Help - trying to choose the right line to be on for river cruisint

[H2Otstr]

Jacqui, I can only speak for the one river cruise I have been on, but, yes, that is how it was done on our cruise. Depending on when the last tour was done, the dinner time was set around that.

 

Perhaps others can chime in as to how it is done on other lines.

You're welcome. :-)

 

There is one seating time on Grand Circle, Viking, Uniworld, AMA and Gate 1.........all the ones that I have been on. I have been on 9 river cruises and leave on Saturday for my 10th. Most of the time the dinner is either at 6:30 or 7 pm. Again, the timing depends on how late the last tour group gets back on the boat.

[franski]

Have been following this thread, and just went back to read WhansaMi's review.... and a few things came to mind.

 

First off - I have not experienced some of the issues that bothered WhansaMi. But, we have not travelled with Vantage, and have usually experienced quite a diverse passenger list. This may have affected the dining experience, as well as the approach to touring out of North America. I still remember one of the passengers on our Budapest to Prague cruise complaining quite loudly that the shopkeepers in Durnstien wouldn't accept dollars... She had not brought any euros as she didn't think she would need them. A bit of research on her part could have reduced the stress and anxiety of shopping for her...

 

I do agree that the comments re: open seating are misleading. The explanation would be more accurate if it described dinner as one seating, without assigned tables. Breakfast and lunch are more "open".

 

This is a good forum for people to come and do some research, and we do need people who are willing to stand up and be "devil's advocate" here.. River cruising is not for everyone - just as big ship cruising is not. We do need people who can be objective, and explain why the experience wasn't what they hoped, or expected.

 

But, it isn't productive if people just want to use this as a sounding board, and complain about their experience - or paint the entire product (ie: river cruising) with a negativity brush. I do not believe that WhansaMi did that - she explained why this type of travel wasn't for her, and expressed a regret that she didn't get the experience she had hoped for. I think it may have something to do with the cruise line that she chose, although there are lots of Vantage cheerleaders here who may be upset with that suggestion.

 

In many ways, booking a river cruise is like buying a car --> not everyone looks for the same things. Hotel style beds vs pullman/twin beds. Balcony vs aquarium class. Cruise during the day vs only cruise at night. Included tours vs self travel off the boat. Cost per day vs cost per experience as a deciding factor.

 

I feel sad for anyone who has spent a great deal of money only to find disappointment at the end of the experience. Unfortunately, this type of travel is often too expensive to try it "one more time..." to see if it was the norm, or the exception.

 

When we did our 1st river cruise, we were the 1st river cruise that our TA had booked. We were warned that the cruise was slow, perhaps even boring. Very low key - with a much older clientele. No entertainment in the evening. She was only repeating what had been told to her. We booked anyway - as we were doing the Seine, and thought that a slow cruise through France was a great way to spend some vacation days.

 

We loved that cruise, and discovered a whole new genre of travel that meets our needs. Not every cruise is at the same level, and we have had some frustrations along the way - but we chalk it up to the experiences we gain - and feel very blessed that we are able to travel at all. Not as often as I would like... but I do keep buying lottery tickets!!!

 

I didn't discover this board until after we came home... Don't think that it would have affected our original choice (I left that to DH - as he didn't think we would like to travel in Europe....) - but I might have been a bit better prepared. Or, perhaps not.

 

But I do try to post now that I know this exists. If people come and ask for opinions, I am willing to offer mine. I think that WhansaMi did that - and unfortunately it was read by some as being negative. She did not try to advise others not to do a river cruise (as some on this thread have, most recently in relation to cruising in Russia...) - but did offer another perspective on cruising that isn't always as visible.

 

WhansaMi - hope you enjoy whatever experience your future travel plans bring your way...

 

Fran

[WhansaMi]

But I do try to post now that I know this exists. If people come and ask for opinions, I am willing to offer mine. I think that WhansaMi did that - and unfortunately it was read by some as being negative. She did not try to advise others not to do a river cruise (as some on this thread have, most recently in relation to cruising in Russia...) - but did offer another perspective on cruising that isn't always as visible.

 

WhansaMi - hope you enjoy whatever experience your future travel plans bring your way...

 

Fran

 

Fran, thank you very much for your kind words. I am glad you understood the intent, and I am sorry that some are disturbed. However, I do not regret my decision to participate in the discussion.

