Greetings from Vantage...

...currently docked in Ruse, Bulgaria. It was 97 degrees today. Otherwise, trip is going good. Nice excursion today to Veliko Turnova (and somewhere else I can't remember the spelling of) :)

Cruising toward the Iron Gates (arrival there Friday).

Shmoo,

Thanks for posting. We'll be boarding the River Navigator on July 31 in Amsterdam after you've finished your cruise. Please pass on any items of note about the ship. Don't leave a mess!!

FuelScience

Shmoo- Hope you have a great trip.

Ditto what Fuel said, whatever info you can pass along is great. We're booked for this trip next year. Not a ton of Vantage talk or info out there, so eager to hear pretty much anything.

I'm patient, enjoy your cruise first! :)

...currently docked in Ruse, Bulgaria. It was 97 degrees today. Otherwise, trip is going good. Nice excursion today to Veliko Turnova (and somewhere else I can't remember the spelling of) :)

 

Cruising toward the Iron Gates (arrival there Friday).

Wasn't Veliko Turnovo pretty? I really enjoyed our time there.

I know where you mean about the"someplace else"!! Wasn't the choir amazing? :D

Make sure you're up on deck with your camera and when you see a little monastery (you're going North so it should be on your right) you will be just around the bend from the face carved in the side of the mountain. Your tour guide will be doing a narrative and once she starts talking about the monastery get your camera ready.

Spectacular cruising the Iron Gates the last day and a half. Entering Iron Gates lock #1 weather was overcast and a little rainy. But cleared up once in the lake. Stopped at small village - Donji Milanoac, weather very windy and several of us got splashed by waves breaking over the embankment during our walking tour.

About the Navigator - lots of storage space in room. And, unlike noted in the paperwork, our room, at least, does have an individual climate control. Currently docked next to some other ship (with a small balcony) about to go into Belgrade. Two other ships "rafted" in front of us - so going to be much busier than where we've been thus far.

Spectacular cruising the Iron Gates the last day and a half. Entering Iron Gates lock #1 weather was overcast and a little rainy. But cleared up once in the lake. Stopped at small village - Donji Milanoac, weather very windy and several of us got splashed by waves breaking over the embankment during our walking tour.

 

About the Navigator - lots of storage space in room. And, unlike noted in the paperwork, our room, at least, does have an individual climate control. Currently docked next to some other ship (with a small balcony) about to go into Belgrade. Two other ships "rafted" in front of us - so going to be much busier than where we've been thus far.

We didn't stop at that town. Belgrade was very nice. I've only been on the Navigator but I thought all rooms had individual climate control.....that you really can control unlike some places where you have a thermostat that limits how cool you can make the room. This is high season, you can probably expect to be rafted several more times as you hit more popular ports. Hope weather improves.

Just returned from our morning tour in Kalocsa (organ concert and a folk arts hands-on demonstration stop). Lunch onboard and then a tour this afternoon to see a horse show.

The ship is nice, I only mentioned the individual room controls because the folder we got just before departing specifically said that of the 4 ships doing this particular cruise, the Navigator doesn't have them. But she was refurbished inn 2012, so I'm thinking that was upgraded then, and the paperwork hasn't been changed.

Only complaint I have thus far, is I find all the seating (in the lounge/dining room) very hard. And they have 3 different types of seats in the lounge - all minimally padded.

The food is very good, but it seems to be getting progressively fancier (a little out of my particular "plain food" tastes).

Weather has cooled a bit. Had a little rain in Croatia, but now sort of cloudy/overcast and around 82 degrees.

Off to lunch now!

 

The food is very good, but it seems to be getting progressively fancier (a little out of my particular "plain food" tastes).

 

Off to lunch now!

Shmoo, if the food is getting too rich for you, don't forget you can always ask for chicken or a steak....or try the vegetarian choice, I basically eat plant based diet anyway, and Navigator has one of the best vegetarian chefs on the planet, IMHO.

