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I agree with MeHeartCruising - when I went, I hadn’t expected the crowds, and I didn’t have a very good seat.  So I didn’t get the full experience, I didn’t see what everyone else saw.  I’d probably try again, if the opportunity presented itself.  This was just one blip on an otherwise awesome Norway experience.  Just go into it prepared (which you will be, since you posed the question and you’re gathering data.)

AIG Travelguard

I’d prefer not to go into the specifics of the rejection, other than to say it’s quite clear that there is a need for additional training of some of their claims personnel, so that they understand the forms that they are evaluating. 
 

I have consistently used Travelguard for over a decade, but this is the first time I’ve ever made a claim.  I read terms and conditions, I don’t go into these matters blind.

HardestyHouse, I’m just writing to express sympathy about the “appy” and then subsequent travel insurance issues. I’m really sorry.  My emergency appy occurred last summer, 4 days before departure on a river cruise - and ironically I just received denial of my trip cancellation claim today, by a third party insurer - professional incompetence, I believe - so I’m pretty steamed, and started looking for travel insurance threads on CC for ideas for alternative companies for the future - which is how I found this conversation .  Sounds like consultation with an insurance broker might be the way to go.  I am appealing this truly stupid claims decision, and will take it to the state insurance commission if necessary - not giving up.  In any event, I hope all goes more smoothly for you from here.

You might also wish to look at the Air Greenland website (I don’t think its fleet is only small planes).  A decade ago I added on (separately) a brief trip to Illulissat after completing a land tour in Iceland.  The Air Greenland website has information about Disko Bay tour options that can be arranged through them.  So you could break up this tour planning into two separate parts - an Iceland cruise of whatever type that appeals, and then afterwards fly to Illulissat and pursue a Disko Bay experience of whatever length you wish.  A TA can help with this.  I really enjoyed Illulissat, especially the all-day cruise to Eqi Glacier - and all of the “structure” around that experience was provided through Air Greenland, I was happy with how all this worked out, it was seamless.

Thanks, SemiO - I hope SH provides you with the info you’re seeking about excursions in ports.  Their ships sound great, and they do have some very interesting offerings.  
 

I’ve visited Greenland before, but only for a couple of days, and independently.  Have been eager to return for a more intensive experience.  Was looking at Hurtigruten, which also has deep expertise in this region , but then learned about SH, and the cruise dates fit my schedule better - so, trying something new!  Especially since the professional and Antarctic reviews were so positive.

I hope others who’ve experienced SH will respond to your thread, with additional info or perspectives - thanks for starting it -

Christie Malry, you might wish to check the terms and conditions for these offers - I took a quick look at Havila’s website, and it looks like it may only be good for departures prior to Dec 31, 2023.  Haven’t looked at the Hurtigruten website - but I think you should check the fine print before “planning” to wait until 100 days out -

42 minutes ago, hallasm said:

Agree - I have only done Hurtigruten north bound or partial. Personally I think return is too much of the same - Consider spending a little more time in Oslo and taking the Bergen line from Oslo to Bergen with a stop for one or two nights in the Flåm area and in Bergen.

Yes, that’s what they said, too much of the same.  I completely agree with your suggestion. I spent a week getting myself from Oslo to Bergen, including the railroad and a couple of nights in Flåm, with a side excursion to Balestrand that my TA suggested.  All of this was great, and Bergen is worth a full day, even two.

Each day there was one stop on the coastal express that was long enough to get off the ship and do something (minimum 3 hours, but sometimes longer).  Some of these lent themselves well to DIY exploring (Trondheim and Tromsø come to mind), but the two organized excursions that I thought were really worthwhile were the ones for North Cape and Geirangerfjord.  I enjoy thinking back on this trip!

