Which Europe river cruise?

If you were taking a ONCE in a lifetime river cruise - which river/itinerary should we select?

We have already selected a company, due to having done many land excursions with this company - I am looking for a river itinerary with the best to see. I know this is all subjective, but would really appreciate suggestions. Thank you so much - we have done over 20 ocean cruises, and want to have a great experience on a river cruise - and when is the best weather time (month) for a European cruise.

It helps to know which company, so don't make it a secret :)

Some companies do some itineraries better than others!

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We are sailing Avalon - as past land trips with Globus - you get a lifetime discount for all future travel. Thanks for any info - greatly appreciated!

I would chose the Rhine for the castles in the Rhine river gorge and for the Cologne cathedral.

It is so hard to answer this question. So much depends on what you are interested in. Some suggest doing a 7 day or shorter for your first river cruise because river cruising is so different from ocean cruising. Others like the longer cruises because if you are flying to Europe, you may as well stay and enjoy it. Some want the Christmas markets, others only want to travel in the spring. If you want tulips, you are limited to certain weeks in April. Are you solely looking at Europe? Avalon also does cruises in Asia and South America. They offer special themed cruises. Do you have the ability to take an extended trip? You can travel from Amsterdam all the way out to Bucharest, but this takes more than 3 weeks. You can also travel from Paris to Normandy, back to Paris, and then down south to Monaco. Avalon hasn't resumed Egypt yet but other lines are travelling there. Other lines also do some rivers that Avalon doesn't do (Po for example).

If I had unlimited funds and unlimited vacation time, I would cruise from Bucharest all the way to Amsterdam. I am a past Avalon traveler and just put a deposit on Paris to Normandy for May 2016..

We were a group of 10 novice River Cruisers.........did the Budapest to Amsterdam on Viking with extensions on both ends........we all LOVED river cruising. This itinerary was perfect for us ,a nice blend of group touring and adequate free time to explore the walkable cities. The cruising was beautiful.

We went in late September weather was great!

If you were taking a ONCE in a lifetime river cruise - which river/itinerary should we select?

We have already selected a company, due to having done many land excursions with this company - I am looking for a river itinerary with the best to see. I know this is all subjective, but would really appreciate suggestions. Thank you so much - we have done over 20 ocean cruises, and want to have a great experience on a river cruise - and when is the best weather time (month) for a European cruise.

So hard to choose, but if I could only do one....it would be Castles on the Rhine (and Danube) Amsterdam to Budapest, in late August with Vantage.

Our first river cruise was Budapest to Amsterdam with Avalon in 2012, last year we did Grand France from Monte Carlo to the Normandy beaches then back to Paris again with Avalon. Loved both and we are planning another, I dont think you can go wrong whatever cruise you choose for your first, because it probably wont be your last! :)

Vienna to the Black Sea.

I agree that it depends on your personal interests.

We have done 9 river cruises so far with another booked. We look for overnight stays, lots of time in port and minimal daytime cruising.

We really enjoyed our Tulip Time cruise with AMA last year for ports but scenery was industrial.

Budapest to Nuremberg with AMA was wonderful and we spent time before in Budapest and after in Prague, DIY.

Rhine and Moselle had great scenery but was not our favorite for ports.

Last year we did Provence with AMA. We enjoyed the food and wine of the region and the extended port stays and overnights.

We have also done the Rhine and enjoyed it but there was a bit too much sailing time during the day for us.

I'm a teacher too. Middle School Social Studies - yikes! (Planning my trips gets me through the year.) My school schedule is out early June and back early Aug., so June/July is my only option. I have a group of travel buddies, and only one other is a teacher, but everyone knows it has to be the "high season", which is actually the best time of year - JMHO. Sometimes we have 4, sometimes 10! Whatever works...

Don't try to find the "trip of a lifetime"! Find a trip that fits your budget, interests, and schedule, THEN it becomes the "trip of a lifetime." Last year we did Viking Paris/Normandy, which was not my first choice since I had been to France several times. It was fabulous, and our cruise-mates included many teachers because of our schedules.

A river cruise is SO different from an ocean cruise. I think you will love it! We booked with Viking again, since we had such a great experience, and got past- cruiser credits, but most of the other lines have great reviews too, with the same bennies.

Another thought... I hate spending so much money on airfare and just turn around a week later to go home. I'm all about the "do it yourself" add-ons, since you are already there! You can find lots of 3/4/5 day add-on packages for your arrival/departure city. Just Google "tours in ...." We added on 4 days in the Lorie Valley wine region, with hotel,

transportation, tour, etc. for less than one night in Paris. It turned out to be one of our favorite parts of the trip.

Next summer is Viking China, Imperial Jewels (14 days) so no add-on. I'm counting the days/months!

PS - after checking flights we found a connection (free) through Madrid, so we got 3 days there, and of course, I found a couple of great 1 day tours - Segovia was one! we got 3 trip in one :)

Oops, Treacher1. I thought it said Teacher1. Is it you or me making typos :) Either way, hope you found my info helpful... (teachers do get cross-eyed sometimes :) )

Nancy

So hard to choose, but if I could only do one....it would be Castles on the Rhine (and Danube) Amsterdam to Budapest, in late August with Vantage.

I agree with Hydrokitty. Below is the link to the story and pictures from our Vantage cruise,

\http://stevekathytravels.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/europe2010.pdf

We are happy to answer any questions.

We are sailing Avalon - as past land trips with Globus - you get a lifetime discount for all future travel. Thanks for any info - greatly appreciated!

