Input wanted

[notamermaid]

TravelerThom,

 

Thank you for the explanation. The swans around here are wild but a bit "lazy" in many places. They like to be fed by the passers-by. Things have got a little out of hand, so that several local authorities on the Rhine have introduced a by-law. It means you can be fined for feeding pidgeons and any wild fowl at or on the river.

 

Having said that, I am sure it is also nice on a river cruise to experience the fauna and flora which can be quite different from home.

 

There is a protected area not far from where I live. Grey herons - among other birds - live there.

 

notamermaid

[capriccio]

We have lots of birds in North America - wild ducks and geese are over abundant in many places, but the only swans I see are semi-domesticated (not caged, but living in a park where they are feed and housed) and not really roaming. At least I do see swans in North America; I can't ever remember seeing a stork here.

 

Thom

 

Thom - you need to visit the Everglades in the winter (during the dry season). You'll be able to see the endangered wood stork (the only stork in North American I believe). They are quite impressive!

 

Notamermaid - when we moved to Germany (outside of Bonn), the first thing we noticed on the top of the houses was the chimney caps to keep the storks from nesting. Much to my children's chagrin we never saw a stork in the wild.

 

We do have swans in the US and in fact the mute swan - which was introduced from Europe (I think) a century or more ago - is considered invasive in some areas (they procreate faster/more successfully than other waterfowl species and damage the environment). They are beautiful though.

[TravelerThom]

Thom - you need to visit the Everglades in the winter (during the dry season). You'll be able to see the endangered wood stork (the only stork in North American I believe). They are quite impressive!...

I stand corrected! I have seen wood storks within the last month:o driving across Alligator Alley (I-75) to Ft. Lauderdale. I was thinking about European White Storks which I think of as pretty. With apologies to Wood Storks, I don't think of them as pretty but rather look like I wouldn't want to met them in a dark alley - I guess that since they look like they could beat me up, that qualifies as impressive:p

 

Thom

[Hydrokitty]

I cannot compare river cruise companies. I have only traveled with one- Uniworld. I know some are cheaper and some are more expensive. But my experience was so positive with them, I booked another and plan to book at least one more.

 

As I said, there may be better or less expensive cruiselines out there, but until I am disappointed, I am sticking with Uniworld

 

No explanations needed, Joe! That's the same reason I've done 8 trips with Vantage. We were ready to start traveling and their brochure for Castles on the Rhine just came in the mail one day. We liked what we saw, the price was right, we booked it and had such a positive experience with them and talking to other passengers at dinner that we booked Egypt and Jordan with them and we've not even looked at anyone else!

 

BTW you're going to LOVE the tulip trip. If you have an opportunity to visit the flower auction in Aalsmeer take it....it was an amazing excursion before Keukenhof. :)

[Hydrokitty]

Thom - you need to visit the Everglades in the winter (during the dry season). You'll be able to see the endangered wood stork (the only stork in North American I believe). They are quite impressive!

 

Notamermaid - when we moved to Germany (outside of Bonn), the first thing we noticed on the top of the houses was the chimney caps to keep the storks from nesting. Much to my children's chagrin we never saw a stork in the wild.

 

We do have swans in the US and in fact the mute swan - which was introduced from Europe (I think) a century or more ago - is considered invasive in some areas (they procreate faster/more successfully than other waterfowl species and damage the environment). They are beautiful though.

 

We saw the wood storks in Everglades when we were there in winter...and I highly recommend this park for anyone visiting south Florida. We actually went twice on our way to Key West....once for the "northern entrance" and again for the "southern entrance"...like visiting two completely different parks!

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think all the swans in the US were brought here from Europe. We have them wild on Long Island....and I admit I'm one of the ones whipping out my camera and taking pictures of them all the time! I can't explain why, they are just so beautiful and graceful and photogenic (completely masking their nasty dispositions!! :D) I think the great blue heron you see all over Florida is one of our most beautiful birds and I never get tired of photographing them either.

[sharkster77]

There are native trumpeter swans out west--we've seen them in Yellowstone. As mentioned, most swans seen are the imported mute swans.

 

They have been a problem in places due to their aggressiveness. They drive away other waterfowl and rather than run away, they attack humans who come too close. Quite a few attacks on golf courses, as you can't just move your ball away from a swan w/o penalty, I believe.

[Cyber Kat]

I'm amazed at the people who book vacations without doing any research at all.

 

But as I've mentioned, I LOVE to research for travel and am thankful the internet makes it so much easier to do :D

 

I'm a research junkie! I check out EVERYTHING :)

[Cyber Kat]

By the way, what is it with North Americans and seeing swans on the river? Is that special?

