River Cruise Lines Comparison Viking, Emerald & Scenic River Cruises CHOOSING THE BEST ONE

[@blairoconnell7410]

Thank you for your video. My girlfriend and I are starting to think about traveling in Europe and I have been concentrating on river cruises as a way to see more than country on a visit. I appreciate you and your quests wisdom and expertise. I am excited to watch more of your videos to learn about traveling and river cruising. Thank you for the time and effort you put into your videos. I truly appreciate it.

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Thanks for the wonderful comment. We love what we do and we love traveling vicariously thru the eyes and ears of our guests.

[@pamelawooden6012]

Took the 15 day European River cruise with Emerald last fall. Loved it! We had a light passenger total....about 78 people. Every thing was great! Most passengers were Canadian and only 4 from the US. There were also Australians. All inclusive no hidden fees. You can purchase extra drink packages but we didn't. Lunch and dinner includes local wine, beer and soft drinks and pretty much all you can drink while dining. The waiters would fill up our wine glasses in the evenings before we left to go to the lounge to visit with other passengers or watch local talent. Would highly recommend! Daily stops were fantastic. Loved the whole experience. We have booked another cruise for next spring with Emerald!

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Thanks for the mini review. We have not sailed with them yet but they are definitely on our list.

[@platinum_oh1]

Excellent video. Very informative and helpful. You pick really knowledgeable guests.

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Glad you enjoyed it! Laura is an excellent travel advisor makes my job easy.

[@willfrix1455]

Just got back from Danube cruise with Scenic. Everything you described about them is spot on. Our bonus was there were only 106 passengers (160 capacity), so we were very pampered by the 60 crew members. We added a night in Budapest and 3 nights in Prague, so the transfers being included were really convenient. Having to make those arrangements on our own would’ve been less enjoyable. It was our first river cruise, so not sure I’d take a step down to Viking or Emerald if we went on another.

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Thanks for the comment we love to hear about folk’s experiences.

[@paulwinge4173]

We've sailed with Scenic, Uniwolrd and AMA. For us, we're not interested in Viking due to the amount of guests they pack on each ship. We paid extra for the Scenic trip but the extra added amenities made the price worthwhile. Uniworld was almost as nice and was truly all-inclusive too. AMA was nice but there were more extra charges and limited drink options. Scenic is the clear winner here, in my opinion.

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Thanks for the input love to hear from our fans.

[@tuzanne]

Great info - we are doing an Emerald in Aug and Viking in Sept so glad to hear they are both good

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Thanks for the comment

[@maryhurst4663]

Great info and I’m taking lots of notes. She did mention a couple of the cruise lines offer a room for solo travelers. I’d like to hear from anyone who has traveled solo on one of these ships. Concerned the cabin might be inferior to those offered to couples.

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Glad you enjoyed it. As far as the solo cabins go we have never sailed in one but having said that in terms of decor and amenities they would not be inferior but you could expect them to be slightly smaller and the location on the ship may not be ideal. But the main thing to remember is on most river cruises you do not spend a lot of time in your room.

[@lindawolfe8966]

Thanks so much for this comparison! Great help as we are trying to decide which and where.

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Glad it was helpful!

[@LaurieBixler]

Great Job. Very informative and helpful - thanks for doing this.

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Glad it was helpful!

[@janh.4479]

Great comparison and information!! Thanks!!

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Glad it was helpful!

[@lvredgrl5201]

Did a Christmas cruise on Avalon. Stayed in a River view cabin. Didn’t need the “fresh air” in December. We are doing another river cruise this December on Viking and booked a River view again. You spend so little time in your cabin on a river cruise and again - you don’t open a window in December

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Let us know how you enjoy Viking

[@dshinaberry]

Any chance of a Tauck review? I really like the excursions listed and the all-inclusiveness they discuss. Also, so many fewer guests!

[@askarealtravelexpert]

You read our minds stay tuned!

[@ljacobs357]

Just got off the Emerald Radiance Douro River cruise. Almost all guests were Aussies, UK and Canadians. Very few from the USA. Food was good and the service from the Portuguese crew excellent. We were in the Riverview Suite which was lovely, but at that price it should have included room service. The lounge chairs on the top deck were not cushioned so not as comfortable. Guess they have to differentiate the brand from the more upscale Scenic.😮

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Thanks for the comment and update

[@mariareyes-ku6194]

We want to take a river cruise in 2026 through the Christmas markets but we are three adults. Do we need to book two cabins?

[@askarealtravelexpert]

The only line we know of that has some rooms for triples is AmaWaterways. Best thing to do would be to enlist the services of an expert river cruise advisor to get more information on the availability and particular rooms and ships.

