Grand European Cruise - Westbound 2023

25 days
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USTOA

River Cruise
Explore stunning European landscapes like never before on this river cruise between Bucharest and Amsterdam! Journey nearly all the way from the Black Sea to the North Sea as you set off on a grand 3-week cruise through nine European countries, plus three nights at a city-center hotel in Bucharest.
From$13,490
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Overview

Trip type
River Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy

Highlights

    • Travel like the royals of old on our grand eastern European river cruises combining Amsterdam to Budapest by Riverboat with Budapest to the Black Sea to create an unforgettable 25-day experience through the heart of Europe.This remarkable voyage virtually links the North Sea to the Black Sea via the Danube
    • Main and Rhine rivers
    • taking you through the Netherlands
    • Germany
    • Austria
    • Slovakia
    • Hungary
    • Croatia
    • Serbia
    • Bulgaria and Romania. Glide past grand cathedrals

What's this trip about?

    Explore stunning European landscapes like never before on this river cruise between Bucharest and Amsterdam! Journey nearly all the way from the Black Sea to the North Sea as you set off on a grand 3-week cruise through nine European countries, plus three nights at a city-center hotel in Bucharest.

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Details

Itinerary focusOperator does not provide
Group sizeStandard Group - 25 + people
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportN/A
Start City Bucharest, Romania
End CityAmsterdam

Travel Themes

  • Small Ship Cruise

Destinations

  • Europe
  • Austria
  • Germany
  • Netherlands
  • Hungary
  • Romania
  • Slovakia
  • Serbia

Attractions

  • Amsterdam
  • Bamberg
  • Belgrade
  • Bratislava
  • Bucharest
  • Budapest
  • Vienna

Activities

  • Culture

Trip includes

    • TAUCK EXCLUSIVE – A private Imperial Evening at a traditional palace in Vienna featuring dinner and Viennese performers All gratuities to ship staff, drivers, local guides, Tauck Directors and Tauck Cruise Director Tauck's private shore excursions and distinctive inclusions valued at $3,699 In Amsterdam, a guided tour of the famed Rijksmuseum, home to many masterpieces Day exploring Nürnberg, the walled medieval town whose history is forever intertwined with World War II

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Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Your journey begins in Bucharest

Tour begins: 6:00 PM, JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel.
A transfer is included from Bucharest Henri Coanda International Airport to the JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel in the heart of the city, ideally located adjacent to Bucharest's monumental Palace of Parliament. Join us tonight for a welcome reception and dinner at Brag...
Day 2 Transylvania or Sinaia and Peles Castle

A choice of sightseeing today echoes the legacy of 15th-century Romanian prince Vlad Tepes (a.k.a. "Vlad the Impaler"), thought to be the historical model for Bram Stoker's Dracula. You may choose to take a full-day excursion to Tra...

Day 3 Explore more of Bucharest

Explore more of Romania's capital on a morning sightseeing tour with our local guides, seeing such sights as Revolution Square and the Triumphal Arch, and ending in Bucharest's Old Town. The rest of the day and evening are yours to ...

Day 4 The Black Sea coast before boarding in Constanta

Before embarking your riverboat today, drive to Romania's popular Black Sea coast – first to the popular resort of Mamaia for lunch and some "beach time," then on to the port city of Constanta. Here, in what was originally the ancie...

Day 5 Bulgarian art & architecture in Ruse or Ivanovo

Your lower Danube cruise continues in Bulgaria; largely off limits during four centuries of Ottoman rule and decades behind the Iron Curtain, the country's rich natural beauty and history is yours to discover today. Disembark in Rus...

Day 6 Danube cruising & Vidin, Bulgaria

There's something special about just "kicking back" during a leisurely morning cruising the Danube, enjoying picture-perfect views of the passing landscapes. Onboard activities throughout your cruise, such as special lectures and pr...

Day 7 King Decebalus & the Iron Gate

On another relaxing day aboard your grand European river cruise, sail along the Bulgarian / Romanian border, enjoying great views of the Transylvanian Alps. As you cruise, keep an eye out for a kingly face carved into the Danube's r...

