Danube River Cruising

As with most riverboats (or ships, as her Captain would prefer), Swiss Jewel consists of three passenger decks and a sun deck. Staterooms and suites are located on Decks 1, 2 and 3 with the Sun Deck, obviously, on Deck 4. All staterooms are "river view". The staterooms on Decks 2 and 3 feature large floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors with French “step out” balconies while the staterooms on Deck 1 have large windows. The 14 lush, 300-square-foot suites are found on Deck 3. Each deck has one or more “junior suites” which measure 183 square feet.

Our stateroom on Deck 2 aft was 150 sq. ft. and, though typical in size to other riverboat accommodations, felt much larger. The design and layout of the cabin was very well executed to provide maximum storage and space. The closet was large and divided into three separate sections and included an electronic safe and a mini-bar/fridge stocked with complimentary bottled water. There were two drawers in the closet’s center section and three drawers in each nightstand on either side of the bed. One section of closet consisted of shelves only and provided lots of storage space. The other two sections of closet had hanging space. There was plenty of room under the beds to store luggage. A half-round glass table with a mirror above it is mounted to the wall opposite the bed. Two small chairs complete the decor. The only “miss” was the lack of storage shelves in the bathroom. There is only a large shelf underneath the sink/vanity. The half-circle shower with handheld shower wand is unique and quite roomy; however, the design of the shower door makes it impossible to keep water from leaking out onto the bathroom floor. L’Occitane amenities, in the form of shower gel, soap, body lotion, shampoo and conditioner are a nice touch. A hairdryer, which was the quietest I’ve ever heard, is provided. Each cabin has its own thermostat to control temperature and fan speed.

An interesting feature in each cabin is a “silent alarm” button that, when pressed, sets off an alarm in some of the officers’ cabins to alert them to a problem such as a fall or sudden illness. Electricity on board is 220, so Americans will need a converter and/or adapter in order to plug things in. A limited number of converters/adapters are available at Reception.

FOOD AND DINING

Eating is no less important on a river cruise than on an ocean-going one.  Guests who sail on Swiss Jewel will not be disappointed when hunger strikes. The ship offers a full hot and cold breakfast buffet each morning from 7:00am to 9:00am* in the dining room. There is an omelet station where eggs are made to order along with freshly-made pancakes. A lighter breakfast with cereals, pastries, yogurt and cheese is offered from 6am until 10am* in the Lido Bar.

For lunch, the restaurant offers a variety of hot and cold buffet selections throughout the week as well as a daily Chef’s Special, which can be ordered at the table. A light lunch of soup and sandwiches is served in the Lido Bar.  Lunch is typically from 12:00pm until 1:30pm*.  Dinner time is usually 7:00pm (or earlier or later depending on the day’s activities) and is the only fixed-time dining. All three meals are open-seating. Dinner in the restaurant is menu service, multi-course and includes complimentary red or white wine, usually from the region you are visiting.  An optional Italian Bistro is set up in the Lido Bar each evening. Guests are requested to sign-up for the Italian Bistro in advance as seating is limited to twenty people. Vegetarians also have many options available both on the buffet and on the menu. For any other dietary requirements, just let them know when booking the trip.

In addition to the three mealtimes, there is a 6:00pm “apero” time each evening in the main lounge where waiters serve guests a selection of impressive appetizers.  Coffee, tea, water, fruit and cookies are available 24 hours a day in the Lido Bar.

* Dining times may vary from day to day

Quality

The quality of meals we experienced on Swiss Jewel was well above average with a few items that really stood out. In fact, I think it is safe to say that Swiss Jewel’s dining is on par with some of the 5-star cruise ships that are known for their dining. It was definitely the best dining we have experienced on a river cruise. Part of the secret is that Head Chef, Tomás Stange, does not go overboard on radical cuisine. Quite frankly, many cruise lines try to be too exotic and creative with their menus, often times beyond the tastes of most Americans and the abilities of the galley staff. Swiss Jewel’s menus are much more approachable with dishes that you can understand and enjoy. The emphasis here is more on quality ingredients and excellent preparation than on fancy sauces and cutting-edge technique. This approach works for us. The food was very good and often represented the area in which we were cruising. For lunch one day, we had sausage and sauerkraut and German beer when we sailed through Germany. Interestingly enough, I noticed after several days that I had not needed to reach for a saltshaker once! The brigade in the galley knows how to season food expertly.

