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This delectable excursion is a short drive from Zürich, one of the overnight calls on the 12-day Paris To The Swiss Alps river voyage via France and Germany. The other overnight stay, in Paris, allows time to choose between trips to Monet’s Gardens, the Palace of Versailles, an evening cabaret or a city tour to see the city lit up at night. At the Belvedere Palace, you can make your own framed mirror with gold stones at a private workshop, channelling Vienna’s renowned artist, Gustav Klimt, who used gold leaf in many of his works. This Baroque-style museum is home to precious art including iconic works by Klimt such as ‘The Kiss’. Stroll through the palace gardens and into the Upper Belvedere, admiring views of this exquisite city along the way. The Viking 23-day European Sojourn river voyage covers eight countries along the Rhine, Main and Danube.
Cruise to enchanting destinations
On the Romantic Danube, you will get to savor your favorite Hungarian, Austrian and German dishes. I am talking about goulash (which you’ll actually get to have the Hungarian and the Czech versions), Esterházy tortes and Sacher tortes, schnitzels! You’ll even get to have peach schnapps when you depart Austria. From my last cruise experience, the bathroom situation was really difficult, and it didn’t even try to make you feel like you’re not on a ship. On the Viking Tor, the bathroom felt like a small hotel bathroom, and the toiletries weren’t even travel size.
The Upper Danube Is a Popular Itinerary for First-timers
Viking offers a Privileged Access shore excursion to the Alma Deutscher Mozart & Strauss performance, which takes place at the exquisite Wiener Konzerthaus. Vienna Staatsoper, or State Opera, is home to the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and Vienna State Ballet, with a jam-packed program of 350 annual performances. Listen to the magical sounds of Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss and Vivaldi played out by some of the world's top conductors and performers. You could also join a behind-the-scenes 40-minute guided tour to learn about the history and architecture of this 19th-century Renaissance-style building, including the Tea Salon, Marble Hall and the richly decorated auditorium.
Entertainment on Viking River Cruises
While you could spend your entire time eating desserts down the Danube, Vienna is the absolute worst. It’s also the best, according to Mark, because it was his favourite Viking Danube river cruise excursion of all. I can talk about the walking tour we did on our first full day in the Bavarian town of Passau. Our guide was ‘Burgundy Brigitta,’ a flamboyantly-dressed woman who took us to St Stephan’s Cathedral, which has the largest pipe organ in Europe.
Visit Budapest’s Castle District and cross the famous Chain Bridge. You also don’t have to purchase Air Plus at the time you book your cruise. Then 2 months or so before the trip, when they sent me my air travel itinerary and I saw that our flights included 2 layovers and was basically almost 30 hours of travel, I called Viking immediately. I told them that that much travel is too much for my husband with limited mobility. So they were able to find and rebook us flights with only 1 layover, for a total of about only 15 hours of travel. Online, on MyVikingJourney.com, with your booking number, you’ll have your Viking account.
Cruise Line Marks Launch of River Cruise High-Season - Cruise Hive
Cruise Line Marks Launch of River Cruise High-Season.
Posted: Wed, 20 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
They have pastries at the coffee / tea station as well, in case you get hungry between meals. Christmas Markets are big in Germany, but virtually every European city features at least one market, so it’s a great way to get into the holiday spirit and get your shopping done. Temperatures could be in the 30s to 50s, and there will most likely be snow. With cooler and shorter days, you also may not be able to enjoy the top deck of the ship as much as you would like.
Only packing and unpacking once, your longship is a relaxing floating home as you move seamlessly from place to place. You'll sail to Regensburg through the picture-postcard landscapes of the UNESCO-listed Wachau Valley and stop overnight in the magnificent Austrian capital Vienna. There, you're likely to hear that famous "Blue Danube" Strauss waltz played at one of Viking's visits to an atmospheric concert hall. Along the way you'll have the chance to learn how to make tasty Austrian dumplings or cycle along flat paths beside the sparkling river. Itinerary and shore excursions are subject to change and may vary by departure.
Viking River Cruise Danube Waltz Review
There is always something new to see, whether it’s the night lights of Vienna, vineyards in sunshine or crumbling ruins. The Viking Ullur, one of the longships that cruise the Danube, was launched in 2019. In order to do the Viking excursion to Český Krumlov, we’d had to forgo the morning tour to Linz, the magnitude of what I might have missed only hitting me now.
Take a World War II History Lesson in Nuremberg
Iconic cities like Budapest, Vienna and Prague are just a few popular examples to tack onto your cruise. Crowds are a little thinner, the wine-producing regions host harvest festivals and you will see fall foliage colors along the way. Outside of winter, temperatures on the Danube range from 40s to 60s in the spring and fall, to high-70s and 80s in the height of summer. The crisp spring air welcomes new growth, with flowering fields and many cities featuring Easter markets, while summer will be the height of festivals and special events. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. Consider Viking’s Christmas on the Danube voyage to experience the city's magical cinnamon-scented Christmas markets.
Highlights include the abbey museum and the Imperial Staircase. This glowing retreat has an extraordinary ceiling fresco by Paul Troger from 1739 above the monumental imperial staircase -- it's one of the largest staircases of its kind in the world. Viking offers a Heurigen Dinner shore excursion where you can sample all the best wines and foods this region has to offer. Mark booked his flight through Viking as he found they offered the cheapest fare, but because he went two days before the cruise, we had to arrange our own transportation to the ship. The tour with the most walking we did was the day trip to Cesky Krumlov as the castle is on a hill.
A-ROSA has 20-plus years of experience in sailing couples, families, groups and solo travellers along some of Europe’s loveliest rivers in laidback style, giving you lots of freedom to explore port stops at your own pace. On a river cruise, you can discover multiple destinations – and even get to the heart of them with a guided tour, should you wish – in just one trip, all the while returning to the same luxurious stateroom and comfy bed each night. The Danube is a year-round destination with the exception of January and February, when few cruise lines operate here. Summer, when the weather is hottest, is peak season and as a result Europe’s cities are particularly crowded.
Remember to bring your passport since you are going to another country. It’s about a 2 hour drive from Passau to Salzburg, but the alpine views are very nice. This is the other part that made this day my favorite on this itinerary. Sailing through vineyards, ruins, small towns and forests is truly what European fairytales are made of. For this, the Wachau Valley has been listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. And when they do depart a bit from the locale, it’s special nonetheless - I mean, I would never have expected chateaubriand to be served on a cruise ship.
While most river cruise lines pause cruising between January and mid-March, a few will sail during these months, giving them a year-round presence. Cruising during low season means fewer crowds and lower cruise fares, and you’ll see the cities and towns in a much different light. Made up of a tapestry of verdant forests, terraced vineyards and Renaissance castles, Austria's wine country is unfathomably beautiful. Situated between Melk and Krems, this swathe of the Danube runs for around 18 miles and witnessing it is one of the best things to do on a river cruise.
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