Day 8 Belgrade sights & a private palace visit

Dock in Belgrade, Serbia's eclectic, cosmopolitan capital at the juncture of the Danube and Sava rivers. This morning you'll have a choice of exploring Belgrade on a tour of the city with visits to Tito's Memorial, the formidable Ka...

Day 9 Understanding Croatia's history in Vukovar

Your Danube cruise crosses the border from Serbia to Croatia and arrives in historic Vukovar. Preceded by an onboard lecture on Croatia's turbulent history by a local expert, your tour of this venerable 10th-century city – once show...

Day 10 Antiquities and more in Hungary

Arrive in Mohacs this morning for an excursion to Pécs and a tour of its 11th-century cathedral. Here you'll also explore the fascinating Christian Necropolis, a complex dating back to the 4th century that includes underground buria...

Day 11 Exploring Buda in Budapest

Budapest was once two separate cities, Buda and Pest, divided by the Danube River. Sightseeing in Budapest's Buda section today includes the Hungarian Parliament building, a 19th-century neo-Gothic masterpiece on the Danube (when op...

Day 12 On the Pest side of the river

Explore the Pest section of the city on a morning sightseeing tour today. Sites include Heroes' Square, bounded by some of the finest architectural works in Hungary; City Park; and the bustling, 19th-century-vintage Central Market H...

Day 13 Bratislava & a Grand Evening in Vienna

An ancient city with a modern pulse, Slovakia's dynamic capital is home to an Old Town brimming with life – and devoid of cars. Our local expert shares insider anecdotes about Bratislava before you join a walking tour of the cobbles...

Day 14 A visit to Schönbrunn Palace or the Hofburg

Wake up in Vienna, evoking quintessential images of Old World Europe. Sightseeing today includes your choice of guided visits to the Habsburgs' illustrious Schönbrunn Palace, an architectural masterpiece and Austrian cultural treasu...

Day 15 Dürnstein & Melk in the Wachau Valley

Go ashore in Dürnstein this morning for a choice of activities. You can either go for a walk through the village with your Tauck Director followed, if you like, by a hike to the hilltop ruins of Kuenringerburg – the castle where Eng...

Day 16 A bit of Baroque in Passau... or Salzburg

After crossing the border from Austria to Germany, dock in the Bavarian town of Passau on the Danube and Inn rivers, whose history dates back to the days of the Roman empire. Today, you have the choice of a walking tour revealing the Baroque treasures of this lovely rive...
Day 17 Old & new in Regensburg

With its roots as a Roman encampment on the Danube, the quintessential Bavarian town of Regensburg is home to more than 1,400 original historic buildings. Walking here is a delight and is the only way to view the sights up-close. A ...

Day 18 Main-Danube Canal and historic Nürnberg

Today, your riverboat negotiates the Main-Danube Canal, which ultimately links the North Sea with the Black Sea; learn about the canal's history from a local expert during your transit. The idea goes back as far as Charlemagne, but ...

Day 19 A walking tour in Bamberg

Perched atop seven hills, Bamberg is home to a magnificent, four-towered Romanesque cathedral from the 13th century; see it, along with more of this charming medieval city's unique architecture and colorful gardens, during a walking...

Day 20 Choice of Würzburg or Rothenburg

Following brunch, dock late morning in charming Würzburg. Upon arrival, you'll have two choices of sightseeing: visit the town's 18th-century Residenz – a lavish Baroque palace where the town's prince bishops once lived, and a UNESC...

Day 21 Pleasures of a day cruising the Main...

It is no wonder that river cruising was the favored pastime of royalty throughout the centuries... and you'll revel in the experience on a full day cruise along the picturesque Main. Fortified towns with towering cathedrals dot the ...

Day 22 A little musical magic in Rüdesheim

Relax and enjoy your riverboat's amenities as you cruise along the Main River, as it transforms into the Rhine River, to the wine-making town of Rüdesheim, part of the Rhine Gorge UNESCO World Heritage Site. Yoi have the option to r...

Day 23 Köln, a.k.a. Cologne

First up today – a morning visit to Köln (Cologne). Originally founded by the Romans, it is one of the oldest settlements in Germany. Visit the great Gothic cathedral, Kölner Dom, with a local guide (may be unavailable some holidays...

