http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/ 436-219 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/reviews/river-cruise-reviews/scenic-tours/scenic-pearl.html Sat, 08 Oct 2011 10:30:32 -0500 300-218 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/viking/viking-primadonna.html I also had not found many reviews on Primadonna before we sailed, so thought I would add my feedback. We took the Eastern Europe trip with Viking in September 2011. This is from Budapest to Bucharest, down the Danube. It was our first Viking cruise (and our last) for reasons that will become apparent later. We started with a guided bus tour of Bucharest, which was just average and in fact when we compared their itinerary with that put out by the local tourist office, which listed the "10 not to miss sights in Budapest" we realized they had not taken us to a single one of them! So we paid to go on the "Hop On- Hop Off tour" during our free afternoon and this was excellent and covered most of the not to miss sights and gave way more explanations. We did find the cabins to be comfortable, clean and spacious. The rest of the ship was light and airy. The crew was helpful and friendly. The food was plentiful and tasty There was supposedly free Wi-Fi on board, and yes, it was free, but almost so slow as to be useless. I ran a speed test and most times it was around 0.04 Mbs and yet at the average restaurant in any port of call, their free Wi-Fi was about 4.0Mbs. This lead to the strange site in most of the tiny stop off locations (not really fair to call all of them ports!) of people walking around with iPads and laptops in front of them, searching for a signal! Most of the ports along this route did not seem to have a lot of very interesting things to see or do and so most of the excursions left a lot to be desired. And bearing in mind the average age of passengers (70+), some were downright dangerous - climbing rocks several hundred feet high! However the final blow was when we ran aground and got stuck for 36 hours on a sandbank. We never got the whole truth, but suspect captain error, as we were well off the ship channel. The rescue was a joke...they finally send a car ferry for us and put 150 people on a car ferry (with no toilets) for 3 1/2 hours. We sat on an open deck in 85 degree temperatures, on plastic chairs, under umbrellas. Then on arrival at Bechet, Romania (an outpost which was just a car ferry departure point) we were immediately put on busses and driven for 1/2 hour to a gas station, where 150 people descended on the 2 toilets! Then we had another 4 hours by bus to Bucharest, finally arriving at our hotel at 8pm. Compensation: Well they gave us a dinner at the hotel in Bucharest....we missed 2 full days of tours, and disappointingly the one of Bucharest, which looked to be a beautiful city (as we saw on our trip to airport next AM) Following our return to the US we did receive a letter from Viking offering a credit of $946.65 per person - for a future cruise - which I considered a rather empty offer, as we will never cruise with them again You can see pictures here of the rescue and some of the sights http://tinyurl.com/3h9e5qt Avoid Viking Cruises, customer service non existent ]]> Wed, 05 Oct 2011 03:43:36 -0500 308-213 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/viking/viking-lomonosov.html Go for the history of Ukraine and not much else. The ship is definitely past its prime; the staff are surly with few exceptions. We spent time docked in the smoke path of a smelting plant. And less than 1/2 day in Kiev, one of the cities actually worth seeing. But the history is amazing. Find out what you want to see prior and book your own taxi as their tours often will not take you to what you want to see or what is worth seeing. Not to be missed: WWII museum in Kiev, which is neither a regular or optional tour. As a student of history, it actually amazed me what they left of the list. ]]> Mon, 18 Oct 2010 16:51:49 -0500 308-211 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/viking/viking-lomonosov.html I just returned from this cruise and what a disappointment! Not worth the price even at the 2 for 1 sale! The ship is approximately 40 years old, whose air conditioning has not been updated. During last week's 100+ temperature, we had no air conditioning for 5 days. Five days out of 11, we had to request toilet paper. No potable water on the ship and not enough bottled water for two people in the cabin. The food was good. The shore excursions were neither interesting, nor were they convenient. How many times can we see a WW2 memorial, Lenin and a church. Ukraine is not yet suited for tourists. And, a half a day in Kiev, the capital. Why we saw so many industrial, polluted cities and just half a day in Kiev, I'll never know. The old Soviet Union had more to offer when I visited it nearly 30 years ago, than did this cruise. Don't go for it! ]]> Tue, 17 Aug 2010 22:58:49 -0500 308-209 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/viking/viking-lomonosov.html The Viking Lomonosov cruise starts at Kiev, visits Crimea and finishes in Odessa. There can be no better way of sampling Ukraine...its culture, history, geography