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Occupation: Self Employed
Number of Cruises: lots
Cruise Line: Amadeus Waterways
Name of Ship: Amadeus Symphony
Sailing Date: August 16th, 2003
Itinerary: Rhine and Mozelle Rivers
The Setup
Joanie and I had never been on a river cruise before, but on a Silversea cruise to the Baltic last year we traversed the Kiel Canal in Germany and thought that the experience must be what river cruising was all about. I well remember going past a small village and watching all of the children jump on their bikes and race to the canal’s edge to watch as the Silver Shadow quietly passed the village. They waved and yelled and it was obviously a huge event. Joanie and I made a mental note to try a river cruise on our next vacation. We had booked ourselves on a surfing trip to Hawaii, but our son had to cancel so Joanie and I immediately looked for a river cruise. We had selected Amadeus as from everything we had heard they were the best. Being it was our vacation; we booked one of the four suites and selected the Rhine/Moselle River itinerary, as it was an area we had not traveled to before. It turned out to be a great choice.
Amadeus Symphony in Cochem, Germany
The Ship
The Amadeus Symphony is a brand new ship built and launched in 2003. She offers a total of 69 cabins and 4 suites. She is approximately 360 feet long with a width of approximately 36 feet. She only draws 5 feet of water, which makes her especially suited for Europe’s low river water in 2003. She has four decks and offers everything one needs for a fabulous vacation. I especially enjoyed the closeness of everything and the feeling of family that ensued shortly after the departure of the cruise. Here is a breakdown of the ship.
Deck 4 - Sun Deck
This is the Sun deck and offers a good amount of outside space for viewing the scenery as the ships move about the river. There is a small wading pool just large enough to get your feet wet to cool down. While no one actually submersed himself or herself in the pool, you could do so if it were exceptionally warm. The water is not heated, but I found it refreshing on a couple of days while cruising the Moselle River.
Amadeus Symphony Sundeck in Zell, Germany
There are ample deck chairs that recline into several different positions (there is a learning curve associated with figuring out how to configure them). The Symphony has a large canvas cover that goes over the pool and the adjoining bar that is used when there are no low bridges coming and it offers ample shade for those desiring it. The billowing cover is also an excellent way to spot the Amadeus Symphony as none of the other riverboats has one. The Sun deck also offers a nice walking track for those that would like some exercise while taking in the sightseeing.
Deck 3 – Mozart Deck
Amadeus Symphony Panorma Bar
The Panorama Bar
This is the Symphony’s main entertainment venue and bar. It offers floor to ceiling windows for viewing and clusters of tables and chairs for an intimate setting. The drink prices are quite reasonable by cruise ship standards and there is also a 2 for 1 daily special mixed drink. In the evening, after any entertainment that might take place, there is piano music until 1 am when the bar officially closes.
The Library
Adjacent to the Panorama Bar is a small library that offers books for reading during the cruise. There is also a computer with Internet access simply for the sending of e-mail but nothing else. You cannot log onto your own e-mail address, but rather the ship uses your cabin number to create a unique address for those wanting to send e-mail. There is a charge of $2.50 for each e-mail sent, but receiving e-mail is complimentary. When a message is received it is printed out, placed in an envelope and delivered to your cabin. All in all. It works quite nicely.
The Registration Desk
The registration desk is open 24 hours a day and is manned by wonderful staff. They are responsive to every request and are a joy to interface with. When you disembark the ship in port, you turn your room key in for a boarding pass for each passenger in your cabin. Upon returning to the ship, your boarding passes are then exchanged for your room key. This simple control is quite effective for making sure everyone is on board before the ship leaves for the next port.
The “Board Shop”, the Ship’s Store
The Amadeus Symphony has a small shop that sells all of the necessities one might need while cruising along with many signature items. Hats, sweatshirts, parkas, tee shirts and other items bearing the Amadeus logo are available for sale in the store. It is open frequently and the hours are posted on the store’s door. Everything may be signed off to your shipboard account.
