I had previously (last year) done a cruise with Scenic and was very satisfied. I originally chose this line because they were one of the few who offered a single cabin with a balcony. As it turned out I was lucky enough to upgrade to a double cabin on my first cruise, and a deluxe double cabin on this cruise, which was wonderful. The extra space makes quite a difference - as a single I probably spent more time in my cabin than some couples would. I arrived in Budapest a couple of days prior to the cruise and stayed at the Marriott Hotel, along with a number of other Scenic guests. I had plenty of time to explore the city which remains one of my favourites. There was one hiccup on embarkation day, when my luggage didn't make it from the hotel to the ship. This may have been in part because I had done my own hotel booking and didn't let Scenic do it. (I got a cheaper and I think a lot nicer room than my fellow Scenic guests.) I was on their shuttle, but I received no instructions for the transfer of my luggage, and the hotel clerk apparently didn't understand the process. My cases were finally tracked down by Scenic many hours later, for which I was very grateful. Other than that, embarkation and disembarkation processes were excellent, and all exits and entries on the ship during the cruise were most efficient due to our identity tags. Tip - take a lanyard to avoid having to clip the tag on. They ran out of lanyards on this cruise. The staff were always polite and friendly and couldn't do enough for you. My butler made sure I had my early morning coffee every day. When there was a moth infestation through my open window one evening, he was there in a flash to help me get them out of my cabin. One thing I noticed this time was that the butlers were also on the serving staff in the dining room, which had not noticed on my first cruise. Staff cutbacks? Read Less

As an all inclusive cruise we liked knowing what we paid up front was the bottom line, no hidden extras. We have travelled with Scenic before so not a difficult decision. Lovely comfortable beds light airy and clean cabins. This time travelling to a region of France we have not seen before and wanted to learn more about. On board attentive staff, great food , friendly fellow passengers made the ten days most enjoyable and we learned a lot about wine, the grape varieties and wine making. Starting and finishing in Bordeaux which we found to be a delightful city and had adequate time for exploring. Other ports of call included Libourne, Pauilliac, Fort Medoc, Cadillac, Bourg sur Garrone and Blaye, we also took a side excursion to Cognac, a lovely town and of course we just had to see how its namesake spirit is made and tasted at Remy Martin. Recommend to anyone not just wine enthusiasts. Read Less

Recommended by friends this cruise did not disappoint. Great activities, who could not be impressed by Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Bayon Temple.Scenic pay particular attention to the finer detail, arranging trips not experienced by other cruises in particular the themed gala dinner at an Angkor temple where we were entertained by Apsara dancers, and Wat Hanchey where we had the opportunity to talk to a novice monk. Their enthusiastic and knowledgeable guides ensure you are informed in terms of the history but also relate personal and family experiences that really give everything a context. The ships facilities are superb, cabins offering plenty of space, light and storage, food that challenges the senses, with wine/beer constantly on tap. The onboard staff are the icing on the cake they are attentive, and display genuine enjoyment at ensuring you are having a good time. All of this is packaged with a social consciousness that you do not often experience. It was great to feel that some of the money from this cruise was going directly to local communities. This was not gifted but earned which ensured that there was respect between all parties. Not cheap but bearing in mind everything is included, I would highly recommended it Read Less

I love the Scenic river cruise line. This was my 4th trip with them. I particularly like having everything included such as: all tips even for shore excursions, mini bar, cocktails, coffee & tea anytime, special shore Enrichment events like a concert or Medieval dinner in a castle just for us. You can have an early or late breakfast and there is always something to eat between meals. There is a gentle walk excursion for those that have some mobility issues. This was great for those with walkers, canes etc. I also loved the opportunity to have a laundry bag stuffed full of dirty clothes laundered free of charge once during the trip as it was very hot and we changed clothes a few times a day. A waiter even remembered me and my first name from a cruise I took 2 years ago. Pretty impressive!! The crew on the Jade went out of their way to make our cruise a true hassle free excursion. In short, "What you pay before you start is all you pay". Read Less

