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Heart of the Danube featuring Oberammergau - Westbound 2022
Overview
Highlights (Bullets)
- When your road is the Danube
- it's enchanting... Austria
- Slovakia
- and Germany are linked by peaceful river landscapes dotted with storybook castles and romantic villages surrounded by stone terraced vineyards
- where making world-class wines – and tasting them! – is an art.
It happens once
- every ten years… when
- as they have for nearly four centuries
- the citizens of a little village in the Bavarian Alps come together to create a unique and moving performance event that travelers the world over come to see… On this cruise
- you become part of the experience when you witness the power and pageantry of the Oberammergau Passion Play. Your cruise brings you to a mountaintop abbey lavish with Baroque art and architecture as awe-inspiring as a castle in the Czech Carpathian mountains and the palaces and museums of Imperial Vienna. As you cruise from port to port
- explore the cobblestone streets and market squares in the Old Towns of Bratislava
- Cesky Krumlov
- Grein
- Passau
- and Budapest
- each offering unexpected cultural treasures and culinary pleasures around every bend. And the pièce de résistance – a Tauck Exclusive gala evening with music and dancing at a private palace conjures up elegant Old World Europe just for Tauck guests!
Short Description
Glide through the scenic, romantic soul of old-world Europe on this idyllic 11-day trip featuring a 7-night Budapest to Munich river cruise and land journey along the Danube for discoveries in Vienna, Grein, Dürnstein, Bratislava, Passau or Cesky Krumlov… and experience the Oberammergau Passion Play (2022) with the Tauck Difference!
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive Budapest & embark ship
Tour begins: 4:00 PM, Budapest, Hungary. A transfer is included from Franz Liszt Budapest Airport directly to your riverboat, where embarkation begins at 4:00 PM. Enjoy a welcome toast before dinner onboard as your riverboat spends the night in Budapest.
MEALS : D
LODGING : ms Joy
PORTOFCALL : Vienna, Austria
Day 2 Explore Budapest
Your cruise begins this morning in Budapest, Hungary, which is split into the sections of Buda and Pest by the Danube River. A guided tour of the city begins with the Pest side and a drive along Andrassy Avenue to Heroe's Square and a drive by Parliament and other sites. Explore the Buda side with a drive up Castle Hill, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; see Fishermen's Bastion with its Neo-Romanesque design, and admire the stained glass windows and centuries of history in Matthias Church (may be closed on some days due to services). After lunch, spend some free time in city before your riverboat departs for Bratislava, Slovakia.
MEALS : B, L, D
LODGING : ms Joy
PORTOFCALL : Bratislava, Slovakia
Day 3 Choices in and around Bratislava
Awaken this morning for a choice of activities in or near Bratislava, Slovakia's visually intriguing capital city. One is a walking tour of the cobblestoned, vehicle-free historic center of Bratislava; medieval, Baroque and modern architecture mix as you visit sites that include the 13th-century Old Town Hall, Baroque Habsburg-era palaces, the Opera House, Slovak Philharmonic Hall, St. Michael's Gate, St. Martin's Cathedral, and the Primate's Palace, where you'll view rare 17th-century British tapestries; afterward, spend some free time exploring on your own. Another choice is an excursion to the countryside, lush with vineyards, for a wine-tasting and a visit to Cerveny Kamen Castle. Dating back to the 13th century, "The Red Stone Castle" is one of the best-preserved castles in Slovakia, boasting historical furnishings and artwork; during your visit, enjoy a falconry demonstration. Back aboard ship, settle in for an afternoon at leisure as the riverboat sails to Vienna this evening.
MEALS : B, L, D
LODGING : ms Joy
PORTOFCALL : Vienna, Austria
Day 4 Imperial Vienna
You have two morning sightseeing choices today, both preceded by a tour of Vienna's landmark sights: visits to the Imperial Treasury (the Schatzkammer) in the Hofburg, displaying priceless treasures from the House of Habsburg, including the Austrian Crown Jewels and the Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire; or the House of Music (Haus der Musik), featuring imaginative interactive exhibits on famous composers (where you can actually "conduct" the Vienna Philharmonic). After lunch aboard the riverboat or in town, your afternoon is free to explore more of this amazing city – once the capital of the Habsburgs' Austro-Hungarian Empire – on your own. Later, join us this evening at Palais Pallavicini for a Tauck Exclusive – a gala evening of dining and musical performances in elegant Viennese style. The sumptuous surroundings of Palais Pallavicini (built in 1784), with its ornate decor and magnificent state rooms, will transport you to another time – in fact, the palace facade is famous in another cultural reference... as the location of Harry Lime's (Orson Welles) apartment in the classic film "The Third Man."
