River Cruising Wasn't What I Expected. Here’s Why
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- Опубліковано 13 тра 2024
- European River Cruising Wasn't What I Expected. I had not expected European River Cruising to be full of so many differences to any other form of cruising I had been on. Discover why, and what you need to know if you are thinking of going on a river cruise in Europe.
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00:00 Start
00:35 Is It Cruising?
04:18 Surprises Keep Coming
09:00 The Passengers
11:01 How Much!?
You sold me on “no sea sickness, no entertainment and small group of people”. I’m in!
I like quiet and peaceful!
This sounds much more like my kind of thing - I have no interest in hanging out on a floating hotel-casino for days on end. I want to see historic sites and museums.
Me too! :-)
I know... duh...
Perhaps you’ve not been on the right kind of cruise. I would suggest Oceania ocean cruises. No children, no gigantic casinos, 1200 - 1500 people, very manageable. The river cruises sound very much like a bus tour. We like to manage our own activities, not to be pigeonholed into what their limited activities are.
There are smaller ocean going vessels, you know, with knowledgeable lecturers and guides to historic or cultural places. Noble Caledonia springs to mind. I would never, ever take a cruise on one of those giant, ugly floating hotel things. Ugh.
I'm quite introverted and have done 2 European river cruises with Avalon Waterways and can't recommend them enough. I'm a history geek and loved being able to visit so many interesting places without spending days traveling between cities. Only having 110-120 people on a ship was wonderful and the staff were brilliant - they worked out I was a quiet person and found me a nice quiet corner in the restaurant but still fussed over me to make sure I had everything I wanted. You can eat in the smaller panorama lounge if you want rather than the restaurant plus there is another lounge with all day coffee/tea/juice, fruit and snacks. I was also able to do my own thing rather than join the group tours a couple of times - the cruise director will help you plan. These cruises are for adults so there arent any loud excitable children.
The HUGE difference between a bus tour and river boat you didn't mention....no unpacking and repacking! It's awesome.
I didn’t think of that… That’s one of the main drawbacks for me when I’m on a regimented tour is always having to pack up and leave each day… But I don’t think I would mind the regimented schedule as much if I could just leave my stuff in my room…
Got kind of tired packing and unpacking
Town to town and up and down the dial
Maybe you and me were never meant to be
But baby think of me once in awhile
My wife and I did 3 Viking river cruises. We love them. The small intimate group of pleasant people on each cruise was great. We liked the crews on each ship, the food, ease of disembarking and returning to the ship.Everything was very efficient and well organized, from the minute they greeted us at the airport when we flew in to the moment they dropped us at the airport for our return flight home. No noisy casino, no screaming children. Lots of pampering. we could learn some culture and history of the visited regions.
Same here. I can only recommend river cruises and encourage people to do them. But all the things the narrator complained about (and I myself would enjoy) are really things I would look into before bying the ticket so I knew what to expect - or alternatively be open and appreciating whatever experience the trip would give me. I don't think I could ever do a trip and then complain, unless something was completely the opposite of what was promised in details.
@@larsrons7937 check out Viking you know exactly what you will be doing every day all day
@@larrymartin9556 Viking sounds like a good experience to me. And of course you can always do something different than planned, as long as it fits within the boats schedules (that's how it is with boats).
I love everything you said. Especially about the airport arrival and drop off. Woooo. Needed to know that!
Sounds wonderful. Maybe one day…
I’m an English teacher, but I love history
No partying! No families with children! Shock Horror, culture and architecture! Sign me Up!
Absolutely loved our river cruise. So much history, entertainment, socializing and different cultures. Among meeting and making lifetime friends. Plus calm waters and spectacular scenery. So much better than any sea cruise we've been on. River cruises any time!!
I hope your video does not discourage people from going on a river cruise - they are great!
No worries… it doesn’t. Just reinforces my plan to never ocean cruise Ever
Puts me off ocean cruise now need to do a river cruise
People complain about going through the canal locks, that would be my favorite part!
I would love to go through a lock. As a child, I watched the boats go through the lock in Kittanning. Pa. across the river from my Grandma's house. 😊
I did a Panama Canal cruise and the day going thru the locks from east to west was so much fun and amazing!
@@jzero53 I agree. It was fascinating seeing how the locks worked.
I'm sorry, dear, but the very things you lambast are what attracts me to the river cruises. In the 70s and 80s, I hitched all over Europe, staying in youth hostels and tiny B n Bs, but am now widowed and somewhat disabled. An ocean cruise with 3000 drunk strangers and their unsupervised brats is my idea of Hell. I love culture and history, not gorging at 15 buffets or listening to children scream on a go-cart track. I also enjoy feeling safe, which does not happen among thousands of people confined to one floating monstrosity.
😂 unsupervised brats....geez!
30 or 40 years ago, my sister-in-law came back from an ocean cruise with her girl friends. They laughed at how one of them had sex with an employee and it sounded like the most immoral type of vacation that I would have never have imagined. Well, you just might as well to to Sodom or Gomorrah and vacation if that's your lifestyle choice and what you find to be fun. Plus, gambling. It's an excuse for many to be completely decadent and feel like it's justified in their sight.
? Mr. Bembridge was very, very clear about the pros and cons of river cruising. He didn't criticize or lambast; he merely pointed out differences.
@@marykay8587 What, you dont recognize the words? Im totally down with her viewpoint. But then, im old as well.
Totally agree with you. I love history and architecture and it sounds wonderful to my husband and me.
I've been on seven Viking River cruises and really enjoyed them. The ship usually cruises at night and ties up at a different town each morning. You go tour the city and then return to the ship which leaves in the evening to move to the next town. It's like having your hotel always there.
An not having to pack and unpack at each new destination.
Cruising at night defeats the object n my opinion. The whole idea is to motor sedately along enjoying watching the world go by.
@@mothmagic1 ocean cruise ship sail from port to port at night too.
@@jerrygerloff4322 sorry I thought someone got the wrong idea about river cruises
@@mothmagic1 and the scenery.
Our riverboat cruise was such a pleasure. Passengers & staff were friendly and most accommodating. Excursions and meals were organized to make the most of our eight days. We made our choices prior to sailing. The crew did all the rest. Seeing and learning about history and culture in elegant comfort made for wonderful memories.
Dont go on them ,and stop whinging.
@@BarryGrove Whining?
@@ashe48 I think he meant the the guy who posted this video not you, I'm glad you enjoyed your cruise 😊😊
@@ashe48winge is British/UKspeak for whining.
My husband and I enjoyed a Viking River Cruise with two other couples and thoroughly enjoyed it. We were older and the pace was just right for the 6 of us. We toured the Rhine River all the way to Switzerland, stopping in lovely towns during the day and traveling at night. The food was outstanding, the nightly entertainment great, and the villages we visited wonderful. I would HIGHLY recommend it for adults; children would not be interested.
I’ve done 2 Viking Cruises and found it was easy to go off my own and explore. No one questioned me and it was fabulous. I definitely prefer river cruising over ocean cruising. No children was a plus!
Thank you for commenting. I keep asking myself, “Do they force you to go out w/the group?” I mean, it should be an option - especially if you want some solitude w/nature etc. 🙏🏻
Hi Beverly, how are you doing?
River boats are great!. Viking is fantastic, the no kids part really is a plus. No gambling , its relaxing and no loud music blaring. Great service, food and options. This guy in the video likes Disney cruses I bet.
