Avalon Tapestry

[Bojangles]

This will be our first river cruise. Most of our cruising has been Ocean Liners. Oceania, Celebrity and Holland American. We our really looking forward to our river cruise from Prague to Budapest next summer, in later part of August. Has anyone out there been on this cruise? Any ideas on what not to miss. WE have never been to Prague, Vienna or Budapest, so we are really excited Thank you Donna

[Maxsboubie]

We are doing this cruise in May.. Hope you get some answers

[usavvy2]

This will be our first river cruise. Most of our cruising has been Ocean Liners. Oceania, Celebrity and Holland American. We our really looking forward to our river cruise from Prague to Budapest next summer, in later part of August. Has anyone out there been on this cruise? Any ideas on what not to miss. WE have never been to Prague, Vienna or Budapest, so we are really excited Thank you Donna

 

Hi. Yep, just returned. Let's start with my itinerary to make sure we're talking "apples to apples" comparison here:

9/23/2009 Wed NYC - JFK Airport

9/24/2009 Thurs Budapest, Hungary - Intercontinental Hotel (we flew in a day early - got our own air)

9/25/2009 Fri Budapest, Hungary - Intercontinental Hotel

9/26/2009 Sat Budapest, Hungary - Intercontinental Hotel

9/27/2009 Sun Budapest, Hungary - Avalon Tapestry

9/28/2009 Mon Budapest, Hungary - Vienna, Austria - Avalon Tapestry

9/29/2009 Tues Vienna, Austria - Avalon Tapestry

9/30/2009 Wed Durnstein - Melk, Austria - Avalon Tapestry

10/1/2009 Thur Linz, Austria - Passau, Germany - Avalon Tapestry

10/2/2009 Fri Regensburg, Germany - Avalon Tapestry

10/3/2009 Sat Nuremberg, Germany - Avalon Tapestry

10/4/2009 Sun Nuremberg, Germany - disembark - Prague, Czech Rep. Hilton

10/5/2009 Mon Prague, Czech Republic - Hilton

10/6/2009 Tues Prague, Czech Republic - Hilton

10/7/2009 Wed Prague, Czech Republic - Hilton - return home to JFK

[usavvy2]

Budapest - Intercontinental is located within a stone's throw of the Chain bridge. Great location! We were upgraded to a river view room which was SPECTACULAR! (I emailed the hotel and requested their car service from the airport and a room upgrade.)

 

Vienna - morning included excursion. Many took the optional excursion to Schoenburg Palace (sp) additional cost; some did it on their own. Lots of walking through the Palace so we passed on this.

 

Durnstein - I loved this charming little village. There was a walking tour but we personally had a late start so we missed it; however, we felt what we did on our own was adequate. We walked to/from the ship but there was a little train (pulled by a tractor) available for those who didn't want to walk. TIP: Don't miss the beautiful little cemetery in this charming little town.

 

Melk - Tour of the Abbey included. Again, walking (and stairs) involved.

 

Linz - took optional all-day excursion to Salzburg. Tough decision as optional excursion to Cesky (sp) was also available. But we came to see the Alps so we took the Salzburg excrusion. Stopped in Mondtsee for health break and inside look at church where Sound of Music wedding was filmed. Salzburg optional excursion was very good. This was an all-day excursion so the ship packed a bag lunch for each of us.

 

Regensburg - walking tour from the dock. Easy walk. Got to see a few weddings that day! Neat. TIP: eat at the Oldest Sausage kitchen in Europe. Free tix provided by the ship and good sausage, too!

 

Nuremburg - walking tour of the castle then downtown. Our guide also offered a tour through the back streets of Nuremburg over the bridges in town which was a great bonus. TIP: buy the gingerbread cookies!

 

The only negative I could think of re the Tapestry is that my pillow was "kinda flat." Now if that's the ONLY thing negative... you can surmise I thought the trip was FABULOUS. (It was my first river cruise ever!)

 

Will respond more comprehensively this weekend; just wanted to get something down for you to ponder... . Since I just returned yesterday, I'm still under a bit of jet lag and lots of snail mail to read as well as email so can't stay too long here. Also, I took over 800 pix and will post some in an on-line album so if you want to see them when they're posted, provide me with your email addy.

[jaybell]

We were on the AMA Legendary Danube from Prague to Budapest in late August - you can read my review at http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=58260

 

Enjoy! We loved every minute!

[Maxsboubie]

We are doing that same cruise next May. We are doing it reversed. We are also staying in the Intercont. in Budapest. We were at that hotel 2 years ago and loved it. We had a window facing the Danube and watched the riverboats going back and forth. That's when we decided we wanted to try a riverboat. I am looking forward to your hints and info on this trip. We are also on the Tapestry. Thank you

[dobie]

usavvy, doing our very first river cruise Oct 22 2010 on the Tranquility, same itinerary as yours. My email is dobiev@comcast.net, and I would love to see your pictures and hear about your experiences.

