Ritabob

[quote name=Wondering if anyone has done this cruise within the last year. If so what hotel was used in Prague and Budapest

Hotel Boscolo is one of the hotels we have stayed in with Uniworld. Good location

Since this is our first river cruise do you have any suggestions for this itinerary? Any inside info on the River Beatrice that would be useful' date=' i.e. when to use the washers/dryers? are the w/d free?

Laundry and soap are free on any Uniworld ship that has laundry facilities.

Does a little extra tip to the crew get you better attention?

Don't know..they crew will bend over backwards for you and I can't think of anything they won't do for you. That said...everyone can use a bit more $$, but it is not expected.

is one cabin location better than the other?

Are you a light sleeper? then stay away from anywhere there is more foot traffic. We prefer the middle. Cabins are 'cozy' (tiny) but have everything you'll need. The beds ! oh, the beds!

Is the food as good as advertised?

The food is so subjective, but we'd like to take their chefs home with us...

The excursions any favorites?

Read through your cruise companion...on line under 'already booked' ...and you'll get a hard copy with your documents . We try to do them all or divide and conquor.

[/quote]

Have a great time

RB

I recommend Frankfurt to Passau. We've done both stretches and the Frankfurt to Passau takes you through the Rhine river where the scenery is constant... cute German town, vineyard, church, castle.. repeat.

I will agree, the Rhine is very scenic with so many castles, etc, but the original question was asking about two specific stretches and the waterway between Frankfurt and Passau is the Main and the Main canal and Danube, not the Rhine.

Perhaps the OP would clarify they were asking about a specific cruise route or about generally which are the more scenic waterways ?

RB

Thanks for the last message. My DH has been wondering if it was acceptable to wear jeans during the day while on excursions. He would never wear the jeans at dinner, but prefers to wear them on excursions.

 

 

Getting excited!

There are jeans and then there are jeans. I have worn dark, dark jeans at dinner with a snazzy top long enough to cover the waistband / pockets. Don't think anyone noticed or cared.

Ripped, faded, baggy or hanging down past your *** jeans are another story.

And at dinner, a shirt with a collar on a man just looks more presentable.

RB

There are pretty parts to both, but I think the Wachau Valley would be more scenic.

RB

Go to you tube to see a number of different videos of the ship.

RB

 

One thing to note is that you are unlikely to find a table for 2 after the beginning of dinner, since they are generally in high demand. You would likely be joining a larger table that was in the middle of dinner.

Unless the ship is not full...then there easily could be a table or two for two.

I guess size does matter to some, but I'm quite comfortable in the 128 sq ft cabins on one of Uniworlds older ships. The beds are very comfortable, they have the usual pillow menu as well, and you can have the bed made up the way you like....no top sheet, just the duvet, or 'American ' style with sheets and blankets.

I'd rather take two different cruises in place of the cost of staying in a suite for one cruise. All these different likes and dislikes are what makes travelling interesting and comfortable for each one of us - nothing right or wrong, just as long as your expectations are met and you are happy.

RB

Thank you for the report. It is always nice to read about travel with the hopes we, too, can fly off somewhere soon.

RB

I can't remember which town had the mayor greet us and take us to his family winery where his elderly parents ran around serving us plonk while we had to endure some family home movies. Okay, it might not have been that bad, but it is not something I would want to experience again. :D

amd123,

thanks for the info about the deal you got. I'm looking into it right now for a quick little cruise in the spring. Happy dance!

Cabins on the River Queen are cozy at 150 sq ft, but not as cozy as the River Ambassador at 128 sq ft!! All their ships have comfortable beds, lots (adequate?) of storage space, dimmable lighting, choice of pillows, bedding, etc. And someone makes your bed, and cleans your bathroom twice a day!!!! what's not to like about that?

We did the Legendary Rhine and Moselle November 2012 and sailed downstream...Basel to Amsterdam, so the itinerary will be a bit different. Strasbourg was delightful. Speyer had the Technik museum we toured on our own time.In Rudesheim the highlight was the cablecar ride, again we did this on our own. The cable car is a two seater and open, so hope for a nice day to ride over the vineyards. The bus ride from Trier to Luxembourg was boring, but seeing the old town made up for the ride. Koblenz was where we took the cable car over the river up to the other side for a very panoramic view of a very busy river.

Wine and beer drinking also took up a bit of free time, and well worth it, too.

Have fun researching and planning.

RB

We have done the Legendary Rhine and Moselle in November on the River Queen. It was a few years ago, and it was one of our favourite cruises.

The 13 days make it a bit more relaxing....less rushed. Every port and excursion was wonderful.

Feel free to ask specific questions and I'll check my notes if I can't remember.

RB

We're on Vantage now, Budapest to Bucharest, and we have name tags.

 

They were waiting on the bed for us when we checked in.

It's good to know Vantage even lets you know what side of the bed you should be sleeping on. (giggle)

It's hard enough to try and blend into your surroundings and not look like a tourist, but wearing a name tag ?! Maybe the guides should also have us hang onto a rope like they do to the wee ones in day care?

