Question About Dining on Tauck

We are considering booking a cruise on Tauck for 2013. I'm very interested in the dining experience on the ships. I know it's all open seating, but can you come in to the dining room any time within a set period of time? Particularly, what is dinner like? I've read about some other river boats where it's a cattle call for dinner. You start lining up early so you can race to the table you prefer. Does Tauck have a maitre d' who takes you to your table? Can you come in a little later than the start time? Thank you for any insight you can share. A river cruise through the heart of Europe seems like such a wonderful way to see those areas, and from what I've read, Tauck is the very best.

We are considering booking a cruise on Tauck for 2013. I'm very interested in the dining experience on the ships. I know it's all open seating, but can you come in to the dining room any time within a set period of time? Particularly, what is dinner like? I've read about some other river boats where it's a cattle call for dinner. You start lining up early so you can race to the table you prefer. Does Tauck have a maitre d' who takes you to your table? Can you come in a little later than the start time? Thank you for any insight you can share. A river cruise through the heart of Europe seems like such a wonderful way to see those areas, and from what I've read, Tauck is the very best.

We just concluded a Tauck Christmas Markets cruise on the new MS Treasures two weeks ago, so I can answer your question. Breakfast and lunch is open seating, come whenever you want during the available time window which is usually about ninety minutes. It seemed to us that for every one of these meals the dining area was about half-filled whenever we showed up.

The Captain's Welcome Dinner and the Farewell Dinner were preceded by an hour long Tauck-hosted cocktail time. Only these two dinners require everyone to sit down at the same time. Even though presumably the entire passenger complement was there, there was no shortage of seats. The other five dinners are open seating, show up at anytime in the available time window, and again sit wherever you like. There was no problem finding a four or six seat table whenever you showed up. You aren't seated; you look for a suitable place to sit down and there you are.

We traveled with a group of eight people. However, it would be a terrible wasted opportunity for us to sit with our group of people all the time. Without wanting to sound snobby about it, the travelers you meet on any Tauck tour, land or cruise, are simply a cut above. By definition, they have money, i.e. the price of admission to a Tauck tour. They are usually well-educated, professionals, and on either side of the usual retirement age. They are an eclectic bunch. One of the great pleasures for us traveling Tauck is the people you meet, always interesting, always capable of stimulating conversation. All compelling reasons to mix it up with your fellow passengers.

The food and the service was fine. If we were to go to a nice restaurant at home to celebrate a birthday or anniversary, the meals on the Treasures were as good as that. We've been on thirty ocean cruises, and the meals we had were at least as good, and often better, than we experienced on the Princess / Celebrity / Royal Caribbean ships with which we are familiar.

Paulmg, thank you for responding with the exact information I requested. So, are you saying that it's OK at dinner to find a table where the meal is already in progress and yet not disrupt those having dinner or the flow of service?

BTW, I have seen your photos, and they are truly wonderful.

So, are you saying that it's OK at dinner to find a table where the meal is already in progress and yet not disrupt those having dinner or the flow of service?

Absolutely. The ship holds relatively few passengers, even compared to other riverboats. Everything is very easy, very informal.

I'm glad you liked my pictures.

Paulmg, thank you for responding with the exact information I requested. So, are you saying that it's OK at dinner to find a table where the meal is already in progress and yet not disrupt those having dinner or the flow of service?

 

BTW, I have seen your photos, and they are truly wonderful.

Incidentally, with regard to your signature about wine, at dinner it flowed like the Rhine. I don't drink wine, but my wife does and also most of our fellow passengers. They said it was regional to where we were (mostly Alsace) and it was good.

White and/or red, it seemed every five minutes they were making the rounds, filling glasses. At the end of dinner, everyone was feeling very good.

The waitstaff were mostly eastern Europeans, young attractive people, excellent English, and very entertaining in doing their work.

They are all Scylla employees. The only Tauck people on board were the three T/D's and the one C/D.

On Tauck dinners I agree 100% with Paul. On our September trip we had meals with many and varied people and probably only sat at the same table more than once by accident. The Tauck dinning room is quite spacious and although there aren't specifically tables for two there quite a few times at breakfast and lunch that we sat alone. Never once, no matter what time we arrived for the meal, did we feel out of place and the extreemly efficient Scylla staff were always on hand very quickly to take your order. We also tried the Lido bar for a lunch and dinner and the fare was as good as the main dining room.

The only aspect that I can't agree on with Paul is .....

"Without wanting to sound snobby about it, the travelers you meet on any Tauck tour, land or cruise, are simply a cut above. By definition, they have money, i.e. the price of admission to a Tauck tour. They are usually well-educated, professionals, and on either side of the usual retirement age."