[@mlaihome]

I think Scenic has gadget that passengers can bring on shore, scan QR codes at tourists spots and can listen to info about the site. By using this feature, passengers can be on their own to explore. However, Emerald and Viking don't offer this

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Very neat feature for a self tour !

[@gwynaethbranwynn]

Fantastic video!

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Glad you liked it!

[@mariareyes-ku6194]

I think I would feel claustrophobic on the lower level. I just want the middle level balcony cabin for us.

[@askarealtravelexpert]

It’s a much better experience on the upper decks but if the budget does not allow then you can take solace in the fact that you spend very little time in you stateroom on a river cruise anyway.

[@leanneneville2431]

Having just been on a three week Viking ocean cruise we really are at a disadvantage with prices and airfare offers coming from Australia. Speaking with numerous American passengers our prices are so much more expensive over here 😟

[@askarealtravelexpert]

That's interesting are you allowing for the USD to AUD conversion?

[@Scott-pe6te]

Great comparison. Thank you. Which of the river cruise lines offer coffee machines in the room and tables for two in the dining room? I heard that Viking does not offer tables for two. That might work for couples or families traveling together sitting at a four or more persons table, but that doesn't work for me.

[@askarealtravelexpert]

We’ve never seen a coffee machine in the room on a river cruise. In all river cruises there is a 24 hour coffee station set up in the lounge area. When it comes to tables for two, they are available in limited quantities on most of the lines in the main dining room but due to space limitations you are still seated very close together kind of defeating the purpose. Some of the specialty dining venues on some lines such as Viking's Aquavit Terrace will have seating for two.

[@mlaihome]

Emerald's Horizon deck Grand Balcony and owner's suite has in room coffee machine, if I remember correctly.

[@mariomskitchenbd7970]

Excellent share thanks for sharing 😮

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Thanks for visiting

[@candicedevane9000]

We have been on 4 Viking River cruises and I would like to try AMA…can you review that line?

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Here is an interview we did with one of the Owners All About AmaWaterways with Kristin Karst kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZiVoKGgls18Zqc will also send you a comparison interview. We are big fans of AmaWaterways

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Top Three River Cruise Lines Comparison Viking, AmaWaterways & Uniworld kzbin.info/www/bejne/pqm4aoVpraxpnMk

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Christmas Markets River Cruise with AmaWaterways Review kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZnPXq15ecSrfrM

[@warrenwolf4690]

I’ve heard that payment on Viking is so early. How is the air with the others. I heard Viking air is bad how are the others?

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Vikings deposit and final payment schedule is different and really depends on how far out you are booking but in general you will be making your final payment earlier then some other lines. As to the air what we have seen is not to bad but it pays to go with their AIR PLUS add on.

[@warrenwolf4690]

Great comparison. I’ve been on AMA. Looking for a change. We are Regent ocean cruisers. What kind of entertainment on board does Scenic and Emerald have.

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Pretty much the same as the other river cruise lines. Local entertainment

[@davidmui4699]

Down to 2 choices Scenic? Or tauck? Which one is better for Danube, including pre and post cruise. Needs to get the best cabin, food, entertainment, excursions, bicycles, hotels, land tours?

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Hard to go wrong with either one of them. Tauck do world class land tours as well so I would expect there pre and posts to be pretty special. We are doing a segment with a Tauck specialist in the near future stay tuned.

[@gregbate7699]

All us Aussies are really nice you know?

[@askarealtravelexpert]

We know 😎!!

[@weeklytravelupdates2866]

That's been my experience!!! Can't wait to come Downunder again!! 🌍🌏🌍Thanks for sharing!

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Agreed🙂

[@cindarella1539]

Can you include AMA Waterways in your comparison?

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Absolutely stay tuned for a comparisons between AmaWaterways and Emerald

[@wilsonowen1731]

The biggest river cruise company is CroisiEurope with 44 boats - and half the price., No mention of them????? The companies you mention are wall to wall with Americans and Australians - not a European in sight. Sort of stay at home while visiting Europe holidays. Steering people towards the most expensive river cruises ain't that great when there are much cheaper options that are just as good.

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Thanks for the comment, Viking currently has 71 ships deployed in Europe according to their website. Of course we have heard about CroisiEurope, and are happy to do a segment on them if an travel advisor or representative of CroisiEurope would like to get in touch.

[@chellemartin2312]

We’ve cruised with AMA and Emerald. We were very disappointed with the food on Emerald, and we weren’t the only ones. Complaints were plentiful about the food, not to mention the bronchitis that swept through the boat. The staff didn’t seem to know how to deal with the spread of germs. Of coarse this was pre-Covid and we know more now.

