The Glorious Danube - Epilogue

Looking back at a wonderful 11-day voyage along the Danube with Uniworld Boutique River Cruises...

So, we finally had to say farewell to our water-borne 'home' for the best part of the last two weeks. The flight connection from Vienna back to London on the final morning went extremely well and the return home wasn't too severe (it wasn't raining, for a change!).

It was our first full river-cruise, and it couldn't have been any smoother or more memorable. Uniworld (with arrangements by UK tour experts Titan Travel) were ideal hosts and we were hugely impressed by the gracious onboard style, service and cuisine.

Nothing was ever rushed but everything was accomplished with ease, and the overall feeling of travelling in such elegant fashion with a large number of new-found friends was almost overwhelming. 

And, while the River Duchess didn't boast anything overtly flashy in terms of the onboard entertainment, there was always something to enjoy, from good conversation at the 24-hour coffee station to some amazing musical and folkloric shows in the main lounge.

Every meal was memorable and every crew member seemed to go out of their way to make things as seamless and enjoyable as possible. And, if the weather wasn't quite ideal at this time of year (just a bit too much rain, notably in Bulgaria and on our transit of the Iron Gates), it was certainly never cold and unpleasant (as it was back in the UK!).

If there was one mild criticism, perhaps we did spent a bit too long on the coaches on some days as we toured Bulgaria and Croatia, while more time in the surprise Hungarian city of Pecs would probably have been a good idea.

But, overall, the itinerary was extremely well balanced, superbly organised and highly educational, and we never lacked for information, history or just a good place to stop for a coffee!

Of the countries we visited, we probably saw enough of Romania and Bulgaria, but all of Serbia, Croatia, Hungary and Slovakia proved surprisingly beguiling and worthy of a return trip at some stage, while the journey through the Iron Gates gorge (below) was a real visual highlight.

Food-wise, we were wowed by the big Captain's Gala dinners at the start and end of the cruise; by the wonderful al fresco dining experience one evening; and by the superb array of fresh, local produce and signature national dishes offered throughout.

Complimentary wine or beer with lunch and dinner is an excellent selling point and we never had to think about what we might like at any given point, as our needs and wishes always seemed to be met as soon as we thought of them - right down to the wonderful late-night snacks that awaited us when we returned from evening excursions.

And, while we were impressed by every aspect of the service on board, we also need to single out several real stars, who all helped to make the whole cruise go with that perfect combination of personable and efficient:

Captain Michael Hofmann: the German master, now resident in Romania (and owner of his own watermelon farm!), was a huge hit with all concerned, especially for his rare sense of humour and ability to convey the real sense of fun in sailing along the Danube. I have rarely encountered a ship's captain with more natural bonhomie.

Cruise Manager Christine Bremberger: every river-cruise clearly needs a Master Planner to make sure all the shoreside arrangement go off without a hitch, as the importance of good daily excursions is paramount here. Christine must be one of the hardest-working people in the company as she was always either organising, conducting, narrating or explaining what we were seeing and doing at any given point. No request was too small or too complicated for her to handle.

Hotel Manager Jaroslav Veselka: our Slovakian cruise host was a master of quiet organisation, smooth efficiency and genuine friendliness. Once again, no request was ever met with a negative and everything seemed right at his fingertips in terms of ensuring the onboard operation ran like amiable clockwork. Our surprise wedding anniversary celebration was a great case in point, but, again, it was handled with effortless aplomb.

Maitre D' Dimitar and his restaurant team were always spot on with their service and ability to provide a great dining experience, and no meal went by without one highlight or another - although the soups were an amazingly consistent highlight and dessert was always a rare pleasure.

All in all, it is hard to imagine what more the Duchess could have done to make our cruise more enjoyable - except, perhaps, to have halted the space-time continuum, allowing us to stay on board for a lot longer. Perhaps next time...!

Oh, and after our wonderful trip to the Croatian school in Laslovo, I need to do a quick shout-out to my youngest 'follower,' Dalton from Plainfield Elementary School, Illinois, and my big Super Bowl pen-pal from earlier this year. Study hard, Dalton!

This ‘Imperial Capitals of Europe’ voyage can be booked at www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk, with Titan Travel (in the UK only) at www.titantravel.co.uk or, for more on river-cruising in general, seek out the luxury cruise-agent specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd on this link.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

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The Glorious Danube - Final Day

Our epic 11-day voyage along the Danube River on Uniworld's River Duchess comes to an end in Austria... 