The Amadeus Symphony's Panorama Restaurant
The Panorama Restaurant
This is the ship’s restaurant located in the aft section of the ship. It offers tables for 4, 6 and 8 in a family dining style. There are no table assignments made and you simply sit where you would like with other passengers. This is a great way to meet your fellow passengers and to make new friends. Following is a breakdown of what you can expect for the various meals.
Breakfast
I loved the breakfast selection and looked forward to every morning’s meal. Every breakfast was served buffet style and offered a complete juice station with several choices, an omelet station with made-to-order egg and omelet dishes, a hot food station offering breakfast meats, potatoes, pre-cooked eggs, hot cereal and miscellaneous hot treats. For me though, it was the selection of cheeses, fruits, cereals and yogurts that I appreciated. Dried fruits and fresh sliced raw salmon were also my favorite treats and the croissants were to die for. There were several other items to choose from that I did not try, but the variety in selection insured everyone was completely satisfied.
Lunch
Lunch saw another buffet with many different selections. There was a small salad station set up every day with lettuce and other vegetables, a couple of mixed salads such as egg, tuna and potato salads. There was also a separate cheese station with several types of local cheeses to choose from that was excellent. The lunch also had several hot selections from pasta to fish, stir fry to fried chicken depending on the day. Cold cuts were in abundance as were different breads. A soup-of-the-day was featured every day and was one of the most popular treats everyone loved. To cap off lunch, a large table was set up with several different desserts to choose from. The dessert table was one one the most popular events of the day with folks that liked desserts, as the beauty of the table was over whelming (before everyone started devouring the desserts, that is).
Dinner:
Dinner found a more formal presentation with family style dining on the tables of 4, 6, 8 and 10. The Maitre D' would seat folks as they entered the restaurant so that no one sat alone. It was a great way to meet the other passengers, but if you had a group you wanted to dine with, that was no problem either. Local wine was always served complimentary (and poured freely) with dinner. The meal started off with an appetizer that was then followed by a choice of soups. Sometimes sorbet was served before the main entrée and there was always a choice of a meat, fish and vegetarian entrée every night. If the entrée choices did not meet with anyone’s approval, then a broiled chicken breast could be substituted for the entrée. While I did not try it, I heard later in the cruise that the chef would entertain special meal requests if given enough time. Dessert with coffee and/or tea concluded the meal every evening and I must say that we had some very enjoyable meals during the cruise.
Other dining opportunities existed during the day. Coffee was available in the library in the early morning until the restaurant opened at 7:30 am. Afternoon tea was served in the Panorama Bar every day with cookies and cakes at 4 pm and while the restaurant had set hours of operation, they were very flexible in handling impromptu requests. There was no cabin service available on the ship.
Suite on the Amadeus Symphony
The Cabin:
We were fortunate to have occupied suite 303 for our cruise and I would highly recommend upgrading to a suite (or a cabin on deck 3 if the suites are sold out). The extra floor space made all the difference in our enjoyment of the cruise and should we have had inclement weather, the suite would have been even more important.
The bedding in our suite was wonderful. The sheets had a high thread count and the pillows were to die for (even better than luxury cruise lines.) There was ample lighting in the cabin for whatever purpose. All of the cabins on the Symphony feature hair dryers, conditioning shampoo, soap and lotion. The suites offered a full sized bathtub along with a shower. The water pressure and temperature control was excellent. All of the cabins were air-conditioned and while ours worked excellent, I did hear that the temperature controls on deck 1 varied from cabin to cabin. The suites offered a mini bar that came in quite handy when converted to a wine and water cooler. There is also a television in every cabin with English speaking movies every day, as well as local television.
One of the features I especially liked was that the bed could accommodate all of our luggage stored under it. The closet space and drawer space is quite adequate (we actually did not use one whole cabinet during the cruise. There was a separate sitting area with a couch (that also acted as a separate bed for triples) two chairs and a small coffee table that I used to work on my computer. HINT: The ship offers standard European 220 volt electrical outlets (two round pins with a circular plug) and the ship does not offer any 220/110 converters. If you plan to use US appliances or battery chargers, be sure to bring an appropriate converter with you. .
