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Companies such as CroisiEurope and A-ROSA package their fares to include wine, beer and soft drinks, so finding a largely all-inclusive cruise at the price point is possible. River ships dock near key attractions and feature mostly-inclusive pricing; fares include such perks as basic daily walking tours and wine and beer at meals. One person's idea of a great vacation may be extraordinary excursions such as an exclusive dinner in a chateau, while others may want spacious cabins or as much foie gras and French cheese as you can possibly eat. And some river cruises are much more active than others with, for instance, biking and hiking tours. American Cruise Lines offers cruises on more U.S. waterways than any other river line. Of course, the company's fleet of U.S.-flagged 100- to 190-passenger river ships (including authentic paddlewheelers) travels the popular Mississippi and Columbia and Snake rivers in the Pacific Northwest.
Best river cruise companies
Multi-state trips via the Ohio, Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers round out the offerings. Part of tour company Grand Circle Travel, this line is a popular affordable choice for travelers age 55-plus in Europe. The fleet of 46- to 140-passenger ships cruises waterways that include the Seine, Rhine, Mosel, Main, Danube and Rhone.
Are river cruises all-inclusive?
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The 106- to 196-passenger ships in Europe also have a wellness focus with small spas and fitness rooms and a fleet of bikes for use either on your own or on organized excursions. Sadly, behind the scenes is a different story.Once we saw an excellent promotional presentation, then the last one was truly amateur. When the final payment was due, Hungary and Austria (the bulk of the cruise) were not accepting UK travellers. I asked if we could delay payment until the situation was cleared up. As a gesture of goodwill (a phrase I hate) Uniworld agreed to hold my deposit as a Future Cruise Credit. No problem there.Now, with there being no tourist access to Austria, the cruise cannot be going ahead.
Cruises
Pricing on this line is middle of the road, with everything comfortable, reliable and not overly fussy. That said, on the company's sleek, 166-passenger Suite Ships, you can splurge on a Panorama Suite with sitting areas and glass doors that open to bring the fresh air in. In addition to the major rivers of Europe, Uniworld cruises the less-traversed Po River in Italy (from Venice) and has ships on the Nile and Mekong as well as the Ganges in India. Onboard, the 128-passenger Avalon Imagery II (built in 2016) offers 172-square-foot Deluxe Staterooms, 200-square-foot Panorama Suites (Avalon’s signature accommodation type) and two 300-square-foot Royal Suites. There are no single staterooms on the Imagery II, but Avalon waives the single supplement on a limited number of first-come, first-served bookings.
Amenities and More
The average is about 156 guests, which is far less than most cruise lines. Viking is the largest river cruise operator with over 50 Longships in their fleet. The design is sleek and minimal and there are usually five tiers of cabins. I've always been a fan of traditional cruise line journeys, but a river cruise is much more intimate and in many cases, luxurious. These sleek ships generally host less than 200 passengers and go where giant cruise liners cannot, such as the Danube, Rhine, Rhône, Mekong, Mississippi, and Nile Rivers.
Your visit there and to the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, as well as other memorials and monuments to the fallen, is a poignant experience (one that requires a two-hour bus ride from your ship, however). Avalon Waterways brings a World War II expert on board to add insight on select sailings. The seven-night river cruise takes you through Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania. The most beautiful stretch of the river is a 62-mile passage through a gorge between the Balkan and Carpathian Mountains.
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It’s one of the cheapest brands in our table, but guests have to fork out extra for drinks, excursions and tips – perhaps going some way to explain why it scores only two stars for value for money. Viking’s all-inclusive cruises may be expensive, but they are also exceptional – money well spent according to its loyal customers. To help you find the best cruise for your budget for 2024 and beyond, we asked hundreds of customers about their experiences. For those looking for a longer experience, Uniworld cleverly combines a Po cruise with luxury rail journeys to places like Istanbul, Switzerland and beyond. The one-week route doesn't take you far but does include the walled city of Padua, the charming fishing village of Chioggia, and the culinary mecca of Bologna.
I have tried to cut to the chase and show you what the experience is like on board certain ships on certain rivers. You’ll have success finding the review you want if you answer one of the following three questions. The company lets you personalize your experience down to the kind of pillows you prefer. All ships have a fitness room and fleet of bikes for tours in places such as Amsterdam and Cochem, Germany. The ships traverse waterways that include the Seine, Rhine, Danube, Douro, Main, Moselle, Rhone, Saone and Mekong. Sleek ships with marble lobbies, mid-century furnishings and impressive art collections mark the Australian-owned Scenic as all about luxurious, high-end river cruising.
The river cruises command big prices — from about $575 per person, per night for an ambiance that is comfortably upscale. Particularly on the newer ships, guests stay in big, hotel-like staterooms with indoor sitting areas and balconies (on the 175-passenger American Symphony, for instance, cabins range from 250 to 650 square feet). Local entertainment comes on board, the food is often locally sourced, and cocktail parties are included in the cruise fare.
As well as standard European itineraries, this all-inclusive line has a raft of special-interest cruises catering for music fans, foodies and photographers. Jules Verne earned a solid four stars almost across the board and five for its excursions, which ‘all flowed seamlessly’ and ‘catered for everyone’. Its péniche (barge) tours in France carry 20 or so guests around Provence, Bourgogne and Alsace, while its Danube cruise is on a plush 16-cabin boat that Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip sailed on. River cruises get you straight to city centres, so there’s more time for sightseeing and excursions.
The home base for these river cruises is Porto, Portugal, with its historic city center, spectacular bridges and port houses. When it comes to Europe river cruises, a perfect seven-night starter sailing is the Upper Danube, which takes you through centuries of history as you explore Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. Most river cruises are all-inclusive with all meals, beverages, and almost all excursions included in the rate. There are a fair amount of UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the itineraries, which are almost always awe-inspiring. There is a wide variety of cabin categories from a 350 square foot suite that sleeps four with a balcony to Category D, the most affordable cabin, which is about 170 square feet, sleeps two, and features small windows. Families will appreciate adjoining cabins, which are a rarity for a river cruise line.
The passenger contingent is mostly bargain-seekers from France and Germany, and you'll hear onboard announcements in multiple languages. Everything from the food and service to the entertainment caters to that crowd. Some will love the idea of cruising like a European, while others may miss, for instance, a wide breadth of entree choices at dinner. Included shore excursions go beyond the standard tours that most lines offer, such as a visit to the Szechenyi baths in Budapest. If you prefer independent travel, Scenic provides a nifty GPS gadget about the size of a cellphone, loaded with maps and commentary that is automatically activated at points of interest. Most of the ships have a pool on the sun deck, along with a fitness center and spa.
While many cruise lines have a strict dining schedule, these ships offer several different onboard restaurants. The Panorama Dining Room serves daily four-course à la carte dinners along with complimentary wine, beer, and soft drinks, or guests can choose the more casual Panorama Bistro or Sky Grill. My job, my passion, in fact, is to inform you as best as I can through my river cruise reviews.
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