Thanks!

[usavvy2]

usavvy, doing our very first river cruise Oct 22 2010 on the Tranquility, same itinerary as yours. My email is dobiev@comcast.net, and I would love to see your pictures and hear about your experiences.

Thanks!

 

Hi Dobie,

I've started typing my "recap" (rather than a review, it's a recap of what we did). I do not plan on posting this recap on the CC message board for a few reasons including that it's already 10 pages and I'm not finished! However, I just sent you the first few pages which I'm done writing along with 5 or 6 pix. (BTW, I have over 700+ pix to review, catalog, and weed out to get the diary to an appropriate size b4 I can upload them to Kodakgallery.com and invite my family and friends to see them so it'll be awhile before that chore gets completed.)

 

Optimal health, usavvy2

[usavvy2]

... The only negative I could think of re the Tapestry is that my pillow was "kinda flat." Now if that's the ONLY thing negative... you can surmise I thought the trip was FABULOUS. (It was my first river cruise ever!)

.

 

this morning as I was drying my hair, I remembered a 2nd negative: the hair dryer was only 1200w. I don't use those really powerful 1875w dryers but I could've used a 1600watter for sure. Fortunately (I guess) my hair isn't really thick or really long or I would've been using that dryer forever!

[dobie]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate you sharing.

[usavvy2]

a few pix from the Tapestry...

 

one shows the pitch ramp of the Tapestry at Durnstein in late September 2009 when the Danube River was considered very low. (In fact, there was talk that the next Avalon ship through would not stop in Durnstein b'c of low water conditions.)

 

the 2nd pix shows the Tapestry sailing toward the Chain Bridge in Budapest on sailaway day 9/25/09.

 

The next pix show the Tapestry docked on the outside of another Avalon ship in Budapest just north of the Liberty and Elizabeth bridges.

 

The next pix shows the inside of a cabin on deck 3 (not a suite).

 

The final pix shows the Tapestry navigating under a low bridge. The portable roofs on the sundeck have been lowered so the ship would clear the bridge.

 

All pix were taken on the Tapestry between 9/25-10/4/09 sailing north from Budapest to Nuremberg.

[usavvy2]

usavvy, doing our very first river cruise Oct 22 2010 on the Tranquility, same itinerary as yours. My email is dobiev@comcast.net, and I would love to see your pictures and hear about your experiences.

Thanks!

 

Dobie, I sent you a copy of the 2nd installment of my recap as well as an invite to view my photobook on Snapfish.com. LMK if you have any questions.

[franski]

Donna -

 

Just back from the similar itinerary with AMA... Absolutely amazing trip. You will love it... I have a couple of comments to supplement usavvy2...

 

Budapest- if you walk the Vaci Utca towards the Central Market, the shops have better prices on the market end. If you make it down there, walk over to the Cave Church - across from the Hotel Gellert. If you are looking for paprika, it is everywhere --> and the only difference is the price. The best price is at the market, but I found it for a good price in a small store by the Fisherman's Bastion. Check the "best before" date... Walk along the Danube to see the Shoes on the Danube memorial...

 

We went to the House of Terror in Budapest, and the Museum of Communism in Prague... Not your usual tourist attractions, but worthwhile if you have an interest in communism, the secret police etc.

 

The sausage kitchen in Regensburg is great... A popular order is "Six with Kraut" --> don't worry, the sausages are small. You can also get the sausages on a bun to go. We bought a jar of their mustard as it is really good.

 

Nuremburg - you can buy postcards that show the devastation of the war... good to get one or two, and then take a picture of the area now to show how things have been rebuilt. And - we bought the lebkuchen (gingerbread...)

 

Fran

[usavvy2]

Donna -

 

Just back from the similar itinerary with AMA... Absolutely amazing trip. You will love it... I have a couple of comments to supplement usavvy2...

 

Budapest- if you walk the Vaci Utca towards the Central Market, the shops have better prices on the market end. If you make it down there, walk over to the Cave Church - across from the Hotel Gellert. If you are looking for paprika, it is everywhere --> and the only difference is the price. The best price is at the market, but I found it for a good price in a small store by the Fisherman's Bastion. Check the "best before" date... Walk along the Danube to see the Shoes on the Danube memorial...

 

We went to the House of Terror in Budapest, and the Museum of Communism in Prague... Not your usual tourist attractions, but worthwhile if you have an interest in communism, the secret police etc.

 

The sausage kitchen in Regensburg is great... A popular order is "Six with Kraut" --> don't worry, the sausages are small. You can also get the sausages on a bun to go. We bought a jar of their mustard as it is really good.

 

Nuremburg - you can buy postcards that show the devastation of the war... good to get one or two, and then take a picture of the area now to show how things have been rebuilt. And - we bought the lebkuchen (gingerbread...)

