I agree, British, that many people come to the forum without researching first. I have tried to help, but some seem to only want their question answered then we never hear from them again. Of course many are appreciative and have the wherewithal to extend a ‘thank you.’
Regarding experts, I don’t think any of us are experts, some just think they are. Nor do I think that the number of tours someone has taken means they are savvy travelers. It’s not how many countries we have been to but how we have experienced those countries
and what we have learned. Just my belief.
Terilynn, I'm with you on weighing cabin prices against other opportunities for the same dollars. Neither my husband or I grew up in affluence and though we have the money for what we want now the habits of a lifetime kick in to at least make sure we get value for dollar. Having tried some alternatives we've found the Category 6/225 sqft cabins suit us well. On the Douro we did try the Category 2/200 sqft cabins on the Emerald deck saving enough to pay for transport, hotel, etc for a 3 night post cruise stay in Barcelona. The cabin was fine (enough room, plenty of accessible storage and a bathroom shower that didn't flood) but the wall opposite the toilet was so close my tall husband had trouble using it. I'll never be able to convince him to try a cabin like that again. That cabin looks very similar to what is proposed for the new ships Emerald Deck cabins. Hopefully they've corrected that issue.
As a solo traveler I know that they only have a certain number of cabins or place in a land tour for solo travelers, which is why I make my reservations very early.
There was mention earlier about the picture of the bathroom and the mirror. There is a different picture on the Scylla Facebook page that looks more like the bathroom we had on MS Grace. There are other different photos too
There are some noticeable differences from the one we had on the Savor:
It looks like the mirror above the sink is split, suggesting it can be opened to a cabinet behind as on the older ships. But the closed cabinets below the sink are replaced with a single open shelf.
There are normally six Tauck people on the large riverboats … one cruise director, and five tour directors. That is six single rooms that are not available for sale, thus approximately130 guests maximum. Some rooms can hold three people.
Yes, the Terry from Boone photo is Tauck’s bathroom as designed by them. The sink is also elongated and the provided toiletries are set on the counter.
Regarding the previous comment about category seven (7) cabins as being “large”, I don’t consider 300 sq. ft. as being a large area but the overall design and layout make for a very comfortable area, especially with the expanse of windows and the walk-in closet where there is a place for everything.
My only criticism is that we prefer a more sleek, hand-held shower wand as opposed to the “paddle.” Petty perhaps but it is what we are accustomed to.
Sealord, That's interesting you've seen 5 TDs on a river cruise ship. Max I've ever seen was 3. I've been on cruises with only 2 when the passenger count was under about 80. Basically one TD per coach. You might need 4 if one of the longer ships did have the maximum number of guests. I can certainly imagine the small ship cruises would have that many.
Terry you're right the mirrors look like they open. I can see the little handles. I also notice in the reflection from the shower doors that there is a wall mounted magnifying mirror rather than the little clip on one. I like the deeper vessel sinks they've gone to. Was always sloshing water out of the other ones.
British, I looked at Tauck's pictures of the cabins and for the two smaller cabins (Cat 1 and 2) it shows a round mirror but in the Cat 3 & 4 it's that rectangular one. The Cat 5 suite shows the same on the Serene's photos but for some reason the floor plan shot for it is missing on the website for the Lumiere. Of course they still have the "details subject to change" caveat. The smaller cabins not having a medicine cabinet is basically the same on the older ships. Just storage under the counter.
This is our first cruise with Tauck (Bridges Danube holiday on the MS Savor) and by the time we booked it, there were only Category 7 cabins available, so that's what we've got. Hope we love them... Though one of my family group members has assured me that it's "totally worth it because of the room service breakfast!" 🤣🤣🤣
YiyaK - We love the category seven (7) rooms for the views, amenities and the closet with its cubbyholes and ample space for all your belongings. There are times when we prefer to enjoy a glass of wine in our room while enjoying the view and getting ready for dinner.
The room service is nice but we don’t use it that much. Many times I’ll just have a smoothie while getting ready to go to breakfast.
I think you will enjoy everything about your first tour and I bet it will be the first of many. Have a glorious holiday cruise and please consider posting a review afterwards.
On the Savor and it’s sisters, we think the Cat3 loft cabins are the best ticket. Great views, plenty of storage, and space to get out of the way. The loft was my sanctuary during the dressing process.
