Scenic River Cruises: Scenic Pearl Review

Tour + Cruise consultant, Nat, sailed between Basel and Amsterdam with Scenic River Cruises. She spent 7 days onboard the Scenic Pearl, and loved the seamless experience.

Scenic River Cruises hold up to 163 guests (68 guests on the Scenic Spirit). Each cruise offers an intimate and spacious environment, where every detail is designed for comfort and elegance. From gourmet dining and premium beverages to immersive excursions and cultural experiences, Scenic combines all-inclusive luxury with the freedom to explore at a relaxed pace. 

Learn more about Nat’s experience onboard the Scenic Pearl below.

Scenic River Cruises First Impressions

Scenic was the easiest experience with excellent food and faultless service. We embarked from Basel and I contacted the ship the day before to get the docking address. It was in Huningue so we caught a rideshare from our Basel hotel and upon arrival at the address we found a Scenic tent at the top of the path and we knew we were in the right spot. Walking down to the ship we were quickly greeted by the Scenic crew who took out suitcases before we entered the gangway, ushered us onto the ship and were welcomed by a glass of champagne.

We enjoyed some lunch in the Lounge and relaxed here while our cabin was getting ready. We arrived around 1pm so it was about an hour before we could check into our room. They let us know when our cabin was ready and the whole arrival and check in process was so easy and professional. Our luggage was waiting in our cabin for us, without any need for luggage tags or to tell the staff member who took it, who we were.

The Suite Onboard Scenic River Cruises

We stayed in a Category C Balcony Suite and really enjoyed sitting in the Scenic Sun Lounge or just having the french balcony open and reading on our beds. I travelled with my Mum so we had twin bedding, they are just about joining the beds are very close but you have separate bedding which makes you feel more separated. There was enough space in the wardrobe for us to both hang our outfits and utilse the shelves. Each cabin includes one Australian powerpoint which was handy.

There were two fluffy robes and slippers and enjoyed the daily stocked mini bar. There is a drink bottle for you to keep and take on your shore excursions and quietvox’s (headphones) in the room charged ready to go for the sightseeing tours. The only downside to our cabin was that it was the last aft cabin so we found the engine noise to be quite loud at times so I recommend not staying in the last couple of cabins at the back of the ship. Our butler greeted us shortly after we entered our room to introduce himself and if there was anything in particular he could include in the mini bar or do for us. The room attendant also came to introduce himself and let us know what to expect.

Dining and Food 

Onboard Scenic River Cruises, dinner was always delicious and heard great reviews over a range of dishes from other travellers. The local dishes at each port are recommended but there are also constant alternatives like steak, chicken, salmon and vegetable lasagne. It is a 3 course meal; entree, main & dessert and Scenic are more than happy to make alternative arrangements, order more dishes and take dietary requirements very seriously. The suggested wines are poured constantly but you can order any other beverage and will be delivered from the bar. There are mostly shared tables and everyone onboard was so friendly we had an opportunity to eat alone and to join a table with different travellers.

Breakfast daily is in the main restaurant and there is an a la carte menu, buffet and egg station. There was a mix of hot breakfast (bacon, eggs, sausage, hashbrowns, mushrooms etc), yogurt, fruit, bread, pastries, cheeses and cold meats. There are juices, coffee & tea available and there is a coffee machine in the Pearl Lounge for a specialty coffee. While the food is superb, the coffee on board is below Aussie standards and could use a barista onboard. A novel Australian touch though, there is a jar of Vegemite at brekkie with all the other condiments.

Lunch was also offered in the dining room for a sit down meal that offered local dishes on a daily changing menu. This was also buffet style with an a la carte menu if preferred. We preferred eating in the Lounge’s cafe which included rolls, wraps, muffins and something new every day like nachos, curry, burgers and soup. The cafe is open most of the day for snacks like this, along with little jars of lollies, nuts and chocolates.

All guests will receive an invite to Portobello’s during their cruise, this is an exclusive Italian five course dinner. You are not able to book the dinner and you are invited the same day, returning back to your cabin with a beautiful gold envelope with your invite inside. The dinner was delicious, it was intimate so it was lovely to dine with the small number of other guests also invited that night. It is hosted by some of the butlers and they were funny and a delight to spend dinner with.

For guests staying on the Diamond Deck, they will also be invited to Table La Rive, a seven course wine degustation meal. We didn’t experience this but received great reviews from those who did. It was special, a lot of delicious food and a really great benefit to choose a Category A Balcony Suite over a Category C or B.

