Please note the tour price reflected on the brochure is subject to change. Due to seasonality, and taxes prices of the tour are subject to change without due notice. Please consult with the operator directly for the recent price.
From the Blue Danube to the Black Sea
Preferred
Overview
Highlights (Bullets)
CRUISE HIGHLIGHTS
- Discover 6 countries and diverse cultures
- Idyllic landscapes of the Iron Gates
- EXCURSIONS INCLUDED:
- The Danube Delta, the largest and best preserved of all European deltas
- Fantastic Bucharest, the Romanian capital
- Belgrade by coach or by bike
- The Rusenski Lom river valley
- Ruse and its astonishing features
- Novi Sad, the pearl of Vojvodina
- Trip to Constanta
Short Description
From the Iron Gates to the Danube Delta, admire the majestic blue river, crossing 8 countries and stopping in 4 capitals. You will discover tremendous landscapes of striking beauty where nature is queen. From Belgrade to Vienna via Bratislava and Budapest, discover unique architecture, history and culture all along the beautiful Danube.
Itinerary
Day 1 VIENNA
Passengers are welcome to board our ship at 6:00 p.m. After comfortably settling into your cabins, we'll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail. In this evening, join us on an excursion for both packages: Viennese concert (subject to availability.)
Day 2 VIENNA - BRATISLAVA
Join us for the excursions proposed: CLASSIC: Guided visit of Schönbrunn Palace and with its magnificent park, the former summer residence of the Emperor of Austria and his family.DISCOVERY: The high art of Viennese living: Music and Viennese cafes. We'll stroll through the city and visit back stage in the Konzerthaus concert hall(1). After our tour, enjoy a steaming cup of Vienna Coffee and a delicious pastry.After our visits, we'll begin to cruise to Bratislava. Join us for the excursions proposed: CLASSIC: Guided Tour of Bratislava and Tasting of Local Delights.DISCOVERY: Hiking in Bratislava: The Little Carpathians. From Devin Castle, we'll take in the splendid view of Bratislava.We'll return on board and cruise to Budapest.
Day 3 BUDAPEST
We'll arrive in Budapest. Join us on an excursion for both packages: Guided tour of Budapest, once two distinct cities that united only in 1873. Buda, on one bank with its rolling hills and valleys; and Pest, on the other, with its flatter landscape that offers a panoramic view over the banks of the Danube. Both are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.The afternoon is free to do as you please. Join us on an excursion : Discover Gellert baths and spa (not included in the packages) or Budapest Market Halls (not included in the packages) (2).In the evening, join us on an excursion for both packages: evening of traditional entertainment in Budapest. Our ship will cruise through the night.
Day 3 BUDAPEST
Join us on an excursion for both packages: Guided tour of Budapest, once two distinct cities that united only in 1873. Buda, on one bank with its rolling hills and valleys; and Pest, on the other, with its flatter landscape that offers a panoramic view over the banks of the Danube. Both are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.The afternoon is free to do as you please. Join us on an excursion : Discover Gellert baths and spa (not included in the packages) or Budapest Market Halls (not included in the packages) (2).In the evening, join us on an excursion for both packages: evening of traditional entertainment in Budapest. Our ship will cruise through the night.
Day 4 KALOCSA - NOVI SAD
We'll arrive in Kalocsa. Join us on an excursion for both packages: Visit the Puszta, the Pannonian steppe grasslands. We'll enjoy a horse show. After we return on board, we continue towards Mohacs and Novi Sad. Our ship will cruise through the night.
Day 5 NOVI SAD - BELGRAD
We'll arrive in Novi Sad. Join us for the excursions proposed: CLASSIC: Guided visit of Novi Sad, the industrial and financial center of the Serbian economy and a major cultural center. DISCOVERY: Novi Sad and a walk to the Petrovaradin fortress. We'll leave the ship for an energetic walk to the Petrovaradin Fortress. We'll stroll along the riverfront before climbing the 200 steps up to the fortress. The view from the fort is splendid, and we'll enjoy a snack during our hike. Our ship will begin to cruise to Belgrade. The afternoon will be spent cruising, before arriving in the Serbian capital in the evening. In the evening, join us on an excursion for both packages: Evening of traditional entertainment in Belgrade.
Day 6 BELGRAD
Join us for the excursions proposed: CLASSIC: Guided tour of Belgrade. Known for its high cultural influence during the Turkish occupation, the city charms us with its Eastern, Slavic and Austrian heritage. The lively Terazije Square is considered the heart of the city. DISCOVERY: Biking in Belgrade. You'll cycle along the history-filled streets with your guide, who'll explain the city's recent past from World War II to current times. The afternoon will be spent cruising to Donji Milanovac.
Day 7 The Iron Gates
The entire day will be spent cruising on the Danube. Our ship will pass through the Iron Gates, the gorge on the Danube that forms part of the boundary between Serbia and Romania. It was called "The Cauldrons” by ancient sailors, since the water, held tightly between two steep cliffs, seems to be boiling. On the Serbian bank of the river, we'll catch a glimpse of the Tabula Traiana - a marble plaque honoring the Roman Road that once linked Rome to the province of Dacia. Tonight is our gala evening and dinner.
