Rhine River cruise... Looking for experiences and tips.

[psimon]

We are scheduled for May 2021 for the Rhine River cruise. We are conflicted as to which city to fly into. We are conflicted whether to just leave when we get to Amsterdam or take the ABD add-on.

Thoughts and experiences are greatly appreciated!

---Paul in Southern NJ

 

[AquaDame]

We are scheduled for May 2021 for the Rhine River cruise. We are conflicted as to which city to fly into. We are conflicted whether to just leave when we get to Amsterdam or take the ABD add-on.

Thoughts and experiences are greatly appreciated!

---Paul in Southern NJ

We might be on the same trip as you - we're booked for the 5.27.21 Rhine.

Everything done on the ABD in AMS is very easy to do OYO, FWIW. If it were a little longer, a little cheaper, or went off the basic tourist path we might have done it. We plan on flying into Zurich and taking the train to Basel; then staying in AMS a few days after before heading home to visit with my brother. We had a great time last December and left a lot undone - you'd definitely be able to make good use of a few days if you have some to spare.

 

[aggiedog]

We did that trip in the opposite direction with a different company. The train from Zurich to Basel is easy peasy. It leaves from the airport in Zurich. We did 2 days in Amsterdam OYO prior to the trip. It is very easy to walk around, and it's a great city. I'd definitely plan on more time there. For me, the cost of an ABD add on isn't "worth it" and I'd just do it OYO.

 

[psimon]

We might be on the same trip as you - we're booked for the 5.27.21 Rhine.

Everything done on the ABD in AMS is very easy to do OYO, FWIW. If it were a little longer, a little cheaper, or went off the basic tourist path we might have done it. We plan on flying into Zurich and taking the train to Basel; then staying in AMS a few days after before heading home to visit with my brother. We had a great time last December and left a lot undone - you'd definitely be able to make good use of a few days if you have some to spare.

We have to be on the same cruise... there is only one in May!

We will be a group of 2... myself and my wife, Debbie.

For what it's worth, when we went to Disney Paris in 2019, I used Viator to book 4 days of activities that weren't Disneyland. Here is their link for Amsterdam tours... Viator - Amsterdam.

---Paul in Southern NJ

 

[psimon]

We did that trip in the opposite direction with a different company. The train from Zurich to Basel is easy peasy. It leaves from the airport in Zurich. We did 2 days in Amsterdam OYO prior to the trip. It is very easy to walk around, and it's a great city. I'd definitely plan on more time there. For me, the cost of an ABD add on isn't "worth it" and I'd just do it OYO.

What sort of activities/tours did you do in Amsterdam?

Thanks..

---Paul in Southern NJ

 

[Mathmagicland]

FYI - fhe public tram system in Amsterdam is very easy to use and gets you just about everywhere you’d want to go in the city -

http://holland-explorer.com/public-transport-in-amsterdam/
Buy a pass in front of their main hub at Centraal Station, and then hop on. You can get to the Resistance museum, or Anne Frank house, Art museums, tulip museum, etc.

 

[aggiedog]

We went to the Anne Frank house, with a docent lecture prior to the tour. We were supposed to go to the Van Gogh museum, but I fell asleep. We walked around the area we were staying and just poked about some. We stayed at Hotel Etherea, which was ah.maz.ing. Would totally recommend it and even when it was full priced (just checked and Covid seems to have brought the price down) it was still totally worth it. Tried several restaurants and food stands - I love trying new foods. Did some shopping. It was pouring down rain one day, and I jet lag hard, so I also did a fair bit of tea drinking and sleeping.

The app Moovit is great for getting around cities. It's got walking, bus, subway, and train info for every city I've been to, Amsterdam included.

For $1,800/person, you could stay in a super nice hotel, eat at great restaurants, do pretty much the same itinerary as ABD and save a ton of money.

 

[OhanaCuz]

We flew from USA to Frankfurt and then took a tiny flight from there to Basel. Took an Uber to the hotel.

