Cruising the Danube - First Time!

Hi All!

This is my first post here, so I wanted to make it a good one. Firstly, let me introduce myself! My name is Nate, and I live in Kansas city, working in an Optometrist's office, but also working as a musical theatre accompanist/pianist for hire. I'm so glad to officially meet you all! I have found all of you to be a veritable font of information regarding all the intricacies of river cruising. I'm lucky to've found such a friendly community!

My best friend and I are in the preliminary stages of planning a river cruise sometime in 2018. Two of our friends are to be married in Great Britain and, while we're in the neighborhood, so to speak, we thought we might combine those festivities with a little vacation of our own!

We both first discovered the idea of river cruising having (like many) seen ads for Viking on various BBC/Masterpiece programs, and fell in love with the idea. We've tentatively decided on the Danube, as Budapest has always been on my bucket list, and my friend has never been to Eastern Europe (and neither have I). I previously cruised to Alaska on Princess with my grandfather some 10 years ago, and I love the type of experience a cruise provides. Of course, a river cruise is an entirely different beast than an ocean cruise but, from the research I've done, I really can't imagine a better way to see Europe than that!

Some background. We're both relatively young (I'm 25 and she's 27) and have been best friends since we met in college, in an Italian course. She was an Art History major, and fairly well travelled, having lived abroad in Italy for a year (traveling around western Europe), and vacationed in Japan. She also speaks conversational Italian and almost fluent German. I was a Piano Performance major and also speak decent Italian. I'm not as well-travelled internationally, but I consider myself to be pretty savvy, and neither of us are intimidated by new things, and enjoy throwing ourselves into new adventures/cultures/locales.

So, we think the Danube has things to offer both of us. The idea of seeing Vienna is just magical to me, being the cradle of modern music, in a sense, and she's taken with the notion of all the fantastic art extant all along the Danube. We've been torn on the idea of an itinerary, though. I've seen itineraries from Passau/Nuremberg to Budapest, and several from Budapest to Bucharest, both of which have their merits. The ideal for us might be something like Vienna to Bucharest, as we're both keen on the idea of Romania and Transylvania, as well as Hungary and Austria (and points in between). Do such itineraries exist?

As to the operator, we're also open to suggestions. Having looked at Viking, I'm not sold on that line just yet. I've read some horror stories (taken with a grain of salt, of course) that have (nonetheless) rather dissuaded me from them, as well as those things that aren't included in the fare. I have to admit I'm rather taken with Scenic; their ships look magnificent, and the all-inclusive nature of their offerings is very appealing. Crystal also certainly caught my eye, but their website seems to be a bit thin on detail. I could be missing it, but I'll look forward to receiving their brochure. UniWorld also looks wonderful, but the styling of their ships isn't quite to my taste (a quibble, certainly).

Of course, I have on order brochures from all the major players I could find: Viking, Scenic, Crystal, Emerald, AMA, Croisi (I think I ordered that one...) UniWorld, Avalon, Tauck, and others which escape me at this time. I'm looking forward to pouring through them with great interest.

Price is definitely a consideration, of course, but we both have ample time to budget and save and plan. My friend and I enjoy nice meals, good wine/cocktails (a cocktail shaker is the happiest sound in the world, I'm convinced!) and lovely service. We're also of the notion that, if we're going to do this, we want to do it right, and are willing to spend a bit more to ensure that this experience is not only unforgettable, but nothing short of magical.

I wanted to turn to the collective wisdom of this excellent community for any advice you might have for this, our maiden river voyage. What are some sights that are not to be missed? What are some "newbie" traps we could avoid? What are some "insider tips" that might help us, either in planning or once embarked? How does the "culture" of these ships vary from line to line? I'll haply read anything any of you have to say on the subject of river cruising! I can't wait to read your replies, and I thank you for taking the time to read and reply.

Yours,

Nate

Welcome to Cruise Critic, Nate! You certainly seem to be considering many of the things that you should.

