franski

We have done the lower Danube twice - the last time was September 2022. We were pleased to see how much Bucharest had "recovered" since our last visit. I was able to chat with various people during our stay there. Almost everyone expressed their appreciation about the fact that we came back to visit. The parliament was closed when we were there, but we had seen it on our first visit. It is took bad that our travel companions missed that, however.... Fran

We hired a guide through Tours by Locals - and were able to see everything my husband had on his "must see" list. I have used them before at various times in Europe and was quite happy with the tour in Hanoi. We also booked a day through them in Bangkok on the way home - and had a great tour. Fran

My husband wore shorts almost every day in Vietnam & Cambodia. It was cool in Hanoi (we went in early) so he did wear his jeans one day there. He took his hat off when he entered a temple (no different than when entering a church in other countries) - and in many places we all had to remove our shoes. The big thing for me was having to cover my shoulders when we entered a temple. And we pretty much entered a temple every day. I took more sleeveless tops than anything with sleeves we we were facing 35-38C temperatures. So it was a great thing that there were laundry facilities (free!!) on the boat. You need to cover your shoulders, and your knees when entering a temple. My pants were all capri length - so below my knees, but some women had to look for something to over their knees as their shorts were too short.

We have done that route twice... it is interesting. We had Romanian Lei as we spent a few days ahead of our cruise and also did the Transylvania pre-tour extension. Other than that, we really didn't worry about currency until we hit Hungary - where we were staying an extra couple of days. Most places take credit cards. One place wanted cash (I was buying a pottery bowl) so I asked about an ATM and went and withdrew just enough cash to make my purchase. Once you get to Hungary you can always use Euros - although the exchange isn't as good as using Forints. ATMs are plentiful and easy to find. If unsure, the guide can direct you. Enjoy your trip!! We had Eastern Europe booked twice with Avalon and it was cancelled (once for low water, the 2nd time for Covid...) We ended up booking with Scenic this last time as they had a better sale. I really like Avalon's itinerary... Would have booked with them a 3rd time if the price hadn't jumped so much!! Fran

Are you doing any extra time in Hanoi? We flew in 3 days early so we could do a bit of sightseeing on our own before beginning our tour with Emerald. My husband wanted to see the B52 lake, the Hanoi Hilton & HCM mausoleum while in Hanoi. Only the mausoleum was included in the city tour. I found a private tour that did all of these things - figuring we would just see the mausoleum twice. Well, it was a good thing we went on our own as our included visit to the mausoleum was scheduled for a Monday - and the mausoleum building is closed on Mondays!! We only saw the outside of the building when we went back. I also wanted to see the railway market, but it had been closed to tourists. Our guide was able to get us in so we enjoyed an egg coffee while soaking in the ambience (and then watching the train fly by!!) Fran

We have done 2 cruises with Emerald and would happily sail with them again. For the question about morning exercises --> many boats now have an activity director, but it may be more yoga or tai chi focused instead of exercises that get you jumping. We found beer very reasonably priced almost everywhere in Europe. Sometimes cheaper than buying a soft drink. Hard liquor is comparable to prices here at home. We don't order wine outside of meal times - so can't speak to that. Tea & coffee is available pretty much 24/7 - with a high end coffee machine in the lounge. They usually have some type of snack (cookie, square etc) along with the tea/coffee. You will have fresh water daily in your room, and on any excursions. Not sure if they will have bottles as you leave the boat, or give you a reusable bottle for you to fill before you leave for your excursion. For the cabin, we almost always book Aquarium class (ie: lower level) as we spend very little time in our room... (prefer to save money for the next trip1!!) Fran

Wear the shorts... The only time my DH had long pants on was at dinner. Fran

We booked with a tour company out of Toronto - Wheel & Anchor tours. They worked with a company in Egypt when they set up the tour --> we had 2 Egyptologists that were with us the entire time we were in Egypt --> SO knowledgeable... Fran

Nope! Do not have that pleasure... I have many Italian friends, but they are mostly 1st gen Canadians - not sure what part of Italy their parents are from. Now I know that if I am offered gravy with my macaroni, I will be sure to answer "si"... Fran

