Canal archive

I must admit spreadsheets aren't my thing although research is. I like to choose which route then do a pro's and con's list. So far for 4 cruises Scenic has come out on top what will happen when we choose a route that Scenic does not do is in the lap of the gods could be interesting.

CA 📷

Well said Franski.

CA

On our Scenic cruise in 2013 a fellow lady passenger had a couple of severe allergies that she had previously informed Scenic about, the hotel manager and chef made a point of discussing with her about her exact requirements and accommodated her with no problem. All the waiting staff knew about her and all made a point of ensuring that she was served correctly. There may have been others on that or other of our cruises I don't know but we were impressed with this incidence. So phone your chosen cruise line and discus with them you will soon find out if they will accommodate you or not.

Enjoy whichever cruise you choose. CA

I really like Gary & Lisa's enthusiasm and I have sailed with Scenic the new ship they will be sailing on looks superb. From my humble experience they will have a wonderful cruise. I have no problem at all with the layout and font type that Gary uses, these digital days to some extent has thrown out many of the so called norms. I am used to decifering 17th, 18th and 19th century writting beautiful script and indifferent scribbles were f's are used for an s and the other way round so clear and concise works for me.

Happy cruising all whichever cruise line you choose. CA😉

Hi mozfiz there is another thread discussing Viking, I really think that the majority have no problem. There are many many threads about Viking there are bound to be because of the number of ships they have there will also be a vast difference in the reports because they have so many more passengers than other companies. I as a choice I would not choose Viking for many reasons one being I like all inclusive but I have nothing against Viking. My friends cruised with them last year and he became very ill and Viking could not have been more helpful or caring. Now I know that any company would most probably do as well but it's a gold star in my book.

CA 📷

Be careful no photographer be they fashion, news or whatever, never ever fully retires. Wear what you feel comfortable, stylish or completely off the wall in maybe a touch of boho, just don't forget all of us are or are approaching the re runs of fashion so we could all go retro, yippee.

CA 📷

Scenic definatly supply helmets not to sure about locks but I think most of their bikes are electrically assisted so removing the start key would lock them.

CA 📷

There is a thread under river cruise forums 'All Scenic etc which may be what you are looking for. I tried starting an All Scenic France one but no one was interested.

I have no worries about Viking apart from those listed by other subscribers but must admit they went up in my estimation when very close friends cruised with them and he became extremely ill there care and consideration in my estimation was exemplary.

We cruised on the Scenic Gem last year and the lower passenger numbers was noticeable but not the ship being smaller, most perculiar. So cannot wait to persuade my other half that we go to Portrugal next year the new ship is even cosier.

Enjoy your cruise CA

Wear nice but casual not the little black number, trousers/skirt with a pretty top no bling, other half no jacket in the summer not at othe times if he doesn't want no tye. Smart casual or some say country club style. There is no need to go all out just be smart and comfortable. Maybe a little extra for captains dinners or anything especial. You'll be fine a few mix and match pieces job done.

Enjoy your cruise CA 😉

If we go to the states or actually anywhere in North America we expect to tip and do so in the UK in particular tipping in not generally a norm so it is an extra over and above the pay check. We go all inclusive and have yet to find any change in service wether we tip extra or not and in talking to crew and staff they are quite happy. The cruise companies would not get the excellent staff that they have if it was dependent on tipping either all inclusive or not and the stories I have heard about the little envelopes given at the end of a voyage to put what you think is best into seems not nice to me. If a a member of staff goes over and beyond on an all inclusive then I would of course award as I felt appropriate but the one time we tried to do this we were firmly and very politely refused and informed that the tips on top of their wages was more than appropriate. All the staff and crews that we have met have never given the impression that a tip would make any difference to their service.

Hey ho each to their own.

Happy cruising CA 🐻

Your right JimmyC fan the world would be a boring place if we all did or liked the same things. We like you enjoy wondering off at our own pace and as mine is slowing down now we don't inconvenience even the gentler walking groups. Scenic uses these devices for listening to your tour guide ( cannot remember the system off hand) they are GPS enabled and loaded with information about the different places you visit and along the rivers so you can wonder off to your hearts content listen to all the details and still return to your ship hopefully in time for it to sail, ideal for a photographer like me before these I often got so engrossed I mislaid my group, oops or is that just a senior moment.

Happy cruising CA 📷

Hi Jeb_bud, I put the full link in my reply but it got blanked out but if you go to the scenic UK site scroll down to the bottom click on one of the news items at the end of the item there is a back button which brings up a list of news find the Feb 23rd item about all inclusive beverages this leads to lots of other comparisons and go from there. Good luck hope you find it. We have only had one or two items laundered and the cost is very similar to a good hotels but in my experience the service is better.

Personally I am all for all inclusive.

Good cruising CA

Okay so one cannot put a link on a thread, so go to the Scenic website and look at the news section. The link would have been of assistance to all cruisers whatever line they wanted to take which I thought in my ignorance that this is what Cruise Critic was all about.