 

notamermaid

 

LOL - I can't speak for other rivers, but there are no swans on the Hudson. Some Canada Geese, a few ducks and some seagulls - no swans :)

 

I have an affinity for water. We live near the Hudson and I love the sight of it. We've done the Circle Line cruise many times! I never tire of it. I even love to watch the Passaic river - which isn't too far from my home. Put me by a brook, a stream, a waterfall, even a pond and I'm happy :).

 

The Rhine also has castles - we don't have these here in America. Well, maybe a few fake ones! And Amsterdam has canals. I plan to be in water heaven - with or without the swans!

[Cyber Kat]

There are native trumpeter swans out west--we've seen them in Yellowstone. As mentioned, most swans seen are the imported mute swans.

 

They have been a problem in places due to their aggressiveness. They drive away other waterfowl and rather than run away, they attack humans who come too close. Quite a few attacks on golf courses, as you can't just move your ball away from a swan w/o penalty, I believe.

 

Only thing we have around here is Canada Geese. They used to migrate, but they decided they like the mid-atlantic & northeast states :). They are VERY aggressive. I kind of like them - but just a few - they are really taking over every waterway around here in North Jersey.

 

But to get back to river cruising ... people are always talking trash about one line or another. Sometimes it begins to sound like people talking about sports teams :rolleyes:

 

I think each one has good points and bad points - at least from my research. Same with ocean cruise lines. You find one that fits and go with it, but I don't see the reason for all the trash talking unless it makes people feel better with their choice. :D

[Got2Cruise]

We are usually amongst the youngest on board. We enjoy talking to others and have had some lovely conversations. That is the one sticking point why others don't enjoy River cruising. One main seating for dinner with open seating. Another thing is the river cruises are regimented. They have to be because of the tours. The tours are the reason for taking a river cruise. Anyway most days you need to wake up relatively early for breakfast in order to be ready for the a.m. tour. Then it's back to the ship for lunch. We almost always do an afternoon tour. Then it's time to get ready for the happy hour/ port talk by the CD concerning the next day's activities, then dinner which is served by the course. As I said, we don't mind it, but others are more free spirited and don't like to be on a strict schedule.

[Hoyaheel]

I'm a research junkie! I check out EVERYTHING :)

 

I think most people who show up on cruise critic BEFORE a cruise enjoy the research at least a little ;-) And some of us may or may not obsess a wee bit more :p

 

Those who show up after, and just to say "don't ever cruise on xyz", well, bless their hearts :rolleyes:

[Cyber Kat]

I think most people who show up on cruise critic BEFORE a cruise enjoy the research at least a little ;-) And some of us may or may not obsess a wee bit more :p

 

What is this obsess you speak of? :D

 

Those who show up after, and just to say "don't ever cruise on xyz", well, bless their hearts :rolleyes:

 

I'm not from the south, but I know what that means! ;)

[Cyber Kat]

We are usually amongst the youngest on board. We enjoy talking to others and have had some lovely conversations. That is the one sticking point why others don't enjoy River cruising. One main seating for dinner with open seating. Another thing is the river cruises are regimented. They have to be because of the tours. The tours are the reason for taking a river cruise. Anyway most days you need to wake up relatively early for breakfast in order to be ready for the a.m. tour. Then it's back to the ship for lunch. We almost always do an afternoon tour. Then it's time to get ready for the happy hour/ port talk by the CD concerning the next day's activities, then dinner which is served by the course. As I said, we don't mind it, but others are more free spirited and don't like to be on a strict schedule.

 

Well, I can only speak for myself. The dinner set up doesn't bother me. Some poeple have said, if they like the group they sit with the first night, they continue with that group. Others table hop every night. Sounds pretty flexible to me. I like flexible :). I think we're in the stick with the table if you like the other folks on the first night group.

 

I don't think it has to be regulated. No one forces you to do the included tours. But like an ocean cruise, you have to make sure you're back on board. The tours are not our reason for taking a river cruise. For us it's the river. I will happily go on the tours, but as I've said before, they are the icing, not the cake.

 

I don't mind getting up early. :) But that's me and why we're doing a river cruise! If most of those things bothered me, I wouldn't be doing a river cruise!

[Got2Cruise]

Well, I can only speak for myself. The dinner set up doesn't bother me. Some poeple have said, if they like the group they sit with the first night, they continue with that group. Others table hop every night. Sounds pretty flexible to me. I like flexible :). I think we're in the stick with the table if you like the other folks on the first night group.

 

I don't think it has to be regulated. No one forces you to do the included tours. But like an ocean cruise, you have to make sure you're back on board. The tours are not our reason for taking a river cruise. For us it's the river. I will happily go on the tours, but as I've said before, they are the icing, not the cake.

