6 Best European River Cruise Lines. Which One Is Right For You?
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- Опубліковано 27 тра 2024
- What are the best European river cruise lines? I discuss the 6, based on my numerous river cruises through Europe that I recommend that you consider for your first or next river cruise in Europe. I review and discuss lines ranging from premium to more value, and those in between. These are the 6 best river cruise lines to consider. Which one sounds right and best for you?
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Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers aims to help you make more of your precious travel time and money on land and when cruising the oceans or rivers of the world. To help you, in every video I draw on my first-hand tips and advice from travelling every month for over 20 years and 60+ cruises.
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I just discovered this channel.. I was surprised not to see Tauck here. I chose them because of the all inclusive nature. Absolutely everything was included. Even token to use restrooms on land excursions. Beautiful ships and cabins. The service impeccable. One day I wasn't feeling well , and one of the tour guides brought me back a gift and snack from the days land tour.
I recently cruised on Ama Waterways. It was terrible! Food was awful, and they cater to mostly very senior cruisers. Friends who cruised with Tauck had a much better experience.
Probably out of price range for these viewing
I notice I commented on here 11 months ago on cruises and forgot to mention a very important thing. We were in Egypt on a river cruise with Saga at the time of the massacre in Hatsheputs temple. No hesitation, Saga got us out immediately. A plane was diverted from Rome . We were flown to Cairo and then a plane had been diverted to pick us up. We were the first to arrive at Heathrow with all the reporters waiting. Duty of care second to none.
Window-facing beds, panoramic windows, excellent food, comfy furnishings and accoutrements, and WiFi are my best friends. Local cuisine, museums, bookstores and yarn shops are all the lagniappe I ask. I don’t care about the other guests, they’re not why I’m there. I’m looking for ambiance, culture, and history. And my #1 requirement is a room with a view. For knitting. Now all I need is the wherewithal to do it. But poor as I am, I have it (mostly) right here - “Here is where the birds sing! Here is where the sky is blue!”
We chose Viking for one main reason, so many boats meant if the river was low, it was more likely to swap boats rather than getting stuck in motels and on buses. Service was brilliant and staff fantastic. In fact Viking were so good that we found the staff and service were significantly better and far more friendly than on the Orient Express Train we did two weeks later. Thats how good Viking is.
Because Viking ships have higher passenger (and baggage) capacity, they also tend to have greater draft. This means they are more prone to have to change itineraries or bus passengers or.... I base this on experience on an AmaWaterways cruise on the Danube in 2018. Low water levels did not impact our itinerary except that Viking and others were making unscheduled stops and were tying up along side of our boat. Some of the passengers on the other boats were NOT HAPPY.
you chose wrong. You should have chosen the last one, with the French Food.
We did a Viking cruise and it was amazing, superb quality all round. Service was wonderful and staff were very helpful. Food was excellent and shore excursions were also excellent, would definitely book another cruise with Viking.
NO it was NOT amazing. NOT if they feed you god damned SANDWICHES for lunch. I eat 10 times BETTER cooking by myself, at home. You should have chosen the one that gives you that wonderful FRENCH CUISINE.
My only river cruise was with Croisieurope, down the Moselle and up the Rhine. The food was fantastic. We were seated with a French food critic and he was impressed. We had an absolutely delightful time and I highly recommend it. It certainly helped that I speak French.
We will be cruising in SEPTEMBER 2023 on CrusiEurope. Looking for way to it.
Multiple cruises on Viking and found their staff and service to be fabulous. And no kids on this primarily geriatric cruise is a blessing.
My wife is a very savvy traveller and, after careful research, decided Scenic was our best choice. They have many of the pluses you have listed here; including the power window/balcony combo, bikes, true all-inclusive, included tips, a choice of 2 excursions per day, chef's table, spa and gorgeous staterooms. Everybody is assigned to a butler who will do their utmost to make you happy. It was just a delight. It was mostly Australians; a few Brits and Canadians.
Just wonder how much more expensive this was.
@@cherifurr3935 Scenic is expensive. I've been on Scenic and it was great (Soane/Rhone cruise) but my word you can better value elsewhere.
Scenic IS expensive but their EMERALD RC are excellent with a reduced price point. ( drinks with meals / some activities only). But everything else the same
I have never gone on nor do I plan to go on any cruises...River or otherwise.
