After 30 years in the Travel Industry, Travel Consultant Michelle Busse FINALLY got a chance to see Europe via the Blue Danube River and she could not stop talking about how amazing it was!
Michelle knew that after years of recommending clients to fly in at least a night or two before the cruise embarks that she must do so also! They flew into Budapest three days before embarkation and she was SO glad they did! Doing so gave her and her husband an extra three days & two nights in the beautiful city. Those two nights pre-cruise, they stayed at the Marriott in Budapest and Michelle would recommend this hotel to anyone traveling to Budapest! Their cruise ended in Nuremberg, where they decided to take the train from Nuremberg to Munich where they stayed their final night at Le Meridian Munich. They loved this hotel also! “I would DEFINITELY recommend adding pre AND post accommodations when doing any river cruise. Pre-accommodations is a must in case something was to happen with your flights into the city. Post accommodations will allow you to see more of the beautiful cities that you are seeing via the river.” -Michelle Busse To see more pictures from Michelle & Jim's exploration of Budapest, click through the slideshow below: The Avalon Experience Michelle thought that cruising with Avalon on Expression was like staying in a beautiful, boutique hotel on a ship. She thinks that river cruising really allowed them to experience the culture of each city and that it gave her and Jim a chance to experience Europe like they never have before. All the rooms on board are all suites and there are 144 total. They stayed in a “Panorama Suite” and the couple thought it was WELL worth it! There was no balcony, but the floor to ceiling windows had a little seating area near them which really brought the spectacular views into the room. Michelle specifically noted that the service on board was absolutely amazing and that the food was excellent! "The largest and most comfortable Suites on the rivers." -Michelle Busse To see pictures of Avalon Waterways' Panorama Suites & lifestyle on board Expression, click through the slideshow below: The Itinerary Michelle could not stop talking about the pure beauty that she and her husband experienced, and they owe it all to this great itinerary! Because with stops in Hungary, Munich, Vienna, Dürnstein, Passau, Regensburg & Nuremberg, how could anyone disagree? Day One consisted of the couple boarding the river cruise vessel, Expression with a Welcome Dinner giving the travelers a chance to meet the crew and other passengers on board. Day Two allowed the travelers to enjoy a day of relaxation on board to marvel at the beautiful scenery they passed on both sides of the Danube River while cruising to Vienna. Cruising up river gave Michelle and Jim views of Hungary on their left and Slovakia on their right. That evening, they arrived at their destination in Vienna where an optional concert was available to all travelers during this overnight. They awoke on Day Three ready to experience the magical capital of Austria, Vienna. The included city sightseeing tour took the couple to must-see Vienna sights such as the lavish Hofburg Imperial Palace complex, the neo-renaissance Vienna Opera House, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and much more!
The couple started Day Six with an included guided walk of one of Germany’s best preserved medieval cities, Regensburg. Regensburg was established during the Holy Roman Empire and was the only German city not bombed during WWII. The included walk took the couple to see the architectural highlights of this beautiful, old city. They wandered through the city’s lanes and alleys to discover the many mansions with high towers built by wealthy families to emphasize their status and wealth. They went to Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall), built in the 13th century, and on to Porta Pretoria, the gates to an ancient Roman fort built in 179 AD. Halfway through their day, Michelle and Jim enjoyed an included snack and German beer at the 17th-century Historische Wurstküche (Old Sausage Kitchen). The day continued with a walk across the 12th-century Steinerne Brücke (Stone Bridge), the oldest of its kind in Germany. Back on board the ship, they were introduced to some of Germany’s famous beers before sitting down for dinner. Day Seven took the couple to Nuremberg, where they had the choice of joining the included sightseeing tour or an optional excursion, a more specialized “Nuremberg Rally Grounds” tour. The couple decided they wanted to see more of Nuremberg so they took part in the included tour. This took them to see the city that was once badly damaged during WWII but has since been restored to the glory it once knew, as the unofficial capital of the Holy Roman Empire. They marveled at the medieval forts, extraordinary gothic churches and the Kaiserburg (Imperial Castle).
Michelle and Jim cannot wait to take a river cruise with Avalon Waterways again! (Hopefully, soon!)
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Brentwood Travel Vacation ExpertsIn the 64 years since Brentwood Travel was founded in 1957, we've grown into the largest, full-service travel agency in the Greater St. Louis area. No matter what your travel needs may be, our consultants will be able to assist you. Categories
All
Archives
May 2023
|