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2 registered members (Ngaire, 1 invisible),
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 Re: European River Trip??
#225728
02/29/08 01:06 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,026
Fogmalkin
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,026 |
Looks like I got home just in time to say "Me too!" before the boat is sold out.
Suzanne
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Re: European River Trip??
#225729
02/29/08 01:55 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 7,967
jhp
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 7,967 |
I went to the Scenic Cruises website for North America, and it looks great; there are 82% (non-smoking) balcony cabins that really look nice. There's also a cruise as short as 11 days that has an itin much like the one from Prague to Budapest done by Amadeus.
On CC in the River Cruise section, (about page 2) there is an ongoing discussion thread about the line, but no one has experienced it personally, unfortunately. One point of discussion is that once you deposit, you have a certain period of time where a non-refundable deposit has to be made. Ngaire, is this correct? I could find no information re: fares or single supplements.
SO, like Lee, I ordered a brochure, and within minutes, got an e-mail that it will be sent within 24 hours. Seems they are eager to open up the North American market!
Welcome back to my gal pal Suzanne!
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Re: European River Trip??
#225730
02/29/08 02:21 PM
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,923
Ngaire
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,923 |
Do not know at this moment the specifics of the policies with Scenic.
The Sales Manager asked if she could wait to talk with me as they were still working on how they would handle things in the North American market. We have plenty of time so I said that was fine. At least she got back to me very quickly.
I have my tickets in hand for Budapest and will be able to see Avalon, Amadeus, Viking, Scenic and Tauck boats during the three day "Boat Inspection Tour" I will try to eat on them all, 3 lunches a day perhaps so I can sample the food. No way to sail but it will still give me a ton of information that you cannot gather any way other than "seeing" the boats and the cabins.
I may be able to squeeze in a "sail" for a few days sometime in late October early November after ROAR and before SAMBA.
Ken is going to "raise his eyebrows" at that statement. He keeps telling me he cannot take off any more time and I keep telling him "but I just bought our air".
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Re: European River Trip??
#225731
02/29/08 02:22 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,275
Jim B
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Posts: 4,275 |
What I liked is I could get a price including airfare. Now that was nice.
Jim 
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Re: European River Trip??
#225732
02/29/08 03:02 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 7,967
jhp
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 7,967 |
Ngaire, I will be your companion on that cruise if Ken can't go! I don't have one thing scheduled between ROAR and SAMBA, and if they will give Suzanne a cabin as well, it would make for a great girls trip! And Suzette could check out the nightlife (although she manages on cruises to transform the usual nightlife on a cruise into something more fun!)
Seriously, I think you are so on the ball and have picked out the best of the bunch. Glad the "Boat Inspection Tour" includes all of them.
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Re: European River Trip??
#225733
03/01/08 05:58 AM
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 306
AndreaRH
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Posts: 306 |
Originally posted by Ngaire:
I have my tickets in hand for Budapest and will be able to see Avalon, Amadeus, Viking, Scenic and Tauck boats during the three day "Boat Inspection Tour" Ngaire, I'll be interested to hear what you think of Viking. I just received an invitation from them for a press tour aboard the Viking Surkov. This is a newly renovated river boat that sails from Moscow to St. Petersburg. The materials Viking sent looked spectacular. Of course, the dates of this trip are smack dab when Len and I are supposed to be at a wedding on Long Beach Island in NJ this summer. Drat! If only we weren't in the wedding party...no way of making it work out this time. Oh well. All these river cruise options look great and we'll be interested to hear more as time goes on. Andrea
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Re: European River Trip??
#225734
03/01/08 06:26 AM
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,923
Ngaire
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Posts: 8,923 |
Viking and Deilmann both have good reputations and the only reason I am not considering them for this key escorted group is the size of the cabins and the lack of balcony cabins. The newer ships are just offering better accommodations.
That is such a shame you cannot go I think you would really have enjoyed that trip.
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Re: European River Trip??
#225735
03/01/08 07:33 AM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,917
ssclbc
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Posts: 1,917 |
Put Steve and I on the interested list too
Lauri
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Re: European River Trip??
#225736
03/03/08 04:29 PM
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,923
Ngaire
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,923 |
Where there is a will there is a way. I just cannot take people or sell something where I have not been.
I am sitting on hold now changing my airline reservations to GAME to stop in Europe on the way down to AFrica and sail on Amadeus on the AMADAGIO on November 9th from Nurnberg to Trier - Europes Heartland Cruise. THe ships are so full in August I could not get on BUT I am still going in August too so I can see all the lines at the same time and site inspect all the boats.
