Introduction:

On the 13th of July 2019, I departed Melbourne for my Scenic Marketing Educational, “Gems of Danube”, which is an eight-day river cruise from Budapest to Nuremberg. The water levels were extremely low, and our journey ended in Passau (we did not see Regensburg or Nuremberg). I flew with Emirates in Economy Class (via Dubai), and arrived in Budapest a day before the ship departed. I stayed at the K+K Hotel Opera in a Classic Room and had ample time to explore the “Pest” side of the city on my own before the cruise.  

Buda – Residential, quiet and great for sightseeing and walking tours.

Pest – Known as the “fun” side, with vibey restaurants and cafes.

Staying at the K+K Hotel was good for the educational, as it is a very popular hotel option amongst Australians. At breakfast I saw a lot of Australian travellers, which were most likely there to also embark on their river cruise journeys. The hotel was a bit dated and could do with a revamp. Although in saying that, it is good for the price you are paying at about $100 per room, per night (season dependant).  

We sailed on the Danube River with the Scenic Pearl “Space-Ship”, and I shared a Balcony Suite with another lady in our group. The Balcony Suites are a comfortable size for twin sharing, but the smaller cabins are not recommended for twin share. The ship itself is quite fantastic, and during our ship inspection we saw most of the suites - the most impressive being the Royal Owner’s Suite with its own Sun Lounge. Onboard the ship you will also find a mini gym, which I frequented mostly on my own, as it is not the most popular excursion. One popular highlight on the ship is however the Salt Therapy Room and is most loved by travellers who like to relax after a full day of exploring. Detoxifying and energising – you can recline and read a book or listen to music. The communal areas are quite big and fit everyone comfortably at night-time when there was entertainment.

The onboard entertainment was excellent and was organised to theme at every destination we stopped. It was the same concept for the food, and we had local food from each village every night. The highlight for me was the Bavarian food, and three full plates for lunch did the trick. Every day there was a wide variety food and drinks of the highest class. The cocktails were some of the best I have ever had, and all the guests raved about it. Being all inclusive really made a difference and when I spoke to some travellers about it (in friendly conversation), they advised that they will always go all-inclusive, especially receiving the highest quality of food and drinks with Scenic. I could see that the guests were all like-minded travellers, and our group made friends with both Australians and Americans. An interesting observation was how many multigenerational travellers were onboard with children in their late teens.

Scenic offers Freechoice and Enrich experiences, which were more than enough to keep both teens and parents busy. The first Forechoice experience was in Budapest, where we could either choose to do a guided city tour with a piano concert, a Jewish heritage tour or a guided hike to Buda Hill. I am sure you know which one I selected! Our guide was informative, patient and portrayed excellent knowledge of the history of Budapest. With every Freechoice excursion we had the most knowledgeable guides, and the whole process was made easier by the Scenic Tailormade Application (read more on page 6).

The Scenic Enrich experiences were amazing, and being able to attend a private show, in a small group, with no other travellers except Scenic guests, was the most enthralling experience. Our first Enrich experience was to Palais Liechtenstein, where we saw a private Viennese evening concert, featuring music from Strauss and Mozart (read more on page 9).

Everything was well organised by the Cruise Director, and the overall experience was excellent and a definite recommendation for your clients wishing to do an all-inclusive river cruising experience. My only concern is that the staff’s English was not that good, and the food service was a bit slow. The waitering staff members were from the local areas we were visiting, so it would be good to pre-empt your clients that there may be a slight language barrier. It is however good that Scenic is employing local staff, as in turn it boosts their local communities.

Flights arriving into Budapest

Please book your flight to arrive prior to 5pm.

Flights departing out of Nuremberg

Please book your flight to depart after 12pm.

Own Booked Flights

Guests will need to make their own arrangements to and from the tour including any internal flights not included in the tour price. Please add all flights details via the Trip Personaliser as guests may be entitled to transfers. Please advise Scenic of any schedule changes as this will affect transfers to and from the airport.

Laundry Concierge

Laundry Concierge will include washing and pressing services, and is limited to 1 kg of laundry per cabin, once per cruise. This service will be done at a selected port of Scenic’s choosing.