Speaking to gluten free passengers onboard, Scenic went above and beyond to cater for them. The crew advised to please ask for what you would like to be gluten free and we can likely prepare you a suitable option. They prepared their own muffins, schnitzels, waffles etc and could order a cheese platter and all crackers were gluten free. I thought this was a great service and reassurance for travellers with dietary requirements.

Bars and Lounges

Every night there is different entertainment, ranging from a quiz night, live music from the Entertainment Director and from local musicians. This is always in the Lounge and we spent time here every night having a few cocktails and chatting with other guests. The sundeck is open most of the time, unless it needs to be closed for operational reasons. This Riverview Terrace is also a nice place to watch the sunset and have some drinks, as is the Panorama Deck that is outside in front of the Lounge.

Scenic River Cruises Service

Every day we would gather at 6:30pm in the Lounge for a port talk and to prepare us for the next day of travel. This time may change depending on the day’s plans. We were always very informed and knew what was next. On the first night we had an introduction for the whole cruise, a safety presentation and we met the Cruise Director, Entertainment Director, Captain and the Head Of Crew. At this time the Head Chef lets us know his recommendations for dinner, which are new local dishes every night. The Head of Service also gives us his wine pairings for that night’s dinner. They do this every night and it was exciting to hear the dinner plans before entering the dining room.

The crew made the already great itinerary and ship even better, they knew my Mum would probably order champagne and that I don’t like salt with my margarita. This was a really wonderful cruising experience.

Shore Excursions

We had pre-selected three of our shore excursions and selected the other 3 while onboard. We had a presentation on what was on offer, including the shore excursions already selected so we were informed and could request a change if needed. Scenic were very accommodating, there was a cycling tour in Amsterdam that had sold out as it only had accommodation for 20 bikes and Scenic were able to secure more bikes and everyone on a waitlist for the cycling tour were able to join. The shore excursions were well organised, slow paced and allowed some free time which we liked to enjoy a cafe and take in more sights. Upon arrival back to the ship we were greeted with cold towels and a refreshing drink which was really appreciated in the European heat. There was a morning of sailing in the Rhine Gorge which was best viewed from the sun deck so you could take in both sides of the river. The crew came up with drinks and you could listen to commentary on the quieitvox to learn more about the history and details about each castle.

The Scenic Enrich experience was a Classical Concert at Bruchsal Palace. It was a private event with champagne and an opera performance in a stunning location. This event was after dinner so we had a slightly earlier dinner, a very organised coach to transport us and upon return to the ship there was soup available for those feeling peckish.

The docking ports were a mix of public docks and owned by Scenic. On two occasions we pulled up next to another ship and we had to exit through another ship, once on the sun roof and another time through their main deck. This process was easy and well communicated however it is steps up to the sundeck so it is not ideal for anyone requiring mobility assistance. Depending on the water levels there were some steep gangways but this was manageable, especially with assistance.

Onboard Facilities

There is a small gym onboard with two treadmills and some weights. Across from here is the Salt Therapy Lounge which is a holistic wellness space with salt walls and floors. There are three beds and they are open all hours to relax and rejuvenate. Both the gym and Salt Therapy Lounge do not require bookings.

Final Thoughts on Scenic River Cruises

The dress code was quite casual onboard and guests only really ‘dressed up’ for the Scenic Enrich night, dinner at Portobellos, Table La Rive and for the farewell dinner on the second to last night. The overall vibe was relaxed and friendly.

Disembarkation was easy, you either had prebooked a post hotel, airport transfer or planning your own arrangements. The cruise director made sure everyone had what they needed before disembarkation and booked any taxis required. We were given luggage tags in our cabin the night before and the time we needed to be in the Lounge, depending on our travel arrangements that day. Luggage needed to be outside our cabins by 8am the morning of disembarkment which was great to not need to pack up the night before. We were able to thank the crew members the night beforehand, complete a survey of their service if we wanted (which we did because they were amazing) and not need to worry about tipping as this is already included. The dock in Amsterdam was located right by the main train station which was easy but it is a fairly dirty & industrial arrival so I would recommend starting the cruise in Amsterdam and sailing down to Basel. The Rhine Gorge was the real trip highlight and this is just as beautiful and visible no matter which direction you sail.

I thought it was also interesting that of 143 guests onboard, only 18 were Australian. They were also made up of Canadians (62), Americans (55), British (7) & French (1). There were four multi-gen families onboard which was so lovely to see them all travelling together. This meant ages onboard ranged from early 20’s through to 80’s with most travellers mid 50’s to 70’s.

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