River Cruises Not Selling?

Boris555

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jun 13, 2017
A travel agent friend of mine just invited me to go on an ABD river cruise with her. I have always been curious about ABD but I don't know much about river cruising. Also, when I looked on the ABD site, every room category was available at a discount for July (when we would be going). She also told me that every cruise date that month still had TA rates available, which doesn't feel like a good sign. This discount is great, but it's still a very expensive trip when you add airfare this short notice.

Thanks in advance.
 
I believe that the cruises are not selling. I suspect the National Park system will be quite busy this year with the combination of low gas prices and bad news reports of terrorism in Europe. Time to bargain hunt!
 
This discount is great, but it's still a very expensive trip when you add airfare this short notice.

I've noticed the same thing and wondered, as well. I think it's a combination of more expensive than several other companies (ABD argues that the adventure guides make it a different product but not sure that cuts it when one is looking at dollars and cents); over saturating/ over estimating the market demand (if you look at Tauck Bridges for example, there are fewer cruise dates); and reluctance by some to cruise...a perfect storm as it were. TB actually offers no single supplement in their smallest rooms which ABD does not, either-this could make it easier for singles or families with odd numbers to travel, too. I'd actually consider doing the Danube again next summer except they dropped the Prague add on which was one of my favorite parts of the trip.

I don't know when or where you'll be flying but I know Delta has been running Europe flight sales lately. Hope you can make the trip-it really is great!
 
Look at the price that European Tour Co. are charging for the same cruises ( Same ships different dates )

Check out the price of non USA Airline Co.
 


I am going on the July 12th Danube cruise and was told when I booked a few months ago that there were only 70 people onboard our sailing. I don't know if that number has increased since then.

MJ
 
We would have booked a River Cruise this year had we not already planned for the westbound transatlantic cruise in September. Next year we have two other DCL itineraries booked plus a stay at our DVC resort. We really want to try one of these since it combines things we already love into one experience.
 
The problem is ABD thinks "Oh this is a good idea so let's do that" and then they put on a bazillion trips, flooding the market and then the trips don't fill. Look what happened with the ABD trip to WDW. They didn't just put on a few trips the first year they offered it. They put on 26 trips in a 6 month period. Then wondered why they couldn't fill the trips and ultimately pulled the plug on that trip completely. Nat Geo is actually reducing the number of trips they offer so that they can guarantee the trips go full and are actually starting to offer more and more private trips, because those ones are guaranteed to go once someone books them with no need to wait for a certain number of people to book. There are a number of other luxury tour operators out there and a number of other river cruise operators out there offering the same or even dare I say it, better trips and service. Disney is actually doing themselves a disservice by 1. offering too many trips 2. downgrading the trips they do offer while still asking a high price and 3. lowering the bar on their customer service standards. This is just my opinion but it's one that's been formed through experience through 2 ABDs with bad experiences and 1 amazing Nat Geo trip. Also, just look at the Other Options thread to see how many people are jumping off the ABD ship these days (no pun intended). Again, just my two cents
 


I am going on the July 12th Danube cruise and was told when I booked a few months ago that there were only 70 people onboard our sailing. I don't know if that number has increased since then.

MJ

Maybe you will get an upgrade? Plus think of the dinners being less crowded. All positives for you!
 
I think what irritates me about our ABD Rhine River cruise is that we paid full price for our sailing. When it wasn't sold out (several months ago), they offered reduced prices to entice more people to book -- so now it is sold out. If Abercrombie & Kent lowers their price for a trip they will give guests that already booked the lower price. However ABD won't do this, so it does bother me. Since it's already been discussed I won't rant, but the fact that we may not get on the excursions we want -- I don't even want to entertain the thought.

We leave tomorrow and I am committed to having a great time with my kids on the trip :flower1::yay::yay:. Plus Betti is 1 of the guides and she is fantastic.
 
We leave tomorrow and I am committed to having a great time with my kids on the trip :flower1::yay::yay:. Plus Betti is 1 of the guides and she is fantastic.

I hope you have a great trip! I'm really excited to hear how it goes for you; know you are anxious about getting your excursions and I'll keep my fingers crossed everything goes as you want.

I <3 Betti as well- we had her at Christmas (Danube/Prague) and my fingers are crossed she'll be doing the Rhine at Christmas too!
 
I think what irritates me about our ABD Rhine River cruise is that we paid full price for our sailing. When it wasn't sold out (several months ago), they offered reduced prices to entice more people to book -- so now it is sold out. If Abercrombie & Kent lowers their price for a trip they will give guests that already booked the lower price. However ABD won't do this, so it does bother me. Since it's already been discussed I won't rant, but the fact that we may not get on the excursions we want -- I don't even want to entertain the thought.

We leave tomorrow and I am committed to having a great time with my kids on the trip :flower1::yay::yay:. Plus Betti is 1 of the guides and she is fantastic.
I hope you have a great time, and please let us know how it is!! Good luck with your excursions.
 
We leave tomorrow and I am committed to having a great time with my kids on the trip :flower1::yay::yay:. Plus Betti is 1 of the guides and she is fantastic.
Have a great time! I am very interested in this trip and look forward to hearing your feedback. Especially interested in learning if you have many older teens on this trip.
 
I had long planned to do the Danube for Christmas, but I still can't make it work for my family of 5 given the room categories we would need to get us in connecting rooms. $30K including airfare plus no Vienna Boys Choir killed it. I just think they are too aggressive in pricing and are unwilling to price trips fairly at the beginning. And the Christmas trips weren't included in the early booking discount. Eventually we will probably do the Central Europe trip, presuming they don't cheapen it like they have with some other itineraries.

I plan on doing TB Ireland next year instead.
 

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