The staff was excellent...all of them. Very attentive and wanting to please. Regional entertainment they brought on board was great. Loved special concert in Vienna they scheduled for us as well as a piano concert at school for deaf in Budapest. Cabin Steward was Dejuan . He was helpful in making suggestions and so very professional and cordial. Also all wait staff in dining rooms were great, Alexander, Stan, “Daniel Craig”, Andy, Wilber, Rada, JJ, etc. loved them all. Food was good and especially liked that evening meal, while elegant, was just right amount, not too much. Only recommendation would be that on shore excursions it would have been better if passengers were given hand held devices as a lot of our iPhones lost power by the end. Wish we could have had more time at all of the stops, especially Budapest which was a real hidden Gem. Also adding names of wines which we had on board to an app would be helpful updating n our return Read Less

We have tried many other river cruises companies; SCENIC is the best one so far. When it says EVERYTHING INCLUDED, everything is indeed included: no surprise such as port fees, beverages (top quality brands & excellent wines), tips for staff/guides, excursions etc.. You do not spend any extra penny if you wish (besides merchandise on board or extra tips for great staff). Dining is super:BREAKFAST- many varieties of meats, cheese, vegetables, eggs, juice, breads (to die for), a la carte items such as lamb chop, grilled steak, different types of eggs benedict; LUNCH: 2 soups every day, cold dishes, hot dishes, so many choices and not the same ones during the whole cruise, the 2 ice creams are so exquisite; DINNER: every day menu is a surprise and delight to your taste buds (we consider the chef, Milos, and his staff did a marvelous job). The wine choices by the Maitre D' were more than excellent (are you listening, other River Cruise Companies!!) Overall, the whole crew, staff and management work like a well-oiled machinery complex: we are delighted to see the little detail each wait staff is performing to the next level- which shows the degree of careful training from management- Kudos to SCENIC. Minor Problem: Scenic is introducing a new app/program you can download on your smart phones or tablets (you may borrow one of theirs) to listen to all commentaries during excursion, self-guide tours, description of cruise itself while on rivers etc... As in any new app, this one was not ready for the "grand opening" which means half of the time it did not work as described. Scenic management needs to be aware of the frustration caused to their guests. Read Less

Chose this trip because of superb reputation of the company. Were we wrong! Has the company been sold to a low price, cut the corners outfit? We were to sail from Bern to Amsterdam. They knew weeks in advance that the river was low and much of the trip would be by bus. TELL US AND LET US CHOOSE TO CANCEL. No, we learned the day before departure that there was a problem and the extent of the problem was only leaked out by the cruise director on a day to day basis. In apologizing she said they only discovered the problem 2 days before departure. THIS WAS A LIE. We encountered other passengers from competing vessels who were notified weeks in advance and given an opportunity to cancel for a full refund. I won't go into details of the itinerary--mostly traveled by bus. We missed staying in 5 scheduled ports, excursions were cut short because we had to be bused long distances and several excursions were not done at all. We had to pack-up midway and transfer to another vessel downstream. We had paid for and were in a deluxe suite on the first ship but in the new ship we were put into a smaller cabin. THE DOOR SIGN HAD BEEN CHANGED TO APPEAR TO BE A BETTER CLASS CABIN.. When confronted the staff had to admit that the new vessel had fewer deluxe suites and so some passengers had to be downgraded. Scenic has offered to GENEROUSLY allow us to claim partial reimbursement from the trip insurance we purchased for 3 of the 8 days of the journey. Five or six of the days had poorer itineraries than promised. We spent at least 20 excess hours on buses. The company has offered no compensation, no discount on a future trip (which I would not take anyhow) or other accommodation. The staff on the original vessel, the Scenic jewel, was first rate, interested in our comfort and concerned about the changes in itinerary. The crew on the Opal were uninterested, expressed dissatifaction with the conditions of their employment and generally unavailable to deliver services. Read Less

We had seen ads and decided to check out a Scenic presentation. We discovered a hidden gem in the sea of river cruise options. We knew we had stumbled on to something when we discovered that booking went quickly 18 months before departure. Scenic has thought of everything, and I mean everything. Everything is included. Drinks top shelve, meals gourmet that's all meals, professional and friendly staff made this fabulous trip even better. The excursions were all incredible. One in particular was the performance at Palais Leichtenstein, a beautiful palace complete with renaissance art. We sipped champagne and listen to an orchestra in a beautiful room. It was like going back in time. Can't say enough positive things about the rooms, sumptuous and well designed, the food, delicious and varied as was the great wine, the hardworking staff, particularly our tour director, and the excellent entertainment both on board and off as well as the beautiful picture perfect stops along the cruise This was a dream vacation and we are so happy we had a chance to experience Scenic. My wife and I are already thinking about our next river cruise with Scenic! Thanks for such an enriching experience which we will not forget Read Less