 

I am very, very glad you have found vacations you enjoy. That is the most important thing! We, actually, have always enjoyed our vacations, be they cruises, land-based DIYs or resorts. We generally try to find the good in things, and even though we've encountered flooded bathrooms, a table mate who tried to sell me his used tea bag so he could write off that dinner as a business expense (I kid you not!), a sprained ankle on a golf course and all manner of other issues that are common to the vacationer, we have always found a way to enjoy the trip.

 

Unfortunately, this was the first *really* disappointing vacation that I have had, and I think that might have been averted had I known a bit more about what I was getting into.

 

Oh well, live and learn!

 

We are going to take a "really inexpensive, totally veg out and do nothing but lie in the sun" cruise in March, and then plan for another European trip sometimes in 2014, if we can.

 

You know, a friend of mine is a runner. I do yoga. I'd rather have a root canal than jog, and she's says if she had to do yoga every day, she'd go crazy. People are different, and need different things. One is not inherently better than the other.... they are just different. Therein lies the greatness in diversity in people and activities. :-)

 

Thank you again.

[Wormy53]

wow!! research???:confused: that's what this thread was about and I was told to do my own - I don't want this thread turned into attack city thank you very much. if you have research would you mind to share it rather than make us all do our own? It's seems to be a lot harder to research river cruises than ocean cruises IMO and at least on the different regular cruises people are happy to give tips.:rolleyes:

 

There are a lot of us newbies out there seeking help - and I'll take anything I can get.

 

and how the heck do you know this stuff ahead of time???

 

Good post! I DO appreciate what WhansaMi had to say - and don't like name-calling. We will be on our trip just before the US elections, and don't want to feel that we are the "odd man out" at our table. Hopefully politics will not be discussed to that extent.

 

We like to take different views into account when I look at reviews and different perspectives of a trip. No 2 people are the same - neither are 2 different groups on any particular cruise. The people cruising with you can REALLY make a difference in the experience. We will make the most of the situation either way, and are still looking forward to a great trip! :D

[bocatraveler09]

I use CC for info and have made "friends" with whom to share small tours on our HAL Baltic trip this summer. We've never taken a river cruise but are trying it next May (Paris-Normany on AMAwaters).

 

Most of what I've seen on this site has been, frankly, depressing. We are "do-it-yourself" people and I am wondering if this is the right venue for us.

 

Input?

[Creeks]

We got back a couple of weeks ago from our first river cruise, so I can't be a help in choosing a specific line, but I did want to respond to this section.

 

We, too, tend to avoid big tours. Somehow, I imagined that, since the ships would be smaller, the group tours would be, as well. That was not the case. On our cruise, there were about 35 people in each group. Lots of large bus rides. Going anywhere with the group took many times longer, because of people walking slowly, or entering a room and stopping, preventing the passengers behind them from entering. Suddenly I remembered why I had only taken one ocean liner-sponsored tour! I really dislike being herded!

 

The quality of the tour guides was hit and miss...more often miss than hit. There was a lot more emphasis on the architecture and who did the murals than on the stories that bring history to life. Some of the guides' accents were so thick as to render them indecipherable.

 

In general, I did not enjoy our river cruise (sorry folks!). The herding aspect of it was a **large** part of the reason why. If you prefer small groups, or going it alone, you may find yourself more comfortable on an ocean liner.

 

I'm a slow walker, so DH and I would get the map from the tour leader and then 'tour' at or own pace, stopping when we wanted and detouring when we wanted. Loved docking near 'downtown' and able to go at our own pace.:)

[pacmom]

Bobcat, you have picked a lovely 1st cruise. The Seine is beautiful and the stops so nice--this was our 1st European river cruise and a perfect way to start. We never sailed at nite. We were also on the AMAlegro this past Dec for a Christmas market cruise and it was fantastic. If you do research on some of the ports, you may find that you can DIY. Just let the CD know your plans. We leave on Oct for river cruise #15. If you have questions, please start a new thread and you should get some good replies. Pat

[LHT28]

Jacqui, I can only speak for the one river cruise I have been on, but, yes, that is how it was done on our cruise. Depending on when the last tour was done, the dinner time was set around that.

 

Perhaps others can chime in as to how it is done on other lines.

 

You're welcome. :-)

I read your review & our experience on another line was very much the same except for the politics & the oldies ...

