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.
Royal Danube, Berlin & Krakow - Eastbound 2022
Overview
Highlights (Bullets)
- Moments of history shape the sights you'll see in the cities and towns along the Danube River
- bookended by moments indelibly etched in time in Berlin and Kraków. Three nights in Berlin chronicle past political divides with a look back at the story of the city through the ages. Onboard your Tauck riverboat for a 7-night cruise
- you'll visit picturesque Bavarian towns like Passau. Crossing into Austria
- cruise the Wachau Valley
- discover Linz or the unique Czech Republic town of Cesky Krumlov
- and enjoy (if you wish) opportunities to explore towns along the river by bicycle. There is no other city like Vienna – and during days of sightseeing you'll enjoy a Tauck Exclusive when you attend an evening in Vienna at a private palace. During a three-night stay at the Sheraton Grand Krakow
- overlooking beautiful Wawel Castle
- poignant pauses in Kraków
- Auschwitz and Kazimierz pay homage to lives lost in tragic times.
Short Description
Our cultural odyssey along the Danube includes three nights at city-center hotels in both Berlin and Kraków along with seven nights cruising the River Danube from Bavaria to Vienna. Tauck Exclusive experiences include a gala evening with entertainment at a Viennese palace and a special dinner in the Wieliczka Salt Mine near Kraków – along with in-depth visits to cities and towns with local guides.
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive Berlin
Tour Begins: 5:00 PM, Hotel Adlon Kempinski. A transfer is included upon arrival at Berlin Brandenburg Airport Willy Brandt or Berlin Central Train Station to the Hotel Adlon Kempinski, ideally located near Brandenburg Gate, one of the city's most famous landmarks. Settle in, then join us for a special welcome dinner where a local expert shares a personal perspective of life behind the Iron Curtain.
MEALS : D
LODGING : Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin
PORTOFCALL : Berlin, Germany
Day 2 A choice of Berlin city sights
In the years since the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, Berlin has emerged as one of the most exciting cities in the world. Explore it on your choice of excursions today – a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Museum Island for a guided museum tour of the Pergamon Museum or an in-depth tour of Berlin's Jewish Heritage sites. Everyone meets up for lunch followed by your choice of time at leisure to explore Germany's vibrant capital as you wish.
MEALS : B
LODGING : Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin
PORTOFCALL : Berlin, Germany
Day 3 Berlin or historic Potsdam
This morning, you can choose to experience the city from one of two perspectives. Join us for a guided visit to the Baroque city of Potsdam, where the WWII-in-Europe-ending treaty was signed, attractively rebuilt after its wartime losses and a showcase of beautiful gardens and grand palaces. Your second sightseeing choice is an opportunity to explore World War II history in Berlin. Another choice of excursions await you this afternoon; stay in the city of Berlin for free time to do as you wish, or, take a bicycle ride to see Berlin from a different, modern-day perspective.
MEALS : B
LODGING : Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin
PORTOFCALL : Berlin, Germany
Day 4 Embark your riverboat
A train speeds you from Berlin to Regensburg and on to Vilshofen, where your riverboat awaits. Enjoy a welcome reception and dinner onboard in your choice of dining venues, from the formal Compass Rose to Arthur's intimate bistro, followed by evening entertainment in the piano lounge.
MEALS : B, D
LODGING : ms Joy
PORTOFCALL : Berlin, Germany
Day 5 Discover Passau
Awaken today in Passau, a town that dates back to Roman times. This morning, you have the choice of a walking tour revealing the Baroque treasures of this lovely riverside town, known for its stained glass and its many churches; or a cycling excursion around Passau, suitable for more experienced riders. Back aboard the riverboat this afternoon and evening, listen to commentary from your Tauck Director as you continue your cruise, bound for Linz, Austria.
MEALS : B, L, D
LODGING : ms Joy
PORTOFCALL : Bayreuth, Germany
Day 6 A day in Linz or Cesky Krumlov
Welcome to Austria, a land of great musical traditions, alpine beauty and Imperial lifestyles. Wake up this morning in Linz, inhabited since Roman times and one of Austria's leading cultural centers. Your boat stays docked in Linz today, with a choice of how you spend your day – a full-day excursion to Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic, or a tour of Linz with a local guide and time to spend as you please. Travel with us through beautiful landscapes to Cesky Krumlov, which has been called a living gallery of elegant Renaissance-era buildings with a well-preserved medieval heritage and charming ambiance. A sightseeing tour with a local guide includes Krumlov Castle with its medieval, Renaissance and Rococo designs. Alternatively, join a local guide in Linz for a tour through old town and a visit to a local cathedral; following some time to explore as you please, catch the historic mountain tram to Pöstlingberg for panoramic views. Everybody returns to the riverboat for dinner and a late-evening departure.
