First-time Cruisers Seek Advice from Seasoned Pros

This is our very first post on Cruise Critic but we've read a lot of yours and learned tons already. We have never cruised anywhere, so this will be our first experience with a vacation on the water.

We're coming up on our 25th wedding anniversary in March 2014 and are looking at taking a river cruise in Europe. Right now after just a few hours of research we are liking the looks of the "Danube Waltz" cruise with Viking on one of their longships. Many of the most recent reviews of all the Viking cruises are scathing, mainly because of the flooding that plagued Europe this summer. As experienced air/land travelers, we fully understand the importance of reading all the fine print, restrictions, exclusions, refund/cancellation policies etc. We're willing to take the chance and sign on, but not until we have a lot more information and have done much more research.

We really like the idea of sightseeing as we float along and feel the river cruise option will give us much more of that than an ocean voyage. Also, we would much prefer a small setting with few fellow travelers instead of 3,000 people. We're looking for a peaceful setting and we don't need 35 activities to choose from every day. We don't have to do the Danube; we are also interested in Mediterranean ports of call, but we have eliminated Northern Europe, France and Spain for this trip. We are both around 50, love exploring cities and countryside alike in search of art, culture, history, food (my favorite part!) and meeting people.

We probably can't manage a full 14 days away but may tack on a day or two if we select an 8-day cruise or thereabouts. We will bring laptop as occasional check-ins at work will be necessary, although we understand that internet access is spotty. We would really love to get a comfy room with a balcony and more living space than just a bed, but we're not sure that will be in the budget.

We welcome and appreciate your insight and guidance as to whether this particular cruise on this particular line is a good bet for first timers. Maybe there's something better out there to meet our goals? Perhaps the extra $$ for a fancy room isn't a good investment? Should we try to get a room on the top floor, and if so, why? What else do we need to know before we sign on the dotted line and cough up the cash?

We look forward to your responses and thank you very much for helping us make the most of our vacation!

Welcome to CC and the river cruise boards, We are veterans of 17 river cruises with 2 more booked, If you really need to book for March, they are mainly tulip time cruises. There is lock maintainance in April. Late April, early May or Sept are lovey times to cruise. We usually travel"aquarium class" as another board member has labeled the lower deck, We pick our itinerary and then compare lines doing the itinerary--for each trip. We have traveled most of the popular lines, do have 2 favorites,tho. One criteria for us is hotel style beds--don;t like pull downs or dsaybeds. We like the boats with about 150 pax and really enjoy the open seating at meals. Drink packages don't interest us--ample beer and wine at meals.

Since this is a special anniversary, you might want to ask about the size of the tables--not all lines have tables for two. If you have more questions, don't hesitste toask--there is a wealth of info on this board. Be careful, tho, river cruising can become addicting. Pat

Our first ever organized trip and first cruise of any type was the Viking Danube Waltz several years ago and we were immediately hooked! We had traveled to Europe several times independently so we were somewhat skeptical, but there was no need to be as we found this trip a perfect blend of guided touring and independent free time. I know there are lots of other river cruise lines from which to choose, but we have had such good experiences with Viking that we have continued to travel with them. We have had both "aquarium class" cabins and those with larger windows. The larger window sure was nice, but not a necessity as river cruising is not about the cabin, it's about the destinations along the river. We signed on for the Danube Waltz on the advice of friends before I knew about CC, and in one way I'm glad I didn't read all these postings. I would have been totally conflicted and probably done nothing! Just dive in! (Oops, poor choice of words when speaking of river cruising!)

My advice is to look at a couple other cruise lines besides Viking to get a comparison. I think that Viking's lowest level cabins have day beds rather than hotel beds, and that may be a comfort issue. I would prefer hotel beds.

We used Avalon and AMA and upgraded all of our cruises to the second level to get the french balcony. I can't see a huge advantage to being on the top level (which is more expensive). Our room was small, but I thought there was enough room to be comfortable. Honestly you are not in the room all that much though.

The Danube is a wonderful cruise, and I know you'll love it whatever line you choose.

Actually, except for the Elbe, I think that most of Viking's boats in Europe are the new Long Ships, and their Aquarium class cabins have lovely queen sized beds. We were on the Aegir in late April, and it was a great experience.

We upgraded to a French Balcony cabin on one of our cruises so far (we have done 6) and it was nice, but not worth the money for us... and so we haven't booked that category again. There are many here who would argue that they need more space - but that is a personal decision. If you do go with Viking, and book a balcony - just make sure to book the "real" balcony, and not the French balcony... if only for the cabin space. The French balcony cabins are actually smaller than Aquarium Class on the Long

Ships

Budapest to Nuremberg (or vice versa) is a great place to start... with extra time in Budapest. Prague is also lovely, but it is a long bus ride between Prague and the Danube.

Hope this helps.

Fran

Thanks for the quick & helpful responses! We'll definitely look at some of the other lines too and will not rule out the "aquarium class" rooms without a thorough investigation. We had planned on getting a bigger room because we will both have to do some work, so we may as well be comfortable during the time we do have to spend in our room. Also I try to let the hubby sleep in on vacations (a rarity with his job), so I like to have my own space to read, spread out maps, etc while he's snoozing.

Particularly helpful were tips about the bed styles and that's something we will now check first with every package and ship we consider.

We are grateful for the advice and welcome more comments!

Our first river cruise was with AMA and we had both french balcony rooms and one window only "aquarium" room. I don't think the french balcony was worth it, it's just a sliding glass door to nowhere ... there is no balcony. The lower level room was perfectly nice.

This year we're going on a Scenic cruise with actual balconies so we are springing for the balcony level.

I love river cruises because they have all of the things I appreciate about cruising (being on the water, lovely room, good food, great bar, pleasant entertainment), and none of the things I don't care about (fake Broadway shows, "art" auctions, casinos, etc.). I also love that almost all of the places you are going to see are a few steps off the ship rather than a car, bus, or train ride away.

Viking has the Danube Waltz cruise starting on March 22, 2014. I have been looking at that cruise also as I would like to do that one sometime next year.

I have been on Vikings old ships and a new one this year (Odin) and they all have regular beds.

You can look on their site and it shows the rooms on each ship.

I am going on my 4th Viking cruise in November (Rhine Getaway).

Congratulations on your 25th! We just celebrated our 50th on Panama Canal cruise. Our first river cruise was Castles on the Rhine-Budapest to Amsterdam with Vantage. It was wonderful in every way and very romantic. We chose Vantage because of their itinerary and they included shore excursions. Since then we've taken 5 trips with them and have one coming up, so yes I'm partial but in all honesty I think the big river cruise companies like Viking, Ama, grand Circle etc. Are basically the same. Find the one that has the itinerary you most want and go from there. In truth I don't think pricing ranges that much. Have a wonderful time planning and going and let us know what you choose! All of us on cc LOVE to talk about our trip,answer questions and give advice!! :)

I think the big river cruise companies like Viking, Ama, grand Circle etc. Are basically the same. :)

I think the devil is in the details when it comes to river cruising and it is important to really compare not just lines, but the boats themselves as accommodations and amenities can vary widely.

We really enjoy AMA and find their quality and attention to detail to be excellent. We would not choose Grand Circle as they are too basic and cater to AARP demographic; nor we would choose Viking, based on what we have seen and read here and elsewhere.

We have been on Viking once in 2008 & Avalon once. in 2012 .Viking was ok...We found Avalon quite a bit better ( personal opinion) We also really like the size of their rooms..check them out on their web site ( and AMA also as we have heard good things about them too) so you have comparisons. We also prefer the balconies as we love opening up to the fresh air....of course this depends on the time of year. Can't see spending any extra money to be in the same cabin up a level. And all the boats have nice lounges so you don't spend a lot of time in your room...Daytime is for exploring ports. Avalon also markets to other english speaking countries and has a nice mix of Americans, Canadians, Aussies, Brits & Kiwis.

I rest my case! There are many companies and it's the details that sets them apart...first and foremost you pick the one(s) that go where you want to go. Then you start comparing things like cabin size, French or real balcony, shore excursions, etc. It's up to you to decide who meets your needs. I don't care for GCT but one of the things I like about Vantage is that they cater to seniors. I am one and I appreciate that walking tours tend to slower...on the other hand I do miss the mix of American and Canadians and Aussies 'cause they're so much fun!

I rest my case! There are many companies and it's the details that sets them apart...first and foremost you pick the one(s) that go where you want to go. Then you start comparing things like cabin size, French or real balcony, shore excursions, etc. It's up to you to decide who meets your needs. I don't care for GCT but one of the things I like about Vantage is that they cater to seniors. I am one and I appreciate that walking tours tend to slower...on the other hand I do miss the mix of American and Canadians and Aussies 'cause they're so much fun!

I totally agree. It is really a fun exercise to break down each individual line and compare apples to apples. I always check the maximum number of passengers on board because on ships of the same dimensions you'll find maximum passenger numbers from as low as 118 to a high of over 169. This may not be a major factor in your calculations but it might be a deal breaker if everything else is similar. I find part of the fun is in the planning and I admit I do love my travel spreadsheets.

Many posters here have a favorite river cruise line, primarily because their experience was very positive and they stay with the same line for future river cruises. I fall in that category, and can only give accurate opinions on the one line I have tried - Uniworld.

Other posters have cruised on more than one river cruise line and can credibly give accurate contrasts and recommendations between the lines they have traveled on.

And some posters give opinions of lines they have not cruised on, which is not credible in my view.

As a first time river cruiser, keep this in mind when reading the cruise recommendations of posters.