I think most of our group was in the 50 to 70 range

Most of our shipmates were Aussies or New Zealanders a very lively bunch

 

I did my research & thought I had picked the right cruise for us but I was not prepared for the amount of busing involved or the number of locks we went through in the night

The food was about the same as your experience

I guess some people must eat boxed food a lot & do not notice a difference

 

I have been blasted already that I should have researched better then I would have known about all these problems

Some things you cannot just research & know about because most people just say "it is just part of the adventure" whatever that means

 

I too will probably not do a river cruise again & I am happy that others enjoyed their cruises

They are not me & everyone has their own experiences & expectations it is not right or wrong just a personal view

 

Enjoy your next adventure

 

we are driving next vacation ;)

Lyn

[LHT28]

We've never taken a river cruise but are trying it next May (Paris-Normany on AMAwaters).

 

Most of what I've seen on this site has been, frankly, depressing. We are "do-it-yourself" people and I am wondering if this is the right venue for us.

 

Input?

I would say no

You may be better off renting a car & driving through the area

You are on schedule with the riverboats so you may or may not have time to REALLY SEE the port cities

 

JMO

You did ask :D

[ngmoore]

I forgot to mention that I am on Uniworld Treasures of Prague, the Rhine and Main, leaving Aug 19. I am a late booker but an obsessive researcher and feel I pretty much know what can be known in advance, and am really looking forward to a relaxing, slow paced cruise. Am traveling solo on a trip where they've waived the single supplement, so expect to find some other solo travelers also, but understand solos are generally welcomed on river cruises, and I don't mind time on my own too. Will post a review when I get back. Happy cruising to the rest of you!

[sippican]

I read your review & our experience on another line was very much the same except for the politics & the oldies ...

I did my research & thought I had picked the right cruise for us but I was not prepared for the amount of busing involved or the number of locks we went through in the night

Lyn

 

Which line? That info would be helpful to others.

"the oldies" ? :eek: I've been on some tours where the "young uns" couldn't keep up, so please don't generalize about people and their abilities or interests at any age. We are 60 and zip line, snorkel, ski, kayak, rappel, hike, ride bikes, climb pyramids etc. We travel in a group of very like-minded companions from late 50s to 70+.

I can understand your comment about the busing, but what about the locks? Did that keep you up? That would be useful information.

Looking for help in choosing the best river cruise, please elaborate.

[franski]

We will be on our trip just before the US elections, and don't want to feel that we are the "odd man out" at our table. Hopefully politics will not be discussed to that extent.

 

Not being from the US, we find that most election "chatter" is interesting for us... we do get lots of US politics here (we live about 40 minutes east of Toronto here in Southern Ontario....) but am always interested in hearing opinions from people who "live" that environment. The printed news can be quite lopsided.

 

What does (and can) get challenging is having to discuss and defend our health care system. Many are quite interested in how it works - and why - but we have encountered others that became quite aggressive in telling us why our system is "substandard" and wouldn't work in the US.

 

Thank heavens for the flex system in the dining room, as we have (on a couple of occasions) put on our best poker faces, made non-committal "vanilla" responses --> and vowed to eat at another table the next night!!

 

People are people - and we enjoy most... others add, shall we say, an element of "interest" to our travels.... :D

 

Fran

[franski]

I forgot to mention that I am on Uniworld Treasures of Prague, the Rhine and Main, leaving Aug 19. I am a late booker but an obsessive researcher and feel I pretty much know what can be known in advance, and am really looking forward to a relaxing, slow paced cruise. Am traveling solo on a trip where they've waived the single supplement, so expect to find some other solo travelers also, but understand solos are generally welcomed on river cruises, and I don't mind time on my own too. Will post a review when I get back. Happy cruising to the rest of you!

 

 

Have met some great "solos" on our travels.... Most seem to find a niche - and fit in with the group.

 

Hope you enjoy - that is an interesting itinerary, and Uniworld puts on a great experience.

 

Fran

 

P.S. Do love "your" part of the world as well... my best friend lives in Louisville, and we visit yearly. In fact, just home from there a week ago.

[LHT28]

Which line? That info would be helpful to others.

You would think so wouldn't you

 

"the oldies" ? :eek: I've been on some tours where the "young uns" couldn't keep up, so please don't generalize about people and their abilities or interests at any age. We are 60 and zip line, snorkel, ski, kayak, rappel, hike, ride bikes, climb pyramids etc. We travel in a group of very like-minded companions from late 50s to 70+.

I can understand your comment about the busing, but what about the locks? Did that keep you up? That would be useful information.

