Lots to Consider When Planning a Fall River Cruise with Tauck
We began planning our Fall river cruise with Tauck about a year in advance. Our first experience with river cruising was with Viking Cruises on the Yangtze River in China, but we had long wanted to enjoy a classic European river cruise.
There were several decisions to make before booking our river cruise. After selecting our route from Budapest to Amsterdam and choosing Tauck River Cruises, we planned the rest of our journey.
This time, we arrived in Budapest just one day before the cruise began. For added flexibility, we organized a 10-day land trip around Brussels and booked a relaxing beach getaway in Portugal before flying back to Toronto.
We were pleased with the variety of destinations we included in our Fall European travels, which resulted in an exciting vacation lasting nearly five weeks.
Factors to Consider When Booking a River Cruise
When we first considered river cruising, there were fewer cruise lines and a limited number of routes. By the time we booked our cruise, new options had emerged, prompting us to make some key decisions first.
The initial choice involved deciding on the river system and the itinerary we wanted. Europe’s traditional rivers—such as the Rhine, Danube, and Rhône—offered numerous choices, as did cruises in Portugal and France. While visiting Egypt, we noticed the river cruise boats were largely unfilled. Thankfully, Egypt has since regained its popularity as a cruise destination. Ultimately, we decided on a classic cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam.
We aimed to embark on our river cruise in the Fall when the tourist crowds had thinned and the river waters would ideally be high enough for smooth sailing. Many companies offered the cruise we were looking for, so we needed to select the right cruise line for our needs.
Having experienced river cruising with Viking in China, we were keen to try a new cruise line. We considered AMA, Scenic, Uniworld, and Tauck. Our criteria included enhanced excursions, diverse dining options, elegant design, and a stellar reputation for customer service. Ultimately, Tauck River Cruises seemed to fulfill all our requirements, offering the ideal cruise experience from Budapest to Amsterdam.
Planning Pre and Post-Cruise Travel for Our Fall River Cruise with Tauck
Due to the high cost of airline tickets to Europe, we aimed to maximize our time there, incorporating travel both before and after the cruise.
Our September schedule had time constraints, restricting our ability to depart earlier than usual. Ideally, we prefer arriving in Europe at least four days prior to significant travel to adjust to the local time zone and recover from travel fatigue. We always aim to avoid arriving on the same day that a cruise starts, as the risk of delays and stress is simply not worth it.
For our trip, Tauck graciously provided one night’s stay in a luxury hotel in Budapest before the river cruise. We checked the pricing for an Air Canada flight just a few days before our arrival date and were surprised by the cost differences. Eventually, we opted for a flight that coincided with Tauck’s hotel accommodation, hoping to leave us ample time for any potential issues.
Our river cruise concluded in Amsterdam. Since we had previously visited Amsterdam on other cruises, we decided against spending additional time there, as we planned to return for our upcoming winter cruise with Viking Cruises to experience the Northern Lights.
While David had spent five months as a Naval Officer in Belgium, I had never visited, making it an easy choice to incorporate 10 days exploring Belgium into our itinerary. This would allow us sufficient time to discover several locations throughout the small country.
Although we considered flying home from Belgium, we ultimately decided to return to Portugal to conclude our Fall adventures. Portugal had always been one of our favorite destinations, and we knew the weather in October would still be pleasant. After deliberation over potential locations—such as Porto, Lisbon, or the Algarve—we settled on an 8-day stay at a beautiful beach resort on the coast north of Lisbon, followed by a flight home from Lisbon to Toronto.
Having outlined our plans for the Fall river cruise with Tauck, we just needed to finalize the details and make our bookings.
Starting Our River Cruise in Budapest
When booking our flight to Budapest, we found no direct Air Canada flights from Toronto. After considering various connection options, we ultimately selected a flight connecting through Frankfurt, despite it being our least favorite airport for transfers. We ensured a long enough layover.
The Tauck river cruise included complimentary pickup from the airport for transport to our hotel, relieving us of concerns about arranging transfers at the end of a long travel day. This was a pleasant perk, even without Tauck booking our flights.
Tauck arranged for us to stay at the luxurious Matilde Palace Hotel for one night, a property in the Luxury Collection that provided the pampering experience we expected. Realizing it was a Marriott property gave us hope of enjoying Ambassador Elite benefits during our stay.
