Chat with us, powered by LiveChat
Worldwide River Cruises
Tweet World Cruises 1800 519 631

We offer great value and affordable river cruises throughout worldwide destinations with CroisiEurope River Cruises

twtcruiseship

Hiking cruises in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire (port-to-port cruise)

Relaxing hiking and stunning scenery: embark on an incredible cruise along the Danube. From Austria via Hungary to Slovakia, discover breathtaking views and stroll through places earmarked in history such as Aggstein Castle, Devinska Kobyma Nature Reserve or the Fortress of Visegrad.

Trip code : WBB_RANPP

Duration : 8 days

Destination : VIENNA - MELK - DURNSTEIN - BRATISLAVA - KALOCSA - BUDAPEST - ESZTERGOM - VIENNA

Operator : CroisiEurope Cruises

Trip Highlights
  • Hiking trails with a qualified mountain guide
  • Bratislava, Budapest and Vienna
  • At the very heart of Austro-Hungarian traditions and folklore
  • All meals included - DRINKS INCLUDED with meals and at the bar
  • Refined French cuisine - Gala dinner and evening - Welcome cocktail
  • Free Wi-Fi onboard
  • Headsets are included for excursions
  • Official welcome from the captain and crew
  • Onboard activities
  • Travel assistance and repatriation insurance
  • All port fees included

Booking Confirmation

After purchase, you will receive a Booking Confirmation and Passenger Information Form by email. Within 24 hours of purchase you need to send us a copy of your passport together with your Passenger Information Form.

After purchase, you are required to make a deposit or full payment for your order. Please note most of our deposit is non-refundable. Please check your booking and your invoice for the Terms and Conditions which apply specifically to your booking.

If you would like to cancel your booking, please refer to our cancellation terms.

Please notes:

  • Any special requests, preferences MUST be clearly stated in your Passenger Information Form
  • Any change requested after submitting your Passenger Information Form cannot be guaranteed, is strictly subject to availability and will incur surcharges

Cruise Cabin

European river cruises*

  • All cabins are tastefully decorated and equipped with air conditioning, central heating, shower / toilets, satellite TV, safe, hairdryer— each providing a view of the river. Some cabins have French balconies or private terraces.
  • Our fleet of Premium ships offers additional comfort providing more space in the cabins.

Customers can choose between 3 categories of cabins:

  • Category A: premium location
  • Category B: intermediate location
  • Category C: standard location (close to public areas such as entrance, restaurants, public lavatory) - same size or sometimes slightly smaller than Cat A & Cat B cabin
  • PRM Cabin: Cabin for passengers with reduced mobility. This cabin is not recommended for passengers without mobility difficulties.

*The above cabin description is applicable to all ships except the canal barges, the ocean ships and the fleet of exotic river ships outside of Europe.

Dining Experience & Cuisine

On European river cruises, your meals are carefully designed and planned, and menus are developed in the pure tradition of fine French gastronomy. Each meal on your cruise will give you a delightful experience of French haute cuisine. For our gastronomic cruises, such Michelin-starred greats as Marc Haeberlin and the expert staff surrounding Paul Bocuse have been happy to join forces with CroisiEurope to take you on a memorable culinary voyage.

For cruises outside of Europe, our Chefs prepare local cuisine, colorful and tasty, while adapted to Western tastes.

Buffet Breakfast

  • Your day will start with an impressive self-served buffet breakfast in the onboard restaurant, which may include pastries, coffee, tea, juice, breads, jams and jellies, a variety of sausages and cold cuts, eggs, fresh fruit, and yogurt.

Lunch & Dinner

Lunch can be either buffet lunch or sit-down meals, while dinner will be 3-course sit-down meals. A menu of local specialties is prepared on a daily basis from fresh ingredients.

  • Please state your specific needs at the time you make your reservation (food allergies or special dietary needs)
  • Both lunch and dinner meals are paired with excellent complimentary wines. Complimentary wines may not be available for cruises outside of Europe. Check specific inclusions for your cruise.

