Scenic review in USA Today

great review in Sept.26 USA today about Gems of Seine cruise.Sorry ,not sure how to post a link,but can google it.

Taking that one next May and glad to hear it got positive reviews.Took my first one last May and absolutely LOVED it.And I ve been on 11 river cruises with all the major lines.Just top of the line,as this article agrees.

Nice comparison with other lines doing same cruise,mentions the all inclusive deals(which was such a convenience) and all the perks too.:)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/cruiselog/2014/09/26/scenic-river-cruise-seine/14446193/

Here is the link to the story. Darn this now means that it's going to be harder than ever to get the bookings we want, wish they'd kept it a secret :-)

Unworldl is also all inclusive as of this year. The premium drinks are available all day as well as dancing thru early evening. The decor is upscale as well. The only difference I noticed is the mini fridge and butlers for every room. I am sure the price reflects that. We have sailed with them twice and plan to do so again. Just wanted to boast about our favorite cruise line. :)

Not to take anything away from Scenic, which I think really is a great new high-end entry to the North America market for European river cruises -- BUT, this article seems to have been written from a Scenic press release rather than from the author's own experience on board.

They do seem to be pushing marketing in US now. I don't really appreciate that there is a class system. The higher priced suites are invited to a special meal. According to the ad I saw today almost everyone gets a butler. So this further separates the classes. Jmo. I'm sure you receive the extra service you pay for. Docking in Honefluer is a plus.

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Not to take anything away from Scenic, which I think really is a great new high-end entry to the North America market for European river cruises -- BUT, this article seems to have been written from a Scenic press release rather than from the author's own experience on board.

I agree with your comment. I would love to try Scenic once but their cost is twice what I pay for as a single on the same trip on GCT.

Scenic may be the most luxurious on the Seine but their claim to be the most relaxing may be incorrect. They have a 10 day roundtrip from Paris to Honfleur while GCT's is 10 day one way.

This may have been written by a Scenic marketing guru but I can assure you it is true, I have been there. Everyone gets a butler the only difference I can see is the amount you pay for your suite so as with all cruising it's not a class system but a what you are prepared to fork out system. It's as relaxing as you want it to be. I tried to put my review on the review board but Scenic Gem had not been added to the list so it on a couple of other forums. We thoroughly enjoyed our cruise and have already booked for next year on the Southern France Scenic Cruise.

I tried to put my review on the review board but Scenic Gem had not been added to the list so it on a couple of other forums. We thoroughly enjoyed our cruise and have already booked for next year on the Southern France Scenic Cruise.

You would be most welcome to start a thread here on River Cruising with your review. There is a lot of interest in Scenic but not many reviews.

I agree with your comment. I would love to try Scenic once but their cost is twice what I pay for as a single on the same trip on GCT.

 

Scenic may be the most luxurious on the Seine but their claim to be the most relaxing may be incorrect. They have a 10 day roundtrip from Paris to Honfleur while GCT's is 10 day one way.

I don't know what GCT's itinerary is but it is probably the same stops as Scenic but Scenic stops at some travelling to Honfleur and then others on the way back.

How do you get back to Paris from GCT's cruise?

why can t the Gem just be added to the list of ships already under the Member Review section for Scenic.Seems easy solution.She s already posted her review on another thread I started for Scenic reiview and under Roll call section.

Nice to be all inclusive on this site,since it can often feel like

"all Viking all the time".They seem to have their new ships inc.at quick pace,what s up with that? :confused:

How do you get back to Paris from GCT's cruise?

We took a bus back from Honfleur to Paris with a lengthy stop on the Caen Peace Museum. We then spent a night at a hotel at CDG.

We took a bus back from Honfleur to Paris with a lengthy stop on the Caen Peace Museum. We then spent a night at a hotel at CDG.

Was that included in the cost of the tour?

Should have said before I asked about adding the new Scenic Vessels and had an email back to say it takes time for this to be done, not realy helpful. So I have not bothered to check back.

why can t the Gem just be added to the list of ships already under the Member Review section for Scenic.Seems easy solution.She s already posted her review on another thread I started for Scenic reiview and under Roll call section.

Nice to be all inclusive on this site,since it can often feel like

"all Viking all the time".They seem to have their new ships inc.at quick pace,what s up with that? :confused:

I'm only in charge of the River Cruising forum, not the reviews section.

Those who have read the USA Today article may have noted the following comments by the author regarding the fact that the passenger mix is overwhelmingly Australian:

"The result is a cruise that at times has a distinctly different feel than a similar sailing with a North America-based line. As a group, the Australians on board are much more lively -- and social -- than one would find with the passengers on a North American ship. Singles and even couples sitting alone in the lounge will find that they are quickly pulled into the nearest group for conversation -- whether they want to be or not. Happy hour starts early, and there is often dancing late into the night."

The key phrase in that comment is "whether they want to be or not".

While I am certainly not attempting to start a flaming war about passenger behavior, I will admit that we would be very reluctant to take a cruise on a small river boat that might be dominated by passengers from Australia, due to our very negative experience on the Mekong River. On that cruise, AMA Waterways from Siem Riep to Saigon on the lovely boat "La Marguerite", about a third of the passengers were from Australia and had booked through APT, which has a partial interest in AMA. That particular group acted as if they owned the boat and did not hesitate to demonstrate the most stereotypical behavior of which Kiwis regularly accuse Aussies. They would shout between tables, start raucous songs at dinner (in that very low ceiling dining room that made such noise quite intrusive to other passengers), and engage in cheering contests (such as one expects at a Boy Scout summer camp) between tables.

