This was our first river cruise so our impressions and observations lack comparisons to other river boat cruises and may be influenced by our ocean cruise experiences; we tried not to compare this cruise to an ocean cruise too often.

Why Deilmann and Mozart;

We had been thinking of trying a river cruise in Europe instead of our typical driving tour we have done previously and decided that a spring time trip on the Danube would be a great choice since we had not been to Vienna and Budapest. We had heard that the Danube was beautiful even though it was not blue, but which cruise line and which ship? With some research I found reviews that rated the Deilmann line as having exceptional service and that the Mozart was the largest and most spacious river boat on the Danube. The Deilmann line is a German line that caters to an international clientele but mostly German customers. We saw this as an adventure and decided to try Mozart.

Travel

The Mozarts home port is Passau, Germany which is close to Munich, Germany and Salzburg, Austria. We were able to get a direct flight to Munich and so decided to fly to Munich. We left on Saturday the 15 of April from Philadelphia at 8 pm and arrived Easter Sunday at 10:30 am Munich time. Deilmann offers transfers from Munich to Passau for $90 per passenger each way. Since we were a family of four and prefer the added convenience of having our own driver and schedule we decided to hire a private driver for the trip. I found Joerg, a friendly German tour guide and driver on the internet who was willing to meet and drive us to Passua. Joerg also suggested that since we had some time before we needed to arrive in Passau (boarding time is 3 pm) he could make a stop in Altotting to visit the shrine of the black virgin, which we gladly agreed to. (You can find Joerg at http://www.airport-shuttle-munich.com)

Joerg met us at the airport with a bouquet of tulips and a friendly smile and off we went. The drive to Passau takes about 2 hours and the visit to Altotting took about and hour and a half and we found the town and Shrine interesting and rustic.

Boarding

We arrived in Passau at 3 pm and went directly to the ship. Bags were handled quickly and we boarded. We were greeted by Uwe Wieselmann ( The Excursion Manager) at a desk just inside the entry door, turned in our tickets that Deilmann had sent us and our passports, received our keys and ID cards and that was it, we were checked in within 5 minutes of boarding. Off to the dining room for table assignment, along with many other guests. After a 20 minute wait we got to the front of the line where the dining room maitred greeted us. He explained that the left side of the dining room was for English speaking guests, he assigned us a nice table for four with a wonderful window view. This process, while long and inefficient, is an attempt to give guests a choice in seating, of course if you are last one, the choice is limited. (This could not be done on an Ocean Cruise). At 3 to 4:30 pm coffee, tea, small sandwiches and cakes were served in the lounge and we stopped by for a cup and a cake. Then off to our rooms where our bags were already delivered. Time to rest and unpack.

Departure

Promptly at 7 pm, on schedule, the Mozart pulled away from the dock and started to make a big u-turn in order to point the ship down river. We were already dressed for dinner (casual dress this night). The bar staff brought out trays of long stem glasses containing Prosecco for the guest (a sparkling white wine which you could have with or without orange juice). The staff welcomed the guest aboard and at 7:30 announced that the restaurant was opened for dinner.

