By Fyllis Hockman

Of course the highlights of our Danube river cruise were the four European capitals we visited: Prague, Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest — all worth writing about, and I promise to do so.

But it was the many surprises surrounding the experiences on the ship that truly enhanced the trip. Because this was our first river cruise, my husband and I had many apprehensions ahead of time. The tiny stateroom? Check. But somehow it had more drawers, shelves and hangers than I have at home and was surprisingly comfortable.

Too sedentary? Check. Being a particularly active person — the have-every-minute-programmed kind of active — I feared the shortish daily tour would not be sufficient. The 182-passenger MS River Aria is not one of those cruise ships boasting round-the-clock activities. However, opportunities abound to explore every city as much — or as little — as you want.

Having primarily traveled with Overseas Adventure Travel, the much smaller, younger tour group under the auspices of Grand Circle, our cruise line, we also worried about traveling in a large group of older folks. And yes, GC caters to those needs. There is a slower-paced tour option available for those who feel they cannot keep up with the group. Portable lightweight seats are available for those unable to stand in one spot during long explanations. An electric chair is attached to the stairs on the ship.

There is little that Grand Circle hasn't thought of to accompany its somewhat older clientele. But for the most part that older clientele is a feisty group of fun-loving, adventurous travelers who are loathe to slow down. At this point we stopped worrying.

Most mornings we were out and about by 9, but one sailing day we instead were on a deck chaise, bloody mary in hand, listening to commentary about the surrounding topography — wooded treetops, rolling green countryside, rural villages, terraced vineyards and an occasional abbey or castle. Life doesn't get much better than that. My concern about filling every hour with activity dissipated.

I was pried from my reading revelry when my fellow passengers hustled to the sides of the ship as we went through our first of nine locks, a feat that if you haven't experienced is worth the effort of rising from the comfort of your chaise lounge. The ship narrowly goes between barriers on both sides and is then lowered so as to access the water level on the other side. By the time we hit lock No. 6, no one moved. Another bloody mary, anyone?

I should pause here to talk a bit about the meals, which deserve a story of their own. I looked forward to every meal, knowing it was going to be surprising, lovely and scrumptious. Suffice it to say, not only were the waiters attentive and accommodating, most of them were stand-up comedians.

I was finishing my soup when Vladimir walked by with a bottle of Amaretto, obviously requested by another table.

"Where are you going with that?" I lustily inquired. Without skipping a beat, he poured some into my soup bowl and moved on. How can you not love that?

Ah, the nighttime entertainment! Corny? Of course. Fun? More so. I usually avoid karaoke, but here it's just another excuse to laugh yourself silly. Rather than a contest to judge the best singers, it instead — intended or not — became an exercise in which group sounded the most hilariously awful. And the crew talent show? Suffice it to say that the kitchen staff did "Swan Lake" and it was downhill from there. As the ship's captain said, "Whatever happens on board, stays on board!" And then there were the horse races. Don't even ask. Let's just say that it involved a lot of shots — another boring night.

While on board, you're either learning or laughing. Grand Circle takes its Learning and Discovery philosophy very seriously. "Growing up Behind the Iron Curtain," conducted by our four program directors — who hailed from Romania, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Serbia — revealed personal experiences from their teenage years, such as how their families were impacted by the Soviet domination of their countries until the end of communism there in 1989. Homes were confiscated, fortunes lost, food rationed, travel prohibited, spies in communities, labor camps. Riveting.

A Budapest accountant regaled us with a tale of how he once saw a needy family on the sidewalk, stopped to help and ended up saving 6,000 refugees with an organization of volunteers he compiled over the next two years until he was stopped by the hostile Hungarian government. I doubt there was a dry eye in the house.

When at trip's en, we were told we had to be out of our stateroom by 8 a.m. because another tour was coming aboard, the communal reaction seemed to be: WHAT? Other people in OUR cabins? With OUR crew? It seemed so wrong - but it sure says a lot about how Grand Circle makes its clients feel.

Yes, I know, I promised to tell you all about the magnificent cities we visited. Immersive history, architectural grandeur, every city an open-air museum of stunning edifices spanning multiple centuries. But that will have to wait for another story..

WHEN YOU GO

Grand Circle offers five cruises that ply the waters of the Danube River: www.gct.com.

The MS Aria moves along the Danube River during a European cruise. Photo courtesy of Grand Circle.

Waiters on the MS Aria dress up in costumes prior to a night out in Vienna. Photo courtesy of Victor Block.

Food on a Danube cruise on the MS Aria reflects the local European cuisine. Photo courtesy of Grand Circle.

Fyllis Hockman is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

The MS Aria moves along the Danube River during a European cruise. Photo courtesy of Grand Circle.