Photo Travelogue - "The Legendary Danube" on the Amacello

[TwoFortwo]

Early this month we spent three days in Prague and then cruised from Nuremberg to Budapest on the Amacello. We had a wonderful trip and AMA Waterways and the Amacello thoroughly exceeded our expectations.

 

I put together a travelogue of photos from the trip, which you can view at

 

http://www.pbase.com/rcimages/europe_2008

 

Randy

[yukonld]

What wonderful photos! We are doing the same trip, in reverse, on the Amacello in August - I am counting down the days before we leave on our first ever river trip!

 

Which hotel did you stay at in Budapest?

 

Lynn

[TwoFortwo]

We stayed at the Marriott, which was quite nice and the rooms were spacious and modern. All the rooms have a view of the river, but the rooms facing the river near the end of the hall have the best view. Others stayed at the Grand Kempenski, which looked brand new.

 

If you have scheduled the pre-cruise stay in Budapest, you may find yourself at the Marriott. Its location is very convenient to shopping and transportation, and it's exactly across the river from the place where your ship will dock.

[hcross888]

Thanks so much for sharing the pictures. Our travel documents came today, and we are going to also be on the Amacello (only taking the trip in reverse.) I can't wait!

 

:D

[Robyn France]

What beautiful photos! Thanks so much for posting. It looks like a wonderful family reunion. We ar traveling on the Amacello on Sept. 3 on the same trip in reverse with a "small family reunioin"--my sister, my husband and I. Your photos really add to the excitement. Many thanks!

[nyfeds]

Thanks for posting your wonderful photos.

 

We, too, will be on the Amacello, Sept 3, along with you, Robyn. Can't wait to take this much-anticipated cruise.

[mushroom]

Your pictures are art! Thank you for sharing them with us. We'll be spending a few days in Prague prior to a Uniworld cruise in July.....and you have already shown me more than all of my guide books put together!

[NormInToronto]

Excellent photos, Randy. Thanks for posting them.

[cole]

From one Cole to another - thanks for sharing the photos. What about this boat, crew, meals, etc. did you like, dislike. We are considering the same cruise in 2009 and would love your thoughts about the trip.

Shelvie Cole

[letsgoeverywhere]

Great Photos. We are looking forward to our trip on the Amacello in September. What tours in Budapest were included??

[Travel Nymph]

Randy,

I searched for a review and could not find it. Have you written one yet?

Where did you stay in Prauge? Did you take the 14 day package?

We have decided to do our own before and after and would be interested in what area you suggest in Prague and Budapest.

 

I understand the boat is on the Buda side by the Chain and Elizabeth Bridge?

 

Any information you have would be great. Thanks for the pictorial.

 

Joy

[cruznurz]

Hi Randy,

Your photos are amazing. We are doing the same Amacello cruise July 5, preceded by 3 days in Prague. I posted some questions on the site displaying your photos. Your use of light was so effective. I was also impressed that you were able to capture so many sites with no people in them. Any helpful hints about camera settings, filters etc. would be most appreciated.

Thank you for sharing these pictures. We are very excited to be going on the Amacello soon.

Dale

[TwoFortwo]

Dale,

 

Thanks to you and the others for the nice comments, and sorry for the delay in responding. I'm a fairly experienced amateur shooter, having taken several week-long photography workshops in the last few years and (hopefully) learned to look for color, light and gesture.

 

Most of the shots were taken with a Nikon D300 and a 18-200mm lens, which was the only lens I used with the D300. Some were taken with a Canon G9, particularly those in Budapest, where I felt less secure with a big camera and was getting tired of hauling it around. The D300 shots were generally shot at ISO 400 or 800 outside and ISO 1600 inside. The excellent low-light properties of the D300 really helped. I didn't take a tripod, and the image-stabilized VR lens also helped a lot. I took about 2700 shots, kept about 800, and there are about 400 in Pbase. If you look around on my Pbase page you will see 12 selected images that may be the most photographically interesting. I use a UV filter over the lens but no other filters. I generally shoot aperture-priority at f8 or so but do change the aperture when needed.

 

There are several things that led to photos without people in them. One was getting up and out very early. In Prague I was on the street by 6:30AM, and it's only a 5-10 minute walk from the Hilton Old Town to Old Town Square. I was able to get in a good hour of shooting before breakfast.

 

Another was the Audiovox system that AMA Waterways uses. Each person gets a radio unit with a headphone, and the guide gets a unit with a microphone. The system works very well and allows you to hear the guide without being close to him or her. You can get away from the group to shoot without missing out.

 

I'm sure you're going to have a great time next month. I think you're going to really enjoy river cruising and find it to be much different from large-ship ocean cruising. The Amacello is brand-new, having been delivered in March, and the crew is first-rate. The food is first-rate as well, and some experienced cruisers said it was the best they have ever had on a cruise.