Hi Jeb_Bub we did the same cruise with Scenic a few years ago and posted a review in the CC review section, this year we do our fourth cruise with Scenic so far why change a fantastic cruise line. If your interested look on ******************** they have a very comprehensive all inclusive chart on all kinds of cruises including river companies there are also some indications of the costs/savings ect., an interesting read. When we started Scenic were not all inclusive and only butlers on the top deck, the next cruise we decided that we did not necessarily need a butler so booked deck 2 then realised we got a butler anyway so we made full use her she was axcellent. Mind you Scenic was all inclusive apart from beverages now you leave the ship without a bill that is if you don't get talked into buying a Steif Bear, I got my second one on that cruise, third one the next year but last year and this year no more as we cruised and are cruising France is sadly not famous for their bears. Do enjoy your research for and your cruise, make full use of your information gadgets they are so brilliant especially if you wonder off on your own or sit in the lounge or your cabin watching the world glide by.

Happy cruising CA 🐻

We can now even buy bean to cup machines for the home so can enjoy all sorts of coffee. Your right about tea teabags at home for a quick cuppa but leaf tea for something special. Scenic does a nice selection so a pot of tea whenever you want is treat. The swinging sixties may have gone but still remembered it's just the joints don't work so well anymore and now we see the same fashions recurring and I still like the music. I get over the camera battery problem to a certain extent with a battery pack for my SLR the questions now is which lenses do I take.

If our original poster is reading this thread, as you can see we have certainly gone off piste but if you have any particular queries please do come back and ask we are really quite a nice bunch and would like to help.

Happy cruising CA📷

Okay, snobbish, stuffy and old with that preconception our fishing cameraman will certainly have an eye-opener. There just maybe another thought his first post has had no replies which is a surprise as he is traveling on Viking which due to their number of vessals do seem to have more posts than most. I do hope he enjoys his cruise. By the way I take two cameras and differnt lenses for the SLR but the Chinese and Japenese beat all of us in the camera department. All power to us camera toting touristy types may be one of us will get that world beating shot (in my dreams) and the rest of us can say I've been there!

Happy cruising and shootin(camera wise that is) CA📷

There is a stream on the river cruise section which may be of help.

Happy cruising CA

Get on your flight and immediately set your watch to european time, it works, just take security as you would anywhere else in the world forget about schengun et al it's a european thing which at least helps the cruise companies they will let you know if you need your passport. We are used to it in the UK as we did not sign up to it.

Have a great Cruise CA

We cruise with Scenic and although they are all inclusive except top of the range I never did find out what that included. I to am a scotch drinker and I tried several quite high end versions with no charge. My other half does like a good gin again no charge. I was also very pleased to see and taste several times on our last cruise a lovely very dry sherry I had never seen it on Scenic before, when I ordered it the bartender asked if I liked it cold, which I do so immediatly a bottle was placed in the fridge so that every evening my pre-dinner drink was nicely chilled and almost poured before I got to the bar. One evening a few days later we dinned with a couple for the first time and he had discovered my secret stash, word soon got round, who says sherry is an old fashioned drink.

Well this year my challenge is to discover what is top of the range.

Always something new on a river cruise such fun. CA😉

What I meant was that to many of us in the UK the EU is a joke one of the few benefits has been the forcing of the cell phone companies to equalise roaming charges.

Cell phone coverage across Europe is improving all the time but there always will be black spots due to the odd mountain, gorge or other idiocyncrasy of terrain getting in the way, there are ways to get over this but one thing I am not is a mounteneir. As you rarely if ever dock away fro civilisation there will always be part of the day with coverage.

Happy cruising CA 😃

Okay so as a youngster our club was invited to Moscow, we worked at a high security establishment, now way. My husband traveled to to Ireland all during the troubles on business, did I worry, just a bit. My Guide unit was in a very sensitive area at this time we felt safer there. We had a holiday in South Africa when Mandela had just been made President, wonderful time. Just go for it crazies are everywhere just be aware and keep calm enjoy your holiday, it's yours not there's.

Any one from the USA you are not the only ones who have guns, just for interest my other half is a top shotgun exponent.

What a wonderful world we live in have a fantastic cruise and leave your worries behind, just be aware.

CA

Across Europe the companies are having to bring down roaming charges at last, this is the kind of thing that makes the EU a joke. We have been told that the number of people on Skype have blocked the bandwidth and we understand that the majority of passengers are a lot further away from home than we are we don't know if this is true or not. We even being from the UK take a basic phone with us instead of the ubiquitous blackberry and take a tablet to keep in touch with the family. We are only across a small stretch of water not that great big pond when will the phone companies realise that if there charges are the same world wide they would make a ! lot more money.

Happy cruising CA

I have been keeping an eye on Scenic Sapphire and she has arrived in Chalon-sur-Saone. It looks like she made here own way from Rotterdam, some sea cruise for a river vessel. Scenic Emerald got there on the water version of a low loader and when Scenic Gem was delivered to the Seine she was towed. I expect Sapphire is now being de-marinised (all the glass has to be covered) and all the breakables unpacked etc., quite a tedious job. We are on Emerald this year and contemplating the new Douro cruise for next year.

Happy cruising all 😉 CA

We will be on the Scenic 13 day Saone & Rhone cruise this year and I will do a review it will be our fourth cruise with Scenic. The first three where fantastic. Nothing was to much problem the staff and crew were professional and friendly the ships are outstanding their tours well thought out and interesting. Scenic goes all out to ensure that your cruise is a first class experience.

Enjoy but be warned you will be hooked and it won't be your last.

CA 😊

It would be very helpful if we knew which cruise company you are going with then someone who has cruised with them will be able to assist you. Happy cruising CA