I’m just sayin’…..

The Danube River is the second largest river in Europe, originating in the Black Forest mountain range in Germany and emptying into the Black Sea via the Delta Danube in Romania and Ukraine. The river flows through or acts as a border to ten different countries: Germany, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Slovakia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Moldova, Ukraine and Romania.

When I heard that Robin and Danuta Pfeiffer were going to be hosting a wine themed European river cruise, I attended a reception at their gorgeous villa to learn more about the Cruise Along the Romantic Danube.AMAWaterways, which focuses on offering the ultimate experience in river cruising, has a fleet of ships specifically designed for cruising the rivers in Europe; including, the Danube, Mosel, Rhine and Rhone Rivers, a cruise in Russia along the Volga-Baltic Waterway and a Mekong River cruise through Vietnam and Cambodia. They are noted for their innovative designs which allow for larger than average staterooms-some with French and twin balconies, expansive dining rooms, state-of-the-art  public facilities and sun decks with 360 degree views of some of Europe’s most fascinating scenery. They offer upscale hotel-style amenities, menus with regional food and wine specialties, daily shore excursions and themed cruises; such as, “Culinary Delights” for the foodies around the world, and “In Celebration of Wine” for wine enthusiasts, like the Pfeiffers.

AMAWaterways offers a total of eight ‘In Celebration of Wine’ themed cruises that showcase notable wine regions along the Rhone, Rhine and Danube Rivers. Passengers have the opportunity to learn about the specific regions and taste award winning vintages from areas visited. Shore excursions include visits to vineyards and educational wine tastings. AMAWaterways executives accompany each cruise, and celebrity wine hosts from some of the top wineries in the United States.

In November, the celebrity wine hosts for an “In Celebration of Wine” Cruise Along the Romantic Danube are Robin and Danuta Pfeiffer. The Pfeiffers will be sharing their knowledge and love of wine in addition to featuring their stellar wines during the cruise.

Starting in Vilshofen, Germany, on November 7, 2012, where an exclusive “Oktoberfest” takes place, the ship embarks for Passau, Germany. Passau has a rich history and is known for its gothic and baroque architecture. St. Stephen’s Cathedral, known for housing one of the worlds largest church pipe organs, is a major attraction along with the Scharfrichterhaus, an important jazz and caberet stage where political theatrics are performed. There’s a walking tour and wine tasting along with an on-board wine lecture.

The next stop is Linz, Austria. Linz is a city steeped in culture, art and music, and in 1786, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote his Symphony No. 36 here for a concert. With a choice of two excursions, Salzburg excursion or Czesky-Krumlov excursion, people can visit the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart or see the Czesky-Krumlov Castle. On board, the dinner and wine pairing is Austrian themed and another wine lecture is offered.

After Linz, the river boat goes to the small town of Melk, Austria, which is well known for the massive baroque Benedictine monastery named Melk Abbey. A wine tasting is offered and the Captains Dinner takes place while in Melk.

From Melk, the cruise heads to the small Austrian town of Durnstein. Durnstein is a well known wine growing region, and the narrow cobblestone streets are lined with wine taverns that offer unique vintages. World class Gruner Veltliner and Rieslings are produced here. AMAWaterways offers a walking tour of the town or a guided bike tour.

The next stop is Krems, Austria, which is famous for its world-class wine production. Because of its slightly warmer climate, Krems offers more red varietals than other parts of Austria, and a Krems and Wachau excursion and wine evening is offered here.

From Krems, the boat cruises to Vienna, the capital of Austria. Vienna’s legacy is Classical music, and was home to many notable musical geniuses, like Ludwig Van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johannes Brahms, Franz Schubert, Gustav Mahler and Joseph Haydn. Vienna is also one of the very few remaining world capital cities with its own vineyards. Gruner Veltliner, the most popular varietal, is often consumed as a wine spritzer. A spritzer is made with wine and sparkling water, and can be ordered in most of the wine taverns. AMAWaterways offers a city tour in addition to an optional Schonbrunn Heuriger (an Austrian wine tavern) wine village evening or evening concert.

The next and final destination of the river cruise is Budapest, Hungary. Budapest has been cited as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. A plethorah of historical monuments are found throughout the city and rich culture abounds.

Enthralled by the presentation given by the AMAWaterways representative, along with the personal stories from the Pfeiffers, I was completely sold on this enticing river cruise adventure. As I sipped from my glass filled with the delicious 2007 vintage Pfeiffer Pinot Noir, I browsed through the AMAWaterways catalog while thinking about some of the many times I’ve visited Europe. I’ve explored the streets of Barcelona and Ibiza, Spain via subways and rental cars and I joined an escorted tour in Italy. I’ve traveled from Amsterdam to Brugge and then to Paris and the Loire Valley of France with a Eurorail pass. I giggle when I think about the looks I received from the French locals as they watched me drag my fifty pound suitcase from one train to another, and I literally exhausted myself pulling my bag up the stairs of a chateau in wine country. The thought of being able to explore many different towns and several different countries without needing to lug around a suitcase filled with souvenir’s is absolutely alluring, and unpacking just once is truly a treat when traveling. I honestly can’t think of a better way than a river cruise to see the historical and culturally rich towns along the scenic Danube River. Best of all, however, is the fact that this particular cruise focuses on one of my favorite things: wine.

It’s easily understandable why Robin and Danuta Pfeiffer fell in love with AMAWaterways river cruises, and it’s undeniably gratifying to know that some of AMAWaterways ‘celebrity hosts’ are vineyard owners that reside in our very own southern Willamette Valley: the Pfeiffers.

If you’re interested in finding out more information regarding this cruise, or better yet, want to join the Pfeiffer’s for the “In Celebration of Wine” Cruise Along the Romantic Danube, contact travel expert Lynda McHenry of Willamette Tours and Cruises in Corvallis at 541-207-3743 or mchenry.lynda@gmail.com.

Julia Crowley

Senior Writer