A River Cruising Newbie

[Keith1010]

Thank you all for the additional comments.

 

As I mentioned we booked two river cruises for 2017. They are:

 

http://www.crystalcruises.com/river-cruises/round-trip-paris--7S05

 

http://www.crystalcruises.com/river-cruises/budapest-to-amsterdam--7D03

 

In addition we added two for 2018 but will only do one of them. They are:

 

http://www.crystalcruises.com/river-cruises/round-trip-vienna--8M06

 

http://www.crystalcruises.com/river-cruises/frankfurt-to-amsterdam--8R06

 

We like the idea of 8M06 because it starts and ends in Vienna so we can spend time there as opposed to just visiting it on a river cruises that transits it for one day. We also could go from this cruise over to London and pick up the Crystal Serenity and take an itinerary we have not yet sailed. My only concern is that several of the stops on this voyage are to places we will have seen on the Budapest to Amsterdam sailing that we have planned for 2017. Was wondering what people's thoughts were on this. Do you find it interesting to repeat ports on a River Cruise or do you think it would be wise to sail the Frankfurt itinerary to pick up ports we will not yet have seen.

 

Decisions, decisions.

 

Any input you all have is greatly appreciated.

 

Again, this is new to me being the "newbie" and asking rather than answering questions but that is what also makes it very exciting for my wife and myself. A new chapter in travel.

 

Thank you all again.

 

Keith

[pully8]

we have done 8 river cruises in Europe and also really enjoy Vienna and other ports.

no problem visiting ports more than once/twice because we always manage to experience something different. plus we like to visit Europe in spring and autumn so it is a joy to see the places in different seasons.

 

we have been looking at booking more river cruises but are wary given the disruption in recent years which was worse this year, water level related.

 

we need to spend large sums to travel to Europe from Australia and are prepared to do so for a premium experience but dislike being bussed and placed in hotels/places at short notice not of our choosing. we would like to think cruise operators who value their guests can improve their management of such events. meanwhile we will consider our options.

it is a lovely way to enjoy Europe when cruising.

[Lois R]

Hi Keith, wow:)...you have 4 booked before taking your first one.

I am thinking you plan on loving the first one and then going again;)

 

Oh, thanks for the kind and detailed reply to my thread over on the X

board. I appreciate it.

 

I won't say I will not do ocean cruises any more (I really do love them:))

But I agree with you.......I think finally, after all my cruises with them,

I need a change and as you said, that can be a good thing.

 

Thanks again.:)

Edited December 13, 2015 by Lois R

[dabear]

Hello Keith, Lois & others.I've enjoyed your posts over the years & often learned a few things. I've also tried to contribute my experiences as well. Now after about 20 ocean cruises & many land trips , we also are going to try our first river cruise next summer on the Danube from Budapest to Prague on Emerald.At least they have balcony cabins, a small swimming pool, spa and gymnasium. We're looking forward to the experience but I'm not sure if we will enjoy ports everyday since we do like relaxing on a few days at sea. I guess we can always skip a tour.

Edited December 13, 2015 by dabear

[Hydrokitty]

Hello Keith, Lois & others.I've enjoyed your posts over the years & often learned a few things. I've also tried to contribute my experiences as well. Now after about 20 ocean cruises & many land trips , we also are going to try our first river cruise next summer on the Danube from Budapest to Prague on Emerald.At least they have balcony cabins, a small swimming pool, spa and gymnasium. We're looking forward to the experience but I'm not sure if we will enjoy ports everyday since we do like relaxing on a few days at sea. I guess we can always skip a tour.[/quote: ]

 

Hi dabear; the days at sea are a nice break but I think you'll find river cruising isn't quite as exhausting because you don't have all the other activities to keep you going. I don't know of any river cruise that will insist you take a tour if you don't want to. That being said, the walking tour is generally worth it because you get to see where things are in relation to where the ship is docked, including places to shop, grab a snack, visit and most important how to find your way back to the ship before it sails! :D But the TM should provide you with a map if you would still rather go on your own.

 

 

My only concern is that several of the stops on this voyage are to places we will have seen on the Budapest to Amsterdam sailing that we have planned for 2017. Was wondering what people's thoughts were on this. Do you find it interesting to repeat ports on a River Cruise or do you think it would be wise to sail the Frankfurt itinerary to pick up ports we will not yet have seen.

