Vote: Which is your favorite river cruise line?

[sippican]

I was encouraged to vote for AMA about 2 weeks ago. See attached. So my guess is this poll was showing incorrect results during first 10 days with AMA leading. Now it is perfectly valid

 

Well, now it appears that the river is loaded with rats, lol! :D

That confirms the "bragging rights' theory though. Regardless, IMHO this never was, nor never could be a valid poll since it is flawed in many ways.

It is useful to me in one way; when researching cruises, I will ignore future claims to fame citing CC opinion polls.

[Cruzin Terri]

Given the recent revelation I hope the powers that be here at Cruise Critic decide NOT to publish the results.

Terri

[pacmom]

We have travelled with most of the lines listed and not one of them asked for a vote on the "poll". Thenk like others it is time to close this down. Most of us realize that these polls are not objective. In fact Carolyn in a very early post said we could vote for more than one. Really could not believe how Viking jumped ahead in theis poll. Carolun please close it before any line can use it in advertising. Another thought Viking is the only line regularly monitering these boards. Pat

[time4travel9]

I have recently returned from 2 back-to-back Viking cruises in France; I have been a Viking customer on 3 separate boats. Two of the three boats had wonderful food service and preparation; one [soane/Rhone rivers] was only acceptable, though 2 dinner dishes during this "acceptable" dinning experience were, in my opinion, extraordinary [why the kitchen was not able to perform consistently throughout that cruise is a mystery]. I voted for Viking because of the overall excellence of the on-board staff and how the company dealt with high water on the French rivers in May: The Viking Spirit was brought out of Paris before high water blocked exit/entry; the ship was docked at Conflans and shuttle buses were operated into Paris-including the pre-planned bus orientation tour. We could remain in Paris the entire day on our own and given directions and map to the bus pick-up point in front of the Grand Palace on the right bank. Instead of leaving Paris by boat, we arrived on the last full day of the tour back in Paris by boat in the daytime--for a dramatic river entry up to our dock site 2 blocks south of the Eiffel Tower-wow! On the second boat, because of high water coming down the Rhone, our boat, the Viking Europe, departed early from Arles for a early-afternoon return north to Avignon [passengers wishing to remain in Arles for the day were then bused back to Avignon before dinner time]--thereby affording 2 nights and a late afternoon and one full day in Avignon. With the heavy and constant rains in Western Europe this spring and the necessity for the release of water from up-river dams--any cruise on a European river is going to be an adventure!

[aquaeyz]

The staff on Viking is awesome. Will never cruise on an oceanliner again. River cruise is the only way to go!

 

 

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

[francie2]

I imagine that the results of this poll could at least partly be a reflection of the size of the cruise line and/or the age of the cruise line. While I am no expert in this area, I understand Viking has been around for a very long time so more of the forum members will have experienced that line.

I imagine the motivation for the poll was fun & curiosity. I hope that it doesn't act instead as a means for river cruise newbies to choose their cruise line.

[TallDrink]

Even if people have only cruised one line they need to discuss why they stay loyal.

 

Or why they may consider switching.....

[ingo_e]

My favorite two lines would be Uniworld and AMA. Their incoming agencies & cruise directors do the best job in dealing with unforeseen problems & issues. And remained most friendly and professional during crisis. Guests usually never notice. On the other hand I prefer the modern Scenic interior design and must say Viking has the best cookies on board :)

[Cruzin Terri]

The staff on Viking is awesome. Will never cruise on an oceanliner again. River cruise is the only way to go!

 

 

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

Is this person impersonating the editor of Cruise Critic? Or is it my imagination?

 

This poll need to be shut down for sure!!!!

[John99]

Hi. Tell us, in our poll, which is your favorite river cruise line (you can vote for more than one). Feel like telling us why? Please share below. Thanks.

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

 

Just curious. How many people voted for more than one cruise line? How will that effect the count?

 

We, retired couple are looking at a river cruise for the first time (after many ocean cruises) and find the polling and comments very interesting. Looking at a Danube cruise with either AMA or Viking with AMA our current preference.

 

I think the recent change in the poll numbers reflects the size of Vikings fleet. Plus, the Viking ships on average carry more passengers per cruise. The bigger the fleet also equates to more passengers that have travelled on the line. Consequently, more voters. Probably 60 to 70% reflected in polling numbers. Just a educated guess. Yes, that many votes (for Viking) coming in a short amount of time does raise some questions.

 

But, maybe the Viking cruisers finally realized there is a poll and they need to vote. Another point, Viking as been around since 1997 as one comment alluded too. Exposure of their product over time is important. Finally, the mass marking of Viking cruises seem to be much more active relative to the others. Again exposure of the their product. How much this plays into their popularity is anyone's guess. But it's a factor.

 

It's only a poll which seems unscientific.

 

 

AMA 17 ships which also includes Asia, Africa, Russia

Avalon 12 ships both Europe and other locations

Viking 26 ships both Europe and other locations

Uniworld 18 ships both Europe and other locations

(Source of info: From their web-sites)

 

John

[Ship's Wake]

It's fairly clear that this poll has been "gamed".