Vienna - Day 2 

We had finally come to our last full day on the Glorious Danube in the company of Uniworld's boutique river voyages and the wonderful River Duchess ship, with all her 82 passengers (normal full complement - 130).

We had passed right through the heart of eastern Europe and finished in The City of Music, a fitting finale to a truly memorable voyage. For my first full river-cruise, it had more than lived up to expectations, and my wife and I are keen to do more in future.

For now, our final day was one completely at leisure, to head back into Vienna and sample some more (literally and metaphorically) of this amazingly scenic city.

With a simple four-stop ride on the U-bahn (underground metro; 2 euros per person, per journey), we were at the Rathaus stop (City Hall, above) and able to enjoy a Sunday stroll of the many sights in almost complete uncrowded comfort on a beautiful Austrian morning.

City Hall itself is a stunning Gothic edifice (built from 1872-83) and is fronted by lovely gardens leading up to the main Austrian Parliament building, a Greek Revival style that took shape at the same time as the Rathaus and is ringed by fabulous statuary.

Across the street, the Volksgarten - previously a private preserve of the Habsburgs - is now the city's famous Rose Garden (right), full of magnificent blooms and more neo-classical architecture. 

It also leads into the full majesty of the Hofburg, the former Imperial Palace, which stretches across this part of the city like a vast Baroque Lego set. From 1438 to 1583 and 1612 to 1806, it was the seat of the kings and emperors of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, and thereafter the seat of the Emperor of Austria until 1918 (including the Austro-Hungarian Empire from 1867). Today it is the official seat of the Austrian Federal President but also houses a variety of museums, public offices, the famed National Library (as visited the previous day) and the even-more-famous Spanish Riding School. 

It was warm enough to require a pre-lunch cafe stop, for which the outdoor terrace of the Hofburg's own Kaffeehaus was ideal (below) before we headed back into the city for another wander along the pedestrianised confines of Stephensplatz, including a stop at St Peter's Church and then lunch at the Wiener Stadtbrau Restaurant for some classic Viennese fare (and another beer!).

The afternoon wandering was beginning to look slightly less promising with more cloud cover, but we pressed on, determined to see as much as we could on foot. An array of street artists enlivened the weekend proceedings (helping to counter the fact that many shops were closed), and, everywhere we went, the mixture of modern and classical architecture provided seemingly endless perspectives.

Eventually, we wandered out to the Ring Road (the extent of the former city walls) and ambled along the Stadtpark, the main City Park, and home to several more eye-catching monuments, including the 1921 Johan Strauss II bronze statue, Franz Schubert Statue and Bust of Robert Stolz.

Here, we also discovered the 19th century Kursalon, the fabulous former Spa pavilion in which 'healing mindreal waters' used to be sold but is now home to a stylish restaurant, garden terrace cafe and music hall. Johan Strauss II gave his first concert here in 1868 but, this afternoon, we were more interested in sampling the local coffee and world-famous Sachertorte (below), which were, truly, world class.

After some more meandering around the Gardens, we decided the weather was beginning to look distinctly more threatening and, with the Captain's Farewell Dinner this evening back on board the Duchess, we decided it was time to head back.

Again, the U-Bahn was quick and easy to navigate and we had plenty of time to get ready for dinner, which was preceded by another typically fun and entertaining reception with Captain Michael Hofmann, Cruise Manager Christine and Hotel Manager Jaroslav.

The set menu was another memorable dinner adventure, a largely set-meal affair crowned by the typical cruise tradition of Baked Alaska on Parade for dessert. The real highlight, though, was dining with six new-found friends from our cruise, with Maitre D' Dimitar organising our eight-seater table in advance and ensuring the final evening went with a swing.

It brought down the curtain on an unforgettable cruise experience that was everything we had hoped it would be, and a lot more besides. The wonderful style of travel, the great cultural experience, the fabulous camaraderie enjoyed on board and the firm friendships that were forged were all firm highlights, but it would be hard to single any one thing out as the over-riding memory.


Suffice it to say, this River Duchess was an absolute royal treat and we can't wait to repeat the experience at some stage in future. 

Next - Danube Epilogue. 

