We embarked in Vienna heading for Nuremberg on Amadeus Queen. Because of the low water levels on the Danube we changed ship to the Amadeus Elegant. It was like transferring from a 5 star hotel to a backpackers room with an ensuite. We lost our spacious room with walk-in wardrobe and refigerator to a very small room. There was little hanging space. We could only store one suitcase under the bed as there was not enough room between the bed and the wall to roll the suitcase under the bed. No refigerator. I complained about the refrigerator and was given a 6" x 8" cooler box. Fair enough, I only wanted it for medication. Carpet was very worn. Ceiling and walls needed painting. But at least the crew was very friendly and obliging. The cruise director (on both ships) did not asked if we wanted a guest joining us at mealtimes. Read Less

Chose this ship because it was chartered by a classical music station. Plastic flowers in the hallways and in our cabin. If you can't use fresh, why bother? Chairs in dining room had tattered fabric that was fraying and hanging down underneath seats. Cocktails and "finger" appetizers were served without napkins. No decaf coffee at night served at dinnertime. Some of the staff were pleasant and efficient but others were not professional and rude. Corroded soap dish in bathroom.Ceiling in bathroom was so low that my husband who is 6' 1" tall could not stand up in the tub without hitting his head. Bathroom reminded one of a 1960's Wisconsin motel. Bath towels were worn and thin. Hard to believe this ship is only 7 yrs. old. It appears much older. No help from crew getting on or off ship in slippery, rainy conditions. In our opinion, one would be wise to avoid the Lueftner cruise fleet. Please note that our Enrichment Activities, Entertainment and Shore Excursions were all arranged by a land based company in the US. in partnership with the classical radio station and were independent of and not the responsibility of Amadeus Elegant thus the high ratings. Read Less

Excellent river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest. Ship very comfortable, food and staff Excellent. All destinations well worth the visits. Shore guides very knowledgeable. We were very fortunate to have fab weather, which makes all the difference to any holiday. The Gym was very small, but the majority of use were over 60 and not looking for that kind of exercise ! The sun deck had plenty of seating for all passengers, unfortunately we were unable to use this deck foe 3 days, due to low bridges. Service in the restaurant was very good, as was the food. Lunch time was a choice of a snack in the Panorama Bar or 4 courses in the Restaurant - you didn't have to have all the courses. Our only grouse, was the service in the Panorama Bar - very slow indeed. We really enjoyed our trip and would recommend this ship to anyone. Read Less

We wanted to see parts of Europe we had not spent much time in and a river cruise on such an historic waterway intrigued us. We picked a time of year when we thought the weather would be comfortable and the river water level would not be too low or too high. We thought going downstream would mean the engines would not have to work as hard and thus would be more quiet. Our planning worked fine and we had a lovely trip We learned much about the history of church and state along the way and were amazed by the reconstruction done after the war. Passau cathedral is wonderful. The high water marks on the buildings show the history of flooding over many hundreds of years. The boat was in excellent condition and the staff very helpful. Food service was very good. We enjoyed the excursions and city tours and made friends we still cherish. I believe you will find this cruise delightful, especially Budapest which is amazing. Read Less

We traveled from Amsterdam to Basil with a tour group, and were not given an opportunity to specifically book our cabin. We booked a Category 4 room. We were given room #234, next to the engine room. The noise was deafening and the vibration was huge. The ship traveled upstream and was at full throttle some nights. Even when it was traveling at normal speed throughout the night, there was a great deal of noise and vibration making it nearly impossible to sleep. Items literally vibrated off the counters. At times, we felt that we were vibrating off the bed! We could not hear any of the captains announcements, and that was when the boat was at a slower speed. One day, our room was filled with the odor of fuel oil, which remained in the room for several hours. The ship was fully booked, with no available cabins for us to move to. Of great concern to us, was the fact that the crew (captain, hotel manager, housekeeper and bartender) were all aware that this room was a "problem". We were told that they usually "have to move people from this room" on every cruise. The rest of the ship was beautiful. The food was wonderful. The staff were great and the itinerary was fantastic. Unfortunately, we missed 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches and excursions due to falling asleep after the ship docked. We also went through our days often feeling ill and sleep deprived. Room #234 should not be assigned during trips upstream and particularly not in the price category and without letting guests know about the noise. This should have been the "trip of a lifetime" and we are very disappointed that we were unable to fully enjoy it. Read Less