RB

Uniworld does not use them and I am glad for that. I would not wear one even if they did use them.

RB

We are a group of 3 couples heading to Prague on 9/26 and embarking on the Princess on 9/28 in Nuremberg to Budapest. Anyone have dinner suggestions for Prague or Budapest? Was the hotel in Prague out of the way? This our first river cruise and any tips or pointer are appreciated. Viking's website indicates that there may be problems with water levels on the Danube. Did anyone experience a problem recently? Thanks

See previous comment about location of Boscolo in Prague. (used by Uniworld)

As far as low water levels...they can change daily. And every cruise company has ships with different drafts, so where one company has to bus the rest of the way, another can continue the cruise because it does not have ships that sit so low in the river.

RB

Thank you Ritabob.

Did you cruise all the way to Budapest?

When you arrive in Budapest do you send the last might on board the boat?

We are thinking to then book a hotel for an additional 3 nights in Budapest.

Any suggestions?

We did not sail all the way to Budapest. This itinerary ended in Vienna, however, two previous cruises did end in Budapest. At that time we did spend the last night aboard. Had very early flights in the morning. There is a lot to see and do in Budapest, so if you do have the time, and the interest, spending extra time there is well worth it.

Which cruise company are you planning on cruising with? Every one uses a different hotel, and I just know about the Boscolo. This hotel is a short walk to Republic Square and then a bit further to Old Town Square and the Charles Bridge. All this is relative only if you don't mind walking on cobblestones.

RB

Thanks we will definitely be in Prague a couple of days before the itinerary begins.

Has anyone done the Prague to Budapest direction? How many days in the hotel in Prague is included?

We were in Prague for 2 nights as part of our Danube Discovery and Prague this past May and for 2 nights as part of our Rhine Discovery and Prague last November. The hotel used by Uniworld was the Boscolo. Great hotel, fabulous breakfast. Make sure you get a map from the front desk and if you can pick up a slightly different map from the tourist counter at the airport.

You will have lots of time to do your own thing if your flight gets you to Prague early the first day. That evening there will be short introduction of what is planned for the next day. You are on your own for dinner. The following day there is a tour of the castle complex and a walk down to the Charles bridge and to the astronomical clock. Then you are on your own. The last day will be the transfer to the ship day. You do have time to explore on your own in the morning. Bring some snacks for the bus, it is almost a 4 hour ride with one pit stop.

RB

Chances are if it is nice, people will sit up top to enjoy the full 360 view. However, during the day you will be on shore visiting the sites and villages...touring.

Distances the ship will travel will be short and most likely happen overnight, not much of picturesque, serene scenery.

RB

We have shopped in Julius M. a number of times...numerous floors of spectacular food, fresh, canned, bottled, baked, fancy shmancy stuff. Worth going back to Vienna....if you really need a reason to go back? :)

RB

Depends on the cruise line and it depends on your fellow passengers.

Usually there is a port talk in the lounge right before dinner. This is where the cruise director will tell you about what is planned for the following day...what time you should gather for a walking tour or to get on a bus to go a bit further or about extra tidbits of information. Then the dining room doors will open at the designated time. Some will rush because they are famished, some will rush to get a larger table, some will rush to get a table with their favourite server. Others will stay back in the lounge and have another cocktail.

Some cruise lines want to serve everyone all at once and other lines have no problem if you saunter in later. They will, however, want you to finish your meal around the same time as those who came in earlier, but lingered longer between courses.

RB

Do you have the option of extending your vacation time? If you do, then you can augment the 'regimented' river cruise with your own road / rail time to explore further away from the river or to go back and do some in-depth exploring.

We like to travel with an all inclusive cruise company. That way our vacation is paid for in advance and all we need is play money. No need to find the money to pay tips for drivers, guides, crew, etc.

You get what you pay for...check out as many cruise companies as you can to see which is going to be the best fit for you. We don't need a balcony and feel very comfy in a 128 sq ft cabin, but we want good food and interesting activities. To each his own!

RB

Usually you will have a card with the ship's phone # on it, but if you will already be docked someone from the ship will be able to give you the exact information to pass along to your taxi driver.

In most ports the cab drivers are usually familiar with the docking areas.

RB

Thank you. So nice black jeans and dressy top is ok for dinners on the cruise?

Yes !

Depending on which cruise line you will be travelling with you might be able to leave your umbrella at home. Many of the lines provide umbrellas. That being said, if you have rain gear (L.L. Bean has hooded, knee length, waterproof, very lightweight) you can forget about carrying an umbrella altogether, leaving both hands free.

RB

Thank you so much for making the time to keep us posted. No detail too small:) Just don't run out of steam...another grin !

another thought that popped into my mind...

With your travel documents there will be a card with the ship's phone #. Have the hotel you are staying in prior to the cruise, call the ship to confirm the docking location. Also good to have it for the taxi driver if they are not familiar with the docks.