We travel by coach or rail to our overnight hotel in Munich.
After breakfast we travel by coach or rail and board our ship in Passau, known as the ‘three rivers city’ due to its unique location where the Danube, Inn and Ilz rivers meet. Those travelling by air join today. You can then enjoy a relaxing evening onboard as we set sail and cruise towards Melk.
This morning we arrive in the small town of Melk, which lies in the beautiful Wachau valley. Here you can join our optional excursion visiting the Benedictine Abbey. This is one of the most famous monastic houses in Austria and has been occupied by monks for over 900 years. You can relax onboard for the remainder of the day as we cruise to Vienna for an overnight stop.
We spend a full day experiencing the delights of Vienna. Grand palaces, baroque castles, magnificent squares and striking monuments are just some of the key features of this beautiful city, which is a world heritage site. In the morning you can join our optional city tour followed by lunch onboard. This afternoon you can take advantage of our optional excursion to Belvedere Palace, a stunning Baroque building made up of two palaces, an orangery and the palace stables. The palace is also home to an incredible collection of art, including the world’s largest collection of work by Gustav Klimt. In the early evening we cast off and cruise towards Budapest.
Today we arrive into Budapest. Enjoy lunch onboard the ship before joining our optional tour of this fascinating city. Budapest is one of the most beautiful cities in the world with an extensive area recognised as a world heritage site. We can explore both sides of Hungary’s capital which is divided by the meandering Danube – traditional Buda and the more cosmopolitan Pest. Most of the famous sites are concentrated around Castle Hill on the Buda side, in downtown Pest and along the riverside walkways. Look out for the Royal Palace, Fishermen’s Bastion, the Parliament building, St Stephen’s Basilica, Heroes’ Square and the Chain Bridge. We return to the ship for a relaxing dinner onboard then there’s the chance to join our optional excursion to experience Budapest by night with a traditional folklore show.
Enjoy a morning in Budapest or join our optional excursion which takes you through the sweeping plains of Hungary to Lajosmizse. Here we visit a traditional stud farm and enjoy a tour of the grounds in a horse-drawn carriage, before watching a spectacular live Puszta horse show. We set sail in the afternoon and cruise towards Bratislava.
We reach Bratislava this morning where there’s the opportunity to 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. Lunch is served onboard and the afternoon is free to explore Bratislava at your leisure before we enjoy dinner onboard and cruise towards Dürnstein.
The town of Dürnstein nestles among Austria’s most famous vineyards and is crowned by the ruins of the castle that once imprisoned Richard the Lionheart. It’s a beautiful place filled with cobbled streets, pretty courtyards and 16th century houses. After some free time we set sail for the final time and cruise towards Passau.
We disembark this morning and travel by coach or rail to our overnight hotel. Those travelling by air depart today.
After breakfast we continue our return journey home.
Take advantage of our optional excursion to Belvedere Palace, a stunning Baroque building made up of two palaces, an orangery and the palace stables. The palace is also home to an incredible collection of art, including the world’s largest collection of work by Gustav Klimt.
Price: £42 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!
Price: £28 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.
Price: £25 per person
See this beautiful city when it lights up against the night sky. First of all you can experience an authentic piece of Hungarian culture at a folklore show and enjoy famous gypsy music and dancing with a glass of schnapps. We then take a tour to admire the night-time views from Gellert Hill.
Price: £44 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.
Price: £33 per person
Join us as we travel through the sweeping plains of Hungary to the town of Lajosmizse. We visit a traditional stud farm taking a tour of the grounds in a horse-drawn carriage, before watching human skill and horse power come together in a spectacular live show, performed in an open air arena.
Price: £45 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.
Price: £32 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.