Dnieper river cruise June 2022?
 

I'd been thinking about doing a European river cruise for some time, as it's become harder to do the kind of walking I usually do on my trips. I went to a travel agency, thinking it might be easier than arranging the cruise on my own.

First thing I knew, I had signed up for a cruise on the Dnieper River in June 2022, with stops in Bucharest, Kiev, and Transylvania. Then my sister sent me an email questioning my decision, given the pandemic raging through the world.

I've been very careful about pandemic precautions, wearing a mask, social distancing, and avoiding crowds, frequent hand-washing, etc. I've had both the Moderna shots.

I felt that I should be able to take this trip, since it's over a year in the future, and I'm hoping the pandemic should be over by the time of my trip. I think I'll call my doc and see if she thinks I'm taking too much of a risk.

I bought trip insurance, and if she thinks it's too risky to go, I'll cancel the trip.

Any input from Fodorites?

I'm betting on safe travel to Europe in late Spring 2022 as well. By then, we "should" have booster vaccines available, if needed. I think this Fall is still WAY too iffy. It's good you have trip insurance, since we cant read the future!
Have patience, wait and see!

"Then my sister sent me an email questioning my decision, given the pandemic raging through the world"

She has no idea what thing will be like a year+ from now -- (and neither doe we :) ) But I'm sure your cruise is fully refundable (almost all travel industry / cruise lines / etc. are offering really generous cancellation policies) so I see absolutely no harm in booking. Tell you sister to . . . well , never mind ;)

BTW -- if there is a huge surge and Covid is still in full force next year -- unfortunately your insurance may not be all that useful. Many policies have exclusions for pandemics etc. But as I mentioned, almost all airlines, hotels, cruise lines and so forth are allowing cancellation w/ full refunds.

I have a post in moderation - it will likely show up eventually.

Where does the cruise start and end? Romania is some distance from where the river arrives in the Black Sea, and I can't Imagine a vessel appropriate for Black Sea navigation going up the Danube to eventually get to Bucharest by bus; it probably would end in Constanza. Transylvania (which part?) is even farther inland. How many days for Bucharest and Transylvania?

https://flic.kr/p/Kn2YMC
Probable destination in Transylvania:

https://flic.kr/p/7nV2Vy
Less Likely:

https://flic.kr/p/7nR4KZ

Kiev would be my concern with the Russian military testing Biden right now.

Bucherest is nice enough and Transylvania is lovely, have a great trip.

I'll be starting in Kiev and ending in Bucharest, then will take an extension of three more nights in Bucharest and Transylvania. We're supposed to see Dracula's castle, though of course, the real Dracula was Vlad the Impaler, a thoroughly unpleasant character. We'll spend only a short time--maybe half a day--on the Black Sea.

I hope I'm not going to have to walk much.

What Michael said. You better check your itinerary. The Dnieper river doesn't come close to Bucharest.

Never fear, fellow Fodorites. I have been traveling abroad since 1963, so I know more or less what I'm doing.

The river cruise ends at Tulcea, Romania, and then we take a bus to Constanta and Bucharest.

I'm not happy with the Russians in Ukraine, either.

That is a lot of traveling around pegontheroad.

I have been to where you are going , so I just want to say that when you get to the Dracula Castle, beware because

the ghost of Vlad is still there. !!!!!!!!!!

I remember climbing the stairs to a tower and all of a sudden he appeared. !!!!!!!!!! Scared the heck out of me.

Here is an aerial view of the Dracula Castle in the town of Bran

Since you have to pass by it try to see Peles Castle, the woodwork is outstanding, also the Rasnov Fortress is just a few miles away from Bran, as is the lovely quaint town of Brasov.

Anyway watch out for Vlad, he still carries his impaling stick !! ;)

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...484c151ca5.jpg
Here is the "Dracula Castle", it was the tower on the left that I ran into his ghost. So you all come back safe , yeah hear !!!!!

Political requirements are currently as fluid as the rivers themselves. Rules can vary along the course of the cruise, from country to country. When cruising resumed this year, some lines restricted passengers to taking only their packaged shore tours rather than freelancing or just wandering, partly to simplify movement between countries where the rules could be different. The Schengen zone may or may not sort that out, but not for your route. Already some of that isolation seems (from afar) to be relaxing. Your cruise line should know. It can't hurt, however, do some research nearer to departure in hopes of avoiding surprise. As an aside, river cruising has the reputation of concentrating on shore stops, while gliding down the blue whatever may happen at night, after the day's tours.