May - Tui melodia - Passau

Hi, We are a group of spanish people who are going the 11th May to Passau to embark in the Tui melodia for a cruise of 5 nigths.

We will visit Melk, Viena, Bratislava and Budapest.

Can you tell me anything about this cruise or any recomendation ?

Thanks

I would also like to know if anyone has been on a TUI cruise.

I wasn´t aware that TUI Flussgenuss is marketed outside Germany. It´s a German river cruise company which usually caters the German market only. So language onboard is German. Of course many of the crew will speak English too.

The Melodia is built in 2011 and it´s a twin cruiser meaning there´s a hotel barge and a separate towboat (anyway you will hardly see where it´s connected). This works pretty well reagarding any engine noise in the cabins meaning there is hardly any one.

steamboats

Hi steamboats, I made a similar post a while back asking about TUI Melodia. I was inquiring about a similar cruise on the Melodia that was being offered thru a USA tour operator, Your Man Tours. We did a land/ocean cruise w/ them several years ago and were very pleased. I am still on their mailing list and just received a new brochure from them yesterday. They are still offering a similar itinerary to the one that I inquired about last year. It is a 14 day land/river cruise tour, eight days will be on MS Melodia, embarking the ship in Passau. They are only offering two dates in September (2 & 16) for this cruise.

When I called Your Man Tours to ask questions about the river cruise portion, I was told that they contract w/ the TUI company and it would be an English speaking cruise. So they must be going outside the German market for some of their cruises. I just found an online brochure that Your Man Tour published indicating that TUI Melodia and TUI Allegra are exclusively contracted to YMT for certain cruises and dates.

We visited Melk and Vienna on our river cruise. Melk was a gorgeous place to stop and hopefully they will visit Melk Abbey, it is so worth seeing. Unfortunately, we docked early evening in Vienna so didn't get a chance to see much of the city. We were flying home the next morning. We went to an evening concert at a concert hall that was wonderful!

Here's an article I found: http://www.fvw.com/tui-sailing-ahead-with-river-cruises/393/82919/11245

Here is what is in their brochure: Introducing the TUI Melodia and TUI Allegra to YMT Guests:

Join us aboard! The newly built 4-star-plus ships TUI Allegra and TUI Melodia are setting a new standard that is unparalleled in river cruising. Both ships had their maiden voyage in April 2011 and guarantee particularly quiet and smooth cruising thanks to the twin cruiser technology that offers a virtually vibration-free and low-noise travel experience. Spacious outdoor cabins, extensive sun decks, a friendly lido patio and a spa wellness area provide space to relax. The TUI Allegra and TUI Melodia are exclusive to YMT Vacations guests in the United States and Canada and will travel on select itineraries on the Rivers Rhine and Danube in 2012.

Thought you might find this informative!

I'd be curious to know if the cruise that the above poster is referencing will be in languages other than German. I would think so but perhaps an inquiry to whoever they made reservations with would give them this information.

inesguillermocarmen: I hope that you will post a review of your cruise when you return so that others may get your input. I may still consider booking the Your Man Tour land and river cruise trip. I'd like to get some input.

Mary

I was enquiring about this too, because we will be taking the YMT Danube river Cruise this coming Sept. I am under the impression that YMT has chartered the ship for 2 weeks, therefore it will be marketed to Canadians and Americans. I do not think we will have much of a multinational group onboard.

I know they have been offering this cruise for a couple of years ... Has anyone been on the YMT trip. The itinerary looks very good, but it is difficult to see any reviews of the cruise. Thanks for the link to the article ....looks promising!

