Communication before the actual river cruise was excellent, thorough. Boat was inn excellent condition, clean, comfrotable Staff on board was cheerful, courteous, experienced, helpful Food was amazing, gourmet quality. Portions were just right. Tour guides were each assigned to 35 people. They were knowledgeable, friendly, and just great to be with. Activities on board the ship in the evenings were fun. read more

My husband and I recently went on a last-minute cruise called "Holland and Belgium in the Springtime". We found the cruise via Travelzoo at a greatly discounted rate as Grand Circle was trying to fill up the last few cabins of its first cruise of the 3/2026 season. The cruise was for 10 nights, starting in Antwerp and ending in Huizen outside of Amsterdam. We booked our own airfare and stayed in various hotels that we booked on our own before and after the trip. We also took numerous train trips during and after the trip on our own (Delft, Bruges, Haarlam, Leiden, and the Hague). Pros: 1. Initial customer service via phone and Internet 2. Service staff although don't expect cute little towel animals in your room at night. 3. Food was good and at times imaginative. (Caveat was the dining room coffee was not to our taste so we made use of the 24-hour coffee machine in the lounge). Wine and soft drinks were provided at no extra charge in the lounge and dining room. 4. Usually there was a walking tour every morning and the afternoons free for independent exploration. If you wanted to stay onboard, there were several activities such as talks, cocktail hours, hot tub, sauna, and massages. Some had additional fees. Cookies were usually available in the lounge. (Caveat: It would have been nice to know that the sauna and hot tub were available in advance of booking so that we could have brought a swimsuit. 5. Some bikes were available but we did not know about them before booking. Large groups would often book them well in advance so we never had the opportunity to use them. 6. The ship/boat sometimes docked next to the city or the windmills. This allowed us to get up early or stay out later doing independent photography or visiting the towns. 7. Outstanding visit in a local host's home in Enkhuizen. 8. We loved many of the small towns. 9. All the tulips and daffodils in bloom. So beautiful. 10. Program directors for every 40 people were helpful although sometimes the walks were extremely slow. The headsets were nice as we could wander off during the slow times and still hear what was going on. 11. Ice, sparkling water, and water were available at all times. 12. The tulip farm tour was fabulous as was the tulip garden visit. 13. Plenty of storage locations in the room 14. Being able to run some of our proposed logistics for independent visits by the program director 15. The local accordion and musician night, as well as the "orange" night were awesome and filled with laughter and smiles. Cons 1. The group skewed to an older crowd, and in some cases, a much older crowd. Some were more active than others. The oldest tended to predominantly stay on the boat. As active travelers in our 60s, we probably were some of the youngest onboard. 2. There were not a lot of travelers that chose to do extra things on their own as many enjoyed staying on the boat. 3. There was a lot of bragging about taking 47 Grand Circle trips, cliques, and larger groups hanging out together or monopolizing amenities. Although we are friendly and can talk with most anyone, we sometimes wondered if we were a bit more active than most. We tried to sit with different people at meals so that we could meet more people. Others chose to sit with the same people over and over, limiting the availability of alternate dining partners. 4. Some of the local guides were good and others were a bit dry. 5. Beds were very hard. Staying on the second deck, we sometimes heard the engines but for the most part, it was okay. 6. Dining room coffee just was not good. 7. Publishing the group list of names in advance. Because my last name is hyphenated and my last name different from my husband's, I had a woman questioning me about whether we were married. Really??? Perhaps this is a petty peeve but still, this made me feel very uncomfortable. 8. I was not interested in the topics for the talks. Others were. Still, it gave me time to do other things so that is perfectly acceptable. 9. Huizen docking spot in place of Amsterdam which is limiting riverboats: although beautiful and reminding me of a Norway town, the logistics for independent travelers were not good. There is no train and the bus stop was too far away to walk with luggage. Ubers were approximately 83 Euros. Still, Randy (program director) did work on getting 2 minivans which allowed us to get to the Amsterdam Centraal at a reasonable rate. Overall impression: For the most part, we truly enjoyed the trip as it gave us time to rest, meet others, see small and large towns, and fit in independent excursions. If another trip with O.A.T. or Grand Circle catches our eye, we will probably use them again. read more