Special Occasion

  •  Please let us know your special occasion requirements – such as cakes, champagne, or flowers – at the time of booking and ideally one month or more before departure, and we will do our best to accommodate your wishes

Languages

European river cruises

Onboard staff and crews speak French, English and many of them speak other major European languages such as German, Italian and Spanish. Notices and announcements are in French and English, as well as other languages based upon the needs of the passengers on board.

River cruises outside of Europe

Onboard staff and crews speak English and local languages.

Excursion Package

For European river cruises, two optional different excursion packages provide guests, who are looking for new experiences, adventures and sensations, with a range of dynamic, fun-filled and out-of-the-ordinary activities. Make your choice between these two options:

  • CLASSIC Package: Containing classic excursions based on culture, architecture and history. We’ve revamped several of our tours to give you a more authentic experience!
  • DISCOVERY Package: Discovery tours are for the adventurous, the offbeat, or those who are looking for something new.

It is recommended to book optional shore excursions prior to your cruise to ensure their availability and to benefit from cheaper prices than buying them on board.

Excursions on European canal barge cruises and exotic river cruises outside of Europe are included (except certain optional excursions).

Tipping & Gratuity

Tipping customs vary from country to country and culture to culture, and we understand that tipping is a way for passengers to show appreciation for services, quality and attention received during the cruise whether it be for the meals, rooms, reception or visits. To leave a tip, please use the envelope found in your cabin your last evening on board, and place this envelope in the specially designated box in the reception area as you disembark with the understanding that tipping is entirely at your discretion.

Tipping is not compulsory and is not included in this package. We believe that if you choose to tip, you should only pay for the service you receive. In general, tipping is widely accepted as a way to show your appreciation of good service but is not compulsory. Tipping is expected and often makes up a large part of people's wages.

If you are travelling on a river cruise and happy with the services provided by your crews and service onboard:

- Recommended tips - For the crews and guides - $10US per day per passenger.


Smoking

Smoking is not permitted inside all ships.  You may smoke in designated smoking areas on deck only.

Pets

Pets are not allowed on board.

Telephone and Internet

Free wi-fi is available on all ships in the reception area and lounge bar on most ships. On the newest ships such as the Ms Gerard Schmitter, the MS Cyrano de Bergerac, the MS Lafayette and the fleet of four hotel barges, Wi-Fi is available throughout. For exotic river cruises outside of Europe, wifi may not be available when cruising in remote areas.

Your ship’s emergency telephone number will be provided in your on-board documentation, so that your family may reach you in the event of urgent need or emergency. If you would like to make or receive phone calls on a non-emergency basis, we recommend that you make arrangements with your mobile phone provider for more information.

Dress Code

You’ll be most comfortable during the day in smart casual clothing.  You may wish to bring items that do not wrinkle easily, or that transport well after being ironed at home, as there is no iron provided on the ship.  Bring a variety of clothing for the environments expected during your cruise, including light clothing and bathing suits for hot weather, a sweater or jacket for cooler weather, and of course a raincoat and/or small umbrella.

Please check the weather for your specific cruise countries, as the weather can vary quite a bit between the northern and Mediterranean areas.  Don’t forget to bring comfortable and sturdy walking shoes for sightseeing excursions.

For evening meals, as well as for cocktails or gala events ‘casual dressy’ clothing is appropriate.

Currency

On European river cruises, the primary currency is the Euro. Visa, MasterCard and American Express credit cards are accepted. There are no currency exchange facilities on-board, so please ensure you have sufficient cash before boarding. Traveller’s cheques are not accepted.

On exotic river cruises outside of Europe, the primary currency is the US Dollar. Visa, MasterCard and American Express credit cards are accepted. There are no currency exchange facilities on-board, so please ensure you have sufficient cash before boarding. Traveller’s cheques are not accepted.

Electricity

Onboard electrical service is 220V; most standard American electrical appliances are 120V.

If you have any items that require electricity you must bring a two-pin plug European adaptor that will fit your item.  Many items such as cell phone chargers come already equipped with international adaptors – check the equipment that came with your cell phone.  In addition, you may find that you need to bring adaptors for other items such as your own razor, electric toothbrush, or curling iron (220V hair dryers are provided in each cabin).

