Tauck Blue danube cruise

Got in last night( 1 AM ), from the Aug 12-28 cruise. It was great! Tauck really does things right. They organized great excursions with a Tauck minder plus a local tour guide for each group of aprox 20 to 30 people.

The weather was great with only light rain one day. The balance was warm and sunny.

The only downside was the dates and that was my chosing, so my fault. All the cities and sites we visited were very crowded, as Aug is the month everybody is on vacation.

Oh, the other bad deal was Delta taking off from CDG two hours late(talk about disorganized). causing me to miss my connection into Little Rock and the late arrival into my own bed.

I will be happy to answer any questions if asked.

We are interested in another riverboat cruise for 2011 and would love more details about your Danube cruise.

My husband and I will be taking this trip Sept 2011. We are trying to figure out how much extra time to spend in Prague/Budapest before and after the cruise. Any suggestions? Also, is dry cleaning offered or just laundry? Thanks!

Also, is dry cleaning offered or just laundry? Thanks!

Noticed it says "limited" laundry and ironing available. So doubt the dry cleaning!! However, curious about how soon to go to Prague prior to the trip.

Re dry cleaning, have to plead OMM(old man memory) There is a bag for either laundry or dry cleaning, don't know which for sure but I think laundry. We took small packets of tide and about halfway made our clothes clean again. DW objects to my claim that packing clothes in the suitcase overnight makes them clean again without futher handling:D!

Do as you wish and have time and money for. Its a great city, tons of history, not hurt bad in WW2 and loves tourists, and great food, that said Tauck gives great tours in the two days in Pragur prior to leaving for the boat if you want the high points only! The Prague Marriott is in a good location in the old town( easy sight seeing) and will honor any status you have with marriott if you ask:D

Thanks for the info on Marriott..........we're Silver Elite members and that usually qualifies us for an upgrade. We're doing Tauck's Swiss Jewel next May and are looking forward to it. From what we've read about Tauck and the tour we think we'll do fine.

Don P

Do as you wish and have time and money for. Its a great city, tons of history, not hurt bad in WW2 and loves tourists, and great food, that said Tauck gives great tours in the two days in Pragur prior to leaving for the boat if you want the high points only! The Prague Marriott is in a good location in the old town( easy sight seeing) and will honor any status you have with marriott if you ask:D

Hi Don,

Someone just posted on the Tauck Ask and Share board about a Blue Danube cruise next May. I'll post there and let you know if they are on your sailing.

Sheila

Thanks Sheila,

Hi Don,

 

Someone just posted on the Tauck Ask and Share board about a Blue Danube cruise next May. I'll post there and let you know if they are on your sailing.

 

Sheila

Still hoping to find other couples sailing on the Swiss Jewel second week of May 2011.

Don and Carole P.

Thanks Sheila,

The Tauck site is abysmal................very few postings to the site. Still hoping to find some folks who might be doing the Budapest to Prague cruise next May (20911).

Don and Carole P.

Thanks Sheila,

It IS very difficult to get responses "over there". We are preparing for our first Tauck journey next month. I have gotten responses,but it takes much longer than on the Cruise Critic site.

I

We were hoping to find other couples who we could become acquainted with prior to the trip. Having never done a river cruise we are very curious about what it will be like. We would love to hear about your experience when your return. Please post a note here about your trip

Don and Carole P.

It IS very difficult to get responses "over there". We are preparing for our first Tauck journey next month. I have gotten responses,but it takes much longer than on the Cruise Critic site.

 

 

 

 

 

I

Although we're not going on our Tauck River Cruise until next September we too were disappointed that very few people take the time to post on their boards. I made two posts last month one general and one an answer to another poster but I received no replies. Thankfully I've had most of my queries answered on this board.

We are interested in another riverboat cruise for 2011 and would love more details about your Danube cruise.

We just got back on a cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam. The story is on our website

http://www.stevekathytravels.com

We just got back on a cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam. The story is on our website

www.stevekathytravels.com

Steve,

Thank you for sharing your travels with us. I loved your web site.

Don,

We are thinking of taking the Tauck Blue Danube cruise next spring. We really want to do Prague to Budapest and then fly to Venice for a few days, but looking at both directions.

