Our coach tour before the cruise included Neuschwanstein Castle, a must-see site. We enjoyed seeing sights along the "Sound of Music" tour out of Salzburg also. Cruising with shore excursions allowed us to view many historical sites with the comfort of "going home" to our cabin each night. The cruising itself was as smooth as silk, with the only rocking sensation we experienced that of the ship turning around to dock in Budapest early on our first day there. Our walking group was assigned by virtue of my husband's slower speed, and it made the excursions very comfortable for him. The day trip to Cesky Krumlov was well worth the bus ride, and our "leisure group" guide, Oli, made sure we could all keep up with the walk. We enjoyed the dining room staff members who unfailingly performed their duties with good humor and accuracy. The entrees each evening provided a wide variety of options while allowing for the "meat and potatoes" preferences of some. Our Program Director was so personable that we felt we had gained another son by the end of the trip. Our Maitre 'D was also a highlight, engaging us and our table mates in conversations and with great humor. Portion sizes in the dining room were exactly right, especially when we were enjoying three meals a day. Our tour of the galley left us appreciating even more how wonderful the food was, considering its compact space.

The housekeeping staff and director were very attentive and made certain that we had everything we needed. They even dealt with my husband returning some items to the gift shop after he determined we could use our shipboard credit another way. Our home visit on the outskirts of Bratislava was a wonderful diversion from all of the historical sites. We think our cruisemates missed a great opportunity, since only 5 were along on that side trip, besides our driver and interpreter.

Upon returning home and regaling a friend about some new insights we gained, she remarked that, "That is something you wouldn't know if you traveled on your own." Precisely!