We chose this cruise because 10 family members wanted to travel and this cruise let us bring our 14 and 17 year old family members. We all got to enjoy a river cruise. Aunts, Uncles, cousins, brothers, sisters, and spouses. No one was left out. Thank you Scenic Amber! We believe in Family First!! And this river cruise did too!! We also liked the stops along the way. We liked the route it was going on. We enjoyed our travel agent, Michelle! We especially enjoyed the dates. We knew we wanted to go this time of year and experience the Christmas markets. It was a great experience. The food on the cruise was superb and at the destinations just as wonderful. The chef made the dinners according to the country and style. Excellent to say the least. We are beyond pleased with Scenic and all the care and respect they have shown us. Read Less

This was our first riverboat cruise. We had checked out some others cruises casually but couldn't get excited about any. We went to a presentation put on by Expedia Cruise in Courtenay, BC, regarding Scenic and the guy with the funny accent caught our excitement regarding the boat, the service onboard, and what we would see on the tour. We immediately started planning our cruise that we just got back from. I'm an old fart and my body shows it. The only part of the whole experience that was terrible had to do with the airlines and Amsterdam airport. I know you have to put up with the 9.5 hour flight from Vancouver, BC, to Amsterdam but I could hardly walk afterwards and it is actually kilometers between the international arrivals to the local carrier section. KLM nor the airport staff would assist me in getting transport over to the other side because I had not prebooked it. Coming back I prebooked assistance and that part went smoothly. Since I had already been up for approximately 30 hours, when we arrived in Prague, I immediately crashed (fell asleep on the lovely, soft bed) while me wife did the short orientation tour. My wife enjoyed Prague while I recuperated. I did go out once and enjoyed a little of the wonder of the city. I was a little concerned with everyone telling us to be careful of pickpockets! Breakfast buffet at our Marriott Hotel was excellent with lots of variety. Yumm! (I'm a foody addict) We got on the Scenic Amber in Nuremberg and I was impressed from the word go. The welcome seemed real and everyone was courteous and, for me, this is where the pleasureable adventure really began. I'm rambling a bit here so I'll try and condense the actual cruise.. I've been on big ship cruises before but not at the level of complete service as we got here. The things I especially like were: Cabin - the soft head and knee raising bed; the cozy balcony; the small fridge for cod drinks, replenished daily; Dining - exception meals with additional selections that you can order. They do cater to special food needs. For those of you that drink, there was a different red and white wine presented each day. You never had to worry about running out of wine, coffee, water. Room service always available; Onboard activities - were fun and relaxed.Richard (Otto?) was very personable and gave pertinent information on what was going on the next day or for that night. The cruise wouldn't have been as great without him. The evening lounge entertainment was fun to watch with local groups coming on board at each port; Ports and excursions - I commend the people that picked out the ports we visited, not too many and not too few. All the tour guides were not just informative but also very passionate about their city and country, nice to see and hear; Service - I have nothing to negatively say about the service. Everyone treated us with courtesy and as a person. We had our own butler who was ours 24/7 If we wanted. He actually complained to us that we weren't using him enough! I watch how staff interact with each other and all that I could see was friendly support and comradery between all levels of staff. They even all chipped in to take out the garbage! That's about all I have to say for now except that we didn't pay an additional penny for anything else except for gifts. So eat, drink as much as you want; go on the tours, see the concerts... all included! Read Less

We've been on a Scenic river cruise before, but this one exceeded the last. Of course, with it being a Christmas Markets river cruise - that helped, but the staff on board just seemed to go the extra mile. Richard, the Tour Director was just incredible. He made everything seem like such an adventure - his descriptions of each stop and the optional excursions were just outstanding. He definitely needs to have his own TV travel show. The food on board was pretty good and they tried to fit the meals to the ports - had everything from brats & sauerkraut to Hungarian Langos. The wine parings were outstanding. We upgraded to a Jr. Suite this trip and definitely enjoyed the extra space. Wish we'd had more stops at smaller towns - they aren't as hectic and seem more genuine in their craft markets. Loved Melk and Durnstein - would love to visit both again. Vienna is just a bit too hectic but the Shonbrunn Palace was amazing and the upscale Christmas Market there was fantastic. Wish I'd bought more there instead of waiting for the famed Nurmberg Market - it was a bit disappointing in that everything seemed to be the same commercial items. Scenic goes above and beyond. Will continue to sail with them - especially if Richard is our Tour Director! Read Less

