Sharra13

Made it to Passau...JUST! Last ship to get through I hear. Beautiful, amazing city. Started off with a terrible tour guide --she really wanted to make our tour leisurly, and we were all frustrated when the actual "easy" group caught up and surpassed us! Hubby and I jest left and kind of attached ourselves to another tour we came across later, which was much much better.

Saw the sights, did some shopping, and even bought anothe cookoo clock (I think I called it a glockenspiel in an earlier post--forgive my tired brain)--a small one for my father in law for Xmas.

Note: If you want a nice cookoo on this trip, do NOT buy in Regensberg. Wait for Passau! The shop we found was so much nicer, prettier workmanship, and better prices! I was sad we had already bought our when we found this one. :(

The organ concert was really blah (I don't think anyone liked it). The musician semed like an even more emo, less talented version of the Phantom--just banging on those low notes. It really just sounded like horror movie "noise" most of the time.

St Stephen's was breathtaking, though!! I really fell in love with Passau--so charming and beautiful and friendly. Would live to go back.

Oompah band that evening, with a "Taste of Bavaria" buffet spread around the ship. Yum!

We made it through (last ship to make it and literally scraping along!) last night from Regensberg to Passau. Viking Skirnir. :)

Good luck with Amex. We've had that declined several times today already. Only MasterCard or Visa are widely accepted in Europe. Chip and Signature has been no problem, but we couldn't get a French toll booth to take any of our cards and that may be a Chip and PIN problem (hard to tell with no English option on the prompts).

No problem with AmEx so far! We've just used it for cash at the ATMs though to prevent issues and make things easy, after the Discover issue. We don't like using the bank card on vacations but have it just in case (Visa). Chips in all of them. It's just that our Discover card has no international transaction fees (no I know why, haha).

We just went through the Paris airport and not France itself (on the Romantic Danube tour). I can do some German but have NO idea on French, so thank gosh! The few things we had trouble understanding at the airport, we managed to get help with from an English speaker.

Oh, and amazingly enough, we DID find what seems to be the one place in all of Germany that takes Discover...the Cookoo Clock shop in Regensberg!

One thing I've noticed is how secluded we are compared to what I expected. Our docks were all been off the beaten path at first and we've been the lone ship. River mostly to ourselves when sailing.

Regensberg on Tuesday and finally on the actual Danube (I guess Nuremberg was off a canal?). We started at a port out of town while the reg. walking tour got bussed one direction into town and the optional (extra) excursion people gor bussed another direction to Weltenberg Abbey. Good tour, a short free time, then back to the shop for lunch as we sailed to dock in the city center. Finally saw two other cruise ships there and other tour groups. Still not crowded.

We were supposed to be in Regensburg for the rest of the day, but got the news on our way back that the water levels had suddenly dropped again and we needed to make an early exit to Passau to make it across in time. Obviously some people were upset! We got an hour in the city before needing to be back on board to cast-off (JUST enough time to find and purchase a Glockenspiel!).

Our cruise directer Merrick has been awesome and handled the change very well. They had to re-stock the ship in record time, hours earlier than planned, get several groups together ahead of schedule, and even pick up our entertainment (a very talented singing group!) and an afternoon tour group up at an extra dock several hours/kilometers down river.

I'm sad we didn't get more time in Regensberg, BUT am happy they are making the effort to get us past the low water so we don't have to switch ships or bus and can continue as planned in Passau. And we did end up having a gorgeous, scenic day-time sail to sit and read a book with. :)

Got a pleasant few moments to sit and chat with Merrick this evening and learn about some details. Some impressive, some scary...like how worried he looked when we talked about the lowest water area!

As I mentioned, we are Aquarium Class. So now I am laying awake as we pass the low water areas, listening to the LOUD scary noises of the boat going through...things... Kind of sounds like heavy a downpour coming from beneath, and my husband thinks it's us moving through reeds. Not as bad as the big BANG-CRUNCH-silence that really woke me up....but we are still moving, so I guess it's all good...

Internet has been pretty choppy (at best), so hopefully This works!

We used Viking Air San Antonio-Atlanta-Paris-Nuremberg. Flights were good times and layovers perfect (long enough to transfer but short enough to not get bored or tired). Flights were easy and smooth! Interesting to see how differently the Paris airport works (no terminals to wait in, but one large area for everyone). Had to go through security again (and toss all the water we sticked up on--woops).

Discovered belatedly that pretty much no one takes Discover over here...good thing we brought an AmEx, as well!

