Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Vantage Travel: Majestic Rivers of Europe July 7, 2013

Two from Virginia

By Two from Virginia,
in River Cruising

Recommended Posts

WhansaMi

WhansaMi

Posted
Posted
Thank you, WhansaMi, for the detailed response. I have been on a river cruise before and am willing to put up with most of the inconveniences in exchange for the cities visited. But I am concerned about the lack of detail about the tours. I too would like to schedule private tours, especially in Vienna and Budapest. I would like to see the buildings lighted at night.

 

In Vienna, the tours do not mention anything around the cathedral. Where does the shuttle drop you and for how long?

 

And in Budapest, the tour doesn't mention anything in Pest. Can I walk over the Chain Bridge and to the cathedral?

 

Thank you for all the information.

 

The tours do not take you to the cathedral in Vienna. We did the the Schonbrunn tour, and after, they dropped us off at Hofberg museum area. We didn't go from there to the cathedral (we went the next day), but looking at the map, it appears it wasn't that far... perhaps half a mile, walking? They dropped us off about 2 pm, and the last shuttle left at, I believe it was quarter to four, because dinner was going to be at five.

 

That was another of our frustrations... about the shuttles... In Vienna, we did use the shuttle, because we were going to the concert that night, but, several times the last shuttles were planned around dinner, not when we left the port, so on several occasions, we chose not to use the shuttle. It would have been nice, for instance, if we were docking until 11, for them to have a later shuttle for those of us who wished to stay in town for dinner. Instead, we ended up taking metros and taxis back.

 

Anyway, one recommendation I would make is NOT to do the Vienna Woods excursion, and go off on your own the second day. Vienna Woods is a park.. a lovely park but a park nonetheless. And the "Lodge" is a ruin. No one that I talked to liked it. The metro was pretty close to where we docked, so we took the metro to the cathedral, walked down the shopping area, and went to the Succession Building. Unfortunately, we went during the worst heat wave they had had for 100 years, so we did some more walking, and then went back to the ship.

 

Yes, Budapest.. I love the city, but that, more than any other place, Vantage seems to sort of wing it, as far as making last second plans of where to go. So, I am guessing our experience may not be yours!

 

We did the pre-cruise extension. One morning they took us to Pest, to the Fisherman's Bastion. There are several shopping streets there, so they turned us loose for a little while after the tour. We didn't go to the palace (which was really weird), but our hotel (which was WONDERFUL, by the way... spring for the river view, you won't regret it!) was right at Chain Bridge, so you could walk over. They also didn't go to the cathedral; we did that on our own.

 

I would also recommend going to the Great Synagogue. It is an incredible place... very interesting. If you are going in the summer, I can refer you to our guide there. He is an American who lived in Budapest for a long while. He now is a college professor in the history department at SUNY, but his wife is Hungarian, so they go back every summer, and he runs tours there. It is nice, because he gives you much more of a real life background of the area, not just the whitewashed version.

 

If I can help in any other way, please let me know.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mginfl

mginfl

Posted
Posted

Your information is invaluable. And, yes, we will be there in July, and I would like the contact information for your guide in Budapest. There are four of us traveling together, and I would like someone who can take us out at night to photograph the lighted buildings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
WhansaMi

WhansaMi

Posted
Posted
Your information is invaluable. And, yes, we will be there in July, and I would like the contact information for your guide in Budapest. There are four of us traveling together, and I would like someone who can take us out at night to photograph the lighted buildings.

 

His name is Jeff Taylor, and here is the website:

 

http://www.palstreettours.com/

 

Good luck, and let me know if there is any other info I can provide.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Two from Virginia

Two from Virginia

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I think it was a confluence of things...

 

(1) I think when I heard "smaller ship", I imagined smaller groups on the tours than on ocean liners. We generally don't do ship's tours on ocean

Enjoyed reading your account of why you do not like river cruising. We, too, have sailed on the Prisendam and really enjoyed the small size. We always did tours with private tour guides.

On the group tours, is there any "down time" where you can venture out on your own? Do the tours leave right after breakfast?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
WhansaMi

WhansaMi

Posted
Posted
In the event we have to wait a goodly amount of time, do you know of anything near the airport that can be visited?

 

No.... the airport is far away. As a matter of fact, between the airport and the city, it pretty much looks like a bombed out area.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
WhansaMi

WhansaMi

Posted
Posted
I think it was a confluence of things...

 

(1) I think when I heard "smaller ship", I imagined smaller groups on the tours than on ocean liners. We generally don't do ship's tours on ocean

Enjoyed reading your account of why you do not like river cruising. We, too, have sailed on the Prisendam and really enjoyed the small size. We always did tours with private tour guides.

On the group tours, is there any "down time" where you can venture out on your own? Do the tours leave right after breakfast?

 

On some of them you do, but many, no.. or if it is, it is like 30 minutes.

