Trip report Avalon Poetry Grand Black Sea Cruise

[aneckc]

We just returned from the Globus/Avalon Poetry 20 day Prague to Bucharest Grand Black Sea Cruise, June 14 to July 3. I hope to describe our experiences and help any future cruisers the way I've been helped on this message board in the past.

 

We booked our cruise through Affordabletours.com and everything went off without a hitch. It was a little disconcerting not to receive any documents until 2 weeks prior to our trip but I guess that is how these companies work. Avalon books these cruises through any number of travel agencies like Brendan, UET, etc. This year Avalon advertised for the first time in New Zealand and Australia as well as Great Britain. We loved the Aussies and Kiwis as they are a great, fun, and friendly group as a whole. There were at least 60 passengers from these countries (out of approximately 170 total) who were trying to get away from their winter down south. Avalon only books English speaking countries to cut down on the number of misunderstandings and announcements in multiple languages. We were also told that Avalon contracts out boats each year to get the newest boats on the water. Some companies like GCT and Viking, I believe, own their own boats... for yrs. and yrs.

 

Travel arrangements were made with United from Seattle to Prague and I was pleasantly surprised that service was decent with no lost luggage. Our return was with Lufthansa and again no lost luggage with the added bonus of being upgraded to business class on the way home. The Poetry was only a yr. old and in beautiful condition. The crew was from all over Europe; all spoke English and worked very hard.

 

Our room was spacious with lots of room for storage. The shower stall was tiny however. Everything worked well, especially the individual air conditioning which we really needed since it was so hot and humid duing our tour. The inside of the ship was non-smoking. Some passengers smoked in their rooms but when the captain heard of it he made it known that the offenders would be asked to leave as this constitued a serious fire hazard. We had French doors in our cabin which opened but we were asked to keep our doors closed because of the bugs and mosquitoes on the Danube during the summer.

 

Some passengers complained about the tipping policy advised: 3 Euros per day per person per day for the crusie director and 12 Euros PP per day for the ship's crew (to be evenly divided). They recommended euros but accepted $$$ and even credit card payment for the tips. They did not advertise credit card tips for the crew however because they would not get any payment for approximately 6 weeks. On the day before disembarkation 2 blank envelopes were left in our cabins for tips, one for the cruise director Andryz and the other for the crew. Completely anonymous. The crew was so eager to please and worked so hard 24/7 I had no problem with the ship's tipping policy.

 

Food was excellent and plentiful. My only complaint was that the menu for the second week of our cruise was the exact same as the first. Surely for the amount we paid for this vacation there could have been a different variety. Breakfast was great with everything you could ask for including an omelet station. Each morning we had various cereals, meats and cheeses, yogurt, fruits, etc. I got spoiled eating smoked salmon with horseradish each morning. Lunch was a buffet as well with hot and cold soups, a carving station for roasts, other hot dishes like pastas, a salad bar and dessert buffet. Dinners were sit down affairs with a choice of 3 appetizers, 2 soups, 2 entrees (usually fish and a meat; salmon or chicken medallions were always an option), and 2 desserts. Coffee and wine were always available for free. The waiters and waitresses were excellent and efficient.. Bar service and after dinner drinks were also available throughout. Men were asked not to wear shorts to dinner. For the Captain's Farewell most men at least wore a jacket and women dressed up a little but for the most part dinner dress was casual.

 

When we first arrived on the Poetry the entire crew met us in the lobby with drinks. After many day long trips we were met in the lobby with drinks too. They were a welcome refreshment from the heat and humidity. Check in was a breeze and we were led to our rooms and given our keys within minutes of our arrival.

 

We spent 4 days and 3 nights in Prague. We stayed at the Prague Hilton, a very nice 4-star hotel. I had written the Customer Relations manager, Pavlina Kuhanec, ahead of time with my Hilton Honors number and she arranged for an upgraded room for us. As we were celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary she also had 2 red pillows on our bed, a large red valentine of rose petals, 2 swans kissing (twisted out of bath towels) and a single red rose. It was beautiful. Breakfast buffet was terrific and sumptuous.

 

Gotta get some rest so will continue later.

