1st timer river cruisers - Rhine or Danube???

[CAPinBoynton]

Amen on that!! :D

 

Do you see what I mean!! :eek:

 

Mike, it wasn't Joe who made an error. You cut out too much when quoting my post. :(

[skitraveller]

I would argue for the Danube. We enjoy going east from Budapest. Seeing the former satellites is very interesting. Hungary, Serbia. Croatia, Bulgaia and Romania !!!! West on the Danube is the Czeck Republic and Austria. Also interesting.

 

The Rhein is in Germany. I adore sailing to Amsterdam but have to pass time til I get there.

 

That was my original dilemma however I think we've over come this by choosing them all :D

[skitraveller]

I was not going to gave too much unwanted advise to the OP, but I cannot restrain myself. If you have time in Budapest, try to attend an opera or other performance in the State Opera House, pictured in the review. We enjoyed Don Carlos there in 2005. Check the web for the opera schedules. If you can go and if tickets are available, note this. We paid two dollars, yes $2.00, each. I was late in purchasing and these seats were the best remaining. But even though they were third row box, they were in the center, so we had good sight and sound. Tickets go fast there because of the inexpensive tickets. Be sure you book The State Opera House. There is another which is in a modern building some distance from there.

 

Bob :cool:

 

Thanks Bob, the SOH has just been added to the 'must do' list

[skitraveller]

Joe,

 

Thanks for posting that. It was very informative, and a useful bit of info to store for future reference. Thanks.

 

I too enjoyed reading this AMA information, thanks Joe

 

Bobbisc,

 

Mike would not be the one to correct your grammar. I am the former teacher. :D

 

Retired teacher....should have known, hence the excellent reviews :D I am the retired engineer hence my keen interest in the Panama...a recent bucketlist trip. Writing was never a strong point.

[bellel]

:mad: IN SEPTEMBER WE ARE LOOKING FOR A MODERATELY-PRICED WELL-SITUATED HOTEL IN BUDAPEST AND PRAGUE. ALSO BEST WAY TO TRAVEL FROM NUREMBURG TO PRAGUE.

THANKS

bellel

[skitraveller]

Carol,

 

Your Aft Balcony Snob label in your siggie brings a smile. We had s'board aft balcony on the Pride (deck 7) on our Panama sailing & I have to say we had the best position on canal day, many people joined in too. My only issue was the constant drumming of her engines which was a trade off for the view HOWEVER was nothing that several DOD's didn't fix

[CAPinBoynton]

however was nothing that several dod's didn't fix

 

 

I can handle that!!!!!!

[Bobblsc]

Thanks Bob, the SOH has just been added to the 'must do' list

 

Now I am extremely nervous. Carol is there just waiting for the opportunity to pounce on my next error. :D But here go I. Wait, Carol, Churchill sometimes started sentences with a preposition or conjunction. :D

 

Aussies, at least one of you apparently appreciates opera. So here goes. The Vienna Opera House is even more ornate than Budapest. You can expect to pay a lot more to attend, however. The Barcelona Liceu is also great, but expensive.

 

If you are interested, look on the web for The Metropolitan Opera HD offerings. The Met broadcasts, in real time, operas about once a month from New York. Now, Australia reception will probably be delayed due to time differences. But these are very good. Here in our small city we have one theater providing these performances. They are great.

 

Lest you out there think we Ozark-Americans are all hicks, I tell you that Tulsa has a fine opera only 100 miles away.

 

Some in my family are musically talented. Our DD has a degree in classical violin from Kansas City Conservatory of Music. OK, now she is a fiddler at www.wilderscountry.com. I'm sorry, but they need the CD sales.

 

Our Aussie friend from years ago, Frank Gibbs, had a radio show explaining the next performance at the Sidney Opera. Frank was an interesting guy, having been a British Royal Marine in WWII before going to Australia.

 

We want to get to Australia, but the distance is so great that we must have at least Business Class to fly there.

 

I must post before the CC nerds get here.

 

Bob :cool:

[shoshona2]

Hi Joe,

 

It's me, Sheila, from our South America Infinity Cruise in February 2004. So glad to hear you enjoyed your river cruise. I just called AMA last night to get some info for a river cruise in 2010.

 

To Carol (CAPinBoynton),

 

Loved viewing your photos on your website. Thanks for sharing.

