On these cruises, too, the restaurants have kid-friendly menus and casual dining options. Spacious ships carry between 84 and 130 guests, and since the single supplement is waived on select cabins, it's a good choice for solo travelers . Typical starting price: $3,990 for 7 nights (per person based on double occupancy $570 per night, all-inclusive), Where do they sail:Danube, Douro, Rhine, Rhne, Seine, Specialty Cruises: Oktoberfest, Christmas markets, music, family sailings, Onboard amenities (varies by ship): Putting green, sun deck, minibar with complimentary water and soft drinks, Molton Brown toiletries, TV, Jacuzzi, Included: Meals, beverages (house wine, beer, and premium spirits available all day), gratuities, transfers upon arrival and departure, excursions. 3 Viking Cruises also fared well this year, with readers . COVID-19 vaccinations are required for all guests and crew. 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. In Memphis, opt for The Elvis Experience with a tour of Graceland. The Panorama Dining Room serves daily four-course la carte dinners along with complimentary wine, beer, and soft drinks, or guests can choose the more casual Panorama Bistro or Sky Grill. Choose Viking ifyou want a true balcony and don't mind sacrificing space to do it. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. Lower Danube River Company Routes Comparison Dream Destinations Catching up with Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection - What's it Like On Board Evrima? Both Tauck and Scenic boast spacious, contemporary cabins that are among the most comfortable in river cruising. Viking is the largest river cruise operator with over 50 Longships in their fleet. It's open for lunch and dinner, and it's free for everyone. Because most people travel in pairs or a family on a cruise, rates are based on double occupancy. Avalon Waterways has used their 80-plus years of travel expertise to design the very best river cruise experience. Only Tauck offers family cruising through its Tauck Bridges program. Find the latest travel requirements for your trip. If you're able to provide your travel agent's contact info, I may be able to work with him or her to recommend a cruise that is best for you. One step aboard our modern, luxurious SuiteShips with the grandest views in cruising and youll see how the tides they are a-changin. Typical starting price: $4,599 for 7 days (per person based on double occupancy $657 per night, all-inclusive), Specialty cruises: Danube Christmas markets, Oktoberfest, Rhine food and wine, Seine National Geographic photography, Amenities (may vary by ship): High-speed Wi-Fi, gym, sun-deck, walking track, bikes for shore use, pool or whirlpool, fitness classes, salon, massage, Inclusions: All meals, unlimited beverages (local wine, beer, and soft drinks with meals), daily excursions, all gratuities onboard and at restaurants, daily cocktail hour, select meals off the ship during excursions, onboard entertainment. Tauck provides unlimited complimentary beverages onboard which includes regional wine, beer, soft drinks and premium spirits. (Scenic has its own lower-priced counterpart, Emerald Waterways.). Throughout the voyages, they feature special drinking and dining events for guests along with entertainment themed to the country you're visiting such as a string quartet or folk dancing. By proceeding, you agree to Cruise Critics, 17 Cruise Lines That Include Alcohol in Your Fare, 7 Challenging Cruise Ports We Can Help You Navigate. By Viking also has optional shore excursions that it sells in some ports; these excursions generally are limited to small groups and take you into smaller venues or provide immersive experiences that expose passengers to a port's culture and traditions on a deeper, often hands-on, level. Viking vs. Tauck vs. Uniworld vs. Avalon?? - Cruise Critic Community Expires February 28. Local entertainers will also come aboard to perform music, song and dance from the region. If you are the type of passenger who doesn't want to reach for your wallet at the end of a trip, both lines are great choices. Tauck is equally non-fussy, but the overall feel is a little more elegant. Tauck is a much more deluxe experience, with alcohol and spirits included at all times, plus an in-room mini-bar stocked with bottled waters and sodas; all excursions; Wi-Fi; bikes onboard; gratuities; money to buy lunch in port; and special events such as dinner at a one- star Michelin restaurant. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. They are also one of the most affordable river cruise options. Sail through France and visit the picturesque Old Town in Strasbourg. Some ships on both lines have hot tubs or plunge pools on the top deck. Inspired by you, they've taken everything special about river cruising and made it even better. We enjoyed AMA in May when we took the Danube Cruise. The itineraries would be suitable for older teens interested in culture and history, and the option of bike tours and independent exploration with the Scenic TailorMade devices mean they aren't forced into day after day of walking or bus tours. Otherwise, most welcome children but don't offer extra programming for them, and Viking doesn't allow children at all. Choose Tauck ifyou don't want any extra charges at all when you leave the ship, love the convenience of having everything set up for you or want the feeling of a more deluxe experience. In contrast, Tauck-- an upscale tour line that offers river cruises -- is lesser-known; unless you're already familiar with the company's organized land vacations or seen its ships on Europe's rivers. The suites, which are about 300 square feet, have floor-to-ceiling windows, King-sized beds, and a lounge area with a daybed. Both AmaWaterways and Avalon Waterways sail these rivers and have a wide variety of stops which can vary by cruise