On board Avalon Tranquility

[Sylve1]

Thought I would take advantage of the good Internet at the moment. We boarded a few hours ago and the boat is wonderful - just as others have reported. We took a bus under our own steam from Prague to Nuremberg which was a very comfortable, easy way to go.

I didn't realise the boat had a lovely outside deck at the front. Not very large but very nice. We have already sat there with a drink with other passengers.

Love the room! So compact but use made of every space. No surprises.

The passengers seem to be a mix of age groups and nationalities. I will have better idea after dinner tonight.

The pervading feeling on the boat is quiet excitement as many have been looking forward to this trip for many months.

There seems to no problems with water levels at this time. :) the weather is warm and sunny.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Have a great cruise ....

[MMDown Under]

Hope you have a great cruise, which is not affected by low water levels.

[glgblues]

We were on the Tranquility in August. Wonderful trip!:) The internet can be very iffy at times.:confused:The dining room got a little warm at nights. We found out it was cooler to sit in the dining areas closer to the buffet service area.

[Sylve1]

We are enjoying the ship so much. The amenities are first class in our opinion. The beds are like a cloud and although the rooms/ cabins are compact there is a place for everything. We have found the food and service to be wonderful. Yesterday we had had a BBQ lunch on the skydck. The weather was beautiful and we were docked in Regensburg. Great to be able to walk to town.

Prague has spoilt us a bit as it is so magnificent. The history of Nuremburg very interesting. We took the tour into the Danube Gorge and Abbey. Gorge was nice but not spectacular but the abbey church was mind blowing. If you were not sure about which optional tours to take I think you could miss this one but we did enjoy it.

The entertainment is quirky ( the entertainer last night had a huge curled beard and played various instruments. Not our thing but people seemed to enjoyed it)

We are among the youngest but everyone is very friendly and we have had lovely conversation and fun with many different people. There are quite a few Canadians and Americans and a few Australians and English.

 

Today we are off to Salzburg. I really was not sure about this one and read lots of opinions before we left but you don't get to spend much time in Passau if on board and we also go through the Wachau valley tomorrow so off we go. Will let you know what we think if Internet allows.

The weather is not going to be so good the next couple of days but then picks up again. The Internet has been reasonably reliable.

 

The dining room is very noisy but we have worked out that the 3 first tables near the buffet area on each side are quieter and right down the back against the wall is a bit better too. I think the rectangular tables are better as you hear people more clearly than on the round tables. Just our observation.

 

After all our research river cruising is all we expected and more. :)

ps no problems with water levels.

[Sylve1]

Salzburg was really worth it. The drive through the country side was different to what we had seen so far. It rained most of the day unfortunately but we still manged to see most things. It was a very picturesque town nestled between the mountains. It probably deserves a 1-2 day stay to see it properly but if that is not on your itinerary I would definitely recommend the day. We did not find the bus trip too long and the included guided walk was really well done. Salzburg streets are quite narrow so get very crowded. The Sound of Music was given just enough attention but was not the focus. On the way home we stopped at the church featured in the movie which also broke up the trip back to the boat. Our guide played some classical music on the way home while we were told the other bus had Sound of Music songs. We preferred the classical but many people seemed really keen on the Sound of Music connection.

 

Today was Melk Abbey and sailing through the Wachau Valley. Neither will disappoint!

 

Our cruise director mentioned that even though rain was not the best sight seeing weather they were happy to see rain as the river levels had been low. In fact, when we left Nuremburg some ships could not continue due to low water levels. Apparently Avalons ships have a flatter bottom which allows it to sail in lower water. Something cruiser may like to consider.

[Riversanddale]

It's great to read of your progress and your thoughts for the day. While not on the same line we will be traveling much of your route next month and find the information very helpful. Thanks so much. Enjoy every moment!

[tassietravellers]

Enjoying reading your posts and relivng ours of a few weeks ago, we did Budapest to Amsterdam on the Panorama, went to all the places you go...enjoy,

we loved every minute..had a few problems due to low water levels, but still enjoyed everything...I would definitely take another river cruise and with Avalon. Happy sailing :-)

[stretchcruz]

We loved the Tranquility from Budapest to Prague, thank you for taking the time to post from your cruise. Who is your cruise director? We had a waiter named Zoltan, and we sat at his table every night, toward the front of the dining room. Truly enjoyed our experience and I'm glad you are having a good time as well.