The Ship and State Rooms

The Mozart is quite elegant looking with a bright white hull with red trim and red and gold lettering; it was clearly the widest and largest river cruiser we saw all week. The interior is understated elegance with dark wood paneling, upholstered and leather furniture, brass hardware and warm colored carpeting. While the ship is over 20 years old it is clean and well maintained with no odors or noticeable excessive wear. The ship has three internal public floors and an open air observation deck above with deck chairs, umbrellas and blankets for those colder days. The two lower floors are where the guest rooms are located. The bottom floor or Dorabella deck contains 52 staterooms. I did notice that the steps down to the Dorabella deck were steeper and harder to negotiate than the other steps on the ship. The middle floor or Tamino deck contains 46 rooms and two suites. In addition there is a small pool with a hot tub, hair-dresser, sauna and a small bar area in the front of the ship. In the center is the main foyer and reception desk which is open 24 hours a day to serve guest. The guests rooms are spacious with 200 sq. feet of space, good closets and cabinet space, twin beds pushed together with comforters (we requested sheets since the comforters were too hot at night for us), a small couch, a writing desk, a mini bar and a small TV set (We did not use the TV all week so I cannot comment on the programming). Alternatively some rooms have two pull out beds that fold to create two sofas. The bathroom was large, for a cruise ship, with good water pressure. All worked well except the shower area did not have a ledge or other area to put your shampoo. The soap dish was small and could not hold both. Also on a few occasions the towels had a faint smell of cigarette smoke ( a few small complaints). Each room has separate temperature controls, his and hers robes, sandals and an extra set of pillows which we always use and appreciate. The rooms in the Tamino deck have one large picture window, the ones in the Dorabella deck have two small windows which sit just above the waterline and can be blocked when the ship is docked by the pier. Other than these differences the rooms were the same. We stayed on the Tamino deck and our daughters stayed in the Dorabella deck. We often enjoyed the views from our cabins.

The upper floor or Don Giovanni deck contains the elegant dining room, a library with soft leather chairs (a great place to sit and read), the Don Giovanni bar, a small ships store and a small café for late snacks and the spacious forward lounge. Smoking was not permitted in the guest rooms and dining room but was allowed in the bar, the reception area, and half the lounge area and on deck. Overall smoking was not a problem.

The Mozart was beautiful and we would happily sail with her again. One note, the extra wide size of the Mozart prevents her from going up stream of Passau due to the smaller shipping locks, so Mozart can only cruise the Danube south of Passau.

Other Guest and Language Issues

This sailing was sold out but you never felt crowded on Mozart. The guests were mostly German and Austrian who were very pleasant and several couples took the time to talk to us in English (A good thing since my German vocabulary is limited to about 20 words). As mentioned previously the left side of the dining room was for English speaking guest and this section was full, about 28 guests were from the USA, 12 guests from China, which also sat together in the English section and did speak some English; one couple from Spain and at least one British couple. Tour groups were separate for English and German. The daily programs and shore information bulletins were printed in both German and English. Our wait staff, the reception desk staff and the bar staff all spoke English so language was not a problem.

Dining

The dining room is very elegant with cloth table covers, napkins and candlelight on formal nights. The service was coordinated and superior. The two waiters and wine steward worked together often serving covered hot dishes and lifting the covers of everyone at the table at exactly the same time. If you have ever feasted at a 5 star French restaurant with a multi course fixed price menu such as Robuchon-Masion in Las Vegas or Le Bec-Fin in Philadelphia you have experienced a similar meal, with the superior food, presentation, small portions and service. The meals did take from 2 to 3 hours, but with the Danube River scenery, good company, fine wine and the outstanding dishes it was just a great evening. Each evening meal consisted of six to nine courses with hot tea, ice tea and coffee included. In addition an all vegetarian meal with the same number of courses was offered every night. There were two formal nights, two jacket and tie nights and three casual nights Listed below is a sample menu:

Smoked Salmon with cream cheese

Bean Soup Serbian Style

Salad Plate with carrots and Walnut Oil Dressing

Deep-Fried Prawns with Gribiche and Chives Potatoes

Roast Saddle of Lamb 'Povencale' with Rosemary Gravy French Beans.Tomato, and Grantinated Potatoes 'Dauphinoise

Warm Apple Pie with Cinnamon Ice Cream

The wine selection was adequate and reasonable. Since we were traveling through Germany, Austria and Hungary we selected wines from these countries exclusively. Damir, our wine steward who posses a great and dry sense of humor, helped us with the selections. One particularly good wine we tried was a Hungarian red by the Maitre Hill vineyard for 21 euros.

Breakfast consisted of a special of the day which you ordered and a full buffet with eggs, bacon, sausage, cold cuts, fruit cereal and fresh backed breads and pastries. If you crave a certain breakfast item, just ask for it, fried eggs, maybe a western omelet, and the wait staff will go to the kitchen and quickly appear with your desired dish. Again hot tea, great coffee, milk and all types of fruit juices are included.