theme. Tours & Operators on Travelstride Awarded and Featured by: 2023 Travelstride. Avalon River Cruises | Avalon Waterways River Cruises in Europe Tauck's alternative restaurant, Arthur's, has evolved into a casual grill, with a menu offering everything from hamburgers and salads to pastas and steaks. Tauck differs in that the main restaurant is open seating, meaning you can go down and have dinner whenever you like. Dinner is served to the table and, on both lines, staff are very attentive. Avalon features wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows with beds facing the views for ultimate enjoyment from their suites and staterooms. In effect, it feels kind of like a chartered yacht. Viking has more weeklong cruises than Tauck and sails in more places and on more dates. Given the price point, the passengers seem more well-heeled on Tauck. On Viking, you can pay extra for a better bottle of wine, whereas Tauck has a wine cellar with some special bottles that are included in your fare (although they don't exactly volunteer these premier offerings; you have to ask). 1) Avalon's Rhine & Moselle on Affinity (Amsterdam to Basel, 14 days) 2) Tauck's Rhine & Moselle (Amsterdam to Basel, 13 days) 3) AMA's Europe's Rivers & Castles (Trier to Nuremberg, 7 days -. Go to the Cathdrale Notre-Dame of Strasbourg for a private organ concert. They are the least expensive, since we'd probably go cruise-only and make up our own land tour before/after, but the cabin seems pretty small, and we'd really like the option of bikes, which is offered on Tauck and AMA, but not on Viking or Avalon, as far as I can make out (please, correct me if I'm wrong). Click here . River Cruise Reviews, Viking River Cruises, Uniworld River Cruises River Cruise Advisor | Avid Cruiser | About | Terms & Full Disclosure | Privacy | Contact | Subscribe. Treasures of the Mediterranean - Northbound 2019, See all activities, themes, and interests >, The Romantic Rhine: Amsterdam to Basel featuring Oberammergau - Southbound 2022, Belgium & Holland in Spring - Northbound 2023, Holiday Magic: Danube Family River Cruise - Westbound 2022, The Rhine & Moselle: Canals, Vineyards and Castles, The Danube from the Black Sea to Budapest, Active & Discovery on the Danube (Eastbound), Save $600 off trips to every continent on earth, Redeem anytime before 2023. While on the Danube, take a dip in legendary thermal baths in Budapest, Hungry. We cruised Budapest to Amsterdam 2 years ago with Avalon and it was the best vacation,most relaxing we ever. (Most newer river cruise ships in Europe are a standard 443 feet.) Many also have balconies and walk-in closets, and all are above the waterline. Delivering unparalleled experiences and boundless exploration, Avalon puts you inthe captains seat to navigate your journey, fuel your passions and steer clear of the unexpected as you cruisedown the worlds most memorable and mesmerizing waterways. Scenic vs. Tauck Cruise Comparison | Cruise Critic Typical starting price: $2,195 for 7 nights (per person based on double occupancy $313 per night, all-inclusive), Where do they sail:Danube, Main (Germany), Rhine, Moselle, Rhne, Douro (Portugal), Seine, Bordeaux, Volga (Russia), Mekong (South East Asia), Irrawaddy (Myanmar), Specialty cruises: National Geographic, Christmas markets, Onboard amenities (may vary by ship):Laundry,wellness area, gym, massage services, hair salon, Wi-Fi, e-bikes, L'Occitane products, pillow menu, shoeshine, Inclusive: Meals, butler service, gratuities, transfers, excursions, beverages (with the exception of certain specialty wines and rare spirits), minibar fully restocked daily, chef-prepared picnics, 24-hour in-room dining, entertainment. Save up to $2,800 per couple off the cruise price of Europe sailings. Tauck River Cruise Experts | Learn About Tauck River Cruises The line's larger ships carry 169 passengers, while smaller vessels in France have 155 passengers. All are butler-serviced river ships with a high, almost one-to-one staff-to-guest ratio. Meals come with complimentary beverages, including house wine, beer, and premium spirits. Pros:Having a butler on call is a big perk. Typical starting price: $,1999 for 7 nights (per person, based on double occupancy $285 per night, all-inclusive), Where they sail: Danube, Rhine, Seine, Moselle, Douro (Portugal), Mekong, Egypt, Africa (river and rails), Columbia, Specialty cruises: Christmas markets, wine, Onboard amenities (may vary by ship): Wellness activities, Wi-Fi, sun deck, pool with swim-up bar, massages, hair salon, flat-screen TVs that also works like a computer with on-demand entertainment, Inclusive: All meals, drinks (unlimited fine wine, beer, and soft drinks with lunch and dinner; unlimited sparkling wine and fresh juice with breakfast), tours at every destination, bikes and hikes, onboard entertainment. It lacks the grandeur of the suites, and is small at about 172 square feet, and has small windows peaking above the waterline. If you want flexibility, the line is hard to beat. Choose from a wide variety of accommodations from well-appointed suites to small no-frills single staterooms that are a mere 80 square feet. For example, guests staying in suites enjoy exclusive dining, priority reservations, and a private Captain's cocktail party, while those staying in standard rooms will lack many special perks. Choose Viking ifyou are more a do-it-yourself person on shore and with tips, and don't mind paying for your Happy Hour and after-hours drinks. Those are also offered all day, not just at mealtimes, which is a nice addition. Catching up with Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection - What's it Like On Board Evrima? AmaWaterways requires COVID-19 vaccinations for all their guests. They even pay the public restroom fee for you. But if you think this a Disney river cruise would be all about the kids, you're wrong. In 2023, they will launch Seven River Journeys which will cover seven rivers and 14 countries over the course of 45 nights (starting at $24,999 per person, double occupancy). On both lines, the main restaurant setup is very similar, with buffets at breakfast and lunch plus live cooking stations and made-to-order menu items. 