Fantastic trip on SE-Manon last week…

Fantastic trip on SE-Manon last week from Passau-Budapest and back. The ship, and all that came with it, far exceeded expectations. The crew was attentive and fun and did their jobs with utmost care. The food was excellent, from the buffet breakfast, (and pack-your-own-lunch) to the 4 course gourmet dinners. We fully enjoyed every meal. The cycle tours were well organized. The crew looks after the unloading and loading of the bikes from the ship with fantastic efficiency. The bike’s weren’t exactly what we are use to riding at home. We chose the standard version (non-Ebike). They were a 7-speed step-through comfort bike and for sure a little more work then our hybrids at home, but they got the job done once we got used to them. The scenery up and down the Danube was beautiful. There were rides that took you right along the river, or through small villages and hillside vineyards. There were also opportunities to ride into the bigger cities if you chose. Rides were 35km,40km, 60km and 60km and routes were easy to navigate. It really was the trip of a lifetime for us and made all the more enjoyable by meeting new people (at least the ones that spoke some English) and interacting with the fantastic crew. From the hotel staff, to the sailors, to the kitchen and restaurant/bar staff, they were so much fun and interesting to learn their stories…just great people all around. The only thing that maybe didn’t measure up was we felt we could’ve used a little more detail (in English) about what’s along the routes themselves…how much time should you spend here or there, and still have time to see everything? are there places to refill water? or the best places to shop? or find coffee? …that sort of detail was maybe lacking a bit…we suspect there was more detail offered in German (but have no way of knowing for sure). so if you have those types of questions mike sure to ask. Sailing on the ship was very pleasant. Most evenings your are travelling up or down river, and if the weather is nice you can sit on the upper deck with a drink and enjoy great conversation while the sights go by. The ship is very smooth, most often while sleeping you don’t feel or hear a thing. The rooms are very comfortable. All-in-all a fully enjoyable experience, where they look after you very well. Its a great way to see the countries. We look forward to a boat-bike tour on SE-Manon again someday, perhaps in the Netherlands, which also sounds like it would be a great tour. Thanks again for a wonderful vacation.