Our First Day river cruising on the Ama Venita

Ron Rivers, Travel Blog 01/06/202313/07/2023river cruising

The day before we commenced our river cruising, we spent a day in Budapest.

Our European River Cruise on the ship Amavenita

Whilst on the Buda side of the Danube River, we watched the funicular railway rising sharply upwards to the old city above and the Royal Palace that stands high on a rocky escarpment overlooking the river and the more modern city of Pest. We then crossed the river back to the Pest side. Pest is a larger city than Buda and presents a completely different historical atmosphere.

After spending our first night at the Styles Hotel we caught a tour bus to sightsee Budapest. The tour was fascinating and we spent hours wandering through the streets before walking back to our hotel.

You can read all about Budapest at the Lonely Planet website. But this blog is about our memories of the journey along the rivers of Europe.

Then the next day we caught the shuttle bus to the dock and found the AmaVenita APT Rivercruise ship waiting for us. It was exciting to see as we offloaded our luggage onto the gangway.

So, on the 23^rd September, which happened to be my birthday, Chris and I embarked on the Cruise Ship “Ama Venita” and set out on our cruising travel adventure along the famous Danube River. Our cabin number was 109. We were immediately welcomed as guests and our luggage was taken to our cabin.

The next day, before setting sail, we were taken on another tour of the city with some of the other cruise passengers. This tour was even better than the one we had taken on our own before embarking.

Sunday 25^th September was our first “cruising day”.

At approximately 2am, whilst we were sound asleep, our ship entered the first lock of the cruise, known as the Gabcikovo Lock. Then in the early hours of the morning, we sailed past Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia before enjoying breakfast in the ship’s restaurant. We had a choice of a full cooked breakfast or pastries. Before lunch. our cruise director, Paul, gave us a briefing on the tours and excursions in Vienna, Austria.

Our first stop along the river was Vienna (Wien as it is known in German). Vienna is a truly elegant and grand city. Our stop allowed us time to take in the grandeur of the monumental buildings as we enjoyed a guided tour along the famous Ringstraasse. We admired the architecture along the Graben and Kohlmarkt and enjoyed a visit to the world-famous Spanish Riding School.

In the evening, we enjoyed another unique experience at the Palais Liechtenstein, which had been recently renovated. We were treated to a unique private concert in one of the ballrooms. After this unforgettable experience, the evening finished with an illumination drive along the Ringstrasse before we enjoyed a late-night snack in the AmaVenita lounge.

Our first touring day provided us with a day full of memories to cherish for the rest of our lives!

Cruising Articles

Can you retire on a cruise ship?

Ron Retirement, Rivers 17/04/202313/07/2023cruise ship, Retirement Age

It is possible to retire on a cruise ship

It is possible to retire on a cruise ship, but it’s important to note that it may not be feasible or practical for everyone. There are a few factors to consider:

Cost:

Living on a cruise ship can be expensive, as you’ll need to pay for accommodations, food, and other onboard expenses. Depending on your budget, retiring on a cruise ship may not be financially feasible.

Medical care:

If you have any health concerns or require regular medical care, living on a cruise ship may not be practical. While many cruise ships have medical facilities, they may not be equipped to handle more serious medical issues.

Personal preferences:

Living on a cruise ship may not suit everyone’s lifestyle preferences. Some people may prefer the stability of living in a fixed location with a familiar community, while others may enjoy the variety and excitement of traveling to different destinations.

If you are considering retiring on a cruise ship, it’s important to research the costs and lifestyle considerations thoroughly and speak with a financial advisor to ensure it aligns with your retirement goals and budget.

Perhaps you are not yet retired or you may have have reached “retirement age”.

Many people think that cruising is an activity that they should put off for retirement.. that time way off in the future when they have the time and the money. The fact is that, due to unforeseen circumstances, when that time comes, they may have neither the time nor the money.

In daily life we meet many people of all different ages, but none more interesting than the baby boomers, many of whom have retired or are facing retirement in the near future. We see and talk to many people who are just about to, or already have, retired and there is a wide range of difference in their attitude of mind, their daily activities and their money?

Why wait until retirement to experience European River Cruises?

But what is retirement age? The notion of retirement has both positive and negative connotations. In our country, retirement seems to be synonymous with the age of access to a pension, whether government provided or self-funded. Many who have followed their passion in life and are realising dreams that they have worked to achieve, do not see the need to change their way of life simply because they have reached a certain age.

Cruising is an activity that suits people of any age. If you can manage to undertake a river cruise well before “retirement age” you will discover the advantage that you have in being able to go on the many land excursions that require exertion.