Schonbrunn Palace On Your Own

[SOShrink]

What are the advantages of going on the ship's optional excursion to Schonbrunn vs. Going on our own? This will be in Dec. on a Holiday Market cruise. Getting there by public transportation and getting tickets ahead of time on the Internet doesn't seem that difficult, and is much less expensive. But with the time constraint and cold weather, are we being foolish going on our own?

[Sylve1]

What are the advantages of going on the ship's optional excursion to Schonbrunn vs. Going on our own? This will be in Dec. on a Holiday Market cruise. Getting there by public transportation and getting tickets ahead of time on the Internet doesn't seem that difficult, and is much less expensive. But with the time constraint and cold weather, are we being foolish going on our own?

 

We went with the Avalon optional tour. Although it was good we did not have enough time to have a good look at the gardens. The tour started with an apple strudel making demonstration and a huge piece of strudel and hot chocolate. We had not long had lunch and more food was the last thing we needed. The tour of the interior was really great but we only had 15 mins in the garden. If we hadn't done the strudel demo and spent that time in the garden I would have been happy. I had all the information to do it on our own too! A the last minute I didn't feel we had enough information on what time to book our interior tour of the palace but on reflection we should have done it ourselves. Still enjoyed the tour but it did feel rushed. We should not have returned to the boat after the included walking tour and gone to the Palace and had lunch out.

[Ship's Wake]

What are the advantages of going on the ship's optional excursion to Schonbrunn vs. Going on our own? This will be in Dec. on a Holiday Market cruise. Getting there by public transportation and getting tickets ahead of time on the Internet doesn't seem that difficult, and is much less expensive. But with the time constraint and cold weather, are we being foolish going on our own?

 

We did the optional Schonbrunn tour on our Uniworld Holiday Market cruise back in 2008. For our cruise, the tour left from the ship after lunch. The tour and visit was most enjoyable, but as with all tours, you travel at the pace of the slowest in your group. But, your tour of the palace is with a guide and you can be totally relaxed without having to concern yourself with logisitics and getting to/from the boat.

 

If you want more flexibility with your time, taking the U-Bahn to Schonbrunn and touring on your own, enjoying the gardens and the outstanding Christmas market there, and working your way back to the ship is the way to go.

 

We're visiting Schonbrunn again this December on our upcoming Uniworld cruise and will be taking the optional tour once more. While I would prefer to do this independently, DW has decided that the tour is the way to go and so that's what we'll do.

 

Either way you choose, it will be a wonderful visit and the Christmas market there is just magical, especially as the sun begins setting around 4pm. We found some of our best ornaments there.

[tvmovielover]

When we went in May, we bought our tickets at the Palace when we got there but getting them ahead of time is not a bad idea. We had no trouble using the U-bahn to get there-just do your research ahead of time so you can get there early. One member of our group wandered the gardens most of the time (We got there early but had seen the palace tour and the gardens by noon-it was pouring but everyone kept touring anyway). The Tiergarten and some of the other things cost extra. At the end of the garden, there was a tea place but there are many places outside the palace for lunch. If you go on your own, you can see the palace and the gardens at your own pace and then go and just eat a nice piece of strudel somewhere and then see Christmas markets and other things without waiting for group shopping, toileting, eating etc. Using the trams, you can see a lot in one day. If it is cold, go to Demel and drink the best hot chocolate anywhere!

[SOShrink]

Thanks for the great advice. Oyserdam, which Dec trip are you on? We're on the Dec. 9th sailing from Budapest. Have you been reading the awards and notoriety the River Beatrice is getting? TVmovielover, where is Demel? We love good thick hot chocolate! It sounds like one of the advantages of going on your own is the ability to stay later to see the Christmas Market lit up.

[tvmovielover]

Demel is at Kohlmarkt 14 down and around the corner from the Hofburg Palace and Spanish Riding School. My cheap husband willingly went a second time for the expensive but delicious hot chocolate and the pastries and cookies are also great. If it is heated, the sidewalk seating is a little less crowded than inside. I made it a point to compare Demel Sachertorte to that of the Sacher Hotel. Sacher Hotel torte has better chocolate icing but is very dry compared to the moist and wonderful Demel Sachertorte. OTOH, a fruit torte we got at Demel was even better than either Sacher torte. Lunch did not look bad either but might take away from the pastry eating. Do not forget to go and see if any horses are out at the Spanish Riding School stables.

[Ship's Wake]

Thanks for the great advice. Oyserdam, which Dec trip are you on? We're on the Dec. 9th sailing from Budapest.

We're on the Nuremberg to Vienna 12/08 sailing of the Uniworld River Duchess, with scheduled ports of Nuremberg, Regensburg, Deggendorf, Passau, Linz, Durnstein, and Vienna.

 

We took the same cruise you are are, but back in 2008 going Passau to Budapest. You are in for a real treat!

