Holiday Magic: Danube Family River Cruise - Eastbound

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Holiday Magic: Danube Family River Cruise

Eastbound



Tour Description:

Both the young and young at heart delight aboard a weeklong Danube river cruise filled with European holiday festivities onboard and ashore...
Your family will discover Europe's time-honored holiday traditions in historic cities and towns along the Danube featuring the sights, flavors, and music of the season. Sightseeing is designed for all generations to enjoy together – in Oberndorf, home of "Silent Night"… at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna and magnificent Melk Abbey... in Old Town Bratislava with medieval games and a scavenger hunt… and in Budapest, "the Pearl of the Danube." And you'll toast the season during a Tauck Exclusive evening at a private palace in Vienna with dinner, a performance, and a waltzing lesson! 

Map for Holiday Magic: Danube Family River Cruise - Eastbound
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Dates & Pricing

Saturday 21 Dec 24 — Saturday 28 Dec 24Starting at $4,490Check Mark Icon SPECIALGet a Quote
Friday 27 Dec 24 — Friday 03 Jan 25Starting at $4,490Check Mark Icon SPECIALGet a Quote
Monday 22 Dec 25 — Monday 29 Dec 25Starting at $4,590Check Mark Icon SPECIALGet a Quote
Sunday 28 Dec 25 — Sunday 04 Jan 26Starting at $4,590Check Mark Icon SPECIALGet a Quote
Check Mark Icon Disclaimer: Prices listed are per person, based on double occupancy, and in USD. All promotions are valid for new bookings only, capacity controlled and valid on select dates and departures. Individual Terms and Conditions will apply to all promotions. Any promotion can be withdrawn at any time without notice. Please speak with your Pavlus Travel Planner for complete vendor terms and conditions, including eligible tour and cruise dates.


Destination & Sightseeing

Both the young and young at heart delight aboard a weeklong Danube river cruise filled with European holiday festivities onboard and ashore... Your family will discover Europe's time-honored holiday traditions in historic cities and towns along the Danube featuring the sights, flavors, and music of the season. Sightseeing is designed for all generations to enjoy together – in Oberndorf, home of "Silent Night"… at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna and magnificent Melk Abbey... in Old Town Bratislava with medieval games and a scavenger hunt… and in Budapest, "the Pearl of the Danube." And you'll toast the season during a Tauck Exclusive evening at a private palace in Vienna with dinner, a performance, and a waltzing lesson! 

Highlights
TAUCK EXCLUSIVE – An evening at a private Viennese palace – with dinner, entertainment, and a waltzing lesson
Gratuities to ship staff, drivers, local guides, Tauck Directors, and Tauck Cruise Director
Tauck's private shore excursions and distinctive inclusions valued at $2,065
Visit to Oberndorf, birthplace of the carol "Silent Night"
Time to explore Mozart's Baroque, alpine hometown of Salzburg on your own

ITINERARY

Arrive Munich and embark in Regensburg
Cruise begins: 5:30 PM, Regensburg or Vilshofen, Germany. A transfer is included from Munich's Franz Josef Strauss International Airport or Munich Train Station to your riverboat, docked in Regensburg or Vilshofen and all decked out for the holidays! Guests who enjoy a pre-cruise stay in Munich will receive a transfer from Tauck's hotel to the riverboat. Join your captain onboard your riverboat for a fun welcome reception followed by dinner this evening. Set sail for Passau.

Old Town Passau
Dock in Passau, a picturesque city set on three rivers. Explore the narrow lanes and squares of Old Town dressed up with holiday decorations – a yuletide wonderland that will delight your family. You have a choice of activities. One is a walking tour of Old Town and a visit to a local café for a traditional sweets workshop. The family that owns the café has been making treats for the residents of Passau for four generations – and today they'll share some tips with your family. Another choice is to discover Old Town as you play a geo-caching game with a local guide. Or go on a guided hike with a holiday theme and interactive storytelling. Enjoy some free time in Passau before returning to your riverboat. As you to sail on to Linz in Austria, your Tauck Directors and Cruise Director have lots of fun activities planned for your family to share onboard ship, including holiday karaoke!

Oberndorf, Silent Night, and Salzburg
Wake up early aboard your riverboat in Linz for your full-day excursion to Oberndorf and Salzburg. Mozart was born in Salzburg, and his family home is still there. The Sound of Music was set in Salzburg, and you might recognize a few locations from the movie. Have lunch at a local restaurant, and then you're off on a choice of afternoon excursions. One choice will have your family discovering the story behind one of the world's most beloved Christmas carols in Oberndorf, the town where "Silent Night" was born in 1818, and hear some stirring music. Alternatively, enjoy some additional free time in Salzburg to explore as you please. Reboard your riverboat, and cruise overnight to Dürnstein. 

