Luxury Riverboat Reboot

Following a bow-to-stern refurbishment, Tauck’s ms Treasures returned to service this spring with a considerable number of enhancements to its accommodations and public areas. It is one of four Tauck vessels to receive a major overhaul over the past two years.

“With this year’s reconfiguration of the ms Treasures and ms Esprit—and with identical transformations last year of ms Sapphire and ms Emerald—we’ve reimagined and enhanced half of our riverboat fleet,” said Tauck CEO Dan Mahar.

The vessel, which was launched in 2011, is currently sailing on a 15-day “Budapest to Amsterdam by Riverboat” itinerary, which it will reprise in 2019 along with a 12-day Black Sea cruise between Budapest and Bucharest.

Repeat guests will find a significantly more spacious ship. The 30 original middle-deck cabins were replaced by 20 enlarged staterooms measuring 225 square feet, reducing the total number of cabins from 59 to 49 and passenger capacity from 118 to 98. The décor is very stylish, with sumptuous touches including the marble lobby and Villeroy & Boch bathroom fittings.

Additionally, the former aft Bistro now features its own kitchen and dedicated chef, and has been renamed Arthur’s after the line’s chairman, Arthur Tauck Jr. The ship also boasts two dining venues and a light bites menu, a small gym, massage room, hot tub and putting green.

Fanciest and Most Common Accommodations: Staterooms measuring 225 square feet or larger now account for 69 percent of all the accommodations. The 14 suites on the upper deck measure 300 square feet with the additional space devoted to a walk-in closet and larger living area with a sofa. The suites also have two French balconies.

The cabins in all six categories offer a choice of sheets and blankets or duvet bedding, Nespresso coffee machines, robes and slippers, Molton Brown toiletries and minibars stocked with water and soda.

What’s Included: Fares cover all meal snacks, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages; excursions; Wi-Fi; and gratuities for crew, including Tauck tour directors, local guides and drivers. Pre- and post-cruise hotel stays booked through Tauck include airport transfers.

What’s for Dinner? Dining choices allow guests considerable flexibility. The Compass Rose is an elegant restaurant that can accommodate all passengers on an open-seating basis. Well-planned menus offer regional and international cuisine and the quality is excellent.

Arthur’s is a casual dining venue seating 26. After serving a light breakfast, it converts to an all-day restaurant from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The menu includes salads, hot dogs, burgers, sandwiches and pasta. A “Bite to Eat” menu can be ordered between 10 a.m. and midnight, and delivered anywhere on the ship, including staterooms and the sun deck.

Best Entertainment: As on most river cruises, the entertainment is fairly lowkey. There is a resident lounge pianist, and visiting musicians might include an extremely entertaining New Orleans Dixieland-style jazz band or accomplished classical trio.

Favorite Excursion: In addition to the included shore tours, with up to four options of activity level in every port of call, Tauck offers a special “sparkling” experience on each cruise. These include a private canape and drinks reception at the grand 19th-century Palais Ferstel in Vienna, followed by a four-course dinner and a classical ballet, music or operatic performance inside one of the palace’s ornate chandeliered ballrooms.

Also, active passengers who want to explore independently can head out on one of the six complimentary bicycles carried on board.

Best Onboard Spot for a Cocktail: The al fresco tables on the small aft deck outside Arthur’s offer a scenic spot for a drink, particularly when the ship is sailing.

Who Goes on this Ship? Well-traveled, well-educated cruisers in the 55-plus age range; mainly North Americans, with a small number of other English-speaking nationalities.

Insider Booking Tips: The four category-4 and -5 cabins occupy identical spots on the middle and upper decks, next to the Compass Rose restaurant and Panorama Lounge respectively, and are ideal for clients with mobility issues. Number 301 is the ship’s only wheelchair-accessible stateroom. The eight category-1 Emerald Deck cabins can be booked for solo travelers with no single supplement.

Key Selling Points: The ms Treasures offers fully all-inclusive cruising with flexible dining options (excluded are spa services, laundry and purchases from the boutique). The ship has three tour directors on board, and with a ratio of 40 crew to 98 passengers, it provides high levels of personal service.

Agent Assistance: Tauck offers on-location and online training, webinars and the dedicated Agent Connect web portal. For every traveler booked, agents earn reward points redeemable in cash against their own Tauck journey, up to the value of $12,000 per year.