 

Keith

 

Hi Keith: As to repeating ports, it depends on which ports and what you like to do. For instance I will not live long enough to visit Budapest as often as I'd like! The same goes for Cologne, Rudesheim, Vienna and Passau...and probably several others that do not immediately come to mind! :D

[Keith1010]

Thanks so much Lois. Can't wait to hear what you think of your first River Cruise.

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

dabear, I also look forward to seeing what you think of your first River Cruise. I am sure it will be a new and different experience and hopefully one that we all enjoy.

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

hydrokitty, excellent point about repeating ports.

 

Keith

[franski]

Hi Keith -

 

I agree with Hydrokitty's response on repeating ports. Some don't have lots to see the 2nd time around - but others never get old. We have been to Budapest 3 times on our travels - and would still like to go back again.

 

Vienna isn't our favourite place to visit - but I know we are in the minority here. We have done Budapest to Nuremberg twice (different companies and slightly different itineraries) and are going to re-do the Rhine next year (again, itinerary enough different - and a different time of year).

 

Our 1st river cruise was round-trip Paris - and we were hooked. We loved Conflans - and the time spent in Auvers-sur-Oise. It was wonderful to walk where Van Gogh had painted. Giverny was surreal - to stand on the Japanese bridge and see the sun coming through the willows was lovely. We made a point of going to see Monet's canvases when we were in Paris - especially as we had seen where they were painted.

 

The beaches in Normandy were sobering. My father landed at Juno Beach (not first wave) and our cruise director arranged for a number of us to get off the bus at Juno - and then catch up with the rest later in the day. We would love to go back...

 

We truly enjoy river cruising - and feel it is a good choice for us. Good luck with your planning!!

 

Fran

Edited December 16, 2015 by franski

[Keith1010]

Thanks, Fran.

 

If you or others would like to chime in on the ports that would be repeat ports.

 

Several of the ports in the second itinerary would be a repeat of the first one listed.

We would be sailing them one year apart.

 

http://www.crystalcruises.com/river-cruises/budapest-to-amsterdam--7D03

 

http://www.crystalcruises.com/river-cruises/round-trip-vienna--8M06

 

Appreciate views on this but realize that everyone has different experiences in ports and what one person like might not be as interesting to someone else.

Keith

[Hydrokitty]

Don't know if you stop in Cologne, but it's a great city to spend a day in....there's the Dom of course, and there's an excellent self-guided tour available for 2E but mind the pickpockets. On our second tour we went through the Cathedral (Dom) a second time and this time our timing was perfect and they opened the catecombs while we were there! Then we had an absolutely delicious berliner at a little cafe nearby and then took the trolley to the zoo where we got on the gondola that crosses the river to the spa and pools. That was fantastic. Rudesheim has a little train that picks you us and takes you up the hill (it's not far just a little steep) from there you can ride the gondola over the vineyards to the Neiderwald, from which you get magnificent views, or you can tour the Musikkabinet, which is indescribable but fascinating. There's also great shopping and if someone offers you a cup of eiswine for 1E.....TAKE IT....it's the most delicious wine I've ever had. Vienna has a lovely park called the Stadtpark, which is where the gold statue of Strauss is...it's a beautiful place to just sit and enjoy the surroundings. Don't know if your tour stops in Passau, but if it does St. Stephen's Cathedral is one of the most beautiful I've ever seem and the organ concert was amazing, although apparently not as often as it was when i was there.

[Keith1010]

Thanks Hydrokitty.

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

I wanted to get some input on excursions.

 

I realize that excursion(s) will be provided at each stop.

 

Do any of you ever just skip the excursion and go out on your own or even book an independent excursion?

 

Thank you.

 

Keith

[JVilleGal]

Yes to Skipping included excursion, in some ports it's an easy walk off boat and into town. However private excursions are near impossible because there are no set arrival times for the boats into port. Arrival is based on locks operating and river traffic. Another hitch can be that the boat drops her passengers off in one town and continues on to another town while the passengers catch up.

[Got2Cruise]

I wanted to get some input on excursions.

 

I realize that excursion(s) will be provided at each stop.

 

Do any of you ever just skip the excursion and go out on your own or even book an independent excursion?

 

Thank you.

 

Keith

 

 

What you can also do is ditch the tour guide anytime you want. The first thing the tour guides do is give you explicit directions how to walk back to the ship or bus.