However, I am a historian and Biographer/ ghost writer looking at making a glossy photo coffee table book documenting the insights and ideas of savvy cruisers and am here gathering material and finding contacts to interview and feature in the book.
My goal is to shine a light on a time period in history..that time is 2019 through 2030.
I plan to document travel in the time of Covid..and compare and contrast travel in this time to travel in the recent past.
I hope by focusing on the travelers themselves..by honing in on the people, on their inner thoughts, secret contemplations, their still alive dreams, schemes, aspirations and hopes to snow a " picture" of the " typical" cruisers themselves..not as a " demographic", not as a Panorama..but more of an innocent and intimate snapshot.
Reflections of The Golden Years Travelers.
I desire to know how the scenery, culture, places and faces they encounter on these cruises compare to the rest of their life..and how traveling both makes them long for a time now passed by..and also inspires them to embrace the moment.
So much is changing in the world around us now. We have to capture what is...now. We are in a pivotal time. That is an understatement.
I am interested in showing the cruisers themselves as vivid and complex.. stories within themselves.through shining a light on..their inner lives....much more interesting than just labeling them,
" merely boomers spending money in their last hoo- rah."
I wish to document their fleeting reverie
As they sail through ancient lands..some of these lands they traverse are areas of their of their own ancestry..
What must they be contemplating..after giving their youth, vigor labor and love to jobs..to decades of monontony and mundane..all for his..all for a time..such as this..where they sail away..for a day..in the fringes..in the wings of foreign mystery...these foreign lands they sail past and whisk through..ring bells inside them..fir these places are really a part of their own DNA.
Maybe some merely eat, drink, walk, talk and take pictures.
For some it is just well earned entertainment.
For others it is the desire to stop time, freeze time..and walk into a tiny town on the bank of some remote Eastern European enclave..and just be absorbed into that life .....the secret wish to sneak away from the group without anyone noticing..and just stay behind....making bread and sewing..perhaps owning a cat there, sleeping by the fireside within the walls of a local home.for a whole year.... One of them..as natural part of their scenery..
sigh...
Of course it is only an impulse. Realty could not allow such a thing. But let us tell this dream aloud.
Because once told, once written down then..the dream has its own life...in the book.forever.
Many thoughts pass on a cruise.
I only wish to immortalize them
@@sissyrayself7508 Loved your comments...Hope to hear more and read your book and writings. Aloha.
I have done two cruises on CroisiEurope, and both were delightful. The food is extraordinary and the service impeccable. The four of us were the only Americans on-board. There was one couple from Australia, but otherwise, mainly French people. Everyone was delightful. I'd much rather meet other nationalities than just hang out with Americans...when in France...
there you go again. What in the world was 'extraodinary' about the food? Have you ever had a decent, healthy meal in your life?????? God damned sandwiches for lunch is NOT even DECENT food, let alone 'extraordinary'
O my god, does it mean the crew does not speak any english? I live in France - am so sick of french language
Love the correct use of “permutations “ rather than “combination”, cudos
My choice is Vantage. They have solo cabins and low or now single supplement on most of their cruises.
Thank you! I will look for that on line.
We've done three on Viking. The service is amazing. Loyal fan for life.
I am at the beginning of planning our first river cruise (maybe in 2023). I keep seeing comments just like yours! Viking is my top pick so far.
We’ve done 2 on Viking, and have a third booked for next year. Definitely big fans!
We LOVE Viking cruises! We've done 2 river cruises and are looking forward to an ocean cruise in the spring.
I would suggest you try other cruise lines to compare. Or, just stay happy with Viking.
I was on a Croisi cruise about four years ago and so enjoyed it. Thanks for speaking about Emerald cruise lines, too. I will look them up. Wonderful video by the way. Thanks very much.
My favorite river cruise was AmaWaterway, it had an extremely large room, and the bathroom was phenomenal! Love the balcony perfect for having a glass of wine in the evening!
Brilliant!
Only having traveled with Viking until now, your perspective of that line gives me confidence in your perspective of the other lines as well.
Thank you for touching upon some of the major considerations my wife and I use as a selection guide.
We will definitely be exploring the idea of one of your selections in a future holiday.
We loved our cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest on GateOne. Couldn’t have been better.
