It started with a pre-tour of Berlin. The hotel was well located near the Hof Banhof, with easy walking to the river Spree, the Chancellory, Reichstag and Brandenburg Gate. Each passenger could plan their own tour, except for the City bus tour and the walk from the hotel to the Brandenburg Gate. The morning of the fourth day we boarded buses and stopped in historic Potsdam, with a stop at the Celilienhof Palace where the leaders of the Allied Forces met. Lunch in Potsdam and then a trip to the Viking Astrid in Magedburg.
I have visited Germany on a number of trips but never had traveled on the Elbe river. As a boy, I attended a German Lutheran School in San Francisco and Martin Luther, his 95 Theses, and the beginnings of the reformation played a major part of my school life. It was powerful to be in the place and learn more about Martin Luther and his wife and the impact their actions played on life in northern Europe.
The stop in Dresden was impressive. I had been once before shortly after the wall came down and what I saw this time was a renewed city. I opted for the optional tour of the Volkswagen Transparent Factory. This was one amazing factory and following the manufacturing process was outstanding. Other stops showcased old Europe, cobblestones and all. The trip concluded in Prague, and I opted for a three day extension. Loved the city.
I traveled solo and opted for a king bed. This took up much of the room but worked well, as I either spent much of my time touring or in the public rooms. Nice shower and bath. In the past I have had a balcony, which I sometimes used, but liked the ability to open the sliding door.