Overview of my time at the CLIA river cruise conference in Budapest
The theme of the conference was "Rediscover River" and we really did! With 10 different ships moored up waiting for us to explore, I also slept on 3 very different ships giving me a real taste of all they have to offer.
A River cruise enables you to get into the heart of your port of call. Whether it is stepping off and being in the centre of Budapest in minutes or exploring a local vineyard you can experience your location via an organised tour, jump on one of the many bikes most cruise lines have onboard or going off alone, the choice is yours but the convenience is fantastic.
This is a brief overview of each ship I had the pleasure of exploring and the inclusions you will enjoy.
A-Rosa; A-Rosa have been cruising the Rivers for 20 years! Their new ship A-Rosa Sena coming in May is an absolute game changer for families. I am already looking into our holiday for next year. She looks incredible. Families are very much welcomed on her and they are one of the only ships I know that have family cabins for up to five people. The A-ROSA Kids Club has its own dedicated rooms on board which is also a first. Parents can take a dip in the 23 sq m pool and kids will love their separate children’s pool on deck. There is a variety of leisure activities onboard as well as a spa and wellness area. Do not be put off if you are not travelling with children, there is so much on offer on all of A-Rosa ships and given how long they have been doing this for, and the level of repeat custom they enjoy they are definitely doing something right! A-Rosa are a Premium All Inclusive product and have bags of outside space including dining areas. They also include transfers to and from the ship and children under the age of 15 travel for free!
Scenic Amber; Scenic call their river cruise ships Space-Ships due to the level of technology and innovation onboard. My expectations were very high and she did not disappoint. Wonderful food, comfy beds, a shower with so many different settings. Fully inclusive including champagne, the list goes on! She really is amazing and you can tell she is a 5*+ ship the minute you arrive. I had the pleasure of staying onboard Scenic Amber and stayed in one of the Balcony Suites. They are stylishly decorated and feature a full-length outdoor balcony with the exclusive Scenic Sun Lounge. With the sun shining in, the suite felt huge as a result of the sun lounge feature and really airy. Scenic provide an ultra all inclusive offering from home to airport transfers to the signature and exclusive experiences you can enjoy in port.
Emerald Sun; She is contemporary and sleek. I loved the pool, bright and airy staterooms and the food looked fabulous. The pool roof opens giving an outside in experience and on an evening turns into a cinema room! Emerald are the sister brand to Scenic offering a 4* experience (although to be honest, to me she was 5*) and you can see a lot of similarities in the décor and style of the ships. Emerald offer an extensive range of inclusive packages including dining, gratuities, selected drinks, most shore excursions and a host of additional extras. Most ships have some type of activity on the upper deck and I love that Emerald Sun has giant noughts and crosses!
AMA Waterways AMAVerde; AMAVerde is a twin balcony river ship and she is full of bold artwork and light. The packages include: All meals on board (I ate onboard and the food was delicious) Comfortable accommodations Ocean transportation Entertainment and daily activities Port charges Europe Cruises Coffee, tea & complimentary bottled water
Avalon Envision; One of the things I loved about Avalon Envision is the fact that the beds face out of the windows so you can enjoy the magnificent views without having to move! The bicycles are free to use and you can go off and explore the areas around you independently. Most river cruise ships offer this and often you can cycle along next to the rivers and join the ship at the next docking areas. They offer some stunning suites with wall to wall, floor to ceiling panoramic windows that open out to a unique open air balcony. Avalon Waterways include a number of luxurious inclusions, as well as dining and drinks, VIP private home pick-up service – with a personal chauffeur service transferring you between your airport or station and the ship. She really is a stunning ship.
APT Travel Marvel; APT Travel Marvel Vega. She was due to set sail in 2020 but due to the pandemic, her first sailing was the day after we were onboard. We are first onboard! Vega is a 4* ship that feels 5*! I will definitely be recommending her to you. Due to the fact she sits lower in the water, you will benefit from the sun deck being open as you sail under the small bridges on some of the rivers. Not all ships can do this She is a stunning, contemporary ship! They offer many inclusions such as House wine, local beer and soft drink served with lunch and dinner on board, Comprehensive range of guided tours and sightseeing excursions Insider Experiences offering local insights and memorable meals and overseas airport transfers on the first and last day of your tour to name but a few.
Uniworld S.S Beatrice; S.S Beatrice is one of Uniworlds Super ships. Her décor is more yacht style and I have to say, she had some of my favourite lounges/ship areas. She felt, modern and airy and she also seemed to have a wider choice of areas to sit and watch the magnificent scenery go by or enjoy the onboard entertainment. I had the pleasure of staying onboard and had an amazing breakfast and a very restful nights sleep! Each Uniworld ship is decorated to reflect he river she is ailing on so everyone is different. Each boasts original pieces of artwork from Picasso, Alexander Calder and Pino Signoretto. Uniworld fares are all-inclusive. Once onboard you should have no other key expenditure, other than items you buy on shore. It covers food, drinks, excursions, gratuities, talks and Wi-Fi.
I also went onboard CroisiEurope Vivaldi and TUI Skyla. Both have some really attractive elements I would love to share with you if you are interested in finding out more.
I am definitely a River Cruise convert and will be experiencing one for myself in full soon. Please do get in touch if this is on your radar and I can guide you through he different options!