Lunch included a generous buffet, a demonstration kitchen with something good cooking in the wok, skillet or pan of the day and again certain special items you ordered from the kitchen. The items from the demonstration kitchen were particularly good and included such items as pan fried mussels with mushrooms, garlic and straw noodles, just delicious. No hamburgers, pizza or other American favorites here, but I suspect that if you requested a hamburger it would appear that day or the next day.

Daily the staff also offered a bouillon at 11 am in the cafe, an afternoon tea at 3:30 pm in the forward lounge and a late night snack in the café. We did not partake in these food offerings often since the three main meals were more than enough for us.

Bar Selections

Don Giovanni bar has an extensive menu which should satisfy most people. A few suggestions to try include the Czech republic version of Budweiser which is very good (served in bottles and was so popular they ran out ) Konig and Duckstein draft beer, both were good. The bar offers a drink of the day but most were too sweet for me.

Ships Store

On the upper floor is a small store with some Deilmann and Mozart logo items, but not too many regional items. Selection is limited and the store is only open when the ship is under way. I did not see any sale or promotional offerings during the week.

Entertainment

We had heard that entertainment on a river cruise was very limited, which is true, but once again we were pleasantly surprised.

Sunday after dinner we were entertained by the three piece Mozart band (drum, piano/keyboard and guitar) who played popular melodies and classical dance music, fox trot, waltz etc.

Monday during dinner Anton Land, a Viennese Professor of Music played some world-famous melodies. After dinner the Mozart band played again.

Tuesday before dinner the five piece Lady Orchestra Afrodite played some classical and famous melodies at the Captains welcome cocktail party (again Prosecco flowed freely). After dinner the Mozart band played again.

Wednesday after dinner, a Hungarian folklore troop performed with fast and fun gypsy music, dancing and singing (In German of course) for an hour, great show.

Thursday was the crew show followed by the Mozart band and more music.

Friday before dinner we were entertained by the Pressburger Duo, a two man band that are so talented and energetic we just loved their show and they received a standing ovation. This show is not to be missed. After dinner the Mozart band played once again.

Saturday after dinner the Mozart band played, but we did enjoy dancing and listening to their music all week long.

Shore Excursions

This cruise has many great stops and most can be done on your own with a few exceptions. Every day you had at least one stop with the chance to get out and explore and most of the guest did go exploring.

Monday- Durnstein, a short walk from the pier, is a picture perfect medieval town with a church and many stores to explore. Above the town is a ruin of a castle that legend says once imprisoned Richard the Lion Hearted who was being held for ransom. My daughters and I climbed the hill to the castle and were rewarded with an eagles view of the Danube valley and the town below. Most of the Mozart guest did not bother to climb the hill but I though it was well worth it. You should be in good physical condition to make this climb. A fun stop and a wonderful small town.

At 5 pm we arrived in Vienna and opted to take in the optional concert at Schonbrunner palace (the Orangerie). Its a very touristy show with classical Mozart and Strauss favorites, two opera singers and two dancers. A fun show to watch, with the side benefit of a bus tour through the city during daylight and then again after dark. This show is a bit expensive, but was worth it for us. An early dinner was provided for anyone going to the concert or wishing to explore on their own in the evening.

Tuesday-Vienna, the reception desk called a taxi for us and we were picked up in front of the ship and off we went to the Hofburg Palace for a tour of the Imperial apartments and a stroll through the historic old city to Saint Stevens cathedral, the opera house and Sacher Hotel for a quick look. We then went to the gardens behind the Hofburg palace and had a wonderful lunch at the Café Palmenhaus which overlooks the park and is frequented by locals. After lunch we went back to the Sacher Hotel to find a cab and off we went to Schonbrunn Palace for a tour of the impressive summer palace. The imperial rooms and large gardens are worth visiting.

Vienna is beautiful but requires a few more days to enjoy the city, attend a concert or opera and enjoy the food. We will have to return.

