Vantage vs. Tauck

Looking for some opinions from those who have sailed on Vantage and Tauck. We are looking at the Tulip/Windmills/Canals for both lines and I am trying to do a comparison. I used April 22 for one line and April 23 for the other one, so dates are just about exact.

Tauck; cabin size (one down from the suite) is 183 sq ft price is $6885. This seems to include taxes/gratuities/unlimited alcohol and so forth.

Vantage; cabin size (one down from the suite) is 250 sq ft price is $4749. It does not seem to include taxes/fee/gratuities and alcohol is included at meals.

The tours on both seem to be just about exact for the 10 days. I have no idea how much you pay for gratuities/tips/taxes as we have not done a river cruise yet...does this add up to $2,000 per person? Is Tauck a much better company that offers "something better" in a smaller cabin?

Thanks for your input!

Looking for some opinions from those who have sailed on Vantage and Tauck. We are looking at the Tulip/Windmills/Canals for both lines and I am trying to do a comparison. I used April 22 for one line and April 23 for the other one, so dates are just about exact.

 

Tauck; cabin size (one down from the suite) is 183 sq ft price is $6885. This seems to include taxes/gratuities/unlimited alcohol and so forth.

 

Vantage; cabin size (one down from the suite) is 250 sq ft price is $4749. It does not seem to include taxes/fee/gratuities and alcohol is included at meals.

 

The tours on both seem to be just about exact for the 10 days. I have no idea how much you pay for gratuities/tips/taxes as we have not done a river cruise yet...does this add up to $2,000 per person? Is Tauck a much better company that offers "something better" in a smaller cabin?

 

Thanks for your input!

I haven't traveled with Tauck, but my Mom did (land tour) and it was clearly top of the line..I have traveled 6 times with Vantage and have 2 more trips booked. I think Tauck is more luxurious than Vantage, but I think customer service is customer service and I think both excel at that. If I had money to burn I'd go with Tauck, since I don't I go with Vantage. :D

Hydrokitty; how does tipping/gratuity work on a river cruise? Is it like an ocean cruise where you pay a certain amount per day to the cabin steward, an amount to the dining staff and head waiter and then it is automatically added on to your drinks? If not the same...what is the process? Thanks!

Hydrokitty; how does tipping/gratuity work on a river cruise? Is it like an ocean cruise where you pay a certain amount per day to the cabin steward, an amount to the dining staff and head waiter and then it is automatically added on to your drinks? If not the same...what is the process? Thanks!

It's pretty much the same as an ocean cruise. Vantage will tell you ahead of time what the suggested daily gratuity is. If you want to change it to more or less, you can. If you do not notify them, the suggested amount will be charged to your cabin. Gratuities are paid on the last night of the cruise and Vantage will allow you to put them on credit card or pay in cash (Euro). If you put them on a credit card they will be charged as Euro so watch the foreign transaction fee your credit card company charges. (I have a Capital One card, no annual fee or foreign transaction fees, that I only use when I travel for this reason) Of course, if you want to give a personal gratuity to your cabin steward or a favorite waiter, you can always do that as well. No way would they add up to $2000 per person! More like $350 per person. It depends on the length of the cruise of course.

FYI, we did tulips and windmills with Vantage in 2010 and it was marvelous. Best time to go is mid-late April if you love tulips.

I compared a completely different trip with Tauck and another company. (not a river cruise) It turned out that Tauck had details that increased the price on top of the higher Tauck price without adding value to me. The competitor had details in the almost identical itinerary that were of value to me.

Tauck is a well known provider of luxury travel. Vantage is known for delivering a lot of value for the price. It really is a decision as to what matters to you personally.

We have not cruised with either. We enjoy more luxury than what Vantage offers and are not willing to pay the price for the Tauck experience, which is very inclusive. Having been aboard vessels of both lines, there was a distinct different in ambiance and level of luxury. I believe Tauck also has a higher staff to guest ratio and fewer passengers aboard.

Re gratuities, some lines include them and on some it is an extra cost and optional. Unlike ocean cruises, I am not aware of any river cruise line that adds them automatically to your ship board account. IME, tipping on a river cruise is not pushed onto passengers nor do passengers the speech at the end of the cruise stressing tipping.

On AMA, our line of choice, passengers can choose to add them to their shipboard account or put an envelope, unmarked, into a box set up in the lobby at the end of the cruise. IMO, I would prefer they be included as we always add them to our account and then tip extra for excellent service, which is a hallmark of the AMA experience.