People were generally friendly and staff was first rate.. service and hospitality! I met many international travelers! Interesting discussions and interactions! Guided tours were exceptional... choices allowed for interests as well as level of activity. Sometimes exiting and returning to boat were challenging as double parked boats made exiting long; lus sometimes ramps etc were a bit slippery. Just be mindful of what you are doing. Staff is nearby just in case. Dining allowed for various tastes, choices, and drinks for dinner and lunch! Choice of "light lunch" in another area is worthwhile after you get inundated with too much food! The "invited" dinners at Portabello and Table la Rive were very good... especially the wine pairings. But I think one per cruise is ok, Two seemed redundant. Would prefer Table la Rive. Meals seemed too similar. And make sure you get a massage on board! She is fantastic! And anyone with sinus issues... use the Salt Room!! Read Less

We had done another Scenic cruise (Bordeaux) and decided to book an area in Europe we hadn’t seen. We chose to travel during the Christmas market season. I have some mobility issues, so feeling safe and secure is important. The wonderful staff and personnel on the Amber were amazingly attentive. If I even hesitated, there was someone at my elbow for buses, gangplanks, stairs, etc. No one hovered or was overly solicitous, but they always seemed to be there when I needed them. We plan to retake this trip in the spring/summer time to be able to see the gardens. The cruise director was a hoot! He was on top of everything. The entertainment was high quality. Service was extraordinary. Our shipmates included families with adult children, siblings, gay/lesbian, and couples from Canada, Australia, USA, and UK. Most had previous cruise experience. All in all, we find river cruising to be relaxing and one of the best ways to see Europe. Read Less

We wanted to experience the magic of Christmas through the Christmas markets and this cruise did not disappoint.The entire crew was welcoming, always at our service and always looking for ways to make our trip spectacular. From the moment we arrived until our departure, we were made to feel at home and our every need was fully met and more. The Christmas markets were delightful and while my husband did a WWII TOUR, I was able to shop the markets for lovely, original gifts. The itinerary has enough things to do for everyone... or nothing at all if you just want to relax. Food was excellent and so was the staff. They took care of all our special dietary needs so we never had to worry about what to eat. Would recommend this trip for anyone who is looking to bring back a little magic to their holidays. A Merry Christmas indeed! Read Less

Was recommended by a friend, and we were not disappointed. The staff were always welcoming and friendly and Always helpful. It was nice to come back from one of their excellent tours to be greeted with friendly faces, a nice warm cloth to freshen up and a hot beverage after being out in the cold. It was a real treat. The tours offered were excellent. The bussing to and from the airport, or tours, was well organized. The tour director was funny, welcoming, and knowledgeable. Each evening, when not out on tour there was wonderful entertainment with local talent. The meals were varied and delicious. The wait staff were second to none. The cabin was clean and had everything you could want. It was nice to have a hairdresser and spa services available on board. I cannot think of any detail that was overlooked. I look forward to being able to cruise with Scenic again. Read Less

My husband and I splurged on a Scenic cruise to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. We enjoyed the location and ship but most of all we found the staff, service and ship atmosphere to be amazing. We really enjoyed that the emphasis was on having fun and enjoying the trip instead of dressing up for dinner. We found that the food was excellent and the cruise director was extremely organized in keeping everything moving. The many excursions offered were very well organized and interesting. Each excursion was unique. We particularly enjoyed the Budapest Jewish Quarter excursion and the Weltenburg Abbey. I am sending many thanks to the exceptional staff who went out of their way to make the experience so unique and enjoyable. I really enjoyed that speaking with many of the staff and did not get the sense that they were giving scripted answers. We would highly recommend to adults looking for a relaxed but informative experience. Read Less

