Favorite Itinerary?

Please forgive me for such a subjective query.

We are looking into our first river cruise. ( summer or fall) In the running are AMA, Uniworld and Tauck.

We have many interests so choosing an itinerary is difficult.

Could you please share with us your favorite river cruise itinerary and what made it so memorable.

Gratefully,

Judy

and enjoyed EACH one,,so very hard to pick,,,look at it as just your FIRST one,,and many more to chose from if you like river cruises.

That being said,,,I loved Russia,Egypt,etc..but for first,,maybe France?from Paris to Nice or Marseilles?Very scenic and quaint towns to visit,,plus time in Paris ahead of cruise..Then,,loved Portugal,,,spent time in Lisbon,,then on Porto river...great views,,rolling hills,vineyards,small ports to explore...Many people love Germany,,and castles...but some areas not as scenic due to industry.And ours really just SAW the castles from ship,,not in person.WE are going on AMA for first time in May,,,Prague to Budapest...love to new ships with 2 balconies and different restuarants.

Good luck,,,lots of research to find perfect fit for YOU...;)

Our favorite river cruise was Vantage's "Castles along the Rhine and Danube". It sails from Budapest to Amsterdam, or the reverse. We loved the towns and cities along the way, especially Budapest,Vienna and Amsterdam. Plan to stay a few days in Amsterdam, but do it on your own.

We did everything the cruise ship offered as an extension, but at one third the price.

The story and pictures are on our website. There is another great site

http://www.the preismans.com who sailed on another line.

Thank you for your replies....Please keep them coming.

One thing I should add, we are interested in Europe for our first river journey.

Again thank you,

Judy

I'm going to piggyback on this thread, since I'm beginning to do research on a possible river cruise in 2013.

The Douro River cruise is definitely in the running; we've been to Porto and it's a wonderful city, and also like Lisbon.

Both French itineraries sound nice as well, both the Seine, north from Paris to Normany, and the Rhone, south to Provence.

I'm keeping an open mind about the lines, AMA is definitely in the mix.

Tauck, Amsterdam to Budapest; you do more than just see the castles and there are so many more highlights. Ioho the evening in Vienna was more than special it was spectacular.

Tauck is an all inclusive luxury line, slightly more expensive than other high price point lines, but I think still good value. Check out their web site to see the full story:)

We sailed with Uniworld from Constanta, Romania on the Black Sea to Amsterdam on the North Sea. A wonderful 2 weeks.

Our favorite river cruise to date was on the AmaDante from Remich to Amsterdam. The scenery on the Mosel was beautiful as it was ablaze in fall colors. The ports were a mixed bag. Koblenz was our favorite and we enjoyed Cologne and Remich. It was nice to spend a day and night in Amsterdam but we were underwhelmed. Wels and Berkanstel would have been nice if anything were open but so little was it was disappointing.

It was our favorite all around river cruise experience as AMA was such a delight in all aspects. And it was a wine theme cruise which was a lot of fun, with added events and amenities.

As already stated we really enjoyed our Amsterdam to Budapest cruise on Tauck. I realise, on paper, they look more expensive but when you cost in all those "little extras" that other cruise companies charge you Tauck's all-inclusive costing is very hard to beat. Two of the many highlights for us were having a sausage and a beer at the oldest sausage house in Europe and the great night out to dinner and a concert in Vienna. If we could manage to save up again we'd sign up again with Tauck in a heart-beat.

My favorite European of the two we have been on would be the Danube from Budapest ending in Prague. I think the ports were more spectacular than the Paris to Prague we took last year. Of course since the Rivers & Castles cruise began in Paris and we spent 5 days there, it made it just an awesome experience. I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. Just decide what cities are your "must sees" and take that cruise. For a first river cruise, I would think that Budapest, Prague and Vienna would be hard to beat.

You can read about and see lots of photos from our two European river cruises on our website www.thepreismans.com. Good luck on finding a wonderful river cruise

Hi - what are you hoping to do/see?

Are you interested in WWII history? Is wine (tasting/making) your passion? Is is classical music? Any or all of the above? That may drive your final choice.

We loved the Paris/Normandy itinerary, as we wanted to see the beaches in Normandy (my father was in the 2nd wave of soldiers that landed on Juno Beach), Rouen (for Joan of Arc) - and Monet's garden in Giverny. Art and history together in the same cruise was what drove our final decision.