This ‘Imperial Capitals of Europe’ voyage can be booked at www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk, with Titan Travel (in the UK only) at www.titantravel.co.uk or, for more on river-cruising in general, seek out the luxury cruise-agent specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd on this link.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

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The Glorious Danube - Austria

Coming towards the end of our epic 11-day voyage along the Danube on Uniworld's River Duchess...

Vienna - Day 1

After six countries in 9 days, we had finally reached our final destination along this stretch of the imperious Danube River - although not the end of our trip.

We had passed through the rest of Slovakia in the night (even with a midnight departure from Bratislava, it was only a couple of hours to the Austrian border), and now stood close to the end of our trip through eastern Europe.

Surprisingly, for all the reputation as one of Europe's most refined and graceful capitals, the arrival in Vienna was not a memorable one, with the river-front at this point looking distinctly drab and modern (with the notable exception of the 19th century Jubilee Church, or the Church of St Francis of Assisi).

Basically, this was because the river was 'evicted' from the city in 1598 after it flooded once too often, and the re-routed course is now more than a mile from the centre (linked by the man-made Danube Canal of Baron von Hoyos).

With our ship way too large for the Canal, we anchored in the cruise centre at Vorgartenstrasse at around 8am and awaited our chariot for the day - another luxury coach complete with expert local tour guide.

With another 1,000-plus years of history on offer, we knew we were never going to get through even the basic highlights in a day, hence the need for a double overnight stay to complete the cruise and two full days to explore.

To start with, our initial tour was only an appetiser, a chance to get the basic layout of The City of Music, learn the essential history and get a feel for the place that was the capital of the Habsburg Empire for six centuries.

En route, we paid our first visit to the mighty Hofburg (above, former home of the Habsburgs, and now an impressive series of museums, public buildings and the Spanish Riding School), explored the National Library, the impossibly gilded St Stephen's Cathedral and the shopping hub of Stephensplatz, the geographical heart of the city.

Despite heavy destruction in World War II, Vienna's long, rich history has stood the test of time and now exhibits a breathtaking array of Romanesque, Baroque and Art Nouveau architecture that makes for a kaleidoscopic view almost everywhere you turn.

Once our official tour was over and the coach headed back to the Duchess, we decided a more in-depth exploration was called for on foot, so we stayed in the city centre, taking in the amazing Naschmarkt (below) a colossal series of permanent stalls, kiosks, restaurants and cafes offering just about every kind of fresh produce, from exotic herbs and succulent pastries to seafood and cheese.

It dates back to the 16th century and was also the obvious place for a tasty lunch before we continued our perambulations by returning along Stephensplatz and enjoying the 'village'-style stalls selling tourist bric-a-brac, along with other window-shopping.

An early return to the ship was essential, both to make sure we were well in time for dinner but also to allow for time to change and prepare for the evening's optional excursion - to the famous Vienna Konzerthaus for an evening of music with the Johan Strauss Salon Orchestra (below).

We knew we had to sample at least a 'greatest hits' package of the city's most famous musical influences, and we weren't disappointed as the likes of Strauss, Mozart and H.C. Lumbye (the 'Danish Strauss'), as well as a couple of arias from The Merry Widow (Franz Lehar), The Magic Flute and the Marriage of Figaro (Mozart), provided the bulk of a captivating programme.

The vocal duets were also followed by two ballet dancers, to Strauss' Treasure Waltz and Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, while a duet from the Strauss operetta Viennese Spirit added further enchantment, along with the obvious finale of On The Beautiful Blue Danube (to give it its full title).

The Orchestra boasted the lightest of touches and the music positively floated around the salon, carrying us with it for much of the time.

And, while the Concert House, with its Mozart Saal, was only inaugurated in 1913, the likes of Strauss and Mozart most certainly still infused the building with their spirit - and that enthralling, beguiling sound so beloved of the 18th and 19th centuries.

To put the cherry on the metaphorical chocolate gateau of a day, our coach driver took us back to the ship via a fabulous night-tour of the city, full of brilliant lighting around the main monuments and buildings (below). And to complete the icing, another night-time 'snack' awaited us back in the Danube Lounge, with fresh breads, cheeses, meats and a wonderful soup. High travelling pleasure, indeed!  

