New to River Cruising! Saying hello.

[bubbulz]

A balcony is a personal preference and we love having a real balcony and use it often. Having that personal outdoor space to enjoy a bottle of wine or a coffee really works for us.

 

We don't travel during high season and rarely has rafting compromised our privacy.

 

Same here. For our Rhine cruise in August/September we only rafted once the entire week, and we took full advantage of our balcony whenever we could. For this year's cruise we'll also have a balcony, and given that it's in December, I don't expect the rivers to be all that crowded. In any event, I'm too claustrophobic not to at least have a French balcony for while we are underway.

[JVilleGal]

That actually sounds fun! We sprang for the balcony. Just like knowing I can go out if I want to!

 

You realize when this happens you are 6 inches from your neighbor and in a dark hole.... Yes we made the best of it and from our Avalon cabin the Viking cabins even with balcony looked 1/3 smaller than our regular Avalon cabin.

 

Rafting is a fact of life on the river but those folks with the balconies did not get to use them very often because at least with the Viking boats they are always Rafted together. This is just a heads up!

[papa B me]

A balcony is a personal preference and we love having a real balcony and use it often. Having that personal outdoor space to enjoy a bottle of wine or a coffee really works for us.

 

We don't travel during high season and rarely has rafting compromised our privacy.

 

I agree as well. Have been on two cruises so far. One on the Rhine in July and one on the Danube in December. Both trips were rafted once and not for the full day. We got a great deal of use of the balcony and is my favorite spot for coffee in the morning and a drink in the evening while my wife is getting ready. It is a personal choice but we wouldn't sail without it.

[purduemom1]

We had a bit of a different rafting experience. Only rated twice during our cruise both times to the same Uniworld ship. The kitchen exhaust vent was opposite our room and when we returned from an excursion, our room smelled like a diner. Window/door was closed but the smell still permeated everything. Even closing the drapes didn't help much when we were raftted the second time. Really smelled pretty bad so for us having another cabin opposite us would have been preferable.

[Hydrokitty]

Pretty unusable!!! We Rafted next to several of those pretty verandas and they where 6 inches from my window. We did share wine with one couple and laughed about the situation as we sat window to window!

 

That's the best way to handle it. First time we were rafted in Egypt on the Nile and we had a lovely British couple next to us. They had tea....we had cookies and we had a delightful conversation comparing notes. Second time was in Russia and while it was a little more complicated finding a language we could all speak (settled on French), once that was done we shared a bottle of wine and since they were going opposite direction were actually able to help each other!!

Two of my favorite travel experiences that were unexpected. :D

[caviargal]

from our Avalon cabin the Viking cabins even with balcony looked 1/3 smaller than our regular Avalon cabin.

!

 

The balcony cabins on Viking Longships are small indeed. They have to jam those extra cabins on their boats some way!;)

[CPT Trips]

Here is a good site to find information about cabin sizes on several lines.

http://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/2015/10/comparing-stateroom-sizes-on-river-cruisers/

 

You will need to click around a bit, but the facts are easy to find.

[Cyber Kat]

You realize when this happens you are 6 inches from your neighbor and in a dark hole.... Yes we made the best of it and from our Avalon cabin the Viking cabins even with balcony looked 1/3 smaller than our regular Avalon cabin.

 

Rafting is a fact of life on the river but those folks with the balconies did not get to use them very often because at least with the Viking boats they are always Rafted together. This is just a heads up!

 

I knew that when we booked! I'll make enough use of it, even if it's only for a few minutes here and there. If we're sailing at night - I'll go out there just to see what's going on!

[JVilleGal]

I knew that when we booked! I'll make enough use of it, even if it's only for a few minutes here and there. If we're sailing at night - I'll go out there just to see what's going on!

 

Sounds like your great attitude will result in a fabulous vacation, safe journey!

[bubbulz]

I knew that when we booked! I'll make enough use of it, even if it's only for a few minutes here and there. If we're sailing at night - I'll go out there just to see what's going on!

 

Best to be prepared so as not to be disappointed, but if your experience is anything like ours was, you'll have a lot more than a few minutes here or there. We only had one occasion (and it was only overnight) where we were rafted up against another boat. Our balcony was one of our favorite spots on our cruise. :)

[Host Jazzbeau]

You realize when this happens you are 6 inches from your neighbor and in a dark hole.... Yes we made the best of it and from our Avalon cabin the Viking cabins even with balcony looked 1/3 smaller than our regular Avalon cabin.

