The River Cruise Lady

River cruising and small ship luxury cruising

AmaWaterways River Cruises

Covid Protocols for River Cruising

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Now that European river cruising is starting to become operational again (so exciting!!) there are going to be some new Covid protocols going forward in order to keep both the passengers and the crew safe.

I looked at the top river cruise companies that I book and they all will require that you have either a Covid-19  vaccination certificate or a negative Covid test done right before you board the ship.

Each line will also require that passengers fill out some pre-departure documentation forms which can be viewed at their links below:

Ama Waterways – Prior to boarding, an online health and contact screening questionnaire will need to be filled out.

Avalon Waterways – Have 3 pdf forms you can view, the first being the Pre Trip Health Screening form – click Avalon-Health-Screening to view.  The next is their Health & Safety Covid-19 Waiver – click Avalon Health-Safety-covid-19 and lastly is their onboard safety protocols which you can view Avalon Onboard-Protocols

Emerald/Scenic – Have their cruise with confidence program viewed at River Cruise with confidence | Our commitment to your health & safety – Scenic°

Tauck River Cruises – Have two documents that need to be signed for their Travel Well Pledge – view at Taucks Travel Well Pledge

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises – They require a Travel Declaration to be signed – view at Uniworld Travel Declaration

Viking River Cruises – Passengers will have to complete a Digital Health Survey online at their MyVikingJourney.com once they have booked their trip.

Multigeneration River Cruising!

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I thought I would share a few of the last bookings that I’ve done for river cruising because you may not have thought of this option if planning a multi-generation trip with your family.

My client was turning 80 and she thought about how she wanted to spend her birthday and decided on a family trip.  Her spouse had passed away years before so she decided to splurge and take her children and grandchildren on a European river cruise. There was a range of ages from 12 to 79 and even her brothers & sisters decided to join in the fun!

It worked out great for them because there are so many different excursions options to choose from (mostly always all included).

For example, on a Rhine river cruise with Ama Waterways, in Cologne the excursion choices would be a walking tour, or cathedral visit or Kölsch beer tasting or a bike tour through the city.  So what usually happened was everyone went off and did their choice of excursion and then they would gather for dinner together in the dining room and talk about their different experiences – such a great family bonding time.

Avalon Waterways also have Active & Discovery itineraries which work well with families too.  Then of course Uniworld and Tauck both have dedicated family departure dates (usually in the summer or for the Christmas Market cruises) which then have even more excursions geared towards family groups.

So consider river cruising as a way to create a wonderful legacy that your children/grandchildren will have of travelling with their parents/grandparents and memories that will last a lifetime.

Biking along Moselle Rive

Comparison of River Cruise Companies in Europe

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Which river cruise company should you choose ?

Many times, it just comes down to a monetary choice, a personal choice or a recommended choice from a friend/family or cruise agent.

Sometimes it may come down to which cruise might be available at the time you are looking as many of the itineraries book up so far in advance, your 2nd or 3rd choice might be the one you end up on.

For a very quick comparison overview of AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways, Emerald Waterways, Scenic Cruises, Tauck River Cruises, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises and Viking River Cruises, here is a snapshot below and if you would like to view it on your own computer as a pdf for better viewing, click HERE to view as PDF.

Whichever one you choose, it will be a great river cruise and you’re going to love it !

Comparison of top River Cruise Companies in Europe

Comparison of top River Cruise Companies in Europe

 

 

Cruise cabin night light

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As we all get older (which seems to bring on more trips to the bathroom), I have found this great night light that I’ve been taking on all my river and ocean cruises lately (also works great for hotel rooms too) so thought I would share a quick video with you on this handy little device.
I brought it with my on my last trip and my roommate commented on what a smart idea it was and enjoyed the soft glow it projects rather than the typical blinding bathroom light in the middle of the night.
You should be able to find it at any hardware or drug store selling night lights and this flat style one seems to work the best. Then the only thing you need to remember is to pack it with you when you go!

The highs and lows of River Cruising

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High water, low water – not too long ago I was asked by a reporter if I warn my clients about the possibility that the water levels on the river could affect their river cruise. I replied honestly that I didn’t and it got me thinking about whether or not I should.

However I also book their airline tickets and does this mean that I should be warning them about the possibility of the flight being delayed or being re-routed or worst of all, cancelled ?

United Airlines has been in the news lately for a couple of unexpected re-routed flights where the passengers were stranded in foreign airports overnight, some having to sleep on the airport floor with no access to their baggage. The key here is “unexpected” because even if these people were told in advance that this could happen, no one thinks it will ever happen to them.
I believe it comes down to how the situation is treated as in the United’s case, most passengers were very angry about the lack of support and no communication.

This is where it differs from the river cruise lines (and I do realize the they are dealing with much smaller numbers) but our company had some passengers who were to get on a Rhine river cruise in Basel and due to high water, the ship was not able to get under the bridge into the city. The company had staff on hand to assist guests, they ordered extra coaches to bus people up the river to where the ship was located and generally tried to keep people informed and the disruption to a minimum. In speaking with our clients when they returned, they said they felt well taken care of.

