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Questions from younger first timer.


wake
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My wife and I have decided to do something different for our fifth anniversary, are we are starting to zero in on a European river cruise. I have read most of the articles pinned at the top of the this forum, but we are still searching for some answers.

One of our primary concerns is our age, being 30. We have no problem enjoying the company of people from all age groups, but we would prefer not to be the only people on the boat who aren't twice our age. I can just envision fielding the question, "are your parents here too?".

With this in mind I started to look at the more active cruise lines; AMA and Emerald. My only concern there is most of those seem to focus around cycling. While my wife enjoys and leisurely ride, I don't think long cycling tours will be her thing. I was very excited to learn of U by Uniworld, we fall well within their target age range and that would of course solve the above problem. However I am afraid it may be too "millennial" for us. The pictures look right out of a bad car ad. We are definitely looking more to experience the history and culture than we are looking to party. I'm not sure a silent disco is going to be our thing, although the minimalist decor, craft beer and coffee bar are right up our alley. It makes me very nervous that they are brand new, with no reviews to read before booking, although them being part of Uniworld eases my mind somewhat.

So all of that to say, in your experience are my fears of being in the extreme minority age wise unfounded? Are there certain lines that might negate that? Are the higher end offerings going to be an older crowd while the more affordable options might have more of a variety?

My other question involves travel agents. I've gathered that we aren't permitted to discuss specific agents. In trying to research river cruise agents, I have discovered that the majority of the reviews I've found didn't involved river cruises. The agent would call themselves a specialist, but their reviews would be from trips to Disney, Mexico and DR. Is this normal, or am I looking in all the wrong places? Have people typically received great deals from using agents, or is the primary bonus the inside advice?

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My suggestion is pick a river cruise line for the itinerary and the ship itself and don't worry about the ages of the other passengers. You will be among the youngest on board, based on age, but so what. You may get asked where about your parents, but it will most likely be in a conversational way, not meant in a demeaning or negative way. Most people on a river cruise are interested in the sites you will see and the experiences that go with it. And most may be older in age but I can assure you that they are generally very young at heart. As far as travel agents, we have not used one, so can't help you there.

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Another line to consider might be Avalon with their Active Discovery cruises on the Rhine and Danube. Activities include hiking, biking, and canoeing.

 

One thing I like about Avalon is the fact that they're generally willing to decouple the land and cruise portions of vacations, allowing one to purchase the "cruise only" portion if that's what someone wants. I've pasted a couple of links below:

 

Rhine

https://www.avalonwaterways.com/river-cruise/active-discovery-on-the-rhine-northbound/wwa/

 

Danube

https://www.avalonwaterways.com/river-cruise/active-discovery-on-the-danube-westbound/wbl/?nextyear=true

Edited by FuelScience
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On Viking river you will likely be the only couple in your demographic. I've been on a couple Viking river cruises with couples in their 20s. They looked as if they were having a great time. But if this makes you uncomfortable, Viking would not be a good choice with their older demographic.

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My suggestion is pick a river cruise line for the itinerary and the ship itself and don't worry about the ages of the other passengers. You will be among the youngest on board, based on age, but so what. You may get asked where about your parents, but it will most likely be in a conversational way, not meant in a demeaning or negative way. Most people on a river cruise are interested in the sites you will see and the experiences that go with it. And most may be older in age but I can assure you that they are generally very young at heart. As far as travel agents, we have not used one, so can't help you there.

 

I think you are right, I just wanted to make sure it was going to be a "what are they doing here" kinda thing.

 

On Viking river you will likely be the only couple in your demographic. I've been on a couple Viking river cruises with couples in their 20s. They looked as if they were having a great time. But if this makes you uncomfortable, Viking would not be a good choice with their older demographic.

 

No I don't think it would make us uncomfortable at all, I just didn't want us to be the odd thumbs. We both are more than happy to socialize with whoever, we both run in older circles at work anyway.

 

In my early research the cruise that matches my criteria for the best price is a Viking 2 for 1 deal. It is significantly cheaper than other similar options, so that would leave us the ability to tack on some great trips before or after the cruise.

 

Thanks for all the help guys!

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In my early research the cruise that matches my criteria for the best price is a Viking 2 for 1 deal. It is significantly cheaper than other similar options, so that would leave us the ability to tack on some great trips before or after the cruise.

 

It would be unusual to find that Viking were significantly cheaper than other similar options, so do make sure that you have understood the '2 for 1' deal properly, it does not mean you only pay for one person and get the other free, it just means they are discounting a price that nobody ever really pays and still showing the per person cost...

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It would be unusual to find that Viking were significantly cheaper than other similar options, so do make sure that you have understood the '2 for 1' deal properly, it does not mean you only pay for one person and get the other free, it just means they are discounting a price that nobody ever really pays and still showing the per person cost...
I couldn't believe how cheap that seemed, that make so much more sense. Thank you for clarifying that.
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As an example of what Mark T. has mentioned about Viking prices, and their 2 for 1 pricing.....

 

I'm not sure which rivers you are looking at, but a March 21 sailing on the Rhone, with Viking, for their standard E cabin, is $2699/person. On Uniworld, sailing on March 18, their price, on a Category 4, is $2427.50. I have added in port charges to Uniworld's price, so there is an apples to apples comparison.

 

Uniworld includes drinks throughout the day, including alcohol, and gratuities, in their price. They also provide transfers to/from the airport, if you travel the same day. Viking, OTOH, has attractive airfare.