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Had a wonderful time on the Seine River with Grand Circle. I would have rated higher if the cabin didn't have such a dorm feel to it due to the fold-up twin beds. Other river cruise lines have a traditional hotel full size bed in the cabin. The food and service overall was very good. I especially enjoyed the high tea on an afternoon when we were sailing. We had an outstanding tour guide in Elise. We did the post-extension to Brittany that had a wonderful itinerary. However the Mercure hotel we stayed at did not have a shower that was safe for seniors and I recommend Grand Circle make this a priority on future cruises. Happy travels, CSW read more

We just got home from three weeks with a Grand Circle tour where we did the pre-trip on the Italian Riviera, then sailed the Rhône up to Lyon, and then spent 5 days on the post trip in Paris. This was a wonderful itinerary and our guides were terrific. We truly loved every minute of this trip. The ship was comfortable and nicely sized with only 80 passengers. The staff were accommodating and friendly, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. read more

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River MS Adiago and River MS Aria Best River Cruise Ever, even though this was our first river cruise, the Grand Circle crew were very welcoming from top "Captain" to the "Cabin Crew", they were all nice, we had a hick up since the water level was low, but over all, it was quaint, included all the excursions, meals, drinks, wine and beer, what more can you ask for. we had a balcony but didn't use it as much since the weather was very hot, but still we loved the views on the sun desk. our program directors were great, thanks Julia and Alex, you guys did a great job. read more

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I greatly enjoyed the other passengers on this cruise, more so than on other cruises and I am not sure why. They were as a whole very friendly and enjoyable. Vedran Sokol, our tour guide, was my favorite all time tour guide. He was very competent and really knew how to handle the health situations that came up. He was also a great leader on the walks. Marie, San Diego read more

Well organized and facilitated. Group leader, Milo's, was amazingly knowledgeable about the region. Such an interesting area with history I was never aware of. read more

I was very impressed with the expertise , professionalism , and attentiveness of all staff on the trip. In particular i was impressed with our group leader and the restaurant waiters. Every one gave exceptional service. Even the cleaning lady was extremely accommodating. read more

Went on Danube cruise from Bucharest to Budapest. Excellent service, great itineraries and really interesting talks allowing you to get an appreciation of what life was like in the region. Gem in the rough and would definitely do future trips with GC. read more

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Our tour was terrific. Andrew, our program director was energetic, knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor. I learned so much about Australia & New Zealand due to his enthusiasm and knowledge. i have much information that I need to review in the future. Both countries are wonderful and I think everyone in our group felt it was terrific. Fortunately, we had enough of our own time to explore & get lost!!!!! Great trip! read more

FANTASTIC !!! The entire crew was the most professional, knowledgeable and delightful in the world! The entire river cruse is beautiful with a rich history the guides presented on our village shore trips. Grand Circle is the most organized company ever. read more

These River cruises are wonderful. There are interesting stops, plenty of time to rest and relax, and the ship is comfortable. What I like best is the excellent service, from the room attendants to the dining room staff, they treat their passengers like royalty. read more

I had a wonderful experience on my first trip with Grand Circle traveling from the Bucharest to Budapest on the Danube aboard the River Adagio. I learned a lot about an area I knew very little about before I came. The accommodations, food, the tours and the staff made everyday special. Every single person on the ship greeted you daily and made the trip special. Our Program Director, Szabi, was just perfect. He contacted us days before we arrived. He was always sharing background information and perspective with us and keeping us informed of our schedule. The local guides that joined us at each of our port stops provided more in depth information about the history and the current situation in each country. It was eye opening and very educational as well as enjoyable. Then we would be given alternatives on how we wanted to spend our free time at each stop. Every meal on board included multiple options with several courses. The waitstaff were always friendly and attentive. The presentation of the food was delightful and made every meal seem like a fine dining experience. Every evening there was entertainment in the lounge from a local dance group to piano music to a fun dance party. The leadership of this organization has obviously recruited and instilled a culture of friendliness and service in every single member of their staff from the captain to the cabin attendants. I understand why there are so many people that are repeat customers of Grand Circle cruises. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone that wants to enjoy a river cruise along the Danube in Eastern Europe. read more