MEALS : B, L, D
LODGING : ms Joy
PORTOFCALL : Dürnstein, Austria
Day 5 Dürnstein, Krems and Wine Tasting
This morning, your riverboat docks in Dürnstein, in Austria's Wachau Valley, which offers you a choice of unforgettable sightseeing excursions. You may choose to explore the picture-perfect Austrian village of Dürnstein on a guided walking tour, with free time on your own – maybe a climb up to the brooding ruins of Kuenringerburg Castle high above the town. Another possibility is a challenging bicycling excursion (not suitable for beginners) through the Wachau Valley, starting and ending in Dürnstein or a walking tour of Krems. Rejoin the boat for lunch, and set off for a wine tasting event in Weissenkirchen.
MEALS : B, L, D
LODGING : ms Joy
Day 6 Grein or the Mauthausen Memorial
Arrive in the typically picturesque riverside village of Grein, Austria, for a choice of sightseeing in Grein or a visit to the Mauthausen Memorial. Your visit begins with a guided walking tour of the village, which includes views of the Grein Theatre – since 1791 the oldest operating theatre in Austria – and the historic town square with the adjacent Gothic St. Giles Church, known for its fine altar and stained glass. If you wish, visit Schloss Greinburg, the privately owned castle of the Ducal House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, showcasing the history and lifestyle of one of the most significant ruling families in Europe (including Queen Victoria of England). Alternatively, pay a poignant guided visit to the museum and memorial on the site of the infamous World War II-era Mauthausen–Gusen concentration camp, approximately 20 kilometers east of Grien. You'll tour the camp's main complex, preserved as a museum and memorial to the victims of the last major concentration camp liberated by the Allies. Back aboard the riverboat, continue cruising the Danube.
MEALS : B, L, D
LODGING : ms Joy
PORTOFCALL : Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic, Passau, Germany
Day 7 Passau or Cesky Krumlov
Awaken in Passau today for a choice of sightseeing in this riverside town in Germany, or an excursion to Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic. Once a Roman outpost at the confluence of three rivers, Passau is over 2,500 years old, a quintessential Bavarian town of pastel patrician houses, cafés, romantic cobblestone lanes and riverfront promenades, made for walking (many streets are closed to traffic). If you choose to stay in Passau, your walking tour immerses you in its storybook mix of Roman, Italian Baroque and German Gothic architecture. See St. Stephen's Cathedral; view the hilltop fortress where Passau's prince-bishops once resided; and peruse the 14th-century Rathaus (Town Hall). Later, if you wish, join your Tauck Director for a brisk walk to a hilltop fortress, or attend a public concert on the famous organ of St. Stephen's Cathedral, when available. Alternatively, travel to Cesky Krumlov, an incredibly well-preserved medieval town in a landscape of exceptional beauty. Your walking tour includes Krumlov Castle, one of the largest castle complexes in Central Europe, embracing 40 buildings and palaces of medieval, Renaissance and Rococo designs, plus numerous courtyards and gardens. Return to the riverboat and enjoy a farewell toast and a final dinner onboard.
MEALS : B, L, D
LODGING : ms Joy
PORTOFCALL : Regensburg, Germany
Day 8 Disembark and on to Oberammergau
Disembark your riverboat and travel early this morning to the Oberammergau region, taking in the picturesque countryside of Bavaria along your way. Enjoy some free time this afternoon before checking in to your hotel in anticipation of tomorrow's spectacle of the Passion Play.
MEALS : B, D
LODGING : Hotel Blaue Gams
PORTOFCALL : Oberammergau, Germany
Day 9 The Passion Play
Travel to the Bavarian village of Oberammergau this morning; first up is a walking tour with a local guide, followed by some free time to explore as you please. Early afternoon marks the beginning of one of Europe's most beloved and venerable traditions, the 2022 performance of the Oberammergau Passion Play (or Passionsspiele) depicting the story of the Passion of Christ. In the 1630's, as the plague raged throughout Europe, the people of Oberammergau vowed to perform a play about the life of Jesus Christ every ten years if they were spared from the epidemic... and they have kept their promise. Enjoy Tauck's premier seating – in the best category available – for the performance, beginning early afternoon; following a dinner break, the play continues into the evening. An English libretto is provided to enhance your enjoyment of this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
MEALS : B, D
LODGING : Hotel Blaue Gams
PORTOFCALL : Oberammergau, Germany
Day 10 Return from Oberammergau and tour of Munich
Join a local guide for a sightseeing tour of Munich this morning that introduces you to the city's iconic sights, perhaps viewing the Marienplatz, Old Town, the Altes Rathaus, the rebuilt Frauenkirche and St. Mary's Column. The remainder of the afternoon is free to explore Munich as you please. Join us tonight for a farewell reception at your hotel.