This was my second river cruise, with both being on Scenic. So my only basis for comparison is ocean cruises, of which I've had many. So some of my comments may be due to the nature of the product and its differences from ocean cruises. Embarkation. Even though we made our own air arrangements, Scenic met us at the airport and whisked us to the ship. There were about a dozen of us, and we were taken straight to the ship in Budapest, where the prior passengers were still disembarking. They made us comfortable in the lounge, and prioritized the cleaning of our cabins, so we were able to access them quite early. This gave us the opportunity to explore Budapest a bit on our own, after a light but satisfying lunch in the River Cafe. The location of the ship--directly across from the Parliament Building--made this exploration very easy. In other words, the embarkation experience was perfect. Crew. Simply outstanding. The Hotel Director, Cruise Director, and Food & Beverage Manager were very much present, and infused the entire ship with a sense of joy. The waiters and room attendants seemed to share this sense, and made the entire experience an enjoyable one. They all handled a major glitch (see below) well. I have to say, though, that I don't get the point of the butler. Ours introduced himself the first day and was never seen again until our final evening in Portabello (the specialty restaurant), where he waited table. Much less effectively than the regular waiters, but I suppose that's to be expected. When we tried to call him for one thing, his line was busy and did not go to voicemail. We flagged down our room attendant, who happily took care of that and all other room-related matters the whole time. The people next to us had an incident where their laundry came back wet. He said he'd take care of it, but never did. They wound up hanging things around their room to dry. Food. Inconsistent. Breakfasts were wonderful, with an omelet station, plenty of buffet choices, and a galley menu of hot dishes made to order. Lunch was the weak spot, with little variety on the buffet and sometimes unappealing galley choices. Though there was a superb vegetarian goulash one day, and the soups were generally very good. Dinners were a mixed bag. A few were outstanding. The rest not so much. Evening menu main courses usually included a meat or poultry, a fish dish, and a vegetarian dish. The vegetarian choices usually depended on cheese for protein. Fish was not their strong suit--most tasted overcooked and dry, though they did nicely with salmon and halibut. They did an excellent job with lamb, and with a seafood dish for the gala dinner toward the end of the cruise. Whether the food was good or not-so-good, the waiters were outstanding. You couldn't help but enjoy any meal because of them. Beverages. Alcohol flowed freely, and the choices of included spirits were very good. The wines poured each evening for dinner were usually based on the location of the ship. Some were to my taste, some were not, but the staff bent over backwards to find us wines we would like if we did not care for the featured pour. Entertainment. The Enrich evening was at Palais Lichtenstein in Vienna--a beautiful setting and a lovely concert. Well done. Sundowners were in the lounge on the ship. Rather a disappointment. Some local acts came on in a few ports, and were interesting and entertaining. The nightly musician, Mark, was a highlight. With an engaging personality, a beautiful singing voice, great piano skills, and a good sense of the crowd for his DJ'ing, he made the evenings come alive. I would take this cruise again just for Mark. Ship's facilities. Because we were sailing in mid-October, the Sun Deck was rarely an option due to chilly weather, so the lounge tended to become crowded. All the more so because this was definitely a partying group. Because the lounge was really the only viable public space, the ship felt claustrophobic at times. We did use the upper deck for viewing the illuminations in Budapest, or to watch the ship go through the locks, but few people stayed up there for long because of the chill, particularly when the ship was moving. The gym is tiny, but has a treadmill, elliptical, bike, and rowing machine, as well as a few weights, jammed in. There is a walking track on top deck, but passengers are asked not to use it before 8:00 am, since it is over people's cabins. The salt room is supposed to be good for respiratory and skin issues, but was rarely used. I did try to use it, but found the lounges uncomfortable and the strange lighting triggered a migraine. Excursions. These were generally good to outstanding. Most were not over-populated, so thus not obnoxious. Much depended on luck of the draw in terms of guides. All but one of my guides were outstanding, peppering their talks with stories and observations that made the sites come alive. Communication. This is Scenic's weak spot. Advance information about excursions is sparse, so we found ourselves trying to make plans with very little knowledge about what the excursions would really include. This was particularly frustrating for those who had some time in the embarkation city beforehand, as they didn't know what to leave for the excursion there and what to do because it wouldn't be included. Other than that, in the end the scarcity of information was not a problem, because the cruise director, JJ, did an excellent job of laying out onboard what the tours would be like, and was very flexible in letting people switch. In the end, I don't think anyone was shut out of a tour they wanted. Glitch. Of course there was a glitch. Not water levels this time. Instead, an unusually wide cargo vessel further along in the river had an accident and destroyed its propeller. The result was that it blocked the river, backing up river boats on either side that could not get past it. We were bound for Regensburg when this happened. So it became questionable how and whether we would get there, as Scenic was being told that it could be as long as a week before it could be moved. So, while JJ and his team struggled to find arrangements for us without knowing where we would wind up, we wandered. We tied up once in front of a manufacturing plant of some kind, and I watched during breakfast as someone who looked like a local official appeared to be ordering us out of there. Sure enough, minutes later the gangplank was taken back up and off we went again, in search of a place to dock. We spent much of one night and the next morning sailing backwards (an interesting challenge for Captain and crew) toward Passau, the last port we'd left. Indeed, we wound up docking back in the Passau region, in the place where we had last docked. We were then bussed to our Regensburg-based excursions. Because of the increased bus riding times (in fact, the Regensburg walking tour was supposed to have been a step-off-the-ship-and-you're-there tour), a lot of passengers opted to stay on the ship. In fact, the bus time was, at 90 minutes, an hour less than JJ had estimated. We had a very small group with a plethora of guides, and a wonderful day. The disappointment from all of this was that we missed Nuremberg, which we were supposed to tour after disembarkation there. But we had to disembark from Passau instead. Oddly, though, not a word was said about the missing Nuremberg tour. We were left to realize on our own that this would not happen. Post-cruise. We had taken Scenic's post-cruise extension to Prague, and were glad we did. We were bussed to the Marriott, which was in a great location within walking distance to the Old City, the Lesser City, and the New City. The hotel was standard Marriott, though with lots of noisy construction going on. Fortunately, the noise ended in the evening, so we only got about an hour of it each evening, though it did accompany breakfast a couple of days. The evening we arrived, we were taken for an orientation walk around the neighborhood. The next morning was an excellent walking tour, and then the guides made themselves available that afternoon and the next day to help us plan our free time. Our guide in Prague was superb, with great stories and histories to share. She also was good with restaurant recommendations and recommendations for shops for particular purposes. My only complaint was that the group was much too large--nearly 40 people per guide--so movement was hampered. We could hear well, though, thanks to walkie-talkies, and the guide was very skillful in making sure we were all there. Read Less