We did this itinerary with Emerald in February - and it was fantastic!! Many of the crew members go back & forth between the Emerald and Scenic ships. I am sure you will have an amazing trip!! It is a very different type of river cruise. Many of the stops on the river are tendered in. But, the guests numbers are small, so embarkation/disembarkation is quite smooth. If Scenic handles things the same as Emerald, you will have your own dedicated guide throughout the trip (we had 3 groups, 3 guides along the way. Fran

Next May. We fly into Lisbon on May 18th, and will be on the boat on our anniversary - May 26th. Fran

Nice! They do have some evening hours that apparently are candle lit as you walk through the Siq. We didn't get to do that (not available when we were there...) but I would imagine it would be magical!! Fran

Never heard of the spaghetti sauce/gravy change - although I am aware of the others. My first job out of college was in the US - and there were many linguistic challenges for me. Working in health care, there were a lot of different terms, as well as pronunciation differences (moving to Arkansas may have contributed to that...). My colleagues had quite a few laughs over the differences - especially over my inadvertent offering of an "eraser" during a class - when I used, as Canal Archive mentioned, the English colloquial term instead. Fran

Ah... but then in NZ they are referred to as "jandals"... (footwear, not underwear!!)

Welcome! Extra days are quite doable on your own in both Prague & Budapest. The transfer to/from Prague is a bit more challenging on your own - if you don't arrange with the cruise line. Not impossible, but just extra work. Finding a cruise that includes just one or two days there - and extending on your own is a good way to go --> then you get the transfer!! While I do understand Jazz's suggestion about using Vilshofen as the end-point for the cruise, you would miss Regensburg and Nuremberg --> both (IMHO) worth visiting. Not sure if those stops are important to you - but a bit of research would help you decide. Enjoy!! Fran

Sorry - should have been a bit clearer. February would have been warmer. It would have been nice to have it warm enough to use the pool on the boat, but it was just a bit cool for that. Early mornings were cool enough to need a light sweater, and it warmed up as the day went on. October/November would be a good time to go. We didn't have an option as we were on a trip that was organized and escorted by a company out of Toronto - this was their only sailing. Fran

I did look at Scenic... We have done a few cruises with them so far. We really want to do both Lisbon & Madrid as we have not been to either city - and the 14 day with Scenic was significantly more than with AMA. Would have loved the extra time on the boat but that really drove the price up. I was also pretty rigid in my travel times as this is an anniversary trip for us (45 years) and wanted to be on the boat on our actual anniversary. And am happy this time to not have to do any planning/booking on my own. Enjoy!! I am sure your cruise will be amazing.. Fran

We are doing this the other way next year... And, what I understand is that they provide lunch in Salamanca. Fran

I think you also need to look at what is included in each day. For example... When we were looking at booking the Douro, we wanted specific dates - with extensions at both ends. Emerald had a sale on - and we have had great experiences with them in the past. But - the first day on the boat was a sailing day We were looking at 2 nights in Lisbon at the start - with just an included walking tour as the excursion. Same in Madrid... Although we would get 3 nights there, the included tour was a walking tour - the rest of the time on our own. We then looked at AMA. We get 3 nights in Lisbon, and the things we were looking at visiting (which were an extra cost with Emerald) were included. In Madrid, it was the same - a trip to Toledo is included. And there is an excursion every day on the boat. Our previous experience with AMA was ok - not stellar... but are willing to try them again. Although the initial cost (and cost per day) is higher with AMA, I am saving money since I don't have to pay for extra excursions. Fran

If you are looking to have dinner on shore after the Opera, I would suggest considering Cafe Kor. It is on the Pest side - just down from St. Stephen's church - a short walk from the river. Our favourite restaurant... Traditional Hungarian food. We eat there every time we are in Budapest (last time was last fall!!). Enjoy your trip!! Fran