On the small ships, three TDs would be correct. On the big ships they normally have one TD for every 30 guests. If the ship is full, and all of our trips have been full, you would need four and a third TDs. They normally round it up to five. If the ship is not full, you will have fewer TDs. On our riverboat trips the tours had local guides, but a TD was with the group to observe and handle any difficulties that might arise.
Another, by the way, in the past Scylla did not even have a decent first aid kit aboard. I cut my arm on an open doorway and needed a big bandade, and they did not have one. They wrapped gauze around it at reception, which was inadequate. The Tauck cruise director had a good first aid kit and was able to help me out until I could buy supplies at a drug store.
I have only taken a handful of river cruises but have never had more than three (3) directors, less the cruise director. On one cruise there was an extra one but she was in training.
The Tauck small ship cruises are the ones with 4 Tour directors and one cruise director…. in fact our cruise in the summer had a TD in training for that trip so it was 5 plus 1.
Crikey there were 7 of them! Here they are with the captain. We had travelled with three of them in the past.
Yep, on our Seine cruise there were only 2 TD which were enough for the number of guests but we did have a third who was a trainee. He usually did the Danube cruises. We also once had a CD from a previous cruise join our cruise for a night or two for some errand.
I am on the Lumiere now. Level 1 (where I am solo) has the smallest cabins, and no single supplement. One of the TDs told me that is where they usually stay unless there are unsold higher cabins. There are also couples on this floor. So 4 cabins will always be single occupancy for those who are calculating maximum capacity. This is my first river cruise so I can't compare to older ships.
The ship is beautiful. There is one U.S. type outlet in each room, in the desk area. The clock radio has a USB -A port on the back. Otherwise, you need adapters. I could go into more room detail, but most people will be in the larger rooms. As it has been mostly 90 degrees, I am happy to report that the AC, which you control in your room, works great. Very nice water pressure in the showers, and they are easy to figure out how to use. There is a rain shower or handheld. The hot water heater malfunctioned on the first morning, but other than that, no problems. There are water refill stations that dispense cold still or sparkling water.
The stairs are an issue. When you walk onto the ship, it is like a split level house. You go up steps to level 2 and 3 rooms and down steps to level 1 rooms. To get to the Compass Rose from level 1, I go up 2 flights of stairs and then down one flight to the restaurant. From Level 2, it would be down a half a flight, then a few steps away, go down a different flight of stairs to the dining room. To go to the restroom from the dining room, you go up a flight of stairs and then down a half a flight. The stairs are wide enough but not deep. I have seen men kind of duck-footing it down.
Tracey, if you're still on board, check your clock radio for one more nice feature. In addition to the USB port, it also has a charging pad on the top - one of those gizmos where only physical contact (no electrical connection) is required to charge the phone. DW slept on that side and liked it very much. Now wants to replace our decades-old bedroom clock at home.
Starting in 2010 we have been on 11 Tauck European river cruises including the old boats pre-refresh, the new "big" boats like MS Inspire, the Lumiere and the Andorinha on the Douro. All things considered, the Lumiere is our favorite. My only complaint, and it's minor, is that the stairs from the reception level down seem a bit narrow. That is, the tread surface that you step on could be wider. Our first day there were Tauck people cautioning people to mind the stairs, so maybe they have had some issues. Putting Arthur's up front makes sense and seemed to work very well. And yes, the elaborate latte-mocha-americano-hot chocolate-espresso machine is still at the back of the boat in a quiet space where you can also sit and nibble cookies and snacks. I think the machine was even an upgrade over previous models.
I like the charging pads for my phone but have found they aren't all alike. The one in our Hyundai will charge even if I have my case and credit card pocket on the phone. Others, like on flights that had them, I had to remove the case.
Glad to hear the fancy coffee machine is still available at the aft end. I'm the early riser in my family and have used that often. When I saw the photos of the new Arthur's with the fireplace I wasn't sure about it but we'll be on the Serene in Dec and I suspect that will be a nice place to hang out.
Comments
Me too!
Terrilynn. Amen.
I agree, British, that many people come to the forum without researching first. I have tried to help, but some seem to only want their question answered then we never hear from them again. Of course many are appreciative and have the wherewithal to extend a ‘thank you.’
