Sept. 10, 2016 Budapest to Amsterdam
We can hardly wait! I was wondering if Tauck provides transfers when you arrive a day early and stay in a hotel you book yourself? We would like to stay at the Marriott on the river.
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Yes they will, but contact Tauck by phone and make your request. I also booked my own hotel in Budapest and was transferred to my hotel. Though getting to the ship from your hotel will be on your own dime. Get the hotel front desk to call for a cab, I did that and was taken to the ship at minimal cost.
I am sailing with my cousin. My husband did not want to do a river cruise. So I am leaving him behind unfortunately. Are you staying the two nights at the Tauck hotel or staying somewhere else.
Marti
My husband Gary and I (Cindy) will be staying at the Tauck hotel, can't remember the name at the moment, I think the name has changed.
Cindy
The Marriott is a nice hotel, but the Four Seasons is better. Tauck's hotel rate includes breakfast, tips and baggage transfer from your room to the ship - so you don't have to move twice. Tauck rooms are deluxe, while the lower prices you see for the Marriott are for standard rooms. While the Marriott is on the river, there is a highway between the hotel and river. The Four Seasons overlooks a park. My guess is that for a few dollars more you and your cousin will get more value by staying at the Tauck hotel. Just my opinion.
Every evening one of the Tauck directors (3 Tour Directors and 1 Cruise Director on board) will give what's called a Discovery Briefing - sometimes in the Panorama Lounge and sometimes on the bus coming back from an excursion. They'll tell you what the plan is for the next day. You'll also get a very detailed printed daily schedule in your room when the attendant turns down your bed.
On a typical morning, there will be baskets of colored poker chips in the lounge. The number of chips reflect the max number in each group. That's just to make sure there aren't too many to fit on a bus or for a particular tour guide to handle. Each person needs a chip. If your group all want to go together, then decide ahead of time what color you'll all pick or assign someone to go get chips for the entire group.
If there are options - like on the Rhine/Moselle you could chose a Basel tour or a Lucerne tour - you may need to decide a day or two before just to make sure they have enough buses, guides, etc. We've also had an occasion where we had to chose our entree a couple of days before an off ship dinner and once on the Rhone we had to specific what sequence/timing for a tour. The day included a cooking school demo that could only handle 10-15 people at a time. Everyone got the tours for that day, just in a little different order.
I know some cruise lines have extra excursions (often not included in the fare) and a limited number who can go on them so that you have to decide very early in the trip if you want to go. That doesn't happen on a Tauck cruise. It's all included and everyone can chose what they want. Your choice can also be to stay on board and chill out or do a bit of exploring on your own.
Enjoy
Perhaps you can help me as well.
My wife and I will be taking this trip on the MS SWISS JEWEL starting Sept 10. I have two questions. 1. Is there any WiFi on the river boat? 2. How extensive was the morning sightseeing in Budapest. In other words, did you go into the Parliament building or just drive by it? Did you go into the Fisherman's Bastion or just drive by it? What about the Central Market, did you see it? Thanks in advance for any help. Sherman & Dora
Can't help with info about Budapest as we haven't gone there yet. We've done the Rhone and the Rhine/Moselle cruise which ends in Basel.
This is such a popular tour I'm sure someone else who's taken it can fill you in. Sounds like just a morning tour - 2-3 hours back on board in time for lunch and sailing. Not a huge amount of time.