ms Grace Review

Grace came into service in 2016, the latest in Tauck's Inspiration class. The ship is gorgeous in an understated way, with graceful chandeliers, ironwork and marble floors in the lobby, molded ceilings in the main lounge and a color palette of grays, blues and tans that is beautiful without calling too much attention to itself. It's classy.

One of Grace's key distinctions is that the ship only carries 130 passengers, despite being the same size as many of its competitors (who regularly carry 150 to 190 passengers). Having fewer people onboard really makes a difference. Shore excursions, happy hours and dinners seem more intimate, and you never have trouble finding a table. The ship also uses open seating for its main restaurant, which alleviates the "herding" problem that can take place on vessels where everyone eats at the same time.

While it lowers the number of passengers, Tauck ups the number of staff. A cruise on Grace has one Tauck cruise director, along with three assistants, who act as combination den mothers and charming conversationalists. (These are actually the only Tauck employees onboard; ship operations are handled by the Swiss company Scylla, which actually owns the vessel.) We've noticed the Tauck directors replacing batteries on Vox headsets, chatting with solo travelers and handing out chocolates on return bus trips. Best of all: Your gratuities are included in your fare, so you don't have to worry about how much to tip everyone. Even the spa onboard includes the tip in the price (and that's about the only place where you'll need to use your credit card).

The only disadvantage we noticed on our Grace cruise is that the line doesn't seem to go out of its way to make accommodations for passengers who might have mobility issues -- a bit surprising, given the demographic. Grace does have an elevator that goes between decks (and it's pretty, too, with a design that blends into the lobby), but it doesn't go all the way to the Sun Deck -- a problem when passengers have to pass through other ships to disembark. Twice we noticed groups of passengers struggling to return to the ship, once due to distance and another due to darkness. At the luxury price point that Tauck commands, it seems more troubleshooting by the ship staff -- golf carts? flashlights? -- would have gone a long way. The line warns customers in its brochures to expect a lot of activity; take this seriously if you have trouble getting around. There is a group for less active travelers for every walking tour.

Still, we found this the only flaw in Tauck's well-oiled machine. Grace is a great choice for affluent cruisers who wish to tour Europe's rivers without too much hassle; the line even gives you spending money for lunch ashore. Local wines and dishes onboard, as well as signature Tauck events in port, such as dinner at a one Michelin-star castle-restaurant near Rudesheim, give you the flavor of the region, while still keeping you within the comfortable structure of a tour. It's this consistency that brings travelers back to the company again and again.