Day 8 RUSE
We'll arrive in Ruse. Join us on an excursion for both packages: Tour of the canyon-shaped valley along the Rusenski Lom River, and the Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo, a group of monolithic churches, chapels and monasteries hewn out of solid rock. Join us on an excursion for both packages: Tour of Ruse. Enjoy dinner and an evening of traditional entertainment on board.
Day 9 RUSE - TULCEA
Our ship will cruise to Giurgiu. Join us on an excursion for both packages: Guided tour of Bucharest. Bucharest offers a striking combination of architectural styles: Curtea Veche, the ruins of a 15th-century palace built during the rule of Vlad III Dracula, orthodox churches, Empire-style manor houses, Communist-inspired architecture, and the Parliament (outside only - entrance fees not included). We'll return on board in Fetesti Cernavoda. Our ship will then depart for Tulcea. Enjoy an evening of dancing.
Day 10 TULCEA
We'll arrive in Tulcea. Join us for the excursions proposed: CLASSIC: The Danube Delta. You'll tour the Danube Delta and enjoy the flora and fauna, see the multiple natural and artificial canals, and walk away with impressions that will last a lifetime. DISCOVERY: Delta Danube on a speed boat. On board a 7-passenger speed boat, you'll tour the Danube Delta and enjoy the flora and fauna. We'll return on board in Tulcea. Enjoy a traditional folklore evening. Our ship will sail through the night.
Day 11 FETESTI CERNAVODA
We'll spend the morning cruising towards Fetesti Cernavoda.In the afternoon, join us for the excursions proposed: Constanta and tasting* of wine.
Day 12 OLTENITA
We'll arrive early in the morning in Oltenita. Enjoy one last buffet breakfast on board before disembarking at 9:00 a.m. End of our services.
Day 12 OLTENITA
We'll arrive early in the morning in Oltenita. Enjoy one last buffet breakfast on board before disembarking at 9:00 a.m. End of our services.
Availability
Check Current Availability, prices, specials with CroisiEurope .
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click
"Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for
the final trip price.
128 CroisiEurope Travel Reviews & Ratings
From the Blue Danube to the Black Sea
Company Reviews
Great tours and food! Exceptional customer service
I am non-EU national, and very much enjoyed the international clientele .
My flight arrived later than the prescribed boarding time, the crew had my cabin ready, and held dinner. Both land side New York office and the onboard crew were very welcoming, and most attention to detail. Special recognition to Charina, my reservation agent, and Daniel the ship's purser.
The vessel's decor is very discreet, comfortable, and relaxing -- no neon, casino, etc. The elegance one would expect from a French company.
The land tours were very comprehensive, in comfortable coaches, with sufficient rest stops. Lunches ashore were included, as appropriate. As advertised, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages were included. In-town shopping was available, but not forced.
In all, a delightful experience. I look forward to another voyage with CroisiEurope. The company offers so many unique intineraries, it may be difficult to select.
A memorable four nights on the Seine - Le Havre to Paris
The Seine scenery was gorgeous and the boat was extremely comfortable—we loved that we could stay in our cabin, relax on various decks, or attend onboard activities, including a lively dance performance by a Normandy folk troupe. Even though we were the only English speakers on the cruise, the bilingual staff were always on hand to help us, and the other passengers (mostly French with a few Belgians/Swiss) were friendly and tolerant of our basic French. After our final night sleeping aboard the boat on Quai de Grenelle in Paris, we were rather sad to depart the beautiful Renoir.
The food, tours and service on the Miguel Torga exceeded our expectations, and we felt very safe with the Covid precautions being taken on board.
We had such a wonderful time on our cruise and absolutely intend to travel with CroisiEurope again. I was especially pleased with the attention to detail regarding food preferences and requests. I have a shellfish allergy, and our kids didn’t always like what was on the menu. The chef and staff always made every effort to accommodate and please us.
Our guide Deborah on the excursions was so informative and made great suggestions for sightseeing and shopping. I liked the way the excursions were managed by touring in the morning with lunch and sailing in the afternoon. We were the only Americans on board with mostly French speakers, but everyone was friendly, and we had no communication issues with the crew. Entertainment was simple but fun with games or local talent coming aboard for flamenco or folk singing and dancing. There were only 62 passengers and no young children. Our kids were 12 & 17, and they were happy with the pool on board, which was small, but ideal for cooling off after a morning in port. They surprised our 17-year-old with a special dessert on her birthday.
We’ve been on several other riverboat cruises (Viking, Peter Dielmann, Vodohod), and they did not match the value and service provided by CroisiEurope.
This barge hotel cruise on and along the Marne river was absolutely fantastic!
The crew were very attentive and hospitable. One of the biggest, if not THE biggest, highlight of the trip was the food. Breakfast was a typical French style buffet with all the trimmings. Lunch and dinner were menus, in the French style, prepared by our Chef and paired with a variety of wines and cheeses from around France. Each meal was unique and full of variety culminating at the end of the week with our Gala Dinner.