Nuremberg was beautiful--did the pre-stay there and SO GLAD! We needed some recovery time that first day--so zonked out and tired! Could have spent a week there--just so much to see and do and the history is amazing. The Meridien was very comfortable and charming and also very close to everything. Was kind of sad to leave the city when it was time to go. I got a little attached. :)

On to the boat Monday and our cabin is nice. Aquarium class/steerage. ;) Not as comfy as the Meridien, but light, airy, and LOTS of storage nooks and crannies. Our crew is super nice and friendly and already remembering preferences. Food is good but not amazing overall.

First morning of sailing we left while we were all sleeping from our (out of the way and pretty shady looking haha) original port about 1/2 hour from N. Woke up crazy early to the sounds of sloshing water and buzzers from the locks and opened the window to see a stone slab sliding past my window--a little startling!

More later...

I second that... Most river boats have hand sanitizer units at the door(s) into the dining room, but I prefer my own brand. And - like to have some in my purse if I stop to eat at a restaurant, or pick up a snack along the way.

 

Always pack bubble wrap and/or tissue to pack breakables. Takes up little space - and very little weight.

 

I also take a spare set of glasses. Keep them in my carry on - and then don't take them out of my suitcase - but know they are there if I need them. I would be completely at a loss if mine broke.

 

Fran

Yes, extra glasses or contacts is a must! I'm pretty blind without them and even keep an extra pair in my car in case of emergency. I've never lost or broken them so far, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

Great idea on tissue paper, though I usually just use clothes. :)

The intimate ambiance board; the easy camaraderie fostered by the small number of passengers; the proximity to the town/city center on most itineraries.

 

The lack of children (IME); lack of nickel and diming; no tendering; no lines; no overcrowded buffets; no "liquor police" - if you want to pick up a special bottle of wine you are able to do so without being treated like a criminal.

 

No overpriced bottles of water; no "sales" in the lobby; no loud announcements; no constantly trying to sell you something; no cheesy entertainment; no overpriced drinks with forced service charges.

 

A staff who knows your name by the 2nd day and is warm and gracious and welcoming. In the case of AMA, the wonderful attention to detail from the high end and generous toiletries provided to the special touches throughout the cruise; free internet throughout the ship and computers in every room; cruise managers and staff who really make the trip special.

 

On the very rare occasion we would consider an ocean cruise, it is only on a smaller ship that has similar qualities to what we enjoy on the river. And that is a very small list, indeed.

Well said!! You have me excited all over again with all the great the reasons why we chose to take our first River Cruise (in just afew days). :)

I think I'll just bring a rain jacket and keep my mouth shut, lol. I promised myself that I would happily deal with a rainy cruise if it meant no cancellation or days of bussing, and I meant it!

Are there hair dryers in the cabins? I pretty much never use them, so haven't paid attention to if they are or not until now. But it might come in handy for soggy shoes...

On the Viking Oceans Star right now, they have had 2 incidents of exploding shower glass. One lady was severely injured by flying glass shards. If I were onboard right now I'd be taping every square inch of my shower with Duct tape.

What the....I'm guessing from them slamming closed or some such thing? That is scary.

Wow, thank you for all of the responses you guys!! I've been reading away and making notes to my packing list as I go, as well as adding things to my Amazon shopping cart, haha.

I've been on the boards for a few months now and trying to pay attention and note things of import, but am very glad I posted this as well--definitely learned some new things here! :)

Thank you SO much for the update! Yay!!

If you are staying at a hotel in Europe before or after your cruise, you will need to bring washcloths.

Seriously?! Wow, I would have never know that. Thanks! We do have a pre-stay in Nuremberg. Weird. Just washcloths, but not towels, right?

1. Plenty of adapters to go from 220V Euro to 120V USA. Most ships have a few US style outlets, but adapters allow you to plug in more stuff.

 

2. SIM card for your smartphone loaded with at least 1GB of data (buy this the minute you land in each country where you'll tour). Wifi on the ships is crap, so this is backup. Most countries will have these available for $10-$20, which disappears in the overall cost of the trip. This will make Google maps and navigation available for those casual walks into town from the ship. It also makes Google Translate available anywhere, which is an enormous aid when traveling to countries where you're uneasy with the language.

 

3. Simple small, front-pocket wallet to put a credit card or two and local currency into - pickpocket-deterrent enough for my needs without resorting to a money belt.

 

My smartphone has all my credit card and passport information on it, which I also load onto Dropbox so I can retrieve it onto other devices wherever wifi is available.

We have one adapter (just in case) though from what I have been reading on the boards over the last few months I think we should be OK.