We chose Scenic because of the high level of service our travel agent mentioned. There are no surprises as to the cost as there are no up charges. Everything about the food and drink is top notch. The crew is fantastic. The shore excursions offered are great. In fact, you could do this same cruise, pick the opposite excursions, and have a totally different experience. We chose the excursions to Szentendre, Salzburg, Bratislava, and Regensburg. There were also tactical stops in Dürnstein and Melk. Our cabin was fairly roomy and very comfortable. I think having the balcony as an extension of the room is better than having the balcony outside. We still had the extra space and didn’t need to sit outside when it was chilly. My happy place on the ship was a heated patio near the bow of the ship. We had great views while cruising the Danube. Overall, an excellent value. Read Less

I thought the ship and the food were excellent and we were happy with our cabin. Most of the staff were very obliging and friendly with one or two being a bit abrupt. I was disappointed with some of the shore excursions. I thought that the entertainment on board was average with just the one pianist. Our cruise was the Black Sea Explorer with Transylvania but we did not get to see the Back Sea due to the water levels in the Danube River. I accept that this can sometimes be the case. However no alternative means of transporting us to the Black Sea was offered.This was a great disappointment. We chose this cruise because it was different and we wanted to see the Iron Gates and the Black Sea. Given my experience, I probably would not choose to do another riverboat cruise. I am sorry to be negative in this instance because we have travelled many times with Scenic and have had nothing but praise for our trips. Read Less

