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Although Viking has a large share of the River Cruise market in Europe and they do an overabundance of marketing to become a household name, there are other River Cruise Lines offering unique experiences on the rivers of Europe, Asia, Africa and even North America. So who are they? How do they compare?
There are specific reasons why you might want to look at one of these lines over the other however those reasons are not always so evident to the client looking to book a river cruise.
Viking is most often the price leader so if you are looking solely for the lowest price you might want to choose Viking. However, if you value some of the amenities described above, larger staterooms, less guests on the ship or more inclusions then one of these lines might represent better value for you.
AMA Waterways: AMA really excels with food and service. They trend towards a slightly younger demographic, and have more active options for shore activities. They also do awesome theme cruises with their Wine Cruises being very popular. They design their own ships and their ships are more luxurious than Viking and have those little extras.
Avalon Waterways: What Avalon excels at is their rooms. With French Balcony doors, these rooms are slightly larger than other river ships and every bed is oriented so that you are watching the scenery pass by from your pillow. Avalon now offers more Active sailings for those guests who want to spend more time in the ports and less on the boat. Avalon is part of Globus who have been operating land tours for 80+ years in Europe.
Uniworld: Think floating boutique hotels. Each of their ships are deliberately uniquely decorated, and they have an all-inclusive, luxury offering. They also have wide variety of special shore experiences and excel on their land portions. Most their ships have a spa, a pool, a gym, and a wellness program on board.
Scenic: If you are looking for all-inclusive luxury experience in a beautifully-appointed suite with the services of a butler and of course, all-inclusive dining, top shelf beverages, Wi-Fi, transfers and gratuities then Scenic is for you.
Emerald: In 2013, luxury cruise and tour company Scenic launched its sister venture, Emerald Waterways. This new company would emulate the deluxe experience and all-inclusive feel of Scenic’s itineraries while catering to more budget-conscious travelers. These are lovely ships and have a new fleet.
Crystal: Crystal is recognized for their luxury ocean cruise ships but they also have five river cruise ships that all offer the same impeccable service and included amenities. Crystal differentiates from other cruise lines because of their quality and that service level. This is truly a 5* luxury experience.
Uniworld: Uniworld describes their ships as floating boutique hotels. Each of their ships is deliberately unique, and they have an all-inclusive, luxury offering. They also have wide variety of special shore experiences, as well as a spa, a pool, a gym, and a wellness program on board their ships. Uniworld has 3 promotions running right now on select 2019 departures, including reduced or waived solo supplements.
Tauck: For 90+ years, the Tauck family has had a passion for sailing and no "ordinary" river cruise experience would do for their guests. Tauck is known for their beyond-the-ordinary land trips and they brought this level of experience to the rivers.
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