 

I don't mind getting up early. :) But that's me and why we're doing a river cruise! If most of those things bothered me, I wouldn't be doing a river cruise!

 

 

My original response was to the OP who wanted input. But I need to clarify somethings. No you don't have to go on the tours, but the days revolve around the tours. Many times the ship is not docked near the center of town and transportation is nonexistent. If you want to plan a private tour then you need to do your homework. Many times the ship does not sail until late in the evening or even at night when you are sleeping. Read your itinerary closely. Finally, a river cruise is nothing like an ocean cruise.

[Cyber Kat]

My original response was to the OP who wanted input. But I need to clarify somethings. No you don't have to go on the tours, but the days revolve around the tours. Many times the ship is not docked near the center of town and transportation is nonexistent. If you want to plan a private tour then you need to do your homework. Many times the ship does not sail until late in the evening or even at night when you are sleeping. Read your itinerary closely. Finally, a river cruise is nothing like an ocean cruise.

 

I never said a river cruise was like an ocean cruise??? You do have to be back on board both or you get left behind!

 

I can read. And how do you know when I will be sleeping. :) I merely said, the issues you pointed out are not issues for everyone. Sheesh - No need to get so defensive!

Edited February 27, 2016 by Cyber Kat

[CPT Trips]

To tour or not to tour with the cruise line sponsored groups? Is it easy to get to and from the ship and city center? That is certainly a consideration.

 

We have done several river cruise with GCT, Romance of Rhine and Mosel, Belguim and Holland in Springtime, and Great River of Europe. A couple dozen cities and only a handful come to mind as a docking location not convenient to getting ourselves to and from the city center - Nuremberg, Vienna, Trier and Basel. In each of these GCT had a regularly scheduled shuttle several times a day. The other cities were either walkable or had a good public transit system; in several the cruise line also provided a shuttle from the ship after lunch and back to the ship before cocktail hour (or boarding call).

 

I have only traveled European rivers with GCT, but reading here, I don't think that this is unique to them. But I also get the sense that some cruise lines don't do as good a job.

[Hydrokitty]

There are native trumpeter swans out west--we've seen them in Yellowstone. As mentioned, most swans seen are the imported mute swans.

 

They have been a problem in places due to their aggressiveness. They drive away other waterfowl and rather than run away, they attack humans who come too close. Quite a few attacks on golf courses, as you can't just move your ball away from a swan w/o penalty, I believe.

 

Thanks for the info Sharkster....I didn't realize the trumpeter swans were native...I can attest to the foul temper of the "mute" swans having been chased by one for daring to paddle a canoe on HIS river!!! I guess it's a good thing they're so beautiful :D

[Hydrokitty]

LOL - I can't speak for other rivers, but there are no swans on the Hudson. Some Canada Geese, a few ducks and some seagulls - no swans :)

 

I have an affinity for water. We live near the Hudson and I love the sight of it. We've done the Circle Line cruise many times! I never tire of it. I even love to watch the Passaic river - which isn't too far from my home. Put me by a brook, a stream, a waterfall, even a pond and I'm happy :).

 

The Rhine also has castles - we don't have these here in America. Well, maybe a few fake ones! And Amsterdam has canals. I plan to be in water heaven - with or without the swans!

 

At least now, thanks to Pete Seeger, there's life in/on the Hudson!!! :) We live near the ocean and if the Canada geese would stay off the golf courses I don't think there would be such a problem!!! :D

 

We do have castles on the Hudson...they're just called "summer cottages" :D:D

[sharkster77]

Hydrokitty---agree about the castles on the Hudson. A couple of years ago we visited Lyndhurst estate in Tarrytown--were BLOWN away by that gothic masterpiece!!!

 

 

At least now, thanks to Pete Seeger, there's life in/on the Hudson!!! :) We live near the ocean and if the Canada geese would stay off the golf courses I don't think there would be such a problem!!! :D

 

We do have castles on the Hudson...they're just called "summer cottages" :D:D

[4774Papa]

At Newport, RI they call them cottages.

[SCHappilyRetired]

This is a good point. I wasn't fooled by Viking's 2 for 1 pricing, but many are. All you have to do is get a few of their brochures to figure that out! :D

 

That's exactly why we don't even look at Viking. Well, that and having to pay in full when you book. We are once again cruising with AMA. Research, research, research!

