We arrive in Vienna around lunchtime, where there will be the opportunity to join our optional Vienna city tour. Our guided tour takes in the many highlights of Austria’s beautiful capital, including an abundance of grand palaces, baroque castles, magnificent squares and striking monuments. Later this evening, we set sail for the charming town of Kalocsa in Hungary.
We arrive in Kalocsa in the early afternoon where you will have free time to explore. Set on the bank of the Danube, Kalocsa is one of Hungary’s oldest towns and dates back to the early 11th century. As the town evolved it became known for paprika production and intricate handcrafted embroidery. This evening we enjoy dinner onboard before sailing to Mohacs and then onward to Belgrade.
We arrive in the Serbian capital of Belgrade around lunchtime. The city of Belgrade lies at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. There is plenty of time to see the highlights of this fascinating city on our optional tour, which is a great way to see the main sights; including the huge Belgrade Fortress and St Sava Church, one of the biggest churches in the world. We enjoy dinner onboard this evening and sail overnight towards the Iron Gate.
This morning we arrive in Ruse, which is the fifth largest city in Bulgaria, where there’s some free time to explore. Ruse is one of Bulgaria's most elegant cities full of belle époque architecture, leafy squares, an abundance of museums plus its ruined Roman fortress, standing guard high over the Danube. Lunch is served on board the ship before we set sail towards the Romanian city of Tulcea.
We arrive into the picturesque city of Oltenita this morning. Here you can join our optional excursion which takes you to the Romanian capital of Bucharest, where there’s plenty of time to explore the wide tree-lined boulevards and admire the many landmarks including Parliament Palace – one of the largest buildings in the world. We rejoin our cruise in Giurgiu and set sail for the Iron Gate.
This afternoon, there’s the opportunity to join our optional city tour of Pécs, which is one of the most interesting cities in Hungary. Lying equidistant from the Danube to the east and the Dráva to the south on a plain sheltered from the northern winds by the hills, Pécs has a microclimate that lengthens the summer and is ideal for fruit production. It has an illustrious past and a number of excellent museums, monuments and a handful of universities. Enjoy a relaxed evening onboard as we cruise to the Hungarian capital of Budapest.
We arrive into Bratislava in the afternoon where you can join our optional excursion taking in 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 enjoying a relaxing dinner onboard our ship. This evening we continue cruising along the Danube towards Melk.
We arrive in the Austrian town of Melk this morning, which is filled with quaint cobbled streets and striking 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 this morning. Relax and enjoy your last night on board the ship this evening, as we cruise back towards Passau.
After breakfast we continue our return journey home to the UK.
Book all of the below excursions from as little as
2022:
£239 per person
2023:
£255 per person
Explore the Serbian capital on our optional city tour, which is a great way to see the main sights including the beautiful Church of St Sava and the huge Belgrade Fortress, which stands on top of a ridge overlooking the Sava and Danube rivers.
2022:
Price: £23 per person
2023:
Price: £26 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
Visit the Romanian capital of Bucharest, where there’s plenty of time to explore the wide tree-lined boulevards and admire many landmarks including the Arch of Triumph, the beautiful Romanian Atheneum and Parliament Palace - the second largest building in the world after the US Pentagon.
2022:
Price: £40 per person
2023:
Price: £41 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
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
Novi Sad is the second largest city in Serbia after Belgrade. The most recognised landmark is the Petrovaradin Fortress, which dominates the city from its position on the right bank of the Danube.
2022:
Price: £19 per person
2023:
Price: £21 per person
Pécs is a city of art and history, home to the largest Turkish ruins in Hungary. See the Gazi Kasim Mosque in the middle of the main square and wander along Király and Káptalan Street. Pécs is also a city of love, with couples from around the world visiting Janus Pannonius Street, where they place a padlock on the street railings to symbolise their lasting love for each other.
2022:
Price: £19 per person
2023:
Price: £21 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
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.
If our included flights are not suitable, alternative flights may also be available from other airports on our arrival and departure dates. These may have an additional supplement and are subject to availability at the time of booking.
Where possible, transfers will also be included, although if you choose to arrive or depart on a different day, there may be an additional supplement charged to cover your transfer costs.
Please call one of our friendly Holiday Advisors to check flight options and availability for this holiday.
Travel independently to Central London the day before your cruise and take advantage of our complimentary shuttle to Ashford for an overnight stay. Our coach will then collect you after breakfast the following morning.
Pick ups are available from London Euston, Kings Cross, Liverpool Street, Paddington Station, Waterloo, St Pancras and Victoria Coach Station.
Call our friendly Holiday Advisors for me information.
You can choose from a wider choice of departure points if you join at the departure port. Leave your car in a secure car park, close to the port of departure and be collected/returned by our coach.
Car parking at Dover Eastern Docks is £9 per day, we can pre-book parking for you at Dover.
Newcastle £12 per day, Hull £8 per day, payable upon departure from the car park.
Please 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.