[aneckc]

Prague was interesting but also disappointing. It was hot, crowded, dirty and underwhelming to me...couldn't see what all the fuss was about. All of the buildings were covered with graffiti and blackened by acid rain and pollution. You could hardly make out the statues on the Charles Bridge. The Valtava river was filthy. The Astronomcal Clock wasn't anything to write home about. Lots of pickpockets. We took an optional tour to the concentration camp at Terazin and I will never look at another smoke stack and not think about the crematorium there. We had a morning included tour of the Prague Castle and Old Town.There were other optional tours to a Dvorak concert, Jewish Ghetto. etc. On Sun. we sat around the hotel until 1:30 and took a 5 hr. bus ride to Nuremberg to join the Poetry.

 

A short morning tour of Nuremberg and a stop for shopping and we were on our way to Regensberg. Germany was a lot cleaner than Prague and no graffiti.This was a nice day visit as well. We loved the tour of the Thun and Taxis Palace. Had an opportunity to check our email at the City Point Internet cafe- $2 for an hr.

 

In Passau, Germany many of us took an optional trip to Salzburg for a Sound of Music tour. It was wonderful and we got to see a lot of the sights used in the making of the movie. I had heard different opinions of this tour that is offered in town but we were all enchanted with the tour offered by Avalon. We drove by bus to catch up with the ship in Linz.

 

Next stop was the Melk Abbey along the Danube. Very beautiful. I've seen hundreds of Churches around the world and I would have to say the only church which has impressed me more was St. Peter's in Rome. Amazing. Next stop Vienna. Beautiful city and we went to a Strauss concert after an early dinner on the Poetry. After the concert we went on a short night tour of the city. Amazing. The ship had Hungarian goulash soup waiting for us on our return. The next day we awakened to light showers for our city tour.

 

Our next stop was Budapest! We arrived early enough to make it to the covered market before it closed at 2 PM on Sat. The ground floor was a supermarket, 1st floor mainly fresh produce and meats; 2nd floor clothing. Most of the dresses and tablecloths were hand embroidered; souvenirs mainly peasant art. We bought a few Christmas decorations but found the prices, like most of our trip, way over-priced. After dinner we took an optional night illumination tour of the city. The Chain Bridge, Royal Palace, Parliament Building, Fisherman's Bastion were all amazing.

 

On Sunday we off-loaded half the passengers who ended there tour in Budapest. Along with the new passengers continuing along to the Black Sea we took an all day included tour of a horse farm in Budapest while the ships crew cleaned up for the new passengers. The locals were shameless in their efforts to get tips. Hats were passed around for tips after the show and after lunch. Pictures taken during the day were sold for 5 euros (about $5.50).

 

The rest of the trip was very disappointing. I did not expect much but I was dumbfounded to see how ugly, dreary and depressing the former communist bloc countries were. We passed through Serbia, Belgrade, and Romania. The stops we had were run-down, graffiti covered, dirty and non-discrept cities, particularly Kalocza, the Paprika capital of the world. Most of these countries had depressed currencies and some would not even accept the euro. The "famous" Iron Gates was just another lock system. Really, there were no other memorable sights past Budapest and I would not recommend this part of the Danube to anyone. Even Bucharest, our last stop did not have much to look at. The Athenee Palace was a wonderful 5 star hotel though.

 

Visiting these former communist countries was interesting in the sense that we got to see how backwards everything is. The people seem saddened and downtrodden. Their main hope is to be accepted in the European Union in the next few years. Our guides there were all very patriotic and effusive in their praise of their countries. If their fellow countrymen had their enthusiasm and spirit they will ultimately succeed in bringing their countires into the 21st century. Until then, it will be a long, long time though before I will ever visit this part of the world.

[BJS]

The rest of the trip was very disappointing. I did not expect much but I was dumbfounded to see how ugly, dreary and depressing the former communist bloc countries were. ......I would not recommend this part of the Danube to anyone. Even Bucharest, our last stop did not have much to look at. ....Until then, it will be a long, long time though before I will ever visit this part of the world.

Great report... Thank you for posting it.

 

Wasn't there anything of interest past Budapest?

 

Was it the condition of the buildings that so depressed you, the poverty, or both?

 

Have you been to South America or China and if so how does the poverty and condition of many of the buildings there compare to Eastern Europe?

 

We were planning to take this part of the Danube and just trying to get a better idea of why you would not recommend this part of the Danube.

