Save $700CAD and Fly Free - Danube Dreams with Avalon Waterways
Price: $4,616CAD Per Person
(Featured price is per person, cruise only, based on double occupancy, cabin category D, on the departure date indicated, and includes all taxes and fees and the Avalon $350CAD per person discount.)
Offer: Fly Free Plus Save $700CAD Per Couple on Select 2023 Avalon Waterways Europe River Cruises
Departure Date: October 31, 2023
Return Date: November 7, 2023
Video: Cruising Elevated – Avalon Waterways
Avalon has designed included activities with a choice of experiences. We invite you to select the tours, activities, and events that interest you most, so you can experience your cruise your way.
Below are 3 types of included shore excursions for you to experience.
- Classic. Your local expert is ready to guide you through the history and heritage of local destinations. You’ll marvel at the legends, lore, and spectacular architecture of iconic and historic sites.
- Discovery. We’ve found inspiring and interactive activities to speak to your interests - from cooking classes to painting workshops - to immerse yourself in each culture you explore.
- Active. Embark on energetic excursions to keep you in motion and on the go - from a guided jogging tour of Amsterdam to biking, paddling, and hiking your way through scenic locales.
Inclusions
- 7-night cruise in an outside stateroom
- Daily included port excursions
- All meals included while on a ship (including Captain’s & farewell dinners)
- Complimentary beer and wine with lunch and dinner\
- A Master of Wine will travel with you on your cruise to host lectures, tastings, and tips on food–and–wine pairing
Photo: Map of the Danube Dreams for Wine Lovers (Eastbound) itinerary
Day 1: Vilshofen. Germany (Embarkation)
Welcome to Germany. Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding. Flights into Munich must arrive by 2 pm. Guests must be on board the ship by 5 pm. Explore your ship and enjoy dinner on your first evening on board.
Day 2: Passau - Schlögen Oxbow
Where the Danube, Inn, and Ilz Rivers Meet.
Active: Follow your Avalon Adventure Host for Hiking from Oberhaus along a trail down to the valley and along Ilz River.
Classic: Join a Guided City Walk to learn more about this beautiful “City of Three Rivers."
Before sailing to Linz, take a little free time to explore Passau’s cobblestone streets and galleries of Artists’ Alley. Maybe stop at St. Stephen’s Cathedral to catch a concert rehearsal.
Discovery: Join an onboard lecture hosted by your Master of Wine while sailing to Linz.
This afternoon, cruise to Linz through the Danube’s dramatic horseshoe bend called Schlögen Oxbow. Later, enjoy live entertainment on board.
Day 3: Linz, Austria
Legendary and Lovely Linz. Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.
Classic: Take a Guided Walk through the city’s historic and beautiful sites along the shore of the Danube and see Hauptplatz—Austria’s largest medieval square—and the towering white-marble Trinity Column.
Consider a full-day Guided Optional Excursion to Salzburg—the city of Mozart, or to the picturesque Bohemian town of Cesky Krumlov. You may otherwise spend the afternoon on a biking picnic along the banks of the Danube or hike through Linz’s beautiful nature trails to Pöstlingberg for a bird’s-eye view of the city and river below.
Discovery: Onboard food and wine pairing dinner hosted by your Master of Wine.
Photo: Wine Cellar Excursion on an Avalon cruise
Day 4: Ybbs. Excursion to Melk-Wachau Valley
Frescoes Above and Vineyards Below.
Classic: Visit the Lower Austrian little town of Ybbs. Walk through the doors of Austrian history with a guided sightseeing tour of Artstetten Castle or take a Guided Tour of Melk’s magnificent Benedictine Abbey to marvel at its frescoed ceilings, statues, incredible library, and ornate pipe organ.
Later, stretch out on the Sky Deck as you sail through the Wachau Valley past vineyards, castles, and charming villages on your way to Dürnstein.
Durnsten: A King’s Ransom and Castle Ruins.
Active: Join a Guided Hike up to the castle ruins to take in the spectacular view of the village, Danube, and the Wachau Valley below.
Classic: Join a Guided Walk, and hear the legendary tale of King Richard the Lionheart—who was imprisoned in the castle here during the Crusades.
Discovery: Discover the fascinating world of wine within a labyrinth underneath the surface which is about 900 years old. While sipping a selection of different wines, you will learn how wine production developed over the centuries till nowadays.
Later, enjoy live entertainment on board your ship.
Day 5: Vienna
Viennese Waltzes on the Blue Danube.
Active: Explore Vienna's Danube Island by bike with your Adventure Host.
Classic: Explore the Habsburg empire with a morning Guided City Tour of Vienna’s gilded landmarks. See the Imperial Palace complex—the winter residence of the Imperial Family, the iconic Vienna Opera House, and stunning St. Stephen’s Cathedral.
Join a Guided Optional Excursion to Schönbrunn Palace—the summer home of the Habsburg monarchy. Spend free time strolling on the pedestrian Kärntnerstrasse—the most famous shopping avenue in central Vienna. Take a bike ride through the city and stop in a local café to enjoy Sachertorte or Apfelstrudel. This evening, enjoy an unforgettable musical performance with an Optional Excursion to attend a Royal Waltz Concert in an elegant hall.
Photo: Vienna, Austria
Day 6: Bratislava, Slovakia
Cathedral Coronations and a Crowning Castle.
Active: Follow your Avalon Adventure Host on a hike to lofty Bratislava Castle.
Classic: Take a Guided City Walk, including the quaint streets of Old Town, Town Hall, and the sight of royal coronations at St. Martin’s Cathedral.
Enjoy free time to discover on your own Bratislava, the beautiful capital of Slovakia, rich in history and culture, but also a green city with its forests and parks just a hop away from the city center.
Day 7: Budapest, Hungary
War Heroes and Hot Water.
Active: Hike up to a magnificent viewpoint in Budapest with your Adventure Host.
Discovery: Enjoy a Guided City Sightseeing, including the iconic Heroes’ Square, and a visit to a unique wine cellar system where you can taste Hungarian wines in a very special way.
This afternoon chooses among a wide offer of Optional Guided Excursions or take in the beauty of Budapest while enjoying some free time exploring such famous sights as the Chain Bridge. Get to know the city’s cafés and pubs, or take a hike through the hills above the Danube.
Photo: Panorama Suite
Day 8: Budapest (Disembarkation)
Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning.