Understanding the "days" of a cruise AND a second question

Ok....does anyone else find it a bit misleading when you look at the river cruise websites and it says a "8 day river cruise"......only to click on it for more info and find out it is really only 3 or 4 days of cruising and the rest is in hotels on land? Why do they do this? Never seen it done this way with ocean cruises.

My second question is....Is Avalon the only company with beds facing the French balcony or window? I really like that set up for the room.

I have taken 5 Viking river cruises and have NEVER stayed in a hotel except for the extra days at the beginning or end of the cruise. Do not know what cruise line you are looking at?

My second question is....Is Avalon the only company with beds facing the French balcony or window? I really like that set up for the room.

Our research about 16 months ago for the cruise we took this July revealed that, at that time, Avalon was the only one with that configuration. Honestly, that "sold" us , along with the French balcony instead of outside balcony (takes away living space.). Our expectations were greatly exceeded.

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pflorio994;

The OP comments are very accurately placed for cruises/tours in China and for those in Portugal starting in Lisbon.

What's really crazy is if one looks at the difference in cabin category costs for those cruises with the short term water portion. One can spend a $1000 upgrade for a cabin in which they will only spend three- four nights in! In the hotel portion, everyone has the same quality rooms.

On the Russian River cruises, Vantage puts you up in hotels in both Moscow and St Petersburg. The advantage of this is not having to buck the terrible traffic to and from the ship at least twice a day.

The cruise portion is 7 nights, and you spend 7 nights in a hotel. Other cruise lines have you on the ship the entire time, even though it is docked for those 6 or 7 days

Uniworld has at least one that is advertised as a ten day Danube river cruise, but when you look at the day to day details, it's actually 7 days onboard and 3 days in Prague.

 

My second question is....Is Avalon the only company with beds facing the French balcony or window? I really like that set up for the room.

I have not seen another cabin configuration like the Panorama suites on Avalon. They are very nice.

AMA spells out the details right on their homepage, e.g.: "Christmas on the Rhine (2014) [line break]

Spend 2 nights in Zürich, 2 nights in Lucerne, then enjoy a 7-night cruise from Basel to Amsterdam [line break]

13 Days – Travel to Zürich & return from Amsterdam or reverse"

Then when you click for more details, you see that you can book it either as a 13 day combination, or just the 7-night cruise. The only possibly misleading part is that day 1 of the 13-day trip is the night flight from the US -- this was discussed in another recent thread.

I have not seen another cabin configuration like the Panorama suites on Avalon. They are very nice.

Just note that not all Avalon ships are Panoramic suites, some of the older ships are not. Make sure you book a newer Panoramic suite ship if this is important.

About the added hotel thing, I noticed that there are the standard 7 day river cruises such as Castles on the Rhine, Paris/Normandy, Danube and some cruise lines add on/advertise with the extensions. You can do it without the extensions also, just the cruise portion. From my research AMA and Uniworld offers their tours like this, I am sure their customers like it that way. But just know that you are not obligated to book the hotel portion you can book the river cruise only portion.

My second question is....Is Avalon the only company with beds facing the French balcony or window? I really like that set up for the room.

Scenic ships have two large Panoramic suites with the bed facing the balcony (rear of ship). There's also another large window to the side giving you views in two directions.

Regardless of how the beds are configured, you may have a great wake up view of another ship or a riverside wall . . . just be prepared.

It is just the way they sell them ..

To be fair about the Uniworld cruise + hotel itinerary, it's called "Danube Discovery & Prague." They even separate it in the name of the itinerary.

Many of these companies are affiliated with land-tour companies, so they know how to do this type of itinerary well. You only need to look at the day-to-day details (or the graphic often included with each itinerary) to see what portion is land versus river.

Just note that not all Avalon ships are Panoramic suites, some of the older ships are not. Make sure you book a newer Panoramic suite ship if this is important.

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Not sure why you quoted me on this as I am aware that not all Avalon boats are Panorama class. I have been on the older vessels as well.

Ok....just noticed on think it was Avalon site that it says "8 day river cruise" but when you click on it for more info it really is only 3 or 4 days on the river with the rest on land. Just kind of frustrating ......it is spelled out once you click on the "more information" button.....but I would never say this is an 8 day "cruise" instead I think it should say 8 day "vacation" or something like that.

Not sure why you quoted me on this as I am aware that not all Avalon boats are Panorama class. I have been on the older vessels as well.

Sorry I meant to point out to OP that not all Avalon ships are panorama suites.

I do believe it is dishonest advertising to include the overnight flight from the States as Day 1 and/or embarking the ship at 3:00 and remaining at dock overnight as Day 1 or 2. This being followed up by the final cruise day being having breakfast and departing the boat by 9. :mad:

I guess the learning point for me is to be to read carefully what each "day" involves. Each company seems to handle it a bit differently!

I do believe it is dishonest advertising to include the overnight flight from the States as Day 1 and/or embarking the ship at 3:00 and remaining at dock overnight as Day 1 or 2. This being followed up by the final cruise day being having breakfast and departing the boat by 9. :mad:

I agree. We booked our first river cruise (Vantage) for August 30, 2015. Had I not inquired I would have assumed that we would be boarding the ship on August 30th but when I called I was told that they consider August 30th a travel day. We will be boarding the ship on August 31st. I guess that makes sense for customers who book their air with the cruise company but we are flying independently and traveling independently for a week prior to our cruise.

I guess experienced cruisers know better but for novice cruisers like us I wish it would have been spelled out clearly. I am not ready to call them dishonest but I do think they and other cruise lines could do a better job of presenting their itinerary more accurately.

We booked our first river cruise (Vantage) for August 30, 2015.

Donna,

If you'd like, I'll include you on the Vantage 2014-2015 roll call listing. If you want me to add you, just respond with the name of the cruise you're taking and I'll add you to the list.

FuelScience

On the websites of the various river companies and in the brochures if you look at the itineraries they spell it all out, day by day.....

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Donna,

 

If you'd like, I'll include you on the Vantage 2014-2015 roll call listing. If you want me to add you, just respond with the name of the cruise you're taking and I'll add you to the list.

 

FuelScience

Thank you for asking. We are on the August 30, 2015 Majestic Rivers of Europe: Castles, Cathedrals & Fairytales.

Thank you for asking. We are on the August 30, 2015 Majestic Rivers of Europe: Castles, Cathedrals & Fairytales.

I put you on the list. The cruises are listed by departure dates, so you show up in August. It's in the River Cruise Roll Call forum.

FuelScience

Livia and Mike are also on the Majestic Rivers cruise on August 30th, 2015...looking forward to it. We love Vantage cruises.