Celebrity. Cruise Line to offer River Crusing

We'll see how they fare once they actually begin. I'm not sure why you would think that Celebrity would be any more solo friendly than any of the established river cruise lines. Their ocean cruise line certainly isn't. And the price point and level of service is yet to be seen. With Viking being their biggest competition, will they be able to price below and/or provide better quality than Viking? They will have to do one or the other to compete. I'm not convinced that the market is there if they are only going to the same old same old ports.

....none of the current river cruise lines are solo traveler friendly.

???? I found these with just a quick search:

https://www.rivierarivercruises.com/river-cruises/river-cruises-for-solo-travellers
https://www.avalonwaterways.com/solo-traveler/
https://www.amawaterways.com/solo-traveler
https://www.tauck.com/river-cruises/european-river-cruise-guide/solo-passenger-river-cruise

Have you looked at them previously? If so, what made them solo unfriendly?

Although they might be tricky to book from North America, TUI river cruises are another option to explore. TUI are a German company, but the cruises are very British and competitively priced for River. They do include packaged air fare from the UK.
If anyone can book TUI from North America it will be Emma Cruises US travel agent.

Hello Kathy

Solo friendly means that you do not have to pay for two when you cruise by yourself. i expect that you might have to pay more for one in.cabin designed for two but not much more.

I have checked out river cruises that claim to offer cruises for solos. They do exist but they were very hand picked as to the river and to the dates.

But I am glad to look at the links that you have sent me.

Thank you

Hello isn31c

Glad to check out TUI. Why are they more tricky to book from North America?

Good Morning CJean

I always take a wait and see attitude. If nothing else, it should be interesting.

I do not know much about Celebrity as a cruise line but have heard positive things about them.

I think they are probably. a notch above Norwegian as far as a cruise line goes. I wish that Norwegian could offer river cruises.

FWIW...Solo friendly also extends to the cultural style of the cruise. Let's admit it, most river cruises (like some organized tours, Rick Steves included) attract a certain demographic, depending on marketing, activities included, and overall style. River cruises tend to skew older, more affluent, and appeal to couples or friend groups. (perhaps partly due to cabin pricing).

So while the cruise line may certainly be friendly to solo cruisers, the "off" feeling those solo travelers get on board, is something often mentioned in reviews.

Whether Carnival breaks that mold, it will be interesting. Their ocean cruising demographic is a bit different that say Vikings ocean cruises, definitely from the typical river cruising demographic. Maybe the activities, both on board and in excursions, will attract younger and solo cruisers, maybe they will just tap into the existing market by competing on price.

Not sure I'm thrilled with more cruises on the rivers, like more ships in any port, but that is just me.

We had been sailing Celebrity exclusively for 12-15 years. I have one more booked, then that's it. I think Celebrity would do better to invest its money into replacing its two sailing relics, food and entertainment quality, and additional staff so that one steward isn't responsible for 15 staterooms. I'm sure they've done the math and think they can make a profit out of river cruises, but I'd be leery at best. Cruise Critic posts say that offers some cruises at a 'no single supplement' rate.

bostonphil7 we've done 3 Celebrity cruises in the Caribbean, and one NCL, and one Holland America. Celebrity is by far the nicest, but at a cost. For this river business, I suspect their solo traveler policies (and supplements) wont be much different than the existing lines.

We've done just one Viking river cruise, and I did observe that the few single travelers often had some difficulty finding people to dine with (seating first come - first served). Most passengers were family and friends groups, so not a lot of socializing. River boats are small - 200 passengers or so - so there's not a lot of "activities" on board other than eating and drinking.

Glad to check out TUI. Why are they more tricky to book from North America?

It seems because they set up their booking systems assuming that only people from the UK would book with them. They didn't reckon with the influence of international You Tube vloggers.
One of the reasons for that is the packaged in flights (or sometimes rail transfers via Eurostar) and transfers to the ship. Those can't be unbundled so while you can travel to the ship independently it makes no financial sense to do so.
I know Emma and her US travel agent (Dan Kohler or Koenig, something like that) have been working hard with TUI to have better more international systems but have not been keeping abreast of where they are up to.
The Ocean cruising side of TUI are called Marella. They have the same booking and flight inclusive issue. Marella are all inclusive- all drinks and all gratuities included (and seriously no more expected), also very good value shore excursions- maybe 33% or even less of the price of the big name international lines. And really good entertainment. When I say all inclusive drinks I mean it, there are always drinks carts going round the deck, drinks as you walk into the theatre etc. Comparisons are always hard- but maybe a cross between an all inclusive Princess for most things, and Carnival for the deck entertainment. Thus Marella up front prices look high, but when you take the extras into account probably aren't too much out of kilter.
By all accounts TUI river are much the same in all those respects. Totally not Viking glitz and glamour, much more down to earth (if I can say that). A much younger (by average age) clientele.

