Biggest surprise on this cruise was the quality of the food. While I usually load up my lunch buffet plate with different options, once I taste I don't finish the dish. But on this cruise, I usually finished my plate. The majority of the food was excellent, much to my surprise. Other than a line for omelettes in the morning, absolutely no complaints. The soups were especially good, both hot and ...
We had a last minute deal which included airfare and was a great value, cost wise. We had 2 days inAvignon,a pleasent town to walk around. As this was the last cruise of the season, some cafes, and galleries were closed,including the galleries on Rue Tentulier. St Pierre's chapel was delightful to visit, as was the included excursion to midieval Vienne and the extra cost excursion to the Pont ...
We made a quick decision to book Vantage's Best of Burgundy, Beaujolais, and Provence based on the itinerary, timing, and excellent deal Vantage offered. Because this trip will not be offered by Vantage next season, I've decided to focus my review on the ship itself as well as the crew and our overall experience with Vantage Deluxe World Travel.
We had limited contact with Vantage after booking ...
The service was excellent; the staff worked very hard and were extremely friendly. Everytime, we embarked or disembarked or went to eat, half the staff were there to greet us. They always greeted us with a smile. I never saw an unhappy face on the staff. Every time you asked for assistance, you received the assistance.
Restaurant staff were upbeat in bringing you food, making recommendations ...
I chose this cruise because of the more leisurely pace (10 days instead of 7) for a French river cruise and the availability of single cabins on Vantage vessels. Also the unfortunate downturn in French tourism led to the offer of free air, which made the trip more affordable. I also wanted to see the Pont du Gard, which surprisingly few Rhone itineraries offer.
The itinerary was very well ...
Booked this cruise because it was deeply discounted, found it to be the bargain of the century. It started out very rocky because of high water and a French air traffic controller strike, but Vantage scrambled and put us up in a lovely hotel for the first night, and we boarded the ship after the regularly planned excursion on day 2.
The River Discovery II is a beautiful ship with an excellent ...
I understand that Vantage cannot control flooding of rivers and the subsequent need to adjust itineraries. That's why I emailed them a couple of days before our departure to ask if they anticipated any problems due to the recent high water levels in France. They reported that we would board in Lyon, rather than Chalon-sur-Saone, but otherwise the trip would go as planned.
My reason for asking ...
I've only been on one river cruise in Germany. It was a lovely trip, leisurely sailing past castles, villages and pretty countryside with a guide assigned to a small group of about 25 of us for the entire trip. It made you feel safe and adventurous at the same time. Vantage did not provide this experience. The rivers were swollen hence the ship moved twice, once about 20 miles downriver and ...
We were waiting for a good last-minute offer from GCT (the only other river cruise line we'd used) when this Vantage cruise popped up at a price we couldn't refuse. From beginning to end, things went smoothly. Sure, the flights from Phoenix are long and arduous, but that's the downside to any European travel, and they were uneventful, as one would want. Check-in was smooth and we were escorted to ...
We went on the "Best of Burgundy, Beaujolais & Provence" cruise at the end of March. It was my 12th cruise, but first river cruise.
Pros: A few. Ship is attractive. Crew very personable and efficient. Itinerary was very appealing, much better than a Viking cruise that covered much of the same territory IMHO. Excellent food and wine, and the omelet lady, Irina, had everyone smiling every ...
