The cruise was wonderful. We visited places we might not have visited if we had been travelling on our own. Everything was catered for and it was lovely only having to unpack the once! Our cabin was always beautifully prepared for us and the food was amazing. As we toured through different countries the food and wine were sourced from those areas. That was so special.If you’re expecting (as we were) that there would be a lot of walking each day then this is not the way
to go. To get from Budapest to Amsterdam took a lot of time on the river so our stops were not usually much more than an hour or two at the most. There were three activity level tours provided, but we found the active one a little less active than what we were used to. There was opportunity for free exploring, but usually only forty-five minutes or so before we had to head back to the boat. It’s a great holiday for the less active, and there were bikes for some parts of the journey but we really wanted to walk to explore some of the gorgeous villages. But we found the gym on the boat and soon made up for all the delicious food we were consuming! 
Leave room in your luggage for shopping and gorgeous souvenirs. I bought a beautiful music box from a
toy museum that I adore as well a wonderful Opera cloak from Salzburg. I was so glad I had a spare corner in my bag!Just enjoy the journey and the opportunity to meet other travellers. We met some amazing people and have kept in touch since on Facebook.
The boat was lovely and had plenty of space. There was a small pool on the roof deck but it was more of a plunge pool. The piano bar and restaurants were gorgeous and the service just wonderful.
I am looking forward to doing another cruise soon!
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Melanie Milburne[/caption]Melanie Milburne read her first Harlequin at age seventeen in between studying for her final exams. After completing a Masters Degree in Education she decided to write a novel and thus her career as a romance author was born. Melanie is an ambassador for the Australian Childhood Foundation and is a keen dog lover and trainer and enjoys long walks in the Tasmanian bush. In 2015 Melanie won the HOLT Medallion, a prestigious award honoring outstanding literary talent.
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Melanie Milburne has a new book out March 2017.
The Temporary Mrs. Marchetti
The rules of engagement…
When Cristiano Marchetti proposes to former mistress Alice Piper, the deal has an expiry date. He has six months to fulfil the conditions of his grandmother's will. But the hotelier has another agenda—exacting revenge on Alice for daring to walk away seven years before! Alice needs the financial security her enemy is providing, but soon their every clash is a shockingly tempting encounter. Yet as she uncovers the man beneath the hard-hearted exterior, the future Mrs. Marchetti wonders if she could break the rules of their engagement…and walk down the aisle as more than Cristiano's temporary bride!
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Enter to win signed copies of The Temporary Mrs Marchetti
What lovely photos. Thank you for sharing. I'd love to take a vacation like that.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the book!
That does sound fun, and really relaxing. I think I'd want a more active tour. But still, with all that you got to experience (and eat), I'd be hard pressed to turn that trip down.
ReplyDeleteI think I'd return from a cruise at least fifty pounds heavier than when I left!
ReplyDeleteLovely photos and lovely travel diary :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing.
Sounds like a great read!
ReplyDeleteAnd the cruise.....wondrous.
Hi, Nas:)
Hmmmm, all that good food and wine available without any cooking duties, combined with s limited activity level sounds like a recipe for disaster for me. Like Elizabeth said, there'd be a lot more of me to love when we got back home. :) But it STILL sounds like a great trip. I'd just want more time to explore the area.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your latest book!
Hi Theresa,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. Here's hoping you will get to have a holiday like that one day soon!
Hi Elizabeth,
ReplyDeleteThe food was just amazing and I was really glad of that treadmill in the gym!
Thanks for posting.
Hi Sandra,
ReplyDeleteThanks for popping in. It was a great holiday and I'm looking forward to another one soon.
Hi Susan,
ReplyDeleteHa ha! It was a bit like that. It's the best part of a holiday though not having to cook, isn't it? I loved turning up to the restaurant each meal and being surprised and delighted by all the exciting dishes.
Thanks for posting!
Leaving room in your luggage while traveling is a great tip. Unfortunately in my family, we tend to bring everything but the kitchen sink when we travel. It can be embarrassing. Best of luck with your book.
ReplyDeleteHi Tamara,
ReplyDeleteThe unpacking just the one was one of the best bits. It was so nice not to have to pack up each day. I used to be a terrible packer but I've taught myself to trim down to the essentials, plus to leave room for shopping!
Thanks for posting.
Love holiday pictures, have never been on a cruise. Thanks for the giveaway, have entered, good luck all.
ReplyDeleteLainy http://www.alwaysreading.net
Hi Lainy,
ReplyDeleteHope you get to go on one some day-it is a lot of fun.
Thanks for posting!
Looks and sounds like a fun trip! I would have thought there would be more walking, so that is good to know. :) A great reminder to leave some room for souvenirs. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures! Thanks for sharing. The pastries in the bakery shop look absolutely delectable!
ReplyDeleteHi Jess,
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting!
Hi Sherry,
ReplyDeleteThey were delicious! Especially the sacher torte.
Thanks for dropping by!
Not a lot of time for exploring. My husband and I are very active and we would've been hitting the gym on the ship hard.
ReplyDeleteHi L Diane,
ReplyDeleteI was enormously glad the gym was there as the food was amazing!
Thanks for posting!
I've always wondered about these river cruises! They always seem so dreamy. Would love to try one someday.
ReplyDeleteHi Melanie, congratulations on your new book. I love reading your stories. I find eastern Europe fascinating. I'm from western Europe, but the furthest east I've gone in Europe is Austria. I'm in India nowadays but maybe one day I'll get a chance to explore the beautiful countries of eastern Europe one day.
ReplyDeleteHello Melanie,
ReplyDeleteYour trip sounds fascinating. I would love to explore eastern Europe some time in my life. I wish you all the best with your new book. I'm looking out for a copy in my local bookshop.
I LOVE cruising. But then again, who wouldn't when living within 3 hours of 3 different MAJOR cruise ports? I haven't done a European cruise yet, but we will...just as soon as the kids are moved out...in another 20 years. LOL. It's really the only way to vacation, eh?
ReplyDeleteOh how neat. Gorgeous photos. I'd want to explore that display case a little bit closer. lol
ReplyDeleteThat trip sounds lovely. And best wishes on your writing career! Thank you for sharing your gift of writing with the world.
ReplyDelete