 

Sheila

[skitraveller]

G'day Bob,

Actually both of us appreciate opera, one a tad more than the other :D Until your recent post citing SOH the only 'must attend' was the VOH which gets considerable publicity here Down Under so we added it to the bucketlist some time back :D but hey....thanks for thinking of us.

We were recently in NYC before heading over to Dublin, right after our Panama sailing we spent a week attending many many theatre performances......I loved it! Many days we could be seen at two, we gave up TDF Tkts Today....found much better value vouchers in the tourist office right opposite our hotel.....Sheraton NY Towers....However we did miss out on opera.

I will give a plug to one of your wonderful performers... Jane Fonda.....saw her in 33 Variations....what a lady, what talent, she still has that special something....great seats centre 3rd row....simply brilliant!

 

You should consider the trip Down Under.....we don't bite you know :D...well not the 2 legged Aussies anyways.....:D We have a group of American friends arriving in Sydney in April to sail the Repo of Rhapsody of the Seas to Honolulu via the Tahitian Islands.....the flight is not that bad....was always fly Qantas whenever we can & they have a fantastic service across the pond....we have done the trip several times....it's all good mate!

[Bobblsc]

:mad: IN SEPTEMBER WE ARE LOOKING FOR A MODERATELY-PRICED WELL-SITUATED HOTEL IN BUDAPEST AND PRAGUE. ALSO BEST WAY TO TRAVEL FROM NUREMBURG TO PRAGUE.

THANKS

bellel

 

In 2004 we stayed three nights at the Astoria in Budapest. We booked a package which included breakfast and two dinners. The dinners were surprisingly good. There is a subway stop right outside the hotel door. The hotel has a pretty good coffee/ rolls cafe typical of many in Europe.

 

The bad news for us was that in September the air conditioning did not work. Our room was very nice, having been just redecorated and furnished. The double pane french doors kept virtually all the traffic noise from busy streets below out of the room. The problem was that to stay comfortable, we had to open the french doors. The hotel tried to help with fans, but this was not enough.

 

If we were going back to Budapest, we would stay in one of the pricier hotels by or close to the river. Another option, however would be the K and K Opera Hotel. It has good reviews on TripAssist. It is well located on a major street with a convenient subway.

 

We stayed in Prague in 1996 at a very reasonable, but nice hotel west of the river. I believe it was Hotel Petr (Peter). We stayed there because they had a garage. We drove into Prague and needed to park our car. The room was good size and the Prague streetcars made getting around easy. My message here is: don't be afraid to book on the west of the river. The Prague streetcar system is extensive and good. The subways are fine also, but of course the stops are spaced farther apart. However, I would not go way far south.

 

We have not been to Nuremberg, but I would guess that the best way to get to Prague would be by rail. You can find lots of info on the web.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Bob :cool:

[Bobblsc]

G'day Bob,

Actually both of us appreciate opera, one a tad more than the other Until your recent post citing SOH the only 'must attend' was the VOH which gets considerable publicity here Down Under so we added it to the bucketlist some time back :D but hey....thanks for thinking of us.

We were recently in NYC before heading over to Dublin, right after our Panama sailing we spent a week attending many many theatre performances......I loved it! Many days we could be seen at two, we gave up TDF Tkts Today....found much better value vouchers in the tourist office right opposite our hotel.....Sheraton NY Towers....However we did miss out on opera.

I will give a plug to one of your wonderful performers... Jane Fonda.....saw her in 33 Variations....what a lady, what talent, she still has that special something....great seats centre 3rd row....simply brilliant!

 

You should consider the trip Down Under.....we don't bite you know :D...well not the 2 legged Aussies anyways.....:D We have a group of American friends arriving in Sydney in April to sail the Repo of Rhapsody of the Seas to Honolulu via the Tahitian Islands.....the flight is not that bad....was always fly Qantas whenever we can & they have a fantastic service across the pond....we have done the trip several times....it's all good mate!

 

Hi ther you'al,

 

We are so glad that you enjoyed our country. New York City is not like our area out here in God's country, but it does have entertainment. Of course we have entertainment here too.

 

We had four nights in NYC last November before flying to Barcelona for a cruise. I got on the web early and booked two very good seats at the Met for $100 each. We then saw Wicked, which was a lot of fun.