Even buffet items at lunch were very good, even though some items that were to be served hot were tepid at best, a common problem with buffet services. The appetizers served each evening in the lounge were some of the best we have found on any ship.

In addition to the ship’s dining, Tauck sometimes arranges meals at restaurants in some of the cities visited during the cruise.  All meals are included in the cruise/tour fare with the exception of a couple of pre-cruise and post-cruise meals.

HAPPY HOUR

Here is something unique to a Tauck/Scylla river cruise. Every evening from 5pm to 6pm is “happy hour” with a selection of ½ price drinks. What a great idea! Every cruise line should offer this. We were sort of surprised that more guests did not take advantage of this very special feature. A glass of very good sparkling wine was only 1.30 Euro. That’s less than $2 US!

ENTERTAINMENT

Entertainment on river sailings is rarely anything to get excited about. With limited space in the lounge and only 114 guests, riverboats simply don’t have the budget or the infrastructure for big shows like larger ships do. However, Swiss Jewel does have a resident pianist, Jiru, who performs in the lounge each evening before and after dinner, on a full-size piano no less. And, a few times during the cruise, we were entertained by local “step-on” entertainers. One evening featured Slovak Folk music and dance, another was a classical music trio. Both were excellent.

The entertainment highlight on this cruise was an evening in Vienna at the Palais Pallavicini, an incredibly beautiful venue where Beethoven once performed! An excellent dinner was made even more special by a spectacular performance of classical music, opera and ballet. Truly, this had to be one of the most memorable evenings we have spent on any cruise to date.

After our evening in Vienna, we understood how Tauck has achieved its reputation as a true 5-star tour operator.

ACTIVITIES/EXCURSIONS

Like most river cruises, the destination is the main activity. If you want to sit on a big fancy ship and play bingo or sit around a swimming pool all day, go on an ocean cruise. If, however, you want to explore a destination and its culture, a river cruise is a great option. Tauck’s included excursions are unparalleled in Europe and exemplify the signature sightseeing that has made them a leader in travel for 85 years. Included are guided walking or motorcoach tours in each of the cities or towns where Swiss Jewel docks and special evening “events” like the gala dinner and entertainment we experienced in a palace in Vienna. In some cases, the ship is within minutes of a city’s center which makes a walking tour a logical choice. Our two Tauck Directors, Lidia and Yener, were always available to answer questions or make suggestions about things to do on your own in any town or city we visited.

Tauck splits everyone into three or four smaller excursion groups (depending on the number of guests), each with their own personal local tour guide. All of the guides we had were very capable and all spoke very good English. Each guest is given a “QuietVox” (a small electronic device with an earphone that allows you to hear the tour guide) for communication purposes. The whole system is very logical and effective. There is even a “leisurely paced” group for those who want to take it a little slower.  The motorcoaches used were new, clean, air-conditioned and comfortable. It seems that Tauck has been doing this so long that they have thought of just about everything.

Complimentary bottled water and umbrellas are available in the lobby prior to leaving the boat for tours. To keep track of which guests are off the boat, everyone is requested to drop off their room keys at Reception in exchange for a “boarding pass” which includes the name and phone number of the ship in case you somehow get lost.  Maps of the local area are always provided and guests can mark the path the walking tour will take in case they want to explore on their own. When we return from an excursion, we are greeted by smiling crew members who offer hot or cold towels and a refreshing beverage. On one rainy, cool day, we were offered hot vegetable consommé. Delicious!