Mary,

That article is from 2010. Lot of things have changed since then. It´s pretty complicated. The ships are owned by Premicon (ship investment company) which also took over TransOcean (next to the ocean vessel Astor they do operate several river cruise ships). The former Transocean went bankrupt but the ships were and are still owned by Premicon. So Premicon took over and called the new company TransOcean (see the captial O). TransOcean and TUI cooperated and ships were offered by both companies (which was quite confusing and not really accepted on the German market). While TUI started out with the TransOcean ships they also worked on their newbuilts (Maxima, Sonata, Melodia, Allegra). They also took over the former Deilmann ship Mozart which was renovated and called TUIMozart (now it´s operated by Dertour and called DertourMozart). TUI took over the Premicon Queen which was a true 5 star vessel (the best on the European rivers). The Premicon Queen is now called TUIQueen (but not 5 star anymore). TransOcean and TUI sort of split up their ships again and now act as separate companies again. Just recently TransOcean decided to move their offices from Bremen to Munich (where the headquarter of Premicon resides). There´s not much to be heard about TUI Flussgenuss in Germany although river cruising is booming. I think they still have a problem with branding. They finally do have their own website

http://www.tui-flussgenuss.de/

The river cruises used to be on the main TUI website for the last couple of years and were really hard to find. TransOcean and TUI Flussgenuss still offer the same ship in France which is the Maribelle. TUI Flussgenuss had announced more newbuilts but they never showed up.

Regarding YMT I´m pretty sure that this will be a full or partial charter and then of course English will be the main language on board. But charters do have their own rules anyway.

steamboats

Hi Steamboats, thanks so much for those updates. And yes, I agree w/ you that it is confusing! Where the YMT river cruise is only being offered on those two dates in Sept., I agree that it will be a charter in English. As I noted, we have traveled w/ Your Man Tours on one other occasion and were very satisfied with the trip. We did a land/ocean tour and it was very nicely organized. We had no complaints about that trip. I would definitely book another trip with them.

Thanks again, much appreciated information.

Mary

Marysb: I hope that when you return from your Danube cruise w/ YMT, you will give us a review of your trip. Good luck and have a great cruise!

Hi Mary: My husband and I are booked on the Sept. 16 Danube cruise. We are from Canada and I understand the people on board will be from the USA or Canada and everything will be in English. We are really looking forward to this trip, did the Rhine River last year. Visiting Munich at Oktoberfest time is a wonderful way to end the trip. I have been trying to find info and the Melodia, but no one seems to know much about it. The voltage is 220 and there is a hair dryer in the bathrooms. Hope to meet you on the cruise.

Bev

Thanks for all your coments. With my poor english I will write on arrival ( 13 th may) a review of the cruise.

I have to say that the company has sent me all the menus so I have been able to translate them here with some help of german speaking people so the 14 of us go confident that we are going to understand and been understood. Thanks

Hi inesguillermocarmen, thanks for your reply. I am sure you will have a great cruise and do hope you will tell us about it when you return. Your English is excellent!

Hi. It is so nice read talk of the Melodia Danube Cruise. I too am booked on the Sept 16th YMT Trip. I was very pleased with their Great Northwest and Alaska Cruise and had a great time on their European Pilgrimage tour. This tour should be a treat. I will be waiting to read any reviews of the up-coming trips. I am in New York, leaving from LaGuardia airport. Tom

Hi Tom: We are really looking forward to this cruise. We did a river cruise on the Rhine last year and really enjoyed it. We will be flying out of Toronto, so see you there.

Bev

Hi Bev. Does river cruising have an major differences than sea cruising? Did you take the Melodia's sister ship on the Rhine. I took a tour of Austria, Switzerland and Germany in 2010 to see the Passion Play in Oberammergau. I saw some of Munich, Rothenburg o.d. Tauber, and got to the front door of Schloss Neuschwanstein. We had no time for a tour. This time we go in. Yeah! Can't wait. Tom

Hi Tom: River cruising is more relaxing than a big cruise ship and you get to know so many of the people on the boat. We never realized there were so many other boats on the river. We are doing this so my husband, Ron, can finally see where the original Oktoberfest took place. He had always wanted to go to Munich so he has settled on just seeing where it started. He couldnt drink like he used to so just to enjoy the suroundings will be good for him. Look forward to a nice relaxing trip.

Bev

Hi Bev and Tom,

We are flying out of Toronto too. I found this info on the Melodia online. It has some photos and a deck plan of the ship. You'll just have to muddle through the German.

http://www.tui-flussgenuss.de/fileadmin/pdf/schiffe/Flussgenuss_W11_Allegra_Melodia.pdf

By the way, I heard today that the cruise is almost fully booked.