My #1 suggestion would be to combine a first river cruise with some land stays if you can fit it into your time and dollar budget. Arriving early and enjoying a city like Vienna or Budapest has the additional benefits of making more certain that a airplane problem doesn't get the cruise off to a bad start and gives you time to acclimate to the time changes. Many companies do cruise from Budapest to Bucharest (which is a moderate land connection from the lower Danube). It is a relatively short distance from Vienna to Budapest, so you could fly to Vienna and enjoy some time there before transferring to Budapest. I have (in stages) done the entire North Sea to Black Sea trip, and I will say that while the lower Danube is interesting, it is somewhat lacking in density of castles and vineyards found on the Rhine and the Middle Danube. We (a group of 7 friends) spent a week in Transylvania at the end of a cruise with a private guide/driver and had a wonderful time - I especially enjoyed Sighisoara - and prices when we did this in 2007 were extremely reasonable.

Some companies bundle river cruises with land stays, and this is good for people that want everything done for them. I personally get a much better feel for a country if I break away from the herd and get my own hotels etc, and it sounds like you could easily handle this. With English, German and Italian you should be able to communicate pretty well (Romanian is a Romance language, and even with my rather pathetic French, I found that I could sort of read Romanian).

Two of my favorite Middle Europe cities are Prague and Budapest (neither of which speaks any of the languages mentioned, but English and German is widespread in anything related to tourism). If I skip Romania, my suggestion would be to include those two cities (which I would spend time in on my own, although you can get a complete package deal) and get one of the many cruises that do the Middle Danube boarding in a number of cities between Nuremberg to Linz (depending on the line) and going to Budapest.

So many choices. Happy planning and ENJOY!

Thom

The ideal for us might be something like Vienna to Bucharest, as we're both keen on the idea of Romania and Transylvania, as well as Hungary and Austria (and points in between). Do such itineraries exist?

Nate

Avalon offers a Vienna to Bucharest itinerary for 2016. Don't see it offered for 2017.

FuelScience

http://www.avalonwaterways.com/river-cruise/blue-danube-to-the-black-sea-eastbound/wvo/

Hello WindLord,

what a great occassion to be in Britain for and a very good opportunity to add a holiday onto it. You are not saying where the marriage will be but if you are in London or the vicinity I would consider rail rather than flying to get onto the continent. However, Vienna is a long way even with fast speed trains so you might prefer flying. If you think you might want - or flying times from London to Vienna do not work out - try an airport like Brussels (great for Art Nouveau), Cologne (great for the cathedral, i.e. gothic art) or Frankfurt. All easily within reach of London through the European high speed network. This site is a good one: http://www.seat61.com/

Yes, I strongly suggest you DIY! Judging from your age, interests and the fact that you are happy to not let language barriers get in your way I am sure you will enjoy that more than a "everything is organized for you" river cruise. You can get to that Viking advertisement Downton Abbey place called Highclere Castle on your own: https://www.highclerecastle.co.uk/planning-your-visit

For river cruising I recommend reading the stickies on top of the page by our host jazzbeau. Great info!

Avalon Waterways has a cruise for example that goes from Vienna to the Black Sea: http://www.avalonwaterways.com/river-cruise/blue-danube-to-the-black-sea-eastbound/wvo/

From reading your post I suggest you steer away from Viking, mainly due to the fact that the company markets to people "beyond adventure age" (my words), reflected in the fact that they have no bikes onboard for example. There are more active cruises on offer and themed cruises. Vienna is highly recommended for art lovers, do go and see a palace but I also recommend the Vienna secession building (alas, I have only been to the outside and did not have time for the exhibition): https://www.wien.info/en/sightseeing/sights/art-nouveau/secession

I somehow think that Uniworld might be a great fit for you but that is only a feeling I have acquired from reading other people's experiences with them, besides the decor. AmaWaterways could be great for you as well. Perhaps make a spreadsheet to see where the several companies differ in what they offer. Budapest is an amazing place, I recommend the art, museums and buildings but also looking at the famous Gellert baths for either just gazing or a swim (the towels on sale are very nice). Perhaps see if a company offers an evening concert in Vienna or try to organize tickets by yourself - a lot of river cruise companies stay overnight in Vienna. This is the AmaWaterways cruise: http://www.amawaterways.com/gems-of-southeastern-europe-2016

Allow yourself lots of time in Vienna, perhaps an overnight stay (or two) in a hotel if you start your cruise in Vienna.

