First Timer Random Questions

[YoungDubFan]

OK - So I have to ask, do you have Irish ancestry - or do you live in the same VERY GREEN town in central Ohio that I do? :D :D

 

I am about 2/3 Irish - have Irish ancestry on both sides of the family. I grew up about 10 min. from you but now live about 1 hr north, where a certain old prison was used in a movie. Cruise Critic is indeed a very small place.

[alwalaska]

YoungDubFan, definitely a small world.

 

Well, with 11 months or so before we can actually book a cruise, we have narrowed the playing field to 3 general cruises. There are so many lines that offer variations on the same theme, that the actual itinerary and ship will be harder.

 

1) Amsterdam to Budapest

2) Budapest to Bucharest (currently in last place)

3) Strasbourg to Budapest (I've only found this one on CroisiEurope, so I really need to look at their reviews and all)

 

Thanks again for the help. I'm sure I will be back over the next year checking on things. :)

[YoungDubFan]

Really check out the details on CroisiEurope. From what I have found, they have very small cabins. My mom and I found that the 172 sq ft on Avalon was the smallest that we would want to travel in, especially with the beds made up as 2 twins. The Avalon ships had plenty of storage and the suitcases fit under the beds.

 

Are you sure you aren't interested in Basel to Amsterdam, or the other direction? This is an itinerary that many do for their first cruise. The scenery going down the Rhine George is amazing. It looks like you are focusing on the Danube, which I haven't done yet. That is on my list. Good luck with your research & planning and come back here whenever you have questions.

 

Kelly

[Hoyaheel]

Strasbourg to Budapest would cover more than what we did, but we enjoyed our portion of the trip. We did Nuremberg to Basel, so you get the Rhine (but not the Gorge where all the castles are), the Main, and the Main Canal (we really wanted Germany, which is why we chose that itinerary - also, we were on a Christmas Market cruise so not a lot of daytime sailing - didn't miss the castles that time at least). There were people who embarked in Vienna, and there was also a pre-cruise trip to Prague if you wanted (my in-laws did that extension). I had no desire for the Danube (I've been to Budapest, and I've been to Prague, and I would like to go back but spend time in the cities, not on a river cruise).

 

So, anyway - if you are looking at transiting Germany, Avalon has some options. AMA might have had one sort of option that did some of the same ports as well, but since I was looking at limited sailings (December is only about 1/4 or 1/3 of all the river boats, I think?) you might find lots more in the summer months. Good luck!

 

Remember you can add different bits of itineraries together if you're interested. Our cruise could have been set up something like 7 different ways, depending on when/where you embarked and disembarked....

[alwalaska]

Really check out the details on CroisiEurope. From what I have found, they have very small cabins. My mom and I found that the 172 sq ft on Avalon was the smallest that we would want to travel in, especially with the beds made up as 2 twins. The Avalon ships had plenty of storage and the suitcases fit under the beds.

 

Are you sure you aren't interested in Basel to Amsterdam, or the other direction? This is an itinerary that many do for their first cruise. The scenery going down the Rhine George is amazing. It looks like you are focusing on the Danube, which I haven't done yet. That is on my list. Good luck with your research & planning and come back here whenever you have questions.

 

Kelly

 

Unfortunately, Budapest is my friend's only requirement for the cruise.

 

For the spacing, we are interior folk on ocean cruises, so 172 sq feet is roomy. Ha ha. Both couples will have the beds together too, but depending on the layout, that sometimes makes it worse. I just looked up the size of the interiors on the Sapphire Princess (the last time we put all 4 of us - kids 12 and 14 at the time and hubby and me) in the same cabin, and we thought it was fine at 158 sq ft.

 

I will definitely spend more time looking at deck plans, reviews, etc.

 

Thanks again for all the help.

[Hydrokitty]

Unfortunately, Budapest is my friend's only requirement for the cruise.

 

For the spacing, we are interior folk on ocean cruises, so 172 sq feet is roomy. Ha ha. Both couples will have the beds together too, but depending on the layout, that sometimes makes it worse. I just looked up the size of the interiors on the Sapphire Princess (the last time we put all 4 of us - kids 12 and 14 at the time and hubby and me) in the same cabin, and we thought it was fine at 158 sq ft.

 

I will definitely spend more time looking at deck plans, reviews, etc.

 

Thanks again for all the help.

 

Budapest is a wonderful city and one of our favorites. However, might I suggest you do Amsterdam to Budapest (or vice versa) before you do Budapest to Black Sea. Both are wonderful cruises but for a first timer, I would recommend first one over second because of the scenery and ports. Second cruise visits wonderful places but most of them are in emerging countries so things don't always run as smoothly as more northern countries and some of the sights are emotionally draining. A to B is tourist heaven, with tons of beautiful sight-seeing, castles, restaurants, etc. If you have an abundance of time, you could do them both back to back, but that's about 28 days and it's a VERY long time for a first river cruise.