Mary

Hi Mary: Thanks for the info on the Melodia. I could not find anything on it. We are looking forward to the trip and all the people we get to meet. Hope to see you at the airport.

Bev

Hi Mary. Dankeschön. I can see my deck chair. I am booked into one of the porthole cabins. It will be a great tour and cruise! Thanks, Tom

Hi all, Just 6 weeks to go. I have been in more than 30 cruises and in 2 river cruises so I hope to send you good review and usuful details. We have organized the tours with a private company with spanish guides. Bratislava just walking tour and the other with coach, but short tours because we think these cities must have seen and discover by our own, who knows¡¡¡¡

all the best to you in eastern¡¡

Can't wait to hear about your tours. Do know if wine and beer is included with this cruise?

Hi, On our cruise the beberages are not included.

We have paid 29 euros per day for unlimited drinks.

I have asked to take some wine on board I they have not allowed me.

Bye

Hi. I have just come back to Spain from the Danau river. Tui melodia = excellent ¡¡¡¡

We were 14 spanish people in a german ship and I can only tell you good things. The crew is incredible. All of them have tried to make us feel really confortable. The ship is almost new so everything works perfectly. The shower is bigger than the one in the big ships. My cabin was a single one and is fantastic. The window can be opened from the floor to the cealing and the view is always ohhhhhhh¡¡¡ There is no poise from the engine so you sail under the sound of the birds . The food is excellent, early for us, but we knew it before going. I have to tell you again that the crew do their best always. Tanja and Paolo, director and cruise guest manager do a superb job. people in the front desk always with a smile. We have received more than expected. Thanks tui melodia

Thank you so much for the information. I am glad you had such a good time and it helps us to know that we will also enjoy ourselves. We will all be from Canada & the US, it is chartered by a tour company in the US. I gather there was not too much trouble with the language. Also what currency was used on board, Euro I guess. It is nice to know the cabins are comfortable and the staff so friendly.

Thanks again

Grammab7

Cabins and staff incredible. on board is euro, but maybe with you they change it if it is a charter. I do not know. Tle house wine is fantastic. We are from spain; We are used to drinking wine every day and we were with a little fear about the house wine and we have found it excellent for the price. You have several pillows to choose; the tv works fantastic. Internet works horrible but not only this ship. danau river, amont so many countries it os impossible that the internet works well so we have relaxed a lot without internet in the blackberry. when you arrive to the cities you find places with wifi .

Great to hear you had a wonderful trip. Thanks for the information on the rooms and wine. Sounds great! Hope you don't mind answering a couple of questions.... Was there only one time for dinner? Were any city excursions included with you cruise? Can you recommend any tips on things to do in the port cities?

Thanks again. You report has me getting excited for our September cruise.

Mary

Hi. In our cruise dinner was a fixed time. Always early for us. For example 18.00 , 18.30 and 19.00.

We never have dinner at that time but we knew it. Do what the romans do ......

No tours included in our price, but it was not a charter.

tips: Passau. Hotel Konig. superb location. Excellent breakfast. Rooms OK. At first sigth , the entrance is poor. Dont be sad. This hotel has an excellent location and what you pay worth it. If I come back and I would go again. Dsitance to the pier just 200 metres but we had a private bus in order to go into the ship. 200 metres is not a long distance but with lugagge and some of my group were old people.

Melk. The ship docks just under the abbey. We also had a coach to go up. If you are healthy and sport people you dont need it but I would book for it. My group, all of them took the coach but they went back to the ship on foot. ( by foot? ). Dont miss this visit. It is a 1 hour visit. In your way back to the ship has a beer in the small town. Nice place to have a drink in a terrace.

Viena and Budapest; You know evething about these cities. A tour is needed.

Bratislava. You dont need coach. A walking tour is enougth. There is a fantastic small train ( similar to and old small red bus ) and you can visit the city on it.

All the best