For exotic cruises outside of Europe, an adaptor to the local plug standard is recommended.

Entertainment on board

While your  cruise is all about discovering wonderful destinations, on many days there will be entertainment activities to add an extra dimension to your voyage. A traditional evening of entertainment with a “Titi Parisien” theme or an evening with songs and guitares that capture the spirit of La Camargue. Dinner in Spain may be accompanied by a guitar player from the region. A classical string quartet could come aboard in Germany, or an entrancing fado singer in Portugal. On the Volga, you can choose to take part in a tea drinking ceremony or Russian classes. Or simply do nothing except relax to some light music in the lounge. In exotic river cruise, cooking class or destination lectures are available. 

Travel Insurance

Our cruise products DO NOT include Travel Insurance. Travel insurance is not included in our tours, cruises, day tours, private tours, group tours, transfers, and any of our packages.

For your protection, we strongly recommend that you purchase comprehensive travel insurance for your travel arrangements (without limitation) that include coverage for medical expenses, loss of luggage, cruise, land content and airfare charges that may occur. You need to provide us your Travel Insurance details upon booking, or at least before 30 days prior to your departure.

If you do not have travel insurance prior to your departure, we retain the rights to refuse boarding/joining our tours or cruises. We might refund / provide travel credits for you, less any unrecoverable fees including but not limited to admin fees, visas fees, other suppliers’ cancellation fees. We won’t be held liable for any costs associated with this matter.

DAY 1

Board at around 6.00pm in Vienna. Welcome cocktail, presentation of the crew. Dinner on board. Our ship will depart at 8:00 p.m. towards Melk and sail through the night.
Buffet breakfast on board. Arrive at daybreak and set off on the visit to Melk Abbey. Here you can admire the baroque-style marble hall, library and church. Return on board for lunch and set sail for Dürnstein, cruising through the beautiful Wachau Valley.Hiking programme: set off by coach for the village of Aggstein. Hike through the heart of the Wachau region, visit the ruins of Aggstein Castle. Its exceptional location and its impressive dimensions make this castle one of the most well-known in Austria. Erected around 1100, it is thought to have been the haunt of pillaging knights during the Middle Ages. There are superb views over the Wachau. After the visit, hike through unspoilt scenery to Maria Longegg then transfer by coach to rejoin the boat in Dürnstein. (4 hours hiking, with a climb of around 400m)Programme for the non-hikers: arrive in the early afternoon in Dürnstein and have a discovery tour in the company of your on board hostess. The village, known for the legend of Richard the Lionheart, has a remarkable abbey, radiant in pale blue and white, with one of the finest baroque bell towers in Austria.Return on board and continue the cruise to Bratislava. Dinner on board.
Arrival of the boat during the night. Buffet breakfast on board.Hiking programme: set off by coach for Devinska Nova Ves, hike in the Little Carpathian mountain range, through Sandberg and the Devinska Kobyla National Nature Reserve to the ruins of Devin Castle (outside), from where there are beautiful views of Bratislava. Transfer by coach back to the ship. (1½ hours hiking, with a climb of around 250m)Programme for the non-hikers: set off on a visit of the Slovak capital. The baroque palace and pleasant shady squares are part of the charm of the town that was held so dear by Princess Maria Theresa of Austria.Return on board for lunch and set sail for Kalocsa, in Hungary. The afternoon is spent entirely afloat, with dinner and an evening of entertainment on board.
Buffet breakfast on board. The boat arrives early in the morning and you will set off for the visit to the Puzsta, Also known as the "Great Hungarian Plain”, this enormous flat prairie was the Hungarian Wild West during the 19th century. You can immerse yourselves in the tradition and folklore as you watch a traditional horse show. Return on board for lunch and the cruise departs for Budapest, the "Pearl of the Danube”, where we arrive during the night. Dinner on board.