Looking for help in choosing the best river cruise, please elaborate.

 

I was referring to the review by WhansaMi when they said people were older & did not seem to know where they were going & a very slow walkers group

I have been with 80 yr olds that can do more than I can so no generalizing here ...no need to get your knickers in a twist ;)

 

We are mid 60's & not into the things you are but we are not ready for the knackers yard either :D

 

I have posted before about the ship bumping the lock walls in the night (daytime as well) but it was just our cabin that was effected by the sounds of others here :rolleyes:

 

We did the Amsterdam to Budapest route where there are well over 65 locks, some we did during the night.

I cannot believe that just our ship was the only ship that bumped the walls in the night ...the locks are very narrow with about 6in each side of the boat or their Captains were very good at avoiding the walls ;)

 

Some people say research... I say research then read between the lines

If you are interested my review is at

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1665318

 

If you do not like the negative spin on river cruises DO NOT READ IT

 

Not everyone has a great time

[LHT28]

What does (and can) get challenging is having to discuss and defend our health care system. Many are quite interested in how it works - and why - but we have encountered others that became quite aggressive in telling us why our system is "substandard" and wouldn't work in the US.

 

Thank heavens for the flex system in the dining room, as we have (on a couple of occasions) put on our best poker faces, made non-committal "vanilla" responses --> and vowed to eat at another table the next night!!

 

People are people - and we enjoy most... others add, shall we say, an element of "interest" to our travels.... :D

 

Fran

 

I agree with you there ...some people just do not understand our system.

 

As for some other topics of discussion we try not to discuss religion or politics ...both are very personal choices & can give some people indigestion during meals :D

[sippican]

I was referring to the review by WhansaMi when they said people were older & did not seem to know where they were going & a very slow walkers group

I have been with 80 yr olds that can do more than I can so no generalizing here ...no need to get your knickers in a twist ;)

 

We are mid 60's & not into the things you are but we are not ready for the knackers yard either :D

 

I have posted before about the ship bumping the lock walls in the night (daytime as well) but it was just our cabin that was effected by the sounds of others here :rolleyes:

 

We did the Amsterdam to Budapest route where there are well over 65 locks, some we did during the night.

I cannot believe that just our ship was the only ship that bumped the walls in the night ...the locks are very narrow with about 6in each side of the boat or their Captains were very good at avoiding the walls ;)

 

Some people say research... I say research then read between the lines

If you are interested my review is at

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1665318

 

If you do not like the negative spin on river cruises DO NOT READ IT

 

Not everyone has a great time

 

Lyn,

Not sure what your red highlighted comment "you would think so wouldn't you" was meant to convey, but yes, it was helpful to read your review of your Scenic cruise. Thank you for providing the link.

Also, a bit confused about the noises from the locks. You say, "I have posted before about the ship bumping the lock walls in the night (daytime as well) but it was just our cabin that was effected by the sounds of others here :rolleyes:"

Are you saying that others really didn't hear it, or were not bothered by it, or just never said anything about it? I am grateful for that information as something to be aware of.

Not sure where you got the impression that I was not interested in the negative spin on river cruising. I enjoy reading all of the reviews, and I'll certainly take the comments into consideriation when choosing ours. Being our first river cruise, I am interested in what others have to say here, the good and the bad.

I agree, after reading hundreds of reviews on all kinds of cruises, not everyone has a good time.

I am learning that the tours will probably be a major deciding factor. A poster on your review thread mentioned that most of the featured ports on her itinerary were close to the docking points. I think that's what would appeal to us most. Then the "oldies" can do the organized tours and the rest might DIY. ;)

[kazu]

I was referring to the review by WhansaMi when they said people were older & did not seem to know where they were going & a very slow walkers group

I have been with 80 yr olds that can do more than I can so no generalizing here ...no need to get your knickers in a twist ;)

 

We are mid 60's & not into the things you are but we are not ready for the knackers yard either :D

 

I have posted before about the ship bumping the lock walls in the night (daytime as well) but it was just our cabin that was effected by the sounds of others here :rolleyes:

 

We did the Amsterdam to Budapest route where there are well over 65 locks, some we did during the night.

I cannot believe that just our ship was the only ship that bumped the walls in the night ...the locks are very narrow with about 6in each side of the boat or their Captains were very good at avoiding the walls ;)

 

Some people say research... I say research then read between the lines

If you are interested my review is at

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1665318

 

If you do not like the negative spin on river cruises DO NOT READ IT

 

Not everyone has a great time

 

thanks very much for providing the link to your review Lynn. It is very helpful.