Maybe things have changed - but I don’t remember talks on culture on the coastal express.  On Hurtigruten’s expedition cruises, yes - but not on the 7-day - ?  Or maybe I just don’t remember -

I’ve previously sailed on the Vesterålen as a solo also (but in a cabin with a window), and agree that you would likely spend very little time in your cabin.  The lounges were comfortable, and if the weather suits, there are several deck options from which to watch the ferry comings-and-goings (which are interesting in itself).  Whether you choose Hurtigruten or Havila, there will be a lot to see and experience.

I only did the northbound sailing, had an excellent time. Some of the friends I met along the way did the round-trip, and for them, the one-way would have been enough.  I’m just mentioning that, in the event that you care to consider trade-offs between length of trip and paying more to get a window in your cabin (or a slightly bigger cabin).  But a lounge is a good place to hang out, regardless of whether you’re looking for company or quiet -

I too am interested in Swan Hellenic - am about to book a cruise on the Vega, to Greenland.  I think the very positive reviews so far, even though these are for a different destination, reflect the potential for the cruise line to deliver a high quality and enjoyable experience.  I look forward to hearing more from anyone who has experienced one of their cruises firsthand.

Have you contacted the company to ask for more specifics about excursions, relative to a more port-intensive itinerary such as the Mediterranean? 

Well … mine was “present” throughout the sailing, asking me once or twice a day (whenever I ran into him) if I needed anything.  All well-intentioned, and he was very nice, but after a while it started to feel like pressure.  .And yes, I had indicated to him upfront that I would not have any/many requests. 

As I said, I did enjoy the cruise.  But the assignment of a butler is a difference between the usual Uniworld river cruise experience (except in their suites) and Silversea, so I’d wanted to mention it, since Caligirl58 was looking at Silversea as a potential option and was interested in comparisons.

Another element of “formality” is the inclusion of butler service, which many people enjoy and appreciate, but some of us prefer not to have this.  
 

I greatly enjoyed my Uniworld river cruise (2017 vintage), it ticked all the boxes for food, service, excellent guides, “like a local” opportunities, comfortable ship, and fun and companionable fellow travelers.  
 

I’ve also sailed with Oceania and Silversea, the latter was one of their expedition cruises.  I enjoyed Oceania a lot more than I thought I would, I’d worried that the ship (1200 pax) might be too big.  But it wasn’t, I never felt crowded, and that cruise also ticked all the boxes.  I really enjoyed the people I met on that cruise (Baltic).

While I enjoyed the Silversea expedition cruise (the itinerary was the Russian Far East and the Aleutian Islands), the mandatory assignment of the butler made me nuts.  I didn’t really have anything for him to do, and this made me feel guilty, to the point where I would try to avoid running into him, because he was always asking , “what can I do for you?”, and I never had an answer.  Then he started looking for things to do for me, like shining shoes and “straightening my room”.  When I finally did have something to ask him about (a camera issue), although he tried very hard to be helpful,  he wasn’t able to address the situation, and a fellow traveler provided assistance instead.  Honestly, this “hovering” is what has kept me from rebooking with Silversea, because otherwise I really like their product!  (And I thought that Silver Explorer was a sweet ship, just right in size.). So if you think the butler service feature would be “too much” for you, you might wish to keep that in mind, when looking at alternatives.  But if butler service sounds good to you, then Silversea has some really nice itineraries.

Perhaps because it was an expedition cruise, the Silversea “dress code” was not strictly abided by.  People wore what they were comfortable with, and many did dress “a little better” for the Captains Dinner.

Jazzbeau, are you traveling with Odysseys International to Patagonia?  I did that same tour with them last month, in December.  It’s not a river cruise, but would be interested to hear your impressions “somehow”.  Torres del Paine is absolutely wonderful, truly special - you are in for a treat, enjoy!

A couple of additional links - for bike-barge cruises:

https://www.boatbiketours.com/

https://www.tripsite.com/bike-boat/

Thanks very much, notamermaid - one thought leads to another, etc etc

This afternoon I inquired about the suggested flights, and "unofficially" found out that the return flight from Frankfurt would depart at 5:20pm!  So ... that sounds not unreasonable.  (I think you have to be off the ship by 9:30am.) 