We spent five days exploring Budapest during our extended tour of Central Europe. The city captivated us, offering so much to see and experience!
We had part of a day to explore Budapest on our own before boarding the Tauck MS Espirit. Tauck also organized a city tour to visit both the Buda and Pest sides. We were eager to see how Tauck conducted their initial tour or strike out independently since there was much we missed on our first visit to Budapest.
Our journey with Tauck for a Fall river cruise began in Budapest.
Cruising with Tauck from Budapest to Amsterdam: A Journey of Familiarity
Our 14-day Tauck cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam featured numerous remarkable stops. Following Budapest, we had a half-day visit in Bratislava, which was a return trip for us, and we looked forward to exploring more independently.
From Bratislava, we journeyed to Vienna. We were eagerly anticipating our first visit to the city, especially after learning that Tauck had arranged a private dinner featuring live music in the elegant Palais Ferstel. On our second day, we opted for an excursion to tour the Schonbrunn Palace. This time, we looked forward to experiencing the interior, as on our first visit, we had only seen sights from the exterior.
The afternoon allowed for free time, affording us the chance to uncover more of the delightful attractions this charming Austrian city has to offer—especially the renowned pastries!
Continuing Our Journey Along the Danube in Austria
From Vienna, we cruised further along the Danube in Austria, stopping for a short walking tour through the cobblestone streets of Dürnstein, located in the heart of the Wachau Valley. Our tour highlighted 16th-century baroque homes, a 13th-century Romanesque church, the Rathaus (town hall), the local pillory, and Kremser Gate. Later that day, we docked at Melk to visit the impressive 900-year-old Abbey.
The following day, we decided to relax onboard in the morning before arriving in Passau that afternoon. Our itinerary included a walking tour to see the Town Hall, the New Bishop’s Residence, and St. Stephen’s Cathedral, after which we were free to explore independently. We had the option to leave early for a day in Salzburg, but having enjoyed several days there on a prior visit, we chose Passau instead.
The early stops on our river cruise made it easy to plan our Fall river cruise with Tauck.
Cruising from the Danube to the Main River in Germany
While we had connected flights through Germany before, we had not taken the time to explore the country. During a previous Baltics cruise, we enjoyed visiting the quaint fishing village of Warnemünde and the beautiful Schwerin Palace, which merely whetted our appetite for a more extensive exploration.
Our first German stop was in Regensburg for a guided walking tour of the medieval city, where we would see sights like the Steinerne Brücke (Stone Bridge) and St. Peter’s Cathedral. We’d also have a guided visit to the splendid Thurn und Taxis palace. After a respite in Regensburg, we had the choice to either stay for a while longer or join the ship as it cruised towards our next port, Nuremberg.
The next day, we entered the Main Canal and learned more about this busy waterway during our morning cruise. Upon arriving in Nuremberg, we planned to join a walking tour to explore both the new and old parts of the city.
Then, we docked in the charming Bavarian town of Bamberg. On our guided morning tour of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, we would visit Bamberg Cathedral, two bishops’ residences, the 14th-century Old Town Hall, a former Benedictine monastery atop one of the city’s seven hills, Altenburg Castle, and the picturesque Klein-Venedig (Little Venice) area featuring 19th-century fishermen’s houses. After this, we would rejoin the ship for a leisurely cruise down the Main River.
When we reached Würzburg, we faced a choice: explore Würzburg or Rothenburg. We decided to travel by bus along Germany’s “Romantic Road” to visit the medieval town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, home to stunning Gothic architecture, the Renaissance town hall, St. James Church, and St. Wolfgang’s Church.
We were able to relax a bit more the following day, enjoying a full day cruising on the Main River and taking in the beautiful scenery.
The numerous ports in Germany along the Danube and Main Rivers provided an array of unique sights, making our research essential for planning a Fall river cruise with Tauck for this portion of our adventure.
Planning a Fall River Cruise with Tauck: Exploring the Rhine River in Germany
The ship then transitioned from the Main River to the Rhine River in Germany. After cruising for the morning, we docked at the charming town of Rüdesheim and took a mini-train that led us to a traditional wine restaurant for lunch. We also had a guided visit to the Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet, showcasing fascinating mechanical musical instruments housed in a 15th-century castle in Rüdesheim.