The Amadeus Symphony offers three decks of cabins. The suites and the highest category cabins are located on deck three and offer large picture windows; Deck three is high enough off of the water so that you are guaranteed excellent views while cruising and in your cabin. This is the reason to upgrade to deck three. Deck two offers smaller picture windows but is much closer to the water level of the river. Deck one features small windows that are almost at the water level itself. I would strongly urge you to book either a suite or a cabin on deck three to thoroughly enjoy this cruise.
The Cruise
Saturday, August 16th, 2003; Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Joanie and I had spent several days in London shopping, dining and generally enjoying one of the most diverse cities in the world before taking an early morning flight to Amsterdam to join our river cruise. We chose to spend the night at the Thistle Hotel at Gatwick and had a difficult time sleeping. We awoke early (4:30 am) for our 7 am flight on BA into Amsterdam. The heat wave was finally breaking and temperatures were returning to more normal levels. London had been downright scorching. HINT: I would strongly urge anyone cruising in Europe to arrive at least a day early to acclimate so they can start enjoying their cruise when they board rather than sleeping for the first couple of days trying to get adjusted to the time change.
We spent the day enjoying Amsterdam’s excellent shopping and dining and must have walked several miles through its pedestrian shopping streets, squares and flower markets and enjoying Amsterdam's unique culture. Nowhere on Earth could one find a more accepting environment for every type of person and cultural deviation in the world. In the course of one day you can visit just about every corner of human behavior and somehow, Amsterdam pulls it off so that not many people are offended. What an unusual city. After a wonderful dinner at one of the outdoor cafes we turned in to rest up for the next day’s events.
Amsterdam's Canals
Sunday, August 17th, 2003; Amsterdam, The Netherlands
We spent the morning wandering Amsterdam’s streets waiting for the shops to open for some last minute shopping before boarding the ship to begin our river cruise. Today happened to be “Hearts’ day and there was a great celebration under way deep in Amsterdam’s maze of pedestrian streets. Joanie and I stumbled upon a parade that resembled Carnival more than “Heart’s” Day and found a little café to enjoy a refreshing drink while watching the festivities. Little did we know that we were about to become a part of the “Heart’s” day celebration? After a few moments, a launch came up the canal and docked right below our canal-front table. Joanie was the first one to notice that the ladies climbing out of the boat and onto the terrace (that our table resided upon) were actually men dressed in ladies finery. Everyone was laughing so hard that Joanie and I simply joined in and had a great time as each of the "ladies" climbed over the railing, excusing themselves as they hiked their skirts up to clear the railing. Just when you think you have seen everything, Amsterdam will show you something new.
It was time to meet our group at the Marriott Hotel in Amsterdam, so we made our way to the hotel, and then on to a boat launch to take a canal cruise that marked the start of our 7-day river cruise. While I have done Amsterdam’s canal cruise several times, it was fun to meet our new group of friends to be made before actually boarding our ship. After the canal cruise Joanie and I elected to walk back to our hotel, claim our bags checked with the bellman and take a taxi to the Amadeus Symphony that was docked just east of the main train station on the river between the main cruise ship terminal and the train station. I was in Amsterdam years ago when the construction of this dock was taking place and it was carefully planned as a small park like dockage. Unfortunately, the port authority has let it go, and while the infrastructure is still there, it is overgrown with weeds and some trash. It would be a small task to restore it to its former beauty and it would make such a major improvement in the first impression while boarding the ship. We had arrived at the ship before the rest of the group and were able to board, check in and be in our cabin within 2 minutes.
Amsterdam's Dam Square
We departed Amsterdam right on time and started to make our way up river towards our first stop in Cologne, Germany. The first thing I noticed was the tranquility of the experience. There wasn’t the noise level of larger ships and there was no motion whatsoever. Cruising along the banks in the canal that rose some 20 feet higher than the ground level beyond the dykes holding the river up reminded me of the fact that Amsterdam is reclaimed land from the water and is an engineering marvel.
