To wrap up this series on finding the perfect wine river cruise we are going to compare all of the cruise lines we’ve been talking about. Going over the best bargain, most luxurious, cabin size, excursion value, and on-board food and drinks.
If you haven’t read our previous articles on AmaWaterways, Avalon, Viking or Uniworld we recommend you do so. They give you a better insight into them on an individual level and what make them unique.
Which River Cruise Line Do You Choose?
To make this an even game we found a trip that is very similar in all of the cruise: a Romantic River cruise on the Rhine River. You can click here to download our chart that we will be going off of for your convenience.
Best Bargain: AmaWaterways offers both cruise only and cruise and land options which makes it difficult to beat. With most of their meals included and lots of amenities on-board, AmaWaterways has stepped up their game in giving their customers a great deal. They also have some of the largest staterooms, and they limit how many passengers they can bring to give the best experience they can.
On-board Food and Drinks: We actually have two winners in this category. Avalon offers all meals on-board their ship and complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks with dinner. However, Uniworld, while offering most meals excluding one lunch, has unlimited beverages on all of their ships, this includes fine wines, beers, soft drinks, spirits, coffee, teas and mineral water. It is quite a tossup between these two cruise lines.
Best Trip Extensions: For being so inexpensive, Viking River Cruise offers some fantastic possible extensions. For this Rhine River cruise, they offer a 2 night stay in Lucerne and/or a 2 night stay in Paris with guided tours and daily breakfasts. Avalon and Uniworld also offer extensions but they are either limited or their price points are much higher.
Excursion Value: While on this particular cruise all of the cruise lines offer all of the tours as part of the price, Avalon River Cruises has the most options to choose from. They offer different paces of tours, and you can choose a bike tour of an area, or skip a tour altogether and explore the city if you wish.Cabin Size: The cabin size of even the smallest suite is 172 sq. ft. which makes Avalon River Cruise the roomiest of cabins to choose from. The stateroom size continues to grow 300 sq. ft., the largest room offers a comfortable sitting area, flat-screen TV, double sinks, Egyptian cotton bedspreads and much more.
Most Luxurious: Amenity wise, UniWorld has some of the best in its class. They offer a Main lounge and Bar, Sun Deck with a chess board, Fitness Center, Sauna, laundry room, elevators, Captain’s Lounge and Bar, Library, and the Serenity River Spa. Many staff are available 24 hours a day aboard their ships. With unlimited beverages you can drink with a view till the sun goes up once more. It is free to use the bikes and walking sticks on board, and there is free internet all around but a special corner if you left your computer.
So What Is the Verdict?
The truth of the matter is, finding that perfect wine river cruise is not at all easy, it really does depend what you are looking for. It really depends on what is most important to you, whether you prefer the highest quality suite, Avalon may be your best bet. Want to spend extra time after your cruise, Viking might be the perfect fit. So figure out what you want on your next trip, then get planning!
Want to learn more on finding the perfect wine river cruise? Click below and download our 2015 Wine Lover's Guide for European River Cruises for great tips on river cruises and how to plan our next adventure!
