I have heard many stories of the romance of river cruising and for my 50th Birthday and 30th Wedding Anniversary, I decided 2019 was going to be the year for a special holiday.
The Scenic Jewel was our home away from home for the next couple of weeks along with 167 other passengers. Our balcony cabin was comfortable and well-appointed with the mini bar being refreshed daily. Directly connected to the main cabin was a sun lounge which is an enclosed balcony that has a large window, one flip of a switch and it is transformed from a sun room to an open-air balcony. This would have been the perfect resting place to watch the world go by, but unfortunately, our cabin was at the back of the ship. It was very noisy and the generator fumes were overbearing. I would definitely recommend a balcony cabin, just further towards the front of the ship. The bathroom was a pleasant surprise being larger than what I was expecting for a ship.
The crew on-board were amazing, their work ethic and friendliness were faultless. Everything was taken care of from the moment you stepped on the ship.
Europe is undoubtedly on the list for many tourists. But have you ever considered a visit to Eastern Europe? It is still relatively new and off the beaten track for many and some of the countries we visited were developing their infrastructure to welcome tourists.
Our cruise started from Vienna, a city of romance and proceeded along the Danube to the cities of Bratislava, Budapest, Kalosca, Mohacs, Osijek, Belgrade, Kostolac-Iron Gates, Vidin, Silistra, Saint George-Danube Delta and Bucharest.
Budapest – has the 3rd largest parliament building in the world. The second largest synagogue and around 80 geothermal springs.
The all-inclusive tours at each of the cities were more than just a tour, they were well thought through and orchestrated. Whether you preferred the convenience of a guided tour or prefer to explore on your own, the choice is yours. Tours included a well-balanced mix of popular must-see tourist sites, opportunity to discover everyday life, experience a traditional home-cooked meal, to specially designed for Scenic guests only Enrich Events such as an exclusive private classical music concert at the majestic Godollo Royal Palace.
Osijek, Croatia - Lunch in a local family home Silistra, Bulgaria
The Church of Saint Sava, the Orthodox heart of Belgrade - Serbia Belogradchick Fortress - The Belogradchik Fortress, also known as Kaleto, is an ancient fortress located on the north slopes of the Balkan Mountains, close to the north western Bulgarian town of Belogradchik. 
Decebalus - Is a 42.9 m in height and 31.6 m in width carving in rock of the face of Decebalus, the last king of Dacia, who fought against the Roman emperors Domitian and Trajan to preserve the independence of his country, which corresponded to modern Romania. The sculpture was made between 1994 and 2004, on a rocky outcrop on the river Danube, at the Iron Gates, which form the border between Romania and Serbia. It is located near the city of Orsova in Romania.
View from Belgrade Fortress
St George - Danube Delta. A local home and one kind of transportation used
Saint George – Danube Delta – The world Heritage -listed Danube Delta is the best preserved of Europe’s deltas and hosts over 300 species of birds. After sailing through the passage of Saint George, here is where our cruise met the Black Sea.
On reflection of our holiday, I was left with the feeling of having visited a very special part of the world.
River cruising through Europe is definitely a must do for anyone.