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The waterfront at Passau- Bavaria’s winter scenery
- Festive decorations in Budapest
Christmas and New Year on the Danube 2024
The Danube
from
£3,951 per person
Additional cabin discounts of up to...
- £300pp departing December 20
14 nights
Including optional travel insurance or a price reduction of £56 if not requiredHow our discounts work
Read moreHow our discounts work
On all cruises we set aside a number of cabins within each level at a discounted fare, with the highest discount of 35% for ocean cruises and 25% for river cruises available on selected levels. These cabins are sold on a first come, first served basis. As cabins are sold, the discount begins to reduce, and continues to reduce until those selected cabins are sold.
This means that the earlier you book, the higher the chance of securing a greater discount. Our price panels clearly show the full cruise price, along with the current discount fare.
Please note: During busy periods for holiday bookings, the early booking discount can reduce rapidly. We recommend that you book early to benefit from the best booking discounts and to secure your preferred cabin.
When promoting new cruises for the first time, we contact customers on our Advanced Registration list first, allowing then to secure the cabin of their choice and benefit from the best savings. Our brochures are then sent out to loyalty club members first, followed by past cruise goers and then everyone else.
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Return UK travel service
Celebrate aboard Spirit of the Danube
Celebrate Christmas and the New Year amid the beautiful wintery riverscapes of Hungary, Austria and Germany. Enjoy the festive atmosphere, mulled wine and traditional Christmas dinner on board Spirit of the Danube, ringing in the New Year with on-board celebrations.
Visit the key cities of the Danube when the streets will be decorated with lights and fir trees and the historic squares will play host to traditional Christmas markets. See UNESCO-listed Buda Castle during an included tour of Budapest, explore Passau on an included walking tour and enjoy an included visit to Göttweig Abbey.
You’ll visit Benedictine Melk Abbey and see an evening concert in Vienna during included excursions, as well as having time to independently explore Bratislava, Esztergom, Regensburg and Linz.
Itinerary
Spirit of the Danube
Travel to Vienna and embark Spirit of the Danube.
Depart Vienna, 0700.
Arrive Bratislava, 1200.
The old town of Slovakia’s capital is easily explored on foot and will be adorned with twinkling lights and Christmas trees at this time of year. The ancient cobbled streets lead to Bratislava Castle, which offers a bird’s-eye view of the city. The Gothic-style Cathedral is where eleven Kings of Hungary were crowned while Turks occupied their own capital.
Depart 1300.
Spend the morning at leisure in Bratislava.
Arrive 0800. Depart 2000
Budapest is a city made up of two parts: Buda and Pest, built on opposite banks of the Danube. The cities have been officially united since 1873, but they are still very different in character.
Buda is the older and more graceful, with its cobbled streets, medieval architecture and UNESCO-listed Buda Castle, while Pest is the administrative and commercial centre, with wide avenues and 19th-century public buildings and at this time of year will be hosting the two biggest Christmas markets: Vorosmarty Square and St Stephen’s Basilica.
An included excursion will reveal the capital's highlights.
Arrive 0800. Depart 1300.
The small town of Esztergom enjoys a scenic setting on the Danube Bend and is home to Hungary's largest basilica, the dome of which can be seen for miles. The first Hungarian king, St Stephen, was born and crowned in Esztergom.
Arrive 1600.
Enjoy a leisurely Christmas Day on board Spirit of the Rhine where Christmas dinner will be served.
Arrive in the historic town of Krems, gateway to the scenic Wachau Valley, where you can enjoy an included visit to Göttweig Abbey.
Depart 1300.
Spend a relaxing morning in Krems.
Arrive 0900. Depart 1800.
Passau is located at the confluence of the Danube, the Ilz and the Inn. The surrounding wooded hills create a photogenic backdrop to the city's towers, spires and red-roofed houses. The wealthy past of this cultured city is reflected in its many fine buildings, including the baroque St Stephen's Cathedral, and the old and new Bishop's Palaces.
Look forward to an included walking tour this morning.
Arrive 1300. Depart 1800.