If you want to go to Anne Frank house buy your tickets online months in advance.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

We are also on the 5/27. It will be me (Beth), DH Dave, DD23 MK and DD 21 TRISH.

 

[Woodview]

PLAN for A NO TRIP in MAY 2021

WHY ............. MOST of Europe is SHUT DOWN & VERY FEW FLIGHTS Allowed

IF you go & are Allowed INTO Europe ( MUST HAVE Essential Service Status )

you will have to quarantine for 14 days .

Think about it

 

[AquaDame]

PLAN for A NO TRIP in MAY 2021

WHY ............. MOST of Europe is SHUT DOWN & VERY FEW FLIGHTS Allowed

IF you go & are Allowed INTO Europe ( MUST HAVE Essential Service Status )

you will have to quarantine for 14 days .

Think about it

I have. Sadly Disney is holding our deposit hostage until they feel like cancelling it (or maybe they really think they can find a way to run this trip...?)

I'm wondering honestly what happens if the trip IS a go because a lot of people will have been able to get vaccinated but we have not yet as we are pretty much the last group that will be eligible. From how gracious they have been up till now I am guessing it will be up to us to figure it out (which means we eat it).

 

[MaryKatesMom]

PLAN for A NO TRIP in MAY 2021

WHY ............. MOST of Europe is SHUT DOWN & VERY FEW FLIGHTS Allowed

IF you go & are Allowed INTO Europe ( MUST HAVE Essential Service Status )

you will have to quarantine for 14 days .

Think about it

I have. Sadly Disney is holding our deposit hostage until they feel like cancelling it (or maybe they really think they can find a way to run this trip...?)

I'm wondering honestly what happens if the trip IS a go because a lot of people will have been able to get vaccinated but we have not yet as we are pretty much the last group that will be eligible. From how gracious they have been up till now I am guessing it will be up to us to figure it out (which means we eat it).

I am in the same boat. I did not WANT to book anything in 2021. This is a fully paid Italy trip for May 2020 (which I booked with a EBD) that got moved to Dec. 2020 very early that got cancelled.

This was my DD's college graduation trip that I booked very early. She is now in graduate school for chemistry and my other daughter is now taking the LSAT's for Law School. I have very little to no wiggle room for time and they WOULD NOT let me use my credit for 2022.

Not only is there no EBD but all of the lower priced cabins were long gone and we had to pick the higher priced cabins. The cost BALLOONED and the insurance company is balking at moving the date again. The cost of the insurance was over $2,000 but we will have to buy more because the trip cost increased.

This has been very nerve racking.

 

[AquaDame]

I am in the same boat. I did not WANT to book anything in 2021. This is a fully paid Italy trip for May 2020 (which I booked with a EBD) that got moved to Dec. 2020 very early that got cancelled.

This was my DD's college graduation trip that I booked very early. She is now in graduate school for chemistry and my other daughter is now taking the LSAT's for Law School. I have very little to no wiggle room for time and they WOULD NOT let me use my credit for 2022.

Not only is there no EBD but all of the lower priced cabins were long gone and we had to pick the higher priced cabins. The cost BALLOONED and the insurance company is balking at moving the date again. The cost of the insurance was over $2,000 but we will have to buy more because the trip cost increased.

This has been very nerve racking.

Would they not refund you even after being cancelled..? In the last few days there have been articles on Cayman Islands probably not opening up until 2022, and now Australia is saying they will likely not either (post on that is here). I'm increasingly confident we'll be cancelled - I fully intend on taking the refund over literally no benefit to moving to another date. The DCL cancellations at least offer increased credit in exchange for holding onto people's funds.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Would they not refund you even after being cancelled..? In the last few days there have been articles on Cayman Islands probably not opening up until 2022, and now Australia is saying they will likely not either (post on that is here). I'm increasingly confident we'll be cancelled - I fully intend on taking the refund over literally no benefit to moving to another date. The DCL cancellations at least offer increased credit in exchange for holding onto people's funds.

