Question for eurocruiser, cruisemom42, Hlitner & seasoned Europe travelers

[bobalink]

To eurocruiser, cruisemom42, Hank, and TLCOhio Terry -

 

This question isn't technically about Italy, but this is where you hang out, so I am posting it here. Forgive me ;)

 

Have you taken a river cruise? If so, I would love to hear from you for any tips, suggestions, insight.

 

We just booked the Danube Discovery on AMA Waterways for August 2013.

Budapest to Prague, with stops at Bratislava, Vienna, Durnstein, Melk, Linz, Passau, Regensberg, Nuremberg.

 

I have posted on the River Cruising Board, but since I have always learned a lot from you seasoned Europe travelers here on the Italy board, I thought I would ask you about river cruising.

 

Thanks!

[E-500]

I am not one of the experts you mention and I agree that all are a wealth of knowledge with great advice everyday.

 

Also have never done a river cruise, but have done a land tour to the first 4 cities you mention. They are all great, lots of history, wonderful churches, museums, restaurants. They are each different and special in their own way. You will have a great time. Use public transportation and explore everywhere.

[Hlitner]

To eurocruiser, cruisemom42, Hank, and TLCOhio Terry -

 

This question isn't technically about Italy, but this is where you hang out, so I am posting it here. Forgive me ;)

 

Have you taken a river cruise? If so, I would love to hear from you for any tips, suggestions, insight.

 

We just booked the Danube Discovery on AMA Waterways for August 2013.

Budapest to Prague, with stops at Bratislava, Vienna, Durnstein, Melk, Linz, Passau, Regensberg, Nuremberg.

 

I have posted on the River Cruising Board, but since I have always learned a lot from you seasoned Europe travelers here on the Italy board, I thought I would ask you about river cruising.

 

Thanks!

Yes, we have taken river cruises in Europe, Egypt and China. Our European river cruise was on Viking River Cruises from Amsterdam to Budepest (14 days) and we stopped in most places you mentioned (perhaps all...but don't remember Melk and Linz). It was a an excellent cruise but I recall cruising in Germany at about 5 knots and looking at the cars speeding by on the Autobahn. My thought, at the time, was I would have preferred to be in our own rental car on the Autobahn :).

 

The problem with the River Cruise was everything was very rushed (even more then on many sea cruises). For example, when we were in Bratislava we had only 3 hours to see the entire city and country (even our local guide was annoyed). On Viking all excursions (in each port) were included in the price of the cruise. I am sure you are aware that there is a thread here on CC for River cruising.

 

Hank

[cruisemom42]

I have not taken any river cruises (yet!). Most of the river cruises do areas that I am less interested in, being primarily a Roman (and to a lesser extent Greek) history buff. But my sister and BIL who are also seasoned travelers by sea and land trips took a river cruise with a somewhat similar itinerary earlier this year.

 

Their comments echo what Hank says, it is a very hectic itinerary. They are very active and able to walk miles and miles but even they were worn out by the end of the trip. They didn't complain much about short port times so perhaps that wasn't such an issue on their trip. Usually they would do the short "offered" city tour, which was just a few hours, then were able to go off and do something on their own afterwards. I believe they did not take many of the "add on" tours but were well able to figure out how to get around on their own and do things with some advance research.

 

They really enjoy the amenities offered on cruise ships, so found the actual cruise experience to be less exciting, more just a way of getting from Point A to Point B.

 

If you have some specific questions, I'd be happy to ask them since their experience was so recent.

[euro cruiser]

We took a river cruise last summer on AMA and loved it. Ours was a German wine country that ended in Amsterdam. You don't have a lot of time at most stops, as Hank noted, but on the other hand you are docked right in town so there's no travel to get where you want to be.

 

The river cruise was a near-perfect fit for me because there's no pool, nor casino, or shops (things I rarely take advantage of on any cruise). The ship was small and personal, with one dining room, one large lounge with a bar and another small bar at the back of the ship. Entertainment each night was a pianist/singer, and on a few nights local artists would board the ship to entertain while we were docked.

 

They carried bicycles on board that we could borrow in port if we wanted to. Tours at each stop were included in the price.

[Hlitner]

I should have added that one should carefully research the various river cruise companies and specific boats as there are some major differences between companies. We mention Viking River Cruises (they are a major player) and Euro mentioned AMA (another popular line) and you will also find many Americans who seem to like Grand Circle. Personally, we are intrigued by the new boats recently build for Viking which appear to be pretty luxurious with lots of balcony cabins. Our Viking cruise was on an older boat (well maintained) which had no balcony cabins. For those who enjoy wine with their meals you can also find quite a few companies that include wine with dinner (and sometimes lunch).