@@raew5263 The tours are not that long so you still have time to explore on your own. We ate at a great restaurant in Passau where the rivers meet.
No kid's!!! Hallelujah!
I’ve taken two Viking River Cruises and it was amazing. It’s all about experiencing a different city every day. For people who love history, architecture, culture, and food it is perfect. We filled our days with tours and explored on our own. Planning a Viking Ocean Cruise next year. The company is wonderful.
With less people on a river cruise, do they have better food? I went on the Southern Rock Cruise in 2019 and it was mostly buffet style food. It'd be graat to go on one that some freshly prepared food.
G' day Rob, my beautiful wife and I have done two Scenic river cruises - South West France and Portugal. Brilliant ! Some of what the reviewer said applys, but we had much more choice. Yep, set meal times, but they were generous in length of time. So people would come and go as they pleased. Also, room service would bring you a snack or meal pretty much any time. We would sometimes enjoy breakfast in the dining area at 9:00-ish, sometimes at 11:00-ish. Whatever we felt like. Always plenty of options for guided tours most days as well. Highly recommend Scenic. Best wishes.
There isn't a lot in common between river and ocean cruising - perhaps the biggest difference is that *on an Ocean cruise the attraction most of the time is on the ship, on a river cruise the attraction is the stops and the scenery off the ship* as it cruises.
@@1SCme It depends a lot on the size and kind of ship you're on. There are ocean cruise ships just as small as river cruise ships, with 100-200 passengers. These are mostly luxury ships with most things included. They have minimal onboard entertainment, often nothing more than a pianist or maybe a combo in the lounge. There are often no casinos.
@@markmiller3279 Those definitely aren't the norm, I suspect have fewer stops (the attractions and entertainment on river cruises, 2 to 3 stops a day). River cruises offer entertainment beyond piano and a bar most evenings (it is cheaper, the entertainment embarks and disembarks at stops, canal gates, or they will pause at a dock without tying up).
If you take an ocean cruise ship and remove the on-board entertainment, then why not just stay at a luxury resort?
My wife and I did a Viking Danube cruise and really enjoyed it. Our approach: each evening we would look at the schedule for the next day, and very often that day we would eat breakfast aboard the ship, have a detailed conversation with the concierge (always knowledgeable and had city maps we could take) including subways use, etc, then we would head out on our own for the day, to be back on the ship for dinner. The only real cost was lunch out on our own in the city, plus we enjoyed finding local restaurants, and not having to rush back to eat.
Thanks for pointing out the differences. Great information! You've provided a valuable service to travelers. I'm not a "joiner" so thanks for helping me avoid an expensive mistake. As you said, neither type cruise is better, just different strokes for different folks. Smooth sailing,everyone!
Everything he said makes me want to try a river cruise. I did two ocean cruises, and I didn’t like the huge size of the ships, or the many hours we spent at sea with nothing to see but the sea.
I’ve been on a few river cruises. Every one of them was fabulous. I recommend them.
All that footage of the Donau... I miss it so. Would love to do one of those long river cruises. Used to watch those boats go by so often.
Do it, I'm sure you won't be sorry. My wife and I have done one on the Rhein and enjoyed every minute of it. We have no interest in ocean cruises because it always looks like a floating version of the local town centre.
@@mothmagic1 The last few ocean cruises I have done have been on small ships for that very reason, and we have chosen cruises that are in port nearly every day. Glad to hear you enjoyed the Rhine. We are booked to go on that next year.
I enjoyed my 2 river cruises
My wife and I never cruised, then we did a Viking river cruise with friends, it was great! We have now done a total of 7 Viking river cruises, and one Viking ocean cruise. The ocean was great as well. Max is 900 people, never felt crowded. No kids, no casino. Have 3 cruises scheduled in the next year.
As Chuck said most of your "negatives'" are actually positives for many discerning cruisers. So far we've done 5 European river cruises with different operators (we choose what suits our plans) and all were what one can expect: a great holiday, enchanting cities and towns along beautiful landscapes, castles and valleys.
On board excellent service, nice food and respectful and interesting fellow travelers. No more ocean cruising for us.
You are really tempting me!
Exactly. THe huge ships with thousands of people om board is a negative for me.
These are all subjective judgements. Great that you enjoyed it so much, but that’s you. I wouldn’t choose one based on this, because I cannot stand to be regimented with a schedule. I also don’t want to hang out with people who feel the need to describe themselves as discerning when someone else expresses a different view. These cruises take decision making off you - how do you evolve and grow when you’re locked in like that? Restrictive environments are not my cup of tea, but you can enjoy nonetheless,
Took two, Rhine (favorite) and Danube Christmas time River cruises. Yup,got cold but hot GULL WINE SAVED THE DAY! Loved the souvenir mugs. The excursions were great and the guides were knowledgeable and friendly. Was scheduled for a Portuguese river cruise but COVID cancelled those plans🤬
@@helenabennet3997 No dis, "Glu (pronounced approximately 'glue') wine" I make typos too. The Advent season in Germany is a ton of fun, especially the Weihnachtsmaerkte in the old castles!
We just returned from our first river cruise. We took an AMA Waterways Rhine River cruise and loved every minute of it! We enjoy small group travel so this was just perfect for us. We had no morning wake-up calls; we were free to come and go as we pleased. No one is forcing you to do any of the tours if you feel like simply staying aboard the beautiful ship - in our case, AmaSerena. The smaller group size made everything more intimate and enjoyable and that applies to the amazing staff and crew, too. They couldn't do enough for you and always with grace and a smile. Can't wait to take another river cruise! (would never go on an ocean cruise again).
Sailed on the AMAserena several years ago and loved it. Leaving soon on the AMACello burgundy and Provence. Wonderful line.
Another great video, Gary. My wife and I had been on a number of ocean cruises (Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico, etc.) and we decided to go on our first river cruise in 2019. It was an Emerald cruise down the Rhine from Amsterdam to Basel. It was the best cruising experience we’ve ever had. It was relaxing, fun, and educational. No cattle calls to get on/off the ship, assemble for meals, etc. There were no packed elevators and big crowds. All port tours were included in the price and you could choose from easy tours to more strenuous tours. If you didn’t want to go on a particular tour, then you simply didn’t go. All the tour guides were good. You could easily see the scenery on both sides of the ship at the same time from pretty much any part of the ship. It was so relaxing to watch cities, towns, cathedrals, castles, windmills, etc. glide by. No boring days at sea. No on-board shops. No miles to walk and multiple decks to traverse to get to your room, or to meals, or to get on/off the ship. The food was good and changed depending on the country we were going through. Our ship was nicely furnished. The only downside was that we once had to walk up and down the slippery outside stairs of another ship in the rain to get to our ship at a stop. People were easy to talk to and become acquainted with. We would go on another river cruise in a heartbeat.
Absolutely true. Can't really understand people not enjoying a RC 🤷♀️🤷♀️
Thank you for your comment, now, could you talk my husband into going on one😟…please….