Grand Circle is a great river cruise line. I've done 2 and a 3rd is planned in a few weeks. Always meet nice fellow travelers. Daily tours in each location visited . Also a great value. Come join the fun. read more

I had never experienced a river cruise before, and Grand Circle Cruise Line was the best possible introduction anyone could hope for. Many friends have traveled on the newer, fancier lines, boasting about amenities, but none could speak about the true personalized care rendered by a crew that genuinely cared about their passengers and each other. It was a homey feeling that permeated the entire trip. Our tour directors went out of their way to accommodate the needs of all, and provided experiences not had on other lines. I cannot speak highly enough about this cruise line! read more

a lovely time. Crew were very nice our Program Director amadine was not only knowledgeable, but really fun to be such good care of us Always lots of food, however on the last day when they were trying to feed everyone so we could disembark there were no replenishing of food. We were told that they were really busy getting ready for the next group. Very disappointin. read more

My first item of feedback is how great the Normandy river trip trip was across almost all aspects. The sites we saw, the flow of the itinerary, the cruise director, the ship's crew. The food on the ship was fantastic. The few areas that could be improved: 1. Early on the trip the servers distributed deserts to everyone at our table except one. After a long wait we pointed out one person was not served. Servers should be sure everyone at a table has their item before moving onto the next table. This happened on two consecutive nights. 2. On the night halibut was on the menu, salmon was served in its place without any mention of the substitute. It would have been easy for the server to mention this to reset expectations but it was not called out at all. 3. In settling the final bill on board the ship, the credit card charge went through in dollars rather than euros. This practice results in a non-favorable exchange rate that slightly increases the cost. It would be preferred for Grand Circle to allow credit card payments to be transacted in euros just like all the off-ship transactions elsewhere throughout the trip. 4. The showers at the Mercure hotel in St. Malo were dangerously slippery. A mat from the hotel like on the ship would have mitigated this hazard. Luckily no one had an accident that I was aware of. All in all, a wonderful trip. The ship's crew was wonderful and very talented as demonstrated in the staff entertainment night. Our cruise director Elise was top notch and so personable. Best regards, Vic read more

the Romantic Alpine Europe trip was one of our best trips ever. Stressa on Lake Maggiore is so beautiful and a lovely quaint town. The mountains are magical and the lakes picturesqu. Switzerland was bettet than we hoped for. our trip to the Jungfrau was exciting. Seefeld was also picturesque and easy to walk around. my husband and I can highly recommend this trip. read more

This was our first time on a river cruise and we did not know what to expect but was plently suprised. Everything was wonderful. The tour directors were very knowledgeable and understanding of everyones needs. The staff couldn't be more helpful. I highly recommend this cruise company. read more

my wife and I both enjoyed the grand experience on our trip to romancing the in Rhine and the Mosel. They make it very easy once you get off the plane , they take you to their river boat for the beginning of your trip. Grand Circle tries hard to make everything as easy as possible for the traveler. We have been on 3 trips and with a completely different crew and program director on each trip, they never cease to amaze me with trying to make everything as easy and comfortable as possible. My wife and I are both vegetarians although we do eat fish, we find the lunch and dinner menu is more geared towards the meat eaters, on our last trip vegetarian menu was very limited with some parts of the dinner that look like frozen vegetarian selections . read more

My wife and I just finished traveling to Finland, Norway, and Denmark with Grand Circle. The trip included 5 days cruising the Norwegian coast, as well as visits in Finland to Helsinki and north of the Arctic Circle. It also include visits to Bergen, Oslo, and Copenhagen, along with a number of stops by the cruise ship along the coastline. It was a wonderful trip, led by an outstanding guide. We have taken several excellent trips with Grand Circle. This was a standout. read more

I had a wonderful trip exploring London, Wales, and Scotland, with all the beautiful scenery, architecture, and rich history. Each day felt like a new adventure! Our program director, Gideon, was great and very knowledgeable. He shared so much information with us during our travels. Besides all the sightseeing, I also really enjoyed the cultural touch events, such as the home-hosted dinner, the harp performance, and the bagpipe performance; those were all very interesting. Overall, the trip was wonderful, and I really enjoyed and highly recommend it! read more