 

We got to the point that we would ask our group coordinator when we should meet them, and we would go off on our own. Even if we missed the commentary (which was, in many cases, either unintelligible or not very interesting), we were able to be much more efficient.

 

For instance, at the Belvedere, we noticed that the guide was spending 20 minutes explaining the entryway, and we were concerned about not being able to see all the Klimpts. We asked what time we should meet, and went off on our own. We saw nearly three times the exhibits, including several Klimpts the others never got to see.

 

We ended up doing this on almost all the tours, as we found the pacing of the group to be very frustrating. People would walk into a room and stop dead at the entryway, with 30 people behind them. It took a *very* long time to move from one place to another, for that reason.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
WhansaMi

WhansaMi

Posted
Posted
Did you contract him in place of the ship sponsored tour or were you extended pre or after?

 

It was during the extension.

 

Whether you do it in addition to, or in the place of, the ship's tours, it is well worth it. He is far above the quality of every ship tour we took.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mginfl

mginfl

Posted
Posted

I booked Jeff for an evening tour on the only night that we are in Budapest. He will meet us at the ship, which he says docks in a very convenient location for a walking tour. Thanks for giving me his information. The tour doesn't do much in Budapest, as far as I can see.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Two from Virginia

Two from Virginia

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I booked Jeff for an evening tour on the only night that we are in Budapest. He will meet us at the ship, which he says docks in a very convenient location for a walking tour. Thanks for giving me his information. The tour doesn't do much in Budapest, as far as I can see.

 

How long are we in Budapest? Did you do the post cruise extension?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
WhansaMi

WhansaMi

Posted
Posted
I booked Jeff for an evening tour on the only night that we are in Budapest. He will meet us at the ship, which he says docks in a very convenient location for a walking tour. Thanks for giving me his information. The tour doesn't do much in Budapest, as far as I can see.

 

I'm so glad! I think you will be very happy.

 

The only thing you should keep abreast of is where the company is allowed to dock. The specific location will be determined at the moment, and even, perhaps, moved. Ours started out at a place and moved later. One was more convenient than the other. Again, it is one of the things that makes river cruising a little more challenging.

 

The good news is that Jeff checks his e-mail regularly, at least in the summer. You should probably just check in with him, as soon as you know for sure where the ship will be, and make sure that it is a good meeting place.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Two from Virginia

Two from Virginia

Posted
  • Author
Posted
We only have one day in Budapest. Then we leave the ship the next day. We didn't take an extension. There are 4 of us traveling together. Would you like to join us on the evening tour?

 

Hi - Would you please give me more details? Is this a walking or van tour? How long is the tour (1 hour, 2 hours, etc.)? What is the cost per person? Does he guarantee to get us back to the boat in time?

Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mginfl

mginfl

Posted
Posted

The cost is the same for 4 or more. Since there are already 4 of us, you wouldn't increase the cost, which is 40 euros an hour. We could just split that amount so that it would be less for everybody. It is a 2 hour (at least) walking tour. I want it to be after dark so that we will see the buildings lighted. We don't have to worry about getting back to the boat. It isn't going anywhere. We disembark the next morning. We'll just have to be sure that we get our bags out in time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Two from Virginia

Two from Virginia

Posted
  • Author
Posted
The cost is the same for 4 or more. Since there are already 4 of us, you wouldn't increase the cost, which is 40 euros an hour. We could just split that amount so that it would be less for everybody. It is a 2 hour (at least) walking tour. I want it to be after dark so that we will see the buildings lighted. We don't have to worry about getting back to the boat. It isn't going anywhere. We disembark the next morning. We'll just have to be sure that we get our bags out in time.

 

please include us on this tour (my husband and myself). Thanks for organizing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 months later...
mginfl

mginfl

Posted
Posted

When we were changed from July 7 to June 28 we received a $250 refund. I only received $100, but when my friend told me she got $250 I called Vantage and was given the missing $150.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 months later...
iuscottdd

iuscottdd

Posted
Posted

I just booked the November 11, 2013 sailing. I'll be traveling alone. Any other people traveling alone?

 

I'm looking for advice for the "either / or" tours for Day 7 in Wurzburg (Wurzburg Residenz or Rothenburg ob der Tauber), Day 11 in Passau (Cesky Krumlov or walking tour of Passau) and Day 12 in Vienna (Art History Museum (is this Kunthistorisches Museum?) or Schonbrunn Palace).

 

Are any of the optional tours a "must see" (Augustusburg Palace, dinner with wine at Heurigen Wolff, Belvedere Castle, GOdollo: Sissi Castle and Hungarian horsemen show)?

 

I'm flying into Frankfort on my own and have not booked the ship's $100 transfer. Is there a better way to transfer from the airport to the ship? Also, I have not booked the ship's $50 transfer from the ship to the Budapest airport. Any suggestions?

 

Thank you!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: Set Sail Beyond the Ordinary with Oceania Cruises
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: The Widest View in the Whole Wide World
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...