 

Randy

[TwoFortwo]

Joy and Shelvie,

 

We took the package that included 3 days in Prague before the cruise, and then stayed in Budapest through the weekend. Our days in Prague were pretty full, since we took the included tour of Prague and the optional tour of Terezin. If you're on your own you will want to go across the Charles Bridge and up to St. Stephen's and the castle, of course. The rest is probably up to you, and there's a lot to see. We didn't use them, but the subway system and the tram system look very modern and are probably easy to use.

 

In Budapest we didn't go far on Saturday and Sunday, spending our time walking in the area between Parliament and the market. The tour of Budapest is included, but was not the best of our cruise. We spent quite a bit of time learning about too many historical details in a square in Pest with a lot of statues, and then rode to the castle district on the Buda side, but mostly saw the Fisherman's Bastion, which has great views of the river and Pest.

 

We were generally tired in the evening and didn't much go out looking for restaurants, although there are certainly a lot of choices. If your budget permits, you should consider eating at the restaurant in the Hilton Old Town, called the Maze, at least once. The food and service are world-class, comparable to the best restaurants in Dallas, where we live.

 

In Budapest the ship (the captain may make you walk the plank if you call it a boat <g>) is moored on the Buda side between the Elizabeth Bridge and the Chain Bridge, closer to the Elizabeth Bridge and directly across from the Marriott A water shuttle is provided on Friday to get you to the Pest side.

 

We basically liked almost everything about the cruise. The guides were generally excellent and knowledgable. We didn't take the optional tour to Salzburg, choosing to take the walking tour of Passau, our favorite small city, and spend a nice afternoon cruising. The folks who did take the Salzburg tour said it was quite good, however. Our favorite optional tour was probably the evening concert in Vienna, where we wound up on the front row. The small orchestra and dancers were excellent and put on a very enjoyable concert. The little blond ballerina was an absolute doll and all the men wanted to take her home with them <g>. Our least favorite tour was the Weltenburg Abbey, because the buses and guides were late, the Danube Gorge is pretty tame by US standards, we felt rushed in the abbey church (which is beautiful) and the beer garden was packed (the beer was excellent but we didn't have much time to drink it). It was a German holiday and the place was teeming with locals drinking beer.

 

Our cruise director, Maddy Calderuse, was great, and everything was very well organized. The food was great. At breakfast there is an well-stocked buffet, fresh breads of any type, and you can have omelets made to order if you like. At lunch there is a buffet as well, you can order from a menu, or some of both. Wine is available but not included. At dinner wine (as much as you can drink) is included and the menu generally includes a choice of several specialties of the region you are cruising through, plus appetizer, soup, and dessert. We thought portions were sized just right, and if you'd like more than one of anything the waiters will happily bring it. The wines were quite good.

 

The cabins are very well laid out and we didn't feel cramped at all. There is a lot of storage space and space under the beds for your suitcases. A hair dryer and umbrella are provided, as well as standard toiletries. There is a LCD display in your room for TV (we never tried that) and the internet. We enjoyed opening the windows at night, since the temperature was perfect.

 

Our cabin was on the starboard side (odd-numbered cabins), and we had to keep the curtains closed in the late afternoon or the cabin would get a bit too hot. If you haven't booked a cabin I would suggest an even-numbered cabin from Prague to Budapest and an odd-numbered cabin going the other way.

 

As far as I know all the cabins are identical except for the windows on the lowest deck. The extra room in the suites makes a huge difference, and there is a bathtub. There is a hairdresser/masseuse on the Amacello, and my wife enjoyed getting her hair washed and dried a couple of times.

 

There wasn't much that we didn't like. The peanuts in the bar were stale and the purser wasn't able to change a 5 Euro bill so we could tip the guide and bus driver. Our friend thought the bar should have had better-quality liquor. Clearly all pretty small complaints.

 

The internet is very, very slow (but free). You should not plan on using it for anything other than an email or two back home or a quick check of the headlines. If you plan on keeping up with work emails while on the ship you will be very frustrated, and rightly so.

 

That reminds me about the foreign currency issues. In Prague and on the way to Nuremberg you will need Czech crowns, which you can get at any of several ATMs within a block of the hotel. From Nuremberg to Vienna you will need Euros, which you can get at an ATM. You should try to get some change to tip the guide and bus driver. The currency in Hungary is the forint, which is pretty much unloved. Many places will take Euros but will give change in forints. There are plenty of ATMs to get forints, but it is apparently hard to exchange them for anything else, so it's best to use a credit card or Euros. Any of the guides anywhere will be happy with a Euro for a tip.

 

Randy

[cruznurz]

Randy,

Thank you for your reply and the photo tips. My camera equipment is similar to yours and I am looking forward to all the fabulous photo oportunities. I'm not a morning person but if that's what it takes to obtain similar shots, I'll be out there at 6:30 in the morning too. We appreciate the detailed review you have written and can hardly wait to go.

Dale and Jim

[Travel Nymph]

Randy,

Thank you for all your information. It certainly helps those of us who have never been on a river cruise to understand what to expect.