@@ruthwickline1000 just book it yourself. I do 😂
James: Thank you for debating point for point. I did not have the patience todo so. I have been watching/following this gentleman for some Time. I TRULY DONT know what caused him to 180 his tone, style, classy “present”, and valuable tips and hacks. I have been on 11 River cruises (actually 10 different - Viking Paris to Normandy (fan girl for Giverney et Monet) and approximately 30 ocean cruises - all lines from Virgin Atlantic to Carnival lol! I don’t like what I saw here and wont watch again
Boring days at sea ? If you’re bored on a cruise-there’s a problem w/ you-so much to do ! Or perhaps you’re going on a cheapo cruise filled w/ screaming kids & drunks. There are many fine cruises w/ classes to take, lectures, etc. I suggest you try something other than Carnival, like Crystal Cruises, Holland America, etc
Sorry mate, if I were to choose between ocean cruise and river cruise, I will definitely choose the latter. The idea of having a vacation with a few thousand people whom you don’t know on the ocean liner is simply not my way of vacationing. Who would prefer to look at the ocean everyday when compared to beautiful sceneries on a river cruise?
My wife and I started river cruising in our mid 30s. We absolutely love them. There is no better way to see many different places in Europe. The luxury options are amazing, the people are typically great - both staff and passengers, food is typically great, excursions are awesome and the history is endless. We have come to enjoy Scenic river cruises and look forward to enjoying their luxury yacht one day
I love the intimate size of a river cruise. I also enjoy the scheduled tours because they were included, not an extra purchase for the most part. The tours really suited my needs and interests. It never occurred to me that having scheduled meal times was an issue. I enjoyed the food and the people we ate with at dinner. Lastly, I enjoyed sitting on deck and watching the scenery. No lines, no waiting and a calmer crowd. Never had my time interfered with drunken, loud tourists. I love museums and historical sites and the insights the guides provide.
Appreciate your perspective here. AND: We have had nothing but exceptional experiences with our Viking River Cruises, and have made lifelong friends on the smaller boats of both Viking and Windstar. We can no longer imagine - nor desire - having the experience again of those massive Ocean Cruises of the other Cruise Lines around the world. We like the intimacy of these smaller boats, and the caliber of the guests as seasoned travelers and exclusively adults. The pace is leisurely, the Tours have been very good and immersive, and the boat’s amenities are customized to the people and tastes who are their core customers. Simply cannot go back to the Big Boats. We have been spoiled by Viking and Windstar.
I just returned from a Viking ocean cruise. Fabulous! Lots of amenities, excellent food and enrichment lectures. No casino, no children. 880 people so quite manageable. Excellent entertainment too. We have already signed up for another one.
Different strokes for different folks! We loved the river boat cruise much more than the ocean cruise.
Thanks for the excellent video. One thing to note, as I'm sure you know, is that the non-balcony rooms are *significantly* less expensive than any of the balcony rooms. On our sailing, $1500 less expensive. And because the ships are so small, it very easy to reach the deck areas in just a few steps. This makes the non-balcony rooms on a river cruise far less 'intrusive' than interior/oceanview rooms on a large ocean going vessel.
I've done both and I'll take a river cruise every time. Smaller, more intimate, quieter, and you get much closer to the venues along the way.
Most of the things you described as negative I found to be positive. On ocean cruises, the crowds of 3,000+ were overwhelming, with many of them being obnoxious drunkards. On one ocean cruise, there was one woman so drunk that as she laid out on the sun deck she urinated a huge puddle under her chair. Well after the fact a crew member came along and led her off to her room while another was relegated to cleaning her mess. The value of smaller ships is that guests get to know one another and that tends to minimize confrontations and other sour situations common to ocean cruises. I can get along well without the constant bombardment of clanging casinos and garish entertainment. Many times it is more comforting to side up to a good book. Some of us are so well-rounded that we do not need constant outside stimulus. We can create our own stimuli.
Well explained and so true
YES! I’ve been on 3 ocean cruises and quite often retired to my cabin to get away from the rowdy drunks, wild children and noisy casinos and “picture auctions”. I think I’ll explore river cruises this time.
Chuck D: The lack of what passes nowadays for 'entertainment', would be a big advantage as far as I am concerned.
@@nsloane5384 If you do Europe, Amsterdam to Budapest, either as 1 trip or split up, is the trip that has everyone glowing about afterwards. If you want to go a step smaller in passenger size, lean more culturally than tourist sites, and get into areas you would have difficulty driving to, look into Asian river cruises as well. I haven't tried the Amazon cruises yet.
Totally agree. I love Disney Cruise Line and AmaWaterWays!
Frequent long duration ocean cruiser here. Took the American Queen on the Mississippi River, USA. it was superb. Had the opportunity to meet many fellow passengers at the hotel prior to beginning the cruise. Excellent food, served by the same personnel each day. Great entertainment every day and also educational lectures throughout the cruise. Wonderful excursions offered. Elegant furnishings and great veranda stateroom. While I like ocean cruising this river cruise was so much nicer. You really got to know your fellow passengers, the crew was attentive and the food and entertainment were A+.
I would do more river cruising in the USA.
I've often thought I would like to do Mississippi cruise
if you liked learning about the history of and on the Mississippi River, read "Minn of the Mississippi" by Holling Clancy Holling. it's about the great river as seen through the eyes of a 3 legged snapping turtle as she traverses the entire river in her lifetime.
@@waitwhat9412 As Sartre would have said: 'hell is other people - and an ocean cruise'
Did you have to wake when they said wake?
The American Queen is a beauty.
Thank you for this. It confirms my suspicions that I would much prefer a river cruise. I value a very high quality experience even with limited choices over crowds, bustle, and a sort of pop-culture atmosphere. Your videos look like exactly my sort of crowd and my preferred decor, although I think I definitely want a cabin above the waterline. Who needs entertainment when you have that scenery passing by.
We've been on two Viking Cruises: The Upper Danube and the Rhine.
For someone who wants to feel cozy, safe and cared for, they're great. And we really enjoyed being immersed in the culture. But on the other hand the regimentation made me feel like I was in overnight Girl Scout Camp.
I need time to breathe and be me.
And yes, as you mentioned, the other negative for me on the 2nd cruise was somehow Norovirus went thru the ship. About 20+ passengers, including me, which is a huge chunk of the passengers, were sickened. There are no trained medical personnel on board and if you really need one, they will get a taxi to take you to a doctor. But the 2nd cruise was such a bad experience I will never go again.
Only ever river cruised on the Egyptian Nile. On our second cruise it was an older boat and reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile- fab!
The Nile cruise was one of our best cruising experiences. I would suggest anyone doing it to get a personal tour guide who stays with you on the boat as it made the whole experience so much better we reckon.
Since you write this, I assume you survived!! :D
@@AScrapOfKindness We are "kindred spirits" to be sure!! I've seen all the Poirot movies, and TV shows on Masterpiece, old and new. Particularly loved Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot. And I'm a huge fan of anything ancient Egyptian; the Nile river cruise sounds fascinating to me! .....However, I'll leave my gun at home! ;D
@@ronschlorff7089 🤣
We did a 10 day cruise on the Nile on the SS Misr, several years ago, fantastic, it's like being transported back in time, very "Death on the Nile -ish" !!
