1. Scenic offers butler service to passengers in every cabin, with set services according to the cabin category. Most cabins also have a French balcony, which allows the rooms themselves to be larger than full balcony cabins, while still letting in fresh air. But since there is so much to do, odds are that the cabin will be only used for sleeping and downtime. Pros:The boats have a small number of guests so they feel very intimate. On the Mekong, go on a guided tour of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. These state-of-the-art, authentic paddle wheelers can accommodate from 150 to 400 guests, depending on the ship. There are a limited number of cruise choices and they do not sail in Europe. Choose Tauck ifonboard spa, beauty and fitness options are essential to your vacation. Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos, http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1224277, Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Policy regarding COVID related Discussions, C858B0A9-6769-424D-B129-59363EDAC023.jpeg, B5073042-BF8A-4EEC-BD19-0938D8732763.jpeg. We cruised Budapest to Amsterdam 2 years ago with Avalon and it was the best vacation,most relaxing we ever. Scenic also has theTailormade App, which works as an audio guide and offers independent city tours, and an offline navigation system. A river cruise is an all-inclusive journey where you unpack once but visit many destinations. Kids love the Junior Adventurer dinners or Disney movie nights, and there is also a Just Teens program with dinners and separate tour groups at various destinations. Choose Tauck ifyou want the feeling of five-star service while still having the freedom to explore. Notable excursions included in the price: Typical starting price:$1,999 for 7 nights (per person based on double occupancy $285 per night, all-inclusive), Where they sail:Danube, Rhine, France, Douro (Portugal), Elbe (Germany), Russia, Ukraine, Mekong, Egypt, Mississippi, Specialty cruises: Mississippi holiday season, Christmas along the Elbe, Onboard amenities (varies by ship): Library, walking track, sports deck, Wi-Fi, laundry, flat-screen TVs with on-demand movies, outdoor dining, putting green, Inclusions: All meals, drinks (house wines, beers, and soft drinks with lunch and dinner), one free shore excursion per port, onboard entertainment. On the Rhne sailing, go spelunking in Viviers to underground caves as part of a wine tasting adventure. They also tend to have more inclusions than a traditional cruise. Where they sail:Danube, Rhine, Moselle, Italy, France, Portugal and Spain, Egypt, Peru, Mekong, India, Specialty cruises: Gen Z on the U (for families with teens), lectures, Christmas markets, Jewish heritage, Amenities (may vary per ship): Pool, spa, bicycles for land exploration, pillow menu, massage, library, flat-screen TVs, fitness center, wellness classes, airport transfers, laundry, Asprey bath products, Inclusions: All meals, unlimited beverages (including fine wine, beer, spirits, specialty coffee and tea, soft drinks, and mineral water), most excursions, gratuities, Wi-Fi, onboard entertainment. Both upscale river cruise lines were born out of well-established tour operators. In Memphis, opt for The Elvis Experience with a tour of Graceland. COVID-19 vaccinations are required for all guests and crew. Viking is the largest river cruise operator with over 50 Longships in their fleet. Started August 27, 2021, By While in Germany, visit the oldest brewery in Nuremberg for a bratwurst and beer. Tauck and Scenic include more in their fares than anyone else, with gratuities, all alcohol, transfers, choice of shore excursions, all dining and Wi-Fi included. There is one single cabin that is 129 square feet, and one wheelchair-accessible cabin. As for the bed itself, guests can choose their own mattress and pillow firmness from Avalon's Comfort Collection. Tours & Operators on Travelstride Awarded and Featured by: 2023 Travelstride. The only Tauck employees onboard are the four cruise directors. The best river cruises were selected based on the following criteria: Typical starting price: $724 for 3 nights (per person based on double occupancy $241 per night, all-inclusive), Where they sail:Danube, Rhine, Seine, Moselle, Mekong, Nile, Rhne, Ganges, Main, Saone, Amazon (Peru), Specialty cruises: Photography, storytellers, wine, beer, culinary, garden, Christmas market, Jewish heritage. ABC Cruiser, I was leaning towards the Heartland (Rivers and Castles) land and cruise itinerary with AMA before reading your review, and now I'm pretty