AMSTERDAM TO BUDAPEST OR BUDAPEST TO AMSTERDAM; WHICH IS THE BEST DIRECTION?

Q – We have been looking at a longer cruise, next summer, from Amsterdam, but the reverse direction seems to work better in conjunction with my wife’s work schedule, she is a pediatrician. Would appreciate any guidance here – how big a mistake would we be making to do this itinerary in reverse?

A – Upriver or downriver makes a difference when you are doing a Yangtze River cruise, or sailing the Nile River. But that has to do with the north/south directions you will encounter. Europe’s major riverboat routes on the Rhine, Moselle, or Danube are more east to west so direction really doesn’t matter. The locks need to be reserved in advance and the time in port is normally the same in each direction. That said, we love the idea of sailing into Budapest as the city seems to open up in welcome as the boat approaches. But that’s just us. Don’t worry about reverse direction – you’ll still be facing forward.