I was very interested watching this video presentation, and eagerly awaited your review of Scenic -- but it never came! In my experience, Scenic (mostly Australian guests, some English, and a few Americans) is in a class all by itself. Scenic "Space Ships" have far fewer passengers than other river cruise ships and all suites have Butler Service Every suite has a spacious outside deck (no "French Balconies"), with an automatic glass cover which can be engaged to protect you during inclement weather. Scenic dining has choices! There is the Cafe Rive, which is open all day, the Portabello restaurant is the main dining room, and Table la Rive is a small, intimate restaurant (your Butler will reserve a table for you) for that special romantic, celebratory dinner. Service is absolutely without parallel. The lounges are comfortable and serene. A piano bar is a pleasant accompaniment to a beautifully presented English tea, and the bar staff will go above and beyond to make that special drink. Electric bicycles are available for those who would like to ride the towpath, and the guests and entertainers are interesting and first rate. One tip, though: if you are planning to cruise on Scenic you should think about booking at least two years ahead, especially if you would like a Junior Suite, a Panorama Suite or an Owner's Suite. They book up fast! I can't say enough positive things about Scenic so, Gary, may I respectfully suggest you take a cruise on one of their many European river options and try this outstanding experience. The Scenic company also has a small ocean-going ship (about 250 guests) that travels around the world, and one can book a short trip or a series of trips. I have not sailed on this ship yet (Covid got in the way of my plans!) but it is definitely in my future. Scenic is most probably not the cheapest option on the river but to my mind it is worth every penny! To be honest, Scenic was my first experience when it came to river cruising and I was so impressed I have never bothered to check what the opposition cruise lines are charging. I want the very best experience and I have found it. If I could award more than 5 stars, I would. FYI: I am not a travel agent and have absolutely nothing to do with the travel business. I am a lady in her 70s who loves to travel, and this review is totally my own opinion -- and Scenic has no idea I have posted it. (BTW - when it comes to ocean cruising: nothing beats Regent Seven Seas cruises, in my opinion; and for the South Pacific: it's Paul Gauguin all the way!)
Scenic is one I’ve considered because it would be fun to travel with a group from Australia or another country. Plus, even though I’m in my early 70s, I don’t want to travel with a group of geriatric people.
Really enjoyed this, for me, informative introduction to river cruising. I followed the links to some of the Croisi cruise vids. Opened a new range of options for me. Thanks.
Hi Gary,
Another informative video focusing on river cruises. You obviously do a lot of homework which enables you to share this information with your viewers. I appreciate the wonderful balance of
comparisons and then elaborating on the specifics that would showcase each cruise line.
Thanks,
Darryl
yesit m
m
We've done several cruises on Viking & would highly recommend them.
We went on a Viking river cruise for our 50th wedding anniversary. Two days before, we got an email from Viking informing us the the river was low but expected to be high enough to sail in a day or two. Upon arrival we learned the river had been low for months. We were bussed to every location taking hours to get to the tour. Since the time to get there and then return back to the ship was so long, the tour was rushed and not enjoyable. For the entire cruise the ship was docked in Germany. We had to rise very early with very little time for breakfast to spend hours on the bus to get to the next tour and then after the tour more hours to get back to the ship for dinner. For lunches we had a brown bag lunch which included a half a sandwich, apple and bottle of water. Not quite the cuisine we expected. Several days we spent 8-10 hours on the bus with our legs swelling and other hazardous health difficulties. Viking knew the river was too low for cruising and should have cancelled the trip. This was the worst cruise we have ever experienced and the passengers were furious. Upon return, Viking offered us $1,500 toward another cruise which is a drop in the bucket of the over $10,000 we spent. I would never go on another Viking cruise because of the deceitful way they handled this cruise. Buyer beware . . . make sure the water is high enough to sail before going.
What year and month did you go? This is what I worry about the most, the water levels. it must have been so disappointing to be bused after paying a lot of money.
@@johnhoward6132 This terrible experience happened in September of 2018. Do independent research on water levels because Viking does not give accurate information. Good Luck!
We’re going on a Viking River cruise this fall. We had to pay in full a year or longer in advance. River levels are unknown that far in advance..I guess it’s a roll of the dice.
@@philipgerry5228 yes you are right. I will be so upset if I have to go by bus.
@@zoemartin02 Thanks.
Always the best river cruise reviews on YT.
