Have heard many opinions on staying in lower vs higher stateroom accommodations.on the Longships
Is it worth the difference in price? Considering the very small windows, and how much time is really spent in the room though?
I look forward to responses and experiences,
I would suggest heading to Cruisecritic.com and find a thread for the specific company that you are looking at, room selection is always a big topic, it will vary by the company, the boat, and the river you are cruising on.
Some comments I see repeatedly, first, no, you are rarely just sitting on your balcony "cruising", and when docked, you are likely to be within arms length of another docked boat, and docks are not usually in the most scenic part of town anyway.
For days when you are cruising through the most scenic stretches of river, you are better off being up on the top deck, better view, you can see both sides of the river, maybe some drinks or snacks, maybe they even have some guide/narration going on.
YouTube also has a number of "river cruise" videos, ranging from pretty good to the typical YouTube slop. Room selection is often mentioned, if I recall the general advice, it is don't pay for the most expensive rooms unless you need more space, the mid range rooms are popular, experienced "cruisers" watching their budget just get the waterline rooms, and stay away from the engine room.
We have done several river cruises and always book the cheapest. cabins that are usually located in the deepest part of the ship.
There is a window that is above the water line.
Reason number 1: we don't spend much time in our cabin. We like to see sights and watch those on the river go by as well as socialize with other passengers.
Reason number 2: it is cheaper.
If by "Longships" you mean Viking, I have not taken a Viking river cruise, but I did take a river cruise last year, on a ship which is probably similar to the Viking ships, and I noticed that for the staterooms with outside balconies, they took some space out of the room in order to accommodate the balcony. You pay extra for a smaller room just so you can have an outside balcony you won't use, because it is so much better up on deck. Secondly, you aren't going to be spending much time in that stateroom except to sleep. My next river cruise I'm getting the absolute cheapest room possible.
We've only taken one river cruise so far, but the thing that characterized that trip the most was that it was very much a social event. That to me was the best thing about it. The people on our boat were very sociable and unexpectedly interesting. That to me was the most enjoyable aspect of the whole thing. So why would I be spending my free time in my stateroom when drinks are free in the lounge and there are lots of other interesting people on that boat?
So my answer is an emphatic NOOO it is not worth the difference in price.