It was my first trip with GCT I did not know what could happen but the trip from Paris to Honfleur with a tour of Omaha Beach turned out a wonderful experience and I am sure with long lasting memories. The service was excellent, the food was delicious, the program director was knowledgeable and professional and willing to help us. We probably consider taking tours with GCT in the future. read more

Everything was wonderful on this beautiful river cruise. The ship was lovely and the staff outstanding and with only 76 passengers it was easy to make friends. Our tour guide Anastasia went out of her way to help and the home visits and lectures gave us an in depth knowledge of the area. read more

Grand Circle Travel - Avignon - Tours Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Can't say enough wonderful things about our cruise on the River Harmony. We were kept informed from the time we signed up until we boarded. We even got an email from Tim, who was our tour guide welcoming us prior to our trip. Love the small tour groups of 30+ people and Tim was so knowledgeable about all the destinations we visited. The food was delicious at every meal. We elected to sit at the same table every night because we loved our servers, Sano and Amanda. We even had several wonderful massages while cruising. Highly recommend cruising with Grand Circle Travel. Hope to do another river cruise with them in 2026. read more

Grand Circle Travel - Our boat - Tours Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This was our first trip with Grand Circle and it was beyond our expectations! Every aspect of the trip was wonderful but especially the staff! They were always available and more than willing to assist or answer questions. We hope to be returning customers as often as possible. read more

well organized and enjoyable river boat cruise. Food was good, but not gourmet quality. Staff was very efficient and friendly. They were there to please all the guests and did a good job. Tour guides were good. Would have like more interaction with them. They did a good job. boat is a bit old, but extremely clean and in good condition. I'm sure we will travel with GCT again. read more

Great tour of Mexico with Jimmy/Victor. Jimmy is very knowledgeable and his love for his country makes the trip so much more effective. Keep in mind that the group is very large (33 in our group). However, Jimmy handled the group well and there were no delays, everything went well. read more

The home visit above Sorrento in a spectacular mountain setting, the visit to the vineyard, where we were entertained by a local musical group, the cooking class and lunch at a villa near Montecatini in the Chianti Hills: these were the high points of the trip to Italy called "Impressions." read more

This was an excellent experience getting acquainted with Mexico and the ancient cultures. Well organized, excellent guides and a well paced itinerary; a very good value for the money. Hotel, restaurants and interaction with local people gave us a good insight and contact with the friendly people of Mexico. Allan read more

I had an incredible time on the Rhine River trip with three of my friends this past March 2026. Being one of the younger ones in the group made it even more fun, and we truly had an amazing experience together. The staff was outstanding--I can't say enough good things about the waitstaff,(Astor, Zaltko, George, George, Mate, Antonio, Darko and Doni; restaurant manager Elmeden and executive chef Doni The service and attention to detail were top-notch. There was also entertainment every night, which added so much to the overall experience. Our tour guide, Jacques was wonderful and made each tour memorable. I especially loved the electric bikes they offered while we were docked--it gave me the freedom to explore on my own, which was a highlight of the trip. We took them out 5 different times. I took the Luxembourg trip and paid the extra for it both rally knowing what to expect, but it truly was one of the most pleasurable days of the entire trip. I would highly recommend it. And the food--absolutely amazing! who can resist having dessert at lunch and dinner every day? I will definitely be back. Thank you for the unforgettable memories! Toni Lynch Missouri USAA read more

From the beginning to the end, it was a wonderful experience. The River Cruise Aria took us from Vienna to Amsterdam. The sites in Bavaria and other parts of Germany were wonderful. We were very impressed with the crew! Our waiter, Dejan Cvetkovic, was exceptional and made our trip such a pleasurable experience. We went through 66 LOCKS which was an interesting part of our journey. The guides in each port were excellent. read more

Grand Circle Travel - Stone Bridge in Regensburg, Germany - Tours Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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My husband and I went on a last minute cruise of Eastern Europe cruise. So glad we did. It was great. We had lots of fun. There were lots of talks from local people so that we could understand the local culture and life. River cruises tend to attract older people. We did take a slower pace than our usual trip, but slowing down is also another experience. read more