Thanks for covering the more youthful ones....I'm 45 and kind of at the point where I'm too young for the old, and too old for the young....lol
Same here. I’m approaching 70, in great health (right now) active and young in mind and spirit. I’ve already experienced being on some tours with “old” people and the entire energy of the trip was a bummer.
On my 4 river cruises. The ages were from 20 - 80's with many many active people of all ages and many in the 40/50 age bracket.
Our cruises were always fairly lively with many folk staying up in the bar ( not near sleeping facilities) until quite late each night. Always plenty to do and if you dock over night..the local pubs etc were well patronised by our guests.
I’m early 70s and am interested in more active excursions and interesting (younger) passengers on the ships. From my research and what this man has to say, sounds like Avalon, Scenic, and AMA are best options. Viking sounds like a snooze fest.
You provide a great overview to help with our decision making process. Thanks.
Gary, thank you for all the tips and other information. You keep everything clear and concise, which is so helpful. My husband and I are planning our first European river cruise, probably Danube though not sure yet. He is somewhat reluctant as he feels we are "too old " to take advantage of the excursions (ages 75 and 77). We neither of us have trouble with walking or balance, etc., so I say "go for it" (as do many of our younger relatives and friends, who know us well). We can sit out a day or two if we want/need to.
Excellent information,well presented.J
I, myself, find Crystal to be the number one River cruise company in Europe. They truly are all inclusive. Butler service comes with each cabin. No need to purchase an alcohol package as it truly is included. The shore excursions are second to none. The ships are beautifully appointed and very elegant. The food is Michelin star quality and the service is impeccable. They are my number one choice when I sail and that I recommend to my clients who are looking for a truly exceptional cruising experience. AmaWaterways would be #2. If you are considering river cruising, do not immediately discount a cruise line based on price. Companies like Viking charge for things that are included in the more upscale lines making Crystal and AMAWaterways much more price competitive than people realize. There truly is something for everyone.
You’ve got to be kidding. I’ve been pricing 8 day Rhine cruises, same itineraries, most lines $3,500-$3,900, some with free airfare. Crystal is 2-for-1, ha, over $11,000! That is $5,500 pp to do the math.
What da f “the shore excursions are second to none”????
Great information that definitely helps provide some direction when looking at which cruise line might be more appealing for me. Thank you!
Thanks so much for your important information I really enjoy how you presented and it’s so easy to sort out what my personal taste would be because of how well you present the cruising information.
Great video and great tips! Really thinking about trying a river cruise now!👍🏻
Very useful, thanks Gary.
I loved my river cruise on CroisiEurope. I did a back to back in France and have been from the Mediterranean to the English Chanel. I will definitely go on a Croisi river cruise again.
Thanks Garry, very good. liked the film footage too.
Fantastic and educational video as always, than you so much! I wish that all UA-cam informational videos are as good as yours.
10:24 AAPT were our choice. We took our elderly parents with us, and we were disadvantaged because of that. They couldn't do much walking and their shore excursions were limited.
Despite it probably being 4 star, the food, service, and Budapest-Amsterdam route fitted perfectly as the start to our rest of France, UK trip.
Probably the only downside for us, we're the size the balcony suites. Otherwise, an excellent choice. ❤❤
Always good info!
My first and only river cruise so far was Viking and it was AMAAA~ZING!! Beautiful modern cabins and furniture, delicious fine dining food (with 3 choices of each course), well organised excursions, loved everything about it to the colour scheme. We had a lovely friendly organiser, the day before an bus excursion up the mountains I let her know I was prone to motion sickness and she reserved the front seats for my husband and I. The only negative comment I have was that one excursion was quite rushed, we had only an hour there and our tour guide took up the whole hour explaining things which didn't leave us any time for us to visit the souvenir shop but that's just minor. Incidentally hubby and I were 40yrs old at the time, probably one of the youngest ppl on the cruise lol but we are childless and don't particularly like kids so it was nice and peaceful for us hehe.. :)
thank you so much for your appreciation. looking forward to see you back soon on one of our ship. 🙏
We are older and researching different river cruises in Europe. Question? Do the buses have restrooms on them? i'm usually very nervous to travel in general if I don't know where bathrooms are etc. for medical reasons. Thank you for any info!