If you do include Nuremberg, Passau and Linz you will also be able to experience art and history, Linz having a strong connection with classical music. Munich might be a convenient airport then, where, of course, you have the great art museums.

Lots of options, I am sure you will find one that you will both enjoy greatly.

Have fun planning.

notamermaid

Nate, welcome to CC and the River Cruise boards. As you can see from the responses you've had so far, you could spend many weeks on an itinerary here and still leave things for next time. Don't try to do everything on this visit.

The German and Austrian parts of the Danube are easy to DIY, even for those of us who don't speak German, and I agree with the others who have recommended that. You can drive yourselves or take the train. Once you get to Budapest, do a cruise for the rest of the itinerary to Bucharest.

Although you could DIY the whole trip, it may be easier to DIY for just a portion of the trip so it's not so daunting. Given that this is your first major Europe trip, it may be less stressful if you share the planning - do some yourself, let the cruise line do some of the rest.

We have gone DIY on a number of occasions through Germany, Austria, and Switzerland but not (yet) in eastern Europe. Well, we did Budapest DIY but that is easy.

We have a few years on you (40s) and we love Uniworld. We are usually among the youngest on the boat but that doesn't matter. You will have a great time regardless of age. I am amazed at the strong reactions that the ships' decor elicits. Honestly, we're always too busy enjoying the great food and wine to notice the decor. There are other lines that offer a great product as well.

The Danube is a great choice for a first river cruise and I agree with combining this with a DIY land trip.

We are active and always among the youngest on our river cruises. Our preference is AMA overall for quality of food, service and accommodations; attention to details; warm and welcoming staff; variety of excursions with ample options for more active travelers; variety of evening entertainment. Our favorite cruises have been with AMA, and we love their newer ships with twin balcony statements, pools on the top deck and their lovely Chef's Table dining venue.

Scenic was also very nice with a minimalist decor (very sleek and modern), great wine and spirits included and a mainly Aussie passenger list that was a ton of fun! We did not care for their food as much as AMA and felt excursions were limited but overall service and staff were exceptional.

We enjoyed Uniworld as well but would only cruise again on their SuperShips as we would not be happy with cabins of 128-151 sq ft (standard cabins on their older vessels) and we are not willing to pay for suites. Food and wine on Uniworld was very good. We found service to be very good albeit a bit formal for our preferences. While we did not care the decor, bedding and bathroom appointments were top notch.

We have not and will not cruise with Viking for a multitude of reasons.

We will be on our 8th AMA cruise in October, on the AmaSonata, and are very much looking forward to it. It is a repeat cruise on the Danube, with a DIY in Austria prior.

Just done 2 river cruises with Viking this summer.....our first and found them to be very good indeed.

First one was to Budapest and the second to Bucharest , would recommend the first one as it was more scenic on the river but the second was a huge eyeopener for us and the places we visited and the people we met were fantastic

Loved Bucharest would return there in a heartbeat..

Thank you all so much for your thoughtful replies!!

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Thom,

Thank you for the warm welcome! I definitely agree with you that a land-stay on either end of the cruise would be ideal. That's something that's certainly on our radar, but we'll have to see how feasible that is, both financially and in requesting time off from our jobs. I have a feeling that I could spend a year in Vienna and Budapest and still find new and wonderful things every day! We'll definitely have to explore the possibility of a few days extra somewhere!

I had the same sort of thought about the scarcity of points of interest on the lower Danube. It looks staggeringly gorgeous, and Bucharest does look fascinating, but I wonder if there's enough there to devote most of our time to the lower Danube on this, our first voyage. However, Transylvania certainly has a certain mystique that I find rather intriguing. Perhaps we could cruise to Budapest and take a jaunt up to Transylvania, if time allows. Like I mentioned, we're in the early early planning stages, so almost anything is possible!

Thanks so much for your ideas and advice!!

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FuelScience,

Thanks for the link!! I'll definitely have to look into Avalon again; there are so many operators that it's hard to keep them and all of their itineraries straight!

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NotAMermaid,

We are very excited for the wedding, for sure! The reason I didn't specify the location is because I do not know it, haha! I don't believe the venue is booked yet, but I believe it's to take place at a castle (or its environs) sometime in late summer or early fall. Which would be an ideal cruising time, from what I've gathered!