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. Avalon Waterways My cabin (#312) aboard Avalon Tapestry II on the Seine River in Normandy. Pros: The cabins are large and all have floor-to-ceiling windows. 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. Limited-Time Offers on Avalon Cruises! Finish with an Inside Passage cruise. River Cruise Ships - Avalon Waterways Small Cruise Ships In contrast, Tauck has nine ships, with its four newer Inspiration-class vessels carrying 130 passengers -- the lowest number of passengers for a ship its size. It was a fascinating trip down the Danube River in Europe with Disney Cruises, focused on Christmas markets. Featuring modern luxury ships, with floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors, our clients love Avalon, and some of their river itineraries are our biggest sellers. One of the Tauck tenets is "lagniappe," or a little something extra, such as a Champagne reception in the Baden-Baden casino or roses to put on the graves of veterans at an American Military Cemetery in Luxembourg. First, about Tauck. In French balcony cabins, the beds generally face the window for better views. Scenic operates custom-made vessels and a variety of cabins types. They include all excursions, all gratuities to staff, cruise/tour directors (noting that most companies have one onboard but they have three) and even local guides. Learn more. Standard staterooms, which are the least expensive, hover at the water level, and come in at about 150 square feet. However, Crystal Cruises has some excursions that incur an added cost, and all of the American Queen Steamboat Company excursions are additional (although they do offer hop-on hop-off bus tours). Tauck has its headquarters in the United States, and most of its passengers are American, with a smattering of Brits and other nationalities. The design is sleek and minimal and there are usually five tiers of cabins. Choose Viking ifyou don't need a gym or a lot of extras onboard. Comparisons - River Cruise Advisor Choose Scenic for an all-inclusive river cruise that has more options for active and individually minded travelers. Tauck has outdoor seats at Arthur's but there's no glass buffer, so it's a windier experience. Tauck does have a few high-end extras onboard, including a fitness center, complimentary bikes and a plunge pool on the top deck. Passengers often get a choice of excursions, both of them included. Tauck Tours and thus Tauck River Cruises may be the most well respected. I could use Scenic's $379.00 per day per . Viking also has an alternative restaurant, the Aquavit Lounge, but it's much more limited in its menu and only serves food during certain hours. Without a doubt, the most visible presence in the river cruising world is Viking River Cruises, thanks to effective TV, radio and direct mail advertisements. Whats the Best Choice For A Rhine River Cruise? They are comfortable but not luxurious or particularly interesting. RIVER CRUISE BRANDS - Harr Travel 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. As expected, the ships serve American cuisines with options for fresh lobster or USDA Prime Beef. The river cruise division of Tauck is a relatively new component of the brand established in 1925 by Arthur Tauck, a true pioneer in the travel industry. This allows passengers to go at their own pace while still hearing the guide. Avalon's vacations are categorized as deluxe on the industry rating scale (budget, first class or deluxe). Best River Cruises: Viking, Avalon, Tauck, UniWorld - Insider Started June 21, 2021, By COVID-19 procedures are available here. Tauck's shore excursion program is a little more comprehensive (although oddly, the guides themselves and the berths where the ships dock aren't necessarily better. Standard suites are sparse, small (just 160 square feet) and lack balconies. These are the best river cruise lines for comfort, destinations, and irresistible perks and tours. Because the Inspiration ships are the same size as Viking ships with fewer passengers and cabins, the staterooms are larger. All told, the fleet stands at 70 (excluding ships not currently operating in Russia). Choose Tauck for an all-inclusive river cruise with structured tours and concierge-style service. Expect to sail with Aussies, Brits and other English-speaking nationalities. They did not offer bikes which would have been nice, though not on our particular itinerary. Avalon Waterways has redefined cruising by going against the current and away from the ordinary. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider Both Tauck and Scenic are at the high end of river cruises, in terms of price and inclusions. Tauck not only has a cruise director onboard its ship, but it has three additional Tauck guides who give the daily briefings, attend the shore excursions (although local experts actually give the tours), hand out spending money or give you a rose to place at the gravesite of a veteran in an American military cemetery. QUICK STATS AVALON WATERWAYS 2004 Choose Tauck ifyou want the feeling of five-star service while still having the freedom to explore. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. Scenic ships have neither facilities for children nor specific family sailings, but kids 12 and older are welcome onboard. Concierges can arrange services while you're in port at various hotels or providers along the way. Tauck's private shore excursions and distinctive inclusions valued at $2,788.
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