and peoples...crusing down the mighty Dneiper. It is fascinating. I will recommend it to my friends. However Viking Lomonosov does not reach the standards of comfort of the more modern river cruisers. Standard cabins are very small, beds narrow and the air conditioning is noisy. There are no lifts. On the postive side service is excellent, management is efficient and the food and wine reaches a good standard. Avoid paying for a drinks package. The cruise includes some very interesting excursions led by knowledgeable leaders however the optional excursions in the Crimea are expensive. The Ukraine still retains some of the characteristics of a post Soviet state: long waits at Immigration, poor factilites at Odessa airport and expensIve dachas for the elite. Ignore the boat's deficencies and enjoy a fascinating cruise. ]]> Sat, 07 Aug 2010 08:43:40 -0500 435-201 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/reviews/river-cruise-reviews/scenic-tours/scenic-ruby.html Wed, 14 Jul 2010 21:47:05 -0500 239-187 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/uniworld/river-duchess.html I have travelled on many ocean cruises and have done a lot of different itineraries. We were running out of new things to see so that is when we wanted to look at river cruises. They go to places you couldn't get to with a big ship. When we choose the River Duchess and Uniworld it was because we liked the itinerary. We didn't know what to expect onboard and were expecting a lot of international people. This wasn't the case as almost everyone we ran into were from somewhere in North America. The food was excellent onboard though they didn't concentrate on quantity but more on the quality of the food. We enjoyed all our meals. You are seated together with other guests but everyone we met we got a long with so no complaints. The rooms are smaller than a ocean cruise but they use the space well and it didn't bother us. What I really liked over an ocean cruise is how easy it is to get of and on the ship. You are right in the middle of the city and you just have to walk off. As easy as having a hotel in the city without all the packing and repacking. We found we boarded and got off the ship many times in a day. On cruise ships we usually left for the day and only returned later. The included tours are good and the guides were very good. The staff were very helpful and friendly. Things were more laid back and casual on the ship. Entertainment was lovely as they often brought in local acts to play for us that evening. Well after our first river cruise on the River Duchess we are hooked and will travel with Uniworld again in the future. ]]> Mon, 21 Jun 2010 17:20:38 -0500 242-186 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/uniworld/river-baroness.html When I booked my river cruise with my travel agent I wasn't sure what to expect. She reassured me that I would be taken care of and that I would really enjoy myself. Well she was right I really loved my cruise on the River Baroness. The ship is beautiful, our cabin comfortable and the food excellent. Though what really stands out in my mind is the staff. Never have I had such friendly and helpful staff. They seemed really happy to not only help you but just in general with their job. The itinerary was very interesting with Paris, Normandy beaches, Honfleur, Rouen and so much more. There was always so much for us to do in each port and I bought a lot of gifts for my grandkids. Thank-you Uniworld for an amazing cruise on the River Baroness. ]]> Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:58:09 -0500 327-185 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/avalon/felicity.html This was going to be our first river cruise ever. We have been on a lot of ocean cruises so this would be a new experience. We choose the Avalon Felicity as she is a new vessel being launched in March 2010 and we wanted to sail the Romantic Rhine. The ship itself is new and modern. We enjoyed the ship and didn't feel crowded with the size and 138 passengers that can fit onboard. Lunch time could get a litter more busy but it was manageable. You won't find a balcony on a river cruise so we opted for the next best thing a french door. It means you can open the door like a balcony but there is a bar in front and no deck. Though it allowed us to get fresh air a balcony would have been nicer. The cabin has a lot of room and storage capacity which was important to us. The food was ok but not always the best. Service was sometimes slow in the dining room but most of the dinners were good and they included free wine. The breakfast and lunch were just average. There is no real entertainment onboard which is one thing I miss from ocean cruises. We used to go to shows and casinos at night. You won't find this on any river cruise they are just too small to accomodate such things. Remember they are just sailing on a river and they have to be able to fit under the low bridges. I really enjoyed the river cruise on the Avalon Felicity but I think our next cruise will be an ocean cruise. ]]> Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:48:47 -0500 238-184 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/uniworld/douro-queen.html