Just booked our first river cruise - advice?

My husband and I are booked on the September 7, 2014 Danube Discovery & Prague trip on Uniworld's River Ambassador. Although it's a long ways away, we're very excited. We'll be traveling with my parents in two category 3 cabins.

We've taken two land-based trips to Europe in the last two years (Munich & Spain). I took several ocean cruises when I was younger, but my husband has never been on a cruise. We love history and take walking tours in most cities we travel to, so we think we'll enjoy most of the excursions. We'll likely venture to some pubs and beer halls on our own, as local beer is always one of things we like to enjoy.

Any advice for first-time, young river cruisers? Has anyone done this itinerary and have some insights to share?

We just got back from Uniworld's River Beatrice on the Enchanting Danube itinerary. It looks like the ports don't overlap much with what you'll be seeing, but we had a great time on Uniworld. In Vienna, try not to miss Schonbrunn Palace - it's very easy to take the metro on your own to get there - no need to pay Uniworld for an optional tour.

I was going to work on a review with some pictures and thoughts from our trip, so please keep an eye out for that!

You'll be happy with the Cat 3 cabins. The windows are large and start at table level, so if you want to sit in your cabin, you have a nice view. The beds are comfy and, if I had to give one negative, it would be the small--though very nice marbled bathroom! The toiletries are high end, too.

We did the River Princess last May, Nuremberg to Paris, and enjoyed the trip so much we have 2 more Uniworld adventures booked for this year.

The ship's chef does a good job serving local foods and the wines and beers served at meal time include local offerings.

You'll have a great time!

We love food and wine, so we're looking forward to that in unlimited quantities :)

Random question I'm not sure if anyone would know (I guess I could always ask my travel agent) - with Uniworld's "truly all-inclusive" 2014 pricing, will there still be optional excursions we need to pay for?

We're not worried about the small cabin/bathroom - we don't plan to spend much time there.

Thanks for the tip about the palace - we're comfortable taking public transportation in most countries, so we'll probably check it out on our own. When we were in Salzburg on our day trip to Munich I could navigate fairly well, having taken German in high school and college.

Re: Uniworld's all-inclusive pricing for 2014. If I understand correctly, there will still be optional tours which will have an upcharge.

Even though we did he same cruise with AMA, our review with lots of photos might give you a preview of coming attractions. It is at www.thepreismans.com. You will really enjoy the wonderful ports on your itinerary.

Also, the WiFi was incredibly slow! We weren't expecting anything super-fast and knew it would be down while we were in locks or crossing under bridges, but even while docked, it was pathetic! There were two computers on our ship that you could use for free and it took a full minute to load the bare-bones version of Gmail and then would boot you off once you tried to send an email. My tip is to copy the text from the email you've written, lest you have all of that disappear when trying to send - as I found out the hard way! I know people don't go on river cruises to use the Internet, but it's nice to be able to send an email once in a while! We had much better luck connecting on our iPhones, but it can take a while to type out an email on one.

Also, the WiFi was incredibly slow! We weren't expecting anything super-fast and knew it would be down while we were in locks or crossing under bridges, but even while docked, it was pathetic! There were two computers on our ship that you could use for free and it took a full minute to load the bare-bones version of Gmail and then would boot you off once you tried to send an email. My tip is to copy the text from the email you've written, lest you have all of that disappear when trying to send - as I found out the hard way! I know people don't go on river cruises to use the Internet, but it's nice to be able to send an email once in a while! We had much better luck connecting on our iPhones, but it can take a while to type out an email on one.

We've read about the slow internet. We'll probably have an iPad with a keyboard, so that should make typing and waiting to send easier. Also, my husband's company sometimes requires him to check in while he's on vacation, and if they do they'll pay for an international data plan that should give us reliable access in most areas (except extremely rural of course).

If the worst part of our trip is slow internet connectivity, I'll take it :)

If you like beer, when it Prague check out [/url]Pivovarský Klub. It is a "Top Pick" in the Lonely Planet travel guide to Central Europe.

Křižíkova 272/17

186 00 Prague 8-Karlín, Czech Republic

222 315 777

http://www.gastroinfo.cz/pivoklub/index.php?content=uvod&lang=eng

If you eat there go downstairs for a table.