[alwalaska]

Strasbourg to Budapest would cover more than what we did, but we enjoyed our portion of the trip. We did Nuremberg to Basel, so you get the Rhine (but not the Gorge where all the castles are), the Main, and the Main Canal (we really wanted Germany, which is why we chose that itinerary - also, we were on a Christmas Market cruise so not a lot of daytime sailing - didn't miss the castles that time at least). There were people who embarked in Vienna, and there was also a pre-cruise trip to Prague if you wanted (my in-laws did that extension). I had no desire for the Danube (I've been to Budapest, and I've been to Prague, and I would like to go back but spend time in the cities, not on a river cruise).

 

So, anyway - if you are looking at transiting Germany, Avalon has some options. AMA might have had one sort of option that did some of the same ports as well, but since I was looking at limited sailings (December is only about 1/4 or 1/3 of all the river boats, I think?) you might find lots more in the summer months. Good luck!

 

Remember you can add different bits of itineraries together if you're interested. Our cruise could have been set up something like 7 different ways, depending on when/where you embarked and disembarked....

 

Thanks. What cruise line did you take? What did you think about the average age? My friend is worried that things will be too slow paced if the average age on the boat is 70. :D She is the youngest of the 4 of us (but only by about 10 months)

[alwalaska]

Budapest is a wonderful city and one of our favorites. However, might I suggest you do Amsterdam to Budapest (or vice versa) before you do Budapest to Black Sea. Both are wonderful cruises but for a first timer, I would recommend first one over second because of the scenery and ports. Second cruise visits wonderful places but most of them are in emerging countries so things don't always run as smoothly as more northern countries and some of the sights are emotionally draining. A to B is tourist heaven, with tons of beautiful sight-seeing, castles, restaurants, etc. If you have an abundance of time, you could do them both back to back, but that's about 28 days and it's a VERY long time for a first river cruise.

 

Thanks for the insight. We unfortunately don't have an abundance of time or money. We all still have jobs, but 2017 will be the first fall where no children under the age of 21 are left at home.

 

Hubby said the same thing as you, that for the first one, he wants to go to the more common places that he knows more about. Maybe someday we'll do Budapest to Black Sea.

 

And then it was two ... Now - it is cruise lines, specific ships, specific itineraries, etc.

[cbb]

I think you'll love Amsterdam to Budapest. We did this itinerary with Avalon and the opportunities to DIY are endless.

 

I would also encourage you, if your personal calendars allow it, to spend a few extra days in Amsterdam and Budapest. (if nothing else, it may allow your luggage to catch up with you!!)

 

We also did a Monograms Independent Tour before we took the river cruise. We began in Budapest, then took the train to Vienna, then train again to Prague, then train back to Budapest, spending 3 days in each town...I'm so glad we did that!

 

Take a look at the new Avalon Suite ships--lovely!

 

Also go to Frommers.com and type in the name of the bigger towns and there are DIY walking tours & accompanying maps. That way, if you see a cafe or bar, you can take advantage of it without being forced to stay with the group!

 

We often went with the Avalon included city tour and then part way through, after telling the guide, struck out on our own.

 

You will have a great time, regardless of room size or cruise line; the itinerary is fabulous!!!

[Hoyaheel]

Thanks. What cruise line did you take? What did you think about the average age? My friend is worried that things will be too slow paced if the average age on the boat is 70. :D She is the youngest of the 4 of us (but only by about 10 months)

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=268791

Here's the review I did (I've posted a few things in this forum as well). Fundamentally - there was absolutely nothing wrong with the cruise, we love Avalon, but I am NOT a river cruiser. I am an independent traveler and I found I did not enjoy having paid for tours (because so much is included on a river cruise) that I felt compelled to take, even when I didn't want to. Yes, you don't have to take a tour - and I left early or skipped some to spend more time at a Market,etc. But in that case - I'd have been MUCH better off just doing my own tour in a few towns doing day trips or by train.

 

Because of the timing, there were quite a few families and some younger people on our trip. I'm 41 and my husband and I were probably among the younger couples on the trip, but I don't have a problem with that (I started cruising on HAL as a teenager and love that line - age ain't nothing but a number:p)

[alwalaska]

Really check out the details on CroisiEurope. From what I have found, they have very small cabins. My mom and I found that the 172 sq ft on Avalon was the smallest that we would want to travel in, especially with the beds made up as 2 twins. The Avalon ships had plenty of storage and the suitcases fit under the beds.

