River Cruise Operators
We travelled with Evergreen Tours/Emerald Waterways, another brand of Scenic Tours, but there are other companies in addition to the ones mentioned below that offer the same basic itinerary (in 2014):
- Scenic Tours – “Jewels of Europe”
- Evergreen Tours – “Splendours of Europe” (Our choice)
- APT – “Magnificent Europe”
- Viking River Cruises
- Avalon Waterways – “Magnificent Europe”
- AMAWaterways – “Magnificent Europe”
- Tauck – “Amsterdam to Budapest by Riverboat”
- Grand Circle Cruise Line – “The Great Rivers of Europe”
- Abercrombie & Kent – “Heart of Europe” (A slightly longer cruise)
Many other companies target the non-English-speaking market.
Which Company to Choose?
It is difficult to choose a cruise when the routes are identical. There are three main points to consider:
- Price
- Stops
- Attractions included
Pricing
Some people are driven by price, so it is important to remember that a given company will offer “early bird” pricing and play with the “fly free” carrot, such as offering it to one person or both. Some will offer a “free upgrade” or “on-board credit” if you book early. The price differences also reflect the attractions you see only from the outside, from the inside, or not at all. For example, Evergreen mentions the Cologne Cathedral and a city walk, but some others explicitly take you inside.
Scenic offers unlimited free alcohol, while Evergreen/Emerald only offers free alcohol during lunch and dinner. You won’t be on board during most days, so all-day alcohol might not mean much.
Tauck is an up-market brand, which is also seen in its fittings, furnishings, crockery, passenger bags etc.
So, do your comparisons of companies at the same time for the desired time slots. Not every company might have a sailing on the desired day.
Stops
Some companies do not stop at certain places, such as APT/TravelMarvel, whose ships skip Cologne but instead stop at Bonn and Andernach. They also skip Bratislava as a main stop, but give you two days in Vienna (a good thing, as there is so much to see, but on the second day you could see Bratislava).
Attractions
The other variation occurs with what you do each day. Some companies will let you loose in the town square for some hours, while others will have an included castle visit in the same time. You might only get to a certain attraction with a certain company. For example, the AMAWaterways offers an option between seeing the Audi factory or a walking tour of Regensburg.
The side tours are included in Scenic, while you pay extra if you are using Evergreen. So do the sums – some people on our cruise did no optional tours at all.
River Levels
The river levels were low when we were at Regensburg and passengers on Viking and AMA Waterways ships had to offload and take a bus to Passau, whereas the Emerald Sky had no problem owing to its shallower draught.
Other factors
Many other factors, such as a new ship and more luxury options, might influence your decision. All offer free Wi-Fi, so your internet needs will be met. Tauck’s ships carry fewer passengers. AMAWaterways also provides a computer in each cabin. Your circumstances can also come into play. If you have difficulty walking and are happy to miss out on some excursions, then Evergreen Tours might be a cheaper option for you. The US/Canada packages might seem cheaper but might not include flights and tips. Do your homework a few times, and have a great trip!