Even though we did he same cruise with AMA, our review with lots of photos might give you a preview of coming attractions. It is at www.thepreismans.com. You will really enjoy the wonderful ports on your itinerary.

Wow, what an extensive review and recap! Looks like I have a lot to look forward to. We spend a little more time in Bavaria on our itinerary. We absolutely love that area.

AttilaTheFun, would you be able to give instructions on how to do the Schonbrunn palace by metro? Any additional info would also be appreciated.

AttilaTheFun, would you be able to give instructions on how to do the Schonbrunn palace by metro?

We're going to attempt this on our own in 2 weeks. Hope it works...

We have already bought tickets online: http://www.schoenbrunn.at/ - there is an English version of the site. Buy tickets and print at home. We bought the Sisi ticket which includes a few other sites we're interested in, and also allows you to visit Schönbrunn at any time (other tickets for just Schönbrunnrequire that you choose a specific time that can't be changed after purchase). We wanted to be flexible.

RE: the metro, here is their website: http://www.wienerlinien.at - again a good English section. To get a metro map, click on "service" then "folder" (interestingly, not "map" - go figure :rolleyes:). On the Folder page you can download a tourist brochure with a map. Schönbrunn is on the U4 line. Most of the boats dock near the Vorgartenstraße station which is on the U1 line - you climb up from the riverbank onto the bridge (Reichsbrücke) to get to the U-bahn station. Take U1 for 5 stops to Karlsplatz, switch to the U4, and go to Schönbrunn.

At least this is what we're trying to do. Hopefully, we'll get there! :) Even more hopeful that someone who has done this can post whether this will work!

Thanks for the info. Let us know how it goes.

We're going to attempt this on our own in 2 weeks. Hope it works...

 

We have already bought tickets online: http://www.schoenbrunn.at/ - there is an English version of the site. Buy tickets and print at home. We bought the Sisi ticket which includes a few other sites we're interested in, and also allows you to visit Schönbrunn at any time (other tickets for just Schönbrunnrequire that you choose a specific time that can't be changed after purchase). We wanted to be flexible.

 

RE: the metro, here is their website: http://www.wienerlinien.at - again a good English section. To get a metro map, click on "service" then "folder" (interestingly, not "map" - go figure :rolleyes:). On the Folder page you can download a tourist brochure with a map. Schönbrunn is on the U4 line. Most of the boats dock near the Vorgartenstraße station which is on the U1 line - you climb up from the riverbank onto the bridge (Reichsbrücke) to get to the U-bahn station. Take U1 for 5 stops to Karlsplatz, switch to the U4, and go to Schönbrunn.

 

At least this is what we're trying to do. Hopefully, we'll get there! :) Even more hopeful that someone who has done this can post whether this will work!

The metro directions are spot-on and exactly what we did. I printed a copy of this metro map before we left and found it invaluable: http://wikitravel.org/upload/shared//7/78/U-Bahn_Wien.png

A few tips:

• I would recommend asking your ship's Reception Desk for the best way to get to the Vorgartenstrasse metro stop. It can be a bit confusing, but is a short walk.
  
• If you're using a card to pay for your metro tickets from the machine in the metro, note that they require a PIN. My credit card doesn't have a PIN that I know of, but we were able to use my ATM/debit card or cash.
  
• A one-way ticket on the Vienna metro is €2 per person. There is also a 24-hour pass option for €6.70 and 48-hour pass option for €11.70, but we didn't use the metro enough to make a pass worth it.
  
• The Vienna metro seemed very clean, efficient, and safe, but always be careful of pickpockets while on public transit.
  
• The U1 line is red and the U4 line is green. Follow the signs to transfer at Karlsplatz.
  
• Go as early as possible in the morning to Schonbrunn! We bought our tickets there at a kiosk and had no line, but by the time we left a few hours later, there were massive lines to buy tickets! The palace itself also fills up very quickly with tour groups and the rooms are often small, so get there as early as possible to enjoy some relative peace and quiet as your explore.
  
• We ended up buying the Grand Tour ticket, which allowed us to see the maximum number of rooms in the palace and included an audio set. Bring your own headphones to plug into the audio set, which is more comfortable than holding it up to your ear, like a phone.
  
• Most of the gardens and grounds are free to wander around, which we did after the palace tour. The zoo, gloriette, and some parts of the gardens required separate tickets, but we only had the morning to explore before the ship left in the afternoon and this filled plenty of time.
  

