APT Travelmarvel Nuremberg to Budapest

[Queen of my Heart]

I've just got a last minute booking at an excellent price for the APT 8 - 16 December Christmas markets cruise from Nuremberg to Budapest on the Polaris. If anyone would like any info  or feeback on the boat, ports and/or APT please just ask. I haven't sailed with them before so it will be a new adventure for me.

 

[Ritabob]

Hopefully you will do a review here when you get back so we can learn more about APT.

Have a great time.

RB 

[Queen of my Heart]

Yes. of course. So far, so good. I had to ring up to get the best price but the admin seemed very efficient and a lot of emailed paperwork has already come through. Still can't quite believe the price - half expecting a phone call to say they got it wrong!

[notamermaid]

An unusual set of circumstances over the last two years may contribute to the offer. The ship has had "foster parents" this year...

 

All good, it will get back to this with more info.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

It was a rocky, delayed start for the Travelmarvel Polaris and it could have been worse, had it not been for the German company 1AVista Reisen - and also Phoenix Reisen - stepping in. I wrote about it here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2811445-what-and-how-are-apt-and-travelmarvel-doing/#comment-62093504

 

This year the ship launched as the MS Polaris and sailed for the German market throughout Spring. I am not sure when Travelmarvel was able to operate a sailing for the first time this year of their ship but she is clearly now where she belongs. In September APT's boss gave an interview from onboard the Travelmarvel Polaris: https://www.ttgmedia.com/news/apt-boss-were-not-playing-for-the-short-term-but-the-next-100-years-36722

 

Now that we have our friends from Down Under travelling in Europe again, the companies are back operating ships in their own name. Question is how many Australians and New Zealanders will be on board yet?

 

I have seen the MS Polaris on the Rhine where she sailed for Phoenix Reisen. A nice design, really like the hull and modern livery.

 

I hope you have a great time on the Danube and fun conversations with hopefully a lovely mix of people having travelled from afar.

 

notamermaid

 

[Queen of my Heart]

I think that this cruise is the second half of the 15 day European Gems cruise - you can do the whole thing or the first half which is sold as Reflections of the Rhine & Main or the second, which I am going on, as the Delightful Danube. I did ask what the likely make up of nationalities will be and was told that it's primarily the British. Our friends from Down Under haven't yet returned in large numbers. Ideally I would prefer a mix of nationalities as I think it leavens the mix a bit.

Whatever the reasons for the offer - I got no single supplement, a discount and upgrade to balcony suite as well as flights - it was a very good one (unless of course it comes with a set of oars!).

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, Queen of my Heart said:

Whatever the reasons for the offer - I got no single supplement, a discount and upgrade to balcony suite as well as flights - it was a very good one (unless of course it comes with a set of oars!).

That's where you were safer in a fixed-window cabin!  Three short blasts and four long ones means opens your balcony slider and start rowing!!!

[Canal archive]

Queen of my heart don’t worry, cruising on the Thames in 15 ton narrowboat we encountered a regatta as we passed a rowing eight race started so much closer than being on the side of a river as they passed, the sheer power these guys produced was astounding. It was a privilege to be there.

[ural guy]

Thanks for posting this, APT Travelmarvel, I have never heard of them.

 

They have an interesting Budapest to Budapest cruise, 14 nights, taking in the lower Danube.  

 

I have emailed them this question, but if anyone knows, please chime in:

The airfare is included from UK, is there a price break if you don't use it?  Can Americans even book these cruises, the Pound price looks reasonable to very good, and I like that the ship has the separate dining venues.  After showing this to my wife, and the sail date working for us (31 October), I'm waiting for the bad news....we did sail this route on Vantage, but quite a few new stops on this route, for a more indepth look at places that are still a bit harder to get to than Nuremberg.

Edited November 6, 2022 by ural guy
clarity, hopefully

[Queen of my Heart]

I had some trouble ferreting out their direct sales number as Google searches always took me to cruise travel agents/bucket shops or the Australian website. So it might take some detective work to track them down in the US. The £ prices are very reasonable - I get the impression that all cruise lines charge Americans far higher prices than Europeans, even taking into consideration airfares, which are often an add on anyway. I have an email address for the agent who I dealt with - I can send her a messgae to ask about whether they take bookings from the US and the airfare issue if you would like me to.

[ural guy]

Queen-  Yes, thanks, I'd appreciate your passing the question on.

 

I did find the info through a consolidator, not a direct google link that I could find, either.

 

Yep, wife and I were discussing price difference, and guessing that difference in consumer law plays into the price difference, among other things.  Our Viking cruise we had a nice share of Brits and Scots, not so on Vantage as they mostly do the direct booking thing here in the states.  One of their disadvantages, imho.

[Canal archive]

Just, most probably a daft suggestion have you tried routing through Canada. When we started river cruising some Canadians were booking through the U.K. you never know. Fingers crossed.

[Queen of my Heart]

Good morning "Ural Guy". I emailed the APT agent this morning with your queries and this is the reply that I received

 

Morning Joanne,

 

Thank you for your email, if your friends would like to email reservations@aptouring.com this email will direct them to our North America agent who will be able to assist them. They are able to book the cruise only with them also.