Regarding experts, I don’t think any of us are experts, some just think they are. Nor do I think that the number of tours someone has taken means they are savvy travelers. It’s not how many countries we have been to but how we have experienced those countries
and what we have learned. Just my belief.
Terilynn, I'm with you on weighing cabin prices against other opportunities for the same dollars. Neither my husband or I grew up in affluence and though we have the money for what we want now the habits of a lifetime kick in to at least make sure we get value for dollar. Having tried some alternatives we've found the Category 6/225 sqft cabins suit us well. On the Douro we did try the Category 2/200 sqft cabins on the Emerald deck saving enough to pay for transport, hotel, etc for a 3 night post cruise stay in Barcelona. The cabin was fine (enough room, plenty of accessible storage and a bathroom shower that didn't flood) but the wall opposite the toilet was so close my tall husband had trouble using it. I'll never be able to convince him to try a cabin like that again. That cabin looks very similar to what is proposed for the new ships Emerald Deck cabins. Hopefully they've corrected that issue.
Aren't we fortunate to have such first world problems!
Amen Goddess.
As a solo traveler I know that they only have a certain number of cabins or place in a land tour for solo travelers, which is why I make my reservations very early.
There was mention earlier about the picture of the bathroom and the mirror. There is a different picture on the Scylla Facebook page that looks more like the bathroom we had on MS Grace. There are other different photos too
There are some noticeable differences from the one we had on the Savor:
It looks like the mirror above the sink is split, suggesting it can be opened to a cabinet behind as on the older ships. But the closed cabinets below the sink are replaced with a single open shelf.
There are normally six Tauck people on the large riverboats … one cruise director, and five tour directors. That is six single rooms that are not available for sale, thus approximately130 guests maximum. Some rooms can hold three people.
Yes, the Terry from Boone photo is Tauck’s bathroom as designed by them. The sink is also elongated and the provided toiletries are set on the counter.
Regarding the previous comment about category seven (7) cabins as being “large”, I don’t consider 300 sq. ft. as being a large area but the overall design and layout make for a very comfortable area, especially with the expanse of windows and the walk-in closet where there is a place for everything.
My only criticism is that we prefer a more sleek, hand-held shower wand as opposed to the “paddle.” Petty perhaps but it is what we are accustomed to.
Sealord, That's interesting you've seen 5 TDs on a river cruise ship. Max I've ever seen was 3. I've been on cruises with only 2 when the passenger count was under about 80. Basically one TD per coach. You might need 4 if one of the longer ships did have the maximum number of guests. I can certainly imagine the small ship cruises would have that many.
Terry you're right the mirrors look like they open. I can see the little handles. I also notice in the reflection from the shower doors that there is a wall mounted magnifying mirror rather than the little clip on one. I like the deeper vessel sinks they've gone to. Was always sloshing water out of the other ones.
The original photo shown on this thread had a round mirror on the new ship.
British, I looked at Tauck's pictures of the cabins and for the two smaller cabins (Cat 1 and 2) it shows a round mirror but in the Cat 3 & 4 it's that rectangular one. The Cat 5 suite shows the same on the Serene's photos but for some reason the floor plan shot for it is missing on the website for the Lumiere. Of course they still have the "details subject to change" caveat. The smaller cabins not having a medicine cabinet is basically the same on the older ships. Just storage under the counter.
This is our first cruise with Tauck (Bridges Danube holiday on the MS Savor) and by the time we booked it, there were only Category 7 cabins available, so that's what we've got. Hope we love them... Though one of my family group members has assured me that it's "totally worth it because of the room service breakfast!" 🤣🤣🤣
YiyaK - We love the category seven (7) rooms for the views, amenities and the closet with its cubbyholes and ample space for all your belongings. There are times when we prefer to enjoy a glass of wine in our room while enjoying the view and getting ready for dinner.
The room service is nice but we don’t use it that much. Many times I’ll just have a smoothie while getting ready to go to breakfast.
I think you will enjoy everything about your first tour and I bet it will be the first of many. Have a glorious holiday cruise and please consider posting a review afterwards.
On the Savor and it’s sisters, we think the Cat3 loft cabins are the best ticket. Great views, plenty of storage, and space to get out of the way. The loft was my sanctuary during the dressing process.
Sealord - I've been on at least 10 river cruises and never had more than 3 TD's like Claudia said.
