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 - 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 - Hungary Pt 3

Continuing our epic cruise from Romania to Austria along the Danube River voyage on the River Duchess of Uniworld...

Budapest - Day 2

One full day in Budapest had been enough for us to fall in love with this ancient city, a city of impressive buildings, monumental architecture, modern tendencies and superbly efficient public transport. We hoped a second day would provide even more depth to our new affaire d'amour.

The system of buses, trolleys, trams and underground system (the oldest in continental Europe) was a joy to watch in action but, with the River Duchess moored in the heart of the city, it was just as easy to navigate on foot, so we did. Across the Chain Bridge and along the river-front to the iconic Parliament Building (above) this 1896 edifice is one of Europe's oldest legislative buildings and is fascinating to behold from any number of perspectives.

The Gothic revival style is crowned by a huge central dome and surrounded by a myriad of supporting spires and turrets, and it sits in imposing Lajos Kossuth Square like the most regal of crown jewels while also boasting the memorial to 1956 uprising martyr Imre Nagy.

From here, we wandered along the streets in the general direction of St Stephen's Basilica, enjoying some window shopping and sudden, sharp views down streets full of impressive 19th century facades. The Basilica itself (above) also dates back to the 19th century, although it took 54 years to build and was finally completed only in 1905 by the third in a series of architects.

It also boasts the amazing relic of St Stephen's Hand, supposedly the mummified right hand of the first king of Hungary, Stephen the First (or St Istvan, 975-1038), which is on view in a special gold casket. For an extra 500 florint per person (less than 2 euros) we were able to take the lift to the observation level around the dome for a spectacular view over Pest and up towards Buda (below).

As it was getting towards lunch, we decided to retrace our steps a little and find a nice cafe to enjoy a proper local taste before heading back to the ship and decided to give the pedestriansed street of Zrinyi Utica a try.

Otkert Budapest was more trendy bar (and nightclub) than typical local hostelry but it had an ideal outside terrace and promising menu, so it served our purposes well. The traditional gulyas (goulash soup) was absolutely excellent - as was the beer and Maximilian Tokaji, the local brandy!

We needed to be back aboard by 2pm for the next part of our Hungarian odyssey - a trip to the famous Csikos horse show on Szentendre Island just a few kilometers up-river.

Here, the Bodor Major horse farm offers an impressive arena for the show, which is part demonstration of the thousand-year-old riding techniques and methods of the Csikos horse-herders and warriors and part riding contest, with the traditionally-garbed 'cowboys' competing in mounted archery, racing and scarf-tearing - using the traditional ringed whip.

The finale was provided by one rider standing astride a team of five fast-galloping stallions, our view of this feat of daring not in the least impaired by the welcome local brandy and warm pastries we were offered on arrival!

To complete another memorable day, our transport back to the Duchess was provided by a series of horse-drawn buggies, which took us around the entire estate - including the impressive stables, where an 8-day-old colt was the star attraction - before dropping us off back at the Danube.

Back on board, the usual fruit-juice-and-cold-towels reception awaited our return and there was just time to freshen up again before another impeccable dinner was on the horizon, prefaced by the now-familiar port talk from Cruise Manager Christine, which promised another day of epic exploration and discovery.

Next up - Slovakia!

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.