Thanks Caviargal; we do prefer a bit more luxury, but it seemed like Tauck is very high priced and not worth the cost they charge. I will have to look further at AMA! I truly appreciate all the input from everyone on this board!!! Thanks!!

Tauck costs more because they can. I have taken 5 Tauck trips. 4 great...1 awful. They spend money for luxurious rooms and fancy gourmet food. Attractions are good. Vantage approach is less luxury with excellent tours. Rooms are very nice ( not overly fancy) and food, although not gourmet, is good. Saving an extra $2000 is impressive. Given the choice, I probably would opt for Vantage. There is a lot of competition in travel. In riverboats, Viking and Uniworld are favorites.

Thanks Caviargal; we do prefer a bit more luxury, but it seemed like Tauck is very high priced and not worth the cost they charge. I will have to look further at AMA! I truly appreciate all the input from everyone on this board!!! Thanks!!

I think that is a very subjective way to compare two products that don't pretend to be equal. It's a bit like here in Australia asking for a comparison between a Kia and a BMW. You just can't. I've had only two river cruises and both have been with Tauck and as Vantage is not available to Australian travelers it would be foolish for me to try and compare. All I can say is when the Australian dollar was strong Tauck represented the best value per diem than any of the other companies we compared ( spread sheets don't lie) thus at the time they were not very high priced in fact both Scenic and AMA's Australian partner APT were both more expensive. IMO Tauck's service and product are truly worth what they charge but I also realise that many people don't want what they offer.

... AMA's Australian partner APT were both more expensive.

With the reversal in the exchange rate, APT provides a less expensive product right now. We are looking at an Asia land/river cruise. Have to seize the moment. :)

Something else to consider----Tauck has a more international mix of pax. Vantage is the US only. Have not been on Tauck, but have been on Vantage and did not find it to be on the level of what I desire in travel---had to upgrade to get hotel style beds, tours good, food okay. It is impossible to tell someone else what is the best line for them. We each have to research the itineraries and the lines that sail them, when they are available and of course the total cost. Good luck. Pat

Have been on 6 tours with Vantage and the 7th upcoming on June 2nd - French Waterways. We have been very pleased with Vantage. Not sure I would want to pay to go with Tauck. To us I consider saving some money for another river cruise. Vantage works for us. Willard

In riverboats, Viking and Uniworld are favorites.

Of whom exactly?

Viking is the largest and spends a ton on advertising. I don't think that makes them a favorite and I personally will never choose to sail with them.

Uniworld is one of the smaller lines and has a great reputation.

Have been on 6 tours with Vantage and the 7th upcoming on June 2nd - French Waterways. We have been very pleased with Vantage. Not sure I would want to pay to go with Tauck. To us I consider saving some money for another river cruise. Vantage works for us. Willard

I agree!

After reading these River Boat post on C.C I was starting to feel like a minority choosing Vantage. I think I will feel more comfortable going with Vantage.

Of whom exactly?

 

Viking is the largest and spends a ton on advertising. I don't think that makes them a favorite and I personally will never choose to sail with them.

 

Uniworld is one of the smaller lines and has a great reputation.

May I ask why you would never cruise with Viking? I'm just beginning to research river cruises and am enjoying this thread on comparing the different lines.

May I ask why you would never cruise with Viking? I'm just beginning to research river cruises and am enjoying this thread on comparing the different lines.

Their boats are generic and I find them unattractive, inside and out.

They pack on about 25% more passengers on the same size boats as compared to the other lines.

Their cabins are smaller than on most of the other lines, when comparing Aquarium class and French balcony cabins.

I really dislike their deceptive pricing model and advance payment policy.

Their staff to guest ratio is lower than the other major lines.

Less choices for excursions and no biking excursions.

Their reputation for customer service in times of challenges on the river is not at all impressive.

Their boats are generic and I find them unattractive, inside and out.

 

They pack on about 25% more passengers on the same size boats as compared to the other lines.

 

Their cabins are smaller than on most of the other lines, when comparing Aquarium class and French balcony cabins.

 

I really dislike their deceptive pricing model and advance payment policy.

 

Their staff to guest ratio is lower than the other major lines.

 

Less choices for excursions and no biking excursions.

 

Their reputation for customer service in times of challenges on the river is not at all impressive.