sure that's what we'll go for. Another thing that sets Tauck's newer ships apart: "loft" design cabins, which have a raised platform seating area that provides extra space in lower-level cabins. Tauck carries fewer passengers onboard so its tour groups are, by definition, smaller. Inspired by you, they've taken everything special about river cruising and made it even better. Choose Tauck ifyou like a more intimate ship or want a multigenerational cruise. Because how you see the world matters. Tauck provides unlimited complimentary beverages onboard which includes regional wine, beer, soft drinks and premium spirits. I've always been a fan of traditional cruise line journeys, but a river cruise is much more intimate and in many cases, luxurious. Not only are Avalon Panorama Suites 30% larger than the industry standard . Viking provides a shore excursion daily, along with drinks with meals, in a casual environment, while Tauck is all-inclusive, with a fair number of luxurious extras. Choose Tauck ifyou want an all-inclusive river cruise with more extras and a higher-end feel -- and don't mind paying for it. I ask because we want to help you avoid single supplements. Given the price point, the passengers seem more well-heeled on Tauck. Dining is Michelin-inspired and farm-to-table fare. This was our third Tauck cruise with Ponnant but our first post covid and the Tour: Treasures of the Mediterranean - Northbound 2019. Scenic and Tauck have many similarities, even if fans of one haven't heard of the other. In other words, if you are used to the added magic that occurs on a Disney Cruise Line, you won't find that here. Special diets can be catered for with advance notice and menus are labeled for people with dietary restrictions. Both Viking and Tauck have well-thought-out cabins with an understated decor. While other river cruise cabins shove your bed against a wall for a view of the other wall, our Comfort Collection Beds SM beds face the widest-opening, wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows in river cruising. We enjoyed AMA in May when we took the Danube Cruise. The line sails only on the major European rivers: Rhine, Main, Danube, Rhone, Seine and Moselle. Pro: You'll save money as you won't have to pay to fly overseas. On both lines, the excursions will include walking and coach tours of local towns and villages, visits to castles and historic monuments, and experiences such as wine tasting. Excursion from Paris to Louis XIV's opulent . Viking does seem to pay a little more attention to making sure dishes are regional in nature. Odds are you will not get motion sickness on a river cruise since large waves or currents do not hit the ships. The line claims the ship offers more suites than any other European river vessel and these cabins -- while not true two-room suites -- are 300 square feet. At least one Tauck director comes on each shore excursion so if you want to ask what time the bus leaves for the umpteenth time or your Quietvox battery dies, help is a few steps away. River cruises are available all over the world in Europe, Egypt, Peru, and South East Asia. Since Aqua Expeditions ships are so much smaller than the average river cruise liner, they can visit more remote destinations and the excursions reflect that, from watching Amazonian pink dolphins to receiving a blessing from a Buddhist monk while traveling the Mekong. Viking River Cruises: What Are Its Smallest, Largest and Most Common Stateroom Sizes? Many of the staterooms have balconies that offer panoramic views and fresh air. Tauck prides itself on offering off-the-beaten-track experiences in each destination, including multigenerational family tours that are curated to include itineraries for both kids and adults. Viking ships sail all of Europe's major rivers, including the Rhine, Danube, Rhone, Main, Moselle, Seine, Dordogne, Garonne, Gironde and Dutch waterways. AmaWaterways was founded in 2002 by Rudi Schreiner . They are composed of floor-to-ceiling windows that drop down halfway at the flick of a switch, and the balconies can be shut off from the main cabin area with folding glass doors. During the trip, Guests will be required to complete a self-assessment daily. Learn to paint like Van Gogh at the Ateliers Art Institute in Amsterdam. If they cannot help you, then come back to continue the process. Special diets can be catered for with advance notice, and menus are labeled for people with dietary restrictions. Overall, the crowd is older and more sedate than you'd find on Scenic; the dance floor is rarely used on Tauck ships, while