It was unfortunate that our cruise on the Douro Queen got rained out but that is no fault of Uniworld. The staff did everything they could and it was a great relaxing time for us. The food and wine were excellent and it was a nice pace for us. I booked my next river cruise with Uniworld on the River Duchess so hoping for good weather this time. ]]> Fri, 18 Jun 2010 17:38:49 -0500 239-180 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/uniworld/river-duchess.html We cruised with Uniworld a few years back and really enjoy this style of cruising. They are smaller ships so you get to know more of the people onboard. This year we decided to try the River Duchess. We liked this ship and it felt familiar to our last cruise. We really like that the ship docks in the center of town so you can just leisurely stroll around the town when you feel like it. The service is excellent and so is the food and wine. Overall a very enjoyable cruise and we already booked our Uniworld cruise for next year. ]]> Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:53:48 -0500 287-177 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/avalon/scenery.html Superior director Jean Loup Food uneatable at times. Especially for dinner. Had to ask permission for extra salad. The fact that the portions were tiny is okay because the food is so bad in evening. Went off ship whenever possible. Had to ask for 2nd bar of soap. Not usually given On the good side the staff was responsive and helpful and our room steward Alto did an excellent job Loved the concept of river cruising. Pretty new to us since we take two cruises a year on smaller ships. Silver sea and Oceania So , would like to find a river trip that was more luxury ]]> Thu, 10 Jun 2010 06:12:38 -0500 239-183 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/uniworld/river-duchess.html All I can say was everything was just wonderful on the River Duchess. The service was excellent and the staff was so friendly. This was important as I am a single lady travelling alone. Even the fellow travellers were very warm and receptive. The food was excellent and the guides did a good job of relaying their knowledge to us on the ins and out of the area. If I had to complain it would have been that the cruise is too leisurely for me. I tend to like having more activity all the time. ]]> Wed, 09 Jun 2010 17:31:12 -0500 236-181 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/uniworld/river-royale.html We choose this cruise on the River Royale and Uniworld because we wanted a French Itinerary. Everything exceeded our expectations including the staff, accomodations, guides, food and wine and the itinerary. We were surprised at how hard the Uniworld staff would work for us to make sure everything was just perfect. The River Royale is a beautiful ship and we enjoyed just sitting on the deck in the hot sun while we cruised down the river. The rooms were a bit on a the small side but they were well layed out so we found a spot for all our luggage. The bathrooms were more roomy than I thought they would be and we liked the bath products they had. The guides in each of the towns were very knowledgable and really gave us a lot of information. I would recommend doing all the optional tours as they were really good and glad that we went. The food on the menu each night was indicitave of the area you were travelling through so you got a really taste for the region. English was the common language onboard which made it easy for us. We are looking forward to our next cruise with Uniworld maybe the Rhine this time. ]]> Mon, 07 Jun 2010 17:14:59 -0500 243-182 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/uniworld/river-ambassador.html I just wanted to write a quick review of our experience on the Uniworld cruise on the River Ambassador sailing from Basel. Me and my husband had a fabulous time and everyone I talked to had a positive comment. Everyone was so professional and courteous which was really appreciated. The ship was beautiful and we loved the itinerary. The food couldn't have been better. Overall a great cruise on the River Ambassador and we will sail again with Uniworld ]]> Wed, 02 Jun 2010 17:21:57 -0500 242-164 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/uniworld/river-baroness.html My Wife treated me for my 60th birthday to a river cruise. I had never heard of river cruises before but our cruise on the River Baroness was perfect. I had the best time ever. The service by the staff was exceptional and the food tasted really good. We really enjoyed bike riding through some of these beautiful villages. The scenery is quite exceptional. With the Ash cloud problem Uniworld accomodated us until we could get a flight which was so appreciated. They also helped us with the arrangements on getting home. I want so say what a great cruise we had on the River Baroness and we will sail with Uniworld again in the future. ]]> Fri, 07 May 2010 21:33:24 -0500 248-163 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/victoria-cruises/victoria-jenna.html We booked our river cruise on the Victoria Jenna with Uniworld. They did an excellent job with all the hotels they offered and the