Chose this cruise because it included everything. We feel we are now spoiled for any other company.Low water levels meant we couldn't cruise between Regensburg and Passau so we were stuck in Passau for a few days. Scenic handled it brilliantly and bussed those who wanted to see Nuremberg .We chose to do the extra trip to Passau which is beautiful. The ship was very modern and stable .Didn't feel any movement . Only heard noise going through the locks . Excellent showers in the cabins,wonderful beds. I thought my bed at home was soft until last night when the mattress felt hard in comparison. The food and wine plentiful. I put on six pounds in weight. Brilliant pianist,Mark, every night.. The classical concert at the Palace Liechtenstein in Vienna is memorable. Hungarian dancers on our last night. Great fun. Loved the great mix of people on board everyone was so friendly. I have left the best to last. The marvellous crew. They couldn't do enough for you. Always smiling,always friendly. We have been cruising many years,Twenty five in all, mostly ocean cruises and all the different companies . This was our first with Scenic .Hubby has now stated any future ones will be with Scenic. Read Less

The experience was first class.when there was an issue the team made it disappear as best the could, like low water level. The service was second to none from the time we first met the team until the end. Food was fantastic and wine options great. The crew people made the difference and we have already booked our second cruise. The rooms were very good and well thought out as for the best usage of the space. The ship facilities were all there, pool, spa, gym, etc. Nightly entertainment was great with special presentations on some occasions. All the excursion options were good and well planned out. Again, the service of sf the boat was second to none and the cruise director JJ was excellent. The excursions ere great and options very well presented each and every day. The dining options ere good and the food falntastic. Recommend this to anyone. Read Less

Scenic's reputation for outstanding service and excellent land tours was what attracted us to Scenic and they did not disappoint. the embarkation disembarkation went efficiently and super easy - no waiting around. We were warmly welcomed with drinks and our accommodations immediately upon embarking. The pre and post cruise were top-notch with transportation being efficient and very professional. The ship was beautifully appointed with the common areas being super comfy and the cabins being perfectly sized. we loved the various activities and offerings while on board and the service was always right at our finger tips. Shore excursions were outstanding with several UNESCO World Heritage Sites being available for tour. we loved the variety of tours offered which made the trip even more interesting and valuable. Our suite was perfect with a large sitting area and a full bathroom with tub and shower. All products provided were top names, there were warm towels always freshly replaced upon returning to our room. We enjoyed the balcony/porch where we sat for snacks and enjoyed seeing the river from that vantage point. The food and wine were exceptional - kudos to the chef as we had an enormous variety of menus and wine. There was nightly entertainment which we thoroughly enjoyed after a full day. The music and dancing were great fun to cap the day off with. We so enjoyed cruising with Scenic that we just booked our next river cruise with Scenic on the Mekong river through Vietnam and Cambodia. Read Less

Words cannot describe the memorable Danube river cruise we enjoyed last September. The entire Scenic Amber team became our family in short order. We were shocked and delighted when Nemanyia, our cruise director, knew our names within the first 24 hours. From day one until our cruise termination in Budapest was an experience we have not stopped raving about. Alex, Alec, Zarko, Octavian, JJ, Maritza, Nemanyia, Captain John, and Salvatore Broccoli; our fantastic and adorable 25 year old master chef, made us feel at home and all contributed to our vacation memories. Excursions were all remarkable, well-organized, timely, and our local guides were simply outstanding. We cannot say enough about the quality, variety, presentation, taste, portion size, of every meal on board. Nightly wine selections were spectacular also. As our cruise drew to a close, my sisters, brothers-in-law, my husband, and I were quite sad that our amazing Scenic adventure was coming to an end. Thank you, thank you, thank you for blessing us with the family trip of a lifetime. We are beginning to plan our next Scenic cruise, so watch out!! Read Less

