Join the MS Amaserena on a unique 7-day adventure visiting multiple Christmas Markets on the scenic river route from the historic city of Nuremberg to the one and only Vienna. Delight yourself with the perfect combination of pageantry and timeless traditions at the magical Christmas markets. Be spellbound by the medieval atmosphere of Nuremberg and Regensburg’s Christmas Markets, while savoring a cup of hot mulled wine. Let the hills come alive with the sound of Christmas carolers while in Salzburg and embrace all the glory of glamorous Vienna on this enchanting journey.
Highlights
Have some free time to visit the Nuremberg's fabled Christmas Markets
Enjoy a visit to the exclusive “royal” markets at the Thurn and Taxis Palace
Take a walking tour of picturesque Passau, a fairytale city
Savor the Baroque elegance of romantic Vienna in a panoramic tour
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Enjoy a guided morning tour of this historic city with its fabulous Gothic churches, 900-year-old city ramparts, the house of artist Albrecht Dürer, Imperial Castle, and the Justice Palace courtroom where the War Crimes Tribunal sat in 1946. Following your tour, have some free time to visit the city’s fabled Christmas Market and enjoy some hot mulled Glühwein – the souvenir mug is yours to keep!
Arrive in Regensburg after breakfast and enjoy a guided walking tour of this exquisitely preserved medieval city. Marvel at the beautiful churches, the homes of wealthy families, and one of Germany’s oldest bridges across the Danube. Your tour ends with a visit to a Christmas Market, with its festive stalls adorned with fir branches. This evening, enjoy a visit to the exclusive “royal” markets at the Thurn and Taxis Palace, a very traditional handicraft Christmas Market where you can watch craftsmen at work.
After breakfast, you have two choices for how to spend the day. The first is a walking tour of picturesque Passau, a fairytale city founded more than 2,000 years ago, known for its fortifications and town squares like Rathaus, Domplatz, Residenzplatz, as well as St. Stephen’s Cathedral, home to Europe’s largest pipe organ. Afterwards, take some time to explore the town’s Christmas Market. Guests looking for a more active morning may instead join a guided bike tour from Passau to Erlau.
Today’s guided walking tour takes you to Melk’s magnificent 900-year-old Benedictine Abbey, one of Europe’s largest Baroque monasteries. Observe the famous library that inspired novelist Umberto Eco to write The Name of the Rose. You may also opt for a guided bike tour along the scenic Danube instead. Later, the ship cruises through the romantic Wachau Valley en route to Vienna, the “City of Music,” arriving this evening. The ship moors overnight in Vienna.
This morning, savor the Baroque elegance of romantic Vienna through your choice of one of two different excursions. The first option is a panoramic tour of Vienna that guides you past the majestic Opera House, the former Imperial Palace of the Habsburg Emperors, Parliament, Town Hall and Vienna University. Afterwards, visit Vienna’s historic city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and see St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Graben, and the world famous Spanish Riding School, as well as the Rathausplatz Christmas market. The second option is an Alte Donau guided bike tour. This afternoon, visit the Schönbrunn and Karlsplatz Christmas Markets, and this evening the festivities continue with visits to both the Maria Theresienplatz and Rathaus Christkindlmarkt markets.
Day 7: Vienna, Austria | Disembark
1 Breakfast
Your cruise comes to an end as you prepare for your homeward flight.
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$2,899
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E
Piano deck, fixed windows
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D
Piano deck, fixed windows
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C
Violin & Cello deck, French Balcony
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BB
Cello deck, French Balcony & Outside Balcony
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BA
Violin deck, French Balcony & Outside Balcony
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AB
Cello deck, French Balcony & Outside Balcony
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AA
Violin deck, French Balcony & Outside Balcony
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Violin deck, French Balcony & Outside Balcony
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Suite
Violin deck, French Balcony & Outside Balcony
Notes
Single supplement is 50%, except for Suites which are 100%.
Our guide and driver were very good with their knowledge and were very helpful with our questions. It was a very pleasant visit that would have been impossible to do on our own. Hotels and restaurants were fantastic. The special places we got to go to, like the kitchens, were great. Enjoyed the entire trip!
Meyer Smolen
TrustScore 4.8 | 174 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 174 reviews on
8 hours ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
1 day ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.