They would have refunded me the first time using the original payment method which was Disney Gift cards. I buy the $500 dollar ones from Target and always keep them in a separate pile but this was just too much and at the time I had no WDW trips planned. In fact I was AT the YC in March 2020 when Kevin called, WDW closed less than two weeks later. So I was completely comfortable moving the trip 9 months away. Who knew?

 

[AquaDame]

They would have refunded me the first time using the original payment method which was Disney Gift cards. I buy the $500 dollar ones from Target and always keep them in a separate pile but this was just too much and at the time I had no WDW trips planned. In fact I was AT the YC in March 2020 when Kevin called, WDW closed less than two weeks later. So I was completely comfortable moving the trip 9 months away. Who knew?

Oh indeed, who knew? My boss just told me this morning we've got the OK to keep working from home through the end of the year if we want (most of that will be mandatory but towards the end we may have the option if things improve). If you'd told me that last summer - even in the middle of this - I'd have fainted.

 

[Woodview]

Look up the AMA waterway river tours site & see the re start dates

Viking River Cruising starts ( MIGHT start ) on April 1st 2021

( Check out prices as you are at it )

 

[AquaDame]

Look up the AMA waterway river tours site & see the re start dates

Viking River Cruising starts ( MIGHT start ) on April 1st 2021

( Check out prices as you are at it )

They sailed in autumn 2020 for one of their German tour operators on the Rhine w/ AmaStella, which may have emboldened them. Their next cruises are set to begin in March which is when the season would normally begin. The latest travel update on their site simply says:

"We will review the status of each river cruise approximately 45 days before departure and reach out to travel advisors with clients booked to re-confirm arrangements and ensure that the online pre-cruise health questionnaire reflects the most up-to-date information on travel regulations."

 

[wendygator]

Best of luck with your trip. I sincerely hope you get to go. We booked directly with AMAWaterways for December Rhine cruise and have been doing some Amsterdam research. A previous poster was correct about the Anne Frank House. Rick Steves' book says you need to book tickets for it through their website two months in advance of your trip. There is a regional transportation pass (trains, trams, busses, etc.) available at the Centraal Train Terminal near where the river boat docks. It looks like the pricing pre-COVID was as follows: 1 day - €19.50 2 days - €28.00 3 days - €36.50pp. This pass includes a ferry option out to the windmills featured in Day 2 of the ABD Amsterdam Escape Itinerary. The price to visit the windmills is 15 euros pp, and, of course there is a pay toilet. LOL. The Van Gogh Museum admission is approx. 20 euros per adult, so I would say with the exception of the painting workshops, this escape is more economical as a DIY. I know a previous poster said the ABD hotel was amazing, so that would be a plus. We found The Ambassade Hotel with canal views, and it looks very promising. https://ambassade-hotel.nl/ . That said, we did the ABD London Escape in 2019 and loved every single minute of it! Yes, we could have done it much cheaper, but it was a fun splurge. If that is what you hope to do, then, I don't think you can go wrong with this escape. Again, best of luck and I hope we're all traveling, safe and sound, real soon!

 

[sabrecmc]

We did the Rhine cruise a couple years ago and had a lovely trip. We actually started in London, then went to DLRP, and flew to Basel from there. We stayed at the ABD hotel to make transfers easy, and it was very nice. Good restaurant. Near everything, but the morning we had time to do anything before boarding, nothing was open, so we ended up just going to the ship. We didn't do the add on in Amsterdam, mainly because we got to see the Van Gogh museum and visit the little village place through ABD, so that mainly left the Anne Frank house and my daughter did not feel comfortable doing that (they just read the book in school, and it was just too raw for her to see). It was a lovely city, though, and very easy to get around, just mind the bikes! I hope you get to go at some point. We had a great time on the cruise.