I can fly direct to Frankfurt from my city, so I am not going to want to pursue their suggested flights (which are from/to JFK in NYC).  I can match the 5:20pm time of the suggested return flight - but the comparable outbound flight from Chicago is prohibitively expensive, so I think I will just leave for Frankfurt a day early, at a cost of about $900 less - and use that extra day to "adjust" and maybe even do something in Frankfurt, before connecting with the rest of the group super-early the next morning.  At least that's the current plan -

I did look into staying on an extra day in Metz and flying home to Chicago from Luxembourg - this is doable!  But looking at my calendar, it is better that I be home on the date that I originally planned.  

But I may be in Metz long enough to swing by the Porte des Allemands - which appears to not have a steep approach!

37 minutes ago, gnome12 said:

This information from the tripsite website might be of interest. 

Super-helpful - thank you!

46 minutes ago, CPT Trips said:

I can figure only one way around the wicked early morning . . . but I’m not as frequent a flyer as others here. Get to an international airport with direct to the US flights the day before and then stay at a hotel airport so you have a reasonably timed wake up. 

oh, I have done that!  

I think on a "regular" Cochem-Metz bike-barge itinerary, the passengers leave the ship in Metz and then they're on their own after that, right?  To stay on in Metz, or to continue with their traveling, or to get themselves to the airport of their choice on whatever timeframe they wish, via whatever means they wish.  Not necessarily Frankfurt via coach for an international departure "later that day", which is the way this particular organized tour seems to be structured.  Maybe I will spend that extra day in Metz after all, transition out of small group tour mode, and then proceed home from there. I guess I will need to see what the tour operator proposes, then I will have something concrete to respond to.  Sorry to have diverted the conversation away from castles - those are much more fun to talk about than 0-dark:30 wake-up calls that initiate a loooong travel day!

The cathedral in Metz is the last item on the itinerary - but the way you're describing it, I really should think about adding an extra day at the end.  (I usually do add time on my own at the end of organized tours - but I really was trying to keep this one simple, to help rediscover my "travel skills".

gnome12, I'm from Chicago, so it's a direct flight to and from Frankfurt (where this particular tour is originating), but I'm fine with taking a less direct route home.  It's the Cochem-Metz barge cruise itinerary, but the way the tour is set up, transfers would be arranged from Frankfurt.  (and then there's the version of the itinerary that describes a visit to the Städel Museum taking place before the transfer to Cochem - and I don't know what's up with that, if that's even happening.  Two different organizations are sponsoring the tour, a national nonprofit and a university - and then there's the tour operator - and I think that's why there are different versions of itineraries floating around, lot of cooks in the kitchen.)   

Yes, this is what I thought, it's going to be a really long coach ride from Metz to Frankfurt ... maybe the tour operator is still trying to figure out how all this works, from the perspective of flights.   Thanks for confirming my hunch about this. (wasn't sure if there might be any shortcuts)

The airport in Nancy would be the closest to Metz, and flying home from Luxembourg could be a possibility also.  I'll ponder those options.  Not sure if there are any castles in Metz, but it sounds like a thoroughly charming town, and definitely worth more than 6 hours.

41 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

Arrival time and place is something to consider, certainly. From Frankfurt to Cochem it is a bit of a distance by coach (you are just not as fast as in a car) and depending on what route you take and especially what time of day you arrive, there will be little left of the day before you have to be on the ship.

notamermaid, if I can jump ahead to the end of my cruise for a minute - it ends in Metz, and we are then supposed to be transferred to Frankfurt for the journey home - how long is that transfer going to take?  I've been wondering about that!  I'd actually like to stay in Metz for an extra day, but since this is my first travel since Dec 2019, I'm trying to keep things relatively uncomplicated until I'm fully back in "travel rhythm".