There are river cruise lines with cabins that have no single supplements. In addition, Gate 1 has sales twice a year in which they waive the single supplement. I’ll be headed down the Danube on a combination land tour/ river cruise in July with a $3900 single supplement waived.

It is always about looking for the best options on any cruise line.

...but I'd be leery at best...

Good thinking. We've done many cruises with them over a number of years, and like many other things in life, over the past few years they have charged more and more, while offering less and less. They are still trying to recover the losses from covid, and just this past year resumed paying dividends.

When they start, they might do things in a really great way as they used to. But don't be surprised if thing go downhill once they get established.

Hello Paul

agreed that solo also means cultural but for some of these river cruises that advertise solo "friendly" I am assuming that I would not be the only solo. But maybe I should not assume.

On my last cruise, I was discussing Norwegian with someone else who had sailed much more than myself and on several lines.

He was lauding Holland American on some things but stated that HA was stuffier than Norwegian in some respects. He was talking about clientele and dining, etc.

Since I have never been on a river cruise, I have no idea what to expect but for the marketing and reviews that I have read.

Have to keep what you said in mind.

TC

I know many people are saying the same thing about Norwegian. They are charging more and more while offering less and less.

Covid took quite a toll but I think it is also the cost of everything.

I loved my last cruise but there were so many glitches having to do with NCL. Guess this is a good time to add that guest services has also gone way downhill.

carol now retired

you are such a trooper!

Right now, I am not seriously looking at river cruises.

In fact I am not booking any cruise until I get my new passport. I feel thoroughly lost not active in the planning process of my next cruise.

River cruises tend to sound expensive but maybe that is because of the size of the "boats" ..

Hello again Kathy from Minnesota

In the past, I did call AMA Waterways and Avalon. It was similar to when I called Viking. For solos, there are limited hand picked cruises. Viking had none.

I can and will only travel April, May and September, October. So I m limited but have no difficulty finding ocean cruises.

I clicked on the links and there were no cruises the months that i could sail or I got. a message that "no information was available" or I was sent to a page to fill out. a form for a quote.

I did not feel like calling or making out forms because I am not seriously booking a river cruise for now. But things might change in the future.

isn31

yes, I went to TUI and had to put in the airport that I wanted to be picked up from. That is ok if I am going to fly into London.

I will keep TUI in mind.

If you are serious about learning about river cruising, then ignore the marketing ads and take any reviews with a hefty helping of salt. There are absolutely tons of YouTube videos on the subject, ranging from excellent tutorials about what to and what not to expect on any river cruise, comparisons of the various river cruise lines, to travelogs of individuals taking specific cruises.

Hi CJean

I have watched some youtube videos about and on river cruising.

I was once very serious about river cruising but less so right now.

Have you done some or a lot of river cruises? If so, what have your experiences been like? What are your favorite river cruises?

It's likely an unpopular opinion on this site, but we're not fans of Viking. They arent nearly as upmarket as their marketing would suggest. We've only done a few river cruises. Our next will be Budapest to Amsterdam. Our favorite line in Europe is Scenic.

CJean

I have been watching several youtube videos on river cruising.

Also watching some on Celebrity Cruise with solo stateroom. Apparently Celebrity now has solo staterooms on some of their ships

I am just doing this to compare Celebrity to Norwegian. I am sticking with Norwegian because I have done nine and am at platinum but curious. Just wanting to compare.

good morning boston phil7.

I think I'm confused by your loyalty to NCL. Each cruise you've spoken about since you joined has let you down, sometimes badly, yet you say how much you enjoyed, especially the last one, and profess loyalty to NCL.

What do you get for your platinum? Your last cruise you said you lost all your perks because the previous cruise had norovirus all over the ship. Did they make that up to you in some way?