[Hydrokitty]

What you can also do is ditch the tour guide anytime you want. The first thing the tour guides do is give you explicit directions how to walk back to the ship or bus.

 

Absolutely and I think most of us have done that at least once. It really depends on what there is to see; what you want to see; and how big the city/town is. I did a partial tour in Passau and returned to the ship and had them call a taxi to take me to St. Stephen's for the organ recital because it was just too far to walk. In Regensburg I spoke to our TM before hand and politely advised him that I was in need of retail therapy. He gave me a map, told me to walk with the group and he would tell me where to leave it, which he did and I not only had a grand afternoon I got some wonderful things in the shop he recommended. Bottom line: it you're going to ditch the tour for any reason (and you really don't need to give an explanation) just be sure to tell the tour guide when you're leaving because despite their threat to leave if not everyone is at the bus or meeting place on time, they will not leave until everyone is accounted for....at least the Vantage ones won't.

[Host Jazzbeau]

The included tours often include the admission fee to any sites they cover [for instance AMA gave us tickets to the Astronomical Clock performance in Strasbourg]. Since Crystal is likely to try to one-up Tauck [the luxury leader until now], their tours may be very nice indeed.

[Keith1010]

Thank you so much Host Jazzbeau, Got2Cruise and Hydrokitty.

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

I am starting to look at hotels for the first of three River Cruises we have booked (two for 2017 and one for 2018).

 

The first one is a R/T Paris River Cruise. We've been to Paris before but I would welcome any recommendations for Hotels.

 

I am doing research using sites such as Cruise Critic's sister site Trip Advisor.

 

Thank you so much.

 

Keith

[Host Jazzbeau]

I am starting to look at hotels for the first of three River Cruises we have booked (two for 2017 and one for 2018).

 

The first one is a R/T Paris River Cruise. We've been to Paris before but I would welcome any recommendations for Hotels.

 

I am doing research using sites such as Cruise Critic's sister site Trip Advisor.

 

Thank you so much.

 

Keith

 

The first thing to decide is which neighborhood you want to be based in. The area where the cruise ships dock isn't particularly great as a touring base, so that opens up the entire city. This summer we stayed for several days on Ile Saint-Louis and found it a wonderful location. It's the small island just behind Notre-Dame. The island contains hotels, restaurants, a great gelato shop, and most importantly the feeling that you are in a small town -- in the middle of Paris! Access to the Metro (on either right bank or left bank) is easy, as is walking to many sights. There were several interesting hotels to choose from; we stayed at Hôtel de Lutèce and loved it.

[Keith1010]

Host Jazzbeau, I am familiar with that area and will take a look at your recommendation.

 

An area that we were also taking of is the areas near Champs-Élysées and Eiffel Tower.

 

Thank you so much for your recommendation and for the suggestion that I be more specific.

 

Keith

Edited February 23, 2016 by Keith1010

[jpalbny]

Keith1010, Near the Champs-Élysées, I can tell you that we very much enjoyed the Hotel Keppler. We stayed there for Christmas 2014, for 3 nights, and it was a great hotel. Cozy rooms, a few blocks from busy streets, so quiet, but walkable to many attractions. We took the RER from the airport to Place de l'Étoile and it was maybe a 10 minute walk. There's a metro stop (George V) even closer.

 

I put a full review on TA early last year; it's probably a few pages back by now... Same username as here.

Edited February 23, 2016 by jpalbny

[Keith1010]

JP & Chris, thank you as well for your suggestions.

 

Decisions. Decisions. But as they say time is on our side.

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

Question.

 

The first of our three River Cruises starts and ends in Paris.

 

Is there one area in Paris where all the River Cruise ships dock?

 

This is our itinerary if this helps.

 

http://www.crystalcruises.com/river-cruises/round-trip-paris--7S05

 

Keith

[Host Jazzbeau]

Question.

 

The first of our three River Cruises starts and ends in Paris.

 

Is there one area in Paris where all the River Cruise ships dock?

 

This is our itinerary if this helps.

 

http://www.crystalcruises.com/river-cruises/round-trip-paris--7S05

 

Keith

 

Since Crystal is new to river cruising you will be one of the first to find this out for sure, but based on other lines I would expect you to be docked near the Eiffel Tower (actually just past the downstream end of Ile aux Cygnes). Convenient to Javel - André Citroën station on Metro line 10 and Javel station on RER line C.