We met in the Panorama Lounge for our introductory meeting and safety drill. Our cruise Director, Claudia Pascu was a darling lady from Romania who made everyone feel comfortable and managed to win everyone over instantaneously. After the introductions we had a 30 minute period to dress for the arrival and welcome aboard cocktail party. The passenger mix included a few younger adults, many in their 40s and 50s and a good number of seniors. After a lively cocktail period, we entered the dining room for our first dining experience. Dining was done family style with the Maitre D’ seating folks at appropriate tables as they entered the dining room. The menu consisted of an appetizer, soup, sorbet, the main entrée and desert. This evening included fish, a vegetarian eggplant dish and Duck de la Orange. Both Joanie and I selected the duck at the waiter’s recommendation and it was excellent.
After dinner we went to the bar for a nightcap and realized that we had entered the first of many locks on this cruise so we went to the top deck to watch the process. The ship slowed and then stopped in the lock. The rear gate closed and the ship began lifting some 30 feet or so to the level of the river above us. Once we were in place the front gate opened and we slowly began moving out of the lock onto the river to continue our cruise upriver. We repeated the process later in the evening before Joanie and I turned in for a wonderful night’s sleep. While there was virtually no movement of the ship, it still felt wonderful to be on the water. We turned in for a wonderful night’s sleep.
Monday, August 18th, 2003; Cologne, Germany
Up early, I went for coffee and returned to watch the scenery of the Rhine go past our large window as we sat in bed and drank our coffee. This was certainly a pleasant way to sightsee and became our morning ritual. After dressing for breakfast we took the few steps to the entrance of the restaurant and entered for our first morning meal. What a treat! While there was a traditional omelet and fresh egg dish station and a hot food (eggs, sausage, potatoes and so on) station, the buffet featured a complete selection of fresh fruits, cheeses, salmon, yogurt, dried fruits and much more. Croissants, bagels and other breads were also in abundance. The juice station had several different juices to enjoy as well. After a very satisfactory breakfast, we returned to our cabin to watch the day melt away.
The Dom of Cologne
Due to the lack of rain in Europe, all of the rivers were suffering from low water and difficult passages. The original itinerary called for a 4:30 pm arrival in Cologne, which would have allowed plenty of time to get to the Dom of Cologne to view its impressive interior. Because of the slow process the Symphony was making up river due to the low water, the Captain decided to disembark those that wanted in Dusseldorf and continue via motor coach to Cologne arriving at approximately 2:30 pm with plenty of time for shopping and to tour the huge cathedral of Cologne. After a very enjoyable lunch, Joanie and I boarded the motor coach and made our way to Cologne (about 45 minutes) and began exploring its pedestrian shopping streets. Joanie felt that the shopping was much more reasonably priced here than in Amsterdam, yet with many of the same stores and products. It began to rain and we found a quaint little pub to enjoy a glass of the local wine and wait the rain out. We met the tour escort outside of the old cathedral to begin our tour and were very impressed with the size of the structure but somewhat unimpressed with the overall experience, as our guide seemed more interested in promoting his own religious agenda rather than the history of the church.
We made our way back to the area where the ship was to meet us and waited for the Amadeus Symphony to make its way up the river to meet us. Once on board, we dressed for dinner and then went to the dining room for another wonderful dining experience. We were finding out that one of our favorite aspects of river cruising was the intimacy of the passengers. We were quickly meeting a good number of them and were forming relationships that added to the overall cruise experience. After dinner, a trio from Belgium joined the ship and played classical music in the Panorama Lounged for an hour. This added just the right finish to a wonderful first day onboard the Symphony and led us to a very content night’s sleep.