Hi Host Sheila,

We took a Tauck Rhine/Moselle River cruise in July. It was topnotch. Our friends are now on the Musical Magic Along the Blue Danube and our other friends are taking it next June. They have one on May 2 that goes from Budapest to Prague. Everything is included: concerts, tips, transport from Airport to ship or hotel and back to airport, excursions, internet and room service in suites. Take a look at it and you will see what is included. They are also giving people new to Tauck a free night at the Intercontinental Budapest or the Prague Marriott Hotel. If you've traveled with Tauck before, you get two nights.

Sheila

Don,

We are thinking of taking the Tauck Blue Danube cruise next spring. We really want to do Prague to Budapest and then fly to Venice for a few days, but looking at both directions.

We have a neighbor who advised us to go from Budapest to Prague. She said we would enjoy Prague more as the end of the trip than as the beginning. It really made no difference to us but we booked it as she recommended. We leave Florida on the 11th of May and arrive in Budapest the morning of the 12th I believe. I don't have my confirmation in front of me so I'm not real positive of the dates. Since airfares are already booked we're locked into the dates and destinations. We're still hoping to touch base with anyone else going on the Swiss Jewel at that time.

Don and Carole P

Thanks for the info, Don. We have to be home for grandson's high school graduation, so we'll need to choose based on date. Will let you know if we end up on your dates!

Sheila,

The cruise you mentioned is the one we're considering...Just need to work out the dates that we can be gone. Thanks for your review of your cruise and do ask your friends to report here on the Music cruise...it's very similar in itinerary to the one we're thinking of.

Just found this on YouTube. A video cruise report of The Blue Danube cruise

We are new to cruise critic, and are booked on Tauck Blue Danube Oct 2-13th...anyone else booked on that cruis, Buda. To Prague? We are doing 3 extra nights on front end, and 5 extra in Prague...using Marriott points on both ends, if you stay 4 nights you get 5th free!

Would love to hear about your trip and any tips, thoughts, etc.

Are there magnifying mirrors in the ship's bathrooms, and in hotel rooms?

[quote name=Don

P]We have a neighbor who advised us to go from Budapest to Prague. She said we would enjoy Prague more as the end of the trip than as the beginning. It really made no difference to us but we booked it as she recommended. We leave Florida on the 11th of May and arrive in Budapest the morning of the 12th I believe. I don't have my confirmation in front of me so I'm not real positive of the dates. Since airfares are already booked we're locked into the dates and destinations. We're still hoping to touch base with anyone else going on the Swiss Jewel at that time.

Don and Carole P

Enjoy every minute of it.

We are new to cruise critic, and are booked on Tauck Blue Danube Oct 2-13th...anyone else booked on that cruis, Buda. To Prague? We are doing 3 extra nights on front end, and 5 extra in Prague...using Marriott points on both ends, if you stay 4 nights you get 5th free!

 

Would love to hear about your trip and any tips, thoughts, etc.

Are there magnifying mirrors in the ship's bathrooms, and in hotel rooms?

 

This was an absolutely wonderful cruise. It was our first river cruise and Tauck really knows how to treat their guests. We loved it from the welcoming reception to the drop-off at the airport for our return home. Everything was done extremely well. The attention to detail; the cordiality of all staff, the food, the excursions......I could go on and on! It was simply perfect! I don't recall seeing magnifying mirrors in the boat's bathrooms or in the hotels. You are smart to stay at the Marriott in Budapest. Friends of ours stayed there as opposed to the Inter-Continental and they were very pleased. That's not to say the Inter-Continental was bad; it's just that Marriott actually is better. We stayed at the Marriott in Prague for a couple of nights before returning to the States and were pleased with both the hotel and its central location. You've made good choices. Have a great trip.

Hi Konachloe,

Have you checked the Message Boards on Tauck's website or their Facebook page? You might find some people there going on your river cruise. Not many people on Tauck ever post here or on Tauck's website. The boats hold 112 people so you might find one person on line before you go. We took the Swiss Jewel last summer and loved it. I'm sure you will enjoy it also. Tauck has a way of making one feel that they are the most important person on their tours!! I'm on my way to 17 Tauck Tours next week.

Sheila