Leave USA for Europe

Welcome to the ‘Pearl of the Danube’. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your Emerald Cruises Star-Ship, home for the next seven nights. Flights should arrive in Budapest before 5:00 pm.

This evening, join your fellow guests for a folklore performance onboard and a traditional Hungarian dinner. After dinner, relax on the Sun Deck and enjoy the fabulous view of the city, aglow in nighttime splendor. Meal: D

EmeraldPLUS: A traditional Hungarian folklore show on board

Pre or post-cruise hotel stays are available in Budapest. Call for details.

Explore Budapest’s cobbled medieval quarter, as you embark on a coach tour through the UNESCO World Heritage city center. Your guide will highlight a number of architectural wonders and also talk about Budapest’s culinary scene. The tour will end at the Grand Market Hall, the city’s most expansive indoor food & craft market, where you’ll have time to explore on your own. If you are feeling more active, you may instead choose to hike to Gellert Hill. The surrounding area has been rebuilt several times, most recently following the air raids of WWII. Some 18th-century Baroque houses still stand, best explored by foot along the medieval paths and alleyways around Buda Castle. Meals: B, L, D

EmeraldACTIVE: Guided hike to Gellert Hill (instead of a city tour)

DiscoverMORE: Szentendre (additional expense)

This morning, relax onboard while sailing into the capital of Slovakia. This graceful nation became an independent country in 1993, and since then, Bratislava has flourished as a new capital and made a name for itself as a cultural center. The romantic cobblestone lanes that weave through the city are explored with your local guide, as you enjoy a walking tour of the ancient town center, seeing the Slovak National Theater and a range of Gothic and Art Nouveau buildings. For the more active guests, embark on a guided hike to Bratislava Castle, a landmark steeped in legends that looks as though it came from the pages of a fairytale book. Meals: B, L, D

EmeraldACTIVE: A guided hike to Bratislava Castle (instead of a city tour)
EmeraldPLUS: Local Slovakian entertainment onboard
DiscoverMORE: Carpathian Wine Route (additional expense)

Welcome to Vienna, Austria’s capital and the capital of classical music. The city perfectly encapsulates the opulence of the Habsburg Monarchy and their ornate Baroque palaces. On the included city tour, see monuments and buildings of grandeur as the coach drives along the famous Ringstrasse.

During the walking tour, stroll with your guide through the city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Marvel at the classical architectural styles of the buildings, see St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the Hofburg Palace, right in the heart of the city center. If you are feeling more active, opt to explore on two wheels, cycling along the river to Danube Island. Meals: B, L, D

EmeraldACTIVE: Bike tour in Vienna (instead of city tour)
DiscoverMORE: An exclusive Viennese evening concert with the music of Mozart and Strauss (additional expense)

This morning sail along the river and through the UNESCO World Heritage Wachau Valley en route to Dürnstein. Enjoy time at leisure in this charming village, known as “The Pearl of the Wachau Valley”. This afternoon, depart on a guided tour of Gottweig Abbey, one of Austria’s most important Benedictine abbeys. Sitting atop a hill near Krems, this architectural treasure overlooks the UNESCO World Heritage Wachau Valley. Alternatively, cycle past the terraced vineyards and castles as you join a guided bike tour. Meals: B, L, D

EmeraldACTIVE*: Guided hike to Dürnstein Castle
EmeraldACTIVE*: Guided bike tour along the Danube

*the EmeraldACTIVE events overlap; only one can be selected

After a relaxing morning onboard, the ship arrives in Passau, where cobblestone streets and graceful arcades welcome you. On an included walking tour of this city on the confluence of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz Rivers, stroll through the old town’s narrow alleyways and see its noteworthy architecture. St. Stephen’s Cathedral is a wonderful example of Baroque architecture and home to Europe’s largest pipe organ, with more than 17,000 pipes. After some free time, return to the ship for a leisurely sailing along the river to Regensburg. Meals: B, L, D

DiscoverMORE*: Excursion to the Bavarian Forest (additional expense)
DiscoverMORE*: Visit to Schuetz Museum Engelhartszell (additional expense)
EmeraldACTIVE: Guided bike tour along the River Inn (instead of included city tour)

*the DiscoverMORE’s overlap; only one can be selected

A morning arrival in Regensburg brings you to one of Germany’s best-preserved medieval cities and home to one of the oldest bridges crossing the Danube. As a local guide leads you through cobblestone lanes on a walking tour, discover the UNESCO World Heritage city center and see many of the city’s architectural highlights. Enjoy a Bavarian sausage tasting during the tour for a real ‘taste’ of local life! Alternatively, join a bike tour to the Walhalla Monument, towering high above the slopes of the Danube. The site affords a fascinating view of the surrounding landscape and the river below. This evening, a traditional Bavarian band performs onboard. The ship remains docked in Regensburg overnight. Meals: B, L, D

A morning arrival in Regensburg brings you to one of Germany’s best-preserved medieval cities and home to one of the oldest bridges crossing the Danube. As a local guide leads you through cobblestone lanes on a walking tour, discover the UNESCO World Heritage city center and see many of the city’s architectural highlights. Enjoy a Bavarian sausage tasting during the tour for a real ‘taste’ of local life! Alternatively, join a bike tour to the Walhalla Monument, towering high above the slopes of the Danube. The site affords a fascinating view of the surrounding landscape and the river below. This evening, a traditional Bavarian band performs onboard. The ship remains docked in Regensburg overnight. Meals: B, L, D

EmeraldACTIVE: Bike tour to Walhalla Monument (instead of included tour)
EmeraldPLUS: Traditional Bavarian Band onboard Bike tour to Walhalla Monument (instead of included tour)
EmeraldPLUS: Traditional Bavarian Band onboard

After breakfast, say goodbye to your Captain and crew as you disembark your ship and depart by motorcoach for either Munich (Oktoberfest departures) or Prague, Czech Republic. Upon arrival, you’ll have free time for lunch on your own before the included city tour highlighting the famous sites of these beautiful cities. The tour concludes at the hotel with the evening at leisure. Meal: B

Stay in the Hotel Jalta or similar, Prague, Czech Republic, or Novotel Hotel in Munich.

Your final day is free of planned activities for your independent exploration of the wonderful city of Prague. Or, if you choose, join the morning optional excursion to Terezin Concentration Camp. Meal: B

DiscoverMORE: Terezin Concentration Camp (additional expense)

Bid a fond farewell to Europe and return home with wonderful memories of life enriching experiences from your cruise along the Danube River. Meal: B

Bid a fond farewell to Europe and return home with wonderful memories of life enriching experiences from your cruise along the Danube River. Meal: B