The Mrs. and I took the Viking Rhine River cruise several years ago because of a TV add and decided to go for it. We had already been on a cruise ship and wanted to see the difference. The big differences we noticed were the cruise ships had all the 24 hour lifestyles of different things to do. My river cruise lacked the amenities the cruise ship had, but to see the sights and beauty of a country side in slow motion on a river cruise are memories you won’t soon forget. I can’t speak for other river cruises but it seemed to cater to much older folks just wanting relaxation. Loved the walking tours. Stopped at Normandy Beach during one of our stops which happened to be on Veterans Day. They had given us veterans a special salute in honor of all who served. Must admit, i had a tear or two stream from my eyes. I’d recommend a river cruise especially if you love all the beer and wine you can drink while eating. As ABBA says, Take a chance - Take a Chance.
Hi Keith, how are you doing today?
River cruises are great for sheep who like being herded around like cattle.
@@PreservationEnthusiast 7
Relaxation, luxury, and QUIET is what I would want on a river cruise or an ocean cruise. I shudder at the thought of an ocean cruise with 5,000 other humans. Ugh!
@@PreservationEnthusiast you obviously have never been on a river cruise. What you spend your time onshore doing is totally up to you. They have daily tours, but you are not required to participate.
We recently returned from a SCENIC cruise from Nuremberg to Budapest. They offer snacks, sandwiches in the lounge during the afternoon. The suite rooms above the water line had a superior layout /arrangement; full motorised window on the balcony drops to waist level. Absolutely lovely. Very similar concept to other river cruise companies. The food was excellent, evening entertainment was nice; when we decided not to go on a tour nobody bothered us. It was excellent. Keep in mind that each stop is similar, historical, church, castle, abbey. If you aren’t interested in history the itinerary can be boring by day 7.
This video is spot on the pluses and minuses. I wished I had watched it before our Russian River cruise. I wanted to knock my head up against the wall as I was going stir crazy. We only had a few hours off the boat each day. I think there will come a point in time in our lives that this mode of travel will be desirable. But if you’re fit and mobile, river cruising has too much downtime to be enjoyable.
If I was going on a cruise, it would definitely be river. Nothing about an ocean cruise appeals to me but history, architecture and culture does.
Cruise ship....A prison with an option for drowning
I was thinking the same thing! I assumed they were similar to ocean cruises, which sound like torture. The active schedule, getting to know your group fairly well, lots of guided tours with historical/cultural background? Heaven! I will definitely bring my own wine and snacks though. Great video; thank you!!
It depends on the ocean cruise. We're not "resort" people and I saw ocean cruises as a resort on water. But I really enjoyed our Alaska cruise. The ship moved at night and docked during the day. You could book any of several activites or not. We went zip-lining, took a helicopter to a glacier and went dogsledding, attended a salmon bake, explored several towns on our own, etc. I was contemplating a river cruise, but I'm glad I saw this video. I'd hate the coach-tour regimentation of it.
I agree.. RC cruise ship although new and huge left much to be desired
Hi Michelle, how are you doing?
I went on a cruise on the Mekong River and ended up in Angkor Wat. At night the boat would move and we'd wake up in a different location. We visited schools and projects the cruise company supported, as well as museums and the killing Fields (tough visit, but must never be forgotten). We managed to visit places that by land would have been difficult. I highly recommend it. I'm not great at getting up early, but everyday was awe inspiring, and I've never eaten so much fruit, amazing flavours!!!
I suppose it depends on what you're looking for. I did two small (very small) cruises, one down the Danube from Munich to Vienna and one from Amsterdam to Bruges. Both were delightful. The passengers were lovely - I think you meet a more seasoned traveler on these. At every port we had optional activities or could just take off on the bikes they provided and explore on our own. It felt like a gathering of friends rather than a crowd of strangers stuck in a mall. It's definitely riverboat cruises for me.
Very helpful to have a much better idea of what to expect. I like ocean cruises and think I might like a river cruise. But I had no idea they are so very different. Now if I do river cruising I won't be disappointed that it is so different from the cruises I have done.
Very informative and helpful. Planning a vacation and the schedule is wide open so seeing about different options is a real help. Thanks.
We have been on 2 European Viking River Cruises! Loved every minute! Less than 200 passengers so it was easy to meet and get to know people. We took some of the organized walking tours and walked around by ourselves in other ports. I would go again in a heartbeat!
Fewer than 200.
@@lynnebattaglia-triggs1042 Thanks, there's no way I would have understood what she meant. You're really doing the lord's work.
@@lynnebattaglia-triggs1042 thanks! It kills me too.
@@lynnebattaglia-triggs1042 😆
@@lynnebattaglia-triggs1042 Awesome. Let's start a whole commenting thread fighting about the differences between UK English and US English....
I enjoyed my river cruises on Viking. being on a river you always have sight of land, so there is always something to see throughout the passing landscape, unlike an ocen cruise where you may be at sea for two days (with a view of the ocean) till your next destination . guided excursions were included, but you may venture on your own. it's all a persional choice. best river cruise ever, Moscow to St. Petersburg.
I have read through many of the comments below. Nobody seems to have had the reaction I had on my one and only cruise liner. We had two separate full days at sea, going from the UK to Genoa. I thought I would happily lie on a lounger, reading a book, but in fact it was so depressing that It shocked my husband to the core to find me staring at the steely blue line of the horizon with tears rolling down my face! Not a green leaf, blade of grass or village to be seen......I now know it will be river cruises for me, all the way!
Hi Barbara, how are you doing?
Good to know. Not a choice right now tho I wouldn't think
We are booked on a 15 day scenic next year. Cannot wait, watching all the river cruise videos for tips etc.
I have been on 8 ocean cruises but never on river cruises. This video is very informative. So if I decide to go on a river cruise, I’d know exactly what to expect. These are escorted tours with the ship as your hotel, so no need to change hotel every night. Thank you Gary! Love this video and all the others. And congrats on the 100M views! Please keep up the great work, much appreciated and God bless your team!
Don't believe most of what he says
The advantage for me was that my husband could go off and do his walk in the quaint village while I could go off and climb the mountain. We had many options when moored and made the most of them! When I had checked out the price of us visiting all the places we wanted to along the part of the Danube ending up in Budapest, it worked out cheaper on the cruise than trying to drag our luggage along with us using public transport and hotels.
Outside the major cities with enough attractions to fill several days, river cruising is the bet way to see Europe - rather than checking in and out of hotels and catching trains or renting a car, you check into the hotel once, and the hotel goes to each city.
Love river cruises. Best memory was when everyone got off at Cologne and I stayed on board on the sun deck reading my book. Whole place to myself. Beautiful!
My husband and I have been on two river cruises and two ocean cruises. We far preferred the river cruises as it was so easy to disembark and see the lovely towns and sites along the river. The food was wonderful and the chance for meeting interesting people was great too.
Thank you for this video! I've been on several ocean cruises and recently started looking into river cruises. This answered so many of my questions!
I live in a place (Florida) where cruise ships are a big industry, lived here most my life, and I have never been interested in being on a cruise ship at sea, now, these river cruises, look interesting, and definitely something I would like to do, like you said these are basically tours, being done on a boat, but the idea you are in a new town/place every day, and no sea sickness, is very attractive to me.
Bring binoculars. As you are traveling up/down the river, you may want to see the coastline up close.
I've been on 5 viking river cruises...never needed binoculars to see the shore or the hillsides. If I needed a closer view, my camera/phone telephoto option was enough.
Great Tip!!! I wouldn't have thought to bring any!
We went on Grand Circle from Amsterdam to Vienna. It was WONDERFUL!! Smaller ships than Viking, which we MUCH prefer!! The intimacy was lovely.