The city of Regensburg has been a religious centre since the 7th century and has numerous medieval churches. Throughout the 12th and 13th centuries the city enjoyed great wealth thanks to its trade links in Europe and there are many examples of fine Romanesque and Gothic architecture still to be seen in the UNESCO-listed old part. The Stone Bridge, completed in 1146, influenced bridge-building elsewhere, including the Charles Bridge in Prague.
Arrive 0800. Depart 1800.
The attractive old town of this petite Bavarian town is perched on a promontory between the Danube and Vils rivers. Highlights include the Benedictine Abbey and church of St John.
Arrive 0800. Depart 1800.
Linz is a diverse city where the modern architecture and creative arts scene blends with the quaint Old Town of baroque-style buildings. The city is known for its Linzer torte, said to be the world’s oldest cake recipe.
Take time to explore Linz independently.
Arrive Melk, 0800. Depart 1300.
Arrive Vienna, 2100.
The historic town of Melk features architectural styles from across the centuries. Its jewel is the abbey which sits on a bluff above the town. This masterpiece of baroque architecture, the spiritual and cultural centre of Austria for more than 1,000 years, can be visited on an included excursion.
Welcome the New Year with celebrations on board Spirit of the Danube tonight.
Vienna is the capital of Austria: home to the waltz, coffee houses, the Prater wheel and one of the world's finest opera houses. It is the city where Marie Antoinette grew up and where Mozart died, and for 600 years was the centre of the Hapsburg Empire.
Take our included shuttle service into the city to explore independently. During the holiday season Vienna will be illuminated with festive lights.
Following dinner on board head into Vienna for an included classical music concert.
Take our included shuttle service back into the city to explore independently.
Disembark Spirit of the Danube and begin your return journey.
Including...
All Inclusive†
Cruise Director
Plus…
- Drinks reception and Farewell dinner
- Complimentary Wi-Fi on board
- All gratuities on board
- Return flights and transfers
Included excursions
- Budapest city tour
- Passau city walking tour
- Visit to Göttweig Abbey
- Visit to Melk Abbey
- Evening concert in Vienna
Our cruises include excursions at selected ports so you can make the most of the destinations you visit. Find out more about when excursions are available to book.
Interactive maps and audio headsets are available for independent exploration.
†The included drinks are available from 9am to midnight and include non-branded alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Excludes branded spirits.
from
£3,951 per person
Additional cabin discounts of up to...
- £300pp departing December 20
14 nights
Including optional travel insurance or a price reduction of £56 if not requiredHow our discounts work
Read moreHow our discounts work
On all cruises we set aside a number of cabins within each level at a discounted fare, with the highest discount of 35% for ocean cruises and 25% for river cruises available on selected levels. These cabins are sold on a first come, first served basis. As cabins are sold, the discount begins to reduce, and continues to reduce until those selected cabins are sold.
This means that the earlier you book, the higher the chance of securing a greater discount. Our price panels clearly show the full cruise price, along with the current discount fare.
Please note: During busy periods for holiday bookings, the early booking discount can reduce rapidly. We recommend that you book early to benefit from the best booking discounts and to secure your preferred cabin.
When promoting new cruises for the first time, we contact customers on our Advanced Registration list first, allowing then to secure the cabin of their choice and benefit from the best savings. Our brochures are then sent out to loyalty club members first, followed by past cruise goers and then everyone else.
from
£3,951 per person
Additional cabin discounts of up to...
- £300pp departing December 20
14 nights
Including optional travel insurance or a price reduction of £56 if not requiredHow our discounts work
Read moreHow our discounts work
On all cruises we set aside a number of cabins within each level at a discounted fare, with the highest discount of 35% for ocean cruises and 25% for river cruises available on selected levels. These cabins are sold on a first come, first served basis. As cabins are sold, the discount begins to reduce, and continues to reduce until those selected cabins are sold.
This means that the earlier you book, the higher the chance of securing a greater discount. Our price panels clearly show the full cruise price, along with the current discount fare.
Please note: During busy periods for holiday bookings, the early booking discount can reduce rapidly. We recommend that you book early to benefit from the best booking discounts and to secure your preferred cabin.
When promoting new cruises for the first time, we contact customers on our Advanced Registration list first, allowing then to secure the cabin of their choice and benefit from the best savings. Our brochures are then sent out to loyalty club members first, followed by past cruise goers and then everyone else.