 

Fran

 

ditto on Fran's comments -

lots of Paprika can be found at the great Market Hall in Budapest; however, we bought Hungarian wine in a small grocery store near Fishermen's Bastion. :cool:

 

Iron Shoes on the Danube located a short walk north of the Intercontinental Hotel (west of the Chain Bridge) - on the way to Parliament. Don't wait to see them from your cruise ship unless you have strong binoculars. (See the difference in the two att. pix.)

 

Avalon gave us coupons for free sausage at the Oldest Sausage kitchen in Regensburg. As Fran says, they were good! Had a note to buy some of their sweet mustard but forgot until it was too late! I believe the name to look for is: Händlmeier Senf", a typical sweet mustard that is usually served with white sausages. (See pix of the sausage from the Oldest Sausage kitchen.)

 

In Nuremberg, we also bought the gingerbread cookies. The booth was located just to the left of the church in the market square as you face the church. We purchased the Elisen type which has less flour. The cookie is soft with spicy gingerbread containing 25% hazelnut and almond and no more than 10% flour with either a white sugar glaze or with a chocolate coating. We bought a tin of four cookies for 6.80euro (about $2.50/cookie).

[Bojangles]

Thank you for all the wonderful information. The pictures are great. We will be going Aug 22, 2010. We are really looking forward to a river boat cruise. This will be our first. usavvy thank you so much for the pictures. We would love any information you can send as this is the very same cruise we will be on. Thank you all. Bojangs@aol.com

[usavvy2]

Thank you for all the wonderful information. The pictures are great. We will be going Aug 22, 2010. We are really looking forward to a river boat cruise. This will be our first. usavvy thank you so much for the pictures. We would love any information you can send as this is the very same cruise we will be on. Thank you all. Bojangs@aol.com

 

Bojangles - section 1 sent. check your email

[usavvy2]

dobie and bojangles - a copy of my pix on Kodak Gallery.com were sent to your email addy. look for it.

[Bojangles]

Hi ussavy; I was wondering, this might sound silly do the cabins that are not suites, have a chair in them. I was wondering in case we wanted to relax in the room. Thank you Donna

[pacmom]

You will be able to find the wonderful mustard at just about any supermarket in Germany. We always bring 2 or 3 bottles home--they make great gifts. Be careful, river cruising is addicting. Pat

[usavvy2]

Hi ussavy; I was wondering, this might sound silly do the cabins that are not suites, have a chair in them. I was wondering in case we wanted to relax in the room. Thank you Donna

 

well they have a chair but it's tucked under the desk and not like a chair you'd have in your living room but one you'd have at your desk or dining room (with arms). Let's see if I can find a pix for you...

 

ok found it. (Sorry you'll have to tilt your head to the right.) The only chair in the room is the one pushed in at the desk. We were able to put it next to the balcony to look out but we had to climb over the bed to sit in it so there's not much space in the cabin for sitting unfortunately... However, I have to say, on an oceanliner I've never been one to sit in the lounge but I did find myself doing so in this lounge one day and found it quite enjoyable.

 

LMK if you have any more questions that I can help with!

[Bojangles]

I looked for your pictures on my e-mail, but could not find it. I also looked in all my other mails. I don't know how I missed them. Thank you anyway. Donna bojangs@aol.com

[franski]

For the Elison Lebkucken - I bought mine in a small shop between the church and the castle. We were walking down from the castle to the main square - and the shop is on your right before you get to the church. Very small shop - only sells cookies. They had a special where you got a package of 4 rectangular, and a package of 5 large round (mixed variety) for under 10 euros. (I think I paid 8.50 or 9 euros - sorry, can't remember the actual amount...) Absolutely scrumptious!!!

[usavvy2]

I looked for your pictures on my e-mail, but could not find it. I also looked in all my other mails. I don't know how I missed them. Thank you anyway. Donna bojangs@aol.com

 

Hi Donna.

No Problem.

 

It was sent to your addy on 10/21 from my hot mail address - Kodak Gallery was the supplier. You were one of 30+ people who were in the address invite and others have been viewing them so not sure what happened but I resent them again - just to you - tonight from Kodak Gallery. Check your email and your spam folder - it should be there!

[usavvy2]

For the Elison Lebkucken - I bought mine in a small shop between the church and the castle. We were walking down from the castle to the main square - and the shop is on your right before you get to the church. Very small shop - only sells cookies. They had a special where you got a package of 4 rectangular, and a package of 5 large round (mixed variety) for under 10 euros. (I think I paid 8.50 or 9 euros - sorry, can't remember the actual amount...) Absolutely scrumptious!!!

 

that's a much better price than mine. But I must say that I don't like gingerbread cookies... at least not American made g/b cookies. However, these don't taste like ours at all (and no little man either) and I was able to eat a whole cookie! A first in my lifetime I think! On the other hand, I got a tin for my sister who loves g/b cookies and she hated them! :p Go figure...

[Bojangles]

Thank you ussavy for the pictures. I really enjoyed looking at them. I am saving them so my husband can see them also. Donna