Haslemere Traveller 2017

RHINE & MOSELLE
Gemma tours two scenic inland waterways
For my first river cruise, in May I travelled on Tauck’s
MS Grace, along the scenic northbound Rhine and
Moselle inland waterways, for the first five days of
a 13-day itinerary, beginning my journey in Basel,
Switzerland.
For my first full day, a knowledgeable and affable
local guide took us on a tour of the city by comfortable
coach, followed by a walking tour of the Old Town,
including the red-painted city hall, the Rathaus. (A full
day in lakeside Lucerne was another option.)
The third day was spent in Strasbourg, the crossroads
of Europe, where we drove through the beautiful city’s
European Union district and admired the modern
architecture of the European Parliament buildings.
The 11th century Gothic cathedral was fascinating,
with its stunning pink facade; Petite-France is
one of Strasbourg’s prettiest and most enchanting
neighbourhoods. Alsatian folklorists performed before
we had dinner back on board.
The following day’s highlight was a trip to Baden-
Baden and the Black Forest, a favourite spa
destination of royal visitors and celebrities, including
Queen Victoria, Brahms and Napoleon III; the Casino is
the oldest and most traditional in Europe. Shuttles to
and from the destinations were available throughout
the afternoon, also returning us to the boat for lunch.
My final day was spent in the romantic town of
Heidelberg, where we took a walking tour of the Old
Town Square and visited the ruins of Heidelberger
Schloss, Germany’s finest Gothic-Renaissance castle.
In the afternoon, the boat set sail for Rüdesheim in
the Rhine Valley wine country for a special reception
and dinner ashore at Schloss Johannisberg or Burg
Schwarzenstein, estates that have been producing
wine for more than 1,000 years.
River cruises are an excellent way to explore the
historic, cultural and culinary traditions that
have evolved in these areas of central Europe. I
was pleasantly surprised how spacious and well
appointed the ship was, with excellent food and
service; there was a high staff to guest ratio, with a
mix of nationalities on board (US, New Zealand, UK
and others). Dress code for dining is resort casual,
although flip-flops and shorts are discouraged in the
evening. Conveniently, all gratuities, including those
for bus drivers, local guides, restaurant and hotel
staff, are included in the price of the holiday.
On my final day, I was very reluctant to return home
and leave my fellow passengers who happily went on
to sail down these beautiful rivers for another week…
DANUBE TOUR
RIVER CRUISES
Terry travels along one of Europe’s largest rivers
Joining the Eastbound Danube cruise last August in
Passau, Bavaria (having missed the first two days
in Prague of the week-long trip), I was allocated an
extremely comfortable and spacious cabin, which was
blissfully quiet, despite the fact it was at the rear of
the ship. The two floor-to-ceiling windows afforded
amazing views and the cabin stewardess was efficient
and friendly, placing full tour details and next day’s
events itinerary in my cabin each day.
There was a good and interesting range of locations
to explore along this majestic river. I undertook
excursions to Cesky Krumlov (Czech Republic); Grein,
Grafenegg and Gottweig (Austria); Cerveny Kamen
Castle (Slovakia); and the Belvedere Palace and
Schoenbrunn Palace in Vienna. Nothing was too much
trouble for the Tauck team; if anyone wished to visit
somewhere independently, such as a church, then they
would happily arrange it via a taxi ride – I am unaware
of any other company that would arrange this as a
complimentary excursion.
The tour guides were extremely knowledgeable and
the information cards and leaflets packed with useful
information on each port of call. Small groups would
be taken in opposite directions to avoid overcrowding;
and, conveniently, tips were sorted directly by Tauck.
Special events, such as a Gala Dinner in an imperial
palace with music, or a special luncheon in a heuriger
(typical tavern with music) are exclusive to Tauck and
prove popular. The coaches were spotless, with plenty
of bottled water available if required.
But the ship itself was the real star. MS Savor carries
a maximum of 130 guests in 67 cabins and suites,
located on three decks. The entire top level is a Sun
Deck, with a putting green and a plunge pool at the
rear, with ample chairs and loungers and shading if
required.
The palatial landmark Grand Hotel Wein in Vienna
where I stayed was centrally located, with easy access
to various museums, parks, churches, galleries and
shopping, with pavement cafes nearby. Luggage was
taken care of from cabin to the hotel room and viceversa
if needed.
My first – and hopefully not my last – river cruise on
one of Tauck’s vessels, was an amazing adventure,
which offered plenty of opportunity for immersion in
different cultures. There was not one element of this
trip that I could fault, from start to finish!
6 TRAVELLER 2017 haslemeretravel.co.uk 01428 658 777