Hi Patricia - My aunt and I are booked on the 5-18-17 cruise. We just made our airline reservations. We are also very excited and are really looking forward to the trip!
Hi Patricia - Nice to e-meet you too! As I mentioned, I will be travelling with my Aunt Jean and we are from Connecticut -- I am from East Haven and my aunt is from Milford. On this forum page I was hoping to get some good feedback on the trip from others who went previously -- especially recommendations on the choice of side trips, packing tips, etc. Anyway, May will be here before you know it and hopefully we will get to meet in person!
Cathy
Cathy, I can't help you on the side trip info other than to read up on the locations to see what peaks your interest.
On packing there is lots of information on the forum re dressing for river cruises. Read through the various tours - not just the Danube - as there are alot similarities. We've been on 2 with a third booked.
Basically, don't over pack on dressy outfits - a dress, skirt or a nice pair of slacks with a couple of options for nice tops will do for the welcome/farewell dinners. Bring a sweater or wrap for the evening as it can be cool up on the top deck even in the summer. While you can wear jeans, tshirt and sneakers for day touring they are discouraged for dinner. It's easier to bring nicer tops and bottoms (casual but still comfortable) that can be worn all day and take you right into dinner with just a change of shoes (gives your feet a break) and maybe a scarf/wrap. Try to limit the number of pairs of shoes - 1 pair for dressy outfits, 1-2 walking shoes or sandals for touring, and 1 pair of slip on's for dinner.
You can hand wash items like tops and underwear in your bathroom sink then hang to dry in the shower (there is a pull out line provided). Lighter weight fabric blends dry faster - cotton can take a day or 2. Laundry service is available but a bit pricey - I paid 6 euros a pair last year to have cotton slacks done.
No one cares if you repeat outfits. They likely won't even notice.
Went on this trip a few years ago and had a great time, went on two other River Cruises since that trip. Like the suggestion bring a pair of black pants and some nice shirts and no need to be too dressed up.
As mentioned earlier, my aunt and I will be taking the 5-18-17 cruise. We will be arriving in Budapest a day before (staying at the Boscolo) and was hoping to get some suggestions on what to do in Budapest that won’t be covered by Tauck the next days before we board our ship. Restaurant recommendations near the hotel are also welcome and appreciated!
Also, my aunt is elderly and cannot walk long distances and she was wondering how this tour works with regards to coaches. Do the coaches pick us up at all of the stops (or just some of them) and do they transport us to our destination that day and then we all sightsee etc. by foot? She has no problem staying on the ship if there is too much walking involved but would like to join the group on land whenever possible.
Can't help with the Budapest what to do question - you can probably find some suggestions in older forum threads for this cruise and others in Budapest.
On the coaches and walking, this is an activity level 2 trip (as are most of the Tauck river cruises) which means, "Guests should be able to easily walk one to two miles, which may include climbing one or two flights of stairs and walking over uneven pavement, groomed hiking trails or cobblestones. Standing up to one hour or more may be required."
As to the daily routine, coaches, etc. Each itinerary is different and you can see any of the following:
The tours start at the ship - you meet your local tour guide along with a Tauck Tour Director (TD) somewhere near the bottom of the gang plank or a sidewalk nearby. Usually the tour will last about 2 hours and then you are provided with a handy map showing the ship and left to browse around for a hour or 2 on your own then walk back to the ship.
If a coach is involved, they pick you up as close to the ship as possible - sometimes just a few steps from the gang plank but I've had walks that were 1/4 mile or more (rare). At the drop off point they also get you as close as possible, but with some locations the big buses just can't get real close. The walking tour will start - again about 2 hours. There may be a bus that will take anyone ready to go back to the ship then or you may be allowed to stay longer. The guides/TDs will tell you where the coaches will be waiting and when. The itinerary will say something like "time to explore on your own".
I've also seen special provisions made for those with limited walking ability. A couple of times on the Rhone (where most walking tours began and ended at the ship itself - no coach involved) the Cruise Director provided an extra tour for those who only wanted to go a little ways. Normally the CD doesn't leave the ship. I've also seen them offer to take people back to the ship after a castle tour if they weren't interested in going on to a winery.
The night before each tour day you'll get a detailed hour by hour written schedule and a "discovery" briefing from one of the TD/CDs which will detail the plan for the next day. If there is something in the sked you're concerned about, talk to a TD or the CD and they will help you and your aunt figure out the best plan for her.