 

Hank

[TLCOhio]

To eurocruiser, cruisemom42, Hank, and TLCOhio Terry - This question isn't technically about Italy, but this is where you hang out, so I am posting it here. Forgive me ;) Have you taken a river cruise? If so, I would love to hear from you for any tips, suggestions, insight. We just booked the Danube Discovery on AMA Waterways for August 2013. Budapest to Prague, with stops at Bratislava, Vienna, Durnstein, Melk, Linz, Passau, Regensberg, Nuremberg. I have posted on the River Cruising Board, but since I have always learned a lot from you seasoned Europe travelers here on the Italy board, I thought I would ask you about river cruising. Thanks!

 

Appreciate being put in good company with experts like eurocruiser, cruisemom42 and Hank. We have done lots of land, car, train, etc., travel in Central Europe. Been in 22 different countries in Euope. While on the Rhine and in France, we have seen those river cruise ships passing and going by. My impression/guess is that these types of boats seemed fairly/somewhat smaller, slow and filled with older cruisers. I'm not a "kid" in my mid 60's, but it didn't quite seem to fit my interests. What's your style and approach to travel in Europe? The options on these ships for dining and other activities seem more limited.

 

We have traveled to Budapest, Prague, Vienna, Nuremberg, etc. Super wonderful areas. Loved the history, architecture, style, culture, etc. in these various places, including being able to be based in a few of these places for several days at a time.

 

Your choice!! Tell us more on your reactions and added questions. Below are a few of my visuals to get you excited about these wonderful locations.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 106,814 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

Here is a sampling of sights in wonderful Prague, include a view of its historic church from a statue next to the river below; the town’s historic square, the unique Prague clock town, the headstones in the Jewish Cemetery and a river view of the Charles Bridge with the church above. It's wonderful. Great history and architecture, charm and character, etc. Fortunately, the interesting buildings were not damaged during the pre-World War II period, nor at the end of that war. Prague was beyond the range of Allied bombers. Then, since they didn't have lots of bombed out sites, the Communists didn't build the ugly structures of the 1950's and 1960's. It makes Prague so special and unique. :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[softail]

Appreciate being put in good company with experts like eurocruiser, cruisemom42 and Hank. We have done lots of land, car, train, etc., travel in Central Europe. Been in 22 different countries in Euope. While on the Rhine and in France, we have seen those river cruise ships passing and going by. My impression/guess is that these types of boats seemed fairly/somewhat smaller, slow and filled with older cruisers. I'm not a "kid" in my mid 60's, but it didn't quite seem to fit my interests. What's your style and approach to travel in Europe? The options on these ships for dining and other activities seem more limited.

 

We have traveled to Budapest, Prague, Vienna, Nuremberg, etc. Super wonderful areas. Loved the history, architecture, style, culture, etc. in these various places, including being able to be based in a few of these places for several days at a time.

 

Your choice!! Tell us more on your reactions and added questions. Below are a few of my visuals to get you excited about these wonderful locations.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 106,814 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

Here is a sampling of sights in wonderful Prague, include a view of its historic church from a statue next to the river below; the town’s historic square, the unique Prague clock town, the headstones in the Jewish Cemetery and a river view of the Charles Bridge with the church above. It's wonderful. Great history and architecture, charm and character, etc. Fortunately, the interesting buildings were not damaged during the pre-World War II period, nor at the end of that war. Prague was beyond the range of Allied bombers. Then, since they didn't have lots of bombed out sites, the Communists didn't build the ugly structures of the 1950's and 1960's. It makes Prague so special and unique. :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Terry what month was this?

[TLCOhio]

Terry what month was this?

 

Appreciate asking. Those pictures were taken in early spring 1997. Late March as I recall. Below are a few more visual samples from central Europe.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 106,814 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

Here are some more samplings from Central Europe. The first two pictures feature Budapest and sights along the famed Danube River. First is the 1230’ wide Chain bridge and some of the central city while second is their Parliament building (currently the largest building in Hungary). Next are three visuals from spectacular Vienna, a true “Imperial” city that is so classy and impressive. This includes a curved portion of the main Hofburg Palace, a view from above the “country/summer”, 1,441-room Schonbrunn Palace with its Rococo style and the interior of St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Finally, here is a view of the main square in Prague with a historic church in the background.:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cornishpastyman1]

From April 2010

All the best -sounds like I should do a river cruise too !

[bobalink]

I am not one of the experts you mention and I agree that all are a wealth of knowledge with great advice everyday.

 

Also have never done a river cruise, but have done a land tour to the first 4 cities you mention. They are all great, lots of history, wonderful churches, museums, restaurants. They are each different and special in their own way. You will have a great time. Use public transportation and explore everywhere.

 

Thanks, great advice.

[bobalink]

... It was a an excellent cruise but I recall cruising in Germany at about 5 knots and looking at the cars speeding by on the Autobahn. My thought, at the time, was I would have preferred to be in our own rental car on the Autobahn :).