MEALS : B, L, D
LODGING : ms Joy
PORTOFCALL : Kehlheim, Germany
Day 7 Krems and Wachau Valley wines
Your riverboat arrives in the 1,000-year-old city of Krems this morning, located at the beginning of the Wachau Valley, celebrated for its exquisite Austrian wines. You may choose a walking tour through town with a local guide, including sights such as Hoher and Täglicher Markts and a visit to Museum Krems, or a bicycling excursion through the Krems area and the lush vineyard-lined landscapes of the Wachau Valley. This afternoon's wine tasting excursion offers an authentic taste of the grape and reveals time-honored secrets of the Austrian winemakers. It's on to Vienna this afternoon, where an evening arrival brings a magical first look at the city aglow against the night sky.
MEALS : B, L, D
LODGING : ms Joy
Day 8 A day in Vienna, evening at a Palace
The Austrian capital of Vienna is a compact city with an abundance of important sights. Many are clustered around the Hofburg, the former Imperial Court. Farther afield you'll find palaces like Belvedere and Schönbrunn palaces, graced by gardens and gilded treasures. The city's historic Jewish Quarter, Judenplatz, is in the heart of the city, and Vienna's contemporary center, including the new Hauptbahnhof and the university campus, is also nearby. You will have a choice of two excursions with our local guides – exploring the city's Jewish Heritage sites or a city tour and a visit to Schönbrunn Palace. Spend the afternoon as you like, then attend a Tauck Exclusive – dinner at private Palais Pallavicini featuring Viennese music and more.
MEALS : B, L, D
LODGING : ms Joy
PORTOFCALL : Linz, Austria
Day 9 A memorable day in Vienna
Today you'll explore more of this amazing city – once the capital of the Habsburgs' Austro-Hungarian Empire – beginning with an exclusive opportunity to sit in on a rehearsal at a Vienna palace as an orchestra prepares for a performance, in the city considered by many to be the classical music capital of Europe. Return to the ship for lunch or stay in Vienna to enjoy lunch as you please before a late afternoon departure for Slovakia.
MEALS : B, L, D
LODGING : ms Joy
PORTOFCALL : Krems, Austria
Day 10 Bratislava, past and present
Begin the day in the city of Bratislava, Slovakia with a Tauck Exclusive – a walking tour with our local guide that providers and insiders' look at this cobblestoned, vehicle-free city, where you'll see 17 centuries of history eloquently chronicled in sites such as the 13th-century Old Town Hall, Baroque Habsburg-era palaces, the Opera House, Slovak Philharmonic Hall and St. Martin's Cathedral. Enjoy some free time to explore as you please before a late afternoon departure for Hungary where you'll disembark and travel to your final destination – Kraków, Poland.
MEALS : B, L, D
LODGING : ms Joy
PORTOFCALL : Vienna, Austria
Day 11 Disembark in Esztergom, Hungary & drive to Kraków
Disembark your riverboat in Hungary after breakfast and journey on a day's drive across the border to Kraków, Poland, for a three-night stay; arrive at your grand hotel in Kraków in late afternoon, ideally located near historic Wawel Castle. Enjoy the evening at leisure.
MEALS : B, L
LODGING : Sheraton Grand Krakow
PORTOFCALL : Kraków, Poland
Day 12 A day in Kraków
For nearly six centuries, Kraków reigned as the capital of Poland, its rulers residing at Wawel Castle until the court and parliament moved to Warsaw in 1609. Today it's renowned for preserving its country national identity with its prestigious university, royal castle, Gothic cathedral and still thriving Old Quarter. Enjoy a walking tour of the city with a local guide; this afternoon, you have an opportunity to join us for a poignant visit to the Auschwitz Memorial, or remain in Kraków and explore as you please. Please note: the Kraków walking tour and Auschwitz visit could be either in the morning or afternoon, depending on ticket availability at Auschwitz Memorial. Your evening is free to spend as you wish – either dinner this evening at the hotel, or lunch tomorrow at the hotel, is included (your choice).
MEALS : B, D
LODGING : Sheraton Grand Krakow
PORTOFCALL : Kraków, Poland
Day 13 Zakopane in the Tatras or Kazimierz
More sightseeing choices await you this morning in Kraków. One is a visit to the Kazimierz District – the city's former Jewish Quarter – for a coach and walking tour to learn more about its poignant Jewish heritage, including views of Oskar Schindler's Factory, now a museum; following your tour, you'll have an opportunity to visit the Galicia Museum on your own, or enjoy some free time in the area. Or you can join your local guide for a walking tour of Kraków focusing on local life and hidden cultural gems. Join us this evening for a memorable Tauck experience – a fascinating descent down a shaft into the nearby historic Wieliczka Salt Mine for an underground farewell reception and dinner. If you wish, you can choose to take a robust walking tour of the mine complex prior to tonight's special reception and dinner.
MEALS : B, D
LODGING : Sheraton Grand Krakow
PORTOFCALL : Kraków, Poland
Day 14 Journey Home
Tour ends: Kraków. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from the Sheraton Grand Krakow to Saint John Paul II International Airport Kraków-Balice or Kraków Main Train Station. Allow a minimum of three hours for flight check-in at the airport.
MEALS : B
PORTOFCALL : Kraków, Poland
Availability
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25 Tauck Travel Reviews & Ratings
Royal Danube, Berlin & Krakow - Eastbound 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-RUX2022
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