One of the excursion highlights, and a major reason why we chose this particular cruise, was the falconry demonstration at Chateau Thierry. It was very well done and quite a moving presentation, which included an American Bald Eagle and, even more surprisingly, Storks.
If you are looking for a more intimate way to cruise, Passenger to Crew ratio was 17 - 6, consider barge hotel cruises. We are most definitely looking forward to our next barge hotel cruise experience.
It’s affordable, the atmosphere on board is unique, the routes can be very interesting.
As seasoned cruisers, knowing well all aspects of cruising on seas and rivers, we had no experience about traveling on a barge in a canal. It was also time to overcome this lack.
A number of companies offer this kind of cruising on barge with 8 to 16 passengers, however very often at exorbitant prices. Luckily, we discovered that the company CroisiEurope offers one week cruise on various canals in Europe, at very decent price, especially considering that all is inclusive (full board, all alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and all excursions) on modern barges with a maximum of 22 passengers.
We opted for the barge Ms Deborah, which cruises on the canal de la Loire, with the Briare to Nevers’ route. We were looking forward to this itinerary because the proposed excursions particularly suited us. Unfortunately, only a few days before departure, we were informed that due of a lack of water in the Loire canal the Ms Deborah was switched over to the Haute Seine and Yonne for a new itinerary from Paris to Sens. Despites the fact that this new itinerary didn’t really meet our desires, especially the excursions, we decided to accept the change.
Our group of 6 persons from Switzerland was very warmly greeted by all members of the crew when arriving on the quai de Grenelle in Paris where we see the MS DEBORAH for the first time, our floating home for the week. With its two dominating colours blue and white, it is difficult not to fall in love with this beautiful small ship.
We were invited immediately for the welcome cocktail during which we met officially the crew and the other six individual passengers originating from New Zealand, England and the USA. With less time than it needs to tell, the relation between us was created, so that everyone felt part of a bunch of friends knowing each other for long time.
There is no need to present here the MS Deborah itself, as this is already thoroughly done on the Cruise Critic page.
The crew of 6 persons is composed of a captain, a sailor, a cruise director, a chef, a waitress and a cabin hostess who put all their efforts to satisfy the passengers and offer them the best possible service. The captain as well as the sailor are always trying to make passengers at ease, answer questions or even bring a drink. The lady cruise director is omnipresent, taking care of the passengers better than a mother hen would do. The talented young French chef aims to produce dishes which please everybody. His outstanding sauces and excellent desserts should be particularly praised. However, referring to comments we made during a cruise on the Seine Princess two years ago, we cannot understand that why today it is not possible to offer the choice of a light buffet at lunch instead a three or even four course menu! The always smiling and friendly Hungarian waitress was very caring and attentive, without forgetting the cabin hostess doing a great job in the cabins, the public spaces and even the kitchen. It wouldn’t be fair to name a single person as all members of the crew, without any exception, do all they can to make the cruise unforgettable.
Our one-week cruise on the barge Ms Deborah enables us today to make the following comments:
~ a cruise on a barge cannot be compared to any other kind of cruise
~ despite all the comfort offered on modern barge, one must be very aware that life on board happens at a restraint space, requiring therefore much flexibility and understanding in all aspects from all passengers
~ in our case, being only 12 passengers, we had the opportunity to take our meals on the terrace. We also never had the feeling that the boat was overcrowded. This can be different when the ship is full, especially by bad weather
~ the state of mind between the passengers who are mostly of foreign nationalities, who don’t know each other and don’t speak French, must function well right from the beginning
~ if the interrelation works, it is difficult to find a more relaxing and enjoyable way of travelling
~ the success on a barge is mainly due on the quality of its crew. Ms Deborah’s crew members have quickly created a family spirit on board, showing also that they genuinely like what they do
~ excursions can play a major role in choosing an itinerary. Not speaking French or English can be a handicap
Do we recommend to do a cruise on a barge? Yes, definitively! It’s affordable, the atmosphere on board is unique, the routes can be very interesting. In our case, this second try with CroisiEurope gives them a better note.
We are still waiting for a refund
Details
Flight & Transport Inclusions
All internal transport included (including local flights)
Group Size
Standard Group - 25 + people
Additional Information
THE CROISIEUROPE DIFFERENCE
- 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
Rules & Other Requirements
Valid national identity card or passport required. Non-EU nationals are advised to consult their embassy or consulate.
Trip ID#:
croisieurope-VIO_AIPP
What's excluded
Drinks from our special lists, or drinks ordered during excursions or transfers - cancellation and baggage insurance - transfers/travel to and from departure/arrival points - personal expenses.
We respect your privacy and take great care to protect your information. By clicking «Send my questions» you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. An account will be created for you to track your submission and a temporary password will be emailed to you.
×
Now, Unlock Member Savings
Our Travelstride Select trips allow you and your travel companions to save up to $700. You wouldn’t want to miss that, right?
With your FREE membership you get to:
- Save up to $700 per person!*
- Access private deals and offers
- See personalized trip recommendations
- Save favorite trips
We respect your privacy and take great care to protect your information. By joining you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
You could save $ 600 per person on this trip!
