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Dinner with a princess in a castle? APT’s exclusive experiences can make dreams reality, says Sara Macefield.
There’s nothing like the promise of royalty to liven up a visit to a historic German castle.
The prospect of meeting a true princess has passengers on my APT river cruise twittering with anticipation as we leave for our exclusive event at Namedy Castle near Andernach – one of three such experiences included on its Magnificent Europe sailings.
On approaching the 14th-century Gothic pile, boasting towers that Rapunzel would have been proud of, we speculate whether Princess Heide von Hohenzollern might be sitting atop in an opulent ballgown, brushing her long locks.
The grand surroundings fuel this fanciful talk as we stroll across the courtyard and into stately Knight’s Hall with its minstrels’ gallery from where stuffed hawks are poised mid-flight, their wings outstretched.
During the champagne reception we spot the princess – poised, glossy and elegant – a modern-day picture of royalty who in perfect English tells us to explore this castle, which is also her home.
With numerous staircases and doors leading to 40 or 50 rooms (no one could tell me how many), I wander through the library with its shelves of faded volumes; the living room with a stately grand piano; and bedroom stretching into a tower.
A gong signals that dinner is served. And as I walk through the lines of uniformed staff I feel like royalty myself upon entering the vast Mirror Room where tables heaving with crystal and silver set the scene for a sumptuous dinner.
We dine like kings on a spread that starts with a trilogy of delicious soups delicately served in espresso-style cups before tucking into corn-fed chicken breast with tarragon sauce.
APT credits this grand event to a chance meeting, from where the idea grew. “The plan was to give a glimpse of a royal lifestyle as the princess lives here and lets people come into her home,” says APT Europe & Russia product manager Sarah Latimore.
It has proved a popular experience and is offered on each of APT’s 82 Magnificent Europe sailings between March and December this year, and into 2017. Though it rates highly among guests, the river cruise company’s most popular exclusive experience is the orchestral concert at the City Palace in Vienna.
The other experience is a day trip on the Majestic Imperator historical train between Passau and Linz.
While the princess isn’t guaranteed to be present at every dinner, she tries to welcome as many groups as she can and is sometimes represented by her daughter. And as Namedy Castle is not featured by APT’s rivals, it can lay claim to exclusivity by royal appointment.
Book it: Europe sailing from Amsterdam to Budapest, including stops at Cologne, Nuremberg, Salzburg and Vienna, departs on April 29, 2017, and leads in from £3,645pp. Price includes UK airport transfers, drinks, gratuities, excursions and private events. The price includes a £1,000 saving on bookings made by June 30.
Sarah Wikevand, head of commercial, Reader Offers, says: “I felt very privileged to be able to explore the castle, and the music recital added a really magical element. The fact that we were the only group made it even more special and as there weren’t many of us, it was easy to feel like we were invited guests. It exceeded my expectations.” Juliet Archer, managing director, Blue Water Holidays, says: “This was an excellent example of how a cruise line can really add value to what is already a superb product. The river cruise market is all about differentiation and this really makes the APT product stand out as it offers something unique and distinctive that you cannot get with another cruise line.” Roxanne Howard, product executive cruise, Kuoni, says: “The brochure description of this sounds impressive enough, but experiencing it was even better. I felt like such a VIP and that’s how I imagine customers would feel. Anyone doing this experience would be absolutely blown away. It is definitely a unique selling point for APT on this cruise.” |
