Day 1: Nuremberg (Embarkation) Arrive at the Nuremberg airport where you will be transferred to the ship. (D)
Day 2: Nuremberg
Featured Excursion:Nuremberg city tour and Christmas Market
Discover Nuremberg, a quintessential Medieval German city, on your panoramic city tour. Your tour takes you past the mighty ancient walls with 80 towers that enclose the historic city centre. You will stop at Medieval Kaiserburg Castle, and then walk through the lively old quarter with its wellpreserved traditional half-timbered houses. You will visit Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt, Germany’s oldest and best-known Christmas Market with over 200 stalls filled with signature toys and tasty seasonal treats. While at the market, you will certainly want to sample the lebkuchen (gingerbread), since Nuremberg is the “Gingerbread Capital of the World.” (BB, L, Captain’s Welcome Gala)
Day 3: Nuremberg, cruising the Main-Danube Canal Regensburg
Spend a leisurely day onboard your floating hotel as you cruise along the Main River and through the remarkable 106-mile-long Main-Danube Canal to the Danube River. This canal is a marvel of modern engineering and was completed in 1992 to allow travel from the North Sea all the way to the Black Sea. It stretches from Bamberg on the Main River all the way to Kelheim on the Danube River, and includes 16 locks that rise to a height of 1,330 feet, making it the highest point of any commercial waterway in Europe. (BB, L, D)
Day 4: Regensburg
Featured Excursion:Regensburg walking tour
In the morning, you can attend Christmas Mass in one of Regensburg’s lovely churches; during the afternoon you will be taken on a walking tour of this unspoiled gem of a city. Starting at the Cathedral of St. Peter, you will be taken past the Gothic Town Hall, the 12th-century Stone Bridge, and Old Town. Invigorated by the stroll through this winter wonderland, you will return to the ship for a warm and festive Christmas meal, complete with all the holiday trimmings. (BB, L, D)
Day 5: Deggendorf
Featured Excursion:Bavarian Forest horse-drawn carriage ride and Theresienthal visit
Begin the day with a horse-drawn carriage ride through the Bavarian Forest village of Baernzell. After a scenic drive through the Nature Reserve of the Bavarian Forest, marvel at the amazing collection exhibited in the Theresienthal Glass Museum. Experience the art of glass making first hand during a visit to a world-renowned glass manufacturer. While there, you will learn about the techniques used to create the famous glass, as well as the extraordinary history of Theresienthal Palass. (BB, L, D)
Day 6 : Deggendorf, Passau
Featured Excursion: Passau walking tour
The beautiful city of Passau, which is situated at the confluence of three rivers, was an important centre of trade during the Medieval period. On your Passau walking tour, you will see the treasures of Old Town, including Italian Baroque buildings erected after the big fire of 1662 and the city’s ornate cathedral. (BB, L, D)
Day 7:
Linz (Salzburg)
Featured Excursion:Full day in Salzburg
Journey through the region known to many as the “smile on the face of Austria,” Salzburg. On your guided tour through the UNESCO World Heritage Old Town, view historical gems from the 17th-century cathedral to Mozart’s birth house to the famous Getreidegasse. You’ll then have time to further explore this Austrian treasure. (BB, D)
Day 8:
Dürnstein
Featured Excursion:Exclusive cocktail reception at Artstetten Castle with Princess Anita von Hohenberg
Explore charming Du¨rnstein at your leisure in the morning. Later in the day, you are invited to an exclusive cocktail reception at Artstetten Castle with Princess Anita von Hohenberg, a descendant of the royal Habsburgs. (BB, L, D)
Day 9:
Vienna
Featured Excursion:Vienna city tour and National Library visit
Vienna is a treasure trove of secular and sacred gems, including St. Stephen’s Cathedral—the most beloved architectural wonder in all of Vienna and the stately Ringstrasse, the broad thoroughfare surrounded by the many imperial buildings and monuments that give Vienna its wedding cake appearance. After your panoramic tour, visit the Baroque State Hall of the Austrian National Library, said to be the most beautiful library room in the world. (BB, L, D)Note: On Mondays, Mozarthaus will be substituted for the Library.
Day 10:
Vienna
Featured Excursion:Schönbrunn Palace and exclusive New Year’s gala dinner and dance at a Viennese palace
During the morning, you will visit the stunning former Habsburg summer residence, Schönbrunn Palace. Later in the evening, celebrate New Year’s Eve in grand style in a magnificent Viennese palace. You will delight in a festive dinner along with a private concert, and then dance to famous Strauss and Mozart tunes. (BB, L, D)
Day 11:
Vienna, Budapest
Spend a full day cruising the enchanting Danube. (BB, L, Captain’s Farewell Dinner)
Day 12:
Budapest
Featured Excursion:Budapest city tour
Your panoramic city tour features the famous 19th-century Chain Bridge, the first bridge to connect Buda with Pest, as well as the Great Synagogue, the Hungarian National Museum, the Hungarian State Opera House, St. Stephen’s Basilica, and the stunning Parliament Building. Visit the UNESCO-listed Castle Hill district, St. Matthias Church, and the 19thcentury Fisherman’s Bastion. (BB, L, D)
Day 13:
Budapest (Disembarkation), transfer to the airport
Disembark the ship and transfer to the airport in Budapest for your flight home.
Note: Christmas Markets are generally open from the beginning of Advent until December 23.
Cabin rates are Cruise Only and are per passenger in $USD
Lower Deck
Cat 5 w/window
Lower Deck Cat 4 w/window
Middle Deck
Cat 3 w/Lrg Window
Middle Deck
Cat 2 w/Lrg window
Upper Deck
Cat 1 w/balcony
Upper Deck
Suite w/balcony
FROM NUREMBERG
22-December-11
$3,699
$3,924
$4,324
$4,624
$4,924
$5,724
*Please Note: Port Charges are an additional $192 per person
Prices Include:
▪ Cruise in selected riverview stateroom
▪ All meals onboard, prepared using the finest and freshest ingredients
▪12 breakfasts, 10 lunches and 12 dinners
▪ Complimentary fine European wines, choice of beer, and soft drinks during dinner onboard; bottled water in your stateroom; and 24-hour specialty coffee and tea bar
▪ 10 Shore excursions, fully hosted by English- speaking local guides
▪ State-of-the-art Quietvox portable audio headset system on all shore excursions
▪ Exclusive New Year's gala dinner dance at a Viennese Palace
▪ Captivating onboard local entertainment
▪ Captain’s Welcome Gala and Farewell Dinner
▪ An experienced Cruise Manager and attentive, all English-speaking staff
Prices Do Not Include:
▪ Individual arrival and departure
▪ Travel Insurance
▪ Port charges
▪ Gratuities
▪ Personal expenses
* For reasons of navigation and passenger safety, the operator and the Captain of the ship reserve the right to modify the itinerary of the cruise.