 

I would expect that Cruise Critic will handle this with integrity and invalidate the results.

[bbrecht]

7 of us on the Rhine River cruise. It was one of the greatest experiences. Amsterdam, 7 days in Germany, then 3 days in France. We had the best time. The AMA crew was outstanding, the Tours were great, meals spectacular. Every need is addressed on these cruises. We wouldn't choose any other line.

 

Bill and Amy,

Nashville, TN

[bbrecht]

AMA is the way to go. We are frequent Ocean cruises as well, River cruising is a totally different experience. We loved it. You can be in multiple ports in the same day, the sights are right in front of you on the ship. The tours are fantastic. Highly Recommend.

Bill and Amy

Nashville, TN

[sippican]

The staff on Viking is awesome. Will never cruise on an oceanliner again. River cruise is the only way to go!

 

 

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

 

Huhhhhhhh? :eek:

And, for what it's worth, you can only vote for more than one line on your first vote. You cannot vote "more than once".

Edited May 23, 2013 by sippican

[stretchcruz]

I just got an email from AMA with a link here to vote.

[judy_joel]

Hi. Tell us, in our poll, which is your favorite river cruise line (you can vote for more than one). Feel like telling us why? Please share below. Thanks.

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

I am ready for my fifth cruise on AMA Waterways. Reasons for preference: accommodations are just fine; food is surprisingly good and albeit limited, it appeals to people who like basic foods with some flair, not nouvelle cuisine. Breads better than any ocean cruise I have taken. Service was terrific. In every case, we are "prepped" for our next stop. Multiple guides are there to meet us with provision for slower people; and no hassle over exorbitant rates some ocean lines charge for excursions--no charge, part of overall cost--and moderate charges for optional tours. Excellent cruise directors with easy interaction owing to much smaller size. Only comparison is with Viking some 8 years ago from St Petersburg to Moscow--worst food I ever encountered anywhere and cruise line said I was first person to complain--Reason: all the others are dead. Joel Price

Edited May 23, 2013 by judy_joel
additions, typos

[Wingtips56]

I agree this is a somewhat flawed poll and the results should not be used by Cruise Critic to endorse or support the "winner", and that company's advertising. We have only been on one of the listed lines, so our favorite is of course the one and only...

 

And yes, I received an email from Ama noting the poll was open. That just helped me find this poll faster. It does show that Ama (and other lines) value Cruise Critic members.

---

That said, we were very impressed with Ama, cruising on AmaLegro. We were on the same cruise as Travelinjan (post #53), which was the one 'stuck' in Budapest overnight due to the finding of an unexploded WWII bomb under one of the bridges, closing the river. Being 'stuck' in Budapest is hardly a bad thing.

 

The difference with any line is how they handle problems. Ama did a beautiful job. We were supposed to have sailed out of Budapest at 9:00pm, passing by all the illuminated bridges, buildings and monuments. So they took us out anyway for a figure 8 cruise for the illuminations, with a glass of bubbly, before tying back up for the night. They kept us posted with what they could find out, and we did finally sail at 11:30 the next morning. As a result of the delay, we did have to skip the port call at Bratislava. While not anybody's fault at all, Ama gave us all a shipboard credit for our inconvenience. Knowing many were disappointed in missing Bratislava, Ama arranged a coach from Vienna to Bratislava and a nice walking tour in that beautiful little city. Complimentary. And, with the schedule, those (most) of us doing evening programs in Vienna were handed boxed dinners on the bus as we would not have time for dinner back on board in between trips.

 

The upside to the delay leaving Budapest was that we ended up cruising The Danube Bend in daylight, which was at the peak of fall color, instead of at night. Oh darn....;)

 

The menus, complementary local wines and evenings' entertainment reflected the regions we were in each day, which was nice, rather than a generic Americanized offering.

 

So now we are looking forward to our next package trip with Ama, in Vietnam/Cambodia with the Mekong River cruise on AmaLotus.

[editor@cruisecritic]

This is weird, looks like I wrote the message from aquayz. I did not!

 

Carolyn

 

 

The staff on Viking is awesome. Will never cruise on an oceanliner again. River cruise is the only way to go!

 

 

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

[editor@cruisecritic]

A couple of thoughts re concerns about the poll, its being "gamed" and its longevity.

 

*We probably let it go too long -- three weeks. We wanted to give people time to vote and comment but, erm, hindsight is 20-20. By the way, it closes just after midnight tonight.

 

*You can only vote once.

 

*How has the poll been "gamed" because river lines encourage their passengers to vote? They're not forcing you to vote, they're asking (now if a river cruise line is offering a free something or other to get you to vote, well that's beyond the pale. But haven't heard about any such bribe). Hopefully their belief in Cruise Critic as a good place for discussion and info on river cruise lines will help our community grow.

 

*More on the "gaming" concern. First: It's not our Editors Picks awards poll (which we do out of our editorial department) or a member reviews poll (which is based on the actual member reviews posted on the site). It's a fun and informal poll we do every year and a half or so just to find out what you are thinking, what you're experiencing. It's, er, supposed to be fun.

