Riviera Travel - River Cruise - The Danube from Budapest to Vienna
Riviera are market leaders in the river cruise market with a range of 4 and 5* ships sailing on the Rhine, Moselle, Main, Elbe, Rhone and Seine as well as the Danube. I sailed on the 5* Lord Byron and she was delightful - if a ship can be described this way! At 110 metres long she carries a maximum of 140 passengers in 74 cabins and suites spread over 3 air-conditioned decks topped off with a spacious Sun Deck. I had a Ruby Deck Cabin with floor to ceiling sliding doors, a French Balcony and the bed was very comfortable plus the bathroom was very tastefully styled. The complimentary tea and coffee facilities were a lovely touch. Very much what you would expect from a top hotel.
The whole ship is beautifully furnished with a marble floored reception and all hardwoods, wrought iron, polished brass and copper, soft leather furnishings - very chic. The main restaurant served a range of buffet and a la carte meals that were all delicious and for a less formal experience there is the smaller Lido Restaurant at the stern of the boat offering a light lunch and breakfast and an a la carte dinner with doors opening on to the deck for an outside dining experience in good weather. There is a small deck top whirlpool splash pool, putting green and giant chess and in the spa area a sauna and steam room or you can also employ the services of the on board hairdresser. There are also board games, cards and books to entertain in the day and in the evening a pianist in on hand in the lounge bar for a gentle dance on the purpose-designed dance floor. In Vienna we were also treated to a string quartet which were tremendous.
The travel experience was good with flights in to Budapest and transfer on arrival to the ship. A late buffet dinner was available to those of us arriving on a late flight.
The next morning after breakfast we were treated to a guided tour of the city, partly by coach and partly walking with free time to explore the castle area in the Buda area of the city by ourselves. The guide was excellent and kept our attention with fun facts and information, especially about the past rulers whose statues are the main feature of Heroes Square on the Pest side of the city. Both sides of the city are equally attractive and joined by the beautiful Chain Bridge which is overlooked by the imposing castle.
After the tour it was back to the ship for lunch followed by a safety briefing and an overview of the rest of the cruise with specific attention to our next stop Vienna. We sailed through the afternoon, evening and the next morning giving us all chance to get to know our fellow passengers and to spend time watching the world go by from the comfort of the lounge or sun decks. Only being on the cruise for a short time we only experienced one lock and this was much more technical than any I had experienced in the UK with all the gates being controlled centrally from a control tower. It was also quite a shock for me as The Bridge dropped in to the deck to allow us access alongside a working barge.
We arrived in Vienna in the early afternoon and had a coach and walking tour of the city with another knowledgeable guide. Vienna is another stunning city and very rich feeling both in culture and architecture with 92 museums to choose from. The ship had to berth on the outskirts of the city so the following morning a free shuttle was provided for those who wanted to spend more time in the city and I took the opportunity to visit the Spanish Riding school to watch a rehearsal - an amazing experience to see these amazing horses and riders perform. Before our flight home we had a little more free time to explore and to indulge ourselves in some of the wonderful coffee houses (there are over 2300 in the city).
It was a real shame to leave the Lord Byron and her friendly and efficient staff. I can highly recommend Riviera Travel, The Lord Byron and river cruising.