@@chrispalmer6781 Yes I am the same with restrooms as I suffer from anxiety which makes me pee often, especially in unfamiliar situations. The Viking buses usually do have one toilet which is on the side of the rear steps, however I've never seen anyone need to use it and they may be locked but I think if you are desperate they will allow you to use it. Even I have never needed to use them thankfully. But I would let the organiser know beforehand so that they will keep it unlocked for you and you should sit near the rear steps.
Thanks for your tips .
First time looking into river cruise & come across your video. Great insight and overall review. Thank you
Thanks Gary, always useful. We have been on the Danube with Uniworld, fabulous, and the Rhine with Emerald, also great. I would try Croisieurope as agree, found some good pricing. They even do rivers that no one else does, i.e in southern Spain.
excellent and helpful, thank you!!
Your tips are always right on the money. Thank you.
Thanks for watching. Great to hear you found it interesting :-)
Tauck would be the 5 star player, just take off 1 star for all the others and it would be about correct. They contract with Scylla, have a great fleet. You get what you pay for///expensive but great.
Totally agree. We went down the Danube River with Tauck and it was first class all the way. Ship, hotels, excursions and service were all first class. They are less well known as they do not advertise, it’s only by word of mouth, and they have been in business for over 70 years. We have already signed up for the French Escapade River boat tour in 2022.
Agree! We’ve cruised Viking, AMA, Uniworld, and Tauck and Tauck blows them all out of the water for service !! Plus it’s all inclusive (incl unlimited top shelf alcohol)- we won’t cruise with anyone else again. I’m shocked he didn’t mention them
We’ve taken several Tauck tours and they have exceptional service. Many years ago we met a couple from Texas describing their experience with Tauck. They were a group of 6 who enjoyed drinking wine. They booked a Tauck River boat in France to visit the vineyards the year the volcano in Iceland erupted. They were the only ones to make it to the starting point before all the airports in France were shut down. Tauck decided to run the trip with just the 6 of them making all the help happy because they would be paid.
Excellent upload!
very informative. thank you.
Thank you for this information!
Have gone on two Scenic River Cruises. In summer 2016 we cruised the Danube, from Budapest to Munich. In December 2019 we cruised the Rhine and visited the European Christmas Markets from Basel to Amsterdam. Scenic advertises as all-inclusive and they aren’t kidding! Our roundtrip airfare from NY-Budapest and NY-Zurich was included. We didn’t have to reach in our wallets once, except for shopping at the wonderful, very European Christmas markets. We had our personal butler, each who cares for the needs of a few cabins of travelers. Room service, laundry service, etc. Food was wonderful, ship was beautiful, everyone working with us was fabulous. I would go with Scenic again without a second thought.
Which cruise line was this? Thanks.
@@diane39istockphoto Scenic.
Scenic is Australian owned and also APT is another cruise ship in Europe. I have travelled with both companies and can highly recommend. All inclusive with both. Five star…….
Love your videos Gary! Brand new cruiser (May 2022). Could listen to your accent all day long! Total fan girl!
CroisiErope also do barge cruising- around 20 people on smaller waterways. Worth looking at.
My wife and I took the AMA Magna cruise in the summer of 2019. The Magna is nearly double the width of the typical river cruise ship so it is limited to large rivers like the Rhine. We looked at the other mentioned premium line but found them too glitzy for our taste. The AMA Magna get a solid SIX STARS from us. We travel a lot and stay in very nice places. AMA's service, staff and ship are definitely a SIX STAR. I was very pleasantly surprised by how good this cruise was. I highly recommend them.
We were on the Ama Lea in 2019 and passed the Ama Magna as it was approaching Budapest on it's maiden voyage down the Danube. Quite the vessel. We loved Ama Waterways!
Actually, the Magna only cruises on the Danube, NOT the Rhine. (it's too wide for the locks on the Rhine)
@@Jetlag10 you are right. Got my rivers mixed up. We boarded in Vilshofen Germany with s stops at Passau Germany, Linz-Krebs-Vienna (Austria), Bratislava and Budapest.
I thought AMA Magna was awesome. I thoroughly enjoyed my cruise... No complaints at all.
Stay away from the AMA Kristina! Lots of food and crew issues. Someone needs to look into that we had problems starting on Day 1. A terrible experience.