Had 3 and 1 'in training' on my last Tauck River cruise.
On the small ships, three TDs would be correct. On the big ships they normally have one TD for every 30 guests. If the ship is full, and all of our trips have been full, you would need four and a third TDs. They normally round it up to five. If the ship is not full, you will have fewer TDs. On our riverboat trips the tours had local guides, but a TD was with the group to observe and handle any difficulties that might arise.
Another, by the way, in the past Scylla did not even have a decent first aid kit aboard. I cut my arm on an open doorway and needed a big bandade, and they did not have one. They wrapped gauze around it at reception, which was inadequate. The Tauck cruise director had a good first aid kit and was able to help me out until I could buy supplies at a drug store.
I have only taken a handful of river cruises but have never had more than three (3) directors, less the cruise director. On one cruise there was an extra one but she was in training.
1230 - edited for clarity.
My Tauck river cruises have been on the Savor and the Grace, and on each, I've had 3 TDs and 1 Cruise Director, for a total of 4 Tauck employees.
The Tauck small ship cruises are the ones with 4 Tour directors and one cruise director…. in fact our cruise in the summer had a TD in training for that trip so it was 5 plus 1.
Crikey there were 7 of them! Here they are with the captain. We had travelled with three of them in the past.
Goddess - You are right I've been in river cruises where there have been trainees.
Yep, on our Seine cruise there were only 2 TD which were enough for the number of guests but we did have a third who was a trainee. He usually did the Danube cruises. We also once had a CD from a previous cruise join our cruise for a night or two for some errand.
I am on the Lumiere now. Level 1 (where I am solo) has the smallest cabins, and no single supplement. One of the TDs told me that is where they usually stay unless there are unsold higher cabins. There are also couples on this floor. So 4 cabins will always be single occupancy for those who are calculating maximum capacity. This is my first river cruise so I can't compare to older ships.
The ship is beautiful. There is one U.S. type outlet in each room, in the desk area. The clock radio has a USB -A port on the back. Otherwise, you need adapters. I could go into more room detail, but most people will be in the larger rooms. As it has been mostly 90 degrees, I am happy to report that the AC, which you control in your room, works great. Very nice water pressure in the showers, and they are easy to figure out how to use. There is a rain shower or handheld. The hot water heater malfunctioned on the first morning, but other than that, no problems. There are water refill stations that dispense cold still or sparkling water.
The stairs are an issue. When you walk onto the ship, it is like a split level house. You go up steps to level 2 and 3 rooms and down steps to level 1 rooms. To get to the Compass Rose from level 1, I go up 2 flights of stairs and then down one flight to the restaurant. From Level 2, it would be down a half a flight, then a few steps away, go down a different flight of stairs to the dining room. To go to the restroom from the dining room, you go up a flight of stairs and then down a half a flight. The stairs are wide enough but not deep. I have seen men kind of duck-footing it down.
Tracey, if you're still on board, check your clock radio for one more nice feature. In addition to the USB port, it also has a charging pad on the top - one of those gizmos where only physical contact (no electrical connection) is required to charge the phone. DW slept on that side and liked it very much. Now wants to replace our decades-old bedroom clock at home.
Starting in 2010 we have been on 11 Tauck European river cruises including the old boats pre-refresh, the new "big" boats like MS Inspire, the Lumiere and the Andorinha on the Douro. All things considered, the Lumiere is our favorite. My only complaint, and it's minor, is that the stairs from the reception level down seem a bit narrow. That is, the tread surface that you step on could be wider. Our first day there were Tauck people cautioning people to mind the stairs, so maybe they have had some issues. Putting Arthur's up front makes sense and seemed to work very well. And yes, the elaborate latte-mocha-americano-hot chocolate-espresso machine is still at the back of the boat in a quiet space where you can also sit and nibble cookies and snacks. I think the machine was even an upgrade over previous models.
I like the charging pads for my phone but have found they aren't all alike. The one in our Hyundai will charge even if I have my case and credit card pocket on the phone. Others, like on flights that had them, I had to remove the case.
Glad to hear the fancy coffee machine is still available at the aft end. I'm the early riser in my family and have used that often. When I saw the photos of the new Arthur's with the fireplace I wasn't sure about it but we'll be on the Serene in Dec and I suspect that will be a nice place to hang out.