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Sorry to hear that about Emerald. Did you enjoy AMA ?

[@chellemartin2312]

@@askarealtravelexpert Yes, very much.

[@askarealtravelexpert]

😀

[@laurap.5804]

thank You, I am getting info on this channel that help me understand a lot for a future decision for a river cruise. Will, for example, a cruise booked for 2025 cheaper ? And, roughly, how much can one save if book now? ( more or less of course!)

[@askarealtravelexpert]

The farther out you book is normally when you get the best price and choice of cabin.

[@laurap.5804]

@@askarealtravelexpert ok I thought so!

[@lvredgrl5201]

@@laurap.5804be careful though. If you currently book with Viking they require only a $25 per person deposit. However, FULL payment is required within 30 days of booking regardless of how far ahead you book.

[@gregneil612]

I was interested in watching this comparison. I live in Australia and according to their website, all gratuities are included for Australians for Viking River and Ocean cruises.

[@askarealtravelexpert]

That's interesting, must turn on our VPN and check that out!🤔

[@JudyLake-o5p]

Just back from a Rhine Christmas River Cruise on Scenic in a Junior Suite - Diamond deck - your comments about Scenic read like their marketing materials but in no way matched our experience You have to fit into Scenic’s very rigid dining schedule, they are not group friendly (10) and will not do a thing to accommodate you dining together Dining - certainly not 5* reminded me of a good cafeteria, drinks included but wine list is extremely limited and waiters push their cheap picks of the day Tables are so close together you are jostled by the waiters trying to serve the diners behind you - Minibar - refilled once during a 7 day cruise regardless of our written requests, ice bucket never filled- “butler”- saw him once for a quick intro No abundance of snacks as mentioned, packaged cookies in reception and peanuts in the lounge. Decor - chrome and mirrors in public areas, cabin - 2 cheap patio chairs on the balcony Suffice to say that of 10 well travelled individuals, new to river cruising, none have any interest in repeating the experience.

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Wow sorry to hear that about Scenic. Hate to see anyone have a poor experience as it is supposed to be your vacation. Was this your first time on a river cruise for your group?

[@douglaskidd1359]

Viking still has the best pre and post extensions.

[@askarealtravelexpert]

They do have great pre and posts

[@bobcochran2890]

We’ve done quite a few river cruises. Our experience is that Viking has the best service and food. Their verandas are also the best. We would rate them #1 Viking, #2 Emerald, #3 Scenic. Butler service on a river cruise is laughable.

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Thanks for the comment nice to hear from a Viking fan.😎

[@laurap.5804]

may I suggest you put the code number? I live in Portugal and if I ever would like to talk with Mrs Laura (beautiful name. of course ..like mine!) I would not know how as I don't know where she is!

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Love Portugal we are going there some time. Country code for Laura is +1

[@starks1974]

I wish the sites broke down all of the costs as they do add up quick. I'm looking into 2025 investigation, but want to be prepared with all options. I really like Avalon as the rooms are great and beds look over the water, plus excursions are covered and they also have flight promotions from major cities. So does any know where you can find the break down costs for the differing prices like drinks, excursions, gratuity, etc...?

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Avalon is a good choice but we don't know of any one source that would do a breakdown across the lines that you are suggesting, plus it would be extremely difficult to keep it current. Best advice is to rely on the services of an expert river cruise travel advisor. They always have their ear to the ground sorta speak.

[@delyead7999]

