A grand cruise of 16 days from
Amsterdam to Budapest. Begin with a canal boat tour past Amsterdam's
16th-century merchant houses, then take a guided walking tour in Cologne and
visit the massive Gothic cathedral; and continue to 2,000-year-old Coblenz, at
the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers. You'll sail through the
dramatic Rhine Gorge to Rüdesheim; cruise along the meandering Main River,
descend through locks on the Main-Danube Canal and navigate through the narrow
Strudengau. There's sightseeing in Würzburg, Bamberg, Nuremberg, and Passau.
Stop in Melk and Dürnstein before reaching Vienna, where you'll be entertained
by a Captain's Dinner and Crew Show, guided sightseeing and time on your own.
Stop in Bratislava for a guided tour before ending your vacation with morning
INCLUDED FEATURES:
|
| AMSTERDAM |
Canal cruise |
| COLOGNE |
Walking tour with local
guide |
| RUDESHEIM |
“Winzerexpress” and Music
Museum |
| MILTENBERG |
Walking tour and Wertheim
excursion |
| WURZBURG |
City sightseeing with local
guide, visit to Residential Palace |
| BAMBERG |
City sightseeing with local
guide |
| NUREMBERG |
City sightseeing with
local guide |
| DANUBE GORGE |
Boat ride and tour of
Weltenburg Abbey complex |
| REGENSBURG |
Walking tour |
| PASSAU |
Walking tour |
| MELK |
Tour of Benedictine Abbey |
| DURNSTEIN |
Walking tour |
| VIENNA |
City sightseeing with local
guide |
| BRATISLAVA |
City sightseeing with
local guide |
| BUDAPEST |
City sightseeing with local
guide |
SCENIC HIGHLIGHTS
Folklore performances, wine tasting, lectures, theme dinners, local
activities and more
MEALS
Superb dining with all meals included. Cocktail Reception, Welcome
Dinner, Captain’s Gala Dinner. One sitting with open seating
arrangements. Quality wines from Europe’s most famous wine regions
with every dinner onboard.
INSIDE VISITS
are shown in UPPERCASE in the tour description, including admission
charges when applicable
|
| Day to Day Itinerary |
| Day 1 (Sat.) Board your overnight transatlantic flight. |
| Day 2 Arrival in Amsterdam, Holland
(Embarkation). (Sun.) Your luxurious river cruise ship is
moored near the city center. Start discovering the town before meeting
your fellow travelers at the Welcome Cocktail Reception. Following
dinner enjoy piano music in the beautiful lounge, or head back into
town to take in Amsterdam's fascinating nightlife. (D) |
| Day 3 Amsterdam. (Mon.)
After a delectable breakfast, admire the wonderful architecture of the
city from a guided CANAL BOAT tour. Sail in a glass-top boat past
beautiful 17th-century homes, charming churches with bell towers and
16th-century merchant houses. Free time before departing the city
around lunch. Enjoy an afternoon briefing as you cruise towards
Germany. Tonight you’ll be a guest at the Captain's Gala Welcome
Dinner. (FB,L,D) |
| Day 4 Cologne, Germany-Coblenz. (Tue.) Morning arrival in Cologne where a guided morning
walking tour through the old part of the city awaits you. At lunchtime
continue to 2,000-year-old Coblenz, located at the confluence of the
Rhine and the Moselle Rivers. (FB,L,D) |
| Day 5 Rüdesheim. (Wed.)
Today sail through the dramatic Rhine Gorge, the most beautiful
stretch of the river. Every mile along the river you'll admire a
different, magnificent castle. Then see the legendary Lorelei Rock,
where sweet songs of local beauties lured enchanted sailors to their
doom. Arrive in Rüdesheim, the perfect example of a Rhine Valley wine
town. Here, the "Winzerexpress" mini-train takes you to fascinating
SIEGFRIED'S MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM for a guided tour.
During dinner bid farewell to the Rhine and enter the Main River.