 

*The results probably point to cruise lines that market widely -- and also that attract web-savvy travelers -- which is fairly predictable, but again, those who offered comments supporting their votes offered valuable insights.

 

*The big disappointment for me in the poll was how few votes Mississippi River lines got. Not sure what's up with that, anybody got a theory?

 

*Finally, the whole point of encouraging you to vote AND to comment on your vote is to hear about your experiences -- and that part of this thread has been awesome.

 

I hope that the many of the comments here in this thread were helpful to you; they sure were me. Thanks to everyone who's contributed to both the poll and the discussion here. And if you've got an idea for a river cruise poll, by all means launch one!

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

 

I agree this is a somewhat flawed poll and the results should not be used by Cruise Critic to endorse or support the "winner", and that company's advertising. We have only been on one of the listed lines, so our favorite is of course the one and only...

 

And yes, I received an email from Ama noting the poll was open. That just helped me find this poll faster. It does show that Ama (and other lines) value Cruise Critic members.

---

That said, we were very impressed with Ama, cruising on AmaLegro. We were on the same cruise as Travelinjan (post #53), which was the one 'stuck' in Budapest overnight due to the finding of an unexploded WWII bomb under one of the bridges, closing the river. Being 'stuck' in Budapest is hardly a bad thing.

 

The difference with any line is how they handle problems. Ama did a beautiful job. We were supposed to have sailed out of Budapest at 9:00pm, passing by all the illuminated bridges, buildings and monuments. So they took us out anyway for a figure 8 cruise for the illuminations, with a glass of bubbly, before tying back up for the night. They kept us posted with what they could find out, and we did finally sail at 11:30 the next morning. As a result of the delay, we did have to skip the port call at Bratislava. While not anybody's fault at all, Ama gave us all a shipboard credit for our inconvenience. Knowing many were disappointed in missing Bratislava, Ama arranged a coach from Vienna to Bratislava and a nice walking tour in that beautiful little city. Complimentary. And, with the schedule, those (most) of us doing evening programs in Vienna were handed boxed dinners on the bus as we would not have time for dinner back on board in between trips.

 

The upside to the delay leaving Budapest was that we ended up cruising The Danube Bend in daylight, which was at the peak of fall color, instead of at night. Oh darn....;)

 

The menus, complementary local wines and evenings' entertainment reflected the regions we were in each day, which was nice, rather than a generic Americanized offering.

 

So now we are looking forward to our next package trip with Ama, in Vietnam/Cambodia with the Mekong River cruise on AmaLotus.

Edited May 23, 2013 by editor@cruisecritic

[grand isle joe]

Any-hoo thanks for the poll. It would be nice if C.C. could/would expand the riverboat sub section of the web sight to give us all more reviews of the different lines.:)

[editor@cruisecritic]

Thanks, Grand Isle Joe. We're working on making our river section as useful as possible. Tell us: What can we do better? We're open!

 

Carolyn

 

Any-hoo thanks for the poll. It would be nice if C.C. could/would expand the riverboat sub section of the web sight to give us all more reviews of the different lines.:)

[editor@cruisecritic]

Sad, Sippican, that you will ignore polls.

 

Polls are by no means meant to drive you to a particular line/river. They're meant to inspire sharing of experiences. Hope you will do so moving forward, and by the way, if you have a fresh idea for a poll, feel free to launch it!

 

Carolyn

 

 

Well, now it appears that the river is loaded with rats, lol! :D

That confirms the "bragging rights' theory though. Regardless, IMHO this never was, nor never could be a valid poll since it is flawed in many ways.

It is useful to me in one way; when researching cruises, I will ignore future claims to fame citing CC opinion polls.

[editor@cruisecritic]

Just to reinforce: This was not a post by me!!!

 

Carolyn

 

The staff on Viking is awesome. Will never cruise on an oceanliner again. River cruise is the only way to go!

 

 

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

[clint and sue]

Have sailed Russia, Vietnam-Cambodia, Egypt, Europe (Amsterdam-Budapest-Istanbul, Prague-Paris, Barcelona-Paris, Christmas Markets, Portugal) usually with our friends along. AMAWaterways is our FAVorite! The staff is always so helpful, gracious and thoughtful with the little things, such as ice packs for a heat rash, as well as ready to solve any "glitch", like a 'stop' put on our credit card despite prior notice given to Visa that we would be shopping in Russia. AMA's waiters amaze us by remembering our little preferences for eggs at breakfast or how we like our coffee. All of the staff members were not only friendly but eager to grant our requests, answer questions (even silly ones) and solve problems (electrical convertor for our friend's camera battery)-all with a great sense of humor. We gave up on the "super-ships" long ago because of their aura of anonymity. Besides, the great wines, of course!

[editor@cruisecritic]

Terri, this is not a publicity grab for Cruise Critic. We were just...interested in what people were thinking. That's it :)

 

Carolyn

 

Given the recent revelation I hope the powers that be here at Cruise Critic decide NOT to publish the results.

Terri