 

I wonder if there is a way to see where ships dock - being bussed everywhere wouldn't appeal to us either;)

[nordski]

Generally a really interesting and worthwhile discussion. Perhaps we need a "sticky" at the top of the forum re: pros and cons of river cruising where these ideas could be preserved. Often these ideas are posted in threads where they are not easily found.

 

I'll add one corollary to a point being made about some uncomfortable discussions about health care (Canadian) and politics.

 

For the time being, we now favour cruise lines that have a more cosmopolitan makeup. It broadens the nature of the issues at hand.

 

On the other hand, some may prefer a more uniform group, and Vantage and GCT are largely American if it suits your purpose.

[WhansaMi]

Generally a really interesting and worthwhile discussion. Perhaps we need a "sticky" at the top of the forum re: pros and cons of river cruising where these ideas could be preserved. Often these ideas are posted in threads where they are not easily found.

 

I'll add one corollary to a point being made about some uncomfortable discussions about health care (Canadian) and politics.

 

For the time being, we now favour cruise lines that have a more cosmopolitan makeup. It broadens the nature of the issues at hand.

 

On the other hand, some may prefer a more uniform group, and Vantage and GCT are largely American if it suits your purpose.

 

I think a sticky might be a good idea, if, as you did, the thread offered specifics about the difference between different cruiselines. I did a lot of reading on this board before choosing the trip (I believe my first post on here was in 2009), and I don't recall feeling there was much difference between the lines, other than the alcohol being included, or not.

 

BTW, to the poster who suggested that we "got what we paid for" when we chose Vantage, Vantage was not the least expensive option to us, at the time. We excluded Tauk because, reading these boards and looking at the respective websites, it seemed to us that the difference in cost seemed to be the result of two factors: (1) alcohol was included and (2) there seemed to be even more time allotted for group tours. We don't drink that much, and we knew we would want time to do things on our own.

 

It would be nice to have some resource that really gave a head to head glimpse into what each cruise line has to offer. It wouldn't be with the purpose of proving one line is better than another, but to let people make an informed choice. People *want* different things, and some things are more important to people than others. Categories could be things like "dinner seating times", "primary customer base", "sleeping arrangements", and so forth.

[franski]

I wonder if there is a way to see where ships dock - being bussed everywhere wouldn't appeal to us either;)

 

If you have questions about a particular port, you could post and usually someone on this board has visited. For example - you cannot walk off the boat into the downtown in Vienna, or in Nuremburg. There is public transport available in Vienna, however, if you don't mind a bit of a walk to the subway.

 

Bratislava is quite close to Vienna - so sometimes a visit to Bratislava is a bus ride from Vienna instead of an actual stop while travelling to (or from) Budapest.

 

Itineraries aren't as detailed as on websites for big ships (ie: into port at 8 am, leave at 4 pm) - and not sure how realistic it would be to provide that. Especially given the things outside the control of the crew that can impact things like travel time. Often it is weather, water level or another "incident" (ie: lock malfunction) that impacts the travel plans. If there is a lock malfunction, and it affects arrival times, one option is to let people off ahead of the port --> as they can get to the town/city quicker if they take a bus. Some people prefer to do that, as they have more time in port --> others prefer to wait on board and take their chances. Probably the best thing for the crew to do (and not all crew members are as adept at this... ) is explain why there is a bus ride vs sailing into town. Doesn't affect the outcome, but usually people are more understanding.

 

Fran

[LHT28]

thanks very much for providing the link to your review Lynn. It is very helpful.

 

I wonder if there is a way to see where ships dock - being bussed everywhere wouldn't appeal to us either;)

There is no way to tell where or when your ship will dock

That is why most river cruises do not give "times in port" in the itinerary before you go

Things can change ..waiting to enter the lock, broken lock, another ship has you parking spot rivers to high or too low can affect the sailing time

 

You pretty much find out the night before when /where you will dock

You need to be VERY flexible with river cruising IMO

 

YMMV

[LHT28]

Lyn,

Not sure what your red highlighted comment "you would think so wouldn't you" was meant to convey,

 

When I posted my experience some of the more experienced river cruisers do not accept that this could have possibly happened & if I had done more research I would have known ...really

 

but yes, it was helpful to read your review of your Scenic cruise. Thank you for providing the link.

