Jim

We are thinking of river cruise on Rhine and Danube but get turned off by high prices indicated on websites. I usually do not want to pay more than $100.00 a day per person plus the air fare. Would like to travel in May or September/October. Any river cruises in budget category?

ingrid

Same question here for France river cruises. But I also think there was a special recently with airfare advertised at www.frommers.com .<BR>My parents took a river cruise on the Danube last year and just hated the ship, especially the crew and tour guide. I'll find ou the name of the company and also will explain in more detail what they didn't like. However, they liked the experience of a river cruise enough to look into cruises in France --- on a different ship.

Gar

hi there,<BR>looking last year for crusing the river Lena I saw a few very cheap ones on the Danube. If my brain works right it was about DM 900 for 6 day. I'm shure they have the same price category on the Rhine.But these are German run agencys, so I'm not shure wheter You will have a english spoken guide on board. (But I think those guide allway do a little english ...) If You are interessted I can dive for the adress - drope me a line on my mailbox.<BR>have fun<BR>Gar

Ann

Hey, Gar, would love to have the company run by Germans, did you find it?<BR>Also, Ingrid, what was the name of the tour your family hated? Thanks all.

ingrid

Here are links to a whole bunch of Danube cruise companies (from the well-known to the obscure):<BR>http://www.danube-river.org/ , then click on links, top middle rectangle, click on Kreuzfahrten. There are indeed 7 day cruises for around 800/900 Euros per person.<BR>Ann, I just talked today to my mother and asked her. It was a special group charter (which was fine), but the ship and crew were the MS Theodor Koerner (O mit Umlaut); I believe it's owned by an Austrian company. Most of the people who were in charge of the organizational part on the ship (don't know what the official job name is, the ones who organize the meal service, entertainment, lodging, etc.) were eastern European (I believe Romanian), and the shop was run in a way resembling a bad old movie with Germans ("Hogan's Heroes"?) or what you experienced if you ever went to an eastern bloc country. They issued commands, such as, stop eating, show your passport, sit down now, didn't I tell you to be quiet and listen, and why are you laughing, etc.<BR>My mom said they tried to see the funny side of this and imitated them, but still not quite the service one would expect. The ship was fine but she thinks that the Amadeus Mozart looked a lot nicer. My parents are very relaxed and were not looking for a very luxurious ship and great service, but didn't find this kind of behavior on the part of the crew very enticing.<BR>Hope that helps.<BR>

ingrid

Just did a search on thi ship. It was the old flagship of the original Danube steamboat company (DDSG)and is now owned by favorit reisen Heilbronn. The crwe is supposedly still from the DDSG (they also have a website), or maybe they are the ones that were "sold with the ship" by DDSG; it's hard to fire people in Europe.

Jim

Thanks for the replies to date. Justreceived Vantage brochure entitled European River Cruises 2002. It lists 16 day Holland to Hungary River Cruise from only $2799 if you travel November 10 plus another $160 for port charges. 15 land tours are included pus other cultural connections. Includes 14 nights--airfare--transfers.<BR> Same brochure has 12 day land/cruise for Holland and Belgium for $1399 plus $120 port charges for departures on March 28 and 29.<BR> Would travellers be able to see tulips this early in the year?<BR> I have not travelled on Vantage trips. Are thesetrips worth the money. Cruise only lasts 7 nights and includes 3 nights at a deluxe Brussels hotel. Would weather be a problem for this Soring trip?

Gar

hi there,<BR><BR>I nearly found all agencys in www. They are:<BR><BR>http://www.nicko-tours.de/<BR><BR>http://www.transocean.de/flussstart.htm<BR><BR>http://www.seereisenservice.de/fluss_europa.htm<BR><BR>My favorite is:<BR><BR>http://www.phoenixreisen.com/fluss/fluss_i_d.htm<BR><BR>But unfortunatly the site dont works on me. Perhaps You got more luck.<BR><BR>have fun<BR>Gar<BR>