Live from the AmaCerto

[caviargal]

Nice new feature. I suspect they want to be sure to have enough guides for these tours and advance bookings help them with planning. Thanks for pointing this out. I have been on their website at least a dozen times last week and never noticed this.

[Peacemkr59]

Very nice! This wasn't even available yes on our cruise in April. And when we boarded we were told we could only sign up for 1 Explorer tour as to give everyone an opportunity to sign up for one. Only if they didn't fill would we be allowed to sign up for more than one! So its nice you can sign up for 3 prior to the cruise!! I ended up going on two during our cruise...loved them both and really like that they added these new options and that they are free!!

 

Nice new feature. I suspect they want to be sure to have enough guides for these tours and advance bookings help them with planning. Thanks for pointing this out. I have been on their website at least a dozen times last week and never noticed this.

[pbeach]

Very nice! This wasn't even available yes on our cruise in April. And when we boarded we were told we could only sign up for 1 Explorer tour as to give everyone an opportunity to sign up for one. Only if they didn't fill would we be allowed to sign up for more than one! So its nice you can sign up for 3 prior to the cruise!! I ended up going on two during our cruise...loved them both and really like that they added these new options and that they are free!!

 

Maybe the number you can choose is based on cruise length. I'm on a 14 nighter from BUD - AMS.

[Host Jazzbeau]

It's available for our Enchanting Rhine in September, which is a 7-day cruise. Four bike excursions are listed. It doesn't say how many you can reserve. [Won't find out either, because we're not bikers.]

[alexandra cruiser]

We are docked in Belgrade. No WiFi, but using the restaurant's across the street. Yesterday we cruised all day......just beautiful going thru the Iron Gate with the cliffs, rock formations and gorges.

 

With the high water levels we will have a change of schedule. We will have one more port, Novi Sad, and will leave the ship there. We will then all go to Budapest, stay at the Hilton, and for whoever is continuing, they will change ships. Our trip ends in Budapest. We will mill Pecs and Mohacs.

 

AMA has asked three additional program managers to join us in helping all 141 passengers get to their destination. They have done a great job in keeping us informed of what is going on and what we will expect for the continuing journey.

 

picking up all the food expenses in Budapest too?Or will this be just the same as being in hotel post cruise,on own for that?

[H2Otstr]

We had a long day on the bus today. We boarded the busses at 8:30 am and rode to the Serbian/Hungarian border. Our passports were collected on the bus by the Serbian border police. We had to sit and wait for about 20 minutes. They were returned to us, we drove a couple hundred feet to the Hungarian border, had to get off the bus and walk thru Passport control and have our passports stamped. Then we were on our way. This procedure took about an hour to an hour and a half.

 

We then drove 5 minutes for a toilet break. Drove another half hour and had a very nice lunch at a large restaurant. There was entertainment for us during lunch.

 

Got back on the bus and drove to our hotels. Everyone who is going on to another destination was dropped off at the Hilton and 14 of us were taken to the Sofitel. The 14 of us are all on the Budapest extension.

 

Tonight we were picked up and driven to The Citadel restaurant where were had a nice dinner and entertainment. Alexandra, all meals were provided for us today.

 

Budapest is mobbed with people out looking at the river. There are some sandbags outside our hotel. The river is running very fast and we were told that it is now starting to recede. What a mess it is . All the river boat walkways are under water. I saw seven empty river boats tied up in twos and threes. Of course they are all empty.

 

Will address the passport issue in another post. It is almost 10:30 pm and I am tired.

[Herbaru]

H2Otstr, Thanks for the updates. Looking forward to hear how Budapest is making out with the river levels cresting. We fly in Saturday and are suppose to board the Viking Legend Sunday.

 

We had a long day on the bus today. We boarded the busses at 8:30 am and rode to the Serbian/Hungarian border. Our passports were collected on the bus by the Serbian border police. We had to sit and wait for about 20 minutes. They were returned to us, we drove a couple hundred feet to the Hungarian border, had to get off the bus and walk thru Passport control and have our passports stamped. Then we were on our way. This procedure took about an hour to an hour and a half.

 

We then drove 5 minutes for a toilet break. Drove another half hour and had a very nice lunch at a large restaurant. There was entertainment for us during lunch.

 

Got back on the bus and drove to our hotels. Everyone who is going on to another destination was dropped off at the Hilton and 14 of us were taken to the Sofitel. The 14 of us are all on the Budapest extension.

 

Tonight we were picked up and driven to The Citadel restaurant where were had a nice dinner and entertainment. Alexandra, all meals were provided for us today.

 

Budapest is mobbed with people out looking at the river. There are some sandbags outside our hotel. The river is running very fast and we were told that it is now starting to recede. What a mess it is . All the river boat walkways are under water. I saw seven empty river boats tied up in twos and threes. Of course they are all empty.

 

Will address the passport issue in another post. It is almost 10:30 pm and I am tired.

[H2Otstr]

Today our tour takes us to the plains of Hungary where there will be a "cowboy" show and lunch. It is a 1 hour 20 min ride each way. We have opted not to take the tour. We are just going to spend the day wandering around, visiting the Grand Market, etc.

