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 our room by a cheery and informative crew member.

The room was impressive -- large enough, with ample drawer and closet space, a gleaming bathroom with great shower and L'Occitane de Provence products, and hey, is that free bottled water?! Yes, AND a water bottle for each of us to take on tours. We'd have paid a bunch on another line for that. Minibars aren't our thing, so we put those items aside and used the little frig for our personal stash of Diet Coke. The French balcony was perfect -- lots of view through those large windows and a chance to get fresh air while cruising with the door open. Going through locks, you can see there's not an inch to spare, so a balcony with seating would only have cramped the room. We were happy with this arrangement. Card keys worked well.

Captain's Club was a short distance away, so we had easy access to ice, coffee, tea, and fresh fruit 24/7. Plus, it's a nice quiet place to hang out and read. A little library at the other end kept us stocked with Sudoku puzzles and reading material. One evening after a long day, we felt more like staying in the cabin, where we could access free movies and there was a decent selection of new and old. Read more