Proud APT passengers John and Jenny recently embarked on the Magnificent Europe river cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam. Here is what they had to say.
The beauty of an APT European river cruise is the fact that you could get on, unpack once and that is it. We visited quite a lot of places and although we’ve been to Europe at other times, seeing some of these places from the river was totally different to driving past them.
I think we went on four rivers passing through different countries and even though some of the towns were only 40 kilometres apart, they were all different. Their selection of stops meant we were often seeing something we hadn’t seen before. Nothing was repeated! I think the other benefit was that it was all inclusive. So many meals! If you really wanted to, you could eat from five o’clock in the morning until midnight. You literally don’t want for anything. You get on board, unpack, you’ve got your own room, your own facilities, and you’ve got your own privacy.
Having the balconies and being able to open the doors during the day or night, and things like that did create an impression of space. And I thought even though we did pay a bit extra initially going into it, the value was better. The size of the rooms seemed larger. APT have a great reputation in the cruising industry. We spoke to a few people, including a few Travel Associates consultants, and they all recommended APT as well.
Would I recommend an APT European river cruise? Yes. They definitely look after you. APT arrange airport transfers at both ends and everything in between. There was always somebody there to answer your every question or to look after your every need. The people play a big part.
We came away from the trip feeling relaxed. Sometimes you return from somewhere feeling as though you need another holiday just to get over that one. This wasn't the case, which was really good.
We met some nice people on the trip, and we’ve stayed in touch with a couple of them and get together once or twice every six months. The food was excellent. The tours were well selected. We went to a winery but it wasn’t just a winery, it was the oldest winery on the Rhine. They didn’t treat you like just another tour coming through – it was welcoming as if they were inviting us into their family. APT really catered for everything... and everybody.