Now I know that many will say, well the airlines could never be like that but I had a scenario with Singapore Airlines that I will never forget. I boarded a flight once in Bali and then the power went out in the terminal so we sat on the tarmac for quite a while before we were able to depart. I was supposed to connect in Singapore for a flight to Hong Kong, however after our delay, realized that I was going to miss my connection. So I was dreading getting off the plane not knowing when I could catch another flight. However, this is where superior customer service came into play as an airline representative was waiting with my name on a sign & when approached, was handed my new ticket for a flight three hours later, a meal voucher and offered an apology for missing my connection. I was absolutely astounded and kept looking around thinking I was on TV or something because I had never seen anything like it.

So instead of warning clients about the possibility of disruptions, will always try to book them with companies that will take care of them with some old fashioned customer service.

High water mark level in Passau Germany

High water mark level in Passau Germany

This was a picture that I took in Passau Germany in 2011 which shows the high and low water mark level from the Danube River. In 2013, they suffered the highest water levels in 500 years and it went up over the top mark shown by at least another foot, it was an unbelievable sight.

Combine your river cruise with a BMW or Audi factory tour

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Exclusive to The River Cruise Lady !

Trying to convince your significant other to take a river cruise with you ? Then they will love this Danube itinerary which sails from the beautiful city of Budapest and ending in Munich where we add on a BMW or Audi factory tour (or both if you prefer !)

Dates and availability are limited so email your preferred departure to linda@therivercruiselady.com and everything can be arranged for you from your airfare, transfers, extra hotel nights so no stress for you.

Would you buy a river cruise without heated seats ?

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Since my husband has been in the process of buying a newer car lately, it got me thinking about the similarities between purchasing a car and purchasing a river cruise.

It really depends on where you are in your life cycle that steers you towards a certain type of car or cruise. For instance, most cars do exactly the same things, they go forward, reverse, have windshield wipers, headlights and it will get to and from your destination. Same with a river cruise, most of the companies do the same routes on the rivers, stop at the same towns, offer meals, drinks and entertainment onboard and get you to and from your destination.

Now the “extras” are what sets them both apart.

For the cars, you can buy a basic one like a Ford Fusion for just over $20,000 that has power windows, locks, keyless entry and air conditioning. More upgrades would include a sunroof, navigation system, and that wonderful in winter feature – heated seats.

It’s a great car but you find many choosing the popular Audi A5 which cost wise with the prestige trim, will put you over the $50,000 range but comes complete with auto-dimming exterior mirrors, adaptive Xenon Plus headlights, a Parking System Plus with a reversing camera, and side assist blind-spot warning system, a 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system with Bluetooth capability plus more. (whew)

Well the same goes for river cruises, it is not as though one company is better than the other, some just offer more “extras” where everything is included.

For example, you could take a 7 night river cruise on the Seine with Avalon Waterways and it would be wonderful – they include wine/beer with dinner and include most excursions. Their ship holds 140 passengers and for some, they will purchase the optional excurions, everyone pays gratuities at the end and depending on how many drinks you’ve enjoyed throughout the week, will have a bit of a bar bill to settle.

Take that same cruise with Tauck and everything is included from the drinks, excursions, transfers to and from the airport or train station plus all gratuities onboard and on the tours. (they also include fancy extras like a private dinner at a chateau in Normandy) Their ship only holds 118 passengers for the same size of vessel so you’ve got more space. Plus they have 14 suites at 300 sq feet each compared to only 2 on Avalon’s (which are 258 sq feet) Tauck also has bicycles onboard that you can sign out on your own or on a bike excursion.

The price difference?

For a mid summer departure in 2015, the Avalon river cruise will start at approx. $3150usd, the Tauck one will start at $5990usd per person based on double. If you want an even longer experience where your ship is docked right at Honfleur (which is only a stones throw from the D-Day landing beaches) then a 10 night all inclusive cruise with Scenic cruises would be your choice and their starting price for this itinerary is $6330usd and up.

So it really does depend on where you are in life as to how much you want to spend on your river cruise. I find the older we get, the more we are willing to spend because frankly, we’ve earned it. We have worked hard all our lives starting out with the basics and now we are in a position where we can enjoy all the bells and whistles. (and heated seats !)

We were all taught the phrase ‘you get what you pay for’ and it is so true when it comes to river cruising, you can sail with many of the companies and it will be wonderful or you can sail with a few of the all-inclusive lines & the trip will be amazing.

Whichever one you choose, you will love the experience of getting into the heart of your destination.

What cabin should I book for a river cruise ?

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I decided to write about what cabin you should book from having a conversation with my parents.  They received a brochure in the mail about a European river cruise and when I was visiting, they pointed out that the company was offering FREE AIRFARE for a few of their departures.  They exclaimed enthusiastically to get them booked right away to take advantage of the deal !

I then showed them the fine print which was that it was only applicable on their “window” category cabins.  To which they replied – “how bad could that be ?”

