first european

[shelly6204]

I was also wondering about this cruise line. Thinking of going in 1 1/2 years, but want to make a good choice. Is it a good value for the $?

[shelly6204]

I was also wondering about this cruise line. Thinking of going in 1 1/2 years, but want to make a good choice. Is it a good value for the $?

[Raoul Fiebig]

quote:

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Originally posted by shelly6204:
I was also wondering about this cruise line. Thinking of going in 1 1/2 years, but want to make a good choice. Is it a good value for the $?

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Hi Shelly,

Festival Cruises (First European is the company's marketing name in the US) offers two different product lines - Discovery and Premium. The Premium ships are new four-star ships, while the Discovery ships are older, smaller second-hand tonnage. Not bad, but definitely not on par with the ships the big US lines have. Festival is usually considered good value for the money as far as the cruise fare goes, but please note that onboard extras are plentyful and often more costly than on other lines. This even includes a full TV program (EUR / USD 20 per day), visits to the command bridge etc.

If you know about this and take these extras into consideration, you should be fine. However, do remember that announcements are usually made in at least five languages (English, Spanish, Italian, French and German) and that more than 95% of your fellow passengers will be European who might not speak English that well.

Hope this helps!


Best regards,

Raoul Fiebig
Das Ruderhaus

[cruisedude]

Value is such a tricky word. Value should be described as getting everything you want at the best possible price. Many people use "value" to mean "less expensive". When booking a cruise on a lesser known carrier, be extremely cautious. Some general rules that I use for myself and our clients. First, if the cruise line caters to European clientel and you don't smoke...chances are you're going to have a rough trip. Many Europeans smoke, and they don't care much if you like it or not in many cases. Second, if you do book one of these ships, always use a credit card to purchase, and buy the travel insurance recommended by your agent! Some of these smaller lines may not have a large amount of capital behind them and (as in the case after 9/11) may go out of business at any time and leave you high and dry. Be sure and protect yourself. Normally, we simply suggest that you choose another line if it's iffy.

[susanne]

Dear Shelley,
they are fantastic, 2 years running of a great holiday around the Med..