ABD Rhone River Cruise

[Cousin Orville]

I'm interested in the Rhone. I've never done the Danube, Rhine or Seine, but I have travelled in those areas. So, they never really spiked my interest. The Rhone would be completely new to us. I'd want to see a visit or two to a winery on the itinerary. The Rhone is one of the most important wine regions of the world. It would be like traveling through Napa Valley without going to a winery.

 

[tgeorge]

Interesting whether pre-days in Paris would make this easier or harder to sell. Also, it seems that would compete too much with the Seine cruise.

Oddly enough, I'd be more interested in the Seine cruise if it didn't have Paris days. So easy to do that on your own.

I agree! I’ve done Paris and Normandy, so I wasn’t intrigued at all by the Seine trip. I really hope that it is just the cruise to Southern France. As Cousin Orville stated, a winery option or two would be fantastic My Mom has a friend who lives in Aix-en-Provence, and I have work colleagues in Lyon, so I feel we could have a few great pre and post cruise options.

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

We've never been to the south of France, so I'd definitely do this in 2020!

 

[canadakath]

Interesting whether pre-days in Paris would make this easier or harder to sell. Also, it seems that would compete too much with the Seine cruise.

Oddly enough, I'd be more interested in the Seine cruise if it didn't have Paris days. So easy to do that on your own.

I agree. We have already done Paris on our own, with some great private tours from Paris Muse (including a treasure hunt in the Louvre) when the boys were younger. I am not interested in paying for a river cruise that includes time in Paris, so hoping this one starts in Lyon like the existing AMA itinerary.

 

[tgeorge]

Very happy to see that it starts in Lyon and ends in Arles, exactly as I had hoped. Sent the itinerary to my Mom, but I do believe this will be our next Mother/Daughter trip. Just in time for her 65th birthday. Timing works out well.

 

[msec]

So excited about this cruise - thinking about the Adults Only cruise in Sept as timing is better for work - but the Lavender blooms in July - tough choice....

 

[sayhello]

This looks like a really cool river cruise. But unless they have another special on the single supplement, I doubt I'll ever be doing another ABD River Cruise. A 100% Single supplement (1 person paying the same as 2 people like on an ocean cruise) is just not doable. Thank goodness they had the 50% Single Supplement special for the Danube River Cruise, or I'd likely never have done one.

Sayhello

 

[tgeorge]

So excited about this cruise - thinking about the Adults Only cruise in Sept as timing is better for work - but the Lavender blooms in July - tough choice....

Lavender blooms will win me over

 

[tgeorge]

This looks like a really cool river cruise. But unless they have another special on the single supplement, I doubt I'll ever be doing another ABD River Cruise. A 100% Single supplement (1 person paying the same as 2 people like on an ocean cruise) is just not doable. Thank goodness they had the 50% Single Supplement special for the Danube River Cruise, or I'd likely never have done one.

Sayhello

That’s the unfortunate thing with cruises, IMHO. I get a single supplement, but geesh, 100% seems a bit insane.

 

[canadakath]

Hoping with the kayaking and truffle hunting it might be enough to pique my boys' interest, but not sure it will. I personally love the itinerary! Might book anyways, see if I can find a pre or post trip option that will help sway them...

 

[Donalyn]

Way better itinerary than I was expecting, but not sure that my girls would be super interested (the Rhine itinerary is still the winner for the river cruises for them).

 

[BluesTraveler]

I think this itinerary looks great although I just showed it to my oldest and it didn't grab him.

I do like that they've taken Paris off the Seine cruise and made it an optional add-on. More flexibility for folks that have already been to Paris and don't want to repeat activities.

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

I like the itinerary, but just can't book for 2020 at this point. If I had to pick a date I'd consider the Sept. adults only with my ds, but I can't be 100% certain when or where dd will be starting college and I won't miss her moving in day for the world. For now we'll have to pass.

@sayhello there are 2 single rooms on the AMACello. Can you book one of those for one of the cruises?

 

[sayhello]

@sayhello there are 2 single rooms on the AMACello. Can you book one of those for one of the cruises?

I don't know. I'll have to look into that!

Sayhello

 

[OhanaCuz]

This looks like a really cool river cruise. But unless they have another special on the single supplement, I doubt I'll ever be doing another ABD River Cruise. A 100% Single supplement (1 person paying the same as 2 people like on an ocean cruise) is just not doable. Thank goodness they had the 50% Single Supplement special for the Danube River Cruise, or I'd likely never have done one.

It's nuts and why we did a AMA-only cruise for our second river cruise. 100% is just too much.

 

[tink1970]

This looks like a really cool river cruise. But unless they have another special on the single supplement, I doubt I'll ever be doing another ABD River Cruise. A 100% Single supplement (1 person paying the same as 2 people like on an ocean cruise) is just not doable. Thank goodness they had the 50% Single Supplement special for the Danube River Cruise, or I'd likely never have done one.

Sayhello

Just wanted to chime in and agree with @*WDW*Groupie* that both the AmaCello (Rhone) and AmaLyra (Seine) have S cabins which are for solo travelers. Right now (don't know how long this will last) they have availabilities for both in 2020. TBH $4667 for a river cruise sounds pretty reasonable. Of course, I could be just used to ABD's wild pricing

 

[tgeorge]

Just wanted to chime in and agree with @*WDW*Groupie* that both the AmaCello (Rhone) and AmaLyra (Seine) have S cabins which are for solo travelers. Right now (don't know how long this will last) they have availabilities for both in 2020. TBH $4667 for a river cruise sounds pretty reasonable. Of course, I could be just used to ABD's wild pricing

Hahaha, I thought the exact same thing

 

[OhanaCuz]

Just wanted to chime in and agree with @*WDW*Groupie* that both the AmaCello (Rhone) and AmaLyra (Seine) have S cabins which are for solo travelers. Right now (don't know how long this will last) they have availabilities for both in 2020. TBH $4667 for a river cruise sounds pretty reasonable. Of course, I could be just used to ABD's wild pricing

What suuuuucks is that once you get used to having that French balcony it would be so hard to give it up. I loved sitting out there.

 

[WishUponAStarryNight]

Hoping with the kayaking and truffle hunting it might be enough to pique my boys' interest, but not sure it will. I personally love the itinerary! Might book anyways, see if I can find a pre or post trip option that will help sway them...

Backroads does river cruises and charters AMA ships. If the ABD options aren’t active enough for your kids, Backroads may be worth a look.

 

[canadakath]

Backroads does river cruises and charters AMA ships. If the ABD options aren’t active enough for your kids, Backroads may be worth a look.

Thanks! I've checked them out before too. I should have specified "adrenaline junkies" instead of active since they are also lazy - hiking or biking all day is not their idea of fun! I'm thinking I can book the regular AMAwaterways cruise and schedule some of our own activities in the various regions that might suit us more - especially around the Ardeche Gorge. Lots of research to do which is what I love about trip planning!