This ‘Imperial Capitals of Europe’ voyage can be booked at www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk, with Titan Travel (in the UK only) at www.titantravel.co.uk or, for more on river-cruising in general, seek out the luxury cruise-agent specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd on this link.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

The Glorious Danube - Slovakia

Another day on our epic voyage along the Danube with Uniworld on their River Duchess, sailing from Romania to Austria

Bratislava

Country number six on our grand Danube voyage (reached shortly after mid-day following another experience with the river's many locks) proved possibly one of the most surprising of all. We had certain expectations of the likes of Romania, Serbia and Hungary, but Slovakia was definitely a journey into the unknown - a country with a much lower profile, but a much higher standard of living, as it turned out.

In fact, capital city Bratislava was possibly the most 'European' of all our ports of call so far, a thriving, bustling, energetic, cosmopolitan and astonishingly affluent city.

From the medieval Old Town to the uber-modern Eurovea shopping mall - full of designer names and well-known brands like Marks & Spencer, The Body Shop, Nike, Swarovski and Tommy Hilfiger - it is a city of sharp contrasts, with a lot of new development but a heart that remains pure enchantment.

The Slovak capital has been a lot of things in its time - German Pressburg, part of the Habsburg monarchy, the capital of Hungary, one of Hitler's conquests and half of the communist regime of Czechoslovakia. Like the rest of eastern Europe, it has endured a hectic ebb and flow of empires, kingdoms and invaders. But today's Bratislava is most definitely a happening place, fascinating to tour by day and with plenty of restaurant and nightlife for the evening.

With River Duchess mooring on the edge of the Old Town, it was easy for our tour-guide-of-the-day to walk us into the heart of the original city and steer us through some 1,000 years of history, culture and architecture.

Baroque palaces are two-a-penny in the historic centre, while the 17th century (rebuilt) Bratislava Castle overlooks the Old Town like a benevolent patriarch (above). Gothic St Martin's Cathedral is another notable landmark, while the Franciscan Church and Church of St Elizabeth are even older.

The narrow cobbled streets and courtyards are full of eye-catching facades and, after our three-hour tour, we took ourselves off on an extended version, peering into smaller courtyards, finding little-used streets and back-alleys, investigating some of the churches and, of course, doing a little shopping.

Eurovea (below) came as a major surprise and wouldn't have been out of place among the designer malls of Florida, although none of those in our home state can boasts the likes of Peek & Cloppenburg, Tchibo (the well-filled local supermarket) and an elegant river-front packed with open air cafes and restaurants.

If this was post-communist eastern Europe, the local people were the poster children for modern entrepreneurial spirit, with a joie de vivre that would put most Frenchmen to shame.

Once again, the public transport system of trams and buses looked busy and efficient, giving the whole city the appearance of a population moving forward, positively and dynamically.

With the wonderful array of cafes and bars also beckoning, we also indulged in a blissful coffee stop at Cafe Mayer in Main Square. Founded in 1873, it offered a preview of those twin Viennese indulgences of fancy coffee and pastries, and we eagerly sampled a taste or two while watching the comings and goings around the Square.

We managed to see almost all of the Old City (and parts of the new) on foot before wending a weary way back to the Duchess for a typically elegant dinner, followed by yet another entertainment surprise in the Danube Lounge.

This time, Uniworld had procured the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra for our listening pleasure. Not all of it, of course, but two key members - the musical director/pianist and lead violinist, who also turned out to be a dab hand at various Slovak folk instruments.

Together, the dynamic duo (below) staged a 1-hour concert of quite breathtaking style and vigour, turning their hand at classical favourites and Slovakian folk songs with equal relish and finishing with a version of Offenbach's The Gallop (more usually known as Le Can-Can), with the violinist high-kicking his way to a frantic finale. The virtuosity alone was worth going a long way to witness but the sheer fun and enjoyment they brought to the performance was absolutely scintillating.

To finish with, I had to make one final excursion back into the Old Town, accompanied by Hotel Manager (and local resident) Jaroslav, just to sample a local beverage and get a feel for Friday night in Bratislava. We found a typical pub, Prazdoj, little more than 5 minutes walk from our berth, and enjoyed an excellent beer at just 2 euros a head. Fine value, indeed, in this surprising, captivating city.

And we still have two days in Vienna to look forward to...!  

This ‘Imperial Capitals of Europe’ voyage can be booked at www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk, with Titan Travel (in the UK only) at www.titantravel.co.uk or, for more on river-cruising in general, seek out the luxury cruise-agent specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd on this link.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

The Glorious Danube - More Croatia

Continuing our epic Danube River voyage – the Imperial Capitals of Europe – on the River Duchess of Uniworld from Romania to Austria...