on Scenic, it's not unusual for dancing to occur if the right band is playing. Avalon Waterways has used their 80-plus years of travel expertise to design the very best river cruise experience. This allows passengers to go at their own pace while still hearing the guide. The line's revamped older ships have 49 cabins: eight measuring 150 square feet, four measuring 183 square feet, one measuring 182 square feet, 20 measuring 225 square feet and 14 suites measuring 300 square feet. On a similar seven-night June 2023 cruise on the Danube, Tauck is about $1,000 more expensive than Viking for a standard cabin (this can be even more as Viking offers a lot of promotional deals). Learn more. Uniworld requires proof of COVID-19 vaccinations for all their guests, except those under the age of 12, who must have a negative test result within 72 hours of embarkation. The Rivers They Cruise. Tauck also makes sure there's at least one special event in the evening per cruise, where passengers are taken to a castle, restaurant or historic venue for a private dinner or concert performance. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Powered by Invision Community. But if you think this a Disney river cruise would be all about the kids, you're wrong. Both Tauck and Scenic have fitness centers, complimentary bikes (the ones on Scenic are e-bikes and slightly better) and for-fee spas. Scenic offers all passengers a limited 24-hour room service menu, with full in-suite dining for passengers in Royal and Royal Panorama Suites. Another thing that sets the Inspiration class of ships apart: "loft" design cabins, which have a raised platform seating area that provides extra space in lower-level cabins. There are a fair amount of UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the itineraries, which are almost always awe-inspiring. Which Royal Caribbean Suite Should I Book? Scenic attracts more passengers in their 40s and 50s than you'll find on many vessels and, being Australian-owned, is not dominated by travelers from the United States. Sign up for Insider Reviews' weekly newsletter for more buying advice and great deals. On Tauck's four Inspiration ships, you'll find 67 cabins, and 49 on its Jewel-class ships. Compare River Cruise Lines: Which Company Fits Where? Both lines operateChristmas market cruises. While many cruise lines have a strict dining schedule, these ships offer several different onboard restaurants. Read on for our look at .css-hghiur{transition-property:var(--chakra-transition-property-common);transition-duration:var(--chakra-transition-duration-fast);transition-timing-function:var(--chakra-transition-easing-ease-out);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;outline:2px solid transparent;outline-offset:2px;font-weight:var(--chakra-fontWeights-medium);border-bottom-width:1px;border-bottom-style:dotted;cursor:pointer;color:var(--chakra-colors-blue-base);border-color:var(--chakra-colors-blue-base);}.css-hghiur:focus-visible,.css-hghiur[data-focus-visible]{box-shadow:var(--chakra-shadows-outline);}.css-hghiur:hover,.css-hghiur[data-hover]{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;border-bottom-width:1px;border-bottom-style:solid;}Viking River Cruises vs. Tauck and some ideas of why you should pick one over the other. Activities include educational lectures from visiting professors, and well as local entertainment, and even Broadway-level performances. In Italy, go on an after-hours visit to St. Mark's Basilica in Venice and tour the 9th-century church without crowds. Some sailings have Loft Suites, which are two stories with floor-to-ceiling windows and have two full bathrooms, a dining area, a lounge with a Queen sofa-bed, a balcony, and an upstairs bedroom. Notable Excursions (note, these excursions are not included and involve an extra fee): COVID-19 vaccinations are required for all guests and crew. Grownups may enjoy adult-only dinners and wine tastings, and there is actually a nice variety of adult-exclusive sailings (generally when school is in session), which offer more sophisticated offerings. River cruising is the most relaxing way to experience the joy of Europe's castles, villages and ruins. With an innovative product and rapidly-growing fleet of custom-designed ships, the line enjoys a reputation as the leader in river cruising. These are guided by local experts who know the history and culture; since Viking has so many river cruises going at any one time and provides a more stable stream of employment, the company is often able to scoop up some of the better guides in a town.