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River Cruises FAQ's
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Cabins
Prices quoted are always for the
cheapest option. This usually means the lowest deck which has
smaller windows just above water level that cannot be opened. On the
Avalon the Captain told people not to be alarmed if the
water level sometimes came partially over the window as this was
simply when the ship's ballast tanks were filled to make it ride
lower to pass under low bridges!
We don't recommend these cabins and
would at least go for French balconies with full height opening
windows, preferably on the top deck as you get a better view and the
sun-deck and main ship facilities are usually closer. Note that the
new Scenic Tours "space-ships" have outside balconies while
maintaining stateroom size, so we would now be strongly inclined to
choose these boats where possible.
Lifts (elevators)
Many older river boats do not have
passenger lifts between decks. All Uniworld boats now have lifts and
three new Avalon boats, Scenery, Creativity and Affinity also have
them, as do the new Scenic Tours "space-ships". So the trend is
definitely towards this. If a boat does not have lifts, access
between decks is usually by staircases, not big ones but if you have
problems with stairs you will want to be on the same deck as the
dining room and bar, for example.
Excursions
Each day your boat will call into
one or two ports where you will be taken on a walking tour of the
town/s. Good walking shoes are essential, and these cruises
definitely require you to be able to enjoy a walk if you're going to
get the most out of them. There are cobblestones and uneven
surfaces, and some of the towns and villages are on hillsides,
meaning that there are a few ups and downs. On the other hand, the
boats are usually moored quite centrally, more so than many tour
hotels that I have encountered!
If you have mobility problems, it
is a good idea to check with your tour director as to pace and
difficulty of the walks each day and decide if you are able to
participate. Be aware that the boats are usually booked to arrive at
the various locks at specific times and your tour director does not
have the ability to allow time extensions when in towns.
Several companies are now offering
the chance to use bicycles carried on board if you feel athletic!
Transfers
Check carefully if the cruise that
choose includes transfers from the airport to where the boat is
moored. When transfers are not mentioned, it could mean that you
will need to make your own way into town.
Smoking
If you go on a multi-lingual tour,
one that includes more Europeans, you will probably find a more
accepting attitude to smoking in public areas unfortunately the
anti-smoking movement has not made such progress in Europe, although
countries like Ireland are leading the way forward. Russian and
Chinese cruises are particularly known for being less strict on
non-smoking areas.
The good news is that cruises aimed
at the American and Australian market usually ban all smoking
anywhere inside the boat, allowing it only on the
sun-deck.
Language
English speakers will find it
preferable to look for a tour that's English-speaking only. Daily
announcements are made over the intercom and there would be nothing
more non-relaxing than to have your quiet time interrupted by an
announcement that's repeated in several languages. And of course,
commentaries on excursions can become a little wearing, and
necessarily less comprehensive.
Food
The advertising blurb will give you
an indication of the type of cuisine to expect. On our cruise, as on
many, there was promise of European fine dining and the 'true
flavours of Europe'. Those on our cruise who enjoyed rich,
traditional European style cooking found that our Austrian chef was
able to cater to their palate. However, people who prefer a more
modern, lighter cuisine, spicy food or who are vegetarians should be
aware that they might not find the type of food that they are
accustomed to.
Libraries
If you intend having a relaxing
holiday and doing a lot of reading on deck, it would be advisable to
bring your own supply of books. Although the brochure indicates that
there is a library on board, the one on the Avalon was a small
bookcase with only a few books of interest.
Night noise
For those who are light sleepers,
it is a good idea to bring along some ear plugs. The cruise itself
is very smooth and quiet, but when it goes through the locks at
night, there could be some noise and vibration. Tony wasn't
disturbed, but Helen woke up a few times. On the Amsterdam to
Budapest cruise, we went through some 68 locks - not all at night,
of course!
Port Charges
Watch out for the port charges, they are
usually shown as extra to the basic cost.
Tipping
On a coach tour, you just have the
tour director and driver. On a river boat you have a cruise director
and the whole crew! As usual, there are varying opinions about this,
but Avalon, for example, recommend €2 per passenger per day for the
Cruise Director and €10 per passenger per day for the crew, with €1
per person for a local guide.
Now it's true that a Cruise
Director has more to do with say, 178 passengers as opposed to 40 or
so on a coach, but then he has no hotel to supervise each night
either. On a 15 day cruise with 150 pax that's €4500, which is good
money when added to the salary!
Frankly, having talked to a few
tour directors over the years, I know that the tipping is very
uneven. It's obviously in the tour companies' interest to encourage
generous tipping as it reduces their costs and enables the tours to
look cheaper, but I personally feel that exaggerating the suggested
amounts can be counter-productive in the long run.
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