[Sylve1]

Enjoying reading your posts and relivng ours of a few weeks ago, we did Budapest to Amsterdam on the Panorama, went to all the places you go...enjoy,

we loved every minute..had a few problems due to low water levels, but still enjoyed everything...I would definitely take another river cruise and with Avalon. Happy sailing :-)

 

Hi Tassie Travellers. I so enjoyed reading your posts and found them really helpful so thought I would try and do the same thing. :)

Our cruise director is Isabel. She runs a tight ship! She is very funny but very to the point. Everyone does as they are told including the tour guides and drivers! I mean that in a good way. It is quite a feat to organise all those people to be where they are meant to be in time.

We went to the Vienna concert. Not our usual type of entertainment by a long shot but we really enjoyed it. Great to experience in our opinion. Also the lights at night were wonderful as we did a circuit of the town.

Next day Vienna which is a wonderful mixture of old and new. Walking tour was good. On our own we went to to the Hofberg Wnter Palace and the Austrian National library which was well worth the visit. We wandered the streets and went up the north tower of St Stephan's church in a quirky round elevator. Great views over Vienna.

Went to Schoenbrunn Palace in the afternoon which was the Hofbergs Summer Pakace. The tour did the apple strudel demonstration and tasting, fantastic tour of the interiors and then the enormous gardens. Because of limited time we could have done without the strudel demonstration and had that time in the gardens as we only had about 15 mins there. We really didn't need anything more to eat!

We are very glad we went but on reflection we should have gone to the Summer Palace on our own straight from town on the metro. We could have spent a more leisurely time there. In the end we saw as much of Vienna in one day as we could. I have the metro details if anyone wants them.

Crew show last night. Los of fun. :)

[webfoot]

Isabel was our cruise director on the maiden voyage of the Affinity. She is very organized and does run a tight ship. We loved having her as our cruise director!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Polycarp]

Thanks for your current comments concerning your Nurenberg to Budapest cruise. I will be going on the same itinerary on Nov. 1st wine cruise.

 

Question on Tranquility outlets. Do you have a 110v outlet in bathroom, and are there easy to reach 220v outlets, elsewhere in cabin? Do you only need a european adaptor( 2 round prongs), to fit on my dual voltage appliances?

 

Thanks for information, as I am currently trying to purchase these adaptors(from Magellan).

[Sylve1]

One 110 v in the bathroom. Two 240 volt in the bedroom area. Yes a two pronged adapter.

 

Budapest city tour was excellent. Ship docks right near the Market hall. Went on the Budapest night lights tour. Was good but you could easily give it a miss. Many people were tired today. Must have been all that dancing and carry on with the crew entertainment! Many went on the afternoon tour to a diamond factory and Hungarian village and another church, which took 5 hours and many said it was too long. Didn't do it ourselves.

 

Well our trip is almost over. We disembark in the morning and stay another 3 nights in Budapest under our own steam! 7 nights have been perfect for us. Met such great people. I know a new batch of cruisers will be looking forward to boarding tomorrow. :) sure they will have a fantastic time.

 

We saw a few of the other cruise ships which looked great and read lots of comments on Cruise Critic but the general feeling we get is that most people are happy with their choice. :)

[MMDown Under]

Thank you for sharing your river cruise experiences.

 

Enjoy your extra 3 days in Budapest.

[Riversanddale]

Glad you had such a good trip. We would love to hear about your extra three days in Budapest as we go next month and have an extra three nights in Budapest before our trip. Would love to know your favorite "dont' miss" experiences. Thanks so much for sharing.

[Sylve1]

Glad you had such a good trip. We would love to hear about your extra three days in Budapest as we go next month and have an extra three nights in Budapest before our trip. Would love to know your favorite "dont' miss" experiences. Thanks so much for sharing.

 

Bet you are looking forward to your cruise! Are you doing the 3 days with Avalon?

