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Originally Posted by buzzy
Sounds like an interesting change of pace for a European vacation. What kinds of shore excursions are available, and what are the attractions for sightseeing?
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We took Uniworld "European Jewels"
European Jewels - Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection. If you open this link you can see a full map of the itinerary.
We flew into Budapest, were picked up at the airport and transported to the ship, which is docked right in the center of Budapest. We had almost a full day in the City before we sailed at night. I cannot remember the names of all the places we visited but I remember Vienna and the Opera House and visiting magnificent castles owned by the Hapsburgs and other wealthy European families.
The excursions are excellent because at one time the rivers were the main transportation routes through Europe, so you dock right in the center of town. You can take a guided walking excursion or you can get off and wander through the town on your own, and they have bikes on board which you can use. We chose to take the guided excursions and then wander off on our own and stop in a pasty shop, or just browse around the town. Another big plus is that the cost of the guided tours are included in the price of the vacation.
Keep in mind that the European staff on these river boats speak several languages and can communicate easily with you. Our cruise manager was a Belgium who spoke six languages, was always accessible for questions and recommendations etc. So when we got into a town we would ask him to recommend what to do and where to go.
I think our next river cruise will be Portugal and Spain.