River Beatrice Review
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Every five years, we try to plan a special trip for our anniversary. In 2010, we decided we wanted to come back to Europe. I wanted a relaxing river cruise in France with great food and wine but my husband also wanted more of the excitement and history of the cities of Europe. With our trip on the River Beatrice, we got everything we wanted.
We started in Prague. We did not do the add-on from Uniworld. We arrived a day early so we could see some things in more depth than would have occurred on the tour (the Jewish Quarter, Terezin). However, our travel agent recommended the Art Deco Hotel where the tour stays. We were not disappointed. The location was great as was the hotel. We absolutely loved Prague. The culture, the history, the architecture. We went to the symphony or a jazz club almost every night. And we walked everywhere. We took the subway and the streetcars just to try them out. Very clean and modern. We arranged our own tours which suited us well. We also stayed an extra day in Budapest at the end of the trip which we also booked on our own, this time at the Intercontinental on the river across from the ship.
On Sunday, we were able to take the bus with the tour to the ship. We enjoyed the ride through the Czech and German countryside. We arrived in the late afternoon in Passau, Germany to embark on the river cruise. It didn't take long to get acclimated since a river ship is necessarily not a large vessel. The rooms are not wide since the ship must be able to sail into the many locks on the river (you can touch the walls of the locks when you are at the bottom of the locks, it's that close and precise). Our cabin was in the middle of the ship in the middle level of cabins. We had a French balcony, which means that the doors open like French doors and there is a railing but nowhere to stand. We did not find that a problem since it was October and the weather was often in the mid-30s to 40s. (Bring sweaters, warmer coats, hats, gloves, scarves in October. Central Europe is like being in Northern Michigan or Minneapolis. You are on about the 45th or 50th parallel. The warmest day was 50 degrees, the coldest, about 35F.)
Cabin Review
It is cozy because the cabins can only be so wide on a river cruise. It was well appointed and very clean. We were exactly in the middle of the ship which was perfect.