We went on a Grand Central tour from Vienna to New Amsterdam. Absolutely loved everything. Plenty to do IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO. Loved smaller ship and getting to know everyone. Food was delicious, plenty to do on board as Grand Central made absolutely sure you were happy. We had plenty of free time. Accommodations lovely. Tour guides extremely knowledgeable and fun. Just note when reading what the true includes. Some cruises had more trips where you were Spending time on bus rides to certain destinations. YES, we will take more smaller cruises!
Hi Diane, how are you doing?
We did a Viking Rhine cruise in 2019. It suited us perfectly. So few decisions, so much to experience! Yes, we are a couple in our 50s.
Thank you for this presentation. The information is very helpful for helping me plan or not plan my first river cruise.
My mom did a ton of the river cruises and enjoyed them more than the big ships. I think Hungary was her favorite with the old architecture.
Thank you very much! I'm from Hungary and I used to work as a guide.
I too loved Budapest. That is one place I would have visited again.
I went on Scenic Basel to Amsterdam and I could get a snack any time of the day or night and I often had a whisky in the middle of the night when I couldn’t sleep any more. I was never woken up and sometimes didn’t bother with the escorted tours. They were great as was the food. OK there’s no kids running around, no big theatre featuring gormless entertainments and the staggerers seem to confine themselves to cruise ships. If your thing is to be late and make people wait for you and have a five course meal and then play the poker machines for”fun”? ; then stick to the ocean liners.
But you quite liked your river cruise, if i remember Gary.
I went on the same river cruise but the other way with amawater way at the Christmas market over thanksgiving and it was very nice and I love how they accommodate how the people can fast walkers one group medium the second group and pink walk that was me the slow walkers I will hope to do it again 🥰🥰😍
Sounds like a floating nursing home to me personally. 😏
But hey if that's your thing nor power to ya. Just not for me.
@@aluckyman2668 just because some of us over 50's don't want to slam beers down our gullet until we barf but rather have a nice flavorful alcoholic drink to be savored, nor do we want to stay up all night and sleep until noon etc doesn't mean we have one foot 8n the grave. We like to drink, dance and have fun but in a reasonable manner.
@@mkim269I'm not yet 50 and I've NEVER been attracted to the idea of ocean cruising 🤢
When I was younger I was heavily into backpacking, now that I'm getting older I'm still backpacking but at a slower (and more discerning) pace and starting to love the idea of a river cruise thrown in there as a little bit of a break in the pace.
And ppl who think that nursing home residents would be capable of the walking tours most river criuses offer have no comprehension of why ppl have to go into nursing homes
Gary, thank you for all your videos! We really enjoy and appreciate your insight. We recently sailed on our first river cruise - Uniworld Christmas Markets on the Main river - and you had properly prepared us for the unique things to expect and helped us enjoy our trip more. A couple of things that we noticed was first that most of the passengers on the ship seemed to want to stay in the "American bubble" and not immerse in the culture of the region, which was a bit disappointing as immersion is something we appreciate. All the tours seemed focused on telling you what to observe from the comfort of the American tour group without experiencing things in more detail. In this regard, we found or few days in Nuremburg before joining the ship much more immersive and enjoyable. Second, we were taken aback by how loud the ship passengers were, primarily in the dining room where it was impossible to have a conversation at a normal volume due to the other passengers. The ship staff told us that sort of loud dining room was normal. Has that been your experience? I guess we were just expecting a bit more of a relaxed atmosphere on the ship. Well, thanks again for all your videos!
Very helpful information. Thank you!
Gary I found your dismal description of River Cruises to be a great disservice to what is a grand and elegant way to see several great cities and wonder scenery from your floating semi-private boat. I took a Danube cruise with Uniworld. This was my initial cruise. I loved the idea of traveling with only 158 other individuals rather than 5000 of the masses. First, and most importantly, there were no children. No one running around, no screaming, no temper tantrums and no audible whining. Though the average age of my fellow travelers was in the upper 60's,there were a few travelers in their 40's which was a nice for a single male travelers who enjoyed something more than dining and going to bed. We were each treated so nicely and respectfully by our mostly Easter European staff. The food was extremely good and tasty. I enjoyed sleeping in each morning and catching the last 20 minutes of breakfast. As I did not participate in any of the side tours, I was able to wander through all the towns and cities at my own pace. I ended up visit more museums, more quaint shops and local quesine than any of my fellow passengers. I never felt limited in what I was able to do when in port. As far as when we were under water, I spent most of my time on the open upper deck enjoying the panoramic views of castles, vineyards and villages. You sold this experience very short. I would recommend it to anyone over 50. No herds to tolerate and plenty of privacy outside of your room if you take a tour and look for it.
Do they expect you to get off and do land tours ..sometimes might want to get off other i might not wamt to..
@@maggi0310 I didn't personally go on most of the tours. I would wander into the towns/cities myself and often pass by the tour groups being led by someone who has a specific agenda to keep the group moving which doesn't allow for a stop where you might think is more interesting than the 2 minutes the tour allows. You can decide to stop into a interesting shop or down an colorful street and not miss anything.
River cruises are one of my favorite vacations. Smaller, quieter, better class of tourists.
That's a kinda snobby way to phrase it but at least you know that most of the ppl on board are there because they're interested in learning the history behind what they're seeing - stuff like that. Not there to party (which doesn't mean: not there to have a good time)
Excellent video. This helped me understand things I never knew before about the differences between ocean and river cruises. Thank you!
Thank you so much for the pros and cons. Well balanced. Other people’s videos usually just show the “good”. It helps with planning so all families are satisfied
After going on 2 ocean cruises (one Bahama’s and one Key West/Mexico, I realized they weren’t for me. I don’t like sunbathing and would rather spend my time visiting locations and learn the history. River cruises sound EXACTLY what I’m looking for! Thanks for sharing the differences between the two, along with an explanation of what to expect on a River cruise.
Be assured.a river cruise IS what you want. On an ocean cruise, they are ALL trying to sell you something the whole time. It's like going on a floating "timeshare"...... We did the Rhine - it was relaxing, historical , and fun. It wasn't crowded EITHER. Great scenery passing by with EXPLANATIONS in various languages!
Well put👍
Hi Darlene, how are you doing?
Ocean cruising is what you make it, where you go, not just about sunbathing. Our first two cruises were Northern European, first Iceland, Scotland and Norway, second the Baltic including 2 days in Russia. No sunbathing. Then we did Alaska, beautiful scenery, history and wildlife.
Unless you can afford it, don't do a Viking cruise! Yikes! Those fares are sky high! I don't know about the other river cruise lines.
Been on several Viking river cruises, and all were excellent. Best vacations I’ve been on. I have no interest in boring ocean cruises (Casinos? You can keep them).
I agree with your view on ocean cruises. You'd have to pay me to go on one - but this strict schedule is not for us either. My husband is Hungarian & last time we visited Budapest, his relatives told us about an overnight cruise to Vienna. That's more our style.
Who needs a casino when on vacation? Also, I can shop where I live and don't need to do this on a ship. The scenery is spectacular, not just water
I just want a sun deck to lounge on and have a "screw the world I am comfortable attitude"
I guess it's like a lot of things: you'll like this if this is the sort of thing you like.
