Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary: not your average venues for a 10-year-old’s
birthday.
Celebrating a decade of service with a special cruise, River Cloud II threw a week-long
party by showing off the connections it’s
developed in Eastern Europe.
When I boarded the voyage halfway,
people were still raving about their visit
two days ago to Belgrade’s White Palace:
formerly used by infamous presidents
such as Tito and Milosevic, and currently
home to Crown Prince Alexander and his
family.
The mansion hosted an exclusive
concert for River Cloud II passengers,
with a no-holds-barred tour that was the
highlight for many.
“I sat in the chair where Tito had his hair dyed!” said one man.
“I touched, literally touched, a Rembrandt in the prince’s study!” said another.
The festivities continued onboard with a rooftop BBQ, and the next night, a gala
dinner and piano concert by French pianist Yannael Quenel (who was so popular that
one of the Australian passengers set up a Facebook fan page in his honour).
But on an ordinary cruise, sailing along the Danube towards the Black Sea, River
Cloud II still offers an extraordinary overview of this less-visited region.
Places such as Sulina, which was once a prosperous port but is now a run-down ghost
town, are certainly “off the beaten river”.
With no road access, locals get around the sandy streets on donkey carts.
We only stop here for an hour but it feels like travelling back a century.
Arriving the next day in Harsova is another landscape altogether, with grass-topped
cliffs and fishermen in rowing boats.
Then we transfer by bus to a whole new world, again – Constanta, founded in 600BC,
where the National Museum houses one of the most important collections from the
Roman era.
Employed by the cruise line, our English-speaking guide is outstanding, and the
artefacts are displayed remarkably freely, not encased in glass or roped off from visitors.
The last stop is Mamaia, a fashionable beach resort where we jump at the chance to
swim in the Black Sea and are lucky enough to see dolphins.
It’s this contrast of experiences that makes a Black Sea cruise so interesting, and
while the destinations may not be as slick as in Western Europe, the River Cloud II
compensates with lashings of luxury.
Ed Editor itor itor’s ’s highl highlights ights
It’s not often that I comment on the food on cruises, as generally it is good with one
or two stand-out restaurants (or meals) on each ship.
But the River Cloud II deserves a special mention: each dinner is truly five-star quality.
The crew are also exceptional, especially the very entertaining waiters Sven and
Sandor.
A large proportion of passengers are
German, with some Australian, but
English is the dominant language
onboard.
I’d probably recommend the Black
Sea as a second or third European
cruise, or for anybody who likes to
travel “off the beaten river”.
For information about fares and
availability, contact Sea Cloud Cruises
on 1300 583 572 or visit
www.seacloud.com.