We are staying at the Hotel Victoria which was recommended on this forum I think. it is on the Buda side and has million dollar views of the Chain Bridge and Parliament. The room has a big bay window with comfy lounge chairs for relaxed viewing. Was only about $120 per night with breakfast. Takes 5 minutes to walk to Pest side over Chain Bridge.

 

We did a city tour with Avalon which was very good. It took us to Fisherman's Bastion and the Mathius Church. Both a must. Today we went to St Stephan's and although I thought i was churched out this one still merited a look. In fact it was magnificent. Had an elevator to the top which had fantastic views. Walked from St Stephans church up andrassy Ave to Heroes Square. (Was not impessed with spa baths. Didnt look well maintained to us. )You take the hop on bus or metro if you don't want to walk. Took about an hour. Very nice tree lined street.

 

Went to museum of Terror. If you only speak English I wouldnt bother. For example there would be about 10 photos of men in a cell and because we can't read Hungarian we have no idea whether they were victims or tormentors. Many rooms had no meaning for us. Saying that it was well done I guess.

 

Poked our heads into the opera house which was worth a look. Depends on your interests as to whether you do a tour. also went on a night lights tour with Avalon which was good but hop on hop of bus would have been just as good.

 

Still plan to look around castle area and Parliament house tour which are on at 10am, 12 and 2 pm. All museums are closed Mondays.

Hope that helps. :)

We watched the Tranquility sail past us on its way to Vienna about 5:30 pm. We could imagine what was going on on board.

[caviargal]

 

Went to museum of Terror. If you only speak English I wouldnt bother. For example there would be about 10 photos of men in a cell and because we can't read Hungarian we have no idea whether they were victims or tormentors. Many rooms had no meaning for us. Saying that it was well done I guess.

 

We are headed to BUD in 9 weeks and really looking forward to this first visit. That museum is high on our list as we have a strong interest in WW2 and friends that have spent time in BUD said it was a highlight of their trip. We are definitely planning a visit there as well as one to the Baths. There are several and I have researched to find the one that most appeals to us. Since this is a big part of their culture, it is something we want to experience.

 

We have a half day booked with a private guide. For us, that is our preference when visiting a city with as much history as Budapest. We find it to be invaluable.

[blingbling]

So wonderful to hear about your cruise while you were on the ship! Glad to hear it met your expectations and makes me excited for our upcoming Rhine cruise with Avalon....will plan to recap the days as you have, as it really gives a great indication of the day's activities.

Karen

[stretchcruz]

We went to the House of Terror museum and I didn't last more than 10 minutes. I was sobbing my eyes out and had to leave, could not deal with it. The movie was unbelievable. Unfortunately, it did happen, and I know it, but I could not deal with the physical reminders.

[pully8]

http://www.terrorhaza.hu/index_1.html a link to the website for more info if others are interested.

 

so much history in europe and a trip there is educational but can be disturbing. however somethings need to be remembered and never forgotten.

 

there is another place not often mentioned in koln.

http://www.museenkoeln.de/homepage/default.asp?s=172

 

fortunately despite the past horror there is true beauty in europe and lovely people.

we will have our 4 avalon cruise next month in vienna. we love the style of travel and meeting people from all over the world.

 

the history is interesting and important but can be confronting.

[stretchcruz]

Sometimes us Americans don't remember or realize what happened in Europe. Sobering.

[Sylve1]

Sometimes us Americans don't remember or realize what happened in Europe. Sobering.

 

Yes very sobering. We are interested in the history too and feel it needs to be remembered and respected which was why we went to this museum. I have taken all their English handouts home to read properly. The film footage they have is incredible and I can understand how some people find it too confronting. Maybe I shouldn't have said 'don't bother'. I guess i was a bit disappointed because i wanted the information as i walked around. I just meant without a bit more English explanation to a room or photo or display it becomes harder to understand the impact. I will be interested in what you think Carvigal (?spelling) when you go. It is certaining well done.

We like doing things on our too but since the included tours were not too long we decided to take them. A couple we broke away early as sometimes you just like to walk and absorb without the talking in your ear. The city our of Budapest gave us about 40 mins on our own at Fisherman's Bastion. Some of the tours were jut too slow a pace or us and one occasion it was not the passengers- it was the guide walking so slowly through Vienna it was ridiculous. Some guides have a great way of speaking and are very engaging, others not so good. Sometimes I listened to a guide from another group and they were much better narrators so it was luck of the draw. If this happened we changed if we could. Just turn your receiver off and stand near the new guide and turn it back on and you could hear that guide instead.

