Tips on Direction of Cruise

[captfred]

We are planning an Amsterdam/Budapest cruise for May of 2009. The only availability for our date is Budapest to Amsterdam. Does it make any difference in the direction? Would welcome any advice.

[paul929207]

We went from Bucharest to Budapest to Amsterdam a few years ago. Everything was wonderful. I can't think of any reason why this was better or worse than the opposite direction.

[rogerdawhip]

I have done this cruise 2 times each way on GCT (they only go Vienna to Amsterdam and back). Both directions are great but I enjoyed the trip ending in Vienna the best. I liked traveling through the Wauchau vally early on and having the Rhine Gorge with teh castles near the end.

[npphotog]

Captainfred - just sit up on the outside deck with a glass of wine and enjoy the view. Been there, done that and wish we were going along on your cruise.

Either way it is a great trip. Willard

[dinosaur]

My only thought is the Tulips in bloom @ the K Gardens in Holland, if that is part of your itinerary. Other then that I see no concerns. Have a GREAT TRIP. We are doing the Rhine & Mosel in April of '09

[VAGuy]

Most storm systems move from West to East. Therefore, if you travel from East to West, you will move through the storm and then be heading West while the storm is going East or away from you. If you travel West to East, you increase the possibility that you will be in the storm system the whole trip. That's the theory anyway. So if you have a choice, go East to West.:o

[tiggypooo]

Hey Capt....

From what I was told by the staff on board River Duchess, the preferred way to do that sail is south to north, Budapest to Amsterdam.

VaGuy is right about the weather moving West to East.

When I sailed Amsterdam to Vienna, rain found us and travelled with us for 4 days .

Also the Castles on the Rhine part of the cruise is a nice way to end the trip rather than beginning with it.

[Hydrokitty]

Hi Fred..we just came back from river cruise Budapest to Amsterdam and I can't see how it would differ except that the lower part of the trip, Danube, Main Canal and Rhine Valley is much more scenic. Once you get up near Frankfort the Rhine becomes a very commercial river and most of the ports are just that working ports....not much beauty. Depending on your tour group and itinerary, we spent a full day touring Budapest and no time in Amsterdam at all. If you're lucky you'll fly from JFK non-stop to Budapest and then home from Amsterdam (1 hour shorter ride when you're tired and just want to get home). I posted in depth about our trip, you might find it helpful, bottom line: I wouldn't worry about the direction, the trip is fantastic no matter which way you're going!

Hydrokitty:D

[Buckland]

We went from Amsterdam to Budapest. When going through the Rhine Gorge it was cloudy, misty and cold. But I got the greatest photos of castle ruins looming out of the foggy mist. It's such a beautiful trip I don't think it really matters which way you travel. Although I do like the idea of ending with Vienna, which instantly became one of my favourite cities next to Venice.

 

buck

[Hydrokitty]

Buckland: You must be a really fun person!!!! I just spent 5 minutes trying to get the damn bug off my screen....rotflol:D :D :D

 

Our tour ended in Budapest, which has become one of my favorite cities, although Vienna and Venice are right up there. If I had to pick one favorite world city it would have to be Florence.

 

I agree it doesn't matter which direction you go. We were lucky, the day we went through the gorge it was absolutely gorgeous and we skipped lunch that day because we didn't want to miss anything.