So I dug out my close up picture that I took of the outside of one of the ships when I was on the Danube  (plus also showed them on the front of the brochure they received)

Outside view of a river cruise ship

Outside view of a river cruise ship

When I showed them the very small window cabin located on the bottom deck of the ship, they understood.  I explained that these cabins are the hardest to sell because most people want either the French balcony or full balcony cabin to take full advantage of being able to open up the doors and experience the river going by.  Whenever you see a river cruise company advertising sale pricing, it is usually on these type of cabins because they are the only ones available.

The other point that they were shocked to learn was that the suite cabins are actually the FIRST to sell out.  This is because most ships may only have 2 suites and if anyone is crossing over from ocean cruising and used to a large suite, they also want one of those on the river.  Due to this fact, many of the companies are changing the way they build their ships.  Take a look at the new SS Antoinette that Uniworld built – they now have one huge Royal Suite at 391 sq feet, then 8 suites at 294 sq feet to tap into that market that is willing to pay for a larger cabin.  For comparison, their cabin sizes in category 1 through 3 are 196 sq feet and 4/5 are 163 sq feet.

SSAntoinette Uniworld

SSAntoinette

So to answer what cabin should you book for a river cruise ?     Well, that all depends on you – get the suite if you have the funds and book far enough in advance, get the French balcony for wonderful river views and get the window category if you want a bargain!    Whichever one you choose, you will love the experience of getting into the heart of your destination.

 

How to pack a carry on suitcase for a 3 week trip

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When I met my travelling companion before the start of our Rhine river cruise and she showed up with this small carry on bag and backpack, was thinking that wow she’ll be wearing the same clothes every day. Well was I wrong and you can see in the video how much stuff she actually fits into this carry on. I was so amazed that I had to share this with to show you that it can be done and I’m going to try her ideas when packing for my next trip. Enjoy !

Which is the best River Cruise Company for Europe ?

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This is a question I get from my clients all the time and to answer it would be like choosing which child was the best of your children!

They all have their redeeming qualities and differences and it could really depend on ones own preferences as to the outcome. Let me give you an example – Uniworld River Cruises  www.uniworld.com has announced that they are going totally all inclusive for their 2014 European River Cruises (which means they will include unlimited beverages onboard including wine, beer, spirits, cocktails, soft drinks, juices, plus all shore excursions) which sounds the best except for the non-drinker who ends up paying more for their river cruise for those beverages they won’t consume. These people might think its best to choose Avalon Waterways www.avalonwaterways.com who only provide wine, beer and soft drinks at dinner which is reflected in the price.

Another example is with Viking River Cruises  www.vikingrivercruises.com and all their brand new “longships” that they have recently christened.  While it is so nice to be able to travel in the comfort of a new ship, in order to keep their pricing competitive, they made the decision to put in more staterooms which in turn hold more people.  All river cruise ships that travel on the Danube are regulated and cannot be longer than 443 feet.  The new Viking ships have 95 staterooms or 190 passengers where if you compare that to AMA Waterways www.amawaterways.com whose new ships are the same size, they only have 82 staterooms holding 164 passengers.  So Viking River might have the best pricing, but AMA Waterways have more public space onboard.

Talking about having more space onboard brings me to Tauck River Cruising  www.tauck.com/river-cruises  as they step it up a notch with their new ships having larger rooms, more dining options and capping the passengers at 130 in 67 cabins to get the best space ratio category. They include all beverages, the gratuties, a signature special experience and all shore excursions.

Unique for 2014 is Scenic River Cruise www.us.scenictours.com introduction of their new lower priced line Emerald Waterways www.emeraldwaterways.com which will be a first in the industry where one company has two distinct types of river cruises to choose from.  Scenic Tours originated in Australia selling package tours and is still privately owned there. Scenic also  offers the all inclusive concept but Emerald will only have wine and beer with lunch and dinner. Their aim with the new Emerald line is to target a younger demographic with their two ships having swimming pools that inventively convert into a cinema and their open-air balcon system that allows you to enjoy it no matter what the weather.

A new player in the North American market is A-Rosa Cruises www.arosacruises.com which has been operating in Europe for years but has now picked a few of their departures to cater exclusively to English speaking passengers. It will be interesting to see if they are able to keep up with the other big operators.

So you can see that its tough to pick the “best” one as each has their own unique benefits.  Viking River claims to have the “greenest” ships featuring diesel-electric hybrid engines specially designed for low vibration and minimal environmental impact. AMA Waterways is famous for their fresh food brought on from local ports. Avalon Waterways have the most innovative design in their cabins where they’ve turned the bed to face the french balcony sliding glass doors. Uniworld offers an interesting mix of programs for their shore excursions including Go Active, Gentle Walking, Do as the Locals Do and Village Day.

If you would like some additional information on any of these companies, ships or their itineraries, please feel free to drop me an email.  If you’ve already sailed on any of them – which one was your favourite and why ?

RiverCruiseLadyLinda

linda@therivercruiselady.com

 

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