Getting on and off buses was well organised and everyone was on time. It didn't take too long. Yes, some people are a lot slower but we expected that and we were patient. The buses had two doors open which made getting on and off quicker.

 

Budapest is easy to walk around which is our preferred way of seeing a city. The metro and hop on hop off bus looks good also. The amount of beautiful buildings is staggering and the lights at night have to be seen to be believed!

 

Hope that explains better. :)

[caviargal]

I have visited Dachau twice and spent a good amount time in Berlin (returning in December for my 6th stay) as well as around Germany. The history there can be overwhelming but I feel as if I am respecting those that suffered so to see and learn just a little of what they endured.

 

I will never forget my first visit to Dachau at 16 which was the same year as my first visit to Berlin, when the wall was in full force. Very sobering for a somewhat sheltered American teen and something that has stayed with me always.

 

My next trip to Dachau was 8 years ago when I took my mother to Munich. My father did 2 tours in WWII and would never speak about it and my mom wanted to see it so we went. It was more powerful that visit as I really was able to understand more of the horrors and the museum was also open at that time.

 

As a teen I read everything I could about WWII before spending time in Austria as an exchange student. That trip and experience changed my life and opened my eyes and I have been traveling to Europe ever since.

 

Sylve1, did Avalon not offer fast walker tours? They did not on our trips with them and we did find the pace too slow for the included tours so most often went off on our own. As you said, it is easy to do.

 

Thanks for sharing your trip with us.

[Sylve1]

I have visited Dachau twice and spent a good amount time in Berlin (returning in December for my 6th stay) as well as around Germany. The history there can be overwhelming but I feel as if I am respecting those that suffered so to see and learn just a little of what they endured.

 

I will never forget my first visit to Dachau at 16 which was the same year as my first visit to Berlin, when the wall was in full force. Very sobering for a somewhat sheltered American teen and something that has stayed with me always.

 

My next trip to Dachau was 8 years ago when I took my mother to Munich. My father did 2 tours in WWII and would never speak about it and my mom wanted to see it so we went. It was more powerful that visit as I really was able to understand more of the horrors and the museum was also open at that time.

 

As a teen I read everything I could about WWII before spending time in Austria as an exchange student. That trip and experience changed my life and opened my eyes and I have been traveling to Europe ever since.

 

Sylve1, did Avalon not offer fast walker tours? They did not on our trips with them and we did find the pace too slow for the included tours so most often went off on our own. As you said, it is easy to do.

 

Thanks for sharing your trip with us.

 

No they didn't have slow walker tours. One day they had a mini van for the people with walking difficulties. I think that was to Melk Abbey. The tours often started with a bus tour with interesting information. I tried to follow on my map to help me become orientated. As you probably know, then we might have some walking and then some time to ourselves. Didn't always have to go back with the bus but most times yes in the small towns as we were sailing again. Every time was a bit different.

In Prague we had a private guide for the morning as well doing a Segway tour. Both were fantastic. Thanks for the private guide recommendation. Even though Jana couldn't take us she recommended Zuzana who was excellent. She is Jewish and her grandparents perished during the Holocaust. Moving and interesting. She lived through the Communist regime in her younger years. What a concept!

We would like to visit the Holocaust Museum in Berlin. I think it might be called the Jewish Museum. Dont think I can visit a concentration camp. Yes I agree with you the history needs to be remembered and respected.

 

Today we walked over the Elizabeth Bridge and to the New York Cafe. Service and meal average but the decor amazing so worth the visit. Were too late for Parliament today so tomorrow for that one.

[Sylve1]

Caviergal. I just looked on trip adviser about the Museum of Terror. On the whole the comments are very positive but quite a few express the opinion that they would have liked more English translation. One poster commented that if you only speak English you should definitely hire English audio. Maybe the museum itself should promote this more as we would have done this if we had known how intregal it was to getting the most out of the experience.

Hope this helps others.:)