Wednesday- A morning stop in Esztergom where we decided to do the Danube Bend tour on our own with a private guide. We were met in the morning by Agnes a licensed Hungarian tour guide who speaks good English and enjoys guiding visitors to her native country. The town is within walking distance of the dock, but it is such a short stop that you may have difficulty visiting the Basilica, which is a must see, including visiting its small but artifact rich treasury.

We then went to Visegrad where we visited the Citadel which has a commanding view of the valley and the river. The Mozart was floating past the Citadel as we arrived at the summit. We then headed back to the town by the river to enjoy our lunch at the Renaissance Restaurant with its medieval theme and fare. It was fun and not too expensive.

Then off to Szentendre with its colorful storybook town center. This is a tourist town with many stores and cafes and we had a great time looking and shopping, and stopped at a café with an outdoor courtyard for coffee and tea. Great town to visit and relax. Then we headed off to Budapest to find Mozart ( the ship, not the composer ) . The trip took longer than expected due to heavy traffic in Budapest but it was not hard to find the Dock since the international ships park along the same area.

Having a private guide allowed us to travel at our own pace and enjoy the company of a friendly guide who can answer your questions and tell you about life in Hungary. A wonderful time was had by all. You can find Agnes at her web page, www.tourguide.hu/.

Thursday- Budapest, We took a half day tour of the City with Agnes visiting, Heroes Square, the city park, the Opera House, Matthias Church and Fisherman Bastion. The City is terrific, unfortunately the traffic and construction makes it a very difficult city to drive in and we spent too much time in the car. Guests who took the ships tour also complained about the traffic and delays.

Friday- Bratislava, A morning stop where you can walk from the pier to the main square in 10 minutes, Many shops and cafes to explore and try. We tried to tour the Primates House but they would not accept euros and we did not have any Koruna. We then walked to Saint Michaels gate, down the pedestrian streets to Saint Martins Cathedral which is worth a quick visit. We then headed back to the main square to get a cup of hot chocolate at Maximilian. Great hot chocolate and a good place for people watching and relaxing.

Saturday- Melk, We walked through a park trail to the town of Melk and the Melk Abbey. Its an easy 15 to 20 minute walk with some stairs, but most guests walked without any problems. The Abbey is magnificent and should not be missed. The ornate gathering room, Library and Church are a must. After the tour we went into the town did some shopping for gifts and went into a small grocery store and picked up water, a local beer, for the walk back, and some gifts at reasonable prices. We then walked back to the ship. A great little town to visit.

Disembarkation

Leaving the ship was easy. You put your bags out in the morning by 7 am, go up for breakfast and the crew collects all the bags in the main foyer and unloads your bags when you are ready to leave. Our Driver Joerg meet us at the dock at 8 am, took the bags to his Van and away we went to the Munich airport. The fastest disembarkation I have ever experienced.

This was our first river cruise so our impressions and observations lack comparisons to other river boat cruises and may be influenced by our ocean cruise experiences; we tried not to compare this cruise to an ocean cruise too often.

Built: 1987 (refurbished 2003) Dimensions: Length 396 ft x Width 75 ft Capacity: 200 passengers Ship's Registry: Germany Staff: European; 1 crew member for each 2.5 passenger; best staff to passenger ratio of any river vessel Decks: 4 - Air Conditioned Dining Room: Luxurious Single Seating Cabins: 95 Outside Double Cabins (2 Suites / 3 Inside Triple Cabins) Cabin Size: 203 sqft. - some available at 406 sqft. Suites Cabins Amenities: Largest cabins on any river vessel; Large Picture Windows, Bathroom with Shower & Hair Dryer, Large Built-In Closets, Television, Radio, Inter-Vessel Phone, Mini Bar, Queen Bed (avail. most cabins) Other Facilites: Lounge, 2 Bars, Cafe, Salon, Library, Gift Shop, Indoor Fitness Center, Indoor Heated Pool, Sauna, Whirlpool, Conference Center