Thank you for the great advice re: flying vs. rail! My friend had an awful experience transferring in either Frankfurt or Munich (resulting in lost, then found [waterlogged and moldy] luggage) so we are definitely leery about intra-European flights. I do like the idea of a combined rail/plane method, though. I've a feeling that might be the way to go.

That is good information to have about Viking catering to an older set. While neither of us are über-active (you won't find me free climbing or bungee jumping!) the notion of a casual cycle tour does seem like a lot of fun. Neither of us have strong need to be around people our own age, and we know we'll more than likely be some of the youngest on the vessel, but that doesn't bother us.

I'll have to give UniWorld a closer look, I believe. I just worry that the decor augurs towards a more reserved, overly-formal atmosphere. While we do enjoy a degree of formality, we also want to be able to have fun, and not feel like we have to talk in hushed tones whilst in the common areas, if you take my meaning. That being said, I'll definitely look into UniWorld in more depth.

Thank you for the links to those voyages and ideas of port adventures. If we do end up sailing through Vienna (which seems likely) I would consider that visit squandered if we didn't attend at least one concert. How could a trip on the Danube be complete without hearing An der schönen blauen Donau live! :D

Gosh, there's just so much to consider and plan, isn't there? The difficult part will be eliminating those things we really want to do, in favor of those things we absolutely can't live without doing!

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JP and Chris,

Thanks for the welcome! You're definitely right, there are year's worth of worthwhile places to see and things to do. We will certainly make sure to do enough things to keep us busy, but few enough that those things we do choose to see, receive the full amount of time they deserve!

The DIY concept is certainly an intriguing one! We'll have to see just what is feasible for us, both financially and as far as time off from work is concerned. Fortunately we've got ample time to plan!

By the way, I have to tell you how much I enjoyed reading your trip report from your own Danube river cruise! You are both so active, and I was tired just reading all the things you managed to do each day! Yours is a report I'll definitely be going back to for specific ideas in some of the ports along the river!

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Caviargal,

I'm glad to hear you say that; we both thought the Danube would be a welcoming entree into the world of river cruising.

AMA is another operator to which I've not yet devoted enough time. I've got a brochure on order from them (I think.. they all blend together after a while, haha) and I'll dig into their website a bit deeper. Did you find that AMA seemed to cater heavily towards an older set? When I first looked at their offerings, they seemed to skew predominately that way; more so than some of the other lines. Like I mentioned earlier, we don't have an aching desire to cruise with people our own age, but we did like some of the slightly more active offerings available through a few of the other lines.

That clean, yet elegant simplicity is exactly what attracted me to Scenic! That, and (I admit), their remarkably slick video-marketing campaign. Both the male and female presenter have so much personality that I was ready to pick up the phone and give my credit card number to the booking agent, saying "Take me anywhere!" Did you find the food to be lacking in variety? That seems to be something I've read on the few less-than-stellar reviews of Scenic that I can find.

I'll definitely make a note to only look at the SuperShips when digging into UniWorld's website later today. I admit I'm a bit worried about that über-formality you mentioned. My friend and I both like a degree of formality, but not when it tends towards stuffiness.

If I may ask, what are the reasons you won't sail with Viking? I admit, in the research I've done, it seems like Viking is a rather polarizing operator; people either love it or hate it!

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Missus Makkem,

Thanks for your reply! I'm glad to hear you've experienced legs on the journey we're considering! What made the lower leg such an eye-opener? I think I agree with you, inasmuch as I believe I'm leaning more towards the Middle Danube, rather than the Lower. Of course, I'm bound to change my mind on this two or three times before bed tonight, haha! What about Bucharest made it so special for you? What are your thoughts about Viking? As I mentioned earlier, they seem to be a polarizing operator; people either love 'em or hate 'em!

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Thank you all again so much for your wonderful, thoughtful, and insightful replies! We have so much to consider in planning this venture, but I've always found that planning a remarkable experience like this is always half the fun. Like the poet Bashō said: "Every day is a journey, and the journey itself home."

