Hi everyone. We are considering a river cruise between Amsterdam and Basel for Sept.-Oct. this year. My husband and I are mid-30's, American and like a somewhat unstructured approach to touring. I have looked at many cruise lines that offer this itinerary (Peter Deilmann, Sea Cloud, Viking, Uniworld etc.), however, I have no clear idea what type of clientele these lines cater to (luxury/budget, American/Euorpean, older/younger etc.). Since river cruise ships are rather small and intimate, I am concerned about being compatible with our cruisemates (language, age, interests). Does anyone have any idea which cruise line with this itinerary would cater to younger, English speaking couples seeking semi-luxury, good food and a flexible touring schedule? We would rather not be locked into organized tours. Any info. would be much appreciated. Thanks.

ttt

Hi Cat--
My husband and I have enjoyed European river cruising several times--twice on Deilmann and once on Viking. You will find yourselves on the younger end of the spectrum of passengers on any river cruise. However, I think you will find that the folks you travel with will be very vital and interesting. You will not have to move in "lock step" with them. There will be opportunities for you to join organized excursions or explore on your own, if you choose.

(My husband and I were in our 50s when we did most of our river cruises.)

We found Deilmann to be upscale and structured. Most of the passengers were German-speaking and about 1/3 were English-speaking. Tours were organized by language, if enough people had subscribed--otherwise, tours were bi-lingual. The boats were elegant and the food and service excellent.

Our Viking river cruise was from Amsterdam to Basel last summer. While not upscale in the sense that Deilmann was, it was every bit as enjoyable. Excursions were excellent and included in the price of the cruise. The food was not gourmet, but very good. There was a good mix of ages onboard--in fact, we were with several multi-generational groups. The cruise was less structured--no assigned seating in the dining room--and all passengers were English speakers.

Based on our experience, I would recommend both Deilmann and Viking.

One caution. Ocean and river cruises are apples and oranges--very different.

Hope that helps as you evaluate what's best for you. If you'd like more info, please email sbljnl at earthlink dot net.

goforfun,

I'm curious what you mean by ocean and river cruises being "apples and oranges". I know there are some obvious differences, but from your viewpoint, what are some of the differences you speak of? Do you mean that there is a difference in level of interaction between passengers? If so, in what way? Thanks.

cat

Cat-

We have done a river cruise down the Rhone River in France..Loved it..

Definitely differenct from a normal large American Style ship..only hold 120 pass. at the max..
Only 3 levels high- usually no pool..cabins are nice..ONE area lounge with a piano player and a dining room

Food is so-so compared to cruises you are used to taking in either the MEd or the Caribbean..

Breakfast was buffet--as was lunch...the only "order off the menu" was dinner.

Clientele is definitely European and FUN! We met germans and french people on our cruise..super nice people...
The age level is roughly 40-65...
But we were YOUNGER than most and still had a great time..It is the scenery and relaxation that make this kind of cruise so wonderful--the excursions are wonderful....

We were on the MS Cezanne--there is a newer MS Cezanne II that has a small swimming pool...

I have not seen any river cruises that border on luxury--and while they are not budget cruises , they seem to fall right in the middle.

If you do not want to do the organized tours, by all means ,you can do your own thing...

I hate to discourage you, but I think you may find that a river cruise is not exactly what you picture. I've not sailed on Peter Deilman, but I have sailed on others, and the clientele is definitely older. On my last river cruise on Viking, there was a delightful young couple in mid-30's who really were the "kids" of the cruise, and they expressed that they would have thought twice about taking the cruise if they had know this. Mind you, everyone was very nice to them and they probably had an overall good exprience, but river cruises definitely are used by an older crowd. You also say you like unstructured touring. Well, river cruises include very organized sightseeing. Peter Deilman is somewhat of an exception, since many tours are optional. Your tours are included in the price that you pay on most lines. I don't usually like structured sightseeing either, and what I do is to go with the group into town and then take off on my own. I pick and choose the few group activities that I want to participate in and then just do my own thing the rest of the time. One good thing on Viking (and probably Peter Deilmann) is that the sightseeing groups are relatively small. Unlike some ship tours that I tried with 40 people in a group, Viking broke everyone down into groups of 10-20 people. Much better. River cruising is very relaxing and "low key" compared to ocean cruises.
By the way, because these ships are small, they typically sell out early. I found this out the hard way when I tried to book a Holland cruise last year...several dates were sold out when I called 9 months in advance!!