cruise on the Yangtze was the highlight. The ship was up to our standards and we enjoyed the food and modern amenities. The staff is excellent and our guide was wonderful. We really enjoyed seeing the Great Wall and the Terra Cotta figures. ]]> Fri, 07 May 2010 21:24:06 -0500 254-162 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/uniworld/river-tosca.html Me and husband really enjoyed our cruise on the River Tosca on the Nile. Cairo is such a hectic city and we were happy to find our cruise was so peaceful. There was lots to see along the way from temples to tombs. We loved the ship, the food and the staff. Overall this was a great way to travel. ]]> Fri, 07 May 2010 21:19:54 -0500 235-161 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/uniworld/river-beatrice.html We were supposed to fly out a week early but were delayed by the Ash cloud over Europe. Luckily flights resumed just before our cruise on the River Beatrice. The ship is very comfortable, the tours well planned with knowledgable guides equipped with voice boxes. The food was excellent in presentation and quality and we also enjoyed the great wine. The staff was just wonderful and I was amazed at how much they would do to help us. I had some friends on some other river cruises that didn't have such a great experience but the River Beatrice with Uniworld is definitely worth sailing on. ]]> Fri, 07 May 2010 21:16:34 -0500 306-158 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/viking/ms-maribelle.html I sailed on the Viking Burgundy which is now called the ms Maribelle. I boarded the ship in Avignon and the port was very close to where I was staying so I was onboard the ship quickly. The staff were very helpful and even gave us a welcome drink. I have cruised on Ocean cruises before but river cruising does allow you to see some less know places. I would often awake in a different port and they usually dock in the middle of town. You can just get off the ship and stroll around town. Very relaxing way of travelling. You could return to the ship whenever you liked. The cruise offered various castles, Roman ruins, vineyards and good french food. The guides were excellent and spoke English well. We learned a lot about each port but still had time to explore on our own. The dining was excellent and I really did like the open style seating. You meet everyone on the ship this way. As for entertainment don't expect much in the evening. Unlike the big ships there are no casinos, no Broadway shows just some activities like bingo or a 3 piece band. I spent a lot of the time in the evening just reading. I don't believe the ship is any different now then when I sailed other than the name. ]]> Thu, 06 May 2010 16:58:03 -0500 238-157 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/uniworld/douro-queen.html We really enjoyed our cruise on the Douro Queen. It started off badly as we were robbed prior to our cruise. When we arrived at the ship we explained the situation and we were given the most amazing service to help us get our new US passports and all the other documents we needed. I am really appreciative of their efforts as they really do care and are helpful. The cruise itself was flawless and we enjoyed everything onboard. The ports the food all were excellent. A great trip on the Douro Queen. ]]> Tue, 04 May 2010 18:34:47 -0500 311-155 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/viking/viking-century-sun.html I have to say when we booked the Viking Century Sun I didn't know what to expect. I have to say that everything went smooth the tours were run well, the guides are excellent and provided a lot of information and the Century Sun is a beautiful ship. The food was very good and tasty. Few notes if you are going on this sailing be sure to bring a lot of small US bills. The reason is the tipping everyday that you need to do. This includes guides and bus drivers and also paying vendors. The computers are slow so don't expect to be checking your email as it takes too long. The cruise dress is very casual and really varied from person to person. I wouldn't worry about dressing up we sure didn't. Bottled water is provided daily at least on our cruise so we never had to buy any. In general everything went smoothly and we really enjoyed our cruise on the Viking Century Sun ]]> Tue, 04 May 2010 17:43:27 -0500 242-152 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/uniworld/river-baroness.html After our cruise on the River Baroness I have to say it is like a boutique hotel. It is small, intimate, service oriented and wonderful decor. Uniworld did a great job of making a truely remarkable vacation experience that exceeded our expectations. I definitely will cruise with Uniworld again. ]]> Mon, 03 May 2010 18:19:15 -0500 240-151 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/uniworld/river-empress.html Our cruise on the River Empress was definitely a highlight to our European trip. I really liked that is was a small ship as you could get to know everyone onboard. We made a lot of new friends which made the experience so much better. The food was fantastic the best we tasted on our whole trip. The staff seemed to have an answer for every question