@@georgedunn320 My wife and I love casinos, but we found the ones on Ocean ships are small and not much to speak of...based upon the lack of people in there at any time I don't see folks takeing trips for the casino experaince what so ever....it's there if you want but not a big draw.....
I’ve been on a river cruise on the Columbia River through Washington and Oregon states, and up the Nile in Egypt. Conversely, I’ve been on 5 or 6 huge cruise ships in the Caribbean. I agree with his assessment of river cruising vs cruising on large bodies of water. I love both types of cruises, and will go on one or the other depending on the type of vacation I’m looking for.
Our river cruise on the Danube was the very best vacation we ever took. Did a Christmas market tour great!
I love river cruising. You do not have to follow the whole schedule. I love it being small and intimate. We ate lunch in town often. There were free snacks, hot chocolate, coffee, etc all day long on board. We went on GCT. The staff actually helped us make plans to go to a town that my brother lived in when he was in Germany for five years. We met some nice people. And we could sit wherever we wanted for breakfast and dinner. We never had someone starring back at us from another boat. Ocean cruises are too big for me.
Crystal River Cruises have 24 hour room service!! Much more flexible tour schedule. Best river cruising experience. River luxury at its best.
In my country river cruises are a popular thing (because there's a couple big rivers with all the little historical towns and small cities on them). They're often referred to as not as "cruises" at all, but "river motor ship tours". "Passenger river motor ship" is one word in Russian - "теплоход". "Teplohod"
Entertainers and lecturers sometimes give a concert or a series of lectures onboard of such a ship. Those ships also cater for parties e.g. weddings. There's a whole range of local pop songs about river cruising that are typically played on board of this ships or welcome them in various ports.
Thank you for this perspective bcos I'd recently looked into river cruising in Russia (b4 all this Ukraine thing blew up)
Thank you for the review! I was blessed to have been an officer on the big lines and now enjoying being a passenger. We were JUST shopping for a river cruise but your honest review of how this is likened to a “bus-cruise” meant booking on another mega ship. We just like to be left alone and be free to enjoy our deserved vacation. We can always over-schedule ourselves if we want but we want the FREEDOM!
It's basically an organized tour where your room follows you, so you don't have to be constantly packing and repacking, plus the ride is more scenic, and you aren't confined to a bus seat while travelling.. I will say that I was a little underwhelmed with the food (Viking). It wasn't bad, but it also wasn't great. Of course, on an organized bus tour you will dine at preselected venues, which are also likely to be "averagey".
Exactly. You get a lot more time to do things, because you aren't spending all of your time checking in and out of hotels. The only time I had a problem going off on my own was in China. The Chinese didn't take kindly to my idea of going off on my own on up the Yangtze before the three gorges dam was fully flooded. 🤫
We just came back from a Viking cruise on the Douro in Portugal. I will agree that I was also underwhelmed with the food. There were some notable exceptions to that though. The service was also a little hit and miss. Our cruise director was drunk some of the time. When I booked I thought I booked a balcony cabin. I was shocked when they told us that we were in a below water cabin. They did update us to a balcony cabin at no upcharge. Several people were also sickened with stomach ailments including my husband and me on different days. I missed quite amfew tours becaause of this. That being said, I would give them another try. We met many lovely people and generally had a very good time. We have done two ocean cruises with Viking that were great. The food was much better on the ocean cruises!
Interesting feedback on the food on Viking here. Not what I've heard other places so it's good to get a different perspective
Having taken many ocean cruises on many different cruise lines I finally took a 16 day river cruise. I loved every minute! I’m planning my next river cruise & can’t wait to go again.
Sounds like the Amsterdam to Budapest trip, which is hard to beat, and well worth spending a few days in the departure and destination cities. I also did a Paris to Normandy, but it didn't add as much to what it would be like travelling the traditional way. I get the feeling that the Amsterdam to Budapest is the best trip by far.
*Consider going a different route - Asian river cruises.* The boat is a lot smaller (10 to 60 berths but typically around 30, which are never close to being completely filled) making it more intimate and the staff goes out of their way.
This was a balanced and fair review of river cruising. Thank you so much. River cruising sounds like something I would enjoy.
I appreciate your clear, thorough, and honest review.
Glad it was helpful!
While this report is basically true, it is heavily slated. No casino--great, no shops--great. No endless food everywhere--good. You can get food at off times but gone are the days of decadent overflowing buffets. You go to historic places. If you don't want the free tour--skip it. We arranged our own outing and wandered around Bruge eating mussels and beer. We spent our free afternoons wandering the city, buying from local shops. The lectures we were offered were great, the daily tour very well organized. Maybe some folks need lots of action and distraction. We watched France, Germany, glide by while reading.
👍👍👍👍
We've done 3 river cruises and we skip a lot of their tours and basically use the boat to get to the next port and then we head off to see what we can see.
Hi Janet, how are you doing?
Thank you for all this info.
7 years ago a friend and I went on a river cruise on the Amazon river. There were maybe 14 of us, small boat, very peaceful and a highlight of my life.
My first river cruise was on the Rhine, on Viking Lofn. I really enjoyed it, and would love to do a river cruise again. I liked how much quieter it was than the ocean cruises I've been on (with NCL), and I could actually relax and enjoy the scenery without tons of loud people around. I liked the better service we got, because there were simply fewer passengers. I didn't miss nightly shows/entertainment/parties because that stuff just wears me out - I'm an asocial introvert :D
I agree with you. I loved the Rhine River cruise. I did Avalon. It’s not a party boat but we did have a good time in the lounge at night with new ppl. We made our own fun. We did have a dj almost every night. He looked like Elton John. We would sit around have our wine and make our own fun. I will do it again if I don’t have to be vaccinated.
We did the Rhine too.....and yes, I agree with you completely. I'd do it again. Too much weird stuff on ocean cruises and TOO crowded.....always having to fight for a damn deck chair. - NO THANKS.
I also took Viking Lofn on the Rhine & I absolutely loved it. Would pick it over a ocean cruise every time!
I did a river cruise to the Amazon via Peru..it was fantastic!
Try it next time.
@@dancalmpeaceful3903 How right you are dancalm & I couldn’t agree with you more! I too hate the “daily fight” ( search) for the ever elusive 🤣 deck chairs! People run out early plopping their towels on chairs( returning to their rooms, to shop, the buffet I learned) to secure chairs for not only them but friends as well. I talked to a group such as that, who told me to come out early as they do, put a couple “personal items on chairs”, a crumbled towel & then I would have a chair waiting for me. Naturally we didn’t do that so consequently, it was a maddening search each day for chairs, on some ships, a fruitless search! It is why we discovered that no matter what time we would come out, chairs are “seemingly all taken!” The cruise 🚢 lines keep saying, in the news, that they are going to implement rules of “no saving chairs” on deck, but we have yet to see it! I doubt that rule will ever be implemented! I so agree with you dancalm, that having to hunt for a deck chair daily( fruitlessly usually) leaves a unpleasant memory, for ocean cruises! Might I also add that on our Oceania cruise line( smaller ship) we had no problem finding deck chairs! Wowwwww! We couldn’t believe it! 😂
Beautiful way to see europe.
Even if it's like an escorted bus tour. Loved the Danube ...