We chose this River Cruise on the recommendation of our Travel Agent and because it was "all inclusive". That included EVERYTHING and all was fantastic. This ship is only 3 years old and beautiful, really nice cabin arrangement (we were on the Diamond deck). We especially noticed the difference when compared to other ships on the river. Fantastic service from all personnel from top to bottom. Our butler brought coffee precisely on time each morning and immediate service for everything from ice to extra supplies for the mini fridge. Once the service people knew what we liked, the mini was "custom" stocked to our requirements. We can't say enough about the food, there were two special meals for each passenger during the voyage and they were way above anything we would do on our own. One was a full 5 course meal with a different and special wine for each course. Entertainment was great every night with our on board performer (Mark) and 4 nights there were additional local demonstrations. We also were treated to two performances just for our group during shore excursions. We are already looking into our next trip with Scenic!! Read Less

We chose this cruise line after asking many people which cruise line they would suggest. This was the number one cruise line that was suggested to us. It was a bit more than other cruise lines but everything was included. You did not ever have to take out your wallet unless you wanted to buy something for yourself. The food was absolutely amazing and the staff felt like family by the end of the cruise. They took an extra effort to get to know you and to remember your name. There was a lot of excursions to choose from and they were all included and were excellent. Their buses were waiting for you at each stop and they were the top of the line buses with excellent drivers. It was such a relaxing time and amazing to sit up on the top deck with a glass of wine and watch the beautiful scenery along the Danube river. The service was top notch. Anything you asked for was brought to you immediately. We were on the second floor and our room was quite roomy. The beds were king size and very very comfortable. There was local entertainment brought on to the boat at nearly every port and was quite enjoyable. There was always a piano player as well. I would highly recommend this cruise line. This is the first trip I have ever taken that I was not ready to go home. I could have stayed for at least another week or longer!! Read Less

Wow! I have never been so spoiled! It was amazing, I truly believe that every staff member wants you to have the absolute best time are there to make sure it happens. From the initial greeting when we got to the boat to the time we left. One of the highlights was When the chef would come out after each port talk and let you know the culinary masterpiece that he had prepared for you that evening. We were never hungry... The wait staff were always very attentive and polite and never left you wanting for anything (my husband may have had a couple of 2 dessert nights). The wine glasses were never empty. The excursions were top notch with really great guides. The cruise director JJ did such a great job of explaining all the possible excursions the first night that we actually ended up changing a couple of our choices and were not disappointed. The room and ship were luxurious and tastefully decorated. It was worth every dollar spent and I would definitely go on another scenic cruise. Read Less

Essentially took this tour with another couple who where wanting to celebrate their 30th Wedding Anniversary. Despite the fact our airplane arrived well over an hour late in Prague the very approachable Scenic representative was their to greet us and take us to the local hotel. Likewise for the balance of the trip all the services from presentations by the Cruise Director, departure for excursions to opening of the restaurants were completely on time and very timely. The Chef on our cruise provided an excellent array of culinary delights both on the buffet and a la carte services. The cut on everything from slices meats to vegetables and dessert items was flawless. I inquired with the Chef who frequently made table checks about the "secrets" about a "Clear Tomato" that was being served for lunch. Chef Broccoli was most generous and provided a recipe for this exceptional soup. The effort put in by the entire staff of our trip was 110%. They worked well as a team and professional ignored the occasional unthinking and too casual guest. My only concern would be that the dining room was a slight bit noisy and congested and that for "older" folks (70 +) might find it tiring after more than a week. Likewise the rooms will be a tad small for those on the "heavier or tall" side. The Tailormade Scenic software very innovative and highly effective. I only recently have been using a smart phone but found it enhanced the trip. The system was occasionally nonfunctional when listening to the tour guides in large congested areas. However the information and pictures while sailing down the picturesque Danube River very complementary. Did find the survey questionare at the end of the tour rather long and time consuming. I thought it might take 20 minutes to complete but it had so many questions that I ran out of time and had to omit the last quarter of the survey. Cabin balcony excellent. Really liked the size, the glass, even the comfortable chairs. Read Less