Budapest is a great city, you may want to go to the Farmers Market they have all sorts of food, gifts and great people watching. They take you there but wasn't enough time for me. The streets around the hotel are great pedestrian streets lots of shops and places to eat. Bucharest is also an interesting place hotel a little out of the way, I went back to Romania and stayed in a smaller hotel. Loved this trip and am heading to Budapest on a different Tauck trip in May. Your aunt should be fine in Budapest it is flat. Have fun!
Hello Everyone,
I am looking forward to meeting everyone next week. This will be my third Tauck River Cruise. I appreciate the packing advice and will share it with others in my group.
I am traveling with a group of 15 people, most of us reside in Texas.
Comments
Nice to "e-meet" you. We're travelling with another couple & are looking forward to trip. We're all from Arlington, VA.
Cathy
On packing there is lots of information on the forum re dressing for river cruises. Read through the various tours - not just the Danube - as there are alot similarities. We've been on 2 with a third booked.
Basically, don't over pack on dressy outfits - a dress, skirt or a nice pair of slacks with a couple of options for nice tops will do for the welcome/farewell dinners. Bring a sweater or wrap for the evening as it can be cool up on the top deck even in the summer. While you can wear jeans, tshirt and sneakers for day touring they are discouraged for dinner. It's easier to bring nicer tops and bottoms (casual but still comfortable) that can be worn all day and take you right into dinner with just a change of shoes (gives your feet a break) and maybe a scarf/wrap. Try to limit the number of pairs of shoes - 1 pair for dressy outfits, 1-2 walking shoes or sandals for touring, and 1 pair of slip on's for dinner.
You can hand wash items like tops and underwear in your bathroom sink then hang to dry in the shower (there is a pull out line provided). Lighter weight fabric blends dry faster - cotton can take a day or 2. Laundry service is available but a bit pricey - I paid 6 euros a pair last year to have cotton slacks done.
No one cares if you repeat outfits. They likely won't even notice.
Enjoy.
Cathy
Also, my aunt is elderly and cannot walk long distances and she was wondering how this tour works with regards to coaches. Do the coaches pick us up at all of the stops (or just some of them) and do they transport us to our destination that day and then we all sightsee etc. by foot? She has no problem staying on the ship if there is too much walking involved but would like to join the group on land whenever possible.
Thanks very much!
On the coaches and walking, this is an activity level 2 trip (as are most of the Tauck river cruises) which means, "Guests should be able to easily walk one to two miles, which may include climbing one or two flights of stairs and walking over uneven pavement, groomed hiking trails or cobblestones. Standing up to one hour or more may be required."
As to the daily routine, coaches, etc. Each itinerary is different and you can see any of the following:
The tours start at the ship - you meet your local tour guide along with a Tauck Tour Director (TD) somewhere near the bottom of the gang plank or a sidewalk nearby. Usually the tour will last about 2 hours and then you are provided with a handy map showing the ship and left to browse around for a hour or 2 on your own then walk back to the ship.
If a coach is involved, they pick you up as close to the ship as possible - sometimes just a few steps from the gang plank but I've had walks that were 1/4 mile or more (rare). At the drop off point they also get you as close as possible, but with some locations the big buses just can't get real close. The walking tour will start - again about 2 hours. There may be a bus that will take anyone ready to go back to the ship then or you may be allowed to stay longer. The guides/TDs will tell you where the coaches will be waiting and when. The itinerary will say something like "time to explore on your own".
I've also seen special provisions made for those with limited walking ability. A couple of times on the Rhone (where most walking tours began and ended at the ship itself - no coach involved) the Cruise Director provided an extra tour for those who only wanted to go a little ways. Normally the CD doesn't leave the ship. I've also seen them offer to take people back to the ship after a castle tour if they weren't interested in going on to a winery.
The night before each tour day you'll get a detailed hour by hour written schedule and a "discovery" briefing from one of the TD/CDs which will detail the plan for the next day. If there is something in the sked you're concerned about, talk to a TD or the CD and they will help you and your aunt figure out the best plan for her.
Cathy
I am looking forward to meeting everyone next week. This will be my third Tauck River Cruise. I appreciate the packing advice and will share it with others in my group.
I am traveling with a group of 15 people, most of us reside in Texas.
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