Surprising Croatia, Part 2

Having been sorted into groups for lunch, we were each dropped at different houses around the village and welcomed by the resident matriarch.

And it was no ordinary lunch, either. Each house turned out to be a local B&B, with the family providing a typical Croatian meal for all concerned. Calling them B&B’s is probably something of an over-statement as each household was merely a typical Croatian family with an extra room or two to take in paying guests from time to time.

Our hostess was Jasna Lovencic, a wonderfully welcoming lady with limited English but unlimited hospitality. As we sat down around one, long table in her lounge-kitchen, we were served a splendid tomato-pasta soup that positively reeked of being fresh from the garden and then a truly huge main course.

This latter deserves its own highlight – fresh baked chicken (from a cooker the size of the average mini-fridge – a real triumph of local logistics!), was accompanied by a rice dish, fresh pickles (amazingly crisp and tasty, and without the hint of vinegar), a typical paprika pepper dish marinaded in oil and garlic, a lettuce-type salad and fresh bread.

The whole meal was accompanied by home-made elderflower water (a really startling discovery) and Jasna’s own recipe slivovitz – still with that powerful fieriness but also an intensely warming and life-affirming tang. To say we were well fed would be the understatement of the month.

After lunch, the secret of our flavourful repast was revealed when we stepped out the back door – into a vegetable garden of prodigious size and resources (above). Fruit trees mingled with root plants, with row upon row of onions, potatoes, Swiss chard, spinach, beans, peas, chives, melon, red and white peppers, and radishes, plus a vast field of sunflowers (for the oil).

It was immediately clear – if it hadn’t been already from numerous similar views throughout every town and village – that Croatians rely heavily on their own produce at meal-time, hence every one is an absolute masterpiece of fresh delight. The peppers alone were worth travelling a LONG way to sample and every other group told similar stories of fresh, flavourful dishes.

With Jasna unable to explain much of her vegetable garden in English as she toured my wife around this cornucopia of produce, they were eventually able to communicate in German, although it took the internet to reveal Swiss chard from the local language!

And it was only after genuine hugs and a warm embrace that we were able to take our leave of Jasna and Karanak, back to our ship for a final wander around Vukovar, and another surprising onboard moment.

As it was our anniversary, a quiet word to Hotel Manager Jaroslav earlier in the day produced a quite magnificent cake with dessert at dinner that night, yet another tribute to the prowess of the pastry chef aboard (who would go on to treat guests to the secrets of Baklava and Strudel at special cooking demonstrations in the Blue Danube lounge).

To complete a memorable day, a four-piece Croatian folk group – two guitars, mandolin/bazouki and double base – treated us to a concert of traditional music and songs, all delivered with both great gusto and musical virtuosity, notably the bazouki player, who treated his instrument as would Menuhin a violin.

Yet another day of discovery along the Danube – and another fabulous reason to give it a try.

This ‘Imperial Capitals of Europe’ voyage can be booked at www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk, with Titan Travel (in the UK only) at www.titantravel.co.uk or, for more on river-cruising in general, seek out the luxury cruise-agent specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd on this link.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

Big Saving On AMA's Danube Wine Appreciation Cruise

Learn the art of food and wine pairing, how to taste and choose fine wines and discover the history of wine growing on a 7-night luxury cruise in the company of British wine critic, journalist and television personality Jilly Goolden (above), who will be on board for the duration of the cruise.

Luxury river cruise operator AmaWaterways is offering UK guests a saving of £400pp off a luxury river cruise on board the luxurious AmaDolce, embarking in Vilshofen on November 14 and cruising to Budapest.

Jilly Goolden, known for her eccentric descriptions of wine that have included pear drops, liquorice and even rubber, presented BBC’s Food & Drink show for 18 years. She will join the picturesque `Romantic Danube’ cruise past rolling hillsides, vineyards and medieval castles, through Austria’s captivating Wachau Valley with highlights that include visits to Vienna and Budapest.

While on board, she will present her knowledge of local wines, host wine tastings, accompany guests on a wine-themed shore excursion and mingle freely with passengers during meals and in the ship’s public areas.

All presentations, wine tastings and excursions are complimentary to guests and are included in the 7-night cruise price, starting from £1195 per person, which also includes return UK flights, transfers, all meals, wine with dinner, free wi-fi and use of on-board bicycles.

See more at www.amawaterways.co.uk or wine the river-cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.