On advise from our travel agent and excellent reviews we decided to travel through Europe on a river purpose built vessel and experience this fantastic trip ourselves , booked a year in advance to secure a cabin on deck 3 ,before the actual cruise we booked through Scenic into the Marriott ( outstanding hotel) and the view on the Danube river to give us enough time to explore the city for a couple of days The day of embarkation , smooth and hassle free, disembarkation in Amsterdam likewise with transfers well organised by our outstanding cruise director Patrik . The Ship is what it is , modern and clean with excellent and very professional and friendly staff who do their best to make this a great experience. We didn't use the room service as we preferred to use the dining facilities in the main mess room, that was our choice , my guess is the cabin (333) is fairly compact but well appointed but not great for in cabin dining :-) The set up of these ships , only one dining room to accomodate all passengers for meals and if the bell rings for ' Chow time' people seem to rush down to secure their seats and if you decide to enter a bit later you feel sort of stranded , Scenic try to sort this out by using their Porto Bello area in the main lounge as well , this helps to a certain extend and this should be done every time , and am sure the hotel staff is aware of this . Dining is okay , I am not a complainer by all means, on a scale of 1-10, cannot give it more than 7.5- 8 , their is choice however , but would love the dining degustation experience that was offered to us at the ' Captains Table ' on every occasion and for all guests, as is the Porto Bello fine dining experience . Entertainment , love our pianist Marco Di Napoli Shore activities , out of this world ! Well organised , loved it 100 % Do I want to make another cruise with Scenic ? Probably as a foody and wine lover perhaps France , make no mistake the German and Austrian wines are excellent too. Read Less

This was our 50th Anniversary trip (of a lifetime) and our 2nd Scenic River Cruise. I was somewhat disappointed with the young lady who greeted us at the airport... no 'welcome to Scenic'.. no conversation on the bus... but found out she worked for the ground operator not Scenic. The 'official welcome' started right away as soon as we departed the bus at the ship. The greeting was so warm and welcoming.... dispelled any misgivings on the bus. The front desk crew, under the direction of Anna were excellent. Within a day they knew our cabin number and simply handed us the key without asking. Always a welcoming smile and greeting! I cannot speak high enough about the Cruise Director and staff. Their knowledge, their openness, their story telling ability and their care about quality was outstanding. The food, produced under a young but very talented Chef was outstanding. We both enjoyed a massage ..and would recommend it as a perfect way to really get into the vacation mode. The Dining Room staff were amazing. Scenic trained (although not actual Scenic employees) they seemed to love their job. So personal. Greetings with such warm smiles. They bent over backwards to ensure your dining experience was a total pleasure. Our cabin was excellent. A workspace with ample plugs (bring adaptors) for my computer etc. The bed was too comfortable (didn't want to get up some mornings).... the bathrooms equipped with excellent bath and hand towels, good shampoo and conditioner and a hook for my shaving kit. I should add, a GREAT shower! The blackout curtains were so appreciated, since the sun doesn't really set until about 2am and stays dark for all of 90 minutes. The beauty of Scenic, there are not really any decisions to make. ALL of the tours are included. All of the tips are included. The wine etc at meals (this is the only difference we experienced from our previous Scenic cruise where the bar seemed to be free 24/7). My personal gripe was that my wife could drink all the wine she wanted at dinner but I had to pay for my non-alcoholic beer). A small gripe but we were warned that th Russia Cruise was a little different from the regular Scenic offerings. I can't say enough about the included tours.... everything from the Moscow Circus to a private reception with a 4-piece orchestra and amazing Champagne / vodka buffet of canapés and caviar. We adjourned to a theatre that sat our 90 fellow Scenic travellers very comfortably... a FULL orchestra and a 60 minute presentation of various famous ballets. An evening never to be forgotten. When asked about our impression of Russia... all we can say is how open and honest the people are about the changes that they are experiencing under the Federation. All preconceptions about Russia were dis-spelled. An awesome trip that I cannot recommend highly enough. Read Less

This cruise covered the areas we wished to visit and did not let us down. From pick up at the airport followed by 3 days in an excellent hotel at both ends of the river cruise, to departing, absolutely everything was perfect - even the weather. The included trips, with choices, covered all taste and ability, the local guides, and Mr Lovi who was with us all trip, were well informed and charming with a sense of humour. One need not put ones hand in pocket at all. The onboard talks of what was on the following day plus some interest talks, excellent. Fellow cruisers very like minded, mainly fit late 60s/70s We have cruised many times but this really is the best ever for organisation, quality and places of interest not to mention the food and delightful staff. Well done Scenic. The initial cost seemed expensive, but not so all things considered. Read Less

