Jesterscourt

I would also like to point out that the evening Vienna Concert is included as a regular tour, not as an optional excursion, on Uniworld's Danube Holiday trip. On my last trip, we paid upwards of 60 euros apiece for the optional evening, so this is a nice Holiday gesture on the part of Uniworld, but it does make it difficult NOT to go!

The Viennese Concert Evening in December as part of Uniworld's Danube Holiday Markets Cruise will indeed be the Vienna Residence Orchestra performing at the Auersperg Palace. A few people posted some nice pictures of it on YouTube. It was the setting for many important concerts in the past including Mozart's Idomeneo and works by by Haydn. However the night we are there, the Vienna Opera House also has an opera we want to see, so we have to make a decision about that! Wish we were spending more than one night in Vienna......

My experience was different. We were taken to the Hofburg Palace Library Hall and saw the Vienna Hofburg Orchestra and singers dressed in period costume performing mainly Strauss and Mozart overtures, opera selections, marches, and waltzes. That was in November two years ago. We are going again for the Christmas Markets this December, and will let you know if this has changed. I don't remember the cost, but it was not cheap. However, it was a very memorable evening and the music was excellent.

Baybear, I just realized you will be going in the summer, and the opera house tours are not just 1 PM, but apparently every hour from 10 to 4. Also, since you seem to be classical music fans, try to get to the Haus Der Musik (House of Music) which is sort-of a high tech, hands-on musical experience including exhibits on all the heavyweight composers from Mozart to Mahler. You will also get a chance to humiliate yourself when you use the virtual baton to "conduct" the Vienna Philharmonic. If you screw up, the musicians laugh at you! Only in Vienna!...

Just to let you know that the Prater Amusement Park is just one subway stop from your stop. Don't forget to memorize Third Man music as they will make you hum it when the bus tour goes by it! The other issue I wanted to mention is that every day there is an English-speaking tour of the Opera House either 1 or 2 PM regardless of whether there is a performance or not. Do not miss this. It's worth it to get tickets a few hours ahead of time to make sure you get in. There are great Viennese cafes nearby where you can hang out after you get your tickets. The other advantage of getting the tickets ahead of time is to make sure exactly what time your tour is and to find out which entrance to go as there was some confusion about this when we went.

We were on Uniworld's River Beatrice for the Danube trip last year. There were no shuttle busses into the city every 30 minutes; the only transportation provided was for the bus tour of the city or the evening concert. Most people stayed in town after the tour and got back on their own. The ship will be docked on the Danube River (as opposed to the Donaukanal which is closer to the downtown if you look on the map). You will be docked on Handelskai (the promenade going along the Danube River) right near the Reichsbrucke (bridge) and about a 15 minute walk from the VOGARTENSTRASSE metro stop on the Red Line. You are then 4 stops from Stephansplatz which is right at St. Stephan's Church downtown where all the action is. If you decide to walk around where you are docked, the river promenade is nice, and there is a park and a beautiful church nearby as well as Lasallestrasse, a major avenue with a few grocery stores and cafes where the metro stop is.

The Szecheny Baths seem to be the most popular with locals and visitors alike and we spent an amazing Sunday afternoon there which we will never forget. Rick Steves has a great (and humorous) section in his Budapest chapter which will help you choose the right one. There are no bad choices. Ask at your hotel for the most convenient one. I also queried the Hungarian staff on our boat and there was a sort of competition going amongst the crew about which thermal spa or restaurant, etc. we would choose!. One of the things I like about river cruising is that you can always find a crew member who comes from the town we dock at.

I definitely think sailing into Budapest is much more dramatic and memorable, as far as the river portion goes. There is nothing like the thrill of sighting the Parliament and Chain Bridge and drifting slowly into Budapest. I'm also partial toward the thermal Baths, and you will never forget spending the last day of your journey soaking in the hot water before your long flight home!

TarHeel, not to belabor the issue, but Rick Steves' guidebook on Eastern Europe and Prague have an excellent section on a self-guided walk in Cesky-Krumlov. Just photocopy the few pages ahead of time so you don't have to lug a book around. Good luck!

Tar heel, if I remember correctly, you will need a few hours to experience C-K since you will be dropped off and picked up from the parking lot which is a bit of a walk to the castle and then down to the town from which you may be picked up from a different parking area. I would recommend using a local guide to make the most of your brief time there. Of course, that will take some preparation and expense, but I think it's worth it.

I have used Mike twice on both my trips to Prague. Since you can leave early, there is no reason he won't be willing to stop in Cesky Krumlov, and even to see the brewery and gigantic town square of Cesky Budejovice (the original Budweiser) after that, which is right on the way to Prague. Mike can also arrange to have his friend, Jiri, meet you there so you can have a local guide to more efficiently see the place. You could be in Prague by 6 PM. Just email Mike to negotiate what it will cost. He has a microphone in his minivan so everyone can hear and is very flexible to meet everyone's needs.

This sounds crazy, but you may end up getting the free trip to Munich which is only an hour or so from Passau, and then flying to Prague since they take you to the airport anyway. Hopefully, it won't cost you an arm and a leg.

Welcome back Elb (add an "e" and you too can be a European river!). Can you give us details of your trip as many of us will be taking this trip in the coming months? It's always nice to hear another perspective.

Thank you for hosting these boards. Last year when I used Princess boards prior to our cruise I picked up an undercurrent of arrogance and hostility on the part of a few participants that made others "fearful" of asking minor questions such as about tipping or Anytime Dining, or of even hinting at anything that might be construed as a criticism of Princess. I was hoping that the Holland America Cruise Critic boards would be classy and informative while relaxed and non-judgmental and so far I have been pleasantly surprised. Keep up the good work!

How does the snorkeling at Playa Uvas compare to the snorkeling done through the ship's excursion? Which beach does Princess use for its snorkeling trips? Also, can you walk to the facilities of Chankanaab Park like the Lagoon or Dolphin Discovery since Playa Uvas is supposedly located in that vicinity?