EDITORS NOTE: Although Peter Deilman Cruises no longer operates river cruises, the MV Mozart has been refurbished this year in 2010 and appears to be offering luxury cruises on the Danube still. Details can be found at www.europeanbarging.com Cruise Articles - Cruise Reviews :
On the Danube
On the Danube - River Perfect
by Ursula and Eldrid Retief
We can hear him now, Ivan our Hungarian steward asking: “Haf’ you enjoyed?”
Well, how could we not, Ivan?
Sailing aboard the MV Mozart, flagship of the Peter Deilmann Cruises’ river fleet, complete with exquisite menus, beautifully appointed cabins, nightly entertainment and dancing, and a constantly changing landscape of fortresses and castles, abbeys and churches, vineyards and mediaeval villages – it would have been impossible not to have enjoyed our picturesque cruise along the Danube.
Recently refurbished and resplendent in rosewood and original art, the MV Mozart is distinguished by the size of her staterooms and the number of public areas available.
We were on the Sun deck, where there are plenty of deck chairs (and blankets if needed) as we sailed from Passau, the Bavarian town with charming cobblestone streets and graceful arches – not to mention the largest pipe organ in the world at St Stephen’s Cathedral – when Kathrin Manzoni, the MV Mozart’s exuberant Cruise Hostess filled in some of the details we may have missed, sketching in the history of the region as she was to continue to do all along the route.
On our first night, and in keeping with the origins of our journey, the Bavarian-theme dinner began with a cheese roulade served with herb sour cream, or the alternative smoked goose breast with cranberry mousse – and from these auspicious beginnings, we continued to east our way through an exquisite range of dishes at every meal.
The MV Mozart features six meals daily: hearty and extensive breakfast buffets, mid-morning bouillon, delectable, five-course lunches, traditional afternoon tea with a variety of pastries and sandwiches, superb international cuisine (not to forget the Hungarian and Viennese themed dinners, or the hilarious and unforgettable Pirates’ dinner), and as if there could be room for more, a mini-buffet late at night.
Dinner is followed every evening by entertainment from chamber music ensembles, Hungarian gypsy bands or flamenco dancers, and on one memorable evening from the crew who presented an entertaining variety show including a virtuoso performance of, what else, Mozart, on the baby-grand from our steward, Ivan.
And for those rising with the birds there are mouth-watering croissants and Danish, and several times during our cruise along the Danube, the ship's company decided on a spontaneous, open-air party on deck.
The cabins on the five-star MV Mozart are spacious and beautifully appointed. They are all air-conditioned, have private bathrooms with shower, intra-vessel telephone and four-channel radio, a mini-bar and television and those decadent European style duvets with feather pillows and eiderdowns. Synthetic materials are available upon request.
It was with regret that it all had to end, that finally, after a blissful seven days, we were back on the cobblestones streets of Passau.
And yes, Ivan, thank you. We haf’ enjoyed – very much!