Also, a bit confused about the noises from the locks. You say, "I have posted before about the ship bumping the lock walls in the night (daytime as well) but it was just our cabin that was effected by the sounds of others here :rolleyes:"

 

Are you saying that others really didn't hear it, or were not bothered by it, or just never said anything about it? I am grateful for that information as something to be aware of.

From others here they said they were not bothered by the bumping of the lock walls in the night & some say they just think of it as part of the adventure

I am a light sleeper so I was woken up about every hour or so with the bumping, sorry it DID bother me

WE were so tired from lack of good sleep we did not go on some of the tours that seem to mostly leave at 8am

I am glad that they were not bothered the bumping one night we hit so hard we almost bounced out of the bed:eek:

 

Not sure where you got the impression that I was not interested in the negative spin on river cruising.

That was not directed at you specifically ;)

 

I enjoy reading all of the reviews, and I'll certainly take the comments into consideriation when choosing ours. Being our first river cruise, I am interested in what others have to say here, the good and the bad.

I agree, after reading hundreds of reviews on all kinds of cruises, not everyone has a good time.

I am learning that the tours will probably be a major deciding factor. A poster on your review thread mentioned that most of the featured ports on her itinerary were close to the docking points. I think that's what would appeal to us most. Then the "oldies" can do the organized tours and the rest might DIY. ;)

 

That was our intention ..do the included walking tour then DIY to see other things ...in some ports just DIY

But like all good plans we came to realize that what you read in the brochure is not always the way it happens in reality

I am not an OLDIE in age but recently had a knee replacement done so I was taking the easy walking tours

we only had 1 lady that was slower than the rest but she was 93 had a hip replacement a few months before & both her knees done ...she did very well considering & when she had enough her daughter would just leave the group & they would go sit & rest so as not to slow the group

No one complained about having to wait a few minutes for her to catch up

Usually you are stopped at an building or historic site for the guide to give their spiel

All the local guides we had were very good & spoke English very well

 

River cruises are not for everyone but you will not know until you try for yourself ...it is just a shame it costs so much$$ to find out ;)

 

LYN

[kazu]

There is no way to tell where or when your ship will dock

That is why most river cruises do not give "times in port" in the itinerary before you go

Things can change ..waiting to enter the lock, broken lock, another ship has you parking spot rivers to high or too low can affect the sailing time

 

You pretty much find out the night before when /where you will dock

You need to be VERY flexible with river cruising IMO

 

YMMV

 

Thanks very much both to you and Fran. I'm really glad I started this thread as I am learning a lot very quickly. Really appreciate all this help.

 

Will really help me explain it to DH to have him understand the 'pros' and the 'cons' of river cruising. It's something he's wanted to do - but we certainly want to be prepared. Forewarned is forearmed:D:D

[WhansaMi]

There is no way to tell where or when your ship will dock

That is why most river cruises do not give "times in port" in the itinerary before you go

Things can change ..waiting to enter the lock, broken lock, another ship has you parking spot rivers to high or too low can affect the sailing time

 

You pretty much find out the night before when /where you will dock

You need to be VERY flexible with river cruising IMO

 

YMMV

 

This was my experience as well, and one of the reasons that it made setting up private tours a bit difficult for me. Sometimes we just like to wander on our own, but other times we arrange for private tour guides to give us a particular historical context, or do things like the cooking class we took.

 

Twice, we came back from going out on our own, and the ship wasn't there! Once the captain decided that the ship needed some work done, and other, the ship needed to turn around. It was a little disconcerting to get back in a cab, and wondering... "umm.. did we go to the wrong place?" ;-)

[LHT28]

This was my experience as well, and one of the reasons that it made setting up private tours a bit difficult for me. Sometimes we just like to wander on our own, but other times we arrange for private tour guides to give us a particular historical context, or do things like the cooking class we took.

 

Twice, we came back from going out on our own, and the ship wasn't there! Once the captain decided that the ship needed some work done, and other, the ship needed to turn around. It was a little disconcerting to get back in a cab, and wondering... "umm.. did we go to the wrong place?" ;-)

That would certainly be scary

I usually do private tours on the ocean cruise but decided with not knowing the schedule on the river cruise we just went with the tour or DIY

Some days DH just stayed with the ship as it sailed to the next port while I did the bus/tour

Not what I had planned

We survived & did not gain any weight like we usually do so all is good

Time to move on to a new adventure

 

Lyn