Never heard of Scenic but travel agent recommended because of balcony, dates and itinerary. Spotlessly clean and outstanding service! Beds are so comfortable and balcony is so enjoyable. We had the perfect view of Parliament in Budapest when we entered our room and the view at night was spectacular! Enjoyed meeting and spending time with like minded passengers who appreciate high quality and service. We enjoyed taking the bikes on our own in Vienna so having some free time was appreciated. We were pleasantly surprised to find we could board ship early and have lunch before embarkation so we didn’t have to walk around Budapest with our luggage. Early morning coffee in our rooms was delightful from our butler who also provided ice and snacks every afternoon in a timely manner. Entering locks was a new experience especially from the outside deck on top of ship. We even visited the Captain in the wheelhouse. Read Less

We chose this as our first river cruise as it was an area that I wanted to visit - Prague, Vienna, Budapest. We chose Scenic based on good word of mouth references and the all inclusive feature. The operational aspects and service from being greeted at the airport in Prague to being dropped off at the airport in Budapest was excellent. The staff were warm, welcoming, attentive, fun - everything I could ask for. I am a picky eater so was pleased by the variety and selection of food at breakfast, lunch and dinner. I had great meals every day. I didn’t intend to work out during the cruise but would have liked to be able to do some Pilates/stretching. There is absolutely no room in the fitness room to do this. The cruise did offer morning stretch, yoga, workout on the deck but it was at 7:00 am so didn’t fit with my schedule. Our suite was the only downside to this cruise - we booked the Royal Panorama suite. This is a 420 square foot luxury suite. We had a king size bed, couch, two comfy chairs, a lovely bathroom, with a separate water closet, lots of storage, a comfortable balcony with a large window looking out over the river at the back of the boat. It was exactly what I was looking for when booking and paying extra for this space. Unfortunately, it is not habitable while sailing. The noise and vibrations from the engine/propeller prevents sleep, hearing each other speak or even relax. There is no indication in any brochure about the noise of these cabins nor was there anything said by booking agents. Now that I have cruised, I would know to ask but I find it unethical that Scenic charges an additional $6,500 for this suite with no indication of the problems inherent in the location of this cabin. Our cruise was saved as we were able to sleep in another cabin ( sadly other guests had to leave) but our next door cabin mates had to bear with no sleep for five nights and every other unsuspecting person booking this suite will get no sleep. I have sent an email, to Scenic, I will be interested to see if they respond. Read Less

We have been ocean cruising for over thirty years, taking at least 2-3 cruises a year, but never been on a river cruise. Looking back over the whole trip I doubt I would do it again. The ship was nice, we had a Royal Suite on the top deck which was ‘compact’ , you couldn’t sit on the toilet without hitting your knees on the toilet roll holder. The dining was excellent, the food variable, well cooked and stylishly presented. The Head Chef and Dining Room Manager where always available to us and extraordinary helpful and the Hotel Manager, Mr Mauricio ( I think) even shared his private supply of Piri Piri oil with me. Richard, our cruise director , was amazing. He is definitely the best cruise director I have come across in over 30 years. Always pleasant, unflappable and very amusing as well as highly efficient. He made our trip. The bar service was generally good. If I had a criticism it was that there was insufficient waiter service on the pool deck when we were sailing. Regarding the tours the concert in the Liechtenstein Palace was definitely the highlight. Some of the other were just too long. When we stayed onboard the day we had to make an unscheduled stop because of low water levels, it was unfortunate that the pool was out of action for cleaning on a day when the temperatures were 38=40C surely that could have been changed to accommodate the circumstances My main complaint was about the hairdresser who had never heard of a hot brush, didn’t have any rollers and unbelievably ran out of hairspray. I asked her why she didn’t tell me before I went, or even give me chance to go to my cabin and collect my own but she had no answer for that. As we had been moored up all day, on an unscheduled stop, I asked her why she hadn’t gone off the ship to the Aldi supermarket just across from the gangway but she told me she hadn’t had time. Firstly, I can’t believe that as I had been able to change my appointment as she had spaces, and because of the unscheduled stop and the adjusted tour timings other people had cancelled their appointments, and secondly i’m sure if she had asked Richard or the hotel manager they could have arranged for someone to fetch some. Surely she must have been aware several days before that she was running out or down to her last can? Read Less