View from Cochem Castle
Tuesday, August 19th, 2003: Cochem, Germany
During the night we had transitioned from the Rhine River onto the Moselle River and we awoke to our usual coffee in bed and were enjoying the scenery unfold before us. Steep cliffs that have been terraced bank the Moselle River and vineyards have been planted on the terraces and cliffs all along the river. There is one quaint town after another with a castle sprinkled in here and there. Overall it is quite breathtaking. After enjoying another wonderful lunch buffet, we docked at the main bridge leading into downtown Cochem. Cochem is a very quaint village with a population of about 5,000. It dates back centuries and is capped by a huge castle that overlooks the entire town. Originally built around 1,000 AD, the castle was destroyed and then rebuilt in the early 1900s to its former glory.
Bird of Prey, Cochem Castle
We hiked up to the castle and were surprised to have a fully-grown bird of prey land right next to me on the castle wall. I managed to grab this picture before it returned to sail above the castle. We toured the castle and then made our way to market square to enjoy shopping in this charming city with its pedestrian streets dating back centuries.
Shopping in Cochem
There were a good number of wine stores selling local wines that were bottled in wonderful presentations. We acquired some that appeared to be collectible, but were disappointed that we couldn’t buy as much as we wanted as shipping to the U.S. was out of the questions. You will find outstanding prices on local wines and other liquors in Cochem. So far, this wonderful little village has been the highlight of the cruise.
After a wonderful dinner, the ship had cruised 13 kilometers up river to another delightful small village. Beilstein was capped by a castle in ruins and had a quaint little village at its feet. The village was obviously quite old, as there were no streets within the village only narrow passageways that meandered their way through the beautiful multistoried rock structures. Amadeus had arranged to have a dance troupe of young people come on the ship to perform their traditional Moselle Valley dances. It was so wonderful to see such wholesome and innocent teenagers so proud of their heritage. After several dance routines the dancers left the ship and many of the passengers went back into Beilstein to enjoy its wonderful restaurants and bars. Joanie and I elected to turn in for the evening for another great night’s sleep.
Wednesday, August 20th, 2003; Trier, Germany
Another great morning enjoying coffee in bed watching the hillside vineyards and quaint towns leisurely drift by as we made our way up river toward our eventual destination. After a wonderful breakfast with some new friends, we made our way up to the sun deck to take in the morning’s gifts of sunshine, warm weather and fabulous scenery.
Moselle Valley Vineyards
The amount of land committed to the growing of vineyards along the banks of the Moselle River is staggering. The canyon walls rise steeply from the river and the sides of the walls are decorated with vertical lines of grape vines tied to stakes rather than the traditional method of training the vines along horizontal wires for maximum production. The vines stop at what must be a hard-frost line several hundred feet up the valley walls. The vineyards add to the beauty of the Moselle Valley making the picturesque villages with their spires and quaint peaked stone houses all that much more attractive.
Anceint Roman Gate to Trier's Old Town
We arrived in Trier in the afternoon and boarded motor coaches for the short ride into the old part of the city. Trier is the oldest known city in Germany dating back to the third century BC. The Romans inhabited Trier in 16 BC and I was surprised to see Roman ruins in and around Trier. In fact, one of the main gates to Trier’s old city was an old Roman gate constructed centuries ago and is enjoyed by everyone entering the old city today. Some of Trier’s sights include the various remnants of Roman civilization, as well as a modern city with every convenience one could ask for. Trier offers a classic old town shopping area that folks can enjoy and the central square market place is alive with vendors selling local fruits, flowers and other local products. Exploring Trier is a fun way to spend the afternoon. Joanie and I needed to get on the Internet to clean up some e-mail so we located an Internet Café and spent an hour or so on-line before walking back to the ship. We found it ironic that right across from the Roman Gate that marked the entrance to old town that there was a classic automobile dealer selling Porches, Ferraris, BMWs and other expensive sports automobiles. I guess this really summed up the Trier experience.
Once back on board, we were visited by a couple of gentlemen from Trier that talked to the group about Trier’s fabulous wines and also offered a wine tasting from their winery. It was fascinating as they shared the various processes involved with making wine in the Moselle Valley. Joanie and I purchased a bottle for consumption on the ship. After a wonderful dinner, we were treated to a crew talent show that was entertaining. Joanie and I were tired from the day’s events so turned in right after the show.