 

Are you sure you aren't interested in Basel to Amsterdam, or the other direction? This is an itinerary that many do for their first cruise. The scenery going down the Rhine George is amazing. It looks like you are focusing on the Danube, which I haven't done yet. That is on my list. Good luck with your research & planning and come back here whenever you have questions.

 

Kelly

Thanks again. It isn't just that their rooms are small, none of them have windows that open. For both couples, although I'm typically an interior person on a big cruise ship, I'm hoping for a French Balcony or Panoramic window as a minimum so that if the weather is bad, or someone doesn't want to be with all the other people, we will have somewhere private to hang out, but still see the sites.

 

... And then there was 1 ...

Amsterdam to Budapest or opposite. Some Line ... Some Ship ... Sometime Fall of 2017. :)

 

I spent some time in Europe and since it doesn't look like I will be going back to Strasbourg this trip, we will either fly in or out at least a couple of days early to visit Brussels and some sights in Belgium before heading up to Amsterdam. It is only a 3 hour train ride. I used to sometimes drive 2 hours one way to work when traffic was bad.

 

Some of the cruises come with 2 days in Budapest. If we choose one that doesn't, we will probably spend an extra day there as well.

[ewizabeff]

I took a Uniworld cruise on the Danube this fall, and I was the youngest on the boat by probably about 20 years (I'm 32), but it didn't bother me at all. Uniworld offered a variety of "Go Active" excursions, including an opportunity to bike about 15 miles from Austria to Germany, that I really liked. The folks that took these excursions, while still in their 50's and 60's, were quite physically fit and kept up just fine. I believe AMA does excursions like this as well.

[YoungDubFan]

On our Avalon cruise, there was a nice mix of passengers. There was a multi-generational family with college aged young adults all the way up to 88. We had 2 passengers with mobility issues - both used wheelchairs, but both had family members who pushed them around. It never impacted me at all and never slowed down any tours I was in. Avalon often offered a slow walkers group for those who needed it.

 

I found that most of the passengers were well traveled and very interesting to talk to. Avalon markets to English speakers so everything was conducted in English only. We had a nice mix of Canadians, Americans, Australians, Kiwis, & Brits. There was 1 couple from Japan but both spoke English well. It was a very nice mix and allowed for interesting conversations at dinner.

 

Good luck with your decisions.

[ural guy]

Hello- My wife and I are right in your bracket, 48 & 52. We booked a Viking cruise, Amsterdam to Budapest, a month before the sail date last summer, and got a nice deal. My 2 oldest girls, 22 and 25, were able to go due to last minute cancelations on their end (thank you Fort Gordon for canceling my one daughter's dental training!)

 

I had done minimal research, and was pretty nervous once I saw the videos and noticed the average age. That combined with the fact that we always venture out on our own, neither of us are big w/ tours and the sense of being herded. It turned out to be no issues; maybe a bit more patience in the buffet line on my part (again, Army training, grab it and move). On the tours, the Quietvox type listening devices make it easy to hear the guide and still be able to wander off a bit. My one daughter would get antsy, wander off, get some ice cream, come back....

 

Having my girls there was an absolute blast. The crew loved having people their age around, and that added to the fun. At one small town we stayed docked until midnight. Some of the crew had an hour or so of free time before we sailed. We had found a nifty playground over a flood berm; good swings, nice climbing castle, and a zip line that was so great, it would get the city sued in the states the first day. Great fun!

 

So, the crew is hanging out, chatting on the quay under the lights. I tell them about the playground, and then go show them. Where they get to see my wife tumble off the zip line at the end, where it stops abruptly and swings up, possibly dumping the rider.

 

Especially, if daughters had been pushing mom at the start, for a bit longer then they should, combined with the whole physics thing about mass in motion...luckily that was the night where they pass out the various fruit brandy for shots during the Austrian Feast. My wife employed all her training to roll with the fall and came up laughing. To the amazement of myself and the crew.

 

Several members of the crew came up and thanked me for showing them the playground the night before. They had a blast, as you will too on your cruise.

;)

 

Not bad for a first cruise.

[alwalaska]

Thank you all for your comments on the age mixes. I feel much better about it.

 

I will have to look more at all of those lines. We've decided definitely on the Danube with Budapest at one end and them north (west)ward. The different lines end at different places, so we will still have to decide that.

 

Since rates won't be out for a long time, we still have lots of time to plan and prepare.

[Hydrokitty]

Thank you all for your comments on the age mixes. I feel much better about it.

 

I will have to look more at all of those lines. We've decided definitely on the Danube with Budapest at one end and them north (west)ward. The different lines end at different places, so we will still have to decide that.

 

Since rates won't be out for a long time, we still have lots of time to plan and prepare.