What a fantastic trip! Grand Circle ravel does everything first class. The accommodations are comfortable with plenty of space for clothes. The crew is fabulous and treats passengers like royalty. The food is excellent and they take care of passengers with allergies perfectly, adapting meals as needed. The program directors are so knowledgeable and make the excursions memorable. I give Grand Circle river cruises TOP marks. read more

We had a great time on our Grand Circle Line Cruise. We took the Romance of the Rhine and Mosel cruise, a 14-night river cruise from Belgium to Switzerland. Everything from our amazing Program Director and the daily scheduled activities to the fabulous food was exceptional. It was our first European river cruise and it certainly won't be our last on the Grand Circle Cruise Line! read more

Grand Circle Travel - Tours Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Our experience on the Grand Circle River Cruise from Black Sea to Eastern Europe was fun, exciting, memorable, informative, historical, and adventurous. From our outstanding Program Director Christi and tour guides with their remarkable knowledge of the culture of parts of Eastern Europe we visited , our warm and attentive server Olena and Ashim who kept our cabin immaculate and comfortable, the service was outstanding . Every meal was delicious and the food was superb. Altogether, it was a fantastic trip and highly recommendable! read more

Amazing vistas and experiences On this 2 week trip. Everything planned ahead for you. All you do is show up at the appointed time and place. Interlaken Switzerland was my favorite stop. We had stunning views mountains and paragliders. For activities we climbed a trail of at least 12 waterfalls and visited a farm with a ton of beautiful swiss cows. Italy and Austria had equally beautiful views. read more

I loved our river cruise on the Aria. The ship was comfortable and well maintaine. The crew was fantastic. The food and service was exceptional. I got to see the tulips, visit quaint villages, and see some beautiful art in the museums. I've traveled many times with OAT and Grand Circle. This trip was really special. read more

This was our 28th GCT/OAT trip since 2001 so obviously, we are fans. It was our 4th European River cruise including St. Petersburg to Moscow in 2009. The riverboats provide excellent service and food comparable to the Holland America ships we also enjoy. GCT splits the 120 passengers into 3 groups of 40 and assigns a tour director to each so the service is very personalized. We had a few cancellations so there were only 112 people. It is amazing how the tour directors and many of the crew learned our names so quickly. Do not expect sumptuous cabins. The width of the ships are dictated by the size of the locks. There is a hallway down the middle of each deck and one room on each side so the room size is limited. All rooms are the same size but you pay more for higher decks. We recommend the 3d floor, near the front desk for easy access to shore and the lounge. The dining room is at the stern. Beds are fold down like in a railway sleeper car although we asked them to be left down in the daytime. The room had a small table between the beds and a tiny desk, just large enough for a laptop. The M/S Bizet has a small balcony with 2 chairs just wide enough for our butts. This made the room about 2 feet shorter. The River Harmony we have taken on cruises on the Rhine did not have a balcony so the room was slightly bigger and the window did not open but we enjoyed the balcony. A/C worked great. While the wi-fi was not as fast as home, it was much better than we have found on any large cruise ship. It was good enough to past Facebook pictures and do internet lookups anywhere on the ship and it did not cost extra. House wine, beer and soft drinks were included and mixed drinks and hard liquor were about 2/3ds what they would be at a bar in Seattle. The qualify of the house wine was less than we expected, especially in a country famous for its wine production. Cheap wine from Costco would have been an improvement. Lots of tour companies do cruises on the Seine north from Paris to Normandy so I will not describe the itinerary. Each port was interesting and gave us a different view of France beyond the glitter of Paris. We took the extension to Normandy and Brittany and it was well worth it, completely different from the river towns. The Normandy beaches and St. Michelle were highlights. We also did all the optional tours and enjoyed each. Every port has a walking tour and St. Michelle has a butt busting hill climb so be prepared to walk a lot over cobblestone streets and lots of steps. At age 81, it was a struggle but I made it. read more

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We had a great experience on our river cruise with Grand Circle Travel going through 5 countries on the Rhine and Mosel rivers. The meals were excellent and the excursions in depth with cultural immersion. Our guide or program director, Amin, did an excellent job of paying attention to everyone on the excursion and was very knowledgeable about the cities we visited. Overall a strong candidate for trip of the year in my book. read more