we had and I had quite a few. They were always courteous and friendly. This is not the experience I had on some large Ocean cruises. What an amazing trip on the River Empress ]]> Mon, 03 May 2010 18:14:23 -0500 239-150 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/uniworld/river-duchess.html Being new to River Cruises we didn't know what to expect on our cruise on the River Duchess with Uniworld. Uniworld put all our fears to rest and we were treated really well. The staff, food and the ship were all perfect. No complaints on anything. The shore excursions were great and the guides were so knowledgeable. I will definitely cruise with Uniworld again. ]]> Mon, 03 May 2010 18:10:44 -0500 241-149 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/uniworld/river-princess.html We just came back from our cruise on the River Princess and I just wanted to comment on what a wonderful cruise we had. Everything was great and we really enjoyed it. The staff they have really make the trip. They are friendly, enthusiastic and thoughtful. Luckily we missed the whole Ash cloud thing so we could fly home. Will always remember this trip. ]]> Mon, 03 May 2010 18:07:15 -0500 244-143 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/uniworld/river-queen.html We had a wonderful cruise on the River Queen sailing on the Rhine and Moselle Rivers between Basel and Amsterdam. It was a dream trip for us. The staff onboard are well trained and helpful. They do go out of their way to make sure that everything is taken care of for you. The included sightseeing was very comprehensive and the guides very knowledgable. I would recommend venturing out on your own as well. There are a lot of other great things to see that aren't included on the tour. Just ask some of the staff to help you if you are unsure of how to get to places. The food was excellent especially the dinner. They had a wonderful presentation of the food and it tasted just as good. There are a choices and if you don't like them you can get a steak or chicken. Lunches could have used more choices than what was served. A cruise on the River Queen really did make me feel like a queen. ]]> Mon, 26 Apr 2010 22:05:59 -0500 300-190 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/viking/viking-primadonna.html We had sailed on the Viking Primadonna in April 2010 and because I didn't find many reviews before we left I thought I would leave a few thoughts. The Viking Primadonna is a catamaran, very spacious, clean and elegant. The Lounges onboard were very beautiful, stylish and comfortable. The cabins on the upper and middle deck are generally larger and more comfortable. The cabin has a TV with English programs, telephone, adequate storage, spacious bathroom. We took a room with a balcony and really enjoyed that as most river cruise ships don't offer this. They always cleaned the cabin during breakfast and it was always clean and tidy. The food was good and tasty though I wouldn't say it is five star dining. Friendly Service in the Restaurant, in the lounges and in the cabin. Multilingual staff. On the sundeck was a Mini-Whirlpool, but during our cruise was not used much. There are sufficient umbrellas and seats available. The Tour manager discussed all the excursion with images. The excursions were well done and the selected tour guides were all very good speaking English well and having a profound knowledge. If you get cabins on the lower deck they are a lot smaller but you are better off being towards the front of the ship. We heard some people in the back complain about engine noise. We enjoyed our cruise on the Viking Primadonna and would cruise with Viking again. ]]> Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:00:37 -0500 237-142 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/uniworld/river-countess.html Last December me and my wife has the distinct pleasure of cruising on the River Countess. The River Countess is an exquisite vessel with all the modern amenities that you would require. Our cabin was well layed out and spacious enough for the two of us and our belongings. We found the staff onboard to be quite experienced and professional in all our dealings. The cruise director and all the staff were such a pleasure to around and coverse with. The food was excellent and presented well. A few nights I would have preferred a few more choices than what was given. The ports were memorable and interesting and the tour guides quite knowledgable. In summary our river cruise on the River Countess was a pleasant experience for both me and my wife and we would be honoured to sail on her again. ]]> Mon, 26 Apr 2010 18:23:29 -0500 235-141 http://www.cruisereviews4u.com/river-cruise-reviews/uniworld/river-beatrice.html We took this Christmas cruise in December 2009 and I have to say how thrilled I am with it. The ship is absolutely beautiful and we really liked the smaller intimate feel of it. They outdid themselves every night on the food. It was all really tasty. The excursions were informative and they did a really good job. We also really liked the entertainment that they brought onboard. Overall I give the River Beatrice 5 stars, good job. ]]> Mon, 26 Apr 2010 17:56:17 -0500