 

Don't forget to check out Vantage....I priced them on another post and found they were actually cheaper than Viking! I've done 6 cruises with them and have 2 this summer and I've never been disappointed in the ships, cabins, food, guides, excursions, etc. BUT I would not be lulled into thinking you have lots of time to book. River cruises sell out faster than ocean cruises and Danube Amsterdam (or Bonn) to Budapest and vice versa is the most popular cruise of them all. Kind of like Alaska on the big guys. Prices may not be cast in stone yet but you can get an idea from 2016 prices and at least pick your date and cabin. Again I can only speak to Vantage but if you were to pick a date for 2017 now they would want a small amount to hold the date for you but if your dates changed they would transfer any amount you paid over to the new cruise. I did it twice and never had a problem. But don't wait to long.

Edited March 22, 2015 by Hydrokitty

[alwalaska]

Don't forget to check out Vantage....I priced them on another post and found they were actually cheaper than Viking! I've done 6 cruises with them and have 2 this summer and I've never been disappointed in the ships, cabins, food, guides, excursions, etc. BUT I would not be lulled into thinking you have lots of time to book. River cruises sell out faster than ocean cruises and Danube Amsterdam (or Bonn) to Budapest and vice versa is the most popular cruise of them all. Kind of like Alaska on the big guys. Prices may not be cast in stone yet but you can get an idea from 2016 prices and at least pick your date and cabin. Again I can only speak to Vantage but if you were to pick a date for 2017 now they would want a small amount to hold the date for you but if your dates changed they would transfer any amount you paid over to the new cruise. I did it twice and never had a problem. But don't wait to long.

 

Are you saying that even though itinerary are not yet out for 2017, I can make a reservation for 2017? Most of the lines are only coming out with their 2016 pricing now. If so, that is really good to know. I would have never thought that I could make a reservation on something that doesn't yet exist. Thanks.

[CPT Trips]

Are you saying that even though itinerary are not yet out for 2017, I can make a reservation for 2017? Most of the lines are only coming out with their 2016 pricing now. If so, that is really good to know. I would have never thought that I could make a reservation on something that doesn't yet exist. Thanks.

 

The way I read Vantage's procedure you can get what amounts to right of first refusal. You will be informed of the schedule after it is set up, but before it is open to the public. Some other lines may offer similar arrangement.

 

I have not booked this way, I just look at catalogs, most of which are sent unsolicited, to price shop and bucket list itineraries.

 

ETA: Just recalled someone we travelled with saying GCT also does this.

Edited March 22, 2015 by CPT Trips

[Hydrokitty]

The way I read Vantage's procedure you can get what amounts to right of first refusal. You will be informed of the schedule after it is set up, but before it is open to the public. Some other lines may offer similar arrangement.

 

I have not booked this way, I just look at catalogs, most of which are sent unsolicited, to price shop and bucket list itineraries.

 

CPT. you are correct. They take a minimal deposit and hold a space for you....then call you as soon as they have set dates. I did that with Gateway to the Black Sea and with Switzerland booked them 18 months before trip and they gave me tentative dates. Now I'm getting close to departure.....finally!

 

ETA: Just recalled someone we travelled with saying GCT also does this.

 

GCT and Vantage do things pretty much the same....they're owned by brothers who may or may not be speaking to each other.

[H2Otstr]

Yes, trips can be prebooked even when dates aren't set yet. We did that with a small ship Baltics cruise with Grand Circle. I put $1000 down, but changed my mind, cancelled and got all my money back. Changed my mind again (:D), booked it and we are going in 2016. But, when I went to chose a cabin the inventory was way down because the people who had deposits got first choice.

 

If you know the trip you would like to take you can contact the cruise line and ask them to put the trip on hold for you. Grand Circle and Vantage both ask for $500 pp.

[alaala]

Uralguy, what was the small town?

 

 

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[alwalaska]

Thanks again all! I had never even heard of GCT. I have to get busy researching again.

 

Does anyone have photos of the least expensive French Balcony category on Vantage? I know ships will vary, but it would give us a general idea. Their website doesn't seem to have as much info on the ships as Emerald. I'm vertically challenged, so the bottom deck with just high windows doesn't intrigue me, but I don't want to spend more than we have to otherwise. ;)

[Fairfield Nana]

Hey H20tstr--how's my favorite river cruise expert?!! Joan & I are set to take a cruise of the Danube you suggested some time ago, and have decided to try the new gang Scenic Tours. Liked their itinerary and the pricing inclusions. What is your "intel" on this line? Hope the two of you are fine, and see you are busy as ever in your river cruising. You should become the new "mentor" of this website!:D

 

-----otis

[ural guy]

Uralguy, what was the small town?

 

 

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Pretty sure it was Krems. We didn't have a guided tour there, we docked and you could wander on your own until midnight. Started the day with a tour of Melk Abbey.