The quoting feature is not working again so here goes:

<AMA is another operator to which I've not yet devoted enough time. Did you find that AMA seemed to cater heavily towards an older set? When I first looked at their offerings, they seemed to skew predominately that way; more so than some of the other lines. Like I mentioned earlier, we don't have an aching desire to cruise with people our own age, but we did like some of the slightly more active offerings available through a few of the other lines.>

Just the opposite! AMA (based on our 7 cruises with them) skews younger than the others we have been on. IMO this is due to their wide range of active excursions, on board bikes, pools with swim up bars and great theme cruises. Of all lines we have cruised with, Avalon skewed the oldest as well as the most generic. We won't be cruising with them again.

<That clean, yet elegant simplicity is exactly what attracted me to Scenic! That, and (I admit), their remarkably slick video-marketing campaign. Both the male and female presenter have so much personality that I was ready to pick up the phone and give my credit card number to the booking agent, saying "Take me anywhere!" Did you find the food to be lacking in variety? That seems to be something I've read on the few less-than-stellar reviews of Scenic that I can find.>

It took me a while to get used to the decor (and the uncomfortable bar stools, where we admittedly spend a good bit of time before and after dinner :D) but I did grow to like it and beds were awesome! I did find the food lacking in variety and, as someone with special preferences for low fat choices (which I advised pre cruise as well as twice on board) my dining restrictions were completely ignored. It was a longer cruise and it was quite annoying.

<I'll definitely make a note to only look at the SuperShips when digging into UniWorld's website later today. I admit I'm a bit worried about that über-formality you mentioned. My friend and I both like a degree of formality, but not when it tends towards stuffiness.>

We did find service to be more formal and stuffy than the other lines we sailed with and we both prefer a more social staff and crew. We have no need to be treated with formality or deference. As someone we know once said "Uniworld treats you like you are important and AMA like you are family". That has been our experience to a T.

<If I may ask, what are the reasons you won't sail with Viking? I admit, in the research I've done, it seems like Viking is a rather polarizing operator; people either love it or hate it!>

I find their ships totally generic and ugly, and describe them as the love child of Ikea and Scan Design. They pack too many people aboard, have small cabins, no gym and no active excursions. They are clear about who they market to and that is seniors. For us, all deal breakers.

In addition to active excursions mentioned above, AMA has teamed up with Disney, and a biking tout company. Adding these would definitely not be geared to older clients.

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Caviargal,

That's good to hear! I must have been thinking of a different operator, maybe even Avalon! I'm sure you know how confusing it can get when you go through the websites of 8+ different lines in a night, haha! AMA certainly bears further review, bearing your post in mind. Equally, I think I can scratch Avalon off the list, as my friend and I certainly don't want a generic cruise!

I definitely like the modern look of Scenic. I live in a very modern building in downtown Kansas City, and have tried to pull off a Mid-Century feel, which I quite enjoy, so I think Scenic's decor might be right up my alley. Plus, I've heard that the Aussies are a blast to cruise with, which sounds really fun.

What you said about UniWorld vs. AMA makes sense. We've no need to be treated like an inhabitant of Downton Abbey, or at least not to that extreme. Something more along the lines of how you described AMA treating you like family is more what we're after.

I love that description of Viking! I had a similar thought when I read their description of "clean Scandinavian design." I thought "Oh, that just means 'austere and cold'," haha. And again, we're not looking for something generic either.

Thanks again for your reply!

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Doktor,

Thanks for your reply! I did not know that AMA had made those partnerships! I'm sure that they'll be featuring some excellent cycling tours soon. Though I haven't ridden a bike in years, a nice pedal down the river or through a village does sound charming. I just hope that their partnership with Disney doesn't mean that there would be lots of small kids about!

The AmaSonata Danube itinerary had a bike excursion and a hiking excursion each day. Not a special kids itinerary. It overnighted in both Budapest and Vienna

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Got2Cruise,

That's good information to have about AMA! The more I look into them, the more they seem like a definite contender!

our only experience is Viking but had zero issues, enjoyed the trip Budapest to Nuremberg very much. Overall I'd compare the line to WINDSTAR

with regard to all inclusives .. we considered this factor and some ARE more inclusive than V, but we also weighed what we'd use. DW does not drink much and the wine at lunch and dinner was really all she'd need. We ended up with a significant OBC which MORE than covered our bar bill. Medical restrictions made bicycles and more 'intense' activities a non-starter. Not making a sales pitch, just recommend you factor in rather than get all starry eyed at "all inclusive"

*******

Booked our own air going over ..... a not main stream airline - LOT Polish National - NYC to Warsau then connection to Budapest. Zero complaints ... and zero crowd in W'

We did extra days in Budapest b4, booked thru the line and enjoyed very much. Good hotel in excellent location.