Hope that helps, enjoy!

Thanks for the info. Let us know how it goes.

 

A few tips:

 

• I would recommend asking your ship's Reception Desk for the best way to get to the Vorgartenstrasse metro stop. It can be a bit confusing, but is a short walk.
  
• If you're using a card to pay for your metro tickets from the machine in the metro, note that they require a PIN. My credit card doesn't have a PIN that I know of, but we were able to use my ATM/debit card or cash.
  
• A one-way ticket on the Vienna metro is €2 per person. There is also a 24-hour pass option for €6.70 and 48-hour pass option for €11.70, but we didn't use the metro enough to make a pass worth it.
  
• The Vienna metro seemed very clean, efficient, and safe, but always be careful of pickpockets while on public transit.
  
• The U1 line is red and the U4 line is green. Follow the signs to transfer at Karlsplatz.
  
• Go as early as possible in the morning to Schonbrunn! We bought our tickets there at a kiosk and had no line, but by the time we left a few hours later, there were massive lines to buy tickets! The palace itself also fills up very quickly with tour groups and the rooms are often small, so get there as early as possible to enjoy some relative peace and quiet as your explore.
  
• We ended up buying the Grand Tour ticket, which allowed us to see the maximum number of rooms in the palace and included an audio set. Bring your own headphones to plug into the audio set, which is more comfortable than holding it up to your ear, like a phone.
  
• Most of the gardens and grounds are free to wander around, which we did after the palace tour. The zoo, gloriette, and some parts of the gardens required separate tickets, but we only had the morning to explore before the ship left in the afternoon and this filled plenty of time.
  

Hope that helps, enjoy!

AttilaTheFun, thanks for the tips.

We made it, and Schonbrunn was amazing! Even though our cruise was totally canceled, we went anyway for 2 weeks and squeezed in a side trip to Vienna. Glad we did...

Tips: the Sisi ticket worked exactly as promised. You can purchase online, print at home, and you don't have to queue at all. We got there a little after opening and there were lines already. With our Sisi ticket, you have your own line (which was empty), you scan your ticket, walk in and get your audio guide, and you're off. Note that the Sisi ticket gets you the Grand Tour at Schonbrunn, and also gets you into the Treasury and the Royal Apartments at the Hofberg (elsewhere in the city). But the main attraction of the Sisi ticket is that you can walk into Schonbrunn whenever you want, without committing yourself to a specific time.

The palace is a little walk from the Schonbrunn Metro stop, and you can't really see it from the station exit. There are signs pointing you in the right direction.

We have several CCs (both AMEX and Visa) with chips and had no problem buying metro tickets, train tickets, etc. in Vienna. In fact, their machines take AMEX whereas most of the ones in Germany were Visa/MC only. Ours are chip and signature so no need to enter a PIN; once the machine reads the chip, you press the green button to confirm, and the transaction goes through.

We also found the Vienna Metro to be clean and efficient. No pickpockets, but some poor guy tried to pick up Chris, by asking her out to dinner with him - first in German, and then when she said "Nie sprechen zie Deutsch," he tried English! She politely declined and told him she was married. The funniest part of the whole episode was watching the Austrian girl standing next to us, who was so amused, and trying so hard not to burst out laughing! We will have to switch our wedding bands to the right hand next time we're in Europe, I guess...:)

The gardens at Schonbrunn are spectacular! The fountains are gorgeous, and we spent several hours just wandering around being amazed. Definitely worth a half-day visit; we really enjoyed our time there.

I hate to admit this but by the time we arrived in Vienna we were tired of fab palaces so we took the metro and toured the gardens by ourselves. We were there about 4 years ago and the gardens were free so it was a wonderful morning. We were done when everyone else was arriving!

Loved Prague and bought a pair of earrings from the artisan on the Charles Bridge and every time I wear them I remember our wonderful time there (plus they take up virtually no space in a suitcase!)

Use Frommers and Fodors online for walking tours +maps and you can do so much on your own. They even tell you what metro stops to use! (look on left margin for the walking tours) Rick Steves also has some nice walking tours.

Have fun planning your trip!

AttilaTheFun, thanks for the tips.