We choice Scenic cruise lines because of the amenities that the cruise line offers- an all inclusive vacation with no stress! We were greeted at the airport and everything from there until we came home was orchestrated to perfection! We spent 2 days in Budapest before the cruise started. Communication from Scenic personnel was top notch! There was never a question about what was happening next. All of the staff were polite and friendly, funny and caring. Richard, our cruise director, was knowledgeable about every stop and knew what was important for us to know. The lounge staff were great- they got to know the passengers and their drink preferences. Sonja, Putua,Michka were a few of the staff we impressed with. Our cabin was spacious and comfortable. The food selection was awesome, prepared just the way you wanted. Port and shore excursions were well planned and the tour guides were all very pleasant and knowledgeable. Embarkation and disembarkation went smoothly and without incident! We were greeted with a warm wash cloth and glass of champagne the first night, and daily upon return from our shore excursions there was always someone at the door, greeting us, with a tray of snacks or drinks and with a welcome back did you enjoy your trip? We would absolutely recommend this cruise, cruise line and are planning out next trip! Read Less

We chose Scenic because our friends sailed with this company and everything was included. We attended a seminar and we were impressed with the information. The high water situation was discussed and so we booked in September to avoid the spring rain falls. Before we left on the cruise, we heard rumours of low water levels and scoured the internet for information about cruise interruptions but could not find any. 2 days before we left Canada, we received an email from Scenic saying our ship had been changed to the Amber and further in the email a paragraph "The upper Danube river between Passau and Regensburg is experiencing low water levels and our Cruise Director will keep guests informed of the changing river situation and required cruising amendments." My travel agent called Scenic and was told they knew of no issues with the ships sailing the route. Once we got there, we learned not 1 ship made it all the way along the route since June! We had cancellation insurance and could have rescheduled everything at that point. Scenic would have had their money and we would have had ours. If we had known we were to pack up and change ships twice and spend hours on a bus, we never would have gone on this cruise! Misrepresentation and lies is all we got. As well, on the Rhine gorge portion, you know, where you are supposed to be having a glass of wine and gazing at castles, they put us on a noisy, stinky public ferry. Adding insult to injury, as the ferry ground along, we looked over and a Scenic ship went by. They make it seem like they are doing you a big favour by moving your luggage for you and rearranging the schedule to get as much in as they promised but it is a huge inconvenience to be jumping up early and packing and unpacking to be shuttled on a bus where there are a bunch of people coughing. We both got sick from being cooped up on busses for hours. Don't be fooled by the advertising. More than 1/2 the time we were docked beside another ship, staring into someone else's cabin. The top of the ship is closed a lot as well, to get under the bridges. This route is packed with ships, way too busy. Having said all this, I must add that the facilities on the ships, the food, service and tours were amazing! I only regret I was not offered an opportunity to go at a time I could have enjoyed it to the max. I have been offered an insulting refund amount according to their "cruise guarantee" which I am disputing. They have acknowledged receipt of my letter but have not responded. It's been more than 2 weeks. Read Less

We booked a 14 day cruise with Scenic from Budapest to Amsterdam, and had a very mixed experience. Due to low water levels (not Scenic's fault), we ended up on three different ships (the Amber, the Jade and the Ruby; the original itinerary was supposed to be Pearl). Overall, the facilities, food and drinks were fine and the crews on both the Amber and the Ruby were outstanding. Where things came unraveled were in communications and the transfers between ships necessitated by the low water. We were transferred on the eighth day, by bus, from Passau to the Scenic Jade in Nuremberg, although we had been told that the water was only low between Passau and Regensberg, thereby bypassing 100 km of river. The crew on the Jade were obviously upset about something (some were downright surly for a while). Then on day 11, we took a smaller third party day transit boat (obviously arranged at the last minute and very poorly appointed) from Rudesheim to Marksburg Castle, then we were bused back to the ship in Rudesheim and next day we were bused for over 3 hours from Rudesheim all the way to Cologne, basically bypassing the entire Rhine gorge, even though we saw, from the bus, the Scenic Pearl sailing upriver at Lorelei. After the bus ride, we had to wait in Cologne for another four hours for our luggage; the courier driver had gotten lost, we were told. The tour of the cathedral in Cologne was an unmitigated disaster. Clearly, Scenic had dropped the ball in dealing with the low water level contingency plans. We felt we were misled on several occasions. We were offered C$526 total compensation out of about C$20K paid and haven't heard back from Scenic on our requests for further compensation. We won't be sailing with Scenic again. Read Less