We did extra days in Nur' then Hamburg booked on our own (TA) and also enjoyed - and saved $$ over what the line arrangements cost ....

if you have the time .... we came back on the QM2, Hamburg to NYC for less $$ than the business class airfare going over .... 9 day transit stopping in Southampton for a day.

Capt BJ,

That is a good point. One ought not to become over-infatuated with the all-inclusive thing, especially when, as you said, there is OBC which can help to balance things out. I'm glad to hear you had no issues on your own cruise

Thank you for the information about flying to Europe. I do not yet know what arrangements we will have to make, as we will be bound by whatever wedding arrangement our friends make. I'm sure we'll get it sorted out in the end, however. Thanks for replying!

You ask about my thoughts on Bucharest...difficult to describe to people who do not go geo caching but that is what we love doing.

Our first visit and it was so so different to anywhere we have been in Europe and the people were great.

As for Viking , we loved it after so much ocean cruising it suited us to perfection we do nor want any whistles and bells just to be looked after and go places.

There included excursions for me were excellent and my husband usually hates bus trips but he tolerated them as he left us on our arrival and went caching.

Best for me was the visit to a locals home in Croatia and the Hungarian horse farm.

Off shortly on an Avalon cruise so will be interested in the differences.

We've traveled with Uniworld 3 times and have not found the atmosphere at all "stuffy". The decor is definitely a lot more unique then that found on Viking ships, and although it is more formal, we found it also to be warm and comfortable. On our trips, staff could not have been more gracious, helpful and went out of their way to insure that everyone was enjoying the adventure. (For instance, when we asked for directions from the ship to the Jewish Ghetto neighborhood in Venice, the young woman at reception (Emma) not only gave us a map, but took the time to draw a diagram of all of the different landmarks and turns we should make, since she didn't know the street names). Other staff members learned our names early on, and remembered them throughout the week. Although we did feel pampered, we never experienced the formality depicted in Downtown Abbey!

The all inclusive aspect is not just about the bar. We really liked not having to dig into our wallets each time we took a tour or a bus ride.

On our trip this summer, there was quite an age range (probably 30's - 80), but most everyone was active and up for more adventures. We really enjoyed our (12 km) bike ride around Chioggia and out to the Adriatic Sea, and will look for more river cruises that offer a bike tour. Looking at their 2017 catalog, it seems like Uniworld is adding more "go active" options.

We have not been on any of the larger Uniworld ships, and on all of our trips with them, there were only around 80 people on board (with a capacity of 130). We loved the smaller group! On our Viking cruise last summer, we were on one of their longboats at full capacity (around 198 passengers), and found that the staff seemed overwhelmed trying to serve that many people. Many times, there wasn't enough room for everyone in the lounge, and it seemed like the lobby was always congested when tours began. We met others on our cruises that had also tried a Viking cruise, but said that after experiencing Uniworld, they would not sail with Viking again.

Missus Makkem,

I haven't been geocaching in years, but I dod remember enjoying it. I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed the Viking excursions. I expect to receive a brochure packet from Viking in the next few days, so I will be looking through that with interest!

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Babcia7,

Thank you for sharing your experiences on UniWorld. Their brochure just arrived today, and I'm looking forward to pursuing that this evening. I definitely agree with you that the all-inclusive aspect does take away the stress of tipping, and seems like it would make the whole trip go smoother. I'm also glad to hear that your voyage had a broad age-range and more active offerings. UniWorld is definitely another line to consider. There are just so many different operators, all with their own merits!

In addition to active excursions mentioned above, AMA has teamed up with Disney, and a biking tout company. Adding these would definitely not be geared to older clients.