Tour Variations

Scenic will take all reasonable efforts to operate the tour as close as possible to your itinerary however they may be required to change or vary the itinerary for reasons outside our control, these circumstances may include but are not limited to: high or low water levels, weather conditions, flooding, lock closures, unscheduled vessel maintenance, national or local holidays, strikes, civil disturbances or other force majeure events. These circumstances may result in a substitution (at the nearest reasonable standard) of another vessel, accommodation or motorcoach for all or part of your itinerary, where they make a variation to the itinerary, they are not liable to you for such variations.

Visa Requirements

Australian, New Zealand, Canadian, US and United Kingdom passport holders do not require visas (excluding tours that feature Russia and Turkey, where guests are required to obtain a Visa); however as visa regulations are subject to change at short notice, Scenic recommends that you contact the relevant Consulates for the latest information regarding visa requirements.

Airport Transfers

Airport transfers are included on the day of the tour’s commencement and the day the tour terminates at designated times. Clients who have purchased pre and/or post tour accommodation with Scenic and airfares, will be provided with airport transfers to/from their hotel in tour start or end city only. If your airline booking is not made through Scenic, you must ensure your flight details are provided by calling of their Customer Service Centre or adding flights via the Trip Personaliser. No refund will be given for unused transfers. Transfers cannot be routed to other pick-up points or destinations. Clients who miss their pre-booked transfer will be responsible for making their own way to from the ship or hotel at own expense. Transfers must be booked and flights advised to Scenic by final payment date. In certain locations, a transfer from rail stations may be available. Please enquire for details.

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Travel Experiences:

Samantha’s Europe Takeover - Scenic Pearl - Budapest Day 1-2 - July 2019

Budapest is known for its motto: ‘two cities’ for the price of one. This Hungarian capital straddles both sides of the Danube River. On our first full day (day 2), Scenic offered three Freechoice excursions to explore both sides of Budapest. On the one side is ancient Buda with its magnificent hill topped by an enormous palace complex. On the other side, the bustling metropolis. One of the excursions is a guided tour of the city with a piano concert, then another is to discover the Jewish heritage with a local guide, and of course the one I chose, a guided hike to Buda Hill. The hike does require some level of fitness; however, I was impressed by how many people actually selected to do the hike, and they all loved it. On this hike we ascended to Castle Hill, where the views from Fisherman’s Bastion are simply amazing. Our Scenic guide was exceptionally knowledgeable and made our “history lesson” fun and memorable. Once the tour was done, I returned to the Scenic spaceship for a delicious lunch and then took the opportunity to explore the other side of the Danube in my ‘free time’. I caught the train with some fellow travellers to the Parliament Building and then went to go see the Shoes on the Danube Promenade. As this was a self-guided tour, I listened to the audio guide on my Scenic App which explained the story behind the shoes. It was a lovely walk back to the ship, over the Chain Bridge and along the Danube River. This evening our group dined at Portobellos, the fine dining experience on the ship. The food was delicious and the sunset on the Danube was the cherry on the cake after a wonderful day.

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Vienna Day 3-4 - July 2019

Vienna tells a glorious tale of history and culture, and one could almost say the city is a museum. However, in the last decades the city has transformed and now it is also known for its shopping and contemporary cafes. Scenic has done an excellent job to show their guests the best of both these worlds. On our first evening in Vienna, we experienced a Scenic Enrich excursion. A short drive on their coach and our group arrived at the beautiful Palais Liechtenstein for a private concert. With a glass of fine Austrian Sekt in hand, I was enchanted by the opulence that enthralled my eyes.

Then the real magic began with timeless music from Strauss and Mozart, with a surprise Waltz performance. Then spoiled for choice, the next day Scenic offered four Freehoice excursions. I am still amazed by all the offerings and options Scenic provide. For this fully inclusive experience you really get excellent value for money. I opted for the cycling tour of Vienna, which was insightful and fun. Halfway through the tour a cold beverage was in order! If you decide to do this experience, then I recommend the unfiltered apple juice - it is refreshing after a long cycle. After lunch it was time to explore the city. The Scenic city guide on the app makes it easy to find historic landmarks and then you can also play the audio guide for more information on your selected landmark. St Stephen’s Cathedral is absolutely beautiful, and the Spanish Riding School is also worth a visit. The Scenic coach has a toilet onboard and a power socket, which makes your ride just a little bit more comfortable. Water is provided at reception when you depart the spaceship.