 

The problem with the River Cruise was everything was very rushed (even more then on many sea cruises). For example, when we were in Bratislava we had only 3 hours to see the entire city and country (even our local guide was annoyed). ...

 

Hank

 

Good points, Hank. Thanks.

 

I have had some concerns about the actual time period in each port. The itinerary is vague and doesn't list a specific time, rather "in the afternoon", etc.

[bobalink]

I have not taken any river cruises (yet!). Most of the river cruises do areas that I am less interested in, being primarily a Roman (and to a lesser extent Greek) history buff. But my sister and BIL who are also seasoned travelers by sea and land trips took a river cruise with a somewhat similar itinerary earlier this year.

 

Their comments echo what Hank says, it is a very hectic itinerary. They are very active and able to walk miles and miles but even they were worn out by the end of the trip. They didn't complain much about short port times so perhaps that wasn't such an issue on their trip. Usually they would do the short "offered" city tour, which was just a few hours, then were able to go off and do something on their own afterwards. I believe they did not take many of the "add on" tours but were well able to figure out how to get around on their own and do things with some advance research.

 

They really enjoy the amenities offered on cruise ships, so found the actual cruise experience to be less exciting, more just a way of getting from Point A to Point B.

 

If you have some specific questions, I'd be happy to ask them since their experience was so recent.

 

Thanks, cruisemom. I always appreciate your informative responses.

 

We also plan on doing the "offered" tours and then explore on our own.

 

We are going to add extra days (beyond what AMA offers) in Budapest and Prague. We will DIY in those cities, as many people report that both cities are quite easy, with a good tour book and maps.

 

Again, thanks for taking the time to give your input!

[bobalink]

We took a river cruise last summer on AMA and loved it. Ours was a German wine country that ended in Amsterdam. You don't have a lot of time at most stops, as Hank noted, but on the other hand you are docked right in town so there's no travel to get where you want to be.

 

The river cruise was a near-perfect fit for me because there's no pool, nor casino, or shops (things I rarely take advantage of on any cruise). The ship was small and personal, with one dining room, one large lounge with a bar and another small bar at the back of the ship. Entertainment each night was a pianist/singer, and on a few nights local artists would board the ship to entertain while we were docked.

 

They carried bicycles on board that we could borrow in port if we wanted to. Tours at each stop were included in the price.

 

eurocruiser,

Thanks so much for your response. I am glad to hear that you enjoyed your cruise. I have only heard great things about AMA Waterways.

 

We have been researching Danube River cruises for a few weeks. I was going to book the Romantic Danube on the AmaCerto, but I got a call from my travel agent on Friday. She told me that AMA was going to announce a promotion.

 

I received an email from AMA announcing the "Double Savings on 2013 Danube River Cruises" and decided to change my original plan and we booked the Blue Danube Discovery.

 

It is basically the same itinerary, just in reverse order. PLUS instead of a 12-day vacation, it is a 14-day tour AND we got an automatic upgrade. We will be on the AmaLyra, and will have a French Balcony.

 

I agree with your comment regarding no pool, casino or shops. Those are low on my list on ocean cruises, so I don't think I will miss them on a river cruise.

 

I am wondering about the age demographics. We have heard that the passengers tend to be (hmmm... what is the politically correct way to say this?) more mature. That won't bother me but I am just curious what your observation was for your river cruise on AMA.

 

The bicycles sounds like fun; I may have to give that a try!

 

Thanks, again for your valuable information. I have learned a lot from your posts.

[bobalink]

Appreciate being put in good company with experts like eurocruiser, cruisemom42 and Hank. We have done lots of land, car, train, etc., travel in Central Europe. Been in 22 different countries in Euope. While on the Rhine and in France, we have seen those river cruise ships passing and going by. My impression/guess is that these types of boats seemed fairly/somewhat smaller, slow and filled with older cruisers. I'm not a "kid" in my mid 60's, but it didn't quite seem to fit my interests. What's your style and approach to travel in Europe? The options on these ships for dining and other activities seem more limited.

 

We have traveled to Budapest, Prague, Vienna, Nuremberg, etc. Super wonderful areas. Loved the history, architecture, style, culture, etc. in these various places, including being able to be based in a few of these places for several days at a time.

 

Your choice!! Tell us more on your reactions and added questions. Below are a few of my visuals to get you excited about these wonderful locations.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

Hi Terry,

 

Your photos are STUNNING. I always love your helpful posts and amazing photos.

 

I am not too concerned about the intensive schedule, because we actually prefer a very active pace in ports. We are avid walkers, and like to pack our days full. Our travel style is "go for the gusto, you can rest and sleep when you get home".:)

 

You are very fortunate to have traveled so much. It would be wonderful to do a land tour of all those places. Maybe someday I will get to do that!

