LIVE Tauck: Amsterdam to Budapest 6/29/19-7/15/19

[HBCcruiser]

Less than a week to go before my mom and I embark on our second Tauck River Cruise - Amsterdam to Budapest. This time we are on the ship for 14 days! We LOVED the Versailles, Paris, Seine and  London one we did last year on Tauck, but preferred the ship food and staff over the land amenities. I have been SO busy at work that I really haven’t had time to pack or prep for this cruise. Doing that today.

 

We are doing a pre-stay night in Amsterdam, which is a perk given free to past Tauck travelers. NICE! I was able to score tickets to the Anne Frank House, so we will be seeing that and doing the hop-on hop-off canal tour the day before the cruise starts. I can’t wait for that awesome Tauck pampering! 🤗🤗

 

I will I’ll be posting here LIVE daily. Feel free to ask questions as we go. Mom flies in Thursday and we fly out Friday morning at 10:30 LA time. We booked our flights through Tauck because they were MUCH cheaper! We have a layover in San Fran then non-stop to Amsterdam. Not bad. I try to sleep on the long leg out so I’m not exhausted when I get there. Worked well last year so.. crossing fingers! 

 

Time me to Pack! Hope you enjoy following along.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 23, 2019 by HBCcruiser

[need2travel1]

Sounds great, enjoy your trip!!  I'll be following along for sure...….

[boblerm]

Sounds great. As you have cruised on Tauck before, you know what a great experience they give you.

Have a great time!

Bob

[Got2Cruise]

I remember all your fabulous photos from your last cruise. Can’t wait to see what this cruise brings! 

[acwmom]

I also remember your live updates last year. Looking forward to this one!

 

Robin

[HBCcruiser]

4 hours ago, Got2Cruise said:

I remember all your fabulous photos from your last cruise. Can’t wait to see what this cruise brings! 

 

Thanks fellow CC cruisers! I hope I don’t disappoint. This work week is so hectic I hardly have time to even think about vacation. Can’t wait!🥳🍷⛴

[Host Jazzbeau]

20 minutes ago, HBCcruiser said:

 

Thanks fellow CC cruisers! I hope I don’t disappoint. This work week is so hectic I hardly have time to even think about vacation. Can’t wait!🥳🍷⛴

 

Your CC icon says you lie:  that's a nice looking vacation drink!

[HBCcruiser]

8 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

Your CC icon says you lie:  that's a nice looking vacation drink!

 

LOL! Work hard play hard!😎 I’m really more of a wino though. I prefer a good bold full-bodied red but also love the bubbly and fun concoctions while cruising! The one in that photo is a Bermuda Rum Swizzle. My FAV! I’ll be taking pics of the food and drinks this cruise...starting at the airport on Friday! 🤣

Edited June 25, 2019 by HBCcruiser

[Host Jazzbeau]

Thanks to the good British folks on the Azamara forum, I have learned the ultimate (for me) mixed drink recipe:  Silent Pool gin with FeverTree Elderflower tonic (1:3, no ice if ingredients already cold, no garnish).  The first-world problem: easy to make at home, impossible to get onboard or in restaurants.

[OnTheJourney]

We did this trip on the Treasures 2 years ago....loved it!  Only had around 65 passengers onboard. It's a great itinerary and some of the extra things that Tauck typically includes are very nice (I won't spoil the surprises 🙂 though you already know that they do this)  Enjoy!!  We also did a pre-day in Amsterdam but it rained...and I mean RAINED!  Went out for a few hours and came back to the ship soaked. Hope you have better weather. 

 

Looking forward to reliving our adventure by checking out yours!! Wishing you a safe and wonderful river journey. 

Edited June 25, 2019 by gretschwhtfalcon

[HBCcruiser]

31 minutes ago, gretschwhtfalcon said:

We did this trip on the Treasures 2 years ago....loved it!  Only had around 65 passengers onboard. It's a great itinerary and some of the extra things that Tauck typically includes are very nice (I won't spoil the surprises 🙂 though you already know that they do this)  Enjoy!!  We also did a pre-day in Amsterdam but it rained...and I mean RAINED!  Went out for a few hours and came back to the ship soaked. Hope you have better weather. 

 

Looking forward to reliving our adventure by checking out yours!! Wishing you a safe and wonderful river journey. 

 

Thanks! I’ll post below some info on the ship and our room category. It’s the sister ship to the Sapphire which we were on last year. Nice! 

 

 

[OnTheJourney]

Category 7...that's what we had on the Treasures. Lovely room, though I must say that having seen the Viking ships that have a full verandah instead of just the french balconies - I think I'd like that almost better. We have a free trip (voucher) to use with Viking as a result of the March 23 Sky incident and so are thinking of trying one of their river trips. That said, I'd definitely love to do another one with Tauck as well. At the end of our AMS-BUD with Tauck, we wound up running into one of our tour guides at the airport who talked about how she is being transferred for the (at the time) new itinerary that does Berlin and Krakow...that one looks quite interesting. 

[AliceSprings]

I will be following you in here and look forward to it  ☺️

[notamermaid]

Thank you for wanting to take us along on what looks to be a splendid trip. I have seen the Esprit quite a few times on the river. She looks really stylish and inviting from the outside. At 110m and with so few people this could feel quite intimate and cosy. Oh, if I had the money and time...

 

But I can travel along with you through the reports which is good enough for the time being. 🙂

 

Have a good flight and a great cruise.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[HBCcruiser]

Heading to the airport! Ready to start this journey!

[HBCcruiser]

At LAX waiting in Polaris Lounge. Vacation has officially started! 

 

[cruzrbachoua]

cant wait for your next adventure..need to get caught up but loved your last one.

[HBCcruiser]

landed early in SFO. In their lounge. Bigger but very crowded. We have a 2 hr layover so going to grab lunch.

 

 

[HBCcruiser]

Eating lunch in lounge. 

 

 

 

[need2travel1]

Enjoy lunch!  Have a good flight:)

[HBCcruiser]

27 minutes ago, need2travel1 said:

Enjoy lunch!  Have a good flight:)

 

Thanks! I give the food here a 5 out of 10 forks. It is an airport after all🤣🤣

 

[HBCcruiser]

Dessert 10 out of 10 forks!

 

[HBCcruiser]

The plane ride was good. I managed to  sleep for 4 hours. Got to Amsterdam around 10:30. Customs line was brutal! Tauck rep was waiting for us. Nice! 

 

[HBCcruiser]

We got to the hotel around noon and were able to check in. Our room is nice! 

[HBCcruiser]

Spent the afternoon walking around Amsterdam and doing the hop on hop off canal boat. Now relaxing at the hotel. Dinner at 7.