River rapid


DESTINATIONS DANUBE | CRUISE


A whistle-stop river cruise reveals a different way to sell the Danube, finds Alice Barnes-Brown


e travelweekly.co.uk


ven on a drizzly day, the neo-Gothic masterpiece that is the Hungarian Parliament – with its bright red dome,


crown of arched windows and more ornate spires than I could count – took my breath away. It’s a lot to take in, but the best way to get a good view of this Budapest landmark is from the top deck of a river ship, preferably with a flute of sparkling wine in hand. Thankfully, that’s exactly what a group of top-selling


river cruise agents and I enjoyed on board the William Wordsworth during a Riviera Travel fam trip last month. In just two nights, we saw Budapest, Bratislava and Vienna – and much more in between.


TASTER TRIPS This was a glimpse of the line’s growing crop of shorter sailings. Phil Hullah, chief executive of Riviera Travel, said: “We’ve put two more four-night Discovery itineraries on in 2025 [on the Rhine and Seine].


Shorter-duration cruises sell well with the trade, because they give agents the opportunity to ask clients whether they’ve ever considered a river cruise.” The appeal of a taster cruise is clear. Passengers see multiple destinations at a lower price point – but experience just enough river cruise magic to get them hooked. A few hours after leaving Budapest, we sailed


through the historic town of Vác, just as sunset bathed its onion domes in golden light and a double rainbow stretched across the skyline. As I stood at my cabin’s French balcony, with the Danube sweeping below my feet and a hot cup of tea in hand, it felt like I had the front seat to a fairytale.


FINE FOOD Post-sundown, I dressed to the nines for an onboard gala dinner. As a vegetarian, set menus sometimes play it safe, but that wasn’t the case here as I was ²


Hungarian Parliament, Budapest


PICTURE: Shutterstock/ Andrew Mayovskyy


24 APRIL 2025 37


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