Tonight's Crew Show will conclude a great day of river cruising. (FB,L,D) |
| Day 6 Miltenberg-Wertheim. (Thu.) Arrive in Miltenberg for a guided morning walking tour along
narrow cobblestone streets to view gabled, half-timbered houses. Shop
for souvenirs before a coach takes you to charming Wertheim to browse
the market square; then board the ship for lunch. The rest of the day,
cruise through the sunny valleys of the meandering Main. (FB,L,D) |
| Day 7 Würzburg. (Fri.)
Würzburg, "The Pearl of the Romantic Road," is surrounded by sloping
hills covered with vineyards. During your morning tour, visit the
major sights including the magnificent RESIDENTIAL PALACE. Your
afternoon cruise takes you past charming Volkach, and through the
Franconian wine region. After dinner join your fellow travelers in the
lounge to listen to an enchanting medieval music performance. (FB,L,D) |
| Day 8 Bamberg. (Sat.) Enter
the Main-Danube Canal at enchanting Bamberg, which was declared a
UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. Disembark for a guided tour of
this medieval gem. Marvel at the breathtaking cathedral, the Old Town
Hall straddling the river, and serpentine streets with charming houses
and 18th-century mansions. Continue along the Main-Danube Canal
towards ancient Nuremberg. (FB,L,D) |
| Day 9 Nuremberg-Continental Divide. (Sun.) Enjoy a guided morning tour of this historic city. See the
storybook 900-year-old ramparts, the Imperial Castle and the Justice
Palace where the War Crimes Tribunal sat in 1946. Later today arrive
at the highest point of your cruise–1,332 feet above sea level–before
descending again through stair-step locks. (FB,L,D) |
| Day 10 Danube Gorge-Regensburg. (Mon.) This morning takes you through the final stretch of the
fascinating Main-Danube Canal. Embark on an exciting boat trip through
the lovely Danube Gorge to WELTENBURG ABBEY. Return to your ship in
magnificent Regensburg, one of Germany's best preserved medieval
cities. A guided tour will show you the city's architectural
highlights, including the Old Town Hall and the Porta Pretoria–gates
to an ancient Roman fort built in 179 AD. Marvel at one of the oldest
bridges crossing the Danube. (FB,L,D) |
| Day 11 Passau-Linz, Austria. (Tue.) After breakfast arrive in Passau, where the rivers Inn and Ilz
join the Danube. Enjoy a walking tour, or take an optional full-day
tour to Salzburg and its most popular Sound of Music sights
including the Wedding Church, exquisite Mirabell Gardens, the Great
Salzburg Festival Hall and much more. For those staying on board,
enjoy a scenic cruise from Passau into Austria and on to Linz,
Austria's third largest city. (FB,L,D) |
| Day 12 Melk-Dürnstein-Vienna. (Wed.) Cruise through the narrow Strudengau and reach the Wachau
Valley. A guided tour takes you to Melk's magnificent BENEDICTINE
ABBEY, one of Europe's largest baroque monasteries. From here continue
on a short cruise to Dürnstein. Marvel at the magnificent blue façade
of the baroque Stiftskirche. Above town you'll spot the ruins of the
castle where Richard the Lionheart, the King of England, was
imprisoned in 1192. Your walking tour through medieval cobblestone
streets reveals 16th-century town houses and wine taverns. This
evening, dress up for the Captain's Dinner and tonight arrive in
Vienna, the "City of Music." (FB,L,D) |
| Day 13 Vienna. (Thu.) A
guided sightseeing tour includes the lavish Hofburg Palace, the
impressive Vienna Opera House, the majestic Ringstrasse and
awe-inspiring ST. STEPHEN'S CATHEDRAL. Free afternoon to stroll along