Just got back from the Danube with Tauck. It was the trip of a lifetime. Tauck is truly all inclusive (open bar all.day) and less crowded the most river cruise lines. The included special events (dinners at palaces, early entry into popular spots) and quality of tour guides and food are fabulous. There are no in cabin announcements. You get the itinerary and decide if you want to join. Often there are two excursions in a day and both are included with time to explore on your own. This was my third and I'm seeing the average age is dropping. They are about the destination, so if flashy ships and gambling are more your style, forget about it. For me, this is perfect.
Tauck is my choice but also the most expensive choice.
Thanks for the info on river cruises Gary. I had always suspected that they're not for me and this video absolutely confirms it.
I have been on many ocean cruises, but the best cruise I have been on was the river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest..I loved the size, never having to put my hand in my pocket to pay for drinks and the fact all of our excursions were included in the price. I loved the courtesy, our butler service .
Totally agree. The only difference was we went the opposite direction and I think I would prefer the direction you did. Why you may ask? Simple, the pace of everything is more frenetic the nearer you get to Amsterdam whereas we found the Budapest end much more relaxed. So as a holiday starting at the busy end and moving to the chilled end fits more with the detuning process that goes with a holiday. We finished with a week in Berlin - awesome. However we loved every minute of it.
How many days was this cruise? You switched ships from Rhine to Danube - at which cities?
@@mjkirk12 the cruise I think was 16 days, but because of heavy rain in the previous month the lock was broken in Vienna. Whilst they changed our boat they put us up in the Hilton in Vienna. All of our things were transferred to the boat on the other side of the lock. We went from the Scenic Ruby to the Scenic Pearl. We had nothing extra to pay. It was really hard staying in Vienna 😂😂😂loved every minute of it. Best holiday ever.
@@sandranorris8538 Thanks for this info. I searched and read there is a Rhine-Main-Danube canal (with 16 locks) that interconnect the 2 rivers. Completed in 1992. You can cruise from Amsterdam to the Black Sea.
I get the feeling that the Amsterdam to Budapest is by far the best (and definitely want to spend some time at the departure and arrival city). I did a Paris to Normandy which wasn't a big a gain over seeing the same things travelling by other means. *After Amsterdam to Budapest, consider changing continents* - Asian river cruises are a completely different experience.
I have traveled extensively since I was a small child, but have avoided ocean cruises like the plague. It's my idea of hell. To me the joy of traveling is blending in with the locals, seeing the sites and learning about their culture. If I want to be surrounded by hundreds of my fellow Americans, gambling, shopping and attending shows, I can go to Las Vegas. Now, this video made me want to try a river cruise. That's more my speed. 🙂
Totally agree with you. I want to see something. Not being docked next to the souvenir and t shirt shops .
I totally agree. Most Americans like to travel in a protected bubble.
1 ocean cruise was enough for me. Absolutely hated it. This slow pace looks very relaxed.
Agreed. I travel to get away from my fellow Americans.
I went in December 3 2003 and it was gods waiting room. Actually, know that I think about it with your idea of hell, it may have been hell. Guess there’s lots of old people going to hell. No wonder there were people sitting in the dining halls all day eating 15000 calories. No wonder they have casinos as well. I mean if your going to hell, the devil doesn’t care about money. I think it’s God that wants all the money. Isn’t that why God loves you and he needs money (George Carlin).
Recently returned from our second European River cruise with Scenic, and just booked our third yesterday!
We have travelled extensively and have found the river cruise experience to suit us very well! We are in our late 50’s, remain active, and have personal and professional interests in cultural and historical tourism.
We appreciate that river cruises focus on history, culture, art, and architecture. River cruises are learning experiences.
We really appreciate how the smaller ships create better opportunities for getting to know your fellow travellers and for higher quality personalized service. The river cruise experience seems so much more relaxed and personalized than the larger mega ships. No lines, no noise, easy on and off the ship (just swipe your identification card and walk off), the staff knows you personally by name.
Like you, I like to workout. As you noted, the gym facilities are very basic on river cruise ships. The workout on a river cruise is all the walking you do on your daily tours.
You were right to note that the entertainment options at night are far more limited than on a larger vessel. But, we found that after spending our entire days enjoying the historical and cultural excursions, we were pretty tired after dinner and wanted to get some rest to be ready for the next day’s experiences. So, we didn’t really need much in the way of entertainment.
Food options,as you mentioned, might seem more limited on a river cruise because there is only one restaurant on board, but they do provide many options. The food is excellent! They often offer regional specialties. The staff are very keen to accommodate special dietary needs, which the smaller number of passengers makes it easier for them to do. We have been pleased and impressed by the quality of the food we are served on river cruises.
I think it is fair to say that the river cruise experience is a different travel experience than the larger cruise ships. You should be clear about what you want out of a travel experience before you book. River cruises are smaller groups, personalized service, and focused on cultural and historical learning experiences. If that is what you seek, then river cruising is for you!
Salute to Scenic who we have cruised with twice (soon to be three times) they have provided exemplary service and their ship board staff have always been polite, courteous, friendly, and professional.
Thank you for spreading this very important message.
By the way, it works the other way around as well. Coming from river cruising, you are overwhelmed by the check-in lines and find yourself starring at the ocean, wondering if something will come up...
We loved our cruise from Moscow to St. Petersburg - amazing country that I would not attempt any other way.
Hi Patti. What cruise line did you go on? We have been on Emerald Waterways but wondered about other cruise lines.
@@sharonduke5718 We sailed with Viking - lovely! Different than European river cruises but an excellent trip. I love local foods so enjoyed trying the daily offerings of Russian cuisine. We did our own pre-cruise in Amsterdam and flew in to Moscow to join the cruise. Next time I would plan time on our own at each end to really explore these very different cities - Moscow and St Petersburg.
I had much the same thinking. However, all thoughts in that direction are on permanent pause for now
This is a fabulous video - honest and clear about what to expect. I like the analogy of a bus tour on the river. We are going on our first Viking Danube cruise in June 2022 and from your description it will suit me perfectly. I’m all about castles, cathedrals and old cities.
It’s so much more fabulous than he says! It’s no where near a bus tour and you don’t have to do what everyone else does. The staff will help you find something you would find interesting to do.
Glad it was helpful!
I loved our Tauck Rhine/Moselle cruise!
@@bamarrone totally agree. Best holidays ever. Far better than the many ocean cruises that we've been on.
You do what you want, when you want. As much as you want or as little as you want.
Had no problem with food times.
I lived my viking Danube cruise. Very relaxing for me but we met friends for life and enjoyed the tours and food
We did a river cruise last year, and we had a great time. It was not as regimented as you experienced on your cruise with all the briefings etc. Tours were not ‘compulsory’, and the cruise guides were really helpful with options. We sailed mainly at the ends of the day and over night. I suppose different companies do things differently.
Very informative and helpful video.
You mention that river cruises have few excursion choices and that it's rare to go on your own at a given port. I've taken two Viking river cruises and most ports had 3-6 options - plenty of choice. We chose a cruise on the same stretch of the Danube for our second cruise, and went out on our own at nearly every stop, which wasn't a problem at all. We knew the cities by then, and I speak German, which made navigating those German and Austrian cities even easier. We'd explore the given city all day, doing whatevet we wanted, and just make sure to return before the ship leaves port. My wife and I had a blast both times, enjoying ourselves much more than the ocean cruises we have taken. The focus on history and culture vs casinos and shows is a big PLUS for us, not a negative.