Shopping in Bernkastle
Thursday, August 21st, 2003; Bernkastle and Zell, Germany
We awoke early and have fallen into our daily routine of having coffee in bed and watching the scenery gradually pass by. This section of the Moselle River was especially beautiful and we arrived in Bernkastle right on time. Joanie and I passed on breakfast as the arrival time in Bernkastle was 10am and we wanted to make some telephone calls. We departed the ship and made our way to the train station, made some telephone calls and then crossed the bridge into downtown Bernkastle. What a fabulous little village! Bernkastle is a maze of pedestrian streets tucked right next to a large vineyard. Its quaint shops offer superb shopping for souvenirs, clothing, and of course, wine. We wondered Berncastle’s pedestrian streets until we had explored every nook and cranny of the village. We then crossed the bridge heading to the wine museum located at the hospital of St. Nicolas. While the museum was interesting, the wine tasting offered in its elaborate wine cellar was simply fabulous.
One of the Wine Cellars in Bernkastle
For 9 euro, one could wander the various passages of the wine cellar and taste any of the 200 various wines stored there. Joanie and I spent a good amount of time wandering and tasting before locating just the right bottle to purchase for consumption on the ship. We made it back to the ship with just enough time to board and pull away from the dock.
Typical Moselle Village and Vineyards
We spent the afternoon cruising down the Moselle enjoying vista after vista of vineyards and small villages with their spired cathedrals, multi storied, peaked roofed structures and charming riverside homes. The Symphony was playing European classical music the entire afternoon and everyone was enjoying the sunshine on the sun deck of the ship. We arrived in Zell at approximately 4 pm and were treated to a visit by the mayor of Zell, Zell’s Wine Queen, the Wine Princess from the entire region and a dance troupe of small children who performed some of their local dances for the passengers of our ship. Six small children performed the black cat dance and won everyone’s heart with their innocence and sweet dance routine.
Zell, Germany
Zell’s history dates back centuries BC and is one of the most important wine regions along the Moselle. Zell is home of the “Zeller Schwarze Katz” or Zell Black Cat, or a cooperative of some 20 nor so vineyards in the area that produce wine bottled with the Zell Black Cat on their labels. One winery has gone so far as to manufacture wine bottles that have cat heads as part of the neck of the bottle. We left the ship and walked about 200 feet into the center of town and the Black Cat Fountain that celebrates the town’s black cat population. The statute of the black cat signifies the town’s heritage and character.
Zell Shopping Street
The main shopping street is lined with wine bars and boutiques as well as some restaurants along with the normal tourist shops selling souvenirs, clothing and other products. Joanie and I found some of the famous black cat bottles and purchase some for our home and also found a large black cat bottle and bought that as well. We explored the entire village making several more shopping stops before returning to the ship for dinner.
After dinner, the mayor of Zell had arranged for a wine festival in our honor. While departing from the ship, we were given wine glasses in leather holders that were designed to be worn around our necks. In the glasses were some traditional little black cats and 2 coupons for wine tasting at the outside public bar that adjoined the black cat fountain in the town’s square. There was a German band playing German drinking songs and many of the local residents had turned out for the festival. We had a great time. Another couple from Vail, Colorado that we had met and liked quite a bit, Joanie and I decided to make our way to one of the little restaurants in Zell and enjoy a bottle of wine (well, actually two) before returning to the ship for a great night’s sleep.
Friday. August 22nd, 2003: Koblenz and Rudesheim, Germany
We arrived in Koblenz right on schedule for a brief 2-½ hour stay right after breakfast. Joanie and I disembarked and made our way up into the older part of downtown. Koblenz was damaged extensively during world war two and as a result most of the buildings have been reconstructed or replaced, but it is still a wonderful town to explore as it offers an excellent pedestrian shopping area with the medieval narrow winding shopping streets with sidewalk cafes, coffee houses, boutiques and shops, as well as a modern 4-story air-conditioned shopping mall. Of special note in Koblenz is the joining of the Moselle River and the Rhine into one large river. At the point the rivers converge, there is a very imposing monument celebrating the confluence. From this point on the Rhine all the way to Rudesheim, there is castle after castle and much narration takes place explaining the various sights seen on the way up the river. Most folks spent the afternoon on the Sun deck while others sat in the Panorama Bar.