Leaving Rüdesheim, we navigated through the stunning Lorelei Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that we were eager to experience.
We awoke docked in Cologne the next morning. A guided tour was included, presenting us with a look at both the historical and contemporary areas of the city. Following the tour, we had some free time to explore before the ship resumed its afternoon cruise along the Rhine River.
Since planning a Fall river cruise with Tauck, we were excited to witness the differences among the various German ports along the Rhine River.
Concluding Our Tauck Cruise in Amsterdam
Our ship continued cruising through the night, arriving in Amsterdam the following morning. On our initial visit to Amsterdam, we had taken a canal cruise and explored on foot, but this time, Tauck’s itinerary included a guided visit to the famous Rijksmuseum, followed by a private lunch during a river cruise. This would allow us additional time for independent exploration in Amsterdam.
On our last evening, we attended a formal reception, preparing for our departure the following day. Tauck arranged for transportation to the airport or train station at the trip’s end; we would head to the train station for our onward journey to Belgium.
Not needing to research Amsterdam thoroughly when planning a Fall river cruise with Tauck was a relief. We anticipate returning to Amsterdam often, discovering even more with each visit.
Exploring Belgium for 10 Days
After leaving Amsterdam, we took a train to Antwerp in Belgium. Since most trains connected through Antwerp, we decided to spend one day in this port city known for its diamond industry. We booked a night at the charming boutique Sapphire House Antwerp.
Next, we traveled by train to Ghent, where we would spend four nights by the canal at the Ghent Marriott Hotel. While we knew there was much to explore in Ghent, we planned a few day trips, including a visit to Bruges and a tour of the World War I battlefield sites around Ypres.
After an exciting time in Ghent, we would travel by train to Brussels for a four-night stay at the Brussels Marriott Hotel Grand Place. This hotel is conveniently located in the historic heart of Brussels, making it an excellent base for our explorations. We briefly considered a lengthy day trip to Luxembourg but weren’t sure if we could fit that into our busy schedule.
We are thrilled to visit Belgium together for the first time, especially since David reminisced about the excellent beer and “frites” he experienced during his time there!
Finding a Beach Resort in Portugal
From Brussels, we flew to Lisbon, Portugal, where we picked up a rental car. After considering different ways to spend our time in Portugal during October, we decided that a relaxing beach stop would be a perfect conclusion to our Fall trip. Previously, we had enjoyed two weeks at an Algarve beach resort, and we wanted a different location for this beach getaway.
In an effort to retain our Marriott Ambassador Elite status, we explored various properties in central Portugal. Unfortunately, the Ritz-Carlton Penha Longa Resort outside Sintra was fully booked during our desired dates.
Ultimately, we chose to stay for eight nights at the Praia D’El Rey Marriott Golf Beach Resort. Even though we’re not golfers, this expansive resort on the Atlantic coast seemed like the perfect place to unwind. Having recently enjoyed a fantastic spa getaway at the Sparkling Hill Spa and Resort, we were excited about this hotel’s Kalyan Spa and other renovated amenities, including the Hydrothermal Area, Vitality and Champagne Pool, Relaxation Pool, and Main Pool with water cannons and massage waterfalls.
Having previously explored the charming areas around the walled city of Óbidos, taken beach outings in Nazaré, and roamed the university city of Coimbra, we knew there was plenty to discover on day trips from the resort.
To finalize our journey, we planned one night in Lisbon at the Lisbon Marriott Hotel, allowing us to conveniently return our rental car and stay close to the airport for our departure the next day.
Completion of Planning Our Fall River Cruise with Tauck
With our plans now solidified for a Fall river cruise with Tauck, we are filled with excitement as we prepare for this upcoming trip!
After booking the Tauck river cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam, we were able to create a fantastic itinerary and thoroughly extend our Fall journey through Europe. We are particularly looking forward to visiting Belgium for the first time together and returning to Portugal to explore fresh destinations.
What additional factors should we consider when planning a Fall river cruise with Tauck? Any specific recommendations for the places in our itinerary?
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