Shmoo,

Any talk of the water levels on the Danube? Will the Navigator be able to get from Passau to Regensburg?

FuelScience

I know about the "always available" menu. Had the chicken breast and/or the steak option a couple of times now. Even just asked for a baked potato one night.

As to the river levels. Haven't had any issue yet. Cruise Director did mention at the Port Talk last night that there are some lower water levels, but not any "serious" concerns at this time. Our ship has a fairly shallow draught - 5 feet, so things are looking good.

We docked in 3 different places in Budapest (turn around day/new cruise beginning) so had the cruise to see the lights at night twice.

I know about the "always available" menu. Had the chicken breast and/or the steak option a couple of times now. Even just asked for a baked potato one night.

 

As to the river levels. Haven't had any issue yet. Cruise Director did mention at the Port Talk last night that there are some lower water levels, but not any "serious" concerns at this time. Our ship has a fairly shallow draught - 5 feet, so things are looking good.

 

We docked in 3 different places in Budapest (turn around day/new cruise beginning) so had the cruise to see the lights at night twice.

Only thing better than seeing Budapest at night once is......seeing it twice!!! Isn't it spectacular!!! :)

May I ask who is your cruise director? concierge? Just wondering if I've had either of them on previous trips.

Only thing better than seeing Budapest at night once is......seeing it twice!!! Isn't it spectacular!!! :)

 

May I ask who is your cruise director? concierge? Just wondering if I've had either of them on previous trips.

Cruise Director is Aina Ilic (and she is spectacular) and we had Maude as Concierge from Bucharest to Budapest and now have Agnes to Bonn.

We've not done a river cruise before, so haven't had either before.

Hello Shmoo,

good to hear you are enjoying your cruise. Will you visit Melk Abbey? It is great, I love the spiral staircase!

I am intrigued by the fact that the cruise ends in Bonn. This is very unusual. Do you know why? Will you fly from Cologne airport or are you going somewhere else?

notamermaid

Notamermaid,

I too am surprised that the cruise ends in Bonn. We're scheduled to board the River Navigator in Amsterdam on July 31 for a Rhine/Moselle cruise. So I assume that passengers will disembark in Bonn and the ship will sail from Bonn to Amsterdam without passengers.

Vantage offers an optional post cruise package in Amsterdam. Passengers travel between Bonn and Amsterdam via bus.

FuelScience

Take it easy in the heat. We are considering booking this cruise next summer or fall. Probably looking into fall due to the summer heat. When you return I would love a full review.

Take it easy in the heat. We are considering booking this cruise next summer or fall. Probably looking into fall due to the summer heat. When you return I would love a full review.

If you can do it, Casey, late August and September into mid-October are beautiful in Budapest. Depending on which direction you're traveling, October could be cooler, but we've been there several times usually in September and once in June.

Hello Shmoo,

 

good to hear you are enjoying your cruise. Will you visit Melk Abbey? It is great, I love the spiral staircase!

 

I am intrigued by the fact that the cruise ends in Bonn. This is very unusual. Do you know why? Will you fly from Cologne airport or are you going somewhere else?

 

notamermaid

After 2 blistering days (98+ degrees) in Vienna, we cruised the Wachau Valley today, no stops. Saw the abbey, but maybe next trip :). On our way to Passau, Germany (arriving in the morning).

Notamermaid,

 

I too am surprised that the cruise ends in Bonn. We're scheduled to board the River Navigator in Amsterdam on July 31 for a Rhine/Moselle cruise. So I assume that passengers will disembark in Bonn and the ship will sail from Bonn to Amsterdam without passengers.

 

Vantage offers an optional post cruise package in Amsterdam. Passengers travel between Bonn and Amsterdam via bus.

 

FuelScience

We cruise to Bonn, and then turn around and head for Frankfort again. We actually disembark in Frankfort. Those people doing the Amsterdam add-on are being bussed to Amsterdam, from what I've been told.

