Read every thread you can on this forum for the cruise you're taking, cruises on the same river and any others that have interesting subject lines. The subject of what to pack alone could take you hours to read all the posts.
Best advice beyond that I can offer is to understand how ocean and river cruises differ. The cabin sizes are smaller on river cruise ships because the ship has to fit within the confines of the many locks you'll transit enroute. There are way fewer dining venues (2) and entertainment options in part due to the ship's size and mainly because the focus is on the off ship daily excursions. Guests on board are all treated the same - no tiered status levels. Everyone gets to eat in the same two dining rooms, everyone gets the same excursion options, everyone gets the same drink options, etc. The only thing a more expensive cabins gets you is more space and more light though the top level suites do get breakfast room service and a ship board credit.
You picked a great trip for your first Tauck experience. This was our first river cruise and we thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of it.
My best advice is to have a versatile, mix and match wardrobe to adjust to any type of weather. Merino wool provides superior warmth while not being bulky. A rain jacket with a hood and removable lining will suffice for the higher elevation of Jungfraujoch. A neck scarf in case you experience some wind. Shoes with sturdy soles are imperative in my opinion.
We were somewhat apprehensive before our first river experience, primarily because we didn’t think we would enjoy so many people—I think we had ~ 120 on the ms Grace. We never felt crowded at all. The graciousness of the crew, experience of the tour directors, food, comfort of the cabin and ambience were amazing. The excursions were well curated and handled seamlessly.
Enjoy your journey and please consider posting a critique afterwards.
Comments
Read every thread you can on this forum for the cruise you're taking, cruises on the same river and any others that have interesting subject lines. The subject of what to pack alone could take you hours to read all the posts.
Best advice beyond that I can offer is to understand how ocean and river cruises differ. The cabin sizes are smaller on river cruise ships because the ship has to fit within the confines of the many locks you'll transit enroute. There are way fewer dining venues (2) and entertainment options in part due to the ship's size and mainly because the focus is on the off ship daily excursions. Guests on board are all treated the same - no tiered status levels. Everyone gets to eat in the same two dining rooms, everyone gets the same excursion options, everyone gets the same drink options, etc. The only thing a more expensive cabins gets you is more space and more light though the top level suites do get breakfast room service and a ship board credit.
Andrew_Prokop,
You picked a great trip for your first Tauck experience. This was our first river cruise and we thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of it.
My best advice is to have a versatile, mix and match wardrobe to adjust to any type of weather. Merino wool provides superior warmth while not being bulky. A rain jacket with a hood and removable lining will suffice for the higher elevation of Jungfraujoch. A neck scarf in case you experience some wind. Shoes with sturdy soles are imperative in my opinion.
We were somewhat apprehensive before our first river experience, primarily because we didn’t think we would enjoy so many people—I think we had ~ 120 on the ms Grace. We never felt crowded at all. The graciousness of the crew, experience of the tour directors, food, comfort of the cabin and ambience were amazing. The excursions were well curated and handled seamlessly.
Enjoy your journey and please consider posting a critique afterwards.