 

Yes, Jane Fonda is a good actress We care not at all for her other activities. Her father was better in all respects.

 

We will look at the cruise you mention. Maybe we can use our AA miles to fly to Australia one-way and then back home from Hawaii. AA now allows one-way trips with miles. Hopefully this can be used on Qantas, a One World member.

 

We would really like to attend opera in Sydney. While no longer doing opera, and from your neighbors in New Zealand, Kiri Te Kanawa is one of my favorites. We can get to New Zealand on a short ferryboat ride, can't we? :D

 

But if we go to Australia, we have to learn a complete new language, don't we? :rolleyes:

 

Bob :cool:

[scapel]

Hi Joe,

 

It's me, Sheila, from our South America Infinity Cruise in February 2004. So glad to hear you enjoyed your river cruise. I just called AMA last night to get some info for a river cruise in 2010.

 

To Carol (CAPinBoynton),

 

Loved viewing your photos on your website. Thanks for sharing.

 

Sheila

Hi Sheila,

I know you will love the River Cruise. It is easy and fun. The low number of passengers makes you feel like a big family.

Joe

[skitraveller]

Hi ther you'al,

 

We are so glad that you enjoyed our country. New York City is not like our area out here in God's country, but it does have entertainment. Of course we have entertainment here too.

 

Gods country usually consists of peace & quite & a lot of nature...we have a spot here we call the same....AKA Hawkesbury River (google it), a few of your countrymen & women will see it for themselves come April 2010. :D

 

We had four nights in NYC last November before flying to Barcelona for a cruise. I got on the web early and booked two very good seats at the Met for $100 each. We then saw Wicked, which was a lot of fun.

 

Still kicking myself for not going to the Met, good excuse to return to NYC next year.....

 

Yes, Jane Fonda is a good actress We care not at all for her other activities. Her father was better in all respects.

 

Agreed!

 

We will look at the cruise you mention. Maybe we can use our AA miles to fly to Australia one-way and then back home from Hawaii. AA now allows one-way trips with miles. Hopefully this can be used on Qantas, a One World member.

 

I have a bit of knowledge of this topic.....yeas you can use AA miles on Qantas & there are daily flights out of LAX on the flying roo. Also.... if you are a member of the Admirals Club you will have access to the Qantas Club lounge at TB - LAX as well as your T4 one. In the Qantas lounge you do not pay for anything.....

 

We would really like to attend opera in Sydney. While no longer doing opera, and from your neighbors in New Zealand, Kiri Te Kanawa is one of my favorites. We can get to New Zealand on a short ferryboat ride, can't we? :D

 

Well then you MUST visit the Sydney Opera House, Dame Kiri still plays Sydney, in fact her next performance is in September http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/

Dame Kiri is the best NZ Export....yep, NZ is just across the ditch, really cheap airfares ex Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. One day some bright up & coming engineer might get that ditch bridge happening. There aren't too many K1W1's in NZ now.....they are all on this side of the ditch!

 

But if we go to Australia, we have to learn a complete new language, don't we? :rolleyes:

 

G'day Mate will get you talking to most Aussies but tacking on some extra ocker lingo wouldn't hurt..... http://www.koalanet.com.au/australian-slang.html

Bob :cool:

 

Don't you Aussies ever stay home?

We try very very hard not too.......AKA....S.K.I.....much to our adult kids disgust....rebels with a very good cause is us....besides I think little of our government but hey.....ya don't wanna get me started on that! :rolleyes:

[Bobblsc]

OK, OK, so you speak with a different accent and Aussie words are your own. I looked at your slang site. Your term Stonkered : beaten, defeated, cornered, perplexed, may have some relevance, but Bastard: term of endearment? That is what I call those who cut in front of my auto without warning. If they appear close to my age I also say " you old bastard." :D

 

I just wrote a comment on your Japan photo site. We had a great visit there in 2007.

 

This Royal Caribbean cruise seems a bit pricey for the ship. We would like, but don't have to have, a suite. It looks like the cost for this is $10,000.

 

I have to beat the nerds, so now I post.

 

Bob :cool:

[earny]

Gidday skitraveller can"t fault uniworld great from top to bottom from day 1 to day 32 all good. Best trip would do it again in a blink coin flow permitting of cause