Just received an email from Vantage and they appear close to giving these things away.

Has anyone ever gone on one of their river cruises including the ones from Holland to Budapest or the Wintermarkets cruise from Cologne to Nurenburg?

Would particularly like to know the following:

1. Is there any chance of motion sickness as my wife gets it bad. Even at night when docked?

2. Are you allowed any independent time...I've never been on a tour and swore that I would never go on one.

3. Are the boats comfortable and are the rooms reasonably sized?

4. How was the food?

Thanks in advance.

US

A friend of mine took a river cruise last November around the Budapest area. I can't remember her exact itinerary, but I believe it was the Budapest to Holland. Her only complaint was that they missed some of the cities/port visits on the cruise because of all the rain they had last year. The cruise ships couldn't get under some of the bridges and had to divert to different routes.

Hi US,

>1. Is there any chance of motion sickness as my wife gets it bad. Even at night when docked?<

Yes and yes. Maybe not a big chance if it is a large boat, but traffic on the river creates waves which make boats rock.

Check the cruise message board. There are recent postings about the rivers being very low this year. They will have to use buses to get to a lot of the destinations.

Sam, in 2001 (right after 9/11) I took a river cruise from Basel to Amsterdam. I don't see how anyone could have gotten seasick. There was not noticable motion. It was extremely relaxing. There were tours at each of the stops but you weren't required to do the tour... you could go on your own if you preferred. There was some independent time, aside from the tours, but not much. The rooms were quite small, twin beds. But the shower was great. A real surprise.

The downside for me was eating every meal on the boat (they tried to serve traditional foods from the places we were). I missed eating in little places off the boat.

It's a VERY slow vacation. You'll spend lots of time watching the shorline go by.

I did a Rhine/Mosel cruise back in the '80's - I think it was about a week, and so much fun. It was a small Dutch line. We got off the boat at many little villages. The cabins were quite small. I don't remember any problem about motion. The Dutch crew was terrific, and food was good. I became very good friends with some English and Scots people on board, who took me under their wing (I was solo) and it was my first time abroad since I was a teenager. I have wonderful memories of that, and have always wanted to do another river cruise, but never have.

Just not having to drive or schlep your luggage around appeals to me. I'm taking my first one in Russia in a week, so I don't know why I'm fooling around on the computer. Wish me luck!

Hi- I had the same experiences as grasshoppper--

we did Arles to Lyon down the RHONE river- it was terrific--no motion sickness at all as boat travels very slow.

Plenty of room in cabin- beds did NOT go together....Not a lot of nite life==just a salon with bar and piano player....

Yes,you can do anything in port that you want..you are NOT tied into any excursions....

Food was ok= not gourmet--buffet breakfast and lunch...dinner was a choice of 3 entrees on the menu...very European..We LOVED it.....

They look relaxing, but they don't seem to allow much time in each place. We considered it when planning our vacation last year, but we saw that it allowed like 1/2 day in places like Bamberg. That's barely enough time to get oriented.

Wehave been on river trips on the Danube, Rhine & Rhone. They are fun.

As was mentioned you don't have to fight your luggage.O

They are frequently tied up at night at a riverside town, so it is possible to sample the local food,or nightlife. Or, shop. In addition, there are tours offered both included and optional.

The food was fine. As was mentioned the breakfasts are so big that lunch could well be skipped.

The boats are only 10m (approx 30&quot wide so the cabins can't be too big but they are certainly big enough.

The shipboard activities.are low key -but heck, you are on vacation .

The staff - on all the trips - couldn't have been more helpful. Not only to us but to some fellow passengers that were - uh difficultquot;>:-B

Forgot to mention that your living room probably rocks more:-B