MEALS : B, D
LODGING : Westin Grand Hotel Munich
PORTOFCALL : Munich, Germany
Day 11 Journey home
Tour ends: Munich, Germany. Fly home anytime. Transfers are included from the hotel to Munich International Airport or Munich's main railroad station. You should allow a minimum of three hours for flight check-in.
MEALS : B
PORTOFCALL : Munich, Germany
Availability
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25 Tauck Travel Reviews & Ratings
Heart of the Danube featuring Oberammergau - Westbound 2022
Company Reviews
Nine Tours and Done
5-star hotels switched to 3 and 4 (without any compensation or explanation)… many more meals “on your own”… lots of “self-guided” tours of museums and chateaux and castles we knew nothing about… airline quality “rubber chicken” dinners, not in hotel restaurants, but in sad and isolated business convention spaces… poorly-trained newer Tour Directors (like the one on this tour) with limited experience traveling outside her tiny Canadian village or dealing with people from diverse backgrounds.
She even confessed that this was a second gig job that took her away from her own business back home! You get what Tauck pays for, but unfortunately, not what YOU pay for. Speaking to a “Guest Relations” agent was comically pointless. She tried to make everything my fault, which I now understand is par for the course with the “new” post-Covid Tauck. Please reconsider spending huge amounts of your hard-earned money on a tour company that has lost its way and no longer delivers.
Skip this cruise - not worth it
For dinner every night because the entrees were terrible. You could be the first person at breakfast and everything on the buffet was cold, nothing was hot. there warming trays had tea light candles underneath them.
Wine served at dinner was low quality whicj says something since it was French wine. Tours were poorly
Planned, guides were ok at best. There is no time to shop or eat on land 9 times out 10. We were in Sicily but never got a chance to eat Sicilian food. So disappointed in this ver expensive cruise. The land portions in Malta and Marseiile were better but the tours in Malta were short, limited and subpar. This was our 8th Tauck trip and we have since cancelled our next three. We are not paying Tauck prices for mediocre experiences.
Tauck/Aon terrible travel insurance
Nice trip but not if you are a loyal Tauck Customer like myself
Great if you like 5-star hotels and lots of food
Pay for a 4 star trip and get 2 star food
Details
Ship Name
MS JOY, MS SAVOR
Ship Description
MS JOY
Maintaining Tauck’s high standards for quality and comfort, ms Joy cruises exclusively for Tauck on the Danube River as part of our Destination Fleet. With a maximum of 130 guests, the 443-foot riverboat and her sister ships continue our tradition of providing more space per guest on Europe’s inland waterways, transporting fewer passengers than most longships (135 meters). Her deck plan is innovative; with a total of 67 cabins, our most popular cabins tend to be our largest... so we have used the added ship length to offer twenty-two 300-square-foot Tauck Suites – the most of any river cruise ship on any European river. To increase the amount of natural sunlight on the lower deck, we’ve created 8 loft cabins that extend from the first to the second decks, providing guests with an additional view; all windows in these loft cabins open
MS SAVOR
Maintaining Tauck’s high standards for quality and comfort, ms Savor cruises exclusively for Tauck on the Danube River as part of our Destination Fleet. With a maximum of 130 guests, the 443-foot riverboat and her sister ships continue our tradition of providing more space per guest on Europe’s inland waterways, transporting fewer passengers than most longships (135 meters). Her deck plan is innovative; with a total of 67 cabins, our most popular cabins tend to be our largest... so we have used the added ship length to offer twenty-two 300-square-foot Tauck Suites – the most of any river cruise ship on any European river. To increase the amount of natural sunlight on the lower deck, we’ve created 8 loft cabins that extend from the first to the second decks, providing guests with an additional view; all windows in these loft cabins open -
Deck & Cabin Plans
MS JOY
MS SAVOR
Group Size
Standard Group - 25 + people
Trip ID#:
tauck-RVO2022
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