Viking Grand European AMS-BUD Aug 2016 photo journal with pre-cruise Amsterdam

Thanks, Jerry. Your review was one of my inspirations before my first river cruise.

 

Interesting information, lis1407. Is there a reason they leave flowers?

 

And just to let people know, my cousin who had to cancel her part of the trip at the last minute got a check for all her money back except, of course, for the amount she paid for the trip insurance. We bought our insurance through our travel agent, not through Viking.

Hello mimmy52,

All the information about the deceaced was graved into the stone.

You can no longer see that because millions of people walked over the grave.Every grave has a number now.

So the families still know where their ancestors are buried.

Many of these families still exist.

So i guess that's because of a special commemoration.

Gilbert.

Thank you, lis1407. How wonderful that not only do some of the families still exist but that those families are able to honor them in that way.

Thank you for posting your great review and pictures. You took a lot of time doing that and it really helps folks thinking about taking the cruise or remembering when they went. I wish my photos came out as well as yours did.

My wife and I have made the same trip, just on two different Viking cruises. One from Basel, Switzerland to Amsterdam and the other from Budapest to Nuremburg. We also took a train to Bamberg at the suggestion of our tour guide in Nuremburg, during our post-cruise time in Nuremburg. Both of our cruises were during the Christmas market season and we had a wonderful time on each cruise. The Rhine and Danube are a great part of the world and a really good opportunity to tour Europe. If anyone reading this review is thinking about taking this cruise or any of the others that go through these areas, I would highly recommend it.

Many thanks for taking the time to put this extensive trip report together! We will be leaving in less than two weeks for this same itinerary, and my biggest question involved approximate times for arrivals and departures in port. While I know that conditions on the river can change everything, this has been extremely helpful. Thanks again!

Thanks, rrgator and Cyberscp, for the compliments. Rrgator, I did the Basel to Amsterdam cruise too, although at the time the river was too high to board in Basel so I didn't see it at all and my flight was too early for me to see any of Amsterdam. One of the reasons I had to take another river cruise.

Cybercsp, arrival and departure times were one of the things I questioned too, which is why my report was so detailed. Of course, it only applies Amsterdam to Budapest and not the reverse.

Thank you for your Awesome report and the beautiful pics.

A to B is our direction, so it is exactly what I need! I like to plan(and often overplan) for our free time. Thanks again!

Awesome read -- thanks so much. We will be doing the same trip in reverse in May/June.

Thanks for reading and letting me know. I hope you have a great time on your trip. I know I would love to go on another river cruise and hope at some time I can.

Wonderful review. I just booked this cruise in this direction today for June of this year. I left open ended my flights so that I can extend as I desire. My current plan is 2 extra days and nights at either end. While I noticed you did the same in Amsterdam it looks like you flew home the same day from Budapest. Do you think Budapest warrants another day or two. DW and I have never been there.

Thanks.

Wonderful review. I just booked this cruise in this direction today for June of this year. I left open ended my flights so that I can extend as I desire. My current plan is 2 extra days and nights at either end. While I noticed you did the same in Amsterdam it looks like you flew home the same day from Budapest. Do you think Budapest warrants another day or two. DW and I have never been there.

Thanks.

Wheezedr, Budapest is definitely worth the extra time. There is so much you can see! We spent one full day in Budapest and I flew home the next morning. My cousin thought we were going to be gone long enough as it was, so she didn't want to spend extra time in Budapest. If I'd known she wasn't going to be able to make the trip, I definitely would have booked more time there. In case you didn't read jpalbny's review, I'm adding a link to it. He and his wife spent a couple of extra days in Budapest before their Uniworld trip, and his photo review tells and shows a lot about Budapest (they did most of it on their own, not through Uniworld).

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2339007

Thanks, mimmy52. I was going to say that Budapest deserves at least 2-3 days, but you beat me to it!

Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app

Thanks to both of you for your quick replies. I am collecting ideas for the pre and post but have convinced the DW that we should add 2 days at both ends. Like to do this on my own as I get better control of the hotels and generally can undercut the cruise line prices.

Thanks for the great TR!

Do I understand your post about your last night in Budapest correctly to read that the Viking ship does a nighttime cruise along the river? I was going to sign up for a nighttime boat tour, but won't need to id the ship does that.

That's right, Starlaker. If you're on a Viking ship, you will have a night cruise along the river after dinner. Hope you have a great trip!

