Taste of the Danube

Stepping onboard a river cruise ship is unlike any ocean cruise experience. Imagine a 4 deck high long boat docked along a large river in a large European city or a quaint country town. As you step onboard, you are greated with friendly faces and a gleefull welcome from the cruise director. Checking-in for your stay onboard a river cruise ship is a simple as providing the desk attendant with your passports and a valid credit card. Sign your name, swipe your card, and your are being guided to your luxury stateroom which will be home for the next few days.

While many river cruise itineraries are 7 or more nights, we opted for a shorter cruise before heading out to explore other parts of Europe. The Avalon Waterways itinerary we chose started in Vienna and departed in Budapest (3 days later).

After arriving in the early evening to the Avalon View (docked in Vienna, Austria) with only half the luggage we started with in Atlanta, we were quickly swept away to refresh and rest prior to exploring the small ship. The river cruise ship in Europe are all the same size. This is because they all must fit under the same bridges and through the same river locks. Four decks high (including the sun deck) and approx 450 ft feet long, it doesn’t take long to get the lay of the land. Most river cruise ships hold around 120 - 200 passengers depending on the ship’s layout and stateroom sizes.

Your first evening onboard is starts with an informational session with the cruise host and meeting the captain and crew along with a champagne toast to an amazing few days along the beautiful Danube. Dinner every evening starts promptly at 7pm and is available until 9pm for late diners.

The first morning onboard Avalon View came with an early wake up (Hello, Jet Lag!). While unfortunate for the tired traveler, it allowed me to enjoy amazing hillside views with a hot cup of coffee as we sailed into port in Melk, Austria.

With Avalon Waterways, most ports have included tours as part of the cruise fare. My husband and I opted for a group tour of the historic Melk Abbey for our first outting. We boarded a tour bus and headed through town and up the hill to the grand Abbey. Sectioned off into small groups, our tour guide walked us through the abbey with a detailed history lesson. Currently, (2023) Melk Abbey is still a working monestary with 99 monks in residence.

After our tour, we wandered through the small village of Melk where we enjoyed a sweet treat at a small cafe along the street. When in Europe, always eat at streetside cafes. Always!

Boarding time was set for early afternoon as the ship still had one more stop to make for the day. Mid-afternoon was spent on the sun deck onboard Avalon View where our wonderful cruise host provided a history lesson of the Wachu Valley. Did you know the vineyards and wine created in this valley date back pre-Christ? Warriors were encouraged to drink one liter of the wine prior to going into battle to bulster courage and eraticate nerves.

Next stop! Durnstein, Austria

While there was a walking tour available to explore the quaint town of Durnstein, we opted to use bikes provided by the ship. Every river ship with Avalon Waterways in Europe has bikes available to use. My husband on an bike and myself on an electric bike, we headed out to explore the vineyards and small towns along the Danube. We ate dinner in the town of Weißenkirchen, biked through vineyards and bought a bottle of local wine in Durnstein. Twenty plus kilometers later, we returned to the cruise ship absolutely exhuasted and exhilirated by the day we enjoyed.

Our second morning was spent cruising along the Danube, back through Vienna and onward to Bratislava, Slovakia. Once docked along the main thoroughfare in Bratislava, we disembarked for another day of free exploration. While an group tour hiking to the castle was an option, we decided to find it ourselves while exploring a large portion of the historic old town area.

Have I mentioned how much I love streetside cafes? Mid-morning, I enjoyed a chimney cake from a hole-in-the way cafe (literally). If you’ve never had one of these, it’s a sugary cake cone filled with your choice of fruit and filling. The afternoon brought a sit-down cafe along a historic square where we enjoyed a glass of wine and some local fare.

With the ship being in port the majority of the day, our afternoon was spent climbing steps and walking uphill to the Bratislava Castle. The castle can be seen from most vantage points within the city as it sits in the highest point along the Danube River. While no longer a working castle, it is still well maintained and kept by the Slovakian government. You can tour the castle, walk the emaculate gardens, enjoy a lunch on the lawn or simply wander around taking in the beauty of it all.

Thankfully, getting back to the ship was easier…. Downhill.

Back onboard Avalon View that evening, as the ship sailed away, we enjoyed the Captains Dinner. The five course meal consisted of several food options and local wine pairings. Side note: my favorite wine from the entire trip is from Slovakia.

Also during the last evening, our gracious cruise host explained the disembarkation proceedures, provided highlights from the trip, and gave her fairwells to all onboard.

Our last morning onboard was slow with breakfast, coffee and finalizing our packing. Remember that lost luggage mentioned previously, it was delivered to the ship a couple of days into the cruise.

Disembarkation of a river cruise is just as easy as the embarkation day. Finalize any outstanding charges and check out at the kiosk located at the exit. The ship called us a taxi to take us to our hotel in Budapest, Hungary, before our day exploring the city.

Again, we opted for bikes to explore with. After being told the city was very bike friendly, we would not agree. While there are bike lanes, they are not consistent throughout and often end without notice which leaves you biking in traffic. We persevered after some initial frustration with the system. Budapest is filled with many historic structures. One can’t see it all in a day but we certainly saw a lot.

We wrapped up our whirlwind trip of five nights in five countries with a lovely evening at Fisherman’s Bastion located at the castle in Budapest. The reception at our hotel made the reservation and called a taxi for us. Off we went, having no idea the amazing experience that was set before us.

Upon arrival at the restuarant located within one of the bastions surrounding the castle located on the Buda side of the Danube River, we were directed to a table for two with views overlooking the river and the city. The evening consisted of a six course dinner served by two waiters who performed delivery of our food with coordination and pizzaz. Fresh breads, enticing appetizers, flavourful soups, enticing main courses, delishious desserts and two locally sourced wines left us in awe and wonder. One day we will return to Budapest one day and we will be back to the Fisherman’s Bastion.