Danube Holiday Markets

Budapest to Passau - 9 days

CRUISE HIGHLISTS INCLUDE:

• 7-night cruise in a riverview stateroom on the majestic River Beatrice
• All meals onboard
• Complimentary fine wine during dinner, bottled water in your stateroom, and 24-hour specialty coffee
• 7 shore excursions fully hosted by English-speaking guides
• State-of-the-art Quietvox portable audio headset system on all shore excursions
• Captain’s Welcome & Farewell Dinners
• Exciting onboard entertainment and insightful lectures
• An experienced Cruise Manager and attentive, all English-speaking staff
• All transfers on arrival and departure days

ITINERARY

• DAY 1: Depart Home Gateway City to Budapest Departing Flight
• DAY 2: Budapest (embark)
  Arrive in Budapest where you’ll be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to the ship. (D)
• DAY 3: Budapest
  Featured Excursion: Budapest city tour and Christmas Market Explore Budapest as you travel through the UNESCO-listed Castle Hill district; see dramatic vistas from the 19th-century Fisherman’s Bastion, and the famous Chain Bridge, an early 19th-century bridge that was the first bridge to connect Buda with Pest. And in the center of it all is the Christmas Market, where you’ll get to shop for traditional Hungarian wares and delightful treats like apricot brandy and cinnamon-spiced gingerbread. (BB, L, Captain’s Welcome Dinner)
• DAY 4: Bratislava
  Featured Excursion: Bratislava city tour and Christmas Market Straddling both banks of the Danube, Bratislava is quite a melting pot of cultures. Bratislava’s very first Christmas Market was established in 1993, but the Slovakians have quickly embraced the holiday traditions of their Austrian and Hungarian neighbors, and it is renowned for stalls with folk handicrafts from the region. (BB, L, D)
• DAY 5: Vienna
  Featured Excursion: Vienna city tour with Christmas Market and an evening Mozart and Strauss concert Irresistible Optional Tour: Visit Schönbrunn Palace and stroll through the Christmas Market Decorative lights blanket the city and aromas of roasted chestnuts and rich Viennese coffee fill the air at this magical time of year. With your panoramic city overview, travel the stately Ringstrasse and see St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Visit Vienna’s main Christmas Market, sitting in front of Vienna’s City Hall, with neo-gothic architecture resembling a wedding cake. Later in the evening, you’ll celebrate Mozart’s musical genius in one of Vienna’s well-known concert halls. (BB, L, D)
• DAY 6: Krems, Scenic Cruising Wachau Valley
  Featured Excursion: Visit to Benedictine Göttweig Abbey with organ recital* The spectacular location on a prominent hill on the eastern edge of the world famous Wachau Valley has earned Göttweig Abbey the nickname Austria’s “Monte Cassino.” The abbey, with its monumental imperial staircase and ceiling fresco, is among the sights that you will visit. A special treat for you during the visit is an organ recital. After lunch, depart Krems, and enjoy a scenic cruise through the UNESCO-designated Wachau Valley. (BB, L, D)
• DAY 7: Linz (Salzburg)
  Featured Excursion: Full-day excursion to Salzburg with walking tour and lunch at the fortress Your full-day excursion to Salzburg includes a walking tour of the Old Town, a visit to the city’s cathedral, a special lunch in the Hohensalzburg Fortress Restaurant and—an exclusive Uniworld treat—a Christmas carol performance of a local children’s choir. In the afternoon, let the tradition and ambiance of Salzburg’s Christmas Market, located at the foot of the Hohensalzburg Fortress and around the venerable cathedral, enchant you. The Salzburg Christmas Market is a feast for all the senses as the delicious scent of mulled wine wafts around booths adorned with beautiful decorations. (BB, L, D)
• DAY 8: Passau
  Featured Excursion: Passau walking tour and Christmas Market, gingerbread making and floral decoration demonstration Quaint and peaceful describe Passau. Your guided walk starts in the medieval section of Passau, and takes you past St. Stephan’s Cathedral, the New Residence, Town Hall, and to the confluence of three rivers that converge in Passau. At Passau’s Christmas Market, set against the glorious backdrop of St. Stephan’s Cathedral, you’ll find unique crafts, including Bavarian-style houses and glass ornaments. And as an added treat, you’ll see both gingerbread making and floral decorating demonstrations. (BB, L, Captain’s Farewell Dinner)
• DAY 9: Passau (disembark), transfer to airport in Munich Return Flight
  Disembark the ship in Passau and transfer to the airport in Munich for your flight home, or extend your stay in the beautiful city of Prague.

2009 Cruises

Prices:Prices are per person, based on two people sharing a stateroom or hotel room. Cruise prices are based on costs, charges, tariffs, rates, taxes, levies and exchange rates as of June 15, 2008. Should the total cruise price increase by more than 10%, passengers will have the right to cancel their cruise within 7 days of notification of the surcharge without penalty. No surcharges in respect of cost or currency fluctuations will be made once payment for the deposit of your cruise is received. This does not apply to fuel surcharges and any taxes, charges or levies imposed by any government or their agencies. Air-inclusive pricing is provided from NYC, CHI, and LAX only. Other gateway cities are available at additional costs. Please ask your Reservations Consultant at the time of booking for details. Single supplements are available in select categories for an additional supplement. Reservations and Payments: A deposit of at least $200 per person is required at the time of reservation. Final payment is due at least 90 days prior to departure. Reservations will be cancelled if final payment is not received in a timely manner.