 

We are going to add extra days (beyond what AMA offers) in Budapest and Prague. We will DIY in those cities.

 

One idea that I am thinking about is the possibility of flying into Vienna, spending 2 days there, then taking the train to Budapest for a few days prior to boarding the AmaLyra. That way we can spend more time in Vienna than the port stop allows, as this is the one port where I have read complaints regarding not getting enough time. Any thoughts on this idea?

 

Grateful for your response!

[bobalink]

From April 2010

All the best -sounds like I should do a river cruise too !

 

Hello Cornishpastyman1,

 

Thank you for the link to your video. Well done!

 

I have enjoyed several of your travel videos. What a great way to relive your vacation, and a wonderful contribution you share with all of us on CC.

[Cornishpastyman1]

Hello Cornishpastyman1,

 

Thank you for the link to your video. Well done!

 

I have enjoyed several of your travel videos. What a great way to relive your vacation, and a wonderful contribution you share with all of us on CC.

Thanks 'Bob', your kind words are much appreciated. The set I'm currently working on are in HD - a move I should have made at least 2 years ago, but we're not trying to make an HBO/BBC production, just something to remind me where I went, as we all of necessity have to sprint around these great places and it's so easy to forget. All the best, Tony

[TLCOhio]

Hi Terry, Your photos are STUNNING. I always love your helpful posts and amazing photos. I am not too concerned about the intensive schedule, because we actually prefer a very active pace in ports. We are avid walkers, and like to pack our days full. Our travel style is "go for the gusto, you can rest and sleep when you get home". You are very fortunate to have traveled so much. It would be wonderful to do a land tour of all those places. Maybe someday I will get to do that! We are going to add extra days (beyond what AMA offers) in Budapest and Prague. We will DIY in those cities. One idea that I am thinking about is the possibility of flying into Vienna, spending 2 days there, then taking the train to Budapest for a few days prior to boarding the AmaLyra. That way we can spend more time in Vienna than the port stop allows, as this is the one port where I have read complaints regarding not getting enough time. Any thoughts on this idea? Grateful for your response!

 

Appreciate your kind viewpoint on my pictures. Glad to know you're a person of such high class, great taste and wonderful judgment to make these generous comments.

 

Glad to know you like "go at it" by being avid walkers and applying so much "gusto". Great!!! You are 100% on target to be thinking about adding extra time before and after your river cruise. YES!! Super agree with getting there much earlier in order to do more in Vienna. That is such a world-class city. And, you should consider a day-trip by train from there and back to do Salzburg, also a very special location to see and experience. This includes where Mozart lived early in his life, etc. Below are more of my photo views as "evidence" for why these charming places merit that added time you are considering.

 

Keep planning and working on these great options.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 106,897 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

Salzburg is like a fine “jewel box”! Here is a view from one of its church palaces and gardens up towards the Castle that stands watch over this special city of only about 145,000 residents. Lots of interesting history, churches and style here. This includes areas where the “Sound of Music” made it famous. It has internationally-renowned baroque architecture and is one of the best-preserved city centers north of the Alps. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, it is noted for its Alpine setting. You can tour the birthplace and early home of 18th-century composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.:

 

 

 

Here are some more highlights and potentials in Vienna. First from spectacular Vienna, this great “Imperial” city has a nice pedistrian-only area that runs from St. Stephen’s Cathedral towards the main Hofburg Palace area. Second is an example of the main live music/dance programs offered. Third is an example inside their main art museum with great treasures. Finally, are two views from the “country/summer”, 1,441-room Schonbrunn Palace. This includes the back view of the garden and upper areas and then approaching a gate with the main building in the background.:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[euro cruiser]

I am wondering about the age demographics. We have heard that the passengers tend to be (hmmm... what is the

I'd say on the more mature side is right. Our kids were the youngest people on the ship (we had the 19 and 22 year olds with us on that cruise). There was also a large international contingent on our particular cruise, but I don't know if that's typical. I suspect the age group we saw was pretty typical, in part due to the cost. It was only affordable for all of us to go because they happened to run a two-for-one deal that we grabbed.

[Hlitner]

Regarding the "more mature" comment we were in our late 50s when we did the 14 day Viking River cruise which certainly made us among the younger cruisers. But it was a very friendly crowd and we made friends with a fascinating gentleman who had spent his life as a Secret Service Agent in the White House rising to the #2 WH position. He kept us entertained at dinner talking about some of his favorite people (Ladybird Johnson was his favorite) and some of the experiences. Most of our fellow cruisers were very well traveled and quite a few we met had taken multiple river cruises. In the end we decided we would probably consider more European cruises when we are in our 70s+, but at this point in our lives we still prefer long European driving vacations.

 

Hank