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  #41  
Old September 1st, 2016, 03:41 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
Erilar
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Posts: 599
Default Rhein cruises

Happy.Hobo wrote:
On 08-30-2016 03:44, tim... wrote:
It talks of 130-150 per day for accommodation, meals and transport

but that's per person so it's 300 quid for a couple


It's nearly that for a single, since you pay for all the beds in the
cabin whether you use them or not. And the price you see first on the
advert is "From ____" meaning if you want leg room or a window, get
ready to shell out more.


"From" on a river cruise usually also means a really miserable cabin close
to ths waterline if "outside" at all, and with a miserable little porthole
it's barely possible to see out of.

--
biblioholic medievalist via iPad
  #42  
Old September 1st, 2016, 06:02 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
tim...[_2_]
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Posts: 46
Default Rhein cruises


"Erilar" wrote in message
...
Happy.Hobo wrote:
On 08-30-2016 03:44, tim... wrote:
It talks of 130-150 per day for accommodation, meals and transport

but that's per person so it's 300 quid for a couple


It's nearly that for a single, since you pay for all the beds in the
cabin whether you use them or not. And the price you see first on the
advert is "From ____" meaning if you want leg room or a window, get
ready to shell out more.


"From" on a river cruise usually also means a really miserable cabin close
to ths waterline if "outside" at all, and with a miserable little porthole
it's barely possible to see out of.


why does that matter?

the whole point of the operator of providing on board "entertainment" is
that you should spend as little time as possible in your cabin

You go there to sleep. You spend the rest of you time on deck/in the bar

tim





--
biblioholic medievalist via iPad




  #43  
Old September 2nd, 2016, 10:37 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
Erilar
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 599
Default Rhein cruises

tim... wrote:

"Erilar" wrote in message
...
tim... wrote:

"Erilar" wrote in message

.

I've only had to pay extra for charged water, and not always that. I
don't
use the bar and avoid most ship- provided "music" except when it's a
local
folk group.

but you've paid for it, even if you don't use it

(either in the "room" price, or in the compulsory tips)

tim


I've yet to find "bar" included. And music I refuse to hear(much less
listen to) will be ignored no matter what.


i didn't mean the cost of these drink, I was referring to the cost of the
penguin serving them to you

Though you can sometimes get unlimited drinks add ons.


Because of the prescriptions that keep my ancient body going, I can't drink
much alcohol without suffering, so that's not a problem. It DOES give me a
good excuse for buying GOOD wine, however. 8-) Bar wine seldom reaches a
level above potable.


And the size of "tips" is seldom compulsory }8-} (evil grin)


I have no idea how many hoops you have to jump through not to pay the
"compulsory" tips

So far it's always been in an anonymous envelope for "crew" on cruises I've
taken. Last time I also gave a secret(shh, don't tell) tip to someone I
wanted to reward specially.



--
biblioholic medievalist via iPad
  #44  
Old September 3rd, 2016, 09:38 AM posted to rec.travel.europe
tim...[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 46
Default Rhein cruises


"Erilar" wrote in message
...
tim... wrote:

"Erilar" wrote in message
...
tim... wrote:

"Erilar" wrote in message
.

I've only had to pay extra for charged water, and not always that. I
don't
use the bar and avoid most ship- provided "music" except when it's a
local
folk group.

but you've paid for it, even if you don't use it

(either in the "room" price, or in the compulsory tips)

tim

I've yet to find "bar" included. And music I refuse to hear(much less
listen to) will be ignored no matter what.


i didn't mean the cost of these drink, I was referring to the cost of the
penguin serving them to you

Though you can sometimes get unlimited drinks add ons.


Because of the prescriptions that keep my ancient body going, I can't
drink
much alcohol without suffering, so that's not a problem. It DOES give me
a
good excuse for buying GOOD wine, however. 8-) Bar wine seldom reaches a
level above potable.


And the size of "tips" is seldom compulsory }8-} (evil grin)


I have no idea how many hoops you have to jump through not to pay the
"compulsory" tips

So far it's always been in an anonymous envelope for "crew" on cruises
I've
taken. Last time I also gave a secret(shh, don't tell) tip to someone I
wanted to reward specially.


Must be different where you come from

round ere, the cruise company's booking forms usually say: a "compulsory"
tip of some absurd amount of money per day will be billed to your credit
card.

You can, in theory, refuse to pay it by making a complaint, but AIUI you
really have to try hard to avoid it.

The problem is that cruises are seen as "luxury" services providing a
restful holiday (quite how being forced out of bed at 6am to have time for
breakfast before an 8am trip is restful, is beyond me!), and not as simple
transport between interesting locations, and are staffed accordingly [1].
Even if you don't want that level of service, you still have to pay for it.

tim

[1] apparently as high as one member of staff per 2 cabins






  #45  
Old September 3rd, 2016, 05:21 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
Erilar
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 599
Default Rhein cruises

tim... wrote:

"Erilar" wrote in message
...
Happy.Hobo wrote:
On 08-30-2016 03:44, tim... wrote:
It talks of 130-150 per day for accommodation, meals and transport

but that's per person so it's 300 quid for a couple

It's nearly that for a single, since you pay for all the beds in the
cabin whether you use them or not. And the price you see first on the
advert is "From ____" meaning if you want leg room or a window, get
ready to shell out more.