Rudesheim Vineyards and Village
We arrived in Redesheim right on time to board the trams that took the passengers to the Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum. Joanie and I had little interest in the museum, but wanted to take the gondola to the top of the mountain behind Rudesheim to walk back into town through the vineyards that covered the side of the mountain. The ride to the top of the mountain took approximately ten minutes and once at the top, we were rewarded with fabulous vies of the whole area. I really regretted not having my wide-angle lens, as I could have gotten some excellent shots of the entire area. The walk back through the vineyards was one of the most wonderful experiences I have had. Many of the vines were ready for harvest and were heavy with huge clusters of red and white grapes. The walk back took about 30 minutes down a well-marked trail.
Rudesheim's Famous Drosselgasse Street
Once back in town we explored the many shops and boutiques and finally made our way to Rudesheim’s famous Drosselgasse Street. This narrow alleyway is one of Germany’s most famous street for restaurants, bars and general entertainment. The street features dozens of restaurants all with live entertainment from rock and roll to um-pa bands. It is a really fun place to have dinner and take in the Germans having the time of their life. Because it was a Friday evening, I suspect the street was its most active. Joanie and I finally found just the right restaurant to dine in and enjoyed an excellent salad and some pasta. Of course we enjoyed a bottle of local Riesling. After a lingering dinner, we strolled throughout the town one last time before making our way back to the Amadeus Symphony and a wonderful night’s sleep.
Heidelberg from the Castle Walls
Saturday, August 23rd, 2003; Heidelberg, Germany
We were up early, dressed and ready for breakfast when the restaurant opened. After breakfast, we prepared to board the motor coaches that were to take us on a 4-hour tour of Heidelberg Castle and old town Heidelberg. It was about a 30-minute drive to the castle, but well worth the wait. We entered the castle with a guide for every 30 people or so and began to explore its walls, moat and interior rooms. The castle wine cellar has the largest cask of wine I have ever seen, as it must have stood 30 feet high at its center. After taking in the views from the castle and visiting the wine cellar and the fabulous Museum of Medicine, we made our way into the old town area of Heidelberg for some free shopping time. Heidelberg is the ultimate German shopping town as many of the structures from medieval times have survived the centuries of war and invasion Germany has endured and is available to enjoy today. Its pedestrian shopping streets are as quaint as any in Europe and the overall impact of Heidelberg is as close as one can get to the perfect German village (even though Heidelberg is actually quite a large town.)
Heidelberg Castle
We met at the pick-up spot right at 12 noon for the 30-minute ride to the town of Speyer where the Amadeus Symphony was waiting for us to continue our cruise to our final destination of Strassbourg, France. We boarded the ship and sailed promptly at 1 pm. We spent the afternoon on the Sun Deck enjoying the summer sunshine and the Black Forest as it unfolded before us.
The Ladies and the Captain at the Captain's Dinner
The Captain had invited Joanie and I to sit as his table for the Captain’s Farewell Dinner, so we spent the late afternoon packing and then getting ready for the Captain’s cocktail party and then dinner. We enjoyed the cocktail party and then met the Captain and the other guests and began our dinner. The Captain is quite a character and very French. His home is in Strasbourg and he was quite anxious to get home to see his wife and family. We had a thoroughly wonderful dinner that continued on into the Panorama Lounge at its conclusion. We made wonderful new friends and headed off to bed for our final night on the Symphony.