I was surprised that you spoke more highly of Viking than Avalon. We have gone on multiple cruises with both and have found Avalon to be a notch above Viking in all areas. Just my opinion. Thanks, Tim
I agree we have done 3 cruises. Could not have been happier. Consistent
Something not mentioned in the video, what is the engine noise level on these river cruises? Thanks.
@@sorellman , both my wife and I tend to be sound sleepers so it was never a problem. If you think engine rumble would bother you take a more expensive room on the 2nd or 3rd deck.
@@gbpf57 Good to know. Thank you.
So informative, as always, Gary. Love the channel!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks
Went with Riviera Travel (cruise the heart of europe) last year.
Could not fault anything.
Agreed - we have been with Riviera Travel twice now and they are really good. We are going with a different company next year [because we can't fly, so we have to choose cruises that we can get to by coach or rail] so we will have more of a comparison after that!
Very helpful. Thanks
I've been on three trips with Grand Circle and enjoyed them immensely. We did Amsterdam to Vienna via the Rhine, Main, the locks, and the Danube. Then, we did Constanta to Budapest, aka Black Sea to Hungary. But the first tour we stumbled across was through their overseas adventure travel derivative OAT; a canal boat trip through the Canal du Midi. The tour included Sarlat, Carcassone, Bordeaux, the Loire, and Paris, but the core of the trip was the canal boat from Agen to Bordeaux along the Canal du Midi....with exquisite cuisine aboard and a grand tour guide. A total of twenty two tourists with seven crew members, including the guide who was with us the entire tour.
We were readying to do the Paris to Lyon and thence down the Rhone to Provence when the pandemic hit. I recommend Grand Circle, but it is not nearly as fancy as all that. I think I've gotten excellent value for my money.
I have done three cruises with Grand Circle: Belgium & The Netherlands, Ireland in Depth, and The Great Rivers of Europe (the reverse of your trip. I started in Vienna and went to Amsterdam.) I think Grand circle is a terrific value for the money and the whole corporate culture on the ships is fantastic. Our tour guides have been fantastic - so informative and personable, Since I'm focused on the places that the ship goes to, the fancier amenities are less important. I had a wonderful room-mate on the Great Rivers trip and we have become good friends following the cruise. We may decide to take another cruise together (she has been on ~28 or 29 cruises with O.A.T./ Grand Circle Cruise Line.) I would recommend GCCL to anyone. (BTW, everywhere we went on the Great Rivers cruise, we were cheek-by-jowl with Viking tour groups, so I know they all go to the same places.)
Gary, glad I discovered your blog. I'm enjoying learning about River cruises from you, very detailed information. 👌
Welcome aboard!
Enjoyable video, but although it shows a couple of shots of Riviera ships, I was surprised they were not mentioned in the commentary. I think their ships are superb and thoroughly enjoyed a good value Rhine cruise with them, with excellent excursions, including Luzern and the Swiss Alps!
Just come back from a Danube cruise with AmaWaerways. It was fantastic. The owner came on board for a few days and spoke to us all and went on excursions as well
Awesome reviews! Thank you! 👏🏾👏🏼👏
Thanks for watching. Great to hear you found it interesting :-)
So excited, we just booked our first river cruise on the Amawaterways Magna ship for next spring!
Nice, I am sure you will have a great time
Thank you sir for the beautiful view
APT (Asia Pacific Travel) was the company we used and were very pleased with them. All inclusive, as in all excursions and drinks at any time along with the Chefs Table restaurant at the rear of the ship,
We cruised with APT, the ship didn’t look as luxurious as some shown on this post, but it was really friendly, we met lots of Australian families, the food and drinks were brilliant. We went from Budapest to Amsterdam visiting lots of amazing cities and towns. My only disappointment was some days were were cruising for half a day or more and because the river was high due to heavy rain we couldn’t use the upper deck.
Been on viking. We are big ship cruisers, but loved the service, food, and relaxed atmosphere of river cruising. Still big fans of big ships. A friend was on AMA, and loved it.
Great overview. I received a Viking brochure, but will check out the other options 🙂🙂🙂
Excelent video with very good explanation. Thanks.!
Glad it was helpful!
Great Video.. This Helps alot
Thanks. Great to hear! Really appreciate you watching 👍🏻
We've traveled Avalon twice and have not been disappointed. But when things open up we'll definitely try another cruise company. Thank you.