 

We have a great view of the Danube from our room. Will take some photos of the flood waters and post them when we get home. Can't post photos from my iPad.

[Cary Cruiser]

Today our tour takes us to the plains of Hungary where there will be a "cowboy" show and lunch. It is a 1 hour 20 min ride each way. We have opted not to take the tour. We are just going to spend the day wandering around, visiting the Grand Market, etc.

 

We have a great view of the Danube from our room. Will take some photos of the flood waters and post them when we get home. Can't post photos from my iPad.

 

This morning's newspaper had pictures of flooding in Budapest. What is the situation there?

 

Thanks for all of your posts. Hungarian "cowboys"??? I know you did not go, but could you shed a little light here?

[pbnjrockette]

 

Hungarian "cowboys"??? I know you did not go, but could you shed a little light here?

 

 

When we were in Hungary a few years ago we were treated to a fantastic show by "Hungarian cowboys"... Google it! There are some interesting videos!

[H2Otstr]

This morning's newspaper had pictures of flooding in Budapest. What is the situation there?

 

Thanks for all of your posts. Hungarian "cowboys"??? I know you did not go, but could you shed a little light here?

 

Right now it is pouring rain, lightening, and thundering. ⚡☔.

 

The cowboy show was in Puszta. It was a nomad-cavalry fight show, archery on horse, and four-in-hand driving. I guess you could Google it and see what it is all about 😊. Spoke to a couple of people who went and they did enjoy it.

 

We had a wonderful, relaxing day just walking, shopping and eating a nice lunch. Tomorrow we will have a city tour and explore both Pest and Buda. We want to further explore the Buda side tomorrow if it isn't pouring rain.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Right now it is pouring rain, lightening, and thundering. ⚡☔.

 

I know we're not supposed to comment on people's CC user names, but I can't resist noting that on this cruise you're getting lots of opportunity to "test" H2O. :D:D:D

[H2Otstr]

I know we're not supposed to comment on people's CC user names, but I can't resist noting that on this cruise you're getting lots of opportunity to "test" H2O. :D:D:D

 

Good one. ☔☔☔☔☔⚡⚡⚡

[Familygoboston]

Thank you h2ostr, I'm enjoying your live posts. Especially the info about the various excursions available. I'm sorry your trip has been affected by the floods, and unrest in Istanbul, but in a way it must be interesting to witness history first hand in both these places so long as you are all safe!

[H2Otstr]

Thank you h2ostr, I'm enjoying your live posts. Especially the info about the various excursions available. I'm sorry your trip has been affected by the floods, and unrest in Istanbul, but in a way it must be interesting to witness history first hand in both these places so long as you are all safe!

 

We have not let the riots or the floods impact our trip 😊. We have been taken care of very well. Safety has always been a priority for AMA, as it probably is for any of the cruise lines.

 

This morning at 9:30 am we will be departing for a bus/walking tour of Buda and Pest. Looks like it might rain again......very dark clouds. This afternoon is free time. We will leave tomorrow morning to return home.

 

I will post some photos once I have access to my laptop.

[cruisingmad]

We have not let the riots or the floods impact our trip 😊. We have been taken care of very well. Safety has always been a priority for AMA, as it probably is for any of the cruise lines.

 

This morning at 9:30 am we will be departing for a bus/walking tour of Buda and Pest. Looks like it might rain again......very dark clouds. This afternoon is free time. We will leave tomorrow morning to return home.

 

I will post some photos once I have access to my laptop.

Hi, Sharon and Dick,

 

We had a rainy day in Vienna, but it''s now clearing up and I'm taking the metro to Schonbrun Palace. I leave tomorrow for home, but I want to come back to Vienna in the future.

 

I didn't get a chance to say good-bye, but it was a real pleasure meeting you both, and you did a great job on creating this blog. I'll post my pix in the next few weeks on the regular roll call.

 

Have a safe trip home!

 

 

Sergio

[H2Otstr]

Hi, Sharon and Dick,

 

We had a rainy day in Vienna, but it''s now clearing up and I'm taking the metro to Schonbrun Palace. I leave tomorrow for home, but I want to come back to Vienna in the future.

 

I didn't get a chance to say good-bye, but it was a real pleasure meeting you both, and you did a great job on creating this blog. I'll post my pix in the next few weeks on the regular roll call.

 

Have a safe trip home!

 

 

Sergio

 

Sergio, I was just mentioning to Dick that we did not have a chance to say good- bye. We also had a few cloud bursts of rain today. There are only 14 in our Budapest group, so we had a minivan for our tour of the city today. We rode all over the Pest side and then the Buda side. Dick and I got off there and stayed.

The others who wanted to continue the tour headed for the Grand Market.

 

Safe travels tomorrow; we also leave to go home.

 

Look forward to viewing your photos.

 

Sharon

[Familygoboston]

We have not let the riots or the floods impact our trip 😊. We have been taken care of very well. Safety has always been a priority for AMA, as it probably is for any of the cruise lines.

 

This morning at 9:30 am we will be departing for a bus/walking tour of Buda and Pest. Looks like it might rain again......very dark clouds. This afternoon is free time. We will leave tomorrow morning to return home.

 

I will post some photos once I have access to my laptop.

 

Looking forward to all your photos !