Cruising Europe’s inland waterways exclusively for Tauck, the new-for-2011 ms Treasures represented the essence of luxurious river cruising. My husband and I travelled to Cologne, Germany to board the ms Treasures for her Christening celebration as she sailed for three days to Amsterdam.
Upon arrival we were checked in and directly shown to our stateroom. The process went smoothly and guests were free to arrive throughout most of the day. Tauck includes airport transfers regardless if you are using their air or not. After getting comfortable there was a light lunch held in the Panorama Lounge – soup, cold sandwiches and finger foods.
Our stateroom was a Category 3, a standard French Balcony cabin which is approximately 150 sq ft. This may seem small, but the room did feel spacious. The French Balcony really opens up the room. Other features included a plasma TV, Minibar, small table with chair, decent closest space. The bathroom was teeny but really designed well – the shower doors actually fold open into the shower so you feel as if you had more room when the shower is not in use. For those who want a bit more space the ship offers 14 beautiful 300-square foot suites equipped with floor-to-ceiling windows and marble baths.
Breakfast in the dining room was buffet style with a good selection of fruit, breads, pastries, meats, and eggs. Additionally they have an omelet made-to-order station. We only had the one lunch onboard they day we checked in. Dinner was a formal sit down meal with plenty of options to choose from. We thought the food was amazing. Onboard they also had a Lido Lounge which offered espresso (push button machine to make your own), pastries and fruit. We found it to be a space that anyone hardly used and thought it was a wonderful place to sit and relax.
Entertainment onboard is a minimum, one evening a pianist performed. Another night they had a DJ with dancing. The Panorama Lounge is the main gathering space for evening cocktails and socializing. There is a small onboard spa with a small workout area and spa treatments such as massages. The top Sun Deck was a terrific spot to sit or lounge and we loved the little putting green. There was a very small hot tub on the back, but I only saw one or two people ever take advantage of it.
The daily tours offered were superb – for example we had lunch at the Grand Hotel Steinberger, private viewing of the Kroller-Muller museum, canal boat tour with lunch (amazing!), private reception at the Rijks Museum. The Tauck motorcoaches were great as well, nice sized and comfortable accommodating only Tauck guests. The Tauck Tour Directors were very knowledgeable and Tauck provides one director for every 39 passengers.
Overall this was an incredible experience. The ms Treasures ship is beautiful and elegantly appointed. What’s most important you can tell that Tauck really enjoys going the extra mile for their guests. I would highly recommend a Tauck river cruise.
