Travel on the beautiful Danube through four European countries on an exciting 8-day river cruise. Begin your adventure in Budapest aboard the MS Amastella, continuing on to Bratislava and Vienna, the romantic birthplace of the waltz. Cruise through the scenic wine-growing region of the Wachau Valley, visit the spectacular Benedictine Abbey in Melk, and explore charming medieval towns.
Highlights
Savor the Baroque elegance and hospitality of romantic Vienna
Cruise through the gorgeous Wachau Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Join guided bike tours along the Danube River in multiple ports of call
Enjoy Oktoberfest celebrations with local beer, Bavarian music & dancing
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Arrive in Budapest and board your luxurious river cruise ship. This evening, meet your fellow travelers at the Welcome Dinner. Tonight, the ship sails a special Illuminations Cruise past the capital’s glittering river front.
Wine-themed Cruise:
Arrive in Budapest and board your luxurious river cruise ship. Meet your fellow passengers at an evening Welcome Aboard Wine Toast.
Your morning excursion includes sightseeing in the cities of Buda and Pest spread over both banks of the river. See famed Heroes’ Square and Castle Hill, home to Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church, and spectacular views of the Danube.
Wake up this morning in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. Enjoy a walking tour of the city’s top sights, including the Old Town Hall, Mirbach Palace and St. Martin’s Cathedral. Later, have some free time before the ship cruises to Vienna, the music capital of the world. After dinner, experience a traditional “Viennese Wine and Music” evening in a rustic wine tavern outside the city, where you can enjoy a glass of newly pressed, locally grown wine and Austrian music and hospitality.
Wine-themed Cruise:
This morning, savor the Baroque elegance of romantic Vienna through your choice of one of three 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. The second option is a walking tour of Vienna’s hidden treasures that takes you to secret places and sights like Ankeruhr, a whimsical Art Nouveau clock. Your third option is a guided bike tour along the Danube and through the Donaupark. After dinner enjoy an excursion to a rustic wine tavern to listen to folk music and sample newly pressed locally grown wine.
This morning, have a chance to savor the Baroque elegance of romantic Vienna through your choice of one of three 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. The second option is a walking tour of Vienna’s hidden treasures that takes you to secret places and sights like Ankeruhr, a whimsical Art Nouveau clock. Your third option is a guided bike tour along the Danube and through the Donaupark. This afternoon, you can join a guided bike ride to Klosterneuburg Monastery, or explore at your leisure. Be sure to sample some Viennese coffee and pastries.
Wine-themed Cruise:
Spend a free morning in Vienna before enjoying a scenic cruise through the Wachau Valley en route to Krems, wine capital of this region. During your scenic cruise you are treated to an onboard wine lecture and tasting. Later this evening, discover that Krems offers a rich array of wine-related history and culture. After a light buffet dinner on board, head to a Wachau winery for drinks and hors d’oeuvres. The ship overnights in Krems.
Day 5: Weissenkirchen | Emmersdorf | Grein, Austria
After reaching the Wachau Valley early this morning, choose between three tour options: a walking tour along Dürnstein’s cobblestone streets followed by a wine tasting, a hike up to the fortress where Richard the Lionheart was once held for ransom, or an apricots and sweets tasting. Return to the ship and continue onwards, cruising through the gorgeous scenery of the Wachau Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This afternoon, visit the spectacular Benedictine Abbey in Melk, one of Europe’s largest and most revered monasteries and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. See jewel-encrusted crosses containing religious relics, frescoes and richly embroidered vestments, as well as the abbey’s priceless collection of medieval manuscripts. Tonight the ship arrives in Grein, where you may enjoy some free time to explore this charming town.
The ship arrives this morning in Linz. Enjoy a walking tour of the second largest city in Austria or choose a guided bike tour that shows you around the Old City Center, along the Danube River, and past the ultra-modern Ars Electronica Center. Later, choose between three different excursions. The first option is an excursion to Salzburg, Mozart’s birthplace, where you can take a walking tour of the historic center made famous by "The Sound of Music.” The second option is an excursion to the Czech town of Cesky Krumlov, a wonderfully preserved medieval town nestled in the hills just over the Austrian-Czech border. The third option is a visit to the Austrian Lake District, the scenic Salzkammergut region. All three options are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Tonight, savor a fabulous Chaîne Des Rôtisseurs Dinner complete with wine pairing.
Early this morning, cruise through Upper Austria to Passau in Germany, where the rivers Inn and Ilz join the Danube. Enjoy a walking tour of this 2,000-year-old city, noted for its Gothic and Italian Baroque architecture, cobblestone streets and squares like Rathaus, Domplatz, and Residenzplatz, as well as St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Guests looking for a more active morning can choose between a guided bike tour along the Danube from Passau to Erlau, or a guided hike up to the Veste Oberhaus fortress overlooking Passau. This afternoon, the ship cruises to the medieval town of Vilshofen. Here, enjoy a festive Oktoberfest celebration with local beer and Bavarian folk music and dancing.
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Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
$2,899
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Cat. E
Violin & Cello Deck
French Balcony, 170 sq. ft.
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Cat.D
Piano Deck
Fixed Windows, 160 sq. ft.
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Cat.CB
Violin Deck
French Balcony, 155 sq. ft.
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Cat.CA
Violin & Cello Deck
French Balcony, 170 sq. ft.
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Cat.BB
Cello Deck
French Balcony & Outside Balcony, 210 sq. ft.
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Cat.BA
Violin Deck
French Balcony & Outside Balcony, 210 sq. ft.
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Cat.AB
Cello Deck
French Balcony & Outside Balcony, 235 sq. ft.
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Cat.AA
Violin Deck
French Balcony & Outside Balcony, 235 sq. ft.
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Suite
Violin Deck
French Balcony & Outside Balcony, 350 sq. ft.
Notes
Single supplement is 50%, except for Suites which are 100%.
Everything was amazing! The planning with Adventure Life went smoothly. The actual trip was fantastic! One of the best trips I have experienced. The cruise staff members were knowledgeable and attentive. I will be writing more about this on the blog!
Justin Chappelle
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.