I rest my case! There are many companies and it's the details that sets them apart...first and foremost you pick the one(s) that go where you want to go. Then you start comparing things like cabin size, French or real balcony, shore excursions, etc. It's up to you to decide who meets your needs. I don't care for GCT but one of the things I like about Vantage is that they cater to seniors. I am one and I appreciate that walking tours tend to slower...on the other hand I do miss the mix of American and Canadians and Aussies 'cause they're so much fun!

If "resting your case" means accepting the exact opposite of what you originally posted. ;)

If "resting your case" means accepting the exact opposite of what you originally posted. ;)

Where did I go wrong? :confused: In my original post I said that I basically think all of the major river cruise lines are basically the same and the most important criteria is the itinerary. Someone else said it's the details and I agree with that but don't see where it's at odds with what I originally said. We're both from New York, we should be able to understand each other!!:D

I totally agree. It is really a fun exercise to break down each individual line and compare apples to apples. I always check the maximum number of passengers on board because on ships of the same dimensions you'll find maximum passenger numbers from as low as 118 to a high of over 169. This may not be a major factor in your calculations but it might be a deal breaker if everything else is similar. I find part of the fun is in the planning and I admit I do love my travel spreadsheets.

I'm with you! I LOVE the planning part! I don't use spreadsheets because quite frankly, I wouldn't know how (I'm not a mathematical type person) but sometimes I think I have more fun planning than actually going.

I always check the maximum number of passengers on board because on ships of the same dimensions you'll find maximum passenger numbers from as low as 118 to a high of over 169. T

The Viking longboats actually have about 200 passengers so a huge spread of difference between passenger counts between lines.

Where did I go wrong? :confused: In my original post I said that I basically think all of the major river cruise lines are basically the same and the most important criteria is the itinerary. Someone else said it's the details and I agree with that but don't see where it's at odds with what I originally said. We're both from New York, we should be able to understand each other!!:D

I read your original post to say that most lines are the same and I personally do not agree. What many have in common are the itineraries, and it is onboard experience, inclusions, level of luxury, demographic that sets them apart IMO.

We find the standard itineraries much the same and base our decision on other factors. We would not choose a line that does not appeal to us based on itinerary alone.

The Viking longboats actually have about 200 passengers so a huge spread of difference between passenger counts between lines.

Viking Longboats - 95 cabins x 2 = 190 max. cap.

I read your original post to say that most lines are the same and I personally do not agree. What many have in common are the itineraries, and it is onboard experience, inclusions, level of luxury, demographic that sets them apart IMO.

 

We find the standard itineraries much the same and base our decision on other factors. We would not choose a line that does not appeal to us based on itinerary alone.

Ok obviously I worded it badly because I do agree with you that it's the fine points that decide which line we choose after the major decision of where we want to go. When I said that I think all the major lines are basically the same I was referring to things like pricing, food, cleanliness, cabin size and customer service. True I have only used one line, but judging by what you and other posters say about your favorite lines, I still think that while they are not the same they are . similar enough that if you really like Viking but the itinerary you want is only available on AMA, you won't be disappointed by changing lines. Of course there are lines out there that you or I would not choose under any circumstances and we've read about them plenty on CC. So I'm sorry I confused everybody!

We really enjoy AMA and find their quality and attention to detail to be excellent. We would not choose Grand Circle as they are too basic and cater to AARP demographic; nor we would choose Viking, based on what we have seen and read here and elsewhere.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and it is ok to build up the river cruise like you like but don't degrade others that you have never traveled on.

Hydrokitty is right. All river cruise lines are the same: they sail boats; they sail on rivers; they float on water; they tie up near towns.

Only the details vary: good food vs. bad food; good service vs. bad service; alcohol included or not; tips included or not; some shore excursions at extra charge vs. all included; small cabins vs. larger; competence in dealing with disasters. Details. Won't affect your enjoyment much at all.

So I guess you should just pick at random, since they're "all basically the same"?

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and it is ok to build up the river cruise like you like but don't degrade others that you have never traveled on.

Good for you, rogerdawhip! I am so tired of CC posters who degrade river cruise lines that they have never personally used. In some ways, everyone's experiences and preferences are different and using "I've heard" or "from what I've read on CC" is your criteria does not make it true nor does it speak for everyone. Thanks for your patience with my little rant!

OP,

I'll share with you what our TA (a river boat specialist) told us; choose a ship that is a recent build. The finishings will not be as "tired" but more importantly, there is less chance for major mechanical things to go wrong.

All of the ships will be approximately the same dimensions since they must fit through and sail underneath ancient locks and bridges. How the interior is arranged might be slightly different.

All of that said, if itinerary is what is most important to you, you will not be on board ship much but instead will be off ship exploring, eating, and drinking.

Remember, too, sometimes the top deck will be closed for a few days to fit under those old bridges!

For what it's worth we sail Avalon but have our eye on an AMA itinerary. Have a great time; we love river cruising.