And you didn't even mention that they CHARGE MORE for the cattle experience. :D

we have sailed with Viking ( budapest to amsterdam 9/2014) and with Vantage ( Irrawaddy River cruise 12/2014)...both were wonderful experiences...although very different parts of the world...we will choose with whom to cruise again depending on itinerary and costs....would not rule other lines if their product seemed a better fit. But the loyalty program of Vantage is slightly better than Viking's and Vantage has some great last minute deals.

We did not feel that the Viking Longship was too small for the number of passengers but felt we knew most of the passengers (good and bad) on the Vantage trip with only 53.

And you didn't even mention that they CHARGE MORE for the cattle experience. :D

Can't believe I left that out! :)

Don't know about Vantage, because I would probably never choose them.

But when we priced-out our 2016 Amsterdam to Budapest trip (using 2015 pricing as a basis), we compared Tauck, Uniworld and AMA Waterways. AMA was slightly cheaper than Tauck (but not all-inclusive), and Uniworld was quite a bit more expensive than Tauck. So we chose Tauck. At this point we are river virgins, so we will see--doing Uniworld this fall in Egypt.

Don't know about Vantage, because I would probably never choose them.

 

But when we priced-out our 2016 Amsterdam to Budapest trip (using 2015 pricing as a basis), we compared Tauck, Uniworld and AMA Waterways. AMA was slightly cheaper than Tauck (but not all-inclusive), and Uniworld was quite a bit more expensive than Tauck. So we chose Tauck. At this point we are river virgins, so we will see--doing Uniworld this fall in Egypt.

I'm sure you will not be disappointed in Tauck or Uniworld.....and Egypt was amazing. If you have the opportunity to go to Jordan, take it....it was one of the many the highlights of our trip and Petra is not to be missed.

Hi,

I can only speak from my experience with Tauck's land tours. We took two with them and both were certainly great. As has been said, they use top hotels and accommodations, and the food is excellent also. Sometimes they go a bit over-the-top with the amount of food. Our first tour with them included 3 large meals every day - was simply too much food. Our TA has suggested that Tauck and Uniworld are probably the best for river cruises in Europe. I'm sure there are many good ones though.

Keith

Hi,

 

I can only speak from my experience with Tauck's land tours. We took two with them and both were certainly great. As has been said, they use top hotels and accommodations, and the food is excellent also. Sometimes they go a bit over-the-top with the amount of food. Our first tour with them included 3 large meals every day - was simply too much food. Our TA has suggested that Tauck and Uniworld are probably the best for river cruises in Europe. I'm sure there are many good ones though.

 

You know Keith, my Mom said the same thing about Tauck and the food. In fact, one day she and her best friend failed to show up for lunch. A little after lunch their TM came to their room to inquire as to their health and to ask if they were unhappy with the food. They said there was just too much and it was all so good that they just weren't hungry!! She was in her 70's when she went and her friend walked with crutches from childhood polio. I really appreciated that their TM looked out for his people so well that he knew who was missing from lunch and went to check on them. If I had unlimited resources, I would use Tauck, but since I don't I find Vantage to be well worth the money and I've never been disappointed in them either.

We are also newbies on river cruises. Have done 2 so far, both with Uniworld on the Rhine & Rhone and TOTALLY loved both tours! We are trying a company which appears to be a bit of a newcomer, at least for the European river cruises and compared to other companies mentioned earlier--Scenic Cruises. Their brief number of reviews on CC net are quite good--we'll see.

I have also been a bit turned off with Viking--seems their attitude is a bit inflated to say the least. However, we have booked a 2 week Vikings Homeland cruise of the Baltic for July 2016. So far I'm not very impressed by their gross lack of customer service--we'll see. If this cruise sucks, I may have to permanently give up watching Downton Abbey!

We are also newbies on river cruises. Have done 2 so far, both with Uniworld on the Rhine & Rhone and TOTALLY loved both tours! We are trying a company which appears to be a bit of a newcomer, at least for the European river cruises and compared to other companies mentioned earlier--Scenic Cruises. Their brief number of reviews on CC net are quite good--we'll see.

 

I have also been a bit turned off with Viking--seems their attitude is a bit inflated to say the least. However, we have booked a 2 week Vikings Homeland cruise of the Baltic for July 2016. So far I'm not very impressed by their gross lack of customer service--we'll see. If this cruise sucks, I may have to permanently give up watching Downton Abbey!

Scenic sounds great, hope it works out! I know what you mean about Viking; very funny about Downton Abbey!