Little challenging. Flying to London and doing my own Europe hop to Nurenburg and then getting off 2 days early in Koblenz taking a bus to the Frankfurt airport to make it back to London in time to fly to AFrica and join everyone for GAME on November 15th, 2008.
Had to give up my Business class award though so it is coach all the way now but it is well worth it.
I have my cabin reserved on the cruise A309. I just had to find a way to work it out so I am a happy camper now.
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Re: European River Trip??
#225737
03/03/08 04:51 PM
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 253
GrayWolf
OP
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OP
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 253 |
Well, I'd say you really are a Prince -- but we all know you're a Princess!! I sincerely appreciate the pains you go to in making everything the best possible for all of us.
There's just no substitute for actually living onboard for at least a few days.
I don't envy you the logistics of this trip, but I do thank you.
Can't wait to hear your first-hand impressions.
Betty
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Re: European River Trip??
#225738
03/03/08 05:28 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,084
petlover
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Ngaire, you go through so much for all your clients!!! What a nightmare you're going through with the flights, back tracking etc. So sorry you lost your business class seats too. Maybe you'll get them back if something opens up!
we ALL appreciate your efforts more than you'll ever know!!
Marcie 
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Re: European River Trip??
#225739
03/03/08 05:57 PM
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,923
Ngaire
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,923 |
I am quite enthusiastic about River cruising now. With so many nice new boats on the horizon and different itineraries it is a changing market place and is constantly improving.
I just do not like land trips with packing and unpacking suitcases so a river cruise offers the chance to see land locked areas without all that hassle. There are new itineraries popping up all over Spain and Portugal as well.
YES it is the LCT group in 2010 that got me going but I hope by 2010 I will be as knowledgeable about River cruising as I am about Regent.
This is a good area for BK to focus for the future. More diversity never hurts so I am doing it for myself as well - I just need to learn as fast as I can. Patience has never been one of my virtues, particularly once I made a decision to do something new.
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Re: European River Trip??
#225740
03/04/08 01:23 AM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,369
Beth
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Posts: 4,369 |
Getting into something new is always exciting. There is always that scare of the unknown. Thanks, Ngaire, for taking on this new venture for us. I, for one, am excited about river cruising and appreciate you jumping into this new arena of cruising.
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Re: European River Trip??
#225741
03/04/08 10:06 AM
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,923
Ngaire
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,923 |
Just got an email asking if it was okay for someone to join us on the November 9 Amadeus sailing if they could work it out or would it be a problem for us as we may view this as a working type trip and prefer to be alone.
So thought I would post that it would be fine for people to come along. In fact we would love to have the company.
Just as long as it is clear this is a "trailblazing" trip and I will be just a normal passenger, so no cocktail parties, special dinners etc.
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Re: European River Trip??
#225742
03/04/08 11:12 AM
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 253
GrayWolf
OP
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OP
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 253 |
Boy, do I wish!
Unfortunately, we have relatives coming to 'the beach' on the 12th.
Maybe we could just leave them a key ???
Betty
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Re: European River Trip??
#225743
03/04/08 01:46 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,658
cruisinfanatic
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,658 |
Agree with Betty, don't I wish!!! That is one of the itineraries that we'd love to do.
JoAnn 
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Re: European River Trip??
#225744
03/04/08 07:39 PM
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 472
Yallcruise
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 472 |
If it were not for GAME and SAMBA we would be on the cruise in a heart beat.
Carolyn
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Re: European River Trip??
#225745
03/04/08 08:36 PM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,799
Arlene
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,799 |
I haven't discussed with Gil yet but depending on itinerary I'm sure I could "twist" his arm and we'll probably be looking for something interesting for fall 2010 since I send my baby off to college that fall.
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Re: European River Trip??
#225746
03/11/08 07:25 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,728
mp8shnt
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,728 |
We are VERY interested in Danube on Amadeus this summer (2008) - I have been doing my usual extensive research and THIS River Cruise Line seems to be what we are looking for....but where are the B&K rates for the Danube this summer?
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Re: European River Trip??
#225747
04/05/08 08:11 PM
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 238
johnandjudy
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 238 |
I like the itinerary that Beth wrote about. We really want to go to Prague. Never been there but spent several days in Budapest. It was o.k. It is a pretty city and we wouldn't mind going back. Vienna was a city we really would like to go back to. We were there only overnight and didn't see much. This was on a river cruise a couple years ago; on Vantage. Budapest to Amsterdam. Really very nice and we are interested in doing another one, but want to include Prague. We would like to see Krakow too.
So much to see in this world! Judy
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