Anyone out there not sailing Viking?

[bobalink]

...we decided, 3 nights in Budapest and 4 in Istanbul, before and after the cruise to more fully experience each place.

 

...

 

We've only been on one river cruise (Danube), and have one booked for this summer (Seine). Both on AMA. We were very pleased with AMA, and for both cruises, I got a great deal.

 

Istanbul is another great place. Vibrant! We love the people and the food in Turkey, too. Amazing produce, olive oil and their desserts are scrumptious.

 

Safe travels and have fun planning!

[Familygoboston]

We've only been on one river cruise (Danube), and have one booked for this summer (Seine). Both on AMA. We were very pleased with AMA, and for both cruises, I got a great deal.

 

Istanbul is another great place. Vibrant! We love the people and the food in Turkey, too. Amazing produce, olive oil and their desserts are scrumptious.

 

Safe travels and have fun planning!

 

Bobolink- thank you ever so much for the advice about Magdi! I emailed her after emailing Andrea and hearing she was already booked, :eek:

Andrea was happy to set me up with a colleague (maybe Magdi?:confused:), but rather than take a chance with someone I haven't had recommended, I emailed Magdi. She is available and answered all my questions, and already came up with a tentative itinerary we love!:D So happy to have a first hand review; now I know our time in Budapest will be well spent. Thank you again!

 

Our wonderful TA has a great guide in Turkey, so we will have some days to plan there too. We really prefer private guiding or very small groups if its possible. DH is a photographer, and sometimes will wait for the light, or a Truck to move, or for a moment when there are no people entering a building to get the right shot. It takes some patience and we hate to hold up others; but he's willing to pay for the guide, so he can have the time he needs. It's made me more "zen" about traveling too- taking time to be in the moment...and of course I get to chat with the guide while I wait and learn all about their lives;)

 

I'd love to hear about your river cruise through France, I hope you will review it!

[jojocmcla]

We cruised with Tauck in 2009, from Brugge to Amsterdam. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Tauck is very good about taking care of little details. For example, we stopped at an American cemetery. As we got off the bus, our guide gave each of us a rose to place on the grave of a fallen soldier.

 

We are cruising this spring with on the AMALyra, flying into Prague for a 2 day pre-cruise tour; then bussed to Nuremberg for embarkation, cruising down to Budapest, where we'll extend a couple of days. We've heard so many good things about AMA, so decided to give them a try.

 

Bobalink, thanks for the guide information. Will try to contact these ladies.

[bobalink]

Bobolink- thank you ever so much for the advice about Magdi! I emailed her after emailing Andrea and hearing she was already booked, :eek:

Andrea was happy to set me up with a colleague (maybe Magdi?:confused:), but rather than take a chance with someone I haven't had recommended, I emailed Magdi. She is available and answered all my questions, and already came up with a tentative itinerary we love!:D So happy to have a first hand review; now I know our time in Budapest will be well spent. Thank you again!

 

Our wonderful TA has a great guide in Turkey, so we will have some days to plan there too. We really prefer private guiding or very small groups if its possible. DH is a photographer, and sometimes will wait for the light, or a Truck to move, or for a moment when there are no people entering a building to get the right shot. It takes some patience and we hate to hold up others; but he's willing to pay for the guide, so he can have the time he needs. It's made me more "zen" about traveling too- taking time to be in the moment...and of course I get to chat with the guide while I wait and learn all about their lives;)

 

I'd love to hear about your river cruise through France, I hope you will review it!

 

Awesome! So glad it worked out for you!

And, as you say, "zen" or staying in the moment, is a great reminder for all of us busy travelers.

 

We cruised with Tauck in 2009, from Brugge to Amsterdam. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Tauck is very good about taking care of little details. For example, we stopped at an American cemetery. As we got off the bus, our guide gave each of us a rose to place on the grave of a fallen soldier.

 

We are cruising this spring with on the AMALyra, flying into Prague for a 2 day pre-cruise tour; then bussed to Nuremberg for embarkation, cruising down to Budapest, where we'll extend a couple of days. We've heard so many good things about AMA, so decided to give them a try.

 

Bobalink, thanks for the guide information. Will try to contact these ladies.

 

You are welcome! I hope you are able to schedule your tours with them, they are really terrific.

You are in for a treat on your upcoming Danube cruise. Prague is absolutely magical, and Budapest is amazing. All the little villages in between are fun, too.

Some day I want to try Tauck. I have looked at several of their cruises and land tours on their website. They really look like a first-class company.

 

Enjoy!!

[Familygoboston]

We cruised with Tauck in 2009, from Brugge to Amsterdam. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Tauck is very good about taking care of little details. For example, we stopped at an American cemetery. As we got off the bus, our guide gave each of us a rose to place on the grave of a fallen soldier.

 

 

We have traveled with Adventures By Disney, which is very similar to Tauck (in fact Im fairly sure when ABD started they went straight for Tauck's market;)) ABD does not do river cruises (yet;)) but like Tauck you might pay a little extra and they really go above and beyond in terms of service and guiding. Also, the hotel level is very high stars. With some of those trips, I was happy to pay for the extra attention or amenities, and some itineraries I look and see that I really can save by doing some of it on our own or with another operator who maybe uses lower star hotels, etc.

 

I have many friends who travel with Tauck and love it, one family did a river cruise 2 years ago, and safari in S. Africa with them last year. They have 4 kids, (12-18) and traveled with them, so that is something to consider, Tauck is the line most marketed to families. It's really the only river cruise line on the "radar" of my friends who travel with children. Most have not even heard of Viking, AMA, Avalon or Scenic when I mention them.

 

I think that gets to the heart of this thread; finding which company best fits your needs and budget, while providing the experience you are looking for!

[sippican]

sippican,

 

Regarding private guides...

 

Andrea Makkay is a well known Budapest guide on the CC boards. She was not available on the dates that we were going, so she referred us to her colleague, Magdi Pelech. She was outstanding and I highly recommend her. Her email is magdi.pelech@gmail.com We did 2 half-day tours with her.

 

Our private guide in Prague was wonderful, too. Her name is Eva Trkalova and her website is: http://www.trkalova.guide-prague.cz

We did 2 full-day tours with her, and we loved it.

She had fascinating stories of what it was like to grow up in communism, and all the changes over the past twenty years. Eva is also a qualified and official guide for the Jewish tours, which required a great deal of additional education and rigorous examinations.

 

Both guides were great about email communication and suggested tours with our input. Their goal was to make us happy and see the sites we wanted to see.

 

In Budapest, it was VERY hot and our guide was careful to make sure we stood in the shade (while she shared info of the site we were at) and kept hydrated, as she also made adjustments to our day to maximize "shade" time.

 

Besides all of the great historical information guides share, they also give great tips for restaurants, shopping, using public transportation. All very useful information for us tourists.

 

Hope that is helpful. If you send them an email they will be able to answer all of your questions.

 

Enjoy!

 

Unfortunately Eva is already booked for our July date. :(

I am exploring a couple of other options.

[stretchcruz]

We used Jana Hronkova in Prague. janahronkova@hotmail.com She was great! She does Rick Steve's tours as well. If she's not available she has friends.

Dobie

[sippican]

We used Jana Hronkova in Prague. janahronkova@hotmail.com She was great! She does Rick Steve's tours as well. If she's not available she has friends.

Dobie

 

Thanks for the recommendation!