I knew I would enjoy being on the water, and the Danube was calm and pleasant. Unlike ocean cruises, the scenery is up close and personal, and it is a lovely experience to hang out on deck and watch villages and fields roll by. It's also marvelously convenient to dock right in the center of town and be able to walk right off the boat and begin exploring. Plus, one feature of cruising I do like very much is the ability to unpack and put everything away and be set for the whole week.

Our boat, Viking Europe, carried just 150 guests plus crew. We were able to meet most of our fellow passengers, and not once did we feel crowded or rushed. Our cabins were right at water level, which I loved. I could sit at the large window and watch the world go by. Cabins were not large or luxurious, but they were well equipped, and the beds were very comfortable. The public rooms--dining room, lounge, and library--were likewise well appointed and comfortable. There was only one seating for meals, but that made sense because we all had places to go and things to do. Speaking of meals, they were delicious! Breakfast and lunch featured generous buffets, though other choices were available. Dinners were five-course affairs, but portions were small enough that we could enjoy everything, including dessert.

The feature of Viking that held the most appeal for all three of us was the balance (that magic word) between guided tours each morning--most of which were included in the fare--and afternoon free time. This gave me the opportunity to exercise my independent tourist persona and ferret out interesting places to explore. Jon, on the other hand, preferred to just go and poke around on his own and get a feel for places. This also meant we did not have to be together all the time . . . togetherness plus independence!

Furthermore, Viking's guided tours were of the very best kind--no annoying canned jokes or being herded around through buildings. The local Viking guides were pleasant and well informed, and they provided excellent cultural and historical information without overwhelming us with facts no one would remember. Many of the tours were a combination of driving and walking, but we rarely went into buildings; that could be done in our afternoon free time. Best of all were the headsets. We each had individual headsets and receivers, so we could hear our guides from a reasonable range without having to crowd around them--and without their having to yell to be heard. Brilliant idea!

Getting Our Feet Wet

Our journey started in Nuremberg. The shadow of World War II and the Nazi regime hangs heavy over this part of Europe. We saw the massive Nazi parade grounds and the courthouse where the Nuremberg trials were held. It was a sobering experience to look down from the courtyard of the imposing Nuremberg Castle and be told that only two buildings in the whole view had remained standing after the city was bombed.

That afternoon was spent cruising along the Main-Danube Canal. We hadn't known beforehand about this aspect of the trip, and we quite enjoyed the experience of going through the many locks. We saw a lot of open country along the canal, as well as lots of people in campers and cyclists taking advantage of the bike trails.

The next day found us in Regensburg. Unlike Nuremberg, Regensburg suffered very little destruction during the war, so many of its beautiful medieval buildings remain intact. It's a very walkable city, and in fact, our entire tour was walking. We had several choices here; Dwight and I opted for a tour that focused on the history of the city's Jewish community. Later, in our own wanderings, we found a house where Oskar Schindler of Schindler's List fame had lived.

In Regensburg, we experienced one of the things I don't like about cruises: not enough time! We discovered a historical museum with an outstanding collection of Roman artifacts (a special interest of ours), but we barely had time to race through it before we had to get back to the boat for lunch, since we had signed up for an optional excursion in the afternoon. If I had known about the museum ahead of time, I would have skipped the excursion and gone back to the city. Our afternoon was pleasant, though; we transferred to a smaller boat for a ride through the Danube Gorge. The scenery was gorgeous, and we ended up at Weltenberg Abbey, famous for its beer and its extremely Baroque church.

Passau was our next stop. It is absolutely lovely and small enough for leisurely walking. I think I would like to go back and spend more time there. We had the special treat of a half-hour concert on what may be Europe's largest pipe organ (17,000-plus pipes!). What amused us so much, however, is the city's nickname--"Three Rivers City." The name is logical enough--Passau lies at the point where the Danube and Inn Rivers flow together, joined by the smaller Ilz River. But we're from the Pittsburgh area, and that's our nickname as well!

Although this cruise could be taken in either direction, I'm glad we went from smaller places to larger ones. Melk Abbey is large; its museum, however, is small . . . just enough for our tastes. This was as close as our guided tours got to a museum. The other two Abbey buildings were an amazing library and a Baroque church, which I found much more attractive than the one at Weltenberg. There also were extensive grounds for wandering. The afternoon found us cruising the Wachau Valley, source of the superb Austrian white wines.

Ah, Vienna! It's truly one of the great cities of the world. If Dwight and I had not been there before, we would have felt an acute time crunch. We ran into one couple that had literally jumped off the boat the minute it docked and was trying to cram as much as possible into one day--not a good plan. We spent some time in the courtyards of the Hofburg, learning about the history of Vienna. Our morning free time offered a plethora of choices, but we settled on the Schatzkammer, the imperial treasury--think crown jewels, among other glistening objects.

Choices abounded for the afternoon, also. Dwight chose an optional tour to Schoenbrunn Palace, but I had a different plan in mind for Jon, who had not been to Vienna before--a typical Viennese cafe experience at historic Cafe Demel, with Sachertorte mit Schlag, the marvelous sweet whipped cream. We also fit in some time at St. Stephen's Cathedral and topped off the afternoon with a visit to the magnificent Imperial Butterfly House--an oasis of tropical butterflies in a glass greenhouse, and once the exclusive domain of Emperor Franz Josef and his wife, Sisi.

At Journey's End

Our last stop was Budapest, and our location here was unbelieveable. People pay a lot of money for hotel rooms overlooking the famous Chain Bridge; we docked right beside it! Our bus tour was quite extensive and included the Matyas Church on Castle Hill. By now we were getting rather tired, and Jon and I chose to rest in the afternoon. But Dwight went boldly off to explore the Roman settlement at Aquincum. We had chosen to stay an extra day in Budapest, so after transferring to our hotel, we set off to see the city. The rest of the morning was spent at the Great Synagogue, with its moving memorial to those killed during the Holocaust. It's designed like a weeping willow with each leaf bearing an individual name. Then, alas, it rained, and our enthusiasm for touring was dampened. We had one last really yummy dinner, washed down with Hungarian beer, and retired to enjoy our memories.

Was our Danube river cruise a good choice? I think the answer lies in the fact that I'm already looking at Viking's "Elegant Elbe" itinerary. Hmmm . . . maybe I'm becoming a cruise person after all.

HL

For Ann's additional insight on Prague--including what to do when it rains--read her full report at www.Hideaways.com/rollingriver.

September 2009