We did Egypt, Israel and Jordan a few years ago (just got back into the country as the world starting closing due to Covid!!). We did not go with any of the main stream companies, but did have a 7 night cruise on the Nile. I have a few suggestions/comments. 1) If possible, take the 7 nights on the boat. You see the exact same things on the 3 or 4 night cruises, but your days will be jam packed. Nice to have the stops spread out over 7 days IMHO. 2) Going in a day early would be good given the state of air travel now. As mentioned, just book an extra night at the hotel you will be staying in at the start of your tour. Whatever company you choose to go with, ask if they can arrange airport to hotel transfer. If they cannot, then ask the hotel. 3) Do Abu Simbel if you can. Even if you have to pay extra for it. 4) If there does not seem to be a lot of differences in the various tours, look at things such as timing of excursions. We were at the Pyramids by 7:30 am - and were grumbling about the early start. When we left, there were throngs of people lined up at the gate to go in. Glad we went early... 5) Climbing up into the Grand Pyramid isn't a great idea if you are claustrophobic. 6). If you want to see Petra, look for a tour that is there more than a few hours. The treasury (which is what everyone associates with Petra) is only about halfway down to the village. And it is really just a facade... We walked down into the "village" - and, by the time we walked back to the entrance we had walked about 10 km. If you are happy just walking through the Siq to see the Treasury, then a part day should be long enough. An interesting book - if you are going to Jordan/Petra is "Married to a Bedouin". People do not live there anymore, but it gives you an idea of what life was like when people did live there. 7) We went at the end of January and the weather was ok - not particularly hot. It might have been nice to go a couple of weeks later, but would take cool over stinking hot any day. Think that is it for now. Happy to answer any questions about visiting the area if you have any. Fran

We sailed into Cambodia and got our visa on the boat (travelled with Emerald...). But just a head ups (I apologize if you already know this...) - it sounds like you will need a multiple entry Visa for Vietnam. If you do the land portion - and then fly to Cambodia and sail back to Vietnam then a single entry visa won't do. Don't know if you can get your 2nd entry on the boat - might be best to get it before you leave. And - not sure where you are getting your e-visas, but we went right to the website of the Vietnamese government. Friends from Kentucky were going (meeting up there) and they were going to book with the Visa service recommended by their TA. It was significantly more that what we paid so they switched courses pretty quickly when they discovered that!! Fran

We stayed just outside but a short walk away from Old Town in Krakow. There is lots of night life there so it can be a bit noisy in the evening. One of the couples we travelled with did stay in the Old Town - a higher end hotel than we booked - and didn't mind the noise. We did a full day tour to Auschwitz/Birkenau and then the Salt Mines from Krakow as it is closer than if we did it from Warsaw. We did separate tours in Warsaw. They did a typical tour there - old town, churches etc. We found a smaller museum of communism close to our hotel - and the tour we booked was a little off the beaten path. We travelled in old vehicles (my husband loved it!) and visited older sections of town that were not the typical tourist destinations. We weren't pushing to get to Old Town (we didn't make it as there was something going on and traffic was so brutal we turned around...) as there is really nothing "old" about it. It had all been destroyed in the war and rebuilt. We loved our tour - they loved theirs... All depends on what you are looking for. Fran

Hi - just my thoughts on a few things that have been mentioned... Toilets: They will usually build in a bathroom stop somewhere on the tour. And, it will usually be free as the guides will have sourced these out. Any tour I have been on that included pay toilets resulted in the guide paying. They either pay individually, or pay a group amount to the person manning the doorway so that all of the tour can use the facilities. Of course, if you are wandering on your own, the cost is yours. Wheelhouse tours: I have been on a few cruises where this has been offered. On one tour, the captain indicated they liked to keep a semi-open door for guests. Just knock on the door - if it wasn't a good time, they would let you know to come back. On other trips, there was a sign up sheet with set times (same as galley tours). Down time: As others have said, read the day-to-day closely. They won't give specific times - but will usually say things such as morning sailing, set sail over lunch, cruising over dinner, in port overnight. If you know you have down time coming up - and will be docked - ask the cruise director for some suggestions. Often the optional or added (ie: not included, pay to play) excursions are in the afternoon. A lot will depend on where your boat has docked - easy to wander if you are docked close to the city centre. But, you may not be. We have been to Regensburg twice - once docked just down from the Sausage kitchen (so did lunch on our own that day...) and once we were a bus ride away. Also - if you do not think you would be interested in the included tour, you can travel with the group and then branch out on your own. Just make sure you know when and how to return to the boat. When we visited Rouen for the 2nd time, we had no interest in doing another walking tour. (Other stops on that cruise had options - so, same river, different excursions...). One of the staff recommended the Joan of Arc museum that had just opened. It was a great experience!! So, sometimes the crew can help out... Enjoy!! Fran

Always glad to help... Enjoy your trip!! Fran