You're 100% right about river cruises attracting an older crowd though. We're in our early/mid 30s and were easily the youngest passengers on our two cruises by a good couple of decades. Most people were in their late 50s through early 70s. We didn't mind a bit though, and loved getting to know everyone. We made several friends who we still keep in touch with a few years later. We find the "party" crowd of the ocean-going ships to be a bit exhausting, and the larger capacity and asymmetrical dining times of those ships to be a bit isolating. We much prefer the smaller, more intimate river ships that let us get to know our fellow passengers.
Good points Corey. Casinos, shopping and shooters are not what I want from a cruise. Good conversations and relationships to share experiences with and learn from, are a definite plus. The views look amazing.
@@chomperthefirst533 exactly!
We did a one week rhone cruise and in the week after just took a rental car and explored the same area on our own. And this combination of a one week cruise and a second week just on our own with in depth exploring is something, that i really enjoy.
@Helmut Klarn..Good thinking 99!!!
That’s a clever idea! Thanks
Like many others here, every feature of a river cruise you point out are the exactly why river cruising is so enjoyable. My wife and I have taken two Viking cruises and enjoyed both of them very much. We were by far the youngest couple on the ships, which was quite enjoyable as well. I suppose I could be considered a lazy traveler, in that I don’t enjoy making plans. On both cruises, I had no idea what the excursions were prior to the cruise so it was as if every one was a pleasant surprise. I found there was plenty of time for quiet relaxation on deck observing the beautiful sights.
Thanks for the breakdown. I've been on ocean cruises and I've just been hired to work on a river cruise. That was a great explanation of the differences!!
Gary is talking about European River Cruising.
US River Cruising is different in some ways and the same in others.
First, there is much more diversity in size and design of the ships.
Second there are 3 major areas involved. Great Lakes and St Lawrence River, Northwest rivers in Washington State and neighbors, Mississippi River and its tributaries which has the most variety.
Third, ships rarely are in port at the same time.
So far, I've only taken one US river cruise. It was on the American Queen Steamboat which is a true steamboat with a rear paddle wheel. Passengers can visit the engine room but they must be able to walk up and down 1 flight of stairs.
She holds just under 500 passengers. She has inside and outside cabins all above the water line. Some are for solo travelers.
She has a main dining room with 2 seatings for dinner. She also has a small buffet restaurant with a bar and snack area as well. In the afternoon, hamburgers and hotdogs are served on a rear deck. She has a real swimming pool deep enough to swim short laps. She has elevators and several sets of stairs inside and out.
She has lectures and music entertainment every day. She has a real theater with a major show in the evening. Although I didn't go, there was a comedian in one of the lounges most evenings.
Included shore excursions were offered in every port. Buses made loops through the towns dropping people off and picking them up. You get to choose where and how long you stopped at each place. You could get off and walk around and pick the bus up at a different stop. Usually an extra cost excursion was also offered. It was more regimented.
Most of her cruises originate or return to New Orleans, but not all. She's not inexpensive but I believe she's worth the money.
Yes, you have to participate in a muster drill. Can't get out of that.
I’ve done three cruises on the American Queen (not counting a fourth that was canceled by COVID), and I will never bother with ocean cruising again. Gary, sounds like you’re shocked! shocked! to find that there’s a difference between styles of cruising! Jacquelyn S describes the Queen experience thoroughly and accurately. I’ll just add that, personally, I’ve come to prefer only "round-trip" Mississippi & Ohio River itineraries, i.e. departing & returning at the same port, for ease of getting to & from that same port by car. Also, although the formal dining room is delightful, I quickly came to prefer the buffet venue at the rear of the ship. And it’s nice to have the much more economical option of an interior room (without a costly view). The on & off at-will free bus excursions are adequate for me, and the twice-nightly shows are absolutely fantastic. There’s a port-call nearly every day - all of them very enjoyable. And the views of the riverbanks, towns, and passing river traffic beat the heck out of staring at empty ocean for days at a stretch. Aboard ship, if you’re not partaking of the piano music or the lectures or tours of the ship, there is an incredible array of onboard lounges, reading rooms, and cubbyholes to relax in, all exquisitely furnished and decorated. And it’s all much less rigidly structured than is apparently the case on the European cruises as described (a bit negatively?) on the video. So don’t let the video sour you on river cruising... of COURSE it’s different from ocean cruising! Enjoy it for what it is!
I agree American river cruises are a blast more time to relax and unwind and much bigger ships more places on the ships to go.....
I’ve seen the ads for the steamship River cruises & I would genuinely enjoy taking one. My mom has an emotional support certified animal with paperwork, do you know if these or any river boat services allow such pets? P.S.Thank you for sharing.
@@evelanpatton I'm not sure the times I was on an American river cruise I never saw a dog on the ship sorry I couldn't help you....
@@evelanpatton I don't know of any US river boats that allow pets on board.
I don't know if they allow certified therapy animals on board. If you inquire do not ever refer to them as pets. You are more likely to get permission if you refer to them as therapy animals. I do know that guide dogs for the blind are generally accepted but have to be cleared in advance.
The only ship I know of that accepts pets is the Queen Mary II on her transatlantic crossing. She only allows a limited number of dogs and cats. Fees are very expensive.
I thoroughly enjoy river cruising. Especially around the christmas period.
Ba~Hamburg
You have certainly talked me into a river cruise
We took a 3 day cruise down the Danube on Avalon. It was great. We didn’t take the winery tour but instead choose to walk around durnstein on our own. Same at Bratislava. No pressure. We had drinks on the sun deck as we cruised through the wachau valley. We woke up early to see the arrival into Budapest. It was fantastic. I would recommend to anyone that wants to take it a bit slower.
We did Viking before the pandemic. It was great. History, scenic Vistas, and great service. We look forward to our next one. Great work by Gary laying out the differences. The one thing that can be s bump in the road is river levels...you may have to switch boats if river water levels get low, but Viking has many identical boats and the switch is almost flawless.
We've done 2 river cruises, both with Uniworld and had a fabulous time both trips. My husband and I just went with adult friends and family and it was really great. This last time, we took our 12 year old, and I was a little hesitant that our kiddo would be bored or lonely, but honestly it was the opposite. I wouldn't recommend Uniworld for young children, but our preteen was old enough to appreciate the excursions - art, culture, history, etc and they love food so it was exciting to get to try local cuisine. The thing about river cruising that I really enjoy is that you get to really know the people you're cruising with, and the staff onboard as well as the tour guides. We found that the bartenders on our cruise rarely get kids, so they made a game or of creating the most unique, tasty virgin cocktails they possibly could at each cocktail hour and meal for our kiddo. We also did a private dining experience one night where the executive chef and sommelier put together a menu and wine pairing. Our kiddo wanted to come because they love trying different foods and love cooking, and the sommelier chose a special non alcoholic wine or drink to pair with each course especially for them so they felt included. I feel like river cruising can give you that rockstar, special treatment you can't get on ocean cruising without paying for the exclusive perks.
To go to the next level on most of what you spoke about, look into Asian river cruises (Pandaw is the largest operator).
My husband and I went on a small inner passage Alaskan cruise, 138 passengers. We loved it!
Just finished my second river cruise with Gate One. Danube and Rhine. Loved them both.
My parents did several river cruises in Europe in the 90s, & my mother went on a couple in the 2000s on the Danube. She loved all the cruises 🚢 as did my stepdad.