Sunday, August 24th, 2003; Strasbourg, France and Paris, France
We arrived in Strasbourg, France late in the evening and awoke to another sunny warm day. The majority of the passengers were taking Amadeus’ transfer to Munich, Germany to return home, but Joanie and I had decided to continue our vacation in Paris so had arranged to take a train from Strasbourg to Paris for three days in Paris. Since our train left at 11:45 we had time to explore Strasbourg before leaving the ship. We enjoyed our last breakfast on the ship and then walked the 20 minutes into downtown Strasbourg from the ship. There was no making the mistake that we were still in Germany, as everything about Strasbourg shouted FRANCE! After enjoying the downtown area we made our way back to the ship, claimed our luggage and met our taxi for a transfer into the Strasbourg main train station to catch our train for the 4 ½ hour ride to Paris. Sad to leave our ship and newfound friends, both Joanie and I started planning our next river cruise vacation and are thinking of either doing the Russia (St. Petersburg to Moscow) or the Danube River.
Summary
Joanie and I didn’t know if we were going to like our river cruise or not. Many of our friends told us that we wouldn’t for a variety of reasons. They were to structured for us (we are well known for our aversion to structured events), there is nothing but older folks on a river cruise, or we would be bored out of our minds. One friend that has taken several groups on river cruises warned us against taking off on our own.
Here is the bottom line. We liked it a lot….and here are the reasons. First, we went our own way on purpose and no one said anything to us whatsoever. We knew where the boat would be and when to be there and that is all that counted. In fact, the cruise manager would tell us special things we could do in some of the towns that turned out great. Don’t discount river cruises if you are the type that likes to go your own way. Second, we loved the intimacy of the ship. With only 120 passengers we got to know quite a few people very well. Joanie and I met a couple from Vail, Colorado that were wonderful people that I am sure we will evolve a friendship with. We were going to meet them for dinner in Paris, but Joanie became ill and couldn’t make it. Folks that like river cruising are well traveled, successful, bright and interesting people and Joanie and I enjoyed the people we met…all of them. I can’t say I have ever had the same experience on a larger ship. Third, we loved the uniqueness of the ports. About the only way to see the same ports would be via a motor coach tour. Which would you rather do? Sit in the sun on the river drinking a glass of wine while the scenery drifts by, or sit in a motor coach trying to catch a glimpse of that castle that is hiding behind the trees.
Finally, yes, it was boring. There were no discos, no casino, no theme parties, no production shows, no tender tickets, no lines, no bar hopping, none of that. It was so boring that Joanie and I got more rest than we have ever had. We averaged almost 11 hours of sleep a night. The entire cruise was so relaxing, that we are having a hard time reentering our normal lives. I will take boring any day! If you haven’t considered a river cruise, take another look, you might just find it as enjoyable as Joanie and I did.
Frequently Asked Questions
I don’t speak any foreign languages, would this cruise be good for me?
This cruise visits Holland, Germany and France. Each country has their own language, but many of the people in the areas tourist visit speak, at least some, English. If you stuck with the cruise’s tours they all have English-speaking guides and it would never be difficult to get along. But, come on now. Get that “learn German, French or Dutch” program and pick up at least a few words and phrases. The locals will reward your efforts greatly.
Is traveling to Europe on a river cruise safe?
Groan! Joanie and I flew from London’s Gatwick Airport to Amsterdam on BA on the very day the terrorist threat of shooting down an airplane upon takeoff with a surface-to-air rocket was headlines in London. Of course, we are still here to talk about it. On the very same day, our son was stuck on I-15 for 4 hours while some maniac shot himself after blocking traffic on the I-15 for four hours. A few days later he went surfing by San Onofre, only to come home to read that 4 Great White Sharks had been sighted less than a mile from where he was surfing. The pure essence of terrorism is when someone can make even a remote threat and folks shrink in terror. There were few Americans in Europe this summer and it was the time to be there....don't worry about it.
What about motion sickness?
I would think folks that are prone to motion sickness would be drawn to river cruising as there is virtually no motion whatsoever. Never during our cruise did we experience anything that would affect even the most sensitive person.
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Amadeus Rhine
