Throwing myself upon your mercy and wisdom...

[Malekin]

Hi Shorex - a friend of mine told me that barge cruising is a better option when you are traveling with a group than just as a couple. She said that you can end up feeling left out or at uncomfortable as just a twosome. I guess the barges carry fewer passengers and people often travel as a group?

[Hoyaheel]

There's no way I'd go on a barge trip with strangers. It's unlikely I'd even do it with friends or family. Some of us prefer a little more privacy. We did a sailing trip in August and while it was fabulous, it was slightly awkward at times, just the 4 of us (me & my husband, the captain and his wife the chef....) Some people enjoy it. Others don't. Love that there are so many options! (I'm far from convinced I'll enjoy the intimacy of a river cruise but I'm going to try it anyway. I hate big ships but do like a little anonymity of a "small" ocean cruising vessel....)

[caviargal]

There's no way I'd go on a barge trip with strangers. It's unlikely I'd even do it with friends or family. Some of us prefer a little more privacy. We did a sailing trip in August and while it was fabulous, it was slightly awkward at times, just the 4 of us (me & my husband, the captain and his wife the chef....) Some people enjoy it. Others don't. Love that there are so many options! (I'm far from convinced I'll enjoy the intimacy of a river cruise but I'm going to try it anyway. I hate big ships but do like a little anonymity of a "small" ocean cruising vessel....)

 

I'm with you!

 

We did a bareboat charter with friends about ten years ago and it was just too much togetherness for us - and it a was large vessel. One couple smoked which bothered the rest of us. One couple argued repeatedly. All in all, just not our thing.

 

A luxury barge I suspect would be quite similar and therefore of no interest to us. We also avoid B&Bs due to lack of overall privacy and our preference for anonymity.

[Malekin]

Caviargal - you are a kindred spirit! My husband cannot bear the imposed familiarity of B&B's, no matter how charming they might be. I've tried and tried to change his mind - sometimes when you stay in smaller towns there really isn't a better option - but most recently he lay awake all night at a B&B in a small town in Virginia and at 5:30 am he bolted out the door to re-book us at the local Courtyard Marriot. No more B&B's for us, I guess...

[Hydrokitty]

Caviargal - you are a kindred spirit! My husband cannot bear the imposed familiarity of B&B's, no matter how charming they might be. I've tried and tried to change his mind - sometimes when you stay in smaller towns there really isn't a better option - but most recently he lay awake all night at a B&B in a small town in Virginia and at 5:30 am he bolted out the door to re-book us at the local Courtyard Marriot. No more B&B's for us, I guess...

 

Add us to the list of people who do not function well in the B&B or private yacht type cruise atmosphere! Living in the same "house" 24/7 can be very stressful even if you're with friends. I'm not ashamed to say that when I visit my grown children and their families (all of whom I get along with wonderfully and love being with) we stay in a hotel right near-by. It's good for everybody to have some "private" time and a barge or private yacht or B&B just doesn't do it for us either!!

[CPT Trips]

As far as activity level goes, keep in mind that you will visit old towns along a river. Streets in some are somewhat steep, sidewalks maybe uneven cobble stones and access to buildings may involve steep and uneven steps.

[AZCruiserguy]

From what I am learning, Ama seems to be the only line that has "true" balconies...

You might also check out Scenic Tours, they also have "true" balconies. We are booked on our first river cruise next Sept with them. They are all inclusive. Some of their boats have a couple of extra large suites, 315 sq ft.

[MaxBuck]

We would not spend the money on a suite. We have had both the least expensive cabins and French balcony cabins on most trips. Last year we had a twin balcony on AmaCerto. It was lovely but we really did not use the balcony as we are so seldom in the cabin.

Different perspective here. My wife and I aren't exactly in the Gotrocks category, but we really appreciate the suite experience on Uniworld, so much so that she refuses to consider cruising in a regular stateroom.

 

First, the rooms are nearly twice the usable size. Second, the suite upgrade affords one free laundry service on Uniworld, which is a huge advantage. Finally, the French balcony actually provides an advantage over the regular balcony, as with the latter the space is wasted in the event of inclement weather, while the French becomes just more space in the room. But when it's nice out, the ability to use one's easy chair as one's balcony chair works very well!

 

We're confirmed Uniworld cruisers, and we're looking forward to our next cruise (likely in 2015).

[Going Coastal]

We are not Band B people either and were quite happy with our balcony on a Viking long boat last year. I cannot do all the walking tours so I enjoyed our balcony and seeing parts of the river that those on excursions missed. And DH and I enjoyed sitting out there with a drink on cruising days.

Have a wonderful sail on whatever you chose

[Host Jazzbeau]

The French balcony actually provides an advantage over the regular balcony, as with the latter the space is wasted in the event of inclement weather, while the French becomes just more space in the room...

 

That's my point. Take a close look at the deck plans and the SF of the cabins. If the balcony is stolen from the cabin space, it isn't a good trade. On nice days, you're better off up top with a much larger area and 360 degree views. When the weather isn't so good, you can enjoy the French balcony much better than the "real" [i.e. outside] balcony. But no matter what the weather, you can enjoy every single SF of your cabin.

[Host Jazzbeau]

We also avoid B&Bs due to lack of overall privacy and our preference for anonymity.

 

Caviargal - we have been "on the same page" in several different Cruise Critic threads, so I just want to add a personal perspective to this B&B sub-thread. We thought we were "not B&B people" too until our trips to Ireland and Alaska. Near the stone age Newgrange tomb in Ireland and near Denali in Alaska there are no decent hotels, so in desperation we decided to try B&Bs -- and were delighted! There was no forced camaraderie; the owners were invaluable when asked for advice, but stayed out of our lives until asked. And the homey decor of both our rooms and the living areas was so much nicer than corporate interior design. When we're on our usual road trip from NY to Alabama we still prefer the predictability of Hampton Inn [and nothing beats a 4- or 5-star hotel in a big city], but in the right circumstance a B&B can be a really nice experience.

[AZCruiserguy]

...When the weather isn't so good, you can enjoy the French balcony much better than the "real" [i.e. outside] balcony. But no matter what the weather, you can enjoy every single SF of your cabin.

Some lines, like Scenic, have outside balconies that can be inclosed during inclement weather, so can be used anytime. A window slides down to the balcony rail.

[Going Coastal]

This is why it is important to do ypur research before booking

[Going Coastal]

Doing this research will show you which lines do take the balcony space from the cabin. Because of the way Viking aligns the hallways the balconies on the longships ate additional square footage.

On many other lines I would certainly use a FB or even a simple window on GCT or many others.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Research on CC will also show that a very high percentage of the complaints regarding this summer's flooding came from passengers on Viking and Scenic.