Danube River Cruise |
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Reviewed By: Andrews, Beeston on 18th May 2009
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| Cruise Line: Peter Deilmann |
Times cruised before: 3-5 |
| Cruise Ship: MV Mozart |
Sailed:
May,
2009 |
| Destination:
Western Europe
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Age: 46-55 |
| Cabin: Outside |
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What an excellent, comfortable and well organised cruise. We booked through www.cruise.co.uk for the May cruise with Alan Titchmarsh.
From the transfer to the ship – where our luggage was taken aboard, we could use the facilities and then have a look around Passau until check in time, to the very last day - all went smoothly with great efficiency.
It’s the little touches that make a cruise – slippers, bathrobe and fresh flowers in the large cabin, nice toiletries provided and refilled, chocolates on the pillow and all day checks to ensure your towels are always clean and the cabin looking spruce. The cabins were a good size and very comfortable, and well looked after by our steward. All the staff were keen to ensure we had a lovely holiday.
We enjoyed a cocktail as we sailed away, had some great inclusive excursions, the gala dinners were stupendous (up to 9 courses starting with caviar), a dessert buffet one night with everything you could wish to eat for dessert – including enough chocolate choices even for me! There was an excellent choice for breakfast - we even had omelettes made to order. Lunch offered plenty of choice and all the food was well cooked and presented. The afternoon cakes were very tempting indeed!
The public rooms are clean, fresh and well decorated and the staff just lovely – always a smiling face to greet you.
Alan Titchmarsh gave two interesting talks – even for non-gardeners like us – but otherwise was on holiday, joining excursions and eating in the main dining room with us. We enjoyed the ‘free seating’ arrangement so we could sit with different people each night as we chose. One suggestion: I know Alan and the chairman, Andrew Gardiner, were on holiday themselves but it might have been nice if on the two gala nights they had each shared a large table with some guests. The lucky participants could have been chosen by a draw.
The itinerary was well planned with time to see all we wanted to do. The ship was always docked near enough to walk to places, apart from Vienna where you have to take the tube, and maps and information was freely given out at the desk for each port – you didn’t feel obliged to take their tours as you so often do.
Tips were at your discretion (other companies take note) so you could hand out the envelopes to be shared amongst the teams as you saw fit.
Even the weather co-operated – a couple of showers fell on afternoons afloat, and only spoiled the Bavarian Party 'fruhschoppen' (morning pint and sausage event), which was promptly held indoors.
Evening entertainment tended to be a musical trio (the evening meal was the main entertainment!),. One evening had a female operetta singer, and on the last evening we watched a Hungarian duo play keyboard, violin and traditional pipes that were just magical. Those who went on the optional excursion to a concert in Vienna also said how wonderful that trip was.
A wonderful holiday, we have some lovely memories to take home.
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| Quality of Food |  |
| All excellent, great choice, well presented | | Entertainment |  |
| Low key, but very good | | Shore Excursions | |
| Durnstein, Melk and Bratislava were excellent. But we enjoyed them all. | | Staff | |
| All the staff were lovely, helpful and friendly. | | Children's Facilities | n/a |
| N/A | | Onboard Activities | |
| Not really applicable - we were sightseeing in port most days, or relaxing on deck for the few afternoons afloat. | | Cabins | |
| Larger than on most sea cruises, very comfortable, well looked after by our steward, Michael. | | Overall Rating | |
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