We have sailed on five different ocean cruise lines totaling approximately 135 days. This was our first river cruise. We booked a french balcony. We found the room very small and inconvenient. After two nights in the dining room we found the noise intolerable and chose to eat dinner at the terrace bar. Unfortunately the terrace bar menu is extremely limited but we found the quieter setting more pleasant. During the cruise the sun deck was closed for four days due to low bridges and locks. This limited the space onboard for the passengers and we found there was not quiet palce other than our small room. We needed to do laundry onboard and found the prices outrageously expensive and took to doing laundry in our room. The dining staff and room stewards were outstanding in their service. I felt for the price paid for the cruise the company expected quite a large amount daily for tips for bus driver, tour guides, program director and ship staff.

Based on this experience we will not take another river cruise.