[aneckc]

Yes. I've been all over the Orient ( Japan, Philippines,Thailand, Korea,), Mombasa, Kenya, and Italy (especially Naples)so had a frame of reference on 3rd world poverty. What really was depressing was the dreary, run down, shabby, monolithic slums the communists put up. The Greek Orthodox Churches we visited were very dark and not very uplifting to me although I did see several local services for devout worshippers.

 

Please, these were my impressions. You have to experience eastern Europe for yourself. There were as many on this trip who were fascinated with these countries. If you keep your expectations low, you may walk away impressed. Just because I wasn't doesn't mean you won't be. :)

[BJS]

Yes. I've been all over the Orient ( Japan, Philippines,Thailand, Korea,), Mombasa, Kenya, and Italy (especially Naples)so had a frame of reference on 3rd world poverty. What really was depressing was the dreary, run down, shabby, monolithic slums the communists put up. The Greek Orthodox Churches we visited were very dark and not very uplifting to me although I did see several local services for devout worshippers.

 

Please, these were my impressions. You have to experience eastern Europe for yourself. There were as many on this trip who were fascinated with these countries. If you keep your expectations low, you may walk away impressed. Just because I wasn't doesn't mean you won't be. :)

Thank you for your response. I do understand that these were just your impressions but when you said "I would not recommend this part of the Danube to anyone." I was curious as to why.

[wbrumel]

I am going on the Avalon Artistry from Prague to Budapest in October, so I read your review with much interest. How did you handle money matters? I am concerned about needing several types of currencies. Thanks again.

[aneckc]

Wbrumel-great question as it was a concern for us too. There is an ATM machine right there at the Hilton which accepted Plus and Cirrus cards. No problem getting Czech crowns. Most stores and restaurants in town accepted credit cards so you don't need need a lot of crowns.

 

We almost wound up with leftover Czech money...and since the Czech money, like most of the other currencies in the countries we visited, (Hungary, Romania, Belgrade, and Serbia) was so devalued, no other country will take them or buy them back. Germany and Austria took euros...supposedly all the other countries too... but it didn't work out that way. In Serbia many stores would not even take credit cards or euros and we would have to go to a money exchange to buy dinars.

 

My advice would be to not buy too much of the local currency or you might get stuck with it when you leave town. Of course you could use the leftover money to tip the guides and bus drivers. Be aware too that your credit card and ATM companies will probably charge you a foreign transaction fee for each use. You should check with your credit card company for their rates. My credit union charged us 1% I think. It wasn't much.

 

Another point, we were advised to be extra careful in using our credit cards and ATM machines south of Hungary so most of us stocked up euros in Budapest. It wasn't a problem for us because we didn't buy anything. The prices were so high.

 

The local souvenirs were so expensive, probably jacked up for tourists and hand made, that we did not buy many "dust collectors" as our guide called them.

 

Always, always be wary of pick pockets. Pick pocketing is an accepted way of life there...and rich American tourists are fair game. The local authorites are helpless against this prevalent and petty crime. My wife had her purse stolen in a retaurant in Prague, the Sovovy Mylny on Kampa Island. Our local guide recommended that restaurant to us and it was the worst expereince we have ever had the misfortune to endure. Avoid that restaurant. Wear a money belt at all times if you value your money.:)

[wbrumel]

Thanks again. I'm thinking that by the end of October when I go, I'll be wearing a jacket and can keep my wallet zippered up! I'll take a few credit cards and verify the pins before I leave, as I almost never use an ATM here, except with my debit card.

[aneckc]

Some other thoughts on our trip. I asked my travel agent to book our room on the 200 level which was the second level or Sapphire deck. We got room 239 which was perfect. The 300 level rooms were a on the Royal deck one floor up and several hundred dollars more per room. There were 2 Jr. suites which had a larger shower on that level for quite a bit more money too. The 100 level had cheaper cabins but were half submerged below water level while traveling through locks. I asked for a room below the restaurant and it was pretty quiet. You don't want a room in the forward cabins under the lounge as some people party till late. The forward cabins were also close to the tiny gym (which had 2 bikes and one rowing machine as well as a jacuzzi; almost never used). Those way in the front or towards the stern of the ship had to deal with the thruster noises for moving the ship from side to side while traveling through the locks or avoiding other river traffic.