 

BTW, it looks like you will be in Passau on Saturday. I highly recommend the midday concert at St Stephan's Cathedral (in the same platz as the Christmas market). The largest cathedral organ in the world - over 17,000 pipes!

 

http://www.passauer-christkindlmarkt.de/index.php?id=93&L=1

 

 

Sorry for changing the topic of this thread - I'm on the Christmas markets roll call thread for river cruises where we can discuss further.

[Riversanddale]

Thanks everyone for the Dec tips for Vienna - especially tvmovielover. Demel is on our list! We go in November ahead of the Christmas markets and when gardens won't be a highlight. Instead we plan to go to the Hofburg Apts and butterfly house and take time to have a schnitzel lunch at Figlmuellerand visit Demel and wander downtown at our leisure on our own after our boat's city tour. Is it hard to get back to the boats (Viking) from city center?

[SOShrink]

Riversanddale, it is a 10 min Subway (U-Bahn) ride from downtown followed by a 15 walk from the station to the boat. You take the U1 red line 4 stops from Stephansplatz to your station which is the Vorgartenstr stop.

Oysterdam, is the midday concert at St. Stephen's in Passau part of Uniworld's tour, or is it done on one's own?

[Ship's Wake]

Riversanddale, it is a 10 min Subway (U-Bahn) ride from downtown followed by a 15 walk from the station to the boat. You take the U1 red line 4 stops from Stephansplatz to your station which is the Vorgartenstr stop.

Oysterdam, is the midday concert at St. Stephen's in Passau part of Uniworld's tour, or is it done on one's own?

 

On your own. If there is an entrance charge, will probably be around 10 euros per person.

[tvmovielover]

I ate the whole thing at Figlmuellers (though not a meat lover)-do not get the potatoes-the salad is enough. Cousin and I (she ate only half while the men and I ate it all) did then take a good walk before going to the Sachar Hotel for the other Sachertorte and a nightcap. So do try to go to both Figlmuellers for the meat people but do something else before heading to Demel. Both are near enough to Hofburg, etc. All you end of year Danube cruisers have good trips and eat lots of chocolate!

[BPCruiser]

We just returned from our Avalon Affinity cruise, Zurich to Vienna and stayed 2 extra nights in Vienna post cruise. We had been to Schonbrunn Palace with the Avalon Tour in 2011 so this cruise we did not participate in the Avalon Tour but opted to return to Schonbrunn on our own during our post cruise time. It is a very easy Metro Subway ride straight on the Green Line U4 from Stadtpark to Schonbrunn (We were at the Intercontinental Hotel) which is directly across the street from the Stadtpark Metro stop.

 

We spent plenty leisurely time walking around the gardens and areas behind the Palace this time (did not revisit within the palace) and allowed time to sit and have some wonderful Viennese Coffee and the famous Apple Strudel from the Strudel Kitchen. It is less expensive to go to Schonbrunn independently and do the complete palace tour with apple strudel demo/tasting then doing the ship excursion. However if you have only your time in Vienna with the 1 day stop on your cruise, it would probably be easier to do the ship tour and excursion. If you have pre or post time in Vienna, I would suggest doing it on your own. :)

[SOShrink]

Excellent advice, BP! We are only going to be in Vienna literally for 1 day. We sail in at 6 AM from Bratislava and depart at midnight. If we go to the Classical concert that night, we would probably be better off taking the Uniworld Schonbrunn excursion to make sure we get back in time to catch the bus to the concert. My only concern with the excursion is leaving before it gets dark enough to enjoy the lights. Also, don't forget that taking the U-Bahn still entails a healthy 20 min walk in the cold back to the boat, and there is something appealing about stepping into a warm bus and being driven directly to the boat in order to hit the cappuccino/hot chocolate machine!

[BPCruiser]

Excellent advice, BP! We are only going to be in Vienna literally for 1 day. We sail in at 6 AM from Bratislava and depart at midnight. If we go to the Classical concert that night, we would probably be better off taking the Uniworld Schonbrunn excursion to make sure we get back in time to catch the bus to the concert. My only concern with the excursion is leaving before it gets dark enough to enjoy the lights. Also, don't forget that taking the U-Bahn still entails a healthy 20 min walk in the cold back to the boat, and there is something appealing about stepping into a warm bus and being driven directly to the boat in order to hit the cappuccino/hot chocolate machine!

 

Your thoughts are accurate. In 2011, our 1st stop in Vienna was similar. Morning walking tour of Vienna with Avalon guide, afternoon Avalon Tour to Schonbrunn and evening Avalon Mozart concert. With only 1 day, it makes more sense to do the ship's excursions as it will be a busy day with minimal time in between events.

Doing Schonbrunn independently this trip for us on the Metro worked out great only because we had 2 days post cruise days in Vienna and were not on a timed schedule of events.