My Danube cruise of sumptuous food, pretty towns, but one too many coach trips

It’s gloomy, dank and I’m starting to shiver as we trudge through a maze of bitingly cold tunnels coiling serpentlike for more than 20 miles into the depths of the Bavarian mountains. My tour group is being led through the narrow passageways of the Bodenmais Silver Mine, chiselled out of mineral-rich rock hundreds of years ago by workers determined to exploit its natural bounty of iron ore and silver. Occasional loud thwacks and the odd curse signify when an unfortunate member of our party bashes their head in the cramped tunnels (thank goodness for the hard hats), and with the temperature at a chilling 5°C, it’s a relief to emerge into the warm sunlight. Shorts The chairlift ride down from Silberberg (silver mountain) makes a perfect vantage point for far-reaching views over a carpet of forested slopes before returning to our riverboat, SS Emilie, docked at the Bavarian town of Vilshofen, which is more than an hour’s drive away by coach. We’ve been here for the last two nights, though we should now be moored amid the medieval splendour of Nuremberg’s half-timbered houses. Mother Nature has other ideas that have affected not just our sailing, but also other cruise departures before and after. SS Emilie is the newest ship in Uniworld’s fleet After weeks of hot, dry weather across Europe, the Danube River has fallen to unprecedented levels, with low water rendering parts unnavigable and forcing drastic itinerary changes upon us. Guests are resigned to the news, but also impressed at how quickly the Uniworld team swings into action with an amended schedule. Thus, a few days later, my husband Geoff and I find ourselves unexpectedly on a coach for the 90-minute journey to Salzburg. The mood is upbeat as we watch the mountainous panorama unfold to the soundtrack of Julie Andrews trilling that the hills are alive. We’ve taken similar tours before, so the novelty has worn thin, but the city is a pleasant spot to spend the day, especially when our guide leads us to a lift that speeds us 60 metres to the top of Salzburg’s Mönchsberg Mountain. The views tempt us to stay for lunch, funded by the €30 (£25.80) payment we’ve each been given by Uniworld as a sweetener for the disruption. It’s a satisfying silver lining. A cycling trip to Passau went ahead as planned (Photo: Sergey Alimov/Getty) Other activities go ahead as normal, so the following morning a Lycra-clad group of us assembles for a refreshing 20-mile bike ride along the riverside towpath as we pedal from Austria to the pretty German town of Passau. Seeing close-up how low the Danube’s waters have dropped prompts more conversation among our group on what has become a hot topic onboard. It sets the theme of our week, which becomes a mash-up of original and new activities as changing water levels dictate the pace, restricting where we can sail to and necessitating more road transfers. We opt out of the full-day excursion to Regensburg, which is included, preferring to avoid another long drive and the feeling that, despite Uniworld’s best efforts, our river cruise is resembling a coach holiday. The ship can only sail the stretch of the Danube between Vienna and Vilshofen, around 194 miles, rather than the full 350 miles to Nuremberg, as was planned. As other guests head to Regensburg, Geoff and I relax on SS Emilie, the newest member of the Uniworld fleet, having launched in March. While suitably sumptuous, SS Emilie is not as wildly extravagant as some of its sister ships. Still, lavish décor runs throughout, starting in the marble-draped reception area dominated by a giant portrait of the ship’s namesake Emilie Flöge, who was the muse of painter Gustav Klimt. His signature use of gold is reflected across SS Emilie’s thoughtfully curated interiors, which evoke the spirit of the glamorous Art Nouveau era with a heavy emphasis on rich scarlet velvet and glistening gilt. Artworks adorn wood-panelled walls. SS Emilie’s lounge is an elegant place for cocktails The main lounge, one of the most attractive I’ve seen on a river ship, makes an elegant cocktail haunt, though such are the gorgeous warm evenings many guests drift up to the top deck for al fresco drinks served by the ever-attentive crew. Our cabin has a similarly opulent feel with a marblesque ensuite shower and a delightful floor-to-ceiling window that transforms into a French balcony at the touch of a button. There are 120 of us for the week-long voyage, with North Americans accounting for the biggest group, followed by Britons and Australians, with most guests in their 50s and 60s. It’s a sociable crowd with shared tables at mealtimes for those who want them, making it easy to strike up conversation as we tuck into four-course dinners that include juicy pan-seared scallops, tender slow-roasted beef tenderloin and mushroom ravioli. Breakfast and lunch are a combination of buffet and à la carte that works well, though the restaurant’s opening times can be limited, and I miss having a second venue, which quite a few river ships offer. However, an excellent alternative is the somewhat prosaically named Progressive Dinner, which starts at reception for aperitifs before our group of 10 embarks on a fascinating behind-the-scenes dining tour. This takes in the wheelhouse and the galley, where the team of chefs is busy preparing dinner as we indulge in a creamy croquette starter before visiting the laundry and settling into the crew’s mess for hearty goulash soup. Shrimp cocktail al fresco follows on the aft terrace, then mouth-watering rib-eye steak in the private dining room, before finishing with raspberry cremeux at the main bar. Such a novel experience wasn’t what I expected, but rather, like the rest of the cruise, it all came together exceedingly well. How to do it The writer was a guest of Uniworld. There are regular departures of the one-week Vineyards & Palaces Along the Danube sailing between Vienna and Nuremberg in 2027, with stops including Spitz, Passau and Regensburg. From £2,499pp all-inclusive, including flights, for an October 24 departure. The Progressive Dinner costs 110 euros. uniworld.com