Our first river cruise was with Avalon several years ago -- we really enjoyed it -- but felt nickled and dimed to a certain extent when all was said and done -- some of the excursions were extra, tipping was extra, drinks outside of lunch and dinner -- extra. The staff were lovely -- but we really noticed a difference when we switched to Scenic for our next cruise -- The Romantic Rhine and Moselle -- fantastic -- you really can't beat the all-inclusive aspect of Scenic. An example ... with Avalon, we paid extra to go to Versailles, it was a hot day (in May) and the line-up we were in was really long -- with people pushing and shoving -- we were literally pushed through Versailles, unable to look at anything, and then had to wait in the baking sun for our bus -- with no time really to do anything else. With Scenic, we have never had to endure a long lineup -- everything seems to be just for us -- when we went to Rudesheim there was a lineup for the cable car -- but someone saw our lanyards and said "Oh, Scenic! Right this way" and they lead us to the head of the line. Also, the Enriched excursions are just for us -- our most recent (last month) -- Dinner at the Pope's Palace in Avignon (on the Rhone) -- with a 4-piece string quartet -- lovely. Butler service is dependent on your suite -- last time we were in the Panorama Suite -- unlimited laundry -- clothes cleaned and pressed daily -- and the butler and housekeeper -- always happy to please. Special treats in our suite before dinner, a bottle of champagne in our room, 200 Euros to spend on Wellness and 100 Euros to spend on anything else (gift shop). Our bar fridge was always topped up with whatever we wanted (mostly sparkling water - but we could have had anything). That being said, if you are on the Jewel deck (lowest level) the butler service provided is minimal -- but they will bring drinks to your room, shine your shoes, etc. Sadly (or happily), we keep moving up in our suites (from Balcony to Junior, to Panorama) -- not cheap -- but, if you want to be treated really well, spend a bit more and get a Junior, Panorama, or Owner's suite -- it is so nice. Our next cruise is on the Douro -- Spring 2025 -- we have booked the Royal One-Bedroom -- 420 sq ft -- a tub, and floor-to-ceiling windows on 2 sides -- yahoo. You get what you pay for -- and what we are paying for is yet another trip of a lifetime -- being waited on, enjoying the best Scenic has to offer, and having a really great time. We can't wait!! ;-)

[@broccanmacronain457]

Do the river cruses all for matching of rates and benefits if the rates go down or they include more benefits after you book your cruise?

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Not sure we catch your drift?.

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Not sure we catch your drift?

[@broccanmacronain457]

@@askarealtravelexpert With ocean cruises a lot of times if rates go down or they increase the benefit package people who reserved the cruise earlier they will either give them the new rate or add onboard credit ect.

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Ok got it. The rates on river cruises almost never go down since the ships only hold 100 to 190 guests. Having said that if it were to occur you can work with your travel advisor to either get extra amenities or a future cruise credit . But like I said rate reductions are few and far between.

[@broccanmacronain457]

@@askarealtravelexpert Thank you

[@johokeen1]

What an interesting enjoyable interview... Ms. Dodson does have her info right at the tip of her fingers. I am thinking seriously about a European river cruise and this video has given me some reference points to bear in mind... Only quibble, just a little one abt the pricing, as I'm in the UK, is the $$ and ££ difference. I understand Laura is dealing with mainly US customers..?🤔 Anyways, tq for the video. 🙏

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Thanks for the comment. Totally understand the currency quibble. We are based in Canada so its even difficult to make the USD to CAD conversion especially since the rate is a moving target

[@johokeen1]

@@askarealtravelexpert ...😅 "a moving target".. I like that.

[@lorrainehinchliffe5371]

You do know Canada is in North America right?

[@askarealtravelexpert]

🤔

[@susanjackson8066]

Do you pay for her services?

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Yes I believe Laura has an engagement fee, but you should reach out to her. Contact info is in the description.

[@davidmui4699]

I tried crystal 5 years ago

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Its a shame that the original Crystal went away. How was your experience?

[@brettsorge2550]

I was disappointed that you did not mention the different lines ships draft. Often during droughts the deeper ships cannot complete the trip or uses lots of buses.

[@askarealtravelexpert]

Thanks for the comment. We have a video in production that addressed just this topic. Stay tuned

[@nildamager1649]

Love Tauck

[@askarealtravelexpert]

So do we😁

[@polarbearsrus6980]

What's so hard about understanding the difference?

[@askarealtravelexpert]

🧐

[@mrgladd1]

Viking does have gratis room service. We always order room service for breakfast.

[@askarealtravelexpert]

If you are looking at a river cruise Viking like most other river cruise lines with a few exceptions do not offer room service.

[@robertklement5811]

Viking has wine and beer at lunch and dinner encluded

[@askarealtravelexpert]

👍

[@bigdchi]

yet they gauge you at non-meal times like $6 for soft drink or seltzer on tap.@@askarealtravelexpert

[@coolbreeze253]

Less (sic) passengers? How about FEWER passengers.

[@askarealtravelexpert]

🤔

[@Sp-eh5vy]

Ok grammar nazi

[@rezonance1000]

Why are you aggressive?

[@mariareyes-ku6194]

These are not Yachts, these are river cruise ships. If you want less passengers, you can book a yacht and pay more.

[@skeller61]

Less works with count and non count nouns. If you prefer ‘fewer’, then use it, but try not to be a jerk. As long as you understand what was said, isn’t that the real point of language?

[@Mark4star1]

Perhaps you better tell your expert that Australians speak English too. 4:53 . Funny, we try to pick tours that aren't full of loud, opinionate and crass Americans 😂

[@askarealtravelexpert]

🤔