Monday 26 October 2009

Danube River Cruise

Jo Ann from the Oshawa office recently travelled to Europe, here's what she had to say:

What did I do on my summer vacation?

An Avalon Waterways Danube River Cruise



Our trip started out in Budapest as we explored the cobblestone streets of Castle Hill and enjoyed
the Pest's Danube promenade. Our two night stay was too short to experience all that Budapest
has to offer but we eagerly awaited the day that the Avalon Tapestry took us up the Danube
to Austria and Germany. Donna, from the Bowmanville Travel office, and our spouses were lucky
enough to enjoy this Globus Holidays/Avalon Waterways European experience together.

We boarded the Tapestry on August 2nd for our 7 night Danube cruise. Our cabin was
spacious and the views from our french balcony wonderful although we didn't spend much
time in the cabin as the top deck was sunny and the company of our travelling companions
inviting. We were 87 strong: from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the US. It was an
intimate atmosphere that allowed us to come to know our fellow passengers well. The meals
compared to any large ship dining experience but with the addition of local specialities
and complimentary regional wines and beers. The atmosphere was casual and because the
group was so small it gave us a chance to get together to share our experiences of the day.

Each stop included a complimentary city tour with the option of additional, more specialized
day trips like a concert in Vienna, an Austrian alp tour, or Nuremberg trials tour. Our cruise
director Barbara was informative and entertaining and gave us insight to life in Hungary and
Eastern Europe in communist and recent times. Our stops included major cities and
smaller, more historical or scenic towns. They were all wonderful and in most cases because
the ports were in the city or town centre you could wander on and off the ship for as little
or as long as you liked. On the Tapestry you unpacked for the week but travelled to many
sights along the Danube so were able to enjoy your surroundings in a relaxed and
unhurried way. The scenery along the river was peaceful and beautiful so whether
you were on or off the ship it was always a great experience and almost everything
was included so the value was exceptional. Great views, great meals, great ports, great
holiday. Can't wait for my next river cruise, hopefully China's Yangtze River!

We said goodbye to the Tapestry; it's wonderful staff, magnificent meals and breathtaking views
and took the motorcoach for our 3 nights stay in Prague. Budapest and Prague; both great cities
to start and end our tour in Europe. You can't visit Prague without trying some of the local and
tasty beers. It is a wonderful walking city and very easy to get around. We mastered the
streetcar and subway system when our feet couldn't take anymore walking although the city
offers many sites around each corner when you walk the cobblestone streets. Old Town
Square, Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, the mighty Vitava River are part of the wonders of Prague.
We ventured out of Prague for a few days to explore the countryside and enjoyed the scenery
and hospitality of the people of Czech Republic. Our one week stay in the Czech Republic
was one of the highlights of this glorious European Holiday.

What did I do on my summer vacation? I had the European vacation of a lifetime!
Email me at joann.wrobel@kemptravel.ca to book your European River Cruise!

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