 

We made it, and Schonbrunn was amazing! Even though our cruise was totally canceled, we went anyway for 2 weeks and squeezed in a side trip to Vienna. Glad we did...

 

Tips: the Sisi ticket worked exactly as promised. You can purchase online, print at home, and you don't have to queue at all. We got there a little after opening and there were lines already. With our Sisi ticket, you have your own line (which was empty), you scan your ticket, walk in and get your audio guide, and you're off. Note that the Sisi ticket gets you the Grand Tour at Schonbrunn, and also gets you into the Treasury and the Royal Apartments at the Hofberg (elsewhere in the city). But the main attraction of the Sisi ticket is that you can walk into Schonbrunn whenever you want, without committing yourself to a specific time.

 

The palace is a little walk from the Schonbrunn Metro stop, and you can't really see it from the station exit. There are signs pointing you in the right direction.

 

We have several CCs (both AMEX and Visa) with chips and had no problem buying metro tickets, train tickets, etc. in Vienna. In fact, their machines take AMEX whereas most of the ones in Germany were Visa/MC only. Ours are chip and signature so no need to enter a PIN; once the machine reads the chip, you press the green button to confirm, and the transaction goes through.

 

We also found the Vienna Metro to be clean and efficient. No pickpockets, but some poor guy tried to pick up Chris, by asking her out to dinner with him - first in German, and then when she said "Nie sprechen zie Deutsch," he tried English! She politely declined and told him she was married. The funniest part of the whole episode was watching the Austrian girl standing next to us, who was so amused, and trying so hard not to burst out laughing! We will have to switch our wedding bands to the right hand next time we're in Europe, I guess...:)

 

The gardens at Schonbrunn are spectacular! The fountains are gorgeous, and we spent several hours just wandering around being amazed. Definitely worth a half-day visit; we really enjoyed our time there.

THANKS for coming back on here and sharing your update. It is always nice to hear that your plans worked out.

We will be in Vienna in just a few weeks. We're doing 3 days there, taking the train to Budapest for another 3 days before boarding our first river cruise.

Any suggestions for restaurants? Other must-see sights?

We will be in Vienna in just a few weeks.

 

... Any suggestions for restaurants? Other must-see sights?

We found the Sisi museum / apartments interesting - didn't know much about her or Franz Josef but their story was intriguing. We had heard some of her story when we visited the Achilleon Palace in Corfu last year (she lived there for a time). I didn't know that she was assassinated, and reading her original autopsy report (in French) which is on display in the museum was a neat bit of medical history. She died from a stab wound to the chest that punctured the heart and caused pericardial tamponade.

We went to the Donauturm (Danube Tower) at sunset one evening and the view was spectacular. It's a bit of a pain to get to though; it's on an island in the middle of the river, and you have to take the Metro to either the North or South end of the island. From there, it's about a 1 km walk or you can transfer to a bus that takes you much closer. In the evening, though, the bus only runs every hour. So check the schedule if you want to try it.

Enjoyed the Spanische Hofreitschule (Spanish Riding School) where they train the Lipizzaner horses. If you go on weekends you can watch some training / performances. On weekdays, you just tour the stables and riding hall.

We enjoyed the view from the tower of Stephansdom. It's a nice climb, especially if you have extra calories to burn off.

Speaking of food, we had two very nice dinners while there. One at Figlmüller, which was filled with locals and served schnitzel that was so large it hung over the dinner plate. It was so popular that we had to wait for a table... One thing, though: "schnitzel" is pork, not veal. If you want what we (or at least I) think of as "Weiner schnitzel" you have to order veal specifically.

Our other dinner was at Café Frauenhuber; the claim to fame is that it's old and everyone famous ate there. The meal was quite nice there as well - very traditional choices.

We also enjoyed simply wandering the streets looking at the architecture. Many lovely old buildings, sidewalk cafes, gelato shops; beautiful public squares and parks... Lots to see and enjoy.

JP and Chris,

THANK YOU for the suggestions and photos!

We love to walk (climb) so the Danube Tower sounds fun to me.

I love trying the local foods, too. My DH was stationed in Germany many years ago, and he is looking forward to the schnitzel and pastries.

We will enjoy (and need) the opportunity to burn off extra calories!

Love CC folks who are so willing to share their experiences.

bobalink

Happy to share and help. One small point - the church tower has stairs. The Danube tower has an elevator. :)

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