How much more does your platinum save you over the competing cruise ships?

Not harassing you, just trying to understand.

I also understand how familiarity with how things work (or don't work) can give good feelings no matter how bad it gets.

Good Morning back at you, Nigel

You are right in everything that you say.

I am not the only person who is often unhappy and let down by Norwegian. I have plenty of company.

Now there are some who seem to adore Norwegian and nothing ever seems to go wrong. Many of those persons are in the travel industry and get perks for sailing Norwegian while others are able to afford the Haven or the Balcony with Spa, the latter two are the very upscale cabins and suites.

But despite all the times that Norwegian has let me down and disappoints me, I still enjoy the ships and have a good time. It is a trade off . I still enjoy myself enough to let the disappointments go.

I know the brand. I like that Norwegian is very solo passenger friendly. I like the freestyle cruising. I like the itineraries a lot.

When I took my first cruise with Norwegian many years back, they were the only cruise line to welcome the solo passenger. All the other cruise lines charged you for two passengers. Norwegian did something very revolutionary. They built the Epic with over 100 studio cabins and it worked. And my first cruise was on the Epic.

If someone who had never cruised asked me for information, I would tell them of my good and bad experiences with Norwegian but I would also advise them to check out other cruise lines as well as Norwegian.

I would give Norwegian Cruise lIne 3 stars but give Celebrity and Princess 4 stars based on what I have heard and read. Viking and Disney, I would give 5 stars again based solely on what I have read or heard,

Norwegian caters more to the middle income, working class, mass market except for their high end cabins.

I might get better guest services with Celebrity or Princess but you pay more and sometimes a lot more. And when you pay more, especially a lot more, you expect more. And you should.

I have read many bad reviews about Norwegian but I have also read many bad reviews about Celebrity and Princess. I was shocked to see a few bad ones about Viking.

So despite Norwegians weaknesses, there are strengths. I am familiar with the brand and very comfortable with the brand. I am comfortable with the concept.

But as I have also said, many guests are let down by Norwegian. If it were just me, that would be one thing. Norwegian like all the other cruise lines has not bounced back from Covid. None of the cruise lines have. All have had to cut back. Most of the cruise lines have staff shortages like most businesses.

Mostly all the cruise lines get hit by the norovirus. I keep up with cruise news.

I wrote "Guest Services after the Cruise" about my last cruise and what I should have gotten but did not. I did not get a satisfactory response. I was given $50 OBC if I use it within a year and I was chided by Guest Services. I was told that it is my responsibility to know what I should have received as Platinum. It was my first time sailing as Platinum and there was a lot of confusion on the ship.. If you remember, Norwegian had also cancelled three of my excursions and I had to deal with that.

Usually all your vouchers are on your bed and you get everything that you should get. This last cruise was a new one for me.

But now I know what I should get on my next cruise. Also, I am sorry to have to add that I have some serious health issues. I have had diabetes for over 10 yers and I am an old lady. Unfortunately my kidneys are now affected and I am in stage 3 kidney failure. I have had an ultrasound and lots of lab work related to my kidneys. And I am sailing on money saved. There are still a few more cruises left but .....

I am always glad to hear from you and everything and anything that you might want to say or have to say. You are. a very gentle person and helped me understand

Back again Nigel.

As Platinum, I should have gotten two free dinners in the private restaurants, one with a bottle of wine. I do not know the details such as "can I choose any restaurant" or "do I have to pay high gratuities".

I should have gotten a behind the scenes tour of the ship but I think this was cancelled due to the Norovirus outbreak on the previous journey.

I should have been invited to a wine tasting party.

I should have gotten one bag of laundry done free.

I did get priority boarding including after excursions. I could not understand why I got priority boarding. I thought that it had something to do with age or that I used a cane but it was because I was platinum. .

I get a discount when booking a cruise but I am not certain how much. I was already getting one but do not know if it is now more

I get 10 percent discount when booking excursions and then something additional because I have sailed Norwegian so many times. I wa already getting. discount when booking excursions . I do not know if I am nw getting higher discount.

I get discounts in the shops. Maybe 10 or 15 percent

I did get two free bottles of water and chocolate covered strawberries.

And there may be other perks that I can not recall.

Of course, next time I will be more aware.