 172 square feet, and has small windows peaking above the waterline. The food was delicious, service was excellent. I need to be able to contact Avalon, Scenic, Uniworld, Tauck directly to arrange terms of the lease of a vesssel, crew, with at least two meals per day provided. Book a signature suite and indulge in larger marble bathrooms, a fully-stocked bar, and fresh cookies and fruit delivered daily. Viking Longships carry 190 passengers and have 95 cabins. Scenic also has theTailormade App, which works as an audio guide and offers independent city tours, and an offline navigation system. Both lines operateChristmas market cruises. Whats the Best Choice for a SeineRiver Cruise? Scenic: What Are Its Smallest, Largest and Most Common Stateroom Sizes? Guest lectures and performers also come aboard to highlight the destination, from Viennese opera to Portuguese fado, and local craft and culinary demonstrations are sprinkled throughout voyages as well, such as lace-making and Austrian apple strudel. Compared to other bigger companies, the selection of river cruises is limited. Overall, the crowd is older and more sedate than you'd find on Scenic; the dance floor is rarely used on Tauck ships, while on Scenic, it's not unusual for dancing to occur if the right band is playing. Unique to riverboats is the two-level theater, the Grand Saloon, found on the American Queen. ABC Cruiser, I was leaning towards the Heartland (Rivers and Castles) land and cruise itinerary with AMA before reading your review, and now I'm pretty sure that's what we'll go for. Odds are you will not get motion sickness on a river cruise since large waves or currents do not hit the ships. Started August 27, 2021, By AmaWaterways requires COVID-19 vaccinations for all their guests. Cons: Cocktails are pricey and not included; a martini or a Manhattan will set you back about $12 dollars. This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies. Choose Viking ifyou want what has become the industry standard for river cruising, a semi-inclusive experience with a line that does more sailings on more rivers than anyone else. Site Map|Global Site Map|Terms of Use|Privacy Policy, You can add one more tour operator from the list, Get guided help to find the right trip for you, Travel tips, stories, top 10 lists and more, Get yours before you leave, easier, cheaper. . Both Tauck and Scenic are at the high end of river cruises, in terms of price and inclusions. Pros:Having a butler on call is a big perk. In late March, Ange and Angela made a trip to Amsterdam to attend the Virtuoso Forum meeting. Scenic offers all passengers a limited 24-hour room service menu, with full in-suite dining for passengers in Royal and Royal Panorama Suites. Limited-Time Offers on Avalon Cruises! Scenic operates 11 "Space-Ships" sailing on the main rivers ofEurope-- Rhine, Main, Danube, Rhone and Seine, as well as Portugal's Douro. Solstice vs. Millennium Class on Celebrity Cruises, Meraviglia Class vs. Seaside Class on MSC Cruises, Virtual Cabin Crawl: Symphony of the Seas Cruise Ship, P&O Cruises Reveals Nicole Sherzinger as Godmother of New Ship Arvia, Carnival Miracle Set to Become Fourth Carnival Ship to Sail From Galveston, Life at Sea Cruises Opens Sales for World's First Three-Year Cruise, Oceania Reveals Giada de Laurentiis as Godmother of New Ship Vista. We believe that travel should be easy. Those are also offered all day, not just at mealtimes, which is a nice addition. The average is about 156 guests, which is far less than most cruise lines. QUICK STATS AVALON WATERWAYS 2004 Both offer more inclusions than their competitors and both carry fewer passengers than most river lines, ensuring that service remains at a high standard. Both lines offer the type of amenities you'd expect on upscale ships. This was our first riverboat cruise and we loved it! Another thing that sets Tauck's newer ships apart: "loft" design cabins, which have a raised platform seating area that provides extra space in lower-level cabins. Throughout the voyages, they feature special drinking and dining events for guests along with entertainment themed to the country you're visiting such as a string quartet or folk dancing. There's a salon that provides hair and nail services, as well as a small spa for massage treatments. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Get the real picture with both traveler and expert reviews to ensure the trip you book is the right one for you. These are all decorated in a modern, contemporary style and feel airy and spacious due to the liberal use of mirrors and reflective panels. The ships on both cruise lines offer a wide choice of dishes to suit all tastes, including healthy choices and simpler "always available" dishes. Expires February 28. In Italy, go on an after-hours visit to St. Mark's Basilica in Venice and tour the 9th-century church without crowds. Guests dine on four-course dinners, complemented by regional wines. Tauck's shore excursion program is a little more comprehensive (although oddly, the guides themselves and the berths where the ships dock aren't necessarily better. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. Itineraries balance organized activities with ample leisure time so guests can pursue their own interests. 1) Avalon's Rhine & Moselle on Affinity (Amsterdam to Basel, 14 days), 2) Tauck's Rhine & Moselle (Amsterdam to Basel, 13 days), 3) AMA's Europe's Rivers & Castles (Trier to Nuremberg, 7 days - cruise only, or with Paris at beginning and Prague at the end to make 12 days, 4) Vikings' Vineyards & Vistas (Trier to Wurzburg, 7 days, or with Paris and Prague, like AMA above, called Cities of Light)- I did read Ruth's recent posting about that one. While Tauck also has a Lagniappe event, as well as an offsite dinner, it's not as prominently promoted as the Scenic events; it's not even listed in the daily program. One place where Viking shines, however, is with its Explorer Suites. Choose Viking ifyou want a true balcony and don't mind sacrificing space to do it. There will be talks by the Tauck directors or lecturers hired by Viking and activities such as awine tasting. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Tauck also carries bicycles onboard so if you want to spend time exploring paths along the rivers instead of taking a tour, you can. They even pay the public restroom fee for you. Most cabins also have a French balcony, which allows the rooms themselves to be larger while still letting in fresh air. Tauck provides unlimited complimentary beverages onboard which includes regional wine, beer, soft drinks and premium spirits. One of the Tauck tenets is "lagniappe," or a little something extra, such as a Champagne reception in the Baden-Baden casino or roses to put on the graves of veterans at an American Military Cemetery in Luxembourg. While other river cruise cabins shove your bed against a wall for a view of the other wall, our Comfort Collection Beds SM beds face the widest-opening, wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows in river cruising. Keep in mind that the itineraries are still destination-immersive, so you might not have as much time to use these as you think you will. The suites, which are about 300 square feet, have floor-to-ceiling windows, King-sized beds, and a lounge area with a daybed. as well as other partner offers and accept our. Many also have balconies and walk-in closets, and all are above the waterline. Tauck is a much more deluxe experience, with alcohol and spirits included at all times, plus an in-room mini-bar stocked with bottled waters and sodas; all excursions; Wi-Fi; bikes onboard; gratuities; money to buy lunch in port; and special events such as dinner at a one- star Michelin restaurant. In French balcony cabins, the beds generally face the window for better views. Viking, Avalon, AmaWaterways, Crystal, Uniworld, U by Uniworld, and Tauck each supplied a ship for the special occasion. View travel requirements for countries around the world. It's open for lunch and dinner, and it's free for everyone. Cons: TVs are small and the cabin design is basic. In effect, it feels kind of like a chartered yacht. Sail through France and visit the picturesque Old Town in Strasbourg. On both ships, there's a "secret cellar," with better vintages available if you ask. For example, guests staying in suites enjoy exclusive dining, priority reservations, and a private Captain's cocktail party, while those staying in standard rooms will lack many special perks.