Shmoo,

Let us know if the captain is still optimistic about getting up the Danube. With the other lines cancelling cruises and doing ship swaps, I'm getting nervous about the Navigator making it to Amsterdam for our Rhine cruise following yours.

Thanks,

FuelScience

We boarded the River Splendor in Bonn yesterday. There was rain last night and drizzle this morning in Cologne. Rain is forecast for Passau later this week. Hopefully all river levels will rise and we will have no problems.

Well, at the port talk last night (after leaving Passau), the Captain read a letter he had received from "higher up" (the head of European operations, I believe) saying, "the water levels seem too low to continue". However, with his experience, he discussed it with the Program Director and other staff and they decided to attempt it.

So, we left Passau 3 hours earlier than planned, and traveled r-e-e-e-e-a-l slow (about 5 miles and hour), and pulling over as far as we could in the wider spots to let downriver traffic by, we made it to Regensburg this morning.

Yes, the water is really low, and many ships are not making the trip between Passau & Regensburg. We met several Viking travelers who were bussed from/to Passau/Regensburg to trade ships and continue their respective journeys.

Thanks Shmoo!!

I watched yesterday as the Navigator and Uniworld's River Princess sailed from Passau to Regensburg (on vesselfinder.com). Once the ships got through the lock at Straubing (very late last night for your), the speeded up and sailed into Regensburg at a normal pace.

FuelScience

Shmoo, thanks for the continual postings! Like FuelScience, I am concerned about the ship getting through those low spots. Sounds like last night was a narrow squeak.

FuelScience, like you, I'm scheduled for a cruise soon on the Navigator -- not the one you're on, but the next one (flying into Zurich 14th, embarking in Basel). Thanks for the vesselfinder.com reference.

Well, at the port talk last night (after leaving Passau), the Captain read a letter he had received from "higher up" (the head of European operations, I believe) saying, "the water levels seem too low to continue". However, with his experience, he discussed it with the Program Director and other staff and they decided to attempt it.

 

So, we left Passau 3 hours earlier than planned, and traveled r-e-e-e-e-a-l slow (about 5 miles and hour), and pulling over as far as we could in the wider spots to let downriver traffic by, we made it to Regensburg this morning.

 

Yes, the water is really low, and many ships are not making the trip between Passau & Regensburg. We met several Viking travelers who were bussed from/to Passau/Regensburg to trade ships and continue their respective journeys.

So glad to hear it. When we did this trip our captain was a dead ringer for Vladimir Putin and he was amazing!!!! Perhaps Viking ships, being larger than most Vantage ships, draft more.

Did you have an organ recital at St. Stephen's in Passau?

Shmoo, thanks for the continual postings! Like FuelScience, I am concerned about the ship getting through those low spots. Sounds like last night was a narrow squeak.

 

FuelScience, like you, I'm scheduled for a cruise soon on the Navigator -- not the one you're on, but the next one (flying into Zurich 14th, embarking in Basel). Thanks for the vesselfinder.com reference.

Definite kudos to Shmoo. You may know that Hydrokitty will be getting onto the Navigator after you dock in Amsterdam for the same cruise. I'll try to post from the cruise, so if you have any questions, I'll try to answer. Hydrokitty the real expert. I think that this will be her 4th or 5th cruise on the Navigator.

With regard to her question about the draft of the ship, the Navigator is listed as having a 1.5 meter draft while Viking's longships have a 1.8 meter draft. That's a difference of about 12 inches, but apparently it made a difference.

FuelScience

Definite kudos to Shmoo. You may know that Hydrokitty will be getting onto the Navigator after you dock in Amsterdam for the same cruise. I'll try to post from the cruise, so if you have any questions, I'll try to answer. Hydrokitty the real expert. I think that this will be her 4th or 5th cruise on the Navigator.

 

With regard to her question about the draft of the ship, the Navigator is listed as having a 1.5 meter draft while Viking's longships have a 1.8 meter draft. That's a difference of about 12 inches, but apparently it made a difference.

 

FuelScience

A foot can make a big difference in a river.