Whether you’re a classical music enthusiast or not, make this part of your Vienna experience! Enjoy this spectacular classical concert at the Kursalon Wien, an exclusive and splendid building of the 19th century, built in Italian Renaissance style. In the very place where Johann Strauss himself used to direct his orchestra from the position of first violin and enjoyed the essence of Vienna’s classical music. The Salonorchester Alt Wien, one of the best‐known interpreters of classical Viennese music, presents an evening full of Viennese charm with waltzes, polkas, arias and duets, as well as operetta and piano concerto melodies. Accompanied by excellent opera vocalists and our enchanting ballet soloists.

Enjoy a rousing performance of the 40-member Hungarian National Folklore Ensemble. The concert will feature music, costumes and dances from various parts of Hungary and will be highlighted with numbers performed by the exquisite Gypsy Musicians! After the performance, a short bus tour will take you across the Chain Bridge and up to Fisherman’s Bastion where you will be able to witness the gorgeous bridges over the Danube under the night’s illumination! Truly breathtaking!

We highly recommend this casual yet delightful walking tour led by our Cruise Director! From the dock you will first visit the largest open air market in Budapest where you can purchase anything from superb Hungarian salami to a nightgown. Then you will proceed down Vaci Utca, the city’s main pedestrian promenade full of shops, cafes and beautiful people! Your tour will end at the historic 140 year-old Gerbeaud Coffee House where you can savor a delicious cup of brew or homemade ice cream and return to the dock via local tram!”

We highly recommend this delightful bus excursion to the small town of Sremski Karlovci, the center of wine production of the region. Here you will visit the Zivanovic family, whose members have been producing their private label “Bermet” wine for over a century, and whose products have been enjoyed by members of the Hapsburg Monarchy as well as the Russian Tsars! Your hosts will welcome you to their home, where you will tour their wine cellars and “Museum of Honey,” which they also produce. In the lovely ambiance of their large garden, they will offer you several varieties of “Bermet” accompanied by honey and snacks – a great way to experience Serbian hospitality firsthand. On the way back, stop at a high school dating from the 18th century with its full library of around 18,000 books. Before returning to your motor coach, don’t be surprised if you meet a few ladies in German folk costumes who have not forgotten their ancestry and who still make the famous German Gugelhupf (kuglof) cake, which you will have a chance to taste for yourselves!

Instead of lunch on board, this tour will take you from downtown Belgrade to the little village of Jarak, where 3 generations of the Serbian Tosic family will welcome you to their farm! Here you will tour their home, their barns with various farm animals, and their fruit orchards from which they brew their own “slivovitz’, or plum brandy, Serbia’s national drink (also known as “rocket fuel”). Then its time for some homemade “grub” and festivities! In a rustic environment, the family and their neighbors will serve you a buffet lunch consisting of a vast array of Serbian delicacies – from “pita” (cheese pie) to homemade “kulen” (special salami) to numerous fresh salads and the house specialty – chicken paprikash. And while Grandpa Tosa enlivens you with his toasts and their two daughters serve you delicious treats, their sons in law and grandkids will pick up the harmonica and other instruments and entertain you with classic folk songs and dances! You may arrive as a tourist – but we guarantee you will leave as a friend!. All your food, wine, slivovitz, soft drinks and hospitality are included!

Disembark the ship right by the impressive fortress of Golubac. Start your tour with a visit of this important witness of the local history. Established in the 13^th century by the Serbs, the fortress played an important role at this strategic point of the river, being held at times by Hungarians, Ottomans, again Serbs. Today the impressive fort with 9 towers will take you to Lord of the Rings World.  Afterwards, the drive along the first section of the Danube gorge will offer you great panoramas from above, a complimentary experience to what you will admire in the afternoon, from the water level. Then, at the eco-ethno complex “Kapetan Mišin breg”, while enjoying a great view of the gorge complemented by culinary specialties and the sounds of wooden flutes, you can listen about the tradition and culture of the Djerdap cuisine and the way of preparing this traditional fare. Within the compound you will find an open-air gallery called “Man, wood, water” which is a collection of sculptures made of wood and stone. The gallery occupies approximately 700m2 of land, and its unique works of art are an enduring fixture at the complex. At the same location there is a wine museum that opened in 2013. Inside you will find an impressive collection of top domestic and international wines. Afterwards, reach the archaeological site of Lepenski Vir, home to the oldest stable human settlement in Europe, dating back to 6000 BC! An impressive glass & steel structure right in the middle of the nature offers shelter to the Museum, comprising the site itself with the foundations of the houses, artifacts of that period, and a media center where you will watch a movie related to the discovery.

Don’t hesitate to take the tour to the most famous natural phenomena in the region, Belogradchik Rocks. Appeared as a result of wind and water erosion, this rocky fairy‐tale is spread from west to east and it is 30 km long and 3 km wide. The most attractive rocks are around the town and named as The Madonna, The Monks, The Rider, The Dervish, The Bear, Adam and Eve, The Castle, The Little Shepherd, The Mushrooms, The Lion ‐ and many others. The Belogradchik fortress incorporates the rocks as part of its natural defense. Settled by the Roman Empire, it was later used and developed by Bulgarian Tsars, then by the Ottomans. Experience the memorable view from the top of the fortress!

No. Visas are not required for US citizens traveling on this program.

If you have purchased your air tickets through us, your transfers will be included. However, transfers are still available for those who would like to arrange their own airfare, for a fee. For more information about transfer rates for this program, please call our office at (714) 556-8258 or toll free (800) 795-1633.