Good stuff! Thank you ‼️
Thanks. Great to hear! Really appreciate you watching 👍🏻
having done Viking and Avalon, I gotta say I was much most impressed over all with Avalon. he says that they do much more active excursions, but when I'm on holiday the last thing I want to do is be active lol. I didn't feel at all that the excursions were very intimidating even when proclaimed to be active. this guy has some really great reviews though...
Thank you for commenting this! I’m not a hiker and I guess that’s what I think when someone says active. I’m more about walking through the cities/museums. Did Avalon have a lot of food choices? I’m a picky eater, might have to bring some boxes of Kraft Mac and cheese in my suitcase!
That was very helpful as I have been considering a river cruise.
Thank you. A lot of value for us in information and insight in different cruise lines. Merci.
Glad you enjoyed it!
completely love Viking...great food and service
We love everything about AMA Waterways! In addition to everything the offer, the have the best crews and they attract the nicest passengers! Great combination.
Agree 100%. Just returned from AMALEA’S Danube river cruise May 22,2022. Great crew and service. We had a very nice gentleman & knowledgeable cruise director, Dejanz- the best! Will recommend AMAwaterways anytime & plan another AMAwaterways European river cruise next year!
This is my Dream. You have no idea. So thank you for your insight.
Excellent video, thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks
My first river cruise was on Grand Circle from Vienna to Amsterdam! Loved it! What I really liked is each group has an individual assigned to them that is on the ship and on the tours. We had the lowest price cabin, the beds were couches that became single beds. We are ready Togo again perhaps on one of the cruise lines you highlighted in this video. Bottom line is I am someone who enjoys ocean cruises and thought I would not like a river cruise. I was so wrong! I loved the relaxing travel, cruise members friendliness and the fantastic food.
We've used Grand Circle for all our river boat trips and love it. Would not consider anyone
else. We also did many of the bus tours they offer.
I love you videos! Thank you so much for the information. I am hoping you will do a video with recommendations for US/Canada river and ship cruise lines. I would love to cruise up the New England coast for the fall colors.
How to apply on river cruise in Us
Thank you for providing these videos with great advice. I think I’ve watched them all, some more than once, pre my river cruise booked for August 2023. I choose Avalon mainly because they offered a fare for singles. I was getting annoyed with other cruise lines quoting pp price then doubling it for just one person. I understood I was taking up the whole cabin which could otherwise be used by a couple. But I won’t be eating double nor drinking for two. I am happy to pay a little more for the privilege of having a cabin to myself. I’m getting excited for my very first river cruise, I’ve chosen the Rhine from Amsterdam to Basel Switzerland. 🌈💜
Exciting Alex, enjoy!
I am 30, and have done two cruises with Emerald. Both were great.
Yes they are excellent in my opinion
Have you ever done a river cruise with Tauck? I can't believe it didn't make your list - they are awesome!
In 2010 we did a cruise on the Amadogio, run by APT the Australian company.
I have traveled with both Uniworld and AmaWaterways. Both were excellent in their own ways.
Been twice with Riviera, they were fantastic.
Great information. Saved for future use.
Ciao
Thanks. Great to hear! Really appreciate you watching 👍🏻
Tips For Travellers it is my pleasure
River Cruises in Europe
Never been river cruising, I'll try CroisiEurope!!! reminds me of the riverboats that used the paddle here in the US.
Info appreciated. Wanted a 25th anniversary cruise in 2020, well a no go because of Covid. Maybe 2021. Wanted to do Viking Bucharest to Budapest tour. Keeping the faith! Thanks.
Thanks, Gary! I've not seen such a useful summary anywhere else. A few days after viewing this video, I received a mail promotion for Uniworld river cruises from Titan Travel. So, I was less shocked than I might have been at the £2,600 cost per person for eight-day European river cruises, as your description of Uniworld was 'Six star Service.'
Not bad if all-inclusive.
@@cherifurr3935 They are.
This was really useful! Thank you!
Thanks for watching. Great to hear you found it interesting :-)
We are looking forward to our Amawaterways at the end of December, 2023. We did Viking back to back river cruises. I think Viking does a great job on excursions, but the food they serve is at best fair. I was very disappointed and would not sail with them ever. I have been on Uniworld and I will cruise them again. We are looking forward to traveling with Croisi in the near future. Love your tips on all the cruise lines. You give great tips know before you go.