The remarkable lack of consideration for all of the other passengers was evident and appalling.

Please understand that I am not suggesting that this group was typical. I would sincerely hope that it was not so. However, it made the decision of the choice between a Tauck river cruise in Europe and a Scenic cruise on the same itinerary quite easy. Although we would frankly prefer a more international mix of passengers than is usual on a Tauck cruise, we did not want to take the risk of repeating our Mekong River experience on the Scenic cruise.

Perhaps as more Scenic cruises take place with more passengers from North America and Europe (in both of which areas Scenic is marketing now), we will have some good reviews of those cruises that will reassure some of us who have had less than optimal experiences with Australian cruising behavior. Yeah, yeah, I know very well that Americans have been called "Ugly Americans" for decades because of their behavior as tourists; but, from my pretty extensive traveling experience over the last 50 years, Americans are by no means the only "Ugly" travelers.

Cheers, Fred

My husband and I recently attended a seminar to learn more about Scenic. After mentioning many times that everyone has a bulter someone in the audience asked how many butlers are on board to service almost 170 guests...it turns out there are only three! So for every 57 passengers there is one butler, not quite the personal service we were led to believe it was during the presentation. This might not be an issue for most, but I would manage my expectations if the "butler" service is a selling point.

I've never travelled with Scenic but I can tell you that Tauck do not offer a butler service yet if you're in your cabin and you'd like a bowl of ice cream or some cakes or perhaps a cheese plate all you do is pick up the phone and order it and within 10 minutes it arrives in your cabin or anywhere else on the boat you may want it. I'm not so sure whether butler service is that big a selling point.

I've never travelled with Scenic but I can tell you that Tauck do not offer a butler service yet if you're in your cabin and you'd like a bowl of ice cream or some cakes or perhaps a cheese plate all you do is pick up the phone and order it and within 10 minutes it arrives in your cabin or anywhere else on the boat you may want it. I'm not so sure whether butler service is that big a selling point.

I must agree about the need or usage of a butler. We were on a ocean cruise once where a butler was part of the package and I found the service quite useless and rather annoying to be honest. I was awakened from naps twice by "my butler" delivering my late afternoon snack whic we barely touched.

our recent Tauck cruise consisted of 108 guests not the 170 referenced above for Scenic.

just got off a Scenic Cruise 2 mos.ago and although it was mostly Aussie,with a few from England,Canada,USA, it was NOT as the above cruiser described his experience AT ALL. Majority of cruiser were 60plus and NOT TOO wild.,loud,etc. haha. Was my first with Scenic and NOT MY LAST, not necessary for all passengers to be from US,for us its nice to meet others.

Come to think of it,it took me 1 yr in advance to book Scenic, so maybe I DONT want them to be more popular.We ll just keep it a secret,ok?

RE. butlers,they also seem to do many jobs and cover for ea.other(saw ours at bar,waiter,etc).But someone was always there,IF YOU wanted.Just a nice extra,but not necessary .Also, it never felt crowded in the least, spacious cabin and balcony,deck space,etc. Would definitely TRY a Tauck,as soon as the get regular balconies,,not just French.

One of the descriptions that I've seen for Scenic is that they're "trendy," rather than, say, "classical." Scenic cruises have been likened to the "W" brand of hotel. I don't know if people who have travelled on Scenic would agree with those descriptions, but I'd be interested to know. (No doubt some would agree, others not?)

What is a "W" brand of hotel? If I knew that I might be able to answer your question.

One of the descriptions that I've seen for Scenic is that they're "trendy," rather than, say, "classical." Scenic cruises have been likened to the "W" brand of hotel. I don't know if people who have travelled on Scenic would agree with those descriptions, but I'd be interested to know. (No doubt some would agree, others not?)

That's the vibe that Scenic's new subsidiary Emerald is going for, so Scenic itself must be part way between the two.

Was that included in the cost of the tour?

Yes, all transportation back to Paris and the hotel at CDG were included..even for those that arranged their own airfare.

We just returned from the Nuremberg to Budapest cruise on the Sapphire and while the dinner service and food was terrible, this is by far not as important as the total lack of regard, concern, contamination prevention, hygiene, responsibility and assistance for those ill! I wrote to their corporate office, their Customer Liaison Manager and the Area Manager and was given the Corporate run around and the promise of another answer in three weeks??? I have never experienced a situation where servers and food prep workers who were coughing and sneezing and obviously sick were allowed to work and spread germs to passengers or customers! We as well as many others on their ill fated cruise became sick due to their negligence. No one was required to sanitize their hands when entering or leaving the dinning room or ship. the hand rails were never wiped down or disinfected, and people were seen coughing and or sneezing and then using the rails only making things worse. When we were in Vienna I was too ill to leave the ship, the front desk person Jozeph was going to the post office and I asked him if he could purchase for me some decongestants. He only drew on the map how I could walk there???? Is this the special five star treatment they offer and advertise? I must point out that not only my Wife and I became sick, there were many passengers on board that became sick and it is Managements fault. I don't know how the other Danube River cruise ships were or are, but we will never cruise again with Scenic!

sorry to read about your experience on board. grim when sick on holiday. respiratory infections can spread quickly on board to staff and guests. we have noticed some cruise staff prompt/guide about hand hygiene more than others.

by all means give feedback to the cruise line about your concerns. personally we travel with medications to cover most potential problems to avoid looking for remedies while away.

good luck for your future cruises. it can be very good, we have done 6 and have 2 more planned for next year.