This was our first river cruise after a number of ocean cruises (mainly with Seabourn) and we were hugely disappointed. Notwithstanding the outstanding quality of the service from every single member of staff (with just one exception), the ship is very cramped. The cabin (it is entirely misleading to call it a suite) is very small, and while the design makes the best use of the space, and the walk-in-shower is excellent, it is very difficult to move around the cabin without bumping into each other and even the bed was uncomfortable with mattresses that sloped away from the centre. There is just one lounge and when everyone was on board this became very crowded - on the penultimate day the weather was good enough to sit on the sun deck which relieved the congestion. What really shocked us, however, was the food - with the honourable exception of breakfast, the quality was really poor - sometimes almost inedible. We discussed it with the chef who explained that with the very small kitchen it really is difficult to do better - given that we paid slightly more for this 7 day cruise than we did for our most recent 7 day Seabourn cruise, the woeful quality of the food makes it hugely over-priced. As far as the cruise itself was concerned, the Danube is now really crowded, with the result that we often had to queue for the (very many) locks that you encounter between Nuremberg and Budapest. Talking to other passengers who had done this same trip 4 years earlier, the congestion has clearly grown exponentially over that time - indeed if it continues like this it is difficult to see how the river will cope. All this was made much worse for us because our cabin was at the very back of the ship right over the engines, and this meant that during every visit to a lock at night (and this happened almost every night) the noise was such that we were woken every time. The trips we took were well-organised with some excellent guides although we opted out of both trips on one day (where each trip involved coach journeys of over 4 hours) and we spent a very pleasant day on the ship with just 20 other passengers, sailing through some particularly attractive parts of the river. Scenic makes much of its enrichment activities which on this occasion took the form of a concert of Mozart and Strauss in an elegant Viennese setting. For anyone who knows anything at all about classical music, the snippets of music that were presented were more frustrating than anything else, made worse by a very strange acoustic, which may have been exaggerated by some form of electronic amplification, even though no microphones were visible. In conclusion, this cruise represents extremely poor value for money. The outstanding staff did everything they could to mitigate this, but the fundamental shortcomings in the design of this very modern ship (too many too small cabins, too little space to cook decent meals, too few public areas) undermined their very best efforts. Read Less

From start to finish our cruise was amazing. From the food to the tours to the cabins and staff, we had no complaints on our trip from Budapest to Vilshofen. Even when Mother Nature decided to change our plans (we were supposed to sail to Nuremberg but the river was too low) they made sure that not only could we go on our previously chosen off ship tours, they made sure we had the option to tour a more local spot for those who didn’t want a long bus ride to their original tour choices. Speaking of which, the tours were interesting, educational, varied and nearly every single port had something for everyone. And when it didn’t. Stay on the ship and watch the beautiful scenery pass you by! Not to mention the amazing food and lovely lounge pianist. There’s even a pool you can relax and enjoy, plus a fitness room and on board massage therapist as well as a hairstylist if you want to pamper yourself. We highly recommend this tour to anyone considering it! Read Less

Scenic is a scam. My family fully regrets booking scenic Gems of Danube for my grandma’s 80th birthday. The experience was anything but “5-star”. For starters, we were not informed of the lock issue on the Danube until members of our party were already flying from USA to Hungary. Therefore, cancelling the cruise was not an option. Due to the lock issue, we were unable to board the boat and instead were bused around from hotel to hotel and stayed extra nights in Budapest. The service at the hotels did not meet our expectations (mediocre food, no spirits) and we were left spending our own money on drinks and essentials like water. So much for a “leave your wallet at home” “5-star” experience. We escalated our concerns to scenic representatives, even senior leadership at corporate, and no one addressed our concerns. Instead they kept saying “we understand” and “we are working on it” but it was all talk and no action. Overall, I would recommend that you do not trust scenic with your vacation, our experience was very disappointing and no where near “luxury”. Read Less