DAY 5

Buffet breakfast on board.Hiking programme: from the mooring point, a city walk to discover Buda. You will pass the famous Gellert Baths and walk along the paved streets by the castle, which is one of the few remaining examples of medieval Budapest. Return on board via public transport (not included) for lunch. (2½ hours hiking, with a climb of around 100m)Programme for the non-hikers: Guided visit of Budapest (panoramic tour by coach with stops) to discover Buda, the upper part of the city, with its narrow winding streets, baroque buildings and Royal Palace. Pest, is more bustling and busy, and proudly displays its rich mix of architectural styles.Lunch on board, afternoon at leisure for the non-hikers.Hiking programme: a walk in Pest, to discover the Art Deco and Hungarian Art Nouveau buildings. Set off from the mooring point to the covered market place. Pass Budapest synagogue - evidence of the importance of the Jewish community long ago. Walk along the pedestrianized street Vaci Utca and look up. You are sure to be surprised to see the great diversity of ornamentation on the buildings' facades. Visit St Stephen's Basilica and continue to Freedom Square lined with Hungarian Art Nouveau and Art Deco buildings. Return on board by public transport (not included) or on foot. (2 hours level walking, no climbing involved).Dinner on board then a free evening, or a Folklore Evening in Budapest. Departure of the boat around midnight.
Arrival early on the morning in Esztergom. Buffet breakfast on board. Free time in Esztergom, birth and coronation place of the first Hungarian king, St Stephen. The Basilica of Esztergom is a masterpiece of classicism and with its large dome, it owers over the town. It is the largest religious building in Hungary.Hiking programme: set off by coach for Visegrad then walk to Visegrad Fortress (exteriors only) from where you can see the Danube Bend. Return to the coach on foot and then transfer to the ship. (2 hours hiking, with a climb of around 250m)Lunch on board and an afternoon of cruising. Gala dinner and evening.

DAY 7

Arrival of the ship at daybreak. After buffet breakfast on board, there is a guided visit of Vienna and Schönbrunn Castle. Return on board for lunch.Hiking programme: the afternoon is spent on a walking discovery tour of Vienna. After lunch on board, transfer by coach to Nussdorfer Platz. The walk up Leopoldsberg will take you to one of the finest vantage points over the city. From here you can admire the Danube and the Vienna Woods as you walk between the vines and forest. The distinctive feature of this circuit is the Nasenweg path, with its unique flora and fauna. (Around 3 to 4 hours hiking, with a climb of around 340m).Programme for the non-hikers: free time to visit Vienna at your own pace, or a guided visit of the Hofburg Palace, the Hapsburg's winter residence and its Sisi Museum.Return on board for dinner. In the evening, you will have the option to attend a concert of Viennese music(1).We moor for the night.

DAY 8

We have buffet breakfast on board and disembark. End of our journey.
Image Map
123
1 TRIPS OF DAY
EVENING
Detail Addon Image
Viennese Music Concert - 2026

Departure by coach in the company of our host/hostess towards Vienna's Kursalon where the concert will take place. Famous waltz melodies will take you back to the era of Franz Joseph and Sisi. The

DURATION 03:00 hours

PRICE PER PERSON

Pre-paid : 146.00 AUD

On-board : 161.00 AUD

SEE MORE
1 TRIPS OF DAY
EVENING
Detail Addon Image
Viennese Music Concert - 2025

Departure by coach in the company of our host/hostess towards Vienna's Kursalon where the concert will take place. Famous waltz melodies will take you back to the era of Franz Joseph and Sisi. The

DURATION 03:00 hours

PRICE PER PERSON

Pre-paid : 146.00 AUD

On-board : 161.00 AUD

SEE MORE
1 TRIPS OF DAY
EVENING
Detail Addon Image
Viennese Music Concert - 2024

Departure by coach in the company of our host/hostess towards Vienna's Kursalon where the concert will take place. Famous waltz melodies will take you back to the era of Franz Joseph and Sisi. The

DURATION 03:00 hours

PRICE PER PERSON

Pre-paid : 144.00 AUD

On-board : 159.00 AUD

SEE MORE