River Cruise versus Ocean.

[mrsmiller]

Hello fellow cruisers.

Please help me make up my mind
Since I have never been on a River Cruise, but have an opportunity to do so, I wonder if any one can help me .
I do love Celebrity line and my last cruise with R.C.C. Brilliance of the Seas to the Med. was wonderful.
I just hate to jump in to a River cruise without some background info.And regret not having learned from fellow cruisers that perhaps have done both.
Help please, and thanks a lot.
msliv

[nbevins]

we have done about 40 ocean cruises--many on celebrity and 1 river cruise on GCT
we had a ball on river cruise.It was 14 day cruise with 3 days in vienna pre cruise and 3 days brussels post.They are a bit more expensive-but all tours are included and wine/beer is generally free at dinner..Everyday you are in cities with walking or bus tours included.Meals are open seating with a more limited menu.Breakfast has a daily special-omelets etc plus extensive breakfast bar cereals fruits meats breads eggs etc.Lunch is open seating--again an extensive bar.Dinner is usually 2 choices of each appetizer soup entrees etc.Service was very good(bar service very slow--but you can get to your room in just a minute or 2 and make your own drink--drinks on board were expensive).

passengers were all adullts and generally older--i think this is true or other river companies also.
rooms are quite nicely organized but small.Not a big difference from lowest category to highest categories.We had lower categores-picture window-our friends had higher caregory with french balcony(small enough to get out only--mayve 2 feet by 10 feet--no chairs)

definitely try the river cruise you wil enjoy..occasionally viking had buy 1 get i free--sign up on line for email notices and stuffed mailed to your home

[AllyGirl13]

I have been sent quite a few brochures on river cruises & it seems to me it is for the older crowd. There is no casino so if you like to gamble, well... Smaller ships mean smaller crew and like nbevins says the cabins are smaller. I don't recall seeing a pool either so do your research.