Would love you to take a couple of Crystal Cruises. I think they should have been on this list of the top river cruise lines. Love your videos.
Scenic. Can't go wrong.
We loved our Scenic Cruise on the Rhine..would not chose anyone else..
yes Scenic is very good but at a huge amount of money more. Which I cannot justify.
Try tauck bro..u won't regret it...
Thank you for video.
You have information about work on a Netherlands river ship?
Hi Gary, Just booked my 5th CroisiEurope trip all have been fabulous and good value and high quality. Having spoken to many other river travellers Viking not so good, Emerald to much cost etc etc so it Croisi for me see my videos on my trips. Gerry Kidd.
Did seven river cruises on the Grand Circle Line an have no complaints at all. Actually did the Nile River Cruise with them a few years ago. I’d go again with them no problem. Didn’t know there was so many cruise lines. However your video was typically first rate.
My husband and I are Grand Circle fans as well! 17 River and small ship cruises from 2009 thru 2018. They specialize in older travelers, 55+. Activities are always geared to active but older adults and I find it is exactly right for feeling pleasantly tired at bedtime, rather than trying to keep up with 20 somethings and feeling half dead! Best of all are the Program Directors. They are the best in the business and make every trip fantastic!
@@LindaHarward love to do another river cruise, however the virus is putting this on hold. We loved the two weaker from the Netherlands to Vennia again. It was our favorite. Our next was the weeks on the Nile with GCT.
We have been on many and think best value.
We are definitely GCT fans. We did Egypt on Nile river many years ago. We've done many bus tours and river boat with them. Don't even look at other companies anymore.
Viking the "best"!.. We love it, the tour ship was wonderful. Next the river cruise in 2023. Can't wait. Love to all from New Orleans the city of jazz and the wonderful "cajun" food. USA.
They took my $21,000 for the cruise but said tuff for you when my son died they week of the trip. You should have purchased the insurance for $5,000.
@@tomyaniszewski9122. Mr. Tom. The death of your son it is so sad. The $21, 000 is a great deal of money! I am sorry for that too. For sure we purchased the "insurance" (just in case!). I hope you are okay now, cheers from New Orleans.USA.
@@ines3171 you never get over the death and all we asked for was a credit for another cruise at a later time. Avoid Viking at all costs. 👎
@@tomyaniszewski9122 I don't understand why they refused to give you "credit" for another cruise! that is horrible... a while ago I told my husband about you and he told me that he "made it his business" to get the insurance ($3,000 thousands). Tom we already booked this trip, in our first trip we also purchased the insurance, like I told you "just in case", we can't afford to lose our money we work to hard, am sure you too. Our best to you and your family.
@@ines3171 Our insurance would have been $5,000. To pay 25% for insurance should have been my 1st clue to move on. We were not in any shape for a fight. Had just spent 3 months ICU with our son.
I realise that this is somewhat later, but currently on a Douro cruise with Emerald waterways whom I would not have considered before watching this assessment of the better river cruise lines. Thank you Gary! Okay the river is too high for the cruise to continue up river, but all the stops are being pulled out to ensure that we still have a fulfilling and exciting journey. As such I would highly recommend Emerald Waterways as a cruise line. Would definitely book with them again. Food is excellent (too good 😂), cabins really comfortable and staff cheerful and welcoming
I'm intrigued by your drawing a distinction in level of quality between Ama Waterways and Avalon. I've cruised with both, and found that the quality of cabins and service was basically on par. The dining room service on my particular Ama ship was lacking, but that I'm sure wouldn't be true across the company as a whole. The biggest difference was in the food department, where the Avalon menu consistently featured both regional foods and regional wines on a daily basis, while Ama was more likely to pursue an international menu with good quality but not local wines. I felt Avalon gave us a good deal more local flavour.
Having just sailed AmaSiena this past week and Amalea in the past just before Covid I would say that they served us both times wines and food that were local to the regions we sailed every night. Not sure what happened on your cruise but our experience was different.
wingbuddy, great value vacations include airfare, offering river cruises, packages and bus train tours. which ones are budget but inclusive excursions? Elbe, vltava, danube, guadaquivir, douro..... main mosel.
We've cruised with both Viking and Avalon, and both are great. We prefer Avalon for their cabins, and their slightly smaller, more intimate ships.
I cruised the Danube with AMA WATERWAYS. I would highly recommend.