Day 24 Great art, a canal cruise and more in Amsterdam

Amsterdam... the name itself conjures up images of the Dutch capital's myriad cultural treasures, from gabled houses, markets and cafés to awe-inspiring museums housing a treasure trove of world-famous art – and it's all yours to en...

Day 25 Journey Home

Tour ends: Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Disembark in Amsterdam; a transfer is included from the riverboat to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport or Central Station. Allow 3 hours for departure flight check-in. A transfer will also be provided to the airport for guests enjoying a stay at Tauck's selected Amsterdam hotel following their cruise.

MEALS : B

PORTOFCALL : Amsterdam, Netherlands

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Dates & Availability

Price From $13,490
Price per day$540
Last Updated: 10/24/2023

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Tauck.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

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.

Tauck Reviews & Ratings

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Other Tauck Reviews

S

Susan

Jun 2023

Written on

Nine Tours and Done

Sad to see a once good tour company stumble and fall into mediocrity. That’s Tauck post-Covid. My May 2023 tour of Normandy, Brittany and the Loire Valley was done o...

C

Cougess

Jan 2023

Written on

Skip this cruise - not worth it

My husband and I went on the Treasures of the Mediterranean Isles Trip jn October 2022. This was our third Tauck cruise with Ponnant but our first post covid and the...

H

Harry

Sep 2022

Written on

Tauck/Aon terrible travel insurance

Tauck partners with Aon for travel insurance. We bought this insurance through Tauck specifically to cover us in case of a positive for test for Covid and could not ...

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Tauck

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It's easy to see the world's sights. To stand in long lines, push through the crowds, and generally have the same standard-issue vacation as everyone else. But that's not good enough for us, and it's not good enough for you. We believe that travel should be easy. It should be fun. It should be worth your time and the price you paid. It should re-energize and transform. And above all else, it should be beyond the ordinary. Because how you see the world matters.

In 1882, Herman Tauck arrived in New York City from Germany in search of the American dream. His determination and values were passed on to his son, Arthur Tauck, who would realize that dream. With ingenuity and an innovative spirit, Arthur started Tauck Motor Tours, a travel company that would give birth to a new industry. The first tour, through the back roads of New England, was created by this 27-year-old in 1925. It embodied the same successful formula used by Tauck today: do the right thing. Craft a life-enriching travel experience; provide it at a single all-inclusive price; ensure there is great value for money; and rely on recommendations of satisfied customers to build a following and grow the business.

Two elements that did change over the next 90+ years – and three generations of Taucks – were the scope of destinations served and the variety of modes of travel used. Today Tauck delivers life-enriching travel experiences to every corner of the globe, incorporating small cruise ships, premium riverboats, trains, helicopters and more. What started as a New England motor coach tour company has truly evolved into an extraordinary global travel company. The fourth generation of Taucks is now involved in the company. While remarkable in any business, this seamless continuity across generations speaks to shared vision and values.

Throughout its history, the concept of “family” at Tauck has gone far beyond those sharing the surname to include hundreds of valued employees, and hundreds of thousands of loyal guests. The story of Tauck is the story of a unique American family company celebrating a passion for travel – a story that will continue to inspire generations to come.

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What they’re known for
Fun group tours and cruises that are culturally-focused and great for families and seniors on vacation.

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Logistics

Ship & cabin information
MS TREASURES
MS TREASURES One of five 361-foot (110-meter) riverboats in Tauck's Destination Fleet, ms Treasures accommodates no more than 118 guests, while similar-sized riverboats average about 160. Guest amenities inside her 14 lush 300-square-foot suites include brocade upholstery, roomy walk-in closets with built-in drawers, spacious marble baths with full-size tubs, and two French balconies with floor-to-ceiling windows that open to idyllic riverscapes. She also sports seven 183-square-foot cabins, similarly furnished. Standard cabins (150 square feet) are cozy and comfortable and are similar in décor and style to our larger suites. 85% have floor-to-ceiling windows with real French balconies that open on to a balcony in the fresh air; all have in-room movies, minibar, adjustable heating and cooling, private bathroom and shower with pampering toiletries.
MS TREASURES
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Age Requirements
No age restrictions
ALL_AGES
Trip ID
tauck-RXW2023

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