We did not see this at all. I agree that for quite a few of the 108 onboard for our cruise probably used their petty cash tin to pay for the holiday but there were many like us who had saved hard and long to take what turned out to be the trip of a lifetime. Too often I see written that Tauck is the most expensive cruise or Tauck is only for those with discerning tastes. I truly believe this is far from the truth. In our case we chose Tauck for many reasons and it WAS NOT the most expensive European River cruise on offer. Given the strength of the Aussie dollar Tauck was actually cheaper than both Scenic and APT/AMA and within a hundred dollars of Uniworld.

I truly think that there is no better way to travel the rivers than with Tauck but it's because they are simply the best at what they do. It's not "the price of admission". Except for air-fares Tauck includes everything in their price and after all the research we did before booking I can honestly say no other River Cruise company does this no matter what they claim.

Ozjohnno, well said. After 15 river cruises all over the world, have found my fellow travellers to be just that travellers. We have met people from many nations and enjoyed hearing about their travels and customs. Must say the Aussies we've met have been delightful. Travel is about prople not "the price of admission". Happy new year.;)

We have been on three Tauck Riverboat cruises and found the quality of the food to be anywhere from above average to exceptional. Wine (red and/or white) was served throughout the meal by a friendly and efficient wait staff. As for seating, we found that there was enough table space to find a seat whenever you arrive.

You will have a great time on a Tauck river cruise! We certainly did.

Hi Pat,

Well said to you also. Traveling is about interesting places to see and nice people to meet. We also say that there is a difference between travelers and tourists. Maybe someday our paths will cross.

Happy New Year to you and your family!

Sheila

Thank you everyone for your responses on Tauck dining. It all sounds like a wonderful travel experience, and we look forward to booking our cruise. Now, if those 2013 prices would just come out sooner than later.:)

Unfortunately, Karen, you probably won't get those until May:(

The prices should be just about what they are now. We went two years ago and 2012 prices were about the same. Go to utube and put in Tauck Riverboat Cruises to see some videos which were posted by Tauck and past passengers.

Sheila

Actually, I agree with Sheila, prices should be about the same; specifically because of the stronger dollar. Tauck did raise prices about 2 years ago but their profitability should have improved substantially.

Certainly agree with previous comments about food and fellow travelers. Fun for us was hooking up with a couple that we met on this board and going on a number of excursions with them. We are still in close touch. Now planning our next River Cruise which will likely be on Tauck :)

Hi Host Sheila,

So, which area will it be this time?

Sheila

Thinking about France...monte Carlo to Paris....but not this year. Don't want to high jack this thread. Will start a new one :)

We'll be on ms Treasures in October from Budapest to Amsterdam and are confident that we will be quite happy with the wine that is served at dinner. However, if we were to find some interesting bottles on an excursion and bring them back to the boat to try at lunch or dinner, does anyone know whether there is a corkage fee for such?

On another matter of adult beverages, I recall reading somewhere on this board (although I cannot now find it) that Tauck has a "happy hour" with reduced cocktail prices each evening. Any info someone can provide to keep our onboard bar account somewhere south of the Greek national budget would be enormously appreciated.

Cheers, Fred

On your cruise, the Tauck Web site says there is a 'themed happy hour'. We never looked for any on our cruise because by the time we got back from our tour, relaxed for awhile, visited with friends, rested and got ready for dinner, there was no time. And with the wine flowing at dinner....we didn't need more alcohol. Once in a while, my husband had a drink before dinner and I do think the price was discounted but I'm not sure.

You are allowed to bring wine or liquor onboard and I know they provided glasses, etc. for the folks who did (for example, to drink on the sun deck or in cabin) but I don't know if anyone brought wine to the dining room. Sorry.

We brought some bottles of wine onboard the Swiss Jewel last September. We had a party of six. The staff was very willing to provide glasses in the dining room. There was no corkage fee.

Tauck's "Happy Hour" is the cocktail of the day at a reduced price. I don't believe the discount was across the board.

During our cruise last September Tauck's "Happy Hour" was a reduction in price of a number of items on their bar list. Because of my personal tastes I remember that beer and a malt scotch was always on the list. If I can find an example from the tons of literature we brought back from the trip I'll post it here but I can assure readers that on Tauck there were many more items than just the "cocktail of the day".

Not on our cruise!:(

Hi freddie,

I'll be on the Treasures in August and will let you know the answers to your questions. We were on the Jewel in 2010 and my DH had his scotch in our cabin before dinner and I enjoyed enough wine at dinner. We never bought a drink at the bar, but I did notice some special prices. I will also ask in the dining room about the corkage charge.

Sheila