M/S Vivenne or M/S Aurora. These identical sister ships, renovated from the hull up in 2020 and 2021 respectively, are the epitome of affordable luxury on water! Both hold a maximum of only 142 passengers plus an attentive English speaking crew of 38. The cabins are spread out over 3 decks in 4 categories, with full floor to ceiling French balconies in categories “B” through “JS”. With a unique low draft of 150 cm, they can sail most major European rivers even during low or high waters. The ambiance on board is fantastic!

From high level international cuisine, including free drinks for dinner, 24 hour coffee station to on board activities, lectures and games, combined with a truly fascinating itinerary exploring 7 southern European countries, this unique sailing experience is sure to satisfy even the most discriminating cruise aficionado! Non-smoking interiors. On board currency – EURO (€)

There are no telephone lines for outgoing calls on our vessels. Communication from ship to shore can only be done through the Captain’s radio. However, you may bring your US cell phone to use – just please make sure it is “unlocked” by your US provider in order to use it. Free internet and Wi-Fi are available ship-wide and computers are provided near the bar. The service is free, but the level of signal may vary depending on sailing itinerary and location of ports.

While most of Western Europe has adopted the EURO, some of the Eastern European countries still use their own (Hungary-Forint, Serbia – Dinar, Bulgaria-Lev, Romania-Lei). For the rate of exchange to the US dollar, please check online a few days prior to your departure as some of these currencies fluctuate daily. Due to varying foreign currency laws, our ships do NOT have exchange offices on board. Therefore, we highly recommend that you BRING A SUFFICIENT QUANTITY OF EUROS OR DOLLARS in CASH prior to your departure. You will then have ample opportunity to change either Euro/dollar to local currencies.

While on board the ship, all costs are quoted in Euros. Direct payments are accepted in cash (Euros) or signed to your cabin and paid at the end of the navigation by cash or credit card (Visa or MasterCard only). However, a service may be applied to credit card transactions. Please check in advance and remember – cash is still “king” in most Eastern European countries. Personal and Traveler Checks are not accepted.

Due to strict foreign currency laws, here are important notes regarding on shore expenses:
Cash: is accepted and preferred. (Euros & USD)
Credit Cards: are accepted, VISA OR MASTERCARD ONLY! (Limited use outside of urban areas.)
*Credit Card Note: As of May 2014, European credit card processors require credit cards with chips and a 4-digit PIN code. Your USA magnetic strip cards may NOT work at local ATM’s requiring a PIN. Ask your bank for a chip card and/or bring along a debit card with your PIN (or enough cash to cover your expenses!)

Although everyone is different, we suggest that you set aside at least 700 Euros/$1000 USD per person – to cover your optional tours and shopping expenses. If you are planning on purchasing more expensive items you may want to bring more.

Most definitely! We do our best to ensure that each of our programs offer a healthy balance of cultural immersion through our included tours and free time for our passengers. You will have plenty of free time to shop for souvenirs, explore on your own, or take one of the optional tours (when provided.)

Yes, a number of optional excursions will be offered for sale during your cruise. These optional services are priced in Euros. Due to the last minute nature of booking optional tours which require on the spot payments to our land suppliers in local currencies – All Optional Tours require a minimum of 20 passengers in order to operate .

Tipping today has become commonplace in all former Eastern Bloc countries. Due to the volatile nature of these new economies, salaries for regular folk are pitiful compared to the rising costs and inflation – let alone if we compare them to western standards. For the majority of the people working in the service industries (hotels, ships, restaurants, travel), tips and gratuities have become large sources of their income. Therefore, your gracious generosity will be appreciated throughout your trip. However, tips in the “East” are still left to your discretion. Therefore, no service – no tip! We generally recommend that each person set aside $250 to cover all tipping needs for the total duration of the program – but this is merely a suggested amount. You may leave as little or as much as you feel comfortable with. If you endear yourself to any particular crew member and wish to award them directly – please feel free to do so!

For more information about tipping, including Individual vs. Pooled Tipping, please take a look at our detailed Travel Tips For Danube Discovery Cruise.

Special meal requests are possible. If you have any food allergies or special dietary needs, please be sure to notify our office at least 90 days prior to your departure. We and the restaurant staff will make every effort to arrange for special meals, however, if you have strict dietary restrictions, you may want to bring some non-perishable snacks, crackers, dried fruits, dietary sweeteners, or other items that will compliment the limited variety of special meals.

For a complete list of suggested items to bring, please read our detailed Travel Tips For Danube Discovery Cruise. But here are a few important items that often get overlooked!

Electrical current in hotels and on the ship is 220 volts/50MHZ. In order to use appliances, including shavers, hair-dryers, chargers for movie cameras, etc., you will need to bring:
1) Universal Transformer: to convert from US 110 Volts to 220. (Note: recent electronic equipment such as laptops and cameras MAY automatically convert. Please check your individual item.)
2) Universal Adapter Plugs: Round pins for sockets that are different than at home. Since there are no supplies of converters/ adapters, we recommend you purchase a transformer/ adapter plug set at any electronics or appliance store before you leave.

PLEASE DO NOT FORGET: Medications which are vital to your health. A letter should accompany these from your doctor (signed and dated), certifying that such medications are vital to your health. Dosage should be indicated. Always pack any personal medications in your carry-on luggage, not in your checked baggage. Additionally, those passengers with lighter physical disabilities must report them to us at the time of booking.