We loved Budapest to Prague on the Danube. So much history at both ends of this tour - we would love to go back. Vienna wasn't as exciting as I had hoped, but many really enjoyed their visit. I do not enjoy classical music - so this wasn't a huge draw for me.

We loved our tour on the Rhine - and would like to go back as we did it for the Christmas markets (ie: too cold to sit on the top deck...)

If you could identify what it is about river cruising that entices you, perhaps you might solicit some suggestions that are more detailed....

We have travelled with Uniworld, AMA and Scenic... And do feel that we would travel with them all again. Itinerary (including dates) then price is our driver.

Fran

"what are you hoping to do/see?"

To see beautiful landscape. Absorbing the culture....Not running around trying to see everything in six hours. We like to walk through villages, see the architecture,gardens and local people....Food and wine.

We've been fortunate in our 27+ years of marriage to have experienced some wonderful and memorable journeys. Most of our worldwide travels were through my husbands former company.....(In the late 80s and 90s life was very good for the tech industry). And more recently travels that I've orchestrated. ( I think I was a travel agent in my other life.)

One of the biggest positives in river cruising is that my dear husband does not have to get behind the wheel.....This makes for a very happy marriage!!!!

Thank you for all the insight.

Judy

We sailed on the Danube 16 days from the Black Sea (started from Bucharest) to Passau, Germany, then spent 4 days post-cruise in Prague (October). Had a pre-extension in Transylvania.

It ranks at the top of all our vacations.

Judy -

River cruising might be a great fit for you. When we did the Danube, we opted to stay on the boat the day that the Amalyra cruised the Wachau Valley - instead of taking the optional to Salzburg. Everyone raved about Salzburg - and I am sure that we will get there someday - but I still remember sitting in the lounge and chatting with a wonderful couple who chose to do the same thing (ie: stay on board and relax...) We saw wonderful scenery, drank some lattes, met some interesting people --> and felt as if we were truly on vacation.

We did get to see Passau (something that the group that went to Salzburg didn't see) - so we did get some history/culture. I wouldn't have traded my day on board for any optional excursion.

I guess I am trying to say that you do have options - and the ability (to a point) to personalize your day (realizing the boat does have scheduled stops to make... ) The downside of *not* having your husband behind the wheel is that you can't change the stops!!! :D

I don't think you can really make a bad choice on the rivers... but you might find that some are more memorable than others.

Have fun planning!!!

Fran

with a 7 day one,,with days before and after in city you start and stop in...that way,,if<<<for SOME reason;;;;river cruising is not for you...only invested 7 days,,not 16 or so...we LOVE them,,along with ocean cruises,,but others MAY not. Know what you mean about driving,,,husband always complained he couldn t enjoy it,,while I constantly got us lost...we did that in Europe for many years and finally have given it up ...nice alternative here..;)

As other's have said, we enjoyed the BUD to AMS with Tauck very much.

The cities visited, the absolutely wonderful Tauck experience and the very lovely cruising landscape was, for us, outstanding!

It is one we would do again!

Also, if you choose this itinerary, you may want to spend a little extra time in AMS or BUD...or both, for that matter!

We thought BUD as definitely a keeper and a place we hope to return to spend more time!!

We have done 2 river cruises with Avalon. Remich to Amsterdam with pre days in Paris in October which was beautiful. Good weather, Fall colors and the Mosele River was spectacular with the scenery of the vineyards.

But IMO, our most recent #2 cruise from Budapest to Prague with pre and post days on each end was hands down....our favorite!! Budapest was spectacular and I cannot wait to go back as was Prague. Cruised in mid-late November so weather was colder but no rain and we loved our few days of the Christmas markets in Salzburg, Vienna and Prague. Ports were much more interesting on this cruise but the river scenery was much prettier on the Mosele and Rhine Rivers.

I hope we can do Budapest to Amsterdam in the future but sadly this route misses Prague:(

Good Luck with your choice!

Our favorite river cruise to date was on the AmaDante from Remich to Amsterdam. The scenery on the Mosel was beautiful as it was ablaze in fall colors. The ports were a mixed bag. Koblenz was our favorite and we enjoyed Cologne and Remich. It was nice to spend a day and night in Amsterdam but we were underwhelmed. Wels and Berkanstel would have been nice if anything were open but so little was it was disappointing.

 

It was our favorite all around river cruise experience as AMA was such a delight in all aspects. And it was a wine theme cruise which was a lot of fun, with added events and amenities.

Hello

we are looking to book the Blue Danube discovery in late October 2013 and are a little concerned about the weather. This will be our first river cruise. What is your experience with the weather? Any helpful hints re cruising AMA would be appreciated. My email is sls101@comcast.net. Thanks for sharing your experience with a newbie.

Sharon

I agree with BP Cruiser, we LOVE LOVE LOVED Budapest to Prague. We were on Avalon and the ports, scenery, and the before and after stays were spectacular. Prague is the most marvelous port. We are booked from Amsterdam to Paris this year, and hope it measures up. It's going to be hard to beat!!

Hello

we are looking to book the Blue Danube discovery in late October 2013 and are a little concerned about the weather. This will be our first river cruise. What is your experience with the weather? Any helpful hints re cruising AMA would be appreciated. My email is sls101@comcast.net. Thanks for sharing your experience with a newbie.

Sharon

For weather you can search the historical averages for the cities you plan to visit.

We travel to Europe in November and December as the rates are lower and the crowds thinner. We always pack layers and rainwear just in case.

AMA was a great experience. Cannot think of any "helpful hints" other than to do your research on the ports you are going to visit to maximize your enjoyment. Spend some time pre and post enjoying the area. We do this independently. And if you love cheese, you are in for a real treat at lunch and dinner. :)

AMA has a massage therapist on board and we took full advantage of her.

Enjoy!

For weather you can search the historical averages for the cities you plan to visit.

 

We travel to Europe in November and December as the rates are lower and the crowds thinner. We always pack layers and rainwear just in case.

 

AMA was a great experience. Cannot think of any "helpful hints" other than to do your research on the ports you are going to visit to maximize your enjoyment. Spend some time pre and post enjoying the area. We do this independently. And if you love cheese, you are in for a real treat at lunch and dinner. :)

 

AMA has a massage therapist on board and we took full advantage of her.

 

Enjoy!

thanks

I agree with BP Cruiser, we LOVE LOVE LOVED Budapest to Prague. We were on Avalon and the ports, scenery, and the before and after stays were spectacular. Prague is the most marvelous port. We are booked from Amsterdam to Paris this year, and hope it measures up. It's going to be hard to beat!!

Hi Stretch,

You and I have done the same 2 cruises, just in reverse order. You will love Paris and all it has to offer as well as your time on the Mosele River with the beautiful vineyards. The Castles on the Rhine cruising portion of your trip should be delightful also, I hope you have great weather to be able to sit on the outside deck while seeing all the castles as it is such a lovely experience.

After doing both cruises, I still say there have been no stops on either of the itineraries that compares to the beauty of Prague and seeing Budapest illuminated at night on the Danube. Just unbelievable!

The best of both worlds for me is if it were possible to combine the beauty of the vineyards of the Mosele in Fall along with the total enjoyment of Budapest to Prague that takes in the Christmas Markets.

Without a doubt if I do a repeat, it would be the Danube! Have a great cruise

And maybe we will be on the same itinerary in the future at the same time:)

Brenda

I've been off the radar screen for a few days and was quite delighted to read all your suggestions and wonderful travel memories.

Budapest seems to be at the top of the list for many of you, as well as Prague..... These are two cities we have not yet visited and with all the marvelous comments made, you've really peaked our interest. The only drawback for us with that itinerary is that we've spent time in both Vienna and Salzburg. I'll look into three or four lines to see what alternatives that itinerary may have......I can see why many have recommended a spreadsheet. It can be overwhelming making comparisons.

Thank you all for sharing your memories!!!!

Stretchcruz, I look forward to hearing about your Amsterdam to Paris cruise......Paris is on my bucket list.

Cheers,

Judy

On our AMA Budapest to Prague itinerary, Salzberg was an optional. The included tour was of Passau. And - there was only 1 day in Vienna. I am sure you could find something to do there that you *haven't* seen....

Fran

Hello

we are looking to book the Blue Danube discovery in late October 2013 and are a little concerned about the weather. This will be our first river cruise. What is your experience with the weather? Any helpful hints re cruising AMA would be appreciated. My email is sls101@comcast.net. Thanks for sharing your experience with a newbie.

Sharon

We took the Budapest to Prague tour in May 2010. The weather was unseasonably cold and rainy, but that was May! And we loved the cruise and the ports and tours.

Checking the historical averages may help you plan, but if the weather isn't perfect, just go ahead and enjoy the ports. Take some rain gear just in case, but rely on the huge AMA umbrellas if needed.