Kärntnerstrasse or sample Vienna's famous pastries. Tonight explore
the vibrant Austrian capital on your own, or come along for an
optional Mozart and Strauss concert. (FB,L,D) |
| Day 14 Bratislava, Slovakia. (Fri.) After midnight, the ship slips away from Vienna and continues
to nearby Slovakia. A guided morning tour of Bratislava reveals the
city's major sights. From 13th-century Bratislava Castle you'll enjoy
breathtaking views overlooking three countries–Slovakia, Austria and
Hungary. Free afternoon to shop or explore on your own. This eventful
day is followed by an evening filled with an enchanting music
performance on board. Before midnight, depart for Hungary. (FB,L,D) |
Day 15 Budapest, Hungary. (Sat.) City sightseeing includes historic Buda Castle, from where you
have a splendid view of the twin cities of Buda and Pest spread over
both banks of the river. Your tour also features 500-year-old MATTHIAS
CHURCH, St. Stephen's Basilica, distinctive Fishermens Bastion, the
marvelous Royal Palace and much more. Your afternoon is free to
explore on your own. Tonight gather on board for a Gala Farewell
Dinner with Gypsy violins. (FB,L,D)
|
| Day 16 Budapest (Disembarkation). (Sun.) Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (FB) |
REVERSE ITINERARY - BUDAPEST - AMSTERDAM - CODE AV-WBA
| Saturday |
Depart USA |
| Sunday |
Arrive Budapest: Embark ship |
| Monday |
Budapest: City sightseeing, free
time |
| Tuesday |
Bratislava: City sightseeing, free
time |
| Wednesday |
Vienna: City sightseeing, free time |
| Thrusday |
Dürnstein: City walking tour |
| Melk: Visit Melk Abbey |
| Friday |
Linz: Optional Salzburg exc. |
| Saturday |
Regensburg: City sightseeing |
| Danube Gorge: Boat tour, Weltenburg
Abbey |
| Sunday |
Nuremberg: City sightseeing |
| Monday |
Bamberg: City sightseeing |
| Tuesday |
Würzburg: City sightseeing |
| Wednesday |
Wertheim: Free time |
| Miltenberg (by coach): City walking tour |
| Thursday |
Rüdesheim: Sigfried's Mechanical
Musical Instrument Museum |
| Friday |
Rhine Gorge |
| Koblenz |
| Cologne: City walking tour |
| Saturday |
Amsterdam: Canal boat tour |
| Sunday |
Depart Amsterdam: Disembark ship |
Dates and Prices
Amsterdam to Budapest - AV -WAB
| Ship |
Depart |
Disembark |
Cruise Price |
| Tranquility |
20-Apr-08 |
4-May-08 |
$3,549 |
| Artistry |
27-Apr-08 |
11-May-08 |
$3,649 |
| Poetry |
11-May-08 |
25-May-08 |
$3,849 |
| Poetry |
22-Jun-08 |
6-Jul-08 |
$4,149 |
| Poetry |
3-Aug-08 |
17-Aug-08 |
$4,049 |
| Poetry |
14-Sep-08 |
28-Sep-08 |
$4,349 |
| Imagery |
21-Sep-08 |
5-Oct-08 |
$4,349 |
| Imagery |
19-Oct-08 |
2-Nov-08 |
$3,549 |
| Poetry |
26-Oct-08 |
9-Nov-08 |
$3,349 |
Budapest to Amsterdam - AV-WBA
| Ship |
Depart |
Disembark |
Cruise Price |
| Poetry |
27-Apr-08 |
11-May-08 |
$3,649 |
| Poetry |
8-Jun-08 |
22-Jun-08 |
$4,049 |
| Poetry |
20-Jul-08 |
3-Aug-08 |
$4,049 |
| Poetry |
31-Aug-08 |
14-Sep-08 |
$4,349 |
| Imagery |
5-Oct-08 |
19-Oct-08 |
$3,749 |
| Poetry |
12-Oct-08 |
26-Oct-08 |
$3,649 |
- Port charges: $168 per person.
- Please call for single accommodation price.
- Prices shown above include cruise in Category E in a deluxe outside cabin on Haydn Deck (Symphony) or Indigo Deck (Artistry and Poetry). To upgrade to a higher category (all cabins Twin/Double except suites), add per person:
| D |
Indigo Deck |
Indigo |
$198 |
| B |
Sapphire Deck |
Sapphire Deck |
$798 |
| A |
Sapphire Deck |
Sapphire Deck |
$898 |
| P |
Royal Deck |
Royal Deck |
$998 |
| Jr. Suite |
Royal Deck |
Royal Deck |
$1998 |
|
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