gnome12, your bike-and-barge planning has certainly been a saga since your original May 2020 plans.  I hope it will be smooth sailing for you ahead this fall -

Thanks, gnome12 - this is sounding to me like more of an opportunity for a second visit (using this initial Moselle experience to "scope things out").  Wasn't planning to arrive in Cochem early - although the tour operator hasn't finalized or shared their air travel recommendations yet, even though it's a late June tour - so I don't know what they're going to be recommending.  I've seen one version of the itinerary that has it starting in Frankfurt (with a museum visit immediately after a trans-Atlantic flight), and then traveling to Cochem, where we would connect with the ship.  But other versions indicate a direct transfer to Cochem upon arrival in Frankfurt.  This tour was touch-and-go for a while, in terms of whether it would proceed - and while the tour operator eventually decided that it would go forward, some of the rest of the details still seem unsettled. 

From the other Moselle thread, it sounds like you'll be following a different itinerary.  You will be traveling there at such a beautiful time of year!

gnome12, this link and information is so helpful - thank you!  “Gently descending footpath through nature with stunning views” sounds perfect!  I’ll need to think about if/how this could be integrated into the itinerary (not yet sure when or how much free time there will be on this cruise) - or perhaps it could be a focal point of a subsequent visit (because it sounds like many people enjoy the Moselle so much that they return).  Thanks again!

Thanks, everyone, this is all helpful and interesting information.  The Landshut castle looks like they did a real nice job with the restaurant!

I’ve heard about Eltz Castle, and it gets very high marks from reviewers. It sounds fabulous - like if there’s one castle to be visited, it should be that one.  Not sure how doable it would be on this trip, lots of other factors would be in play.  But it’s definitely on my radar,.  I’m not a “castle connoisseur”, but if there are opportunities to experience them, I’d like to try.  At least the pavements up (or down) to the castles look like they’re in reasonable shape.  I’ve traveled in the Balkans (not on a cruise) - Bosnia, Albania, North Macedonia - and struggled because of the combo of steepness and poor paving (or in some cases, slippery/slick) - so now I try to do some due diligence beforehand, so that I know what I’m getting into!

Thank you, notamermaid - as always, you’ve provided some really helpful information and perspective.  Your description of Saarburg helps me picture it better, in terms of its terrain, I hadn’t seen too much info about that elsewhere.

Yes, the tour itinerary is the one you linked to (in reverse, Cochem to Metz).  This tour is being offered in conjunction with a cultural organization and a university, so I think it’s been “customized”, and the focus seems to be more on walking rather than biking (when I inquired, I was told that bikes would be available for those who wanted them. But it is not being advertised as a bike tour.  I don’t think this particular sailing is being offered through Tripsite.). The vessel is the Princesse Royal. Actually, maybe it isn’t a barge.  But it’s small.  The reviews of the ship and the tour/itinerary are stellar, and the whole thing sounds relaxing and fun, and very low-key.  Thank you again for the information (the video was really helpful too.)

Thank you, ural guy, for sharing those experiences - all sounds good!  Which cruise line were you on, or was it a barge?

From the video I watched earlier, I noticed those balconies, which I think would provide a good (and scenic) reason for a pause.  Slow and steady sounds like the right approach. 

Thank you, CPT Trips - I’ve been doing some research, but hadn’t found aerial photos like that.  On TripAdvisor and other forums, I’ve seen the path to Reichsburg described variously as “steep”, “quite steep”, and “not too bad”, so I wanted to ask here, because I’ve gotten earlier helpful advice and impressions from these boards.
 

I actually watched a 30 minute video taken by a couple of guys who walked through the town of Cochem and then up to the castle.  Hard to know for sure, but it looked like a continual but gradual rise, with some steps, and with the last part (saving the “best” for last) appearing to be the steepest.  At least it looked like the pavement was in pretty good shape/well maintained.

Did you enjoy the castle?  Were there other highlights for you along the Moselle?