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Dürnstein to Melk Day 5 - July 2019

Have you ever been to Dürnstein? If you have not been there, then it is worth adding it onto your Europe itinerary. Imagine a small little cobble stoned village packed with history, freshly baked goods, delicious jams and delightful little trinket shops. Then probably the most famous highlight of them all - the King Lionheart ruins. Richard the Lionheart was locked up in the Dürnstein Castle in 1192. The castle was damaged by Swedish troops in 1645 during the Thirty Years’ War and was allowed to crumble over time. I had the opportunity to do an early morning hike to the top of the ruins before our Freechoice activity commenced. The hike takes about 45 minutes return and is rewarded by breathtaking views of the town and the surrounding riverside landscape. Scenic provides walking sticks, which really helps to get up the hill. After the hike it was time for our 32km cycle to Melk. It may sound daunting, but the Scenic bikes are all electric assist, which makes this journey doable by anyone who wishes to see the countryside by bike. Cycle along the Danube and through beautiful villages, past apricot orchards, wild cherrie trees and flower meadows. Weissenkirchen is regarded as the prettiest wine village in Wachau, which boasts charming buildings and homes from the 16th century, as well as its unusual alter of skulls (I managed to take a photo).

After the cycle tour we had time for a quick lunch, and then our group departed on the Melk Abbey guided tour. The Abbey was originally built by the Romans as a fortress and was handed over to Benedictine Monks round about 950. The Abbey Church is beautiful with its frescoes, marbling, sculptures and the 65m high cupola. One of my favourite places in the Abbey is the Library. This Library contains about 100,000 volumes and 1800 illuminated manuscripts. With these Freechoice offerings you can choose if you want to do them all, or you can simply relax on the spaceship and indulge in delicious food, drinks and beverages. Everyone complimented the drinks, so be assured you will drink the best wine and delicious cocktails with a wide variety offered daily.

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Český Krumlov Day 6 - July 2019

Cesky Krumlov is a quaint medieval village in The Czech Republic, almost too perfect to be real depicting a scene out of a fairy tale. Enjoy a variety of shopping, water activities on the Vltava River and authentic food at one of the pub styled restaurants. Scenic offers two full day Freechoice Activities when docked in Passau, and you can either visit Cesky Krumlov or Salzburg. I have never travelled to The Czech Republic before, so my first choice was Cesky Krumlov. Excursions like these have to be pre-booked before your departure, but this can be changed once you are on board. This usually happens if you make friends on the ship and then decide to do the excursions together. It is not always guaranteed that you will be able to change your selection, but you can put in a request with your Cruise Director.

Cesky Krumlov is a full day excursion and you can expect to depart at about 08:00am in the morning and return at about 18:00pm. The Scenic coaches are very comfortable, and you can take a little snooze on your way if you partook in the previous night’s festivities.

Upon arrival into this magical place, the Scenic guide took us on a short journey through the village where he talked about the history dating back to the early 1200’s. Antique shops galore and lollies to you heart’s content, around every corner there was something to indulge in. Large jam filled doughnuts, delicious lemonade and large double storey shops filled with chocolates and treats. Lunch is always included in your Freechoice activities, and we enjoyed a traditional Chesky Crumlov lunch and beer. After lunch we roamed around and received plenty of time to explore on our own. I took a nice long walk through the Castle Gardens and strolled along the Vltava river where summer was fully taken advantage of by people dressed in funny costumes paddling down the river in canoes. A hilarious spectacle that deserved an ice cold Apple Cider and a stretch out on the river bank for viewing pleasure.

After basking in the sun for about an hour it was time to leave this amazing place behind and return to the spaceship, where evening festivities awaited us. Each evening offers a wide variety of entertainment and you can expect to see local performers from each of the local places you are travelling in.

Scenic Application Overview:

The Scenic Tailormade Application is an easy to use application where clients can manage all their travel documents and itineraries in one place. On this trip I used the travel application on a daily basis, and it made travelling a lot easier. The first tab is the Voice Guide. On the day of your excursion, you will be connected with the guide through the Voice Guide. This is particularly helpful when doing a walking tour, as you cannot always hear the guide if you are walking towards the back of the group. Some clients tend to walk a bit slower than others or get distracted easier by beautiful buildings or landscapes. With the app those people will never lose out on the information, as you are always connected.

The second tab from the top is the City Guide. This is one of my favourite functions of the app, as I could explore the destinations and learn about them on my own time. Being someone that is interested in history and geography, this was a delight to have. Then on the My Cruise tab you can access your Daily Program, your Freechoice and Enrich activities and a Guidebook. And lastly the tools function is great because you can upload all your travel documents into your Travel Wallet.

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