Long time, First time

[robbinsca]

We have lots of Ocean cruises under our belts but have not ventured on to a river cruise, so my question is going to sound like the ones I answer about ocean cruises.

 

I have ancestral villages near both Neuschwanstein Castle and Bratislava. If I am going all the way over to that region I don’t want to miss the opportunity to visit my forebears home areas. I realize they may be separate trips- can’t decide which to prioritize.

 

i understand that the river cruises offer included tours, but am I able to rent a car, or hire a local guide, that would allow me to visit those villages and then return to the longboat? All the commentary I am reading here on CC only talks about taking the ship tour or simply walking around town.

 

Or do I need to go a few days early and travel down and back before/after the cruise?

 

TIA

[CDNPolar]

4 hours ago, robbinsca said:

We have lots of Ocean cruises under our belts but have not ventured on to a river cruise, so my question is going to sound like the ones I answer about ocean cruises.

 

I have ancestral villages near both Neuschwanstein Castle and Bratislava. If I am going all the way over to that region I don’t want to miss the opportunity to visit my forebears home areas. I realize they may be separate trips- can’t decide which to prioritize.

 

i understand that the river cruises offer included tours, but am I able to rent a car, or hire a local guide, that would allow me to visit those villages and then return to the longboat? All the commentary I am reading here on CC only talks about taking the ship tour or simply walking around town.

 

Or do I need to go a few days early and travel down and back before/after the cruise?

 

TIA

 

 

I have not done the research to where you are going, but you can do whatever your heart desires after the ship docks as long as you are back on board before she sails again.

 

You can rent a car, hire a driver, hire a private tour guide, whatever you want.

 

The question is whether there are cars for hire close to where the ship dock.

 

There are always tours that you can buy...

 

You will just have to look at how long you are in port for and if that is enough time.  Hopefully you will have an overnight in a port that would afford you more time.

[CDNPolar]

4 hours ago, robbinsca said:

All the commentary I am reading here on CC only talks about taking the ship tour or simply walking around town.

 

 

 

This is what most do...  some book local private tour guides, but I have never myself come across anyone renting a car to venture further afoot.  

[gnome12]

If you plan to rent a car you have to be certain that the ship isn’t going to move during the day. Also, unlike ocean cruising, river cruise port times are much more fluid, because they are subject to things like traffic at locks. 
 

Personally, if I were going to do that kind of exploring for your family roots, I would do it pre- or post-cruise. 

[CDNPolar]

12 hours ago, gnome12 said:

If you plan to rent a car you have to be certain that the ship isn’t going to move during the day. Also, unlike ocean cruising, river cruise port times are much more fluid, because they are subject to things like traffic at locks. 
 

Personally, if I were going to do that kind of exploring for your family roots, I would do it pre- or post-cruise. 

 

Very good point @gnome12 , I was not thinking this.  

 

I don't remember how many times we have left a River ship in one city/town but returned after excursion to a different city or town.  This can happen frequently and I know for certain that it happened more than once on the Douro River in Portugal.

 

There can be a scheduled period to go through a lock or many other operational issues that causes the ship to move while you are out on excursion.

[papa B me]

Several years ago we did a Christmas Market Cruise on the Danube from Budapest to Passau.  We actually flew in several days early into Munich.  We hired a private guide to take us to Neuschwanstein and several other King Ludwig castles.  It was a magical day.  Munich was a lot of fun as well.  We initially planned on a night train from Munich to Budapest but it was during the immigration crisis and train service was canceled.  So we ended up taking the short flight from Munich to Budapest.  Then boarded the river cruise(Uniworld) for the trip on the Danube to Passau.  We are actually sailing the Danube again in 4 weeks to experience it in Summer.  Our cruise actually stops in Bratislava as well.  This was a great way to experience as you say two trips in one.  Good luck planning.

[RobInMN]

We've done a number of ocean cruises (D+ on Royal Caribbean), and a few river cruises.

Bratislava is on the Danube, and a stop on some Danube cruises. But as other's have said, you are not guaranteed a docking time or when the ship might leave until maybe the day of or day before? And it might move during the day. Occasionally, the ship will drop people off for excursions, then move to a port down stream to pick those excursion up. Other times, they may stop only for the morning and then move during the afternoon. A private driver that is very flexible might be your best bet, and likely doable, depending on how far away the villages are. I looked a the online itinerary of a couple of Ama cruises that stop in Bratislava (the one I was on did not), and they don't seem to indicate whether they stop all day or not. They only list 1 set of excision options without saying anything like "later..." like they usually do when there is are morning and afternoon sets. This doesn't mean they aren't there pretty much the full day, but doesn't guarentee that they aren't wither. I only looked at them because they are who I am familiar with. Other companies might have more detailed info. If not, you could try calling to see? 