I also went to ATT today and added a special international plan that will get us through the trip! I don't think you can do the SIM card thing with iphones...? I'm not sure.

Dropbox is an interesting idea.

Last year I got a small day pack from Rick Steves that weighs less then a pound and it was the most useful thing I took on our first river cruise. It was a great way to carry two water bottles, rain gear if a long excursion, a snack or two from the ship if needed and to put any items purchased during excursions. What makes is unique is that it weighs almost nothing and takes up no space in the suitcase unlike a normal back pack. I was in a luggage shop today at the mall and they have them there as well.

Hmmm, will check it out!

a tip from "left field"

 

an advantage of today's digital cameras is their ability to hold THOUSANDS of shots ....

 

imagine losing your camera the last day? OMG .....

 

SD memory cards are CHEAP now. Rather than one BIG one, use several SMALL ones. Change your card every day. If you lose your camera you lose TODAY ... not the entire cruise!

 

I learned this the hard way. In film days you lost 24 or 36 shots ... today you can lose the entire vacation.

 

I actually try to remember to alternate between taking pictures with my camera and with my phone .... low resolution IS better than NO pictures!

 

(we did Danube, Budapest to Nur' in June ..... LOVED IT ..... hope you have as much fun)

Great point. I already bought a second SD so we can switch out, but didn't get one for every day. I'll take your advice and make sure the hubby get's some iphone shots while I do the camera so we have a little on each.

I can probably think of a tons of stuff I wouldn't want to be without... but what comes to mind immediately is my over the shoulder water bottle holder. I like to have fresh water when I'm on tours or walking around especially on a hot day and having a pouch or holder for my water keeps my hands free. (got one on Amazon that is lightweight, insulted and has a zipper pocket for money, wet-ones, etc.)

This is an AMAZING idea!! Thank you! I always have to have water on me and hate to carry it around. We got these little rubber mickey mouse bottle clips from Disney one year that you hang from your belt or purse (or whatever) but it tends to be wonky.

Your passport of course. You didn't say where you're going, so I'm going to assume it's a European River Cruise.

Don't forget to pack a smile and a sense of humor! :D

Hydrokitty: It's in my signature, but you can't see it if you are on the mobile site. We are doing the Romantic Danube with Viking (our first EVER cruise).

Thanks for the tips! Most of these I have on my list already but didn't think about the hanging door bag. :)

Only a few days away from departure and I'm getting antsy to pack. I think I've got everything covered, but you never know...I wanted to see what your very top most important thing that you'd never go without would be? Or maybe the one thing you'd recommend that a newbie to cruising wouldn't think of?

Doing rain dances!! Our cruise is only days away... Thanks for the update!

Our first cruise is next week (YAY!!) and we went with the "aquarium" cabin. I HOPE it doesn't bother me and I am going in with a good attitude about it, especially after reading so many posts about not being in your cabin much and rafting, etc.

I have never been on ANY type of cruise, but I know for sure I would never book an interior or non-balcony on an ocean cruise *shudder* Something about being on a river doesn't bother me as much or give me Titanic-style nightmares, lol.

The room does make a difference to me, but not above the actual trip. I knew we wanted this itinerary and a pre-stay in Nuremberg with a small window of dates we were available to go. Not getting a balcony was the one concession I made to stay more in budget, so I think we did pretty good!

I've been wondering the same thing. Like, how much time do you HAVE on your hands that you read posts about things you don't care for or never will do...just to put in a comment that you hate it or won't do it?? Seems like a waste to me.

I wouldn't worry, but be prepared for being bussed between Regensburg and Passau. I drove from Deggendorf to Passau on the Autobahn in sight of the Danube when it had plenty of water. Check google maps Germany to see where you will be.

Bussing wasn't exactly what I dreamt of when we booked, but I will definitely take a few bus rides over a cancelled trip!

Thanks for the update. Man, this is not good for my nerves...less than two weeks to go until our trip. I hope we are able to go. :(

Thank you for the updates! We should be on the Skirnir in 2 and a half weeks. I'm getting so excited and anxious (about river levels) at the same time!

I am taking the Viking Jarl from Nuremberg to Budapest on Aug 23rd. I'm doing a pre cruise stay in Nuremberg, leaving Chicago the 20th. I am hoping if anything changes they notify me before I leave the states. I have been following posts on Facebook & cruise critic & check Vikings website for info on changes.

Chitraveler, we will be doing the exact same trip as you, Nuremberg-Budapest with pre-stay in Nuremberg...but just ONE day behind, leaving Texas 21st and boarding the Skirnir 24th. Maybe we'll see each other in passing at the Meridien. :)