We travel to Cologne and enjoy a relaxing evening onboard our ship before sailing overnight towards Rüdesheim.
Relax on the sun deck this morning as we pass the legendary Lorelei and continue our cruise along the Rhine through the spectacular Rhine Gorge. We stop at the quaint wine town of Rüdesheim where you can enjoy many highlights on our optional excursion, including a cable car ride for panoramic views across the Rhine valley. Join our evening optional excursion visiting a traditional wine cellar to sample some of the region’s delicious wine.
This morning we arrive in the fascinating city of Mainz, heralded as the wine capital of Germany. Here you have the morning free to explore or join our optional coach excursion visiting the majestic city of Heidelberg, home of Germany’s oldest university. Later today we set sail for Miltenberg.
We arrive into historic Miltenberg this morning where there’s free time to explore the pearl of the river Main. Explore the half-timbered houses which fill the Old Market Place or the oldest part of the town which sits between the Main River and the mountain Greinberg. We return to the ship for lunch before an afternoon sailing to Würzburg.
This morning we arrive in the city of Würzburg, which served as the home of powerful prince-bishops for centuries. Join our optional excursion to visit Würzburg Palace, one of the finest pieces of baroque art in the world, its 8th century church and the Fortress Marienberg. This evening enjoy a relaxing evening on board as we set sail for Bamberg.
We enjoy lunch on board before arriving into the beautiful Bavarian town of Bamberg which is located at the start of the Main-Danube canal. Surrounded by seven hills, it boasts the most intact centre in Germany with the old town listed as a world heritage site because of its authentic medieval appearance. Join our optional tour of the city to enjoy the main sights including the cathedral, Altenburg Castle, the Old Town Hall and the former Benedictine Monastery. This evening we enjoy dinner on board and set sail for Nuremberg.
This morning we arrive in Nuremberg, Bavaria’s second largest city after Munich. Here, there’s the opportunity to join our sight-seeing tour. The majority of the city walls still stand and inside you can explore the fascinating juxtaposition of medieval and modern life in an area filled with gothic churches, aristocratic houses, fountains, memorials and romantic corners, all dominated by the Kaiser Castle. Our optional excursion is a great way to make the most of our visit. This evening we cruise towards Regensburg.
We arrive in Regensburg in the morning, which is located at the northernmost point of the Danube and also at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers. You’ll have the opportunity to join our optional city tour this afternoon, taking in one of the best preserved medieval centres which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. This evening, relax onboard as we sail overnight to Passau.
This morning we arrive into Passau where you can join our optional excursion to Salzburg, Mozart’s famed birthplace and the Sound of Music city. The centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site and our guided tour takes in some of the highlights of this historic city, with its Baroque architecture and fantastic squares, where you can relax with a typical Austrian coffee and cake. We rejoin our ship in Linz and set sail for Melk this evening.
We arrive in the Austrian town of Melk this morning, which is filled with cobbled streets and attractive buildings. It is also overlooked by one of the most splendid monastic houses in Austria – the Benedictine Abbey, which you can visit on our optional excursion. We return to the ship for lunch before we continue our cruise to Vienna, where we arrive later this evening.
After breakfast you can take advantage of our optional sight-seeing tour by coach, taking in the delights of Vienna, capital of Austria and birthplace of classical music. More than 150 grand palaces, over 27 baroque castles, impressive squares and striking monuments are just some of the key features of this magnificent city, whose historic centre is inscribed on the world heritage list. We return to our ship for lunch and set sail towards Bratislava where we arrive later today. This afternoon, there’s the opportunity to join our optional excursion to this historic Capital city which is dominated by its castle and unique suspension bridge. We’ll enjoy a walking tour with a local guide and sample ‘Makovka’ which is a sweet white chocolate with poppy seed filling, before sailing to Budapest this evening.
We arrive into Budapest around lunchtime where you have the opportunity to join our optional sight-seeing tour of the city, described by many as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Our tour introduces you to the highlights on both sides of the river, including the 700-year-old Matthias Church, Parliament building – a magnificent example of neo-gothic architecture, and Buda Castle, which rises 48 metres above the river. This evening, we enjoy a relaxing final evening onboard our ship.
This morning we bid farewell to our captain and crew and disembark our ship. Passengers travelling by air will be transferred to the airport for the return flight. Passengers travelling by rail will travel to Munich where we check into our overnight hotel.
After breakfast we continue our return journey back to the UK.
Please note: Due to low bridges the sun deck will be closed on some days
Bamberg’s brewing industry goes back almost 900 years to the days when monasteries were the first breweries. This guided tour takes you around the old town so you can see the highlights, including the town hall, Bamberg cathedral and stunning architecture dating from the 11th to the 19th centuries.