 

Kind regards,

 

Charlie Day

Travel & Sales Consultant

 

Hope this helps.

[Bill Y]

On 11/5/2022 at 6:05 PM, Queen of my Heart said:

I think that this cruise is the second half of the 15 day European Gems cruise - you can do the whole thing or the first half which is sold as Reflections of the Rhine & Main or the second, which I am going on, as the Delightful Danube. I did ask what the likely make up of nationalities will be and was told that it's primarily the British. Our friends from Down Under haven't yet returned in large numbers. Ideally I would prefer a mix of nationalities as I think it leavens the mix a bit.

Whatever the reasons for the offer - I got no single supplement, a discount and upgrade to balcony suite as well as flights - it was a very good one (unless of course it comes with a set of oars!).

It will be interesting to hear how you get on, we were due to go on the European Gems trip in 2021 on Polaris, having booked it before covid, it was changed to late July 2022 on Vega  but a one point it looked if we were not going to be allowed into Austria so it was changed again to 2023 on Capella. After it was changed the restrictions were lifted but we were glad it was changed because of the water level problems in august. We noticed that it was sometime before Vega and Polaris started to sail on the published itineraries and Capella has yet to sail. In august Travelmarvel started their balcony sale at greatly reduced prices so it would suggest that they are having trouble filling the ships, so hope our sailing for 2023 will go ahead.

 

We did a Travelmarvel sailing on the Douro in July this year and the ship was reasonably full mainly with UK travellers. It was interesting that quite a few people said they had not heard of Travelmavel and had thought that they had booking an APT cruise. I can see how there is confusion as both brands use the same brochure in the UK with APT cruises being described a “Luxury river cruising” and Travelmarval products as “Essential river cruising”. Having done two Travelmavel cruises we have found them adequate considering the price difference.

 

So look forward to hearing how you get on, I must admit that we have not considered river cruising in Europe in the winter.

[Queen of my Heart]

I sailed with Avalon in June with only 20 of us on board - no idea why they went ahead with so few (though had a theory about it) but it was probably the most enjoyable cruise I have had yet.

The attraction of winter cruising is primarily the Christmas Markets that are now widespread in Europe but which have been, for the most part, closed over the last two pre-Christmas seasons due to covid. They are certainly very heavily booked on many cruise lines with little or no availability now. I have done this type of river crusing a couple of times before but this will be the first time as a solo traveller since I was widowed in 2019. They are a very special experience and I would highly recommend it.

I had assumed that Travelmarvel was a little sister to APT, much like Emerald and Scenic and will be interested to compare it with the three other cruise companies of which I have previous experience.

 

[ural guy]

Queen-  Thanks!  'Essential River Cruising', not luxury, that's an interesting distinction, and we're fine with the lower end.

 

When people talk about Viking not being a luxury line, it all comes from prospective.  That was our first river cruise back in 2014, and coming from tent camping for many years, yeah it was luxury to us!  I like simple.

[Canal archive]

Ever tried glamming?

[ural guy]

No, my oldest has done it, she's found some pretty neat spots.

[Canal archive]

Oops I meant glamping  didn’t check the predictive text ‘again’. They’ve even got a glamping section at Worthy Farm now aka Glastonbury.

[gnome12]

3 hours ago, Canal archive said:

Oops I meant glamping  didn’t check the predictive text ‘again’.

I turned off predictive text, because I found that most "corrections" were wrong. I let the phone make suggestions, but not autofill.

 

Now of course, I can't blame the phone for my typos; I have to own them myself.

Edited November 8, 2022 by gnome12

[Queen of my Heart]

On 11/6/2022 at 9:23 PM, ural guy said:

Queen-  Yes, thanks, I'd appreciate your passing the question on.

 

I did find the info through a consolidator, not a direct google link that I could find, either.

 

Yep, wife and I were discussing price difference, and guessing that difference in consumer law plays into the price difference, among other things.  Our Viking cruise we had a nice share of Brits and Scots, not so on Vantage as they mostly do the direct booking thing here in the states.  One of their disadvantages, imho.

With the full tour info that came this morning was the following agent contact details for North America,

 

Phone: +1 778 300 1058 (Vancouver, Canada) Email: info@aptouring.com www.aptouring.com

 

If it's any help on the pricing, all tips and gratuities are included as are drinks at lunch and dinner (though not top of the range I would imagine). Some optional additional excursions(e.g. Salzburg Sound of Music day trip, Mozart concert in Vienna) are at extra cost but no indication as to what that might be.

[Bill Y]

On 11/7/2022 at 4:24 PM, Queen of my Heart said:

I had assumed that Travelmarvel was a little sister to APT, much like Emerald and Scenic

 

That's a good way of putting it.

3 hours ago, Queen of my Heart said:

If it's any help on the pricing, all tips and gratuities are included as are drinks at lunch and dinner (though not top of the range I would imagine). Some optional additional excursions(e.g. Salzburg Sound of Music day trip, Mozart concert in Vienna) are at extra cost but no indication as to what that might be.

The drinks with meals are normally: white and red wine, draught beer or soft drinks, but you can quench your thirst with a beer then move on to wine. A four and a half hour excursion in Portugal was 48 Euro but imagine  that a concert would be much more.