Internet service, which is offered to guests free of charge, was virtually unusable on our journey. Guests can sign up to access the Internet from the computer in the Lido Bar for twenty minutes at a time or you can use your own laptop to access wi-fi. Tauck also has a laptop available for guests to borrow. Near the end of the cruise, after not having Internet for most of the trip, we were informed that an antenna had been broken causing the Internet to be unavailable. Cruise Director, Lynn Hardcastle, was very apologetic about the lack of this service and assured the group that someone was flying in to fix the antenna in Regensburg, our last stop. It wouldn’t help us, but perhaps the next group would have Internet access. We were able to find Internet cafés in just about every city or town we visited at very reasonable rates.

Each evening, a Daily Program is placed on your bed which details all the activities for the following day, meal times, the weather forecast and a list of movies that will be available on the TV. Both historical and practical information about the next place we are visiting is also provided. Onboard activities included a Bridge visit, galley tour, movie night in the Lounge, and a version of Liars’ Club held after dinner one evening. It was not unusual to see a group playing cards in the Lido Bar. In Bratislava, a local guest lecturer came aboard to talk about the Slovak Republic. Other lectures on pertinent topics were given by the Tauck Directors, Lidia and Yener.

THE TAUCK EXPERIENCE

Tauck may be relatively new to river cruising but they bring a lot of tour experience into this market segment. The partnership with Scylla Tours seemed strange at first because we are not used to having one company doing the “tour” stuff and another doing the “ship” stuff. But, it works! The Scylla Tours crews are well-known for their friendliness. The 34 multi-lingual, international crew members look after the passengers‘ well-being from morning to night. The three Tauck representatives onboard the vessel are always available to answer questions and solve any problem that may arise.

Tauck World Discovery river cruises is a product uniquely tailored and marketed to Americans. Every logistical detail of every day is perfectly choreographed so the guest can concentrate on having fun. Everyone speaks English and everything is geared toward American tastes and customs. It is a great way for someone who may hesitate to visit Europe because of language concerns to experience this vast continent with its multiple cultures.

Tauck river cruises are nearly all-inclusive. Notwithstanding bar drinks purchased onboard and a few meals during the pre-cruise and post-cruise stays, everything is included in the cruise/tour fare. This means all excursions/events, tips for guides and drivers and for the onboard Tauck staff and Scylla crew, too.

What’s included?

• All gratuities, even gratuities for tour guides and transfers
• All transfers to/from airport/hotel
• All hotel stays and some pre/post cruise meals
• Shipboard accommodations and meals
• All entertainment
• Admission to all museums, attractions and exhibits
• Excursions
• Use of QuietVox communication system
• Bottled water
• Wine with dinner
• Internet access

 What’s Not included?

• Bar drinks (except at Captain’s dinners)
• Gift shop purchases
• Mini-bar purchases
• Limited laundry service/pressing

Dress onboard and on shore is casual. Most men wore a jacket to the evening dinner and concert in the palace in Vienna and some wore a jacket to the special Captain’s dinners. Neckties are not required. Women mostly wore casual slacks and tops. Take a sweater. Even in June, some of the places we visited were rainy and cool. Also, when the riverboat is moving and you are on the Sun Deck, it can be a bit nippy. Be sure to have comfortable, broken-in walking shoes. There was a lot of walking on our Blue Danube itinerary.

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip with Tauck on the ms Swiss Jewel and highly recommend Tauck for European river travel. They take good care of their guests and everything is well-organized. All you have to do is show up and enjoy!

Tauck is first class. The boat was spotless, beautifully decorated and had a very friendly and accommodating staff. They were always there to answer questions, give guidance and share a good time. It is definitely my choice for river cruising and others I met onboard that it is a repeaters type of travel. It only takes once on Tauck to be sold.

Everything is included with Tauck………airport transfers, all gratuities, complimentary wine with dinner and beer with lunch and all shore excursions let by the Tauck Directors and local guides, many meals off the boat. Please feel free to ask any questions.

Would I recommend Tauck? Absolutely, every chance I get.