Mr and Mrs 50 Plus tell you all about their recent Classic Danube River Cruise with Great Rail Journeys below …..
Will we be able to ‘do our own thing’? Will we always have to be in a ‘group’? This had been on her mind since the first day we booked our river cruise on The Danube, months ago. Five years ago we had one of the loveliest holidays ever when we cruised up the Marne. We sailed from Paris toward the Champagne region of France on board the delightful Raymonde. Back then there were only 24 of us and everyone was really nice and easy to get along with. But with 120 people on board the Amadeus Imperial, were we going to find as nice a crowd as that last time?
Departure Day
When departure day came along we were told to meet up with our Great Rail Journeys representative at the “British Airways Check-in Desk at Heathrow Terminal 5”. Ahem… The departures hall at Terminal 5 IS the BA check-in desk. It’s enormous! After over half an hour and there being no sign of a rep anywhere in T5 departures we bit the bullet and decided that we didn’t need a rep to check in anyway. So in went the passports into the machine, and out came our boarding passes. Magic! Bags were promptly dropped and a departure lounge breakfast beckoned. By this point we had already met a few from our party and were chatting and introducing ourselves.
Fast forward a few hours to a point past which the ludicrously slow baggage handling at Munich was behind us. We were now on a coach being whisked away to Passau where our River Boat awaited. A resolute refusal to join in a sing-along with a medley of Doris Day songs crooned out by our guide on the coach was quite funny really. I just sat back and enjoyed the scenery whilst demolishing a packet of fruit pastilles bought at the supermarket the day before. Such gannets/locusts we are!
Getting on board the Amadeus Imperial was actually quite a relief. It was a hot day and getting into the lovely, comfortable, air-conditioned cabin was long overdue. After a quick unpack, we headed for the bar and a cold, refreshing beer. This really took the edge off the ‘travel- glow’ we’d encountered.
River Cruise Luxury
Already we had smiles on our faces. This boat was so nice. It felt welcoming and was spotlessly clean. All the staff/crew were amazing. They couldn’t do enough to help and were so friendly. We were also surprised by how diverse their backgrounds were. Austrian, Belarusian, Indonesian, Italian to mention but a few. Our middle deck cabin was delightful, with a floor to ceiling window. The top half could drop down to create an open balcony effect. The bed was big and comfy and the en-suite bathroom was surprisingly large. It was equipped with a great shower and included some lovely complimentary toiletries. The cabin was really thoughtfully designed too. There was a walk-in wardrobe area, two easy chairs near the window and most importantly for Mrs C, a large, well-lit mirror near a power socket.
Restaurant Unknowns
It’s a free seating arrangement in the restaurant, so it meant just finding a seat anywhere and being joined by others. We met some really nice people and there was no shortage of interesting conversation throughout the whole trip. I think everyone is literally in the same boat when they get on board. But any apprehension soon dissipates. It proved to be a wonderful social environment where we met some new friends and learned new things every day.
As the cruise went on we couldn’t help but be impressed by how efficient our cruise director, Rob, was. Everything ran like clockwork. He was always about if you needed any help or advice and he always had time for a quick chat when wandering about the vessel. He genuinely made the whole cruise a pleasure. His knowledge and presence was a constant reassurance that everything was going according to plan.
Another thing we were unsure of at the outset was the whole topic of excursions. Though they were included in the price of our holiday we were unsure what the arrangements were if we didn’t want to go on any particular trips or excursions. Were we going to be confined to barracks, only to be released when the other itinerants returned? Obviously not! We happily ‘did our own thing’ in Passau, Vienna and Budapest. But went on excursions to Salzburg, Melk Abbey and Bratislava. It really is a case of doing what you want, where you want, when you want. As long as you kept the Cruise Manage informed.
Food and Drink on a River Cruise
Now, the food! Incredible! Every meal on our Danube river cruise was a special treat. Every course of every meal we had was nothing short of superb. The service was second-to-none and, coupled with the views and the company, it made for some truly memorable evenings. There were some local folklore acts on board in Budapest to entertain us too. On our final night we cruised up and down through some of the most picturesque parts of the city.
Overall we were very impressed with our trip. The ship was fantastic, the service was excellent, the company was marvellous. It was a great opportunity to see parts of Europe that we probably wouldn’t have if we’d done things independently via other means. The tranquillity of sailing down the river, taking in the peace and quiet, the wildlife and some stunning scenery made it a worthwhile experience that we’d never forget. We’re already looking at other locations and considering our options for next year. I think we might just have become River Cruise converts!
We travelled with Great Rail Journeys on their 8 day ‘Classic Blue Danube’ cruise. It included British Airways flights from Heathrow to Munich and Budapest to Heathrow. Also included was all food, all excursions, local wine or beer with meals and transfers to and from the vessel.