[gregdude]

No one has mentioned Tauck river cruises? We took a Rhine cruise with Tauck last year and found their product to be exceptional. Some people think Tauck is expensive, but in planning for a Danube cruise in 2017 I discovered that the Tauck price (12 days Prague to Budapest) all inclusive cost the same as Viking. Viking only offers the river portion of the trip. If you want two nights in Prague and two nights in Budapest you pay extra (a lot extra) and these additions do NOT include tours, special dinners, or city walks. By the time you add these extra days to Viking you have reached the Tauck price and still need to add tips, tranfers, all inclusive drinks, and all tours (a variety to pick from at each stop).

 

The other issue that we found interesting had to do with passenger count. Viking ships carry 180 passengers while the Tauck ships max out at 130 for the same size vessel. We also noticed on shore excursions that Viking land tour groups had 40 or more passengers with one guide while our Tauck excursions were never more than 20 passengers per tour group.

 

Bottom line is, as many others have said, do your homework and make absolutely sure you are comparing every aspect of the product. It's really nice, for example, to be sitting on the sun deck at 2:00 PM and order a cold beer or mixed drink without wondering what the cost will be. Not having to wonder and plan for tips on and off the ship is not only a time saver, but it totally takes this concern off the table (I loved it). It is also nice to know that if high or low water becomes an issue what the history of the company you select has done in the past (often overlooked, but on river cruises a real life concern).

 

As for independent travelers, we found that (with Tauck) you could go and do as you like. In Salzburg France, Tauck planned a morning tour of the city and an afternoon tour in Baden-Baden Germany. Three couples decided they wanted to stay in Salzburg for the afternoon instead of returning to the ship. Tauck arranged for a separate bus to pick us up in the afternoon and return us to the ship which had moved twenty five miles up the river. In Heidelberg one couple wanted to stay in town and catch up with the ship sixty miles down river at our overnight stop. The tour guide provided them with train information so that they could meet us without issue. These are the kinds of things that some companies will allow and assist with.

 

Happy cruising!

[Cyber Kat]

At least now, thanks to Pete Seeger, there's life in/on the Hudson!!! :) We live near the ocean and if the Canada geese would stay off the golf courses I don't think there would be such a problem!!! :D

 

We do have castles on the Hudson...they're just called "summer cottages" :D:D

 

LOL - love the Hudson and Pete Seeger did a wonderful job, and the Palisades are scenic. There's ship that does overnight sails up the Hudson. I'd have to look it up - I have their brochure somewhere. Its on my list!

 

Well - they're sort of castles - houses that look like castles :) We have toured many of them. And there is Oheka Castle, but that's not on a river and it's more of a French Chateau.

 

Still looking forward to my Rhine river experience! Actually to more than just the river part. We're flying business/first for the first time (they have made the seats sooo tiny - not doing that for 7 hours!). We're delighted to be returning to Amsterdam. We loved it the first time. We're staying at The Toren - which looks marvelous and gets great reviews. And finally, I'm also looking forward to Lake Lucerne and the Alps!

[Cyber Kat]

That's exactly why we don't even look at Viking. Well, that and having to pay in full when you book. We are once again cruising with AMA. Research, research, research!

 

 

I did research, research, research and still chose Viking for a number of reasons. I considered AMA, Avalon & Uniworld. I don't have the proverbial "dog in this fight." I like the Viking Longships and we wanted to have the stop at Kinderdijk. None of the other lines do that on a regular basis.

 

I knew the 2 for 1 was a marketing gimmick - every company has them in one form or another. YoPlait is trying to convince people that Greek Yogurt doesn't have to be thick and creamy. Um - yes, it does - that's the whole point of straining it, and what makes it Greek yogurt. And people buy their Greek Yogurt mousse - like it's some different product from their regular whipped yogurt or mousse yogurt. Marketing.

 

I wasn't wild about the whole pay up front thing, but you've got to pay it all anyway, and the money is making a whole heck of a lot sitting in the bank. Now it's out of the way and done with. We have travel insurance - and I researched that as well.

 

I don't know why some seem to think that people who choose Viking haven't done their homework. I get that different people like different things and have their favorites. What I don't get is the argument. I look at someone else's choice as their preference, neither inferior nor superior to mine. Just different. I feel no need whatsoever to knock someone who makes a different choice in what cruise line they like.

[Lois R]

Quote by Cyber Cat:

"I don't know why some seem to think that people who choose Viking haven't done their homework. I get that different people like different things and have their favorites. What I don't get is the argument. I look at someone else's choice as their preference, neither inferior nor superior to mine. Just different. I feel no need whatsoever to knock someone who makes a different choice in what cruise line they like"

 

Because it is a public message board and people love to criticize and

argue about "stuff":eek::rolleyes:

 

You are taking the adult attitude:).....I hope you have a great cruise:)

 

I am going on my first River Cruise next month. I did my research

too and am choosing AMA.....very happy with my decision too.:D

Edited February 28, 2016 by Lois R