As with Highfler's review (we must have been on the same cruise), we were disappointed with the 2 ship swaps and corresponding bus rides - in particular the 3 1/2 hours on the bus to Cologne was annoying. As noted by Highfler, our bus ride was along the Rhine where we saw the Scenic Opal going upstream in the area where the Scenic Jade wouldn't sail through - puzzling and annoying to say the least. Scenic Amber was great - staff took an interest in us, food and drink was super After the ship sway, we went to Scenic Jade. The thing that most stood out for not only my wife and I but our other cruise mates, was the staff. They didn't seem to be as interested in our needs as the Amber crew. Service was average. Then another ship sway onto the Scenic Ruby. The crew here was super just like the Amber crew. But the annoying and disappointing issue with the 15 day cruise is the ship swaps - we wanted a cruise where we could unpack, leave our stuff in closets for 14 days and then pack to go home. During these ship swaps, I forgot my converter in my cabin. The bus ride to Cologne was a disappoint as well - we get to Cologne and we have to carry our hand luggage around for the "short" guided tour of the outside of cathedral. Our bus got to Cologne after 11:30am and the tour was finished at noon. Then we had 1 hour of free time to browse (while lugging our hand luggage around). We get back to the bus to take us back and then we were informed that our luggage wasn't at the ship, and we could spend more time in Cologne - at this point, I was frustrated as were all on the bus - just take us to the ship! Read Less

We planned this trip as a Wedding Anniversary and chose Scenic after going to an information session. We were originally supposed to be on the Pearl but changed to Amber a few days before departure. We spent 2 extra days in Budapest, were met at the airport and transported to the Marriott very efficiently. We enjoyed the 'Hop on, hop off' bus to explore this beautiful city. We arrived on the Amber and were warmly greeted by the staff. Our time on the Amber was 5 star + +. Rooms, staff, food, and entertainment were exceptional. Thank you Giovanni, (our butler who I nicknamed 'the flash'), and all the Amber staff. They really made us feel like we were home. Then we had to change to the Jade. Yikes, the staff were Ok, but not nearly as friendly, with the exception of the bar staff, who were cold, verging on rude. I get it, you work really hard on a ship swap day, but don't take it out on the guests. The beds were hard, and I had a sore back for 2 days. I find it difficult to understand why such a reputable company would allow such different standards in customer service between ships. Thankfully we switched to the Ruby for our final days, and we were back to almost 5 star. Beds were more comfortable and staff was, although not quite up to 'Amber' caliber, very good. Entertainment on all 3 ships was excellent, and we enjoyed many nights in party mode after dinner, with all the great guests we met on board. Tours and guides (Eva and Jacop stand out to me), were amazing, in particular, the concert in Vienna, the Sound of Music dinner and the Medieval dinner theater. While I understand the need to swap ship when the river is low, this is not something new, and the process seemed needlessly cumbersome, for example our luggage truck got 'lost' on one swap, really? It seems like the river might be overcrowded and dock space, (and perhaps luggage trucks?), are hard to come by. We went by bus to the Medieval dinner and back, but passed other cruise line ships going up river, and some docked where we were going. Scenic is providing a small refund for the inconvenience which we appreciate. All in all, we loved it and would do it again if we could do it all on the Amber! Read Less

Our Cruise started off wonderfully on Scenic Amber. We left Budapest September 3 and started sailing. However by September 10 we had to disembark, as a result of lower water we had to pack the night before so we could change to Scenic Jade. On September 9 we were not able to do our desired choice excursions due to time it would take to get there by bus. Instead we were offered a last minute tour of Linz, which was not what I had wanted to see. This trip was our one big expensive journey with many expectations. So when we got on Scenic Jade the staff were not as attentive as they had been on the Scenic Amber. The Service on the Jade was not up to the standards of the Amber ship. Restaurant staff and bar staff were extremely slow in their service, you could tell that they weren’t happy with there job and this came across to everyone. We had to endure this ship change but the staff on the Jade were taking their frustrations out on passengers. So we continued on sailing till we were supposed to be going to Cologne but were not able to sail any further and we had to disembark once again. That next day we would take a four hour bus ride to Cologne where we were going to have a shorter tour of city and then free time. We had not been told the night before that our buses we got on in the morning were not going to take us to the ship. We found this out just as we were getting on the bus. Our bus left late for some reason and also decided to take a longer route to Cologne so we only had a short tour of this beautiful city, 1 hour in total. This was originally to bean all day tour. There was one good thing we got another Crew on the Scenic Ruby, they were very friendly staff, more like the Scenic Amber although our staterooms shrunk with every ship more and more. Our luggage also got lost so we didn’t leave Cologne till after 5:30 so this meant that we wouldn’t be able to sail to Amsterdam and get there on time. So in the morning we once again had to go by bus to reach our tour trip on canals on time. The ship arrived later in day. So overall this was far from the trip of a life time, if I had wanted to take a bus so much I would have booked a bus trip. Scenic knew about water levels before and should have offered us a seven day trip with a refund for the rest. Or offered a full refund to sail when water levels were higher. We met wonderful friends on this trip and that is one thing they did give us. But I don’t feel we got compensated for the two full days of sight seeing we missed. Or the unfriendly and sub par staff of Scenic Jade. I think they should be reprimanded for the way they treated Scenic Passengers. I wouldn’t travel with Scenic again unless they compensate passengers better. Read Less