 

Laundry- there was a laundry service available but very expensive. We wound up doing our laundry in the sink every night. Pretty tedious after 2 weeks. Light weight clothes worked best, especially in the hot weather. Some folks had cool max shirts and they were perfect. Others packed enough clothes for the whole 2 weeks. I don't know how they did it. No irons are allowed in the cabins for safety reasons.

 

All electrical outlets were 220 V so you will need an adapter with 2 pins and a converter for battery chargers, curling irons, etc. Each cabin had a hair dryer, small TV, mini fridge, etc.

 

We received a daily briefing on the following day's schedule each night 15 mins. before dinner which was usually at 7 PM. Dinner lasted 1.5-2 hrs. The company knew your birth dates and each night we had birthday cakes for those celebrating their birthdays. When we returned to our rooms after dinner each night we found that the maid had turned down our beds and left a candy on our pillows as well as a printed schedule for the next day. She also would replace any of our wet towels from the morning.

 

Every time we left the ship we were expected to pick up a boarding pass with our cabin number so they knew who was off the ship. More importantly, it told them who was missing when it was time to sail. We were also told to carry our printed itinerary with a phone number to contact the ship if we got lost or had an emergency. We did not need our passports except for our stops in Serbia (and I think Hungary.)

 

I would guess that more than 85% of the passengers were 70 plus in yrs. More than 90% retired. Some had major medical probems as you would expect for that age and stayed behind on some of the walking tours. We were warned about the difficulty of the tours beforehand but the heat and humidity made it difficult for all regardless of health.

 

Will answer any more questions to the best of my recollection or as I think of what transpired. :)

[rundent]

Terrific that you wrote this so promptly [and well], since I leave next Wed. for the same trip [getting off at Budapest though]. How inconvenient was the Hilton's location? Not counting a need to buy "dust collectors" about how much do you need in crowns and forints [only one day in Budapest for us]? I will be taking a cab from and to the airports plus meals [i know you don't know what we'll be eating or where]..just a ball park figure. It's an eye-opener that the much touted cities are so depressing. Hope we have a different take on them. Again, thanks so much. Larry

[aneckc]

Hi Larry- There is a mini bus at the Prague airport called Cedaz I think that will get you into Prague a little cheaper than a taxi ( I take it that you are flying on your own). You should be able to get Czech crowns at the airport ATM in that case. Beware of taxis that will try to rip you off. Avalon took care of all my transfers so can't help you there. It is about a half hr. ride to the Hilton. In Budapest you might ask your Tour Director to arrange for your transport to the airport. They should be able to provide you with reliable transportation.

 

In all the cities that you will be traveling to (Prague, Nuremberg, Regensberg, Salzburg?, Budapest) most restaurants and shops should take a credit card. Nuremberg, Regensberg, and Salzburg all take euros. In Prague they won't take euros. Budapest will take euros or local currency. I would not get more than $100 worth of local currency in Prague or Budapest. I used the Czech crowns for the concert at the Klemmentinum Chapel of Mirrors, snacks, rowboat on the Valtava river, etc. Minor stuff. I tried to pay for my optional Terazin concentration camp tour with the crowns but my Tour Director would not take it because of the weak currency.

 

We walked everywhere so you shouldn't need a taxi in Prague except to get to your hotel from the airport. The Hilton is a 10-15 minute walk to the outskirts of Old Town and another 15-20 minutes to the Charles Bridge depending on how many stops you make for shopping and photos. It is hard to get lost if you keep heading to the river. We tried not to walk back to the hotel after dark as the streets were a little scary late at night.

 

You should be aware that your ATM and credit card companies will charge you a "foreign transaction fee" each time you use your card in Europe. My credit union charged me approximately 1% each time I used my card. Not too bad.

 

Good luck and have a safe trip.:)

[bigart]

Hi Bix,

Your report sounded so familiar that Dolly and I came to the same conclusion. We enjoyed traveling with both of so much that I wanted to respond and let you know. Your Florida shipmates Dolly and Art

[aneckc]

Hey there Art and Dolly- welcome back. It was great meeting you two and I hope you all had a safe trip home. Next yr. China maybe? Take care. Hope your pictures turned out OK:)