 

Of course, the decor is opposite ends of the spectrum. At home, we have more the Viking look, but, for a week, I can live like a princess on Uniworld:D

 

Robin

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If you want active hiking options on a river cruise, look at the AMA cruises with Backroads [choose "Walking & Hiking" filter]:

https://www.backroads.com/award-winning-tours/cruises

Those options are definitely on my list.
As an example of what Mark T. has mentioned about Viking prices, and their 2 for 1 pricing.....

 

I'm not sure which rivers you are looking at, but a March 21 sailing on the Rhone, with Viking, for their standard E cabin, is $2699/person. On Uniworld, sailing on March 18, their price, on a Category 4, is $2427.50. I have added in port charges to Uniworld's price, so there is an apples to apples comparison.

 

Uniworld includes drinks throughout the day, including alcohol, and gratuities, in their price. They also provide transfers to/from the airport, if you travel the same day. Viking, OTOH, has attractive airfare.

 

Of course, the decor is opposite ends of the spectrum. At home, we have more the Viking look, but, for a week, I can live like a princess on Uniworld:D

 

Robin

Uniworld seems very reasonable for the truly all inclusive luxury lines. If we decide to jump upmarket that would be where we do it. We enjoy drinking, but don't put down much volume so that makes it a little tougher to justify. But it certainly is tempting for not THAT much more.

 

It definitely is overwhelming having so many choices. I'm slowly working my way through it, this site has been a huge resource between the articles and forums.

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Do not worry about your age. My spouse and I aren’t quite as young as you, but we’re definitely younger than most of the passengers. On all three of our cruises taken so far (all with Viking) there were younger passengers than us. As stated, you’ll find the older crowd quite young at heart and a blast to travel with. On each cruise, we’ve made good friends with couples from all over the country that we continue to keep in touch with. You’ll have a great time! Re: Travel Agents - I won’t book this type of trip without one. Not only can they offer great advice, they are there to negotiate and or work with the cruise lines to get everything you want/need. You won’t pay any more for the trip, and they may be able to save you money. I would check around with friends and relatives for referrals, which is how we found our agent.

 

Best of luck to you!

 

Jeff

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We are 29 & 33, respectively, and have taken two river cruises (both Viking). We were definitely a rare breed but it didn’t impact our enjoyment at all; we found our fellow travelers tended to talk mostly about other travel adventures, so we could relate.

 

 

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Re: U by Uniworld - I wouldn't worry about anything regarding facilities or operations. They're not new ships (just refurbished) and they know the river cruise business. But, as another younger river cruiser who falls into the U by Uniworld demographic (and was excited about it prior to their launch) I get the feeling that they're just trying too hard with their marketing to look young and hip. It's still a fairly expensive trip for a lot of young party types, so I would expect it wouldn't be a bad experience. You can always skip their nighttime entertainment and spend more time in port, since they're focusing on spending evenings in cities on most of their itineraries.

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I am somewhat older than you, but will also be in the "youngest on the ship" camp when we board a Uniworld ship next April. We have been in that situation before, and it never bothers us. I think as long as it doesn't come as a big surprise to you, it will be fine.

 

About U by Uniworld... I am sure their product is fantastic. It is less inclusive than the regular Uniworld and certainly more geared to the targeted age range. They don't even allow you to sail if you are over 45.

 

Also, please do use a travel agent. I have been a travel professional for a long time, and cannot begin to tell you the number of time I have been able to intervene and assist while someone is away, or just get them exactly what they want and save them a lot of time in the process. A good agent will compare a couple of choices for you.

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I appreciate all of the help, it looks like we will be sailing the Danube with Uniworld! Our agent ha sit reserved just pending the deposit.

 

We are very excited. I definitely appreciate the help in the thread.

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I think you'll be very pleased with your decision to travel with Uniworld. We taking our 3rd cruise with them in January. We've done Budapest to Amsterdam, Antwerp to Amsterdam and January will be the Nile. The service and amenities are wonderful as is the food. My wife and I don't drink that much alcohol but it is nice being able to enjoy a drink with thinking about the extra cost. With Uniworld you can really end your cruise without any extra cost.

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I appreciate all of the help, it looks like we will be sailing the Danube with Uniworld! Our agent ha sit reserved just pending the deposit.

 

We are very excited. I definitely appreciate the help in the thread.

What ship and itinerary? We did the Danube with Uniworld (River Beatrice) in April 2016 and loved it. Your itinerary may be similar to ours. I did a review if you want a sneak preview. I am terribly biased, of course, but I think you'll have a great time.

 

Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app

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What ship and itinerary? We did the Danube with Uniworld (River Beatrice) in April 2016 and loved it. Your itinerary may be similar to ours. I did a review if you want a sneak preview. I am terribly biased, of course, but I think you'll have a great time.

 

Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app

Wow, that was quite the review. We are doing the Delightful Danube starting in Budapest on the S.S. Beatrice. So it looks like a very similar trip. Thanks for the great review.
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We chose a river cruise to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. We went to a Viking information session and we were definitely the youngest by a long shot (we are in our late 40s) but it didn't deter us from booking. From what I've read on these boards we will have a great time with our travelling companions - regardless of age :-)

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  • 1 month later...

We're also in the younger demographic (working professionals) and booked in on Uniworld. My partner has been on river cruises before and neither of us will mind. We actually prefer the company of the wiser, more mature generation than the millennials.

 

Will let you know just over 2 months from today whether we're the youngest on board the SS Catherine!

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