2022:
Price: £39 per person
2023:
Price £40 per person
Our guided tour of this magnificent city allows you to explore the charming squares, courtyards and narrow lanes of the Slovakian capital. The old town is filled with all the must-see sites and is a pedestrian zone which makes exploring on foot a safe and relaxing activity. You’ll also get to sample the sweet delicacy ‘Makova’ as well!
2022:
Price: £29 per person
2023:
Price: £32 per person
Budapest is an architectural gem filled with baroque, neoclassical and eclectic buildings. Accompanied by a local guide, our coach tour takes in some of the most beautiful areas including Gellert Hill, Heroes Square and Castle Hill and the splendid terrace of Fisherman’s Bastion which offers a grand panorama of almost the entire city.
2022:
Price: £28 per person
2023:
Price: £30 per person
Heidelberg is one of the most popular destinations in Germany. Here you have free time to explore the main attractions including its castle, the Church of the Holy Ghost, and its university - the oldest in Germany. A 15-minute climb or funicular ride (not included) leads you to view the restored areas of the castle.
2022:
Price: £22 per person
2023:
Price : £27 per person
Discover one of the world’s most famous monastic sites. Today, Melk Abbey is a prestigious school with more than 800 students, yet black-robed Benedictine monks still stroll among the marble structures and frescoed walls. Our guided tour shows you the magnificent Marble Hall, Emperor’s Gallery, Abbey Church and the terrace where you can enjoy fine views of the Danube river and the town. There is also free time to explore the grounds and the gardens.
2022:
Price: £45 per person
2023:
Price: £46 per person
Our coach takes you through this medieval city, which was beautifully restored with original stone after being destroyed in the Second World War. The old town is almost completely surrounded by the 15th- and 16th-century city walls, and is filled with half-timbered houses, cobblestone squares and the mighty Kaiserberg Castle.
Price: £46 per person
This excursion shows you the highlights of Regensburg, a fascinating city with over 1,500 listed buildings. Many of these make up the old town which became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2006.
2022:
Price: £29 per person
2023:
Price: £30 per person
A road train ride transports you to view fascinating examples of early 1900 mechanical music making systems at Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Museum. We also include a cable car ride that rises 37 metres up the hillside to reach the iconic Niederwald Monument. This is a unique experience, taking you over the sloping vineyards for an amazing panoramic view of the romantic Rhine valley.
2022:
Price: £36 per person
2023:
Price: £38 per person
A road train transports you to a traditional wine cellar to sample some of the region’s best wines, before exploring the captivating Drosselgasse, which is filled with little taverns and courtyards and is the cultural heart of the town. We stop on the way in a tavern for a traditional Rüdesheim coffee, music and dancing.
Price: £39 per person
Salzburg is the birthplace of Mozart and home to ‘The Sound of Music’. This enchanting city is set on the banks of the River Salzach, framed by the Kapuzinerberg and Mönchsberg mountain range. Our tour takes in the highlights of this beautiful city.
Price: £49 per person
This is the perfect introduction to Vienna; the city of music. Our tour focuses on the historic centre and its rich architecture, where we learn about the baroque castles and gardens and the 19th-century Ringstrasse, is lined with grand buildings, monuments and parks. This tour is part coach and part walking.
2022:
Price: £36 per person
2023:
Price: £38 per person
The residence of the former prince bishops is one of the most important baroque castles in Europe and an absolute must-see for visitors to Würzburg. Our guided tour starts in the opulent Garden Hall and takes you to the grand staircase, through the White Hall to the Imperial Hall – one of the most magnificent in the history of palace architecture.
2022:
Price: £45 per person
2023:
Price: £46 per person
Listed below are our flexible travel options that give you the choice of different ways to travel to your cruise.
Step aboard Eurostar at London St Pancras for a fast and comfortable journey to mainland Europe. You can even upgrade your reserved seat to Standard Premier – speak to our Holiday Advisors for more information. On arrival in Paris, Lille or Brussels, you will then join connecting services for your onward journey.
For those travelling from further afield, you can also book overnight accommodation in London, before and after your holiday. Speak to our Holiday Advisors for more information.
Our new 4-star ship has all the ingredients of an unforgettable river cruise; comfort, style and the crew’s unfaltering attention to detail is everything.
MS Arena is completely deserving of its place in our premier cruise collection! Whether you’re cruising the Dutch Waterways, the rivers Rhine, Moselle or Danube, all the way to the Black Sea, this elegant, 4-star ship promises everything you’d wish for – and more – making for an unforgettable river cruising experience.