"From" on a river cruise usually also means a really miserable cabin close
to ths waterline if "outside" at all, and with a miserable little porthole
it's barely possible to see out of.


why does that matter?

the whole point of the operator of providing on board "entertainment" is
that you should spend as little time as possible in your cabin

You go there to sleep. You spend the rest of you time on deck/in the bar

tim





--
biblioholic medievalist via iPad






Not I. I want a place where I can avoid odious music and I drink very
little, and that not the "wine" they serve in ship bars, and use my camera
if I so choose. I'm willing to pay more for a decent cabin. The last cruise
I was on didn't give me a choice, without warning me about the lack of
same.

--
biblioholic medievalist via iPad
  #46  
Old September 4th, 2016, 09:03 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
Erilar
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 599
Default Rhein cruises

tim...

Must be different where you come from

round ere, the cruise company's booking forms usually say: a "compulsory"
tip of some absurd amount of money per day will be billed to your credit
card.

You can, in theory, refuse to pay it by making a complaint, but AIUI you
really have to try hard to avoid it.

The problem is that cruises are seen as "luxury" services providing a
restful holiday (quite how being forced out of bed at 6am to have time for
breakfast before an 8am trip is restful, is beyond me!), and not as simple
transport between interesting locations, and are staffed accordingly [1].
Even if you don't want that level of service, you still have to pay for


Depends on the cruise line, apparently. There's been no compulsory tip on
ships I've been on that's mentioned anywhere. A hidden one would be
another matter, of course, but then the question is whether it's even a
tip.


--
biblioholic medievalist via iPad
  #47  
Old September 5th, 2016, 07:40 AM posted to rec.travel.europe
Happy.Hobo
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 35
Default Rhein cruises

On 09-04-2016 15:03, Erilar wrote:
Depends on the cruise line, apparently. There's been no compulsory tip on
ships I've been on that's mentioned anywhere. A hidden one would be
another matter, of course, but then the question is whether it's even a
tip.


Hidden or not, if it's compulsory, it's not a "gratuity"
  #48  
Old September 10th, 2016, 07:41 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
Erilar
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 599
Default Rhein cruises

Martin wrote:
On Sun, 4 Sep 2016 15:03:39 -0500, Erilar wrote:

tim...

Must be different where you come from

round ere, the cruise company's booking forms usually say: a "compulsory"
tip of some absurd amount of money per day will be billed to your credit
card.

You can, in theory, refuse to pay it by making a complaint, but AIUI you
really have to try hard to avoid it.

The problem is that cruises are seen as "luxury" services providing a
restful holiday (quite how being forced out of bed at 6am to have time for
breakfast before an 8am trip is restful, is beyond me!), and not as simple
transport between interesting locations, and are staffed accordingly [1].
Even if you don't want that level of service, you still have to pay for


Depends on the cruise line, apparently. There's been no compulsory tip on
ships I've been on that's mentioned anywhere. A hidden one would be
another matter, of course, but then the question is whether it's even a
tip.


If you travel with KD, you have complete freedom of when and where to stop for
the night. and where and what to eat and no tipping. Take a taxi to and from the
boat, if you have mobility problems. You can also get as far as Cochem up the
Mosel.

http://www.kdrhine.com/


I've considered that, but detest one-night hotel stays and living out of a
suitcase. It's one of the reasons I like taking my hotel and restaurant
along, aka river cruise. The problem for this trip is that the only
company offering a route and services I approve of, one I've particularly
liked in the past, is that it's German, which means its tours are in
German, and my friend doesn't speak German. Add this to my now-limited
walking ability so that I can only be her translator on wheeled excursions,
and we have a problem. What I could do five years ago is no longer possible
8-(

--
biblioholic medievalist via iPad
  #49  
Old September 11th, 2016, 05:47 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
Happy.Hobo
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 35
Default Rhein cruises

On 09-11-2016 02:57, Martin wrote:
Marksburg, Stolzenfels and Kaub.IMO the advantages of being independent and
staying in a hotel outweigh having to sleep in a cramped cabin eating poor food
drinking cheap wine and being stuck with a bunch of people I don't like.


While I still don't think cruises are worth the expense, I've never
heard anyone but you complain about the food.
  #50  
Old September 13th, 2016, 07:28 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
Erilar
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 599
Default Rhein cruises

Martin wrote:
On Sat, 10 Sep 2016 13:41:50 -0500, Erilar wrote:

Martin wrote:
On Sun, 4 Sep 2016 15:03:39 -0500, Erilar wrote:


http://www.kdrhine.com/


I've considered that, but detest one-night hotel stays and living out of a
suitcase. It's one of the reasons I like taking my hotel and restaurant
along, aka river cruise. The problem for this trip is that the only
company offering a route and services I approve of, one I've particularly
liked in the past, is that it's German, which means its tours are in
German, and my friend doesn't speak German. Add this to my now-limited
walking ability so that I can only be her translator on wheeled excursions,
and we have a problem. What I could do five years ago is no longer possible
8-(


because it is German doesn't mean that tours are only in German, unless they say
so. Multilingual German tours and guides do exist. I've made visits to Rhine &
Mosel castles which had English speaking tour guides, for example, Cochem,
Marksburg, Stolzenfels and Kaub.IMO the advantages of being independent and
staying in a hotel outweigh having to sleep in a cramped cabin eating poor food
drinking cheap wine and being stuck with a bunch of people I don't like.


The cruises I've taken have all had excellent food, and unless the wine is
included, in which case I avoid the white(snob problem), it's often
possible to buy a bottle of something decent 8-)
With some companies cabin size is decent and can be checked out in advance.
Taking along a companion guarantees good company, and that's the current
plot.

--
biblioholic medievalist via iPad
 




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