We love Avalon. Our first River cruise was the 7 day Paris/Normandy Seine. We spent 3 days in Paris pre cruise. Absolutely loved it as we had never been to Paris before.

Our second cruise was the Basel to Amsterdam. Loved that one also especially seeing the castles in the Rhine Gorge and the windmills in Amsterdam.

Love the 5% past customers loyalty discount which you apply on top of any other advertised specials.

We met folks who used the Globus brand Monograms for their pre and post extensions.

I'm a teacher also NYC Title 1 early childhood. Met lots of teachers on our Avalon cruises during July.

We are sailing Avalon - as past land trips with Globus - you get a lifetime discount for all future travel. Thanks for any info - greatly appreciated!

O Darn Bev and I are from Pa. also and booked with Vantage the end of Aug.

and hoping to meet up with someone from Pa.

This will be our first river cruise, and have heard a lot of good things about Vantage.

I guess you get what you pay for, and I'am not hard to please.

O Darn Bev and I are from Pa. also and booked with Vantage the end of Aug.

and hoping to meet up with someone from Pa.

This will be our first river cruise, and have heard a lot of good things about Vantage.

I guess you get what you pay for, and I'am not hard to please.

With that attitude, you're going to LOVE Vantage! I've done 6 cruises with them and have 2 more booked....one of which departs in August! Switzerland, the Rhine and Moselle.....would you be on that one? If so, there will definitely be one couple from PA....the couple we're traveling with!! We've met so delightful people and have become permanent friends and travel buddies with three couples, two of them teachers (neither DH nor I are teachers but 3 of our children are teachers at levels ranging from elem. to college! You'll meet mostly retired professionals and a nice cross-section of the US.....and I'd bet the rent that at least ONE couple will be from PA!!:D

No you did not read wrong - My screen name is Treacher1 - I didn't make a typing mistake. It is actually a combination of my last name (which starts with Tr) and teacher - which both my wife and I are teachers. Thanks for your information and all on this thread - most helpful. I know this will be so much different than our usual ocean cruises, but I think we will love it. Just having trouble deciding which itinerary we want to select. They all sound good!

Thanks for your information and all on this thread - most helpful. I know this will be so much different than our usual ocean cruises, but I think we will love it. Just having trouble deciding which itinerary we want to select. They all sound good!

They all are good! Stop thinking of it as a Once in a Lifetime Cruise and pick something. When you get home you can start dreaming about cruise #2. :)

I would chose the Rhine for the castles in the Rhine river gorge and for the Cologne cathedral.

I agree.

.....this is the beat bang for your buck with lots of cruising time ( vs some itineraries like bordeaux where it is inch long, dock, inch along, dock) , small towns you can usually walk from where you dock to center of city and lots of different scenery.

They all are good! Stop thinking of it as a Once in a Lifetime Cruise and pick something. When you get home you can start dreaming about cruise #2. :)

True, true.....they're all good....and river cruises are like M&M's...you can't just eat one!!! :D

Hi,

Tauck is a highly regarded tour company. We have done several land tours with them that were both great. They offer a river cruise that goes all the way from the North to the Black Seas - 24 days in all. If anyone has done this cruise, I'd love some feedback on it.

http://www.tauck.com/home/tours/europe-tours/central-and-eastern-europe-tours/european-river-cruise-rxe-2015.aspx#

Thanks,

Keith

Our first was Avalon Danube...Budapest to Nurenberg to Prague. Loved it! Then we did the Rhine Amsterdam to Basel (ended in Breisach instead because the river was too high to get to Basel). Enjoyed that, but we really loved the Danube so much we're doing it again in April with 2 couples who are first time river cruisers..we're using FF miles and flying to London, renting an apartment for 3 nights, flying to Budapest and renting an apartment for 3 nights, then the 7 night cruise ending in Passau, I've hired a van and driver to bring us to Prague via Cesky Krumlov, and we're renting an apartment in Prague for 3 nights as well. Can't wait to do the Danube again, and there are some new ports to us this time. Plus we overnight in Vienna and we're going to do a concert there. Less than 2 months now!

Our first was Avalon Danube...Budapest to Nurenberg to Prague. Loved it! Then we did the Rhine Amsterdam to Basel (ended in Breisach instead because the river was too high to get to Basel). Enjoyed that, but we really loved the Danube so much we're doing it again in April with 2 couples who are first time river cruisers..we're using FF miles and flying to London, renting an apartment for 3 nights, flying to Budapest and renting an apartment for 3 nights, then the 7 night cruise ending in Passau, I've hired a van and driver to bring us to Prague via Cesky Krumlov, and we're renting an apartment in Prague for 3 nights as well. Can't wait to do the Danube again, and there are some new ports to us this time. Plus we overnight in Vienna and we're going to do a concert there. Less than 2 months now!

Sounds wonderful. Don't know if you have time or not, but did you know you can take a high speed ferry from Vienna to Bratislava? Beautiful city can easily be done in one day.

One of our stops on the cruise is Bratislava!! Wasn't the last time, so we are looking forward to it. One of my husband's friend's sons lives there and is going to meet us at the boat and show us around. Going to be so much fun.

One of our stops on the cruise is Bratislava!! Wasn't the last time, so we are looking forward to it. One of my husband's friend's sons lives there and is going to meet us at the boat and show us around. Going to be so much fun.

Lucky You!!! It is a lovely city, although the castle is noteworthy for the views ....the history not so much. The main square is one of the prettiest I've seen.