 

I just Google Earthed the port and see where you explained it to be. It looks like alot of activity is on the other side. Saw lots of (canal?) boats.

 

We are doing the "reverse" cruise in Sept. 2009 on the Amandante, from Budapest to Nuremburg.

 

If anyone is interested, I found a GREAT place to stay in Budapest. Great reviews (#1) on Trip Advisor, for an apartment. Tomas has 3 apartments in the city called Golden Stars. I just booked after reading the reviews.

(budapest.hoteltargets.com) Minimum booking is 3 nights. Price is great as well.

 

Does anyone have a place in Prague they would recommend? We enjoy the executive aparthotels and will be staying 3 nights in Prague.

 

Joy

[cruznurz]

Hi Randy,

I notice your comment about feeling less secure in Budapest and opting to take the smaller camera. Should we be nore cautious there? Were you nervous about pickpockets or should we be aware of anything else? Was this because the streets were deserted at that early hour? How secure did you feel in Prague? If we take the usual tourist precautions, should we be OK in well lit, public places?

Thanks again,

Dale

[MartiniWabbit]

we are doing the Budapest to Paris 21 day end of Oct and are starting in Budapest. We added an extra day there. We will be at the Kempinski Hotel. I looked at maps and looks like it is fairly close to many sites to visit. Is the city hard to get around if you walk. We want to walk down to Parliament, across the Chain Bridge and up to the castle....I think you can take a funicular, Our only concern is the weather at that time of year. We will be on the Amadagio. Did you ride the Budapest Metro system. I have done a lot of research on the city but you can't tell about things till you actually are there. I know the market is one place I saw on a recent Rick Steve's show on Budapest.

 

Thanks for any info, Lynne

[TwoFortwo]

All,

 

I did feel a bit insecure with the DSLR in Budapest, probably because our cruise director had cautioned us about pickpockets before we got off in Budapest and she really hadn't done that before. The market is pretty crowded and pickpockets are always a danger in any crowded place anywhere. I felt quite secure in Prague. I don't think you have anything to worry about anywhere on your route as long as you observe the usual tourist precautions.

 

The Kempinski in Budapest is very central and you can easily walk to Parliament and the Chain Bridge from there. If you're reasonably strong walkers you should have no problem at all. We saw the funicular but didn't take it. The market is about a 15-minute walk from the Kempinski. We didn't try the Budapest Metro (or the one in Prague, for that matter), but it should be easy to use.

 

Randy

[Jinn]

Thanks, Randy, for your review. My sister and I will be doing this cruise in October and your info is very helpful. I have been told that Amadeus gives each person 2 bottles of water a day. Are these large or small bottles? Is the tap water onboard safe to drink? May we buy drinks on shore and bring them onboard? Is ice available in our cabin? One question for your wife---Do any women bring and wear good jewelry? Again, thank you. Jinn

[SanNic44]

Some of the best photos I've seen. Been considering a river cruise and this is probably enough to get me to open the wallet. Thanks!

[TwoFortwo]

Jinn,

 

You will find a couple of half-liter bottles of water in your closet and the housekeeper will replace them as needed. I'm sure she would be happy to provide more if you asked. The tap water on board is perfectly safe to drink, probably safer than most US water, so you will really only need the bottled water to take on tours. When you return from a daytime tour you'll find a crew member in the lobby serving cold lemonade or the like.

 

Incidentally, AMA seems very concerned about keeping people from getting sick. There are hand sanitizer dispensers at the entrance to the restaurant and you will be encouraged to use them.

 

I can't imagine the crew would have any problem if you bring drinks back on board, unless perhaps you opened your own bar and started selling drinks. If you brought back wine I think the waiters would be happy to open it and serve it for you, but the wines they served at dinner were all very good. If you want ice it's available in the lounge but I don't remember any ice machines. Drinks in the lounge are reasonably priced, and half price during late afternoon (4-6, I think).

 

Most folks change into fresh clothes for dinner and dress like they would for a nice but not really expensive restaurant at home. My wife didn't comment on jewelry and I didn't notice any super expensive-looking jewelry on the ladies. I'll check, but I'm pretty sure you can leave your diamond tiara at home <grin>.

 

Randy

[nyfeds]

Jinn,

 

Just a suggestion - Leave really good jewelry at home. I lost a diamond out of one of my rings a few years ago, while in Greece and Turkey.

 

I invested in some good costume jewelry. This is what I wear when I travel rather than risk damaging a ring, or worse yet, having my good jewelry lost or stolen. I work in the hotel industry and you'd be amazed at how many people leave their jewelry behind in their guestroom.

 

Randy,

 

I like your sense of humor!

[TwoFortwo]

Jinn,

 

I'd say that nyfeds' suggestion to leave really good jewelry at home is very good advice. My wife said she saw some expensive-looking jewelry but she brought only her "art" jewelry. By the way, there was a safe in the cabin that was large enough to hold a laptop computer, camera, passports, etc.

 

Randy

[Jinn]

Thanks again for all the good info. Jinn