Our second stop was the Visitors Center where guide Aly continued her explanation of how windmills and pumping stations work. It was quite crowded inside, so it was hard to hear what she was saying even with the Quiet Voxes. With 45 minutes left, we finally got to visit the windmills.

 

 

 

 

We were able to go inside the windmill that is a museum. Our guide told us that during WWII, every windmill hid a Jewish family in the area beneath it.

 

Me at the museum windmill

 

 

 

Inside the windmill

 

 

 

This family lived in the windmill at one time. The windmill has so little area for living space, I can't imagine how they could all fit in at one time. Of course, they didn't have large groups of tourists threading their way around.

 

 

Another level of the windmill

 

Why are all those children bald?

That's right, Starlaker. If you're on a Viking ship, you will have a night cruise along the river after dinner. Hope you have a great trip!

Awesome Mimmy! Thanks for your quick response. We are doing this cruise for our 50th anniversary in July and are looking forward to it so much.

Chilly, I wondered about the bald children myself. I thought maybe they had a problem with head lice.

Starlaker, Happy soon-to-be anniversary. I can't think of a better way to celebrate.

On the walking tour

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marcus explained how the flood walls work while we were still in the riverfront area, then started leading us through the city.

 

 

 

Some neighbors who don't get along.

 

 

 

I love this cat at the bottom of the clock, what an expression! I want a copy of this relief.

He pointed out the recently opened Roman Praetorium when we passed it, but when I wanted to find it later in the afternoon, I couldn't remember where it was. He had recommended that over the Roman-German Museum.

 

At the old Rathaus

 

 

 

Right next to the Rathaus, almost up against it, is an archeological dig of the old Jewish settlement. He continued leading us through the city until we finished at the cathedral. Our tour ended there and we had free time for the rest of the day. It was Sunday and services were being conducted, so no touring inside the Dom until later.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Behind the Dom.

 

 

They had to put a leash on one of the gargoyles.

 

Only the Germans would make churches look like the epitome of the Walking Dead. And to have a title like Rathaus. I lived there for two years and they are unique to say the least. So morose and gothic and creepy. Danke sehr

I walked along a shopping street that would have been busy on any other day. Wouldn't you know, in one of the shop windows I saw a lovely pendant that was beautiful and affordable. Oh well. So I bought a pretzel. It was good but not any different from a pretzel I'd buy at home at the mall.

 

Eventually I made my way back to the Cathedral. I bought a brochure for one euro that had a floor plan with the location of important artifacts and a description of them. A few of them:

 

The Schmuckmaddona

 

 

 

 

 

Floor mosaic

 

 

 

St. Engelbert's tomb

 

 

 

Shrine of the Three Magi, dating from about 1190-1225, a time when every cathedral wanted saintly relics.

 

 

 

I didn't find an explanation for this casket, but I think it also held saintly bones.

 

Haha ha saintly bones. Isn't it funny how true that statement is. What people find holy is beyond me.

Chilly, I don't know how you're viewing the photos, but if you do want a copy of one of them and you click on a photo, it should take you to where I uploaded it to Photobucket and you should be able to copy it or print it from there. If you're viewing on a computer desktop, you should be able to right click and save it in a file on your computer. And when you visit Cologne, you can take your own picture of the clock.

Then castle viewing continued. Commentary had ended though. PD Sam worked hard and often seemed to be in two places at once. My only disappointment was with the castle commentary, since castle viewing is one of my favorite things.

 

 

At 3:30 when the commentary ended, a demonstration on making Rudesheim coffee started in the lounge. Enough people left that I was finally able to take a seat in the shade to continue my viewing.

 

 

 

 

Something I wondered about when we passed these hilly vineyards was how in the world people could work in them without falling down the hill.

 

 

 

Pfalz Castle. It's on a little island.

 

 

 

I oft wondered that when cruising the Rhine. How hardy the people must have been to wander up and down the vineyards to work. They were most def strong and dedicated.

I guess I didn't mention that I was with Dee and El, shopping and enjoying beer and a snack.

 

A toast. El and me

 

 

 

Seating outside was full so we were sitting inside near the door. There was a step down and several people stumbled into Dee's chair as they went from light to dark. One person seemed to think it was all Dee's fault.

 

The inside of the Inn

 

 

 

Inside looking out

 

 

 

Walking back to our meeting spot where we'll board busses

 

 

 

 

 

At the riverfront, waiting for a bus

 

NIce pic of the two of you, lends credence to the story