Hungarian Parliament Building on the Danube River

I’ve been on over a hundred cruises all over the world, this was one of my favorites.  River cruising is amazing because you get the comfort of small ship sailing and the enjoyment of having most things included.

The Danube River is a great starting point if you’re looking for a river cruise but have no idea where you what to go.  The Rhine River is also a great option with similar points of interest.

This cruise was a fine balance of culture, history, nature, self-discovery, breathtaking sights, and yummy foods.  Yes, traveling to a place like Europe can be culture shock, but a river cruise makes it so easy and enjoyable.

Budapest is amazing!  We spent hours walking around the city, taking in the views, and yes, eating everything in sight.

Vienna is equally awesome, we got to tour the world famous Schönbrunn Palace.  Unfortunately, I learned that Café Vienna and Vienna Sausages are not a thing, but I did discover other yummies along the way.

Saltsburg is alive with the sound of music, which makes sense because that’s where they filmed the movie.  Apparently, I was the only one on the cruise that never saw the film, fortunately they had it on demand free of charge in our stateroom.

We visited Artstetten Castle, and I got to meet Princess Anita of Hohenberg, the great-granddaughter of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.  I didn’t realize that she was a princess when I met her, and then I may have accidentally insulted her when she touched me on the hand.

She asked me if I had ever met a real-life princess.  I explained that I live in Orlando and worked for Disney, and throughout the years I’ve met many princesses in person.

River Cruising is the best, yes, it’s more expensive than an Ocean Cruise, but is it really?  River Cruising is a very fair value because they immerse you in the culture of the destination by including most shore excursions.

Think of a River Cruise as backpacking through Europe in luxury.  Your ship is a floating resort hotel with a top-notch restaurant, and all you have to do is enjoy the journey, share experiences, and create memories with the people you care about.

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