 

I don't believe Neuschwanstein Castle is near enough any river cruise port to do as a day trip. When we went there, we did that as a full day (10 hours) tour from Munich. We did a few days in Munich prior to a river cruise (Ama's Rivers & Castles) that left from Nuremburg. We took the train from Munich to Nuremburg (1-1.25 hours), and then a taxi to where the ship was docked. I highly recommend visiting Munich for a few days if you have the time. In addition to Neuschwanstein, we also did Dachau, a Third Reich Walking Tour and a Bavarian Beer Tour (all with Radius). Anyway, even if you don't do Neuschwanstein itself, I think you'd need a full day with a car rental to visit other villages near there. BTW, Google Maps says Neuschwanstein is a 5 hour drive from Nuremburg.

 

[notamermaid]

I completely agree with the pre- or post-cruise idea. My suggestion is to fly into Munich, do an organized pre-cruise thing or DIY this. Then head to a ship that starts its itinerary from Vilshofen. That cuts out Nuremberg, etc. which I reckon you are not that interested in. Make sure your itinerary has more than just two hours in Bratislava and head for Budapest where most cruises end. Alternatively you can do round-trips Passau to Passau (European river cruise companies) or start in Linz (Austria), a rarer embarkation port. Lots to choose from. Have fun planning.

 

notamermad

 

[Canal archive]

I’m pretty sure it’s a bit like trying for Mont San Michel from a Seine cruise a long drive ‘an ohhh there it is’ and a long drive back. If, and I’m not saying it is your idea of sightseeing then go for it. I see river cruising apart from the sheer enjoyment of it as an opportunity to see areas of Europe you might not see by road as an opportunity to feel the country’s. I know it’s difficult to fit everything in and your a long way away and may never have the opportunity to return but enjoy what is available in full so that your memories will be so much more valuable. 

[pontac]

On 5/3/2024 at 4:43 PM, robbinsca said:

All the commentary I am reading here on CC only talks about taking the ship tour or simply walking around town.

 

There have been many threads on this forum asking about doing self-tours while on a river cruise, and they have received the same answers as have been posted here. Not impossible but difficult making advance plans as when & where  (or indeed whether) the boat moors in a place won't be known before the boat nears the place.

 

You mention Longships. That is the name of the Viking boats. One cruise I can find that calls at Bratislava on the Danube  is the Capitals of Eastern Europe.  A good cruise; I did it  in 2019. Problem is there's only  half a day scheduled for Bratislava, not long enough for you to tour the surrounding villages.

 

The other cruise Treasures of the Danube is a better bet as the boat spends 2 days in Vienna, definitely one night, maybe two as there's a optional dinner excursion on the second day. Bratislava is 1 hours drive from Vienna so renting a car on the second day sounds good, but you must check on board what time the boat leaves Vienna. You will get timings the previous day on the news sheet Viking Daily but check again before leaving the boat. 

 

It seems the nearest cruising river to  Neuschwanstein Castle is the Rhine and Google Maps tells me the nearest river stops are 3.5 hour drives to the castle.

 

It seems to me that the best way is what others have suggested; come early and do the visits in your own time.

 

If you choose for your first cruise Capitals of Eastern Europe starting in Vienna come some days early, if in the other direction stay on after  couple of days.

 

After you first cruise experience you'll have a better idea of life on the river. 

[robbinsca]

Many thanks to all who have helped. You have provided great insights and been kind to this rookie! Definitely need the extra time outside the actual river cruise…the advertisements make it all sound much closer together.

[ljandgb]

Totally agree to take extra time for your family investigations.  Unlike ocean cruises, where port times and locations are set in stone well ahead, your river ship's schedule will be fluid as to where and when it is.  That would totally stress me out trying to keep track of it.

[Canal archive]

To visit Neuschwanstein Castle you have to purchase a tour ticket and these cannot be reserved everyone has to do the guided tour oh and no photography. Just saying!

[franski]

When we visited Neuschwanstein, we planned for extra days after getting off the boat in Basel.  Friends met us and we did 7 days on land.  We ended up staying 2 nights in Fussen so we could spend a whole day at Neuschwanstein and see both castles.  We ended our trip with 3 nights in Munich.  We stayed a bit outside of town and took the train in to do our sightseeing.

 

Fran