The Wachau Valley – Dürnstein and Melk or Krems
Early this morning your riverboat sails through Wachau Valley wine country before docking in Dürnstein. Disembark for your choice of shore excursions. One possibility is to visit Melk Abbey, a sprawling Baroque edifice high on a hill overlooking the Danube. Softly golden in the winter light, Melk Abbey is filled with centuries of treasures. It's been a beacon of learning for generations and is still home to a secondary school today. On a guided tour, your family will love imagining going to school in these magnificent surroundings. According to the abbey's Christmas legend, the Virgin Mary and the Christ child made a miraculous visit to the abbey, where a young novice juggled oranges and entertained the infant so much that he clapped for joy and Mary gave the baby to the priest-in-training to hold. Your family's other choice this morning is to go on a walking tour in the charming riverside Old Town of Krems, set against a striking backdrop of terraced vineyards. After lunch onboard your riverboat, enjoy some local wines at a tasting and learn about wine-making in the Wachau Valley. Your riverboat sails for Vienna this afternoon.

Discovering Imperial Vienna
Disembark for a sightseeing tour of Vienna, taking in the elegant boulevards, palaces, museums, opera house, and other impressive buildings built during the days when today's capital city of Austria was a grand Imperial city – the home base of the Habsburg family whose Austro-Hungarian Empire ruled much of Europe. Your family can return to the riverboat for lunch or try a local restaurant or café. This afternoon is free for exploring Vienna as you please. Shuttles between your riverboat and downtown Vienna will run throughout the afternoon. Following an early dinner onboard this evening, have some family fun at the world-famous Vienna Prater amusement park, featuring over 250 rides and attractions to enjoy. You'll find the Riesenrad, a giant ferris wheel (which film buffs will recognize from the 1940s film noir classic The Third Man); "extreme-speed" rides, merry-go-rounds and go-carts tracks; haunted houses and a fun house; and more. Please Note: To preserve your sightseeing experience in Vienna and maximize our time there, we may rotate our activities on Days 5 and 6 on some departures.

Vienna by day and night
This morning, enjoy a firsthand look at the Habsburg emperors' home life during your guided visit at Schönbrunn Palace, once their magnificent summer residence, boasting 1,441 rooms and exquisite gardens. This afternoon is free for exploring Vienna as you please; shuttles between your riverboat and central Vienna run throughout the afternoon. Then, it's time to dress up for a Tauck Exclusive evening at Palais Pallavicini, one of Vienna's few private palaces, where you'll enjoy a champagne (or juice) reception, dinner, a performance, and a waltzing lesson for a wonderful night of family fun. Please Note: To preserve your sightseeing experience in Vienna and maximize our time there, we may rotate our activities on Days 5 and 6 on some departures.

Medieval games in Old Town Bratislava
Your riverboat arrives this morning in Slovakia's capital city, Bratislava. Head to Old Town to try your hand at some medieval games and enjoy an interactive walking tour with a scavenger hunt. Your afternoon is free. This evening onboard your riverboat, Slovak performers entertain your family followed by your captain's farewell cocktail hour and dinner.

Budapest and your journey home
Dock in Budapest this morning and disembark your riverboat for a tour of a city divided by the Danube River. Known for its stunning architecture as "the Pearl of the Danube," Budapest was once two separate cities, Buda and Pest. Your family will go on a walking tour through the castle district and take in the amazing views from Fisherman's Bastion. See elegant Andrássy Avenue, monumental Heroes Square, and City Park. Finish your excursion with a holiday candy-making experience at a private venue.  Tour ends: Budapest. A transfer is included from Kempinski Corvinus Hotel, Budapest to Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport. Guests should book an afternoon flight home to be able to participate in Budapest sightseeing. Families enjoying a post-cruise stay at Kempinksi Corvinus Hotel, Budapest will receive a transfer from Tauck's hotel to the airport. Please allow at least 3 hours for airport check-in.

Check Mark Disclaimer: Prices listed are per person, based on double occupancy, and in USD. All promotions are valid for new bookings only, capacity controlled and valid on select dates and departures. Individual Terms and Conditions will apply to all promotions. Any promotion can be withdrawn at any time without notice. Please speak with your Pavlus Travel Planner for complete vendor terms and conditions, including eligible tour and cruise dates.

People have asked, What's the relationship between Pavlus and Tauck. It's simple, Pavlus Travel is the Worlds largest seller of Tauck tours. We enjoy a close working relationship. Another question, Are Tauck tours worth the money? They sure are. Yes, Tauck is a bit more expensive. Everything is taken care for you on your tours. Tauck tour directors are all employees of Tauck unlike virtually every other escorted European Tour Company. We highly recommend Tauck verses any other tour company. There are two other questions asked often of our staff, What is the Tauck guest protection plan and what is the Tauck cancellation policy? Our staff will be pleased to provide complete answers to you. We always welcome questions on any travel topic.