Travel agent recommended as one of the top cruise lines and the departure date fitted perfectly with our plans. Our cruise exceeded our expectations and we had the most amazing time. We departed from Budapest and loved it. We stayed there 2 nights before departure plus our embarkation time was 5pm so we had that additional time as well, so glad we did there is so much to see. Embarkation was not that great as our given time was 5pm ,so we didn't get shown to our cabin before welcome drinks. Everyone else was all dressed up, so felt quite uncomfortable. I heard that they aren't strict with times so get there earlier if you have been given a late time slot. We had mostly Australians on our cruise with some Canadians and Americans, what a great fun crowd, because it not a huge cruise ship you get to know most people. We are 60 year olds and some people were younger and some a bit older. All in all everyone was there to have a great time and did. The food and drinks were amazing and the choice was superb.the service of all staff was fantastic including the tour director she went on the tours in the background and it wasn't unusual to see her working at her desk when we were all going to bed. Her dedication to her job ensured everything went as planned.The best thing about the staff was they were happy and seemed to be enjoying themselves. I don't think anyone could complain, although the drinks weren't as strong in the second week which wasn't really a problem. Maybe we had drunk more than our quota. Twice they ran out of Baileys obviously very popular. Tours and Excursions were top notch. The buses were first class and all tours ran like clock work. They have a great choice and there wasn't one tour that we regretted doing. When the excursion included entertainment, food and drinks Scenic paid top dollar to the operators and everything was faultless. The only thing that let this trip down was the pianist come singer who couldn't sing, some nights were worse than others.I was hoping he would only be there for a week which was bearable but it was for the whole 2 weeks. We all had a laugh about how bad he was and I would think that wouldn't be employed again after the on board Scenic reviews.The on board local entertainers some were better than others and some very cheesy. I had a hair cut by the on board hairdresser and loved it, she was so excited to actually do a proper haircut from medium length to short.I thought cost was very reasonable. Disembarkation in Amsterdam was very good. They allow you to stay and eat if you have a later flight or hotel check in time.You just have to vacated your cabin to allow cleaning. We stayed 2 nights in Amsterdam to get to see the sights and so glad we did. I haven't stopped raving to all my friends about this cruise. Scenic are on the expensive side but you definitely get what you paid for which is the most important thing. Great value and we loved that everything is prepaid and inclusive. We will definitely book another cruise in the future with Scenic. Read Less

My husband and I have nothing but praise for this ship and her crew and Scenic in general. From the moment we boarded our 'spaceship' we were treated like royalty. We had a balcony cabin port side on the Amsterdam to Budapest cruise that was spacious and comfortable, with a bed you melted into at the end of an adventure filled day. The bathroom was very roomy and the water pressure and temperature were wonderful. All tours, drinks, food and entertainment were included so you didn't have to put your hand in your pocket - unless you wanted to buy something to take home. It was great to know that everything was paid for before we left Australia. The food was plentiful, delicious and varied, it changed from region to region - as we did, along with the wines. Wonderful new wines every day. So much food! "It must be time to eat." The staff were exceptional. Nothing was too much trouble. Very friendly and funny - even at midnight when my husband wanted a cheeseburger and a glass of red. The ports of call were wonderful for someone who hasn't been to that part of Europe before. Easy to do, lots of walking on cobly streets but flat. Such history! It was magnificent. There were many shore excursions to choose from or you could just stay on board and do nothing in a quiet corner. Something for everyone. We made some wonderful new friends that we will keep in touch with. The age group was extremely varied from 20 somethings to 80 somethings. NOT full of old people. We were on the first tour of the season and I must admit it was better than going in high summer or later. No leaves on the trees meant you could see a lot more as you cruised the river. Another couple of weeks and all you will see is trees! Less people, no queues or crowds at any of the venues. Bliss. We have already booked our next Scenic trip. If you've been thinking about it - just do it. Read Less

My Mum and Dad had cruised three times and I have watched them on getaway numerous times and thought it looked fabulous . This was one of those bucket list things and lived up to all expectations and more and am keen to go on another one . The staff couldn't do anymore for you , they were so attentive and the Cruise director Patrik was very involved and had so much positive energy . The food quality was fantastic and presentation great . The weather could have improved the cruise , but we made the most and the cruise director did a great job organising a on a ferry and other days as we could not go down the Moselle as the water level was too high . Loved the night in portobellos , it was great to see the chef creating in front of you and each dish was perfectly presented . Read Less

We recently took a Scenic Danube cruise, the water levels on the Danube were low as the industry states, the operators and travel agents don't want to discuss your river cruise could end up as a bus tour, an expensive bus tour. We spent about 20 hours on buses which shortened our visits to each city. We only had one day on the river cruising the rest was spent on buses. Scenic was a long way from a luxury cruise. The best part of the cruise were the local tour guides. FOOD The food was certainly not 5 star, it was buffet average food. BUS DRIVERS The bus drivers were rude, mind you with all the extra driving it would have been tough taking passengers on long day tours then driving to the next port. VIEWS When at port boats are tied together so keep your drapes closed. They concert we looked forward to at Palais Lichtenstein however it was switched to another venue at the last minute. I guess if we were given any of this information we would have chosen not to take a $1,500 a day river cruise on Scenic. Buyer Beware!! Worst 7 day vacation of my life. Thank you Scenic, I will never travel or recommend you to anyone. Read Less