 

Rafting is a fact of life on the river but those folks with the balconies did not get to use them very often because at least with the Viking boats they are always Rafted together. This is just a heads up!

 

I'm assuming this would be the big benefit of upgrading to the upper deck of cabins -- even when rafted you should still get some light?

[JVilleGal]

I'm assuming this would be the big benefit of upgrading to the upper deck of cabins -- even when rafted you should still get some light?

 

A bit more I would think, we were on the middle deck.

[jpalbny]

IME, even on the highest level of cabins, it's still pretty dark when you're rafted. The ships get very close, and they block light very effectively. I haven't stayed lower down to be able to compare the experience on a different deck, so it may well be better...

Edited January 5, 2016 by jpalbny

[caviargal]

IME, even on the highest level of cabins, it's still pretty dark when you're rafted. The ships get very close, and they block light very effectively.

 

I agree.

[dmcfad2]

Well, I booked my cruise today. I booked Viking, as I have friends who did Viking and they loved it. We are doing 15 days Budapest to Amsterdam in August 2017. We are pretty casual people. I read some reviews on different lines and Viking seemed like a good fit for us. I did decide on a French balcony instead of the verandah, based on some of the comments here and it saved us a good amount of money, too. It is a small room, but I don't really care. I know I will love my river cruise. Maybe I will try another line after this, but for now, Viking won. Thanks for all the comments and for answering my question about rafting. I will be on these boards a lot in the next year and a half! I love all the tips on CC.

[JVilleGal]

Congratulations! You will enjoy your adventure. We did the Amsterdam to Budapest sailing and loved it. Be sure and spent a couple days in both Amsterdam and Budapest. The time spent in both cities is well worth it.

[Lois R]

Hi Debbie:) hope you have fun too:D.....I will be in Amsterdam for the

very first time 3 months from TODAY:D

[Hydrokitty]

I'm assuming this would be the big benefit of upgrading to the upper deck of cabins -- even when rafted you should still get some light?

 

Not necessarily..we always book the top deck and when we're rafted the only thing different between our view and the cabin below us it the level of the cabin next to us!! The only place that doesn't obstruct your view is on the topmost deck where there aren't any cabins and then you look out over their sun deck as well, but at least you can see the other side of the river.

[purduemom1]

Don't let the rafting thing worry you because you will find that you spend most of your time out if your cabin. Just remember to close your drapes at night so you don't get up to someone peering into your cabin:rolleyes:

[pacmom]

The first time we were rafted with another boat was quite an experience. A few of us were sitting in the lounge after breakfast having tea/coffee. Looked out the window and got quite a show--lady didn't sleep in a lot of clothes. Was she ever surprised to see half a dozen or so people waving at her. Now I have really seen a streaker!!!!!!! Remember close those drapes at nite. Pat

[Host Jazzbeau]

The first time we were rafted with another boat was quite an experience. A few of us were sitting in the lounge after breakfast having tea/coffee. Looked out the window and got quite a show--lady didn't sleep in a lot of clothes. Was she ever surprised to see half a dozen or so people waving at her. Now I have really seen a streaker!!!!!!! Remember close those drapes at nite. Pat

 

And some people complain there's no evening entertainment on river cruises! There's just no pleasing them :D:D:D

[JVilleGal]

Keep looking for the "like" button! :)

[Cyber Kat]

Sounds like your great attitude will result in a fabulous vacation, safe journey!

 

Thanks! I've always felt that high hopes and low expectations are the way to go. I did a lot of research, so I hope I'm up on everything I need to expect. And I'm looking at it as an adventure, so I'm prepared to also expect the unexpected!

[Cyber Kat]

Best to be prepared so as not to be disappointed, but if your experience is anything like ours was, you'll have a lot more than a few minutes here or there. We only had one occasion (and it was only overnight) where we were rafted up against another boat. Our balcony was one of our favorite spots on our cruise. :)

 

We actually got it more so my husband would have somewhere to sit while I'm ditzing around ;) He hates sitting on the bed and the French Balcony rooms didn't look like they had a chair. And the veranda/balcony rooms are bigger - 205 sq ft vs 135 sq ft. I'm slightly claustrophobic, so the extra room will help. And I know I can go outside.

[Cyber Kat]

Keep looking for the "like" button! :)

 

LOL - me too!