 

 

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ANA has teamed up with Adventures by Disney for certain cruises and those cannot be booked thru AMA only thru Adventures by Disney. I wouldn't expect the Disney experience or influence to spill over to the non-ABD cruises.

ANA has teamed up with Adventures by Disney for certain cruises and those cannot be booked thru AMA only thru Adventures by Disney. I wouldn't expect the Disney experience or influence to spill over to the non-ABD cruises.

I would hope not and there would be no reason for non Disney marked sailings to be anything but the standard AMA experience.

<We've traveled with Uniworld 3 times and have not found the atmosphere at all "stuffy". The decor is definitely a lot more unique then that found on Viking ships, and although it is more formal, we found it also to be warm and comfortable. On our trips, staff could not have been more gracious, helpful and went out of their way to insure that everyone was enjoying the adventure.>

Perhaps our definition of "stuffy" differs. The service was very good, however, it was definitely more formal than on our AMA and Scenic cruises. (Avalon's service was more functional than anything). With few exceptions, staff did not address us by name. The CM was the most invisible and least engaged of any we have ever had. Same for the bar staff.

The hotel manager and concierge were both excellent as was the dining room manager. The service in the specialty venue was quite cold and stiff and we did not enjoy it. And the sommelier was not receptive when I asked for a different wine from what she had selected for dinner. I did not want her to instruct me on why it was the right wine for dinner, I wanted a glass of wine that I enjoyed.

Belle,

Ah, I see. Thanks for the clarification! I'm glad to heat that, should we choose to book with AMA, we wouldn't come around the corner to see a life-sized Mickey Mouse lumbering towards us, the strains of "It's a Small World After All" echoing in our ears!

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Caviargal,

Thank you for your explanation of how you found the service on UniWorld. Did you find that service with Scenic and AMA was the same "level" of formality? My friend and I want to maximize our potential enjoyment as much as possible, so choosing an operator with highly visible and engaged (yet not overbearing) staff would go a long way towards that goal, I think.

 

Caviargal,

 

Thank you for your explanation of how you found the service on UniWorld. Did you find that service with Scenic and AMA was the same "level" of formality? My friend and I want to maximize our potential enjoyment as much as possible, so choosing an operator with highly visible and engaged (yet not overbearing) staff would go a long way towards that goal, I think.

Staff on both AMA and Scenic were warm, fun and engaging across the board. On Scenic the hotel manager took out his guitar and played one night and the Captains (there were 2) were always around and wonderful to talk with. One of them googled a bus schedule for me one afternoon and took the time to explain the challenges presented by the rapidly changing tides on the river. He had a superb sense of humor and was always around.

On all of our AMA cruises we have very much enjoyed the staff and crew who were very visible, engaged and enjoyed interacting with passengers. The most exceptional was the team on AmaDagio, AmaSerena and AmaCerto, but we enjoyed them all very much! And the Cruise Managers on AMA have been second to none in our experience.

We were on AmaVida recently and had another amazing CM, staff and crew. One evening we found ourselves rafted to the Scenic Azul and watched as passengers, officers and crew had a conga line dancing through the lobby. They were having a blast! We were having a great time at disco night on AmaVida, complete with lights and wigs. We like to have fun on our river cruises :)

Caviargal,

Thank you for going into so much detail about the service on Scenic and AMA! So far the top contenders are Scenic, AMA, and UniWorld. They all have their own benefits and drawbacks, and their own personality (it seems). I know we'll have a tough time in choosing, for sure! What fun it is to plan an adventure like this, though!!

It certainly sounds like you guys have a lot of fun on board! I'm sure my friend and I will be much the same, and try to enjoy every situation to the very fullest. =D

Welcome to cruise critic, Nate, and thank you for starting this thread. We are in the same boat as you but, unfortunately, not in the same age group! We are looking at a river cruise for 2017 and have zeroed in on AMA departing from Budapest. We have looked at tons of videos of the various companies and sometimes it gets a bit confusing. We will be attending another Scenic presentation here in the Vancouver area in the next 2 weeks but I don't think we will book with them. We don't like the all inclusive model.

Caviargirl, thank you for all your info. It is great to have an experienced river cruiser on here. I have missed your posts on the Celebrity board!

Note to doktor and others: a TA website is still banned even if it provides useful information