My friend and I needed a get-away from family cares and care-giving, so taking a November cruise wasn't as far-out an idea as it might have been some other year. We were fortunate that the rains had fallen and the beautiful Elbe was flowing! The staff and crew members were so joyful with this turn of events (some busing had been the situation for earlier dates, no fault of the crew) and they gave us wonderful service on this lovely ship.

The food was wonderful, and the open seating gave us plenty of opportunities to get to know our fellow guests. The excursions gave us a wonderful sample of the historic cities and towns along the Elbe. Prague, Dresden, and Potsdam were favorite tours, despite some rain. Due to a regional holiday, when we reached Dresden our tour director made special arrangements for us to see a 3-story panoramic display by Asissi (?) of Dresden in the Baroque period that was inside a re-purposed gas storage tank. Unforgettable! The entertainment was diverse: chamber trio, nightly pianist, cooking demonstration, lectures.

Our chamber steward noticed that I was having allergy problems and suggested changing my pillow to non-down option. When the problem persisted, the conciege found a doctor to see me in one town, an officer personally took me there, acted as translator, and when I returned to my cabin he appeared at my door 30 min. later with recommended medicines from a pharmacy!