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Discover the Danube, Main and Rhine River with this 15 day adventure by Tauck. Climb onboard one of Tauck’s luxury vessels and explore Europe with this experience like no other. Departures available include 21May15, 14Jun15, 18Jun15, 18Jul15 with fares starting from US$6,575 per person.
- 11402
- Ocean
- 01 Jan 00
- Europe
- From 01 Jan 70 to 20 Sep 15
- From 05Jun15 to 16Jan70
- 15 nights
- Tauck Cruising
- Cruise Only
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Important Terms
- * This product is priced in USD (USD), AUD rates can fluctuate depending on exchange rates, final rates in AUD will be confirmed by your consultant at time of booking.
- Rates are in AUD/USD
- Prices are per person, based on twin share, inclusive of port charges, taxes, and all discounts unless otherwise stated.
Single occupancy and 3rd guest rates are available upon request. - Prices shown are fully inclusive of taxes unless otherwise stated.
- Advertised price includes any bonus nights, special offers or discounts listed in the inclusions.
- Surcharges may apply due to demand, Christmas & New Year's Eve, school or public holidays, trade shows, special events & other unforeseen circumstances.
- Prices may be based on Dynamic Rates and as such, may fluctuate at anytime without notice, due to matters outside our control, such as adverse currency fluctuations, fuel surcharges, taxes and airfare increases, or at the property's discretion.
Itinerary
DAY 1: Embark on your Rhine cruise in Amsterdam
Meals: Dinner
Your Rhine cruise starts at 4:00 PM in Amsterdam, Netherlands. A transfer is included from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport or Central Station directly to your riverboat. Enjoy a welcome briefing and a leisurely dinner as you settle into your floating hotel for a memorable two-week-cruise on the Main, Rhine and Danube Rivers.
DAY 2: Great art, a canal cruise and more in Amsterdam
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
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 enjoy today. Your guided tour of the famed Rijksmuseum is really inspiring – a firsthand look at Rembrandt’s masterpiece The Night Watch is like meeting the artist himself, and you’ll love seeing acclaimed works by other well-known “Old Dutch Masters.” Once an exclusive royal privilege, a private sightseeing cruise by canal boat on the city’s network of concentric, tree-lined 17th-century canals provides a unique view of Amsterdam’s blend of architectural styles – they date all the way back to medieval times – and a unique taste of daily life in this easygoing city. Join us for the Captain’s welcome reception and dinner tonight as we chart a course to Germany.
DAY 3: Köln, namesake of Eau de Cologne
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
After a morning of cruising and lunch aboard the riverboat, your explorations continue in Köln (Cologne), the oldest city in Germany. A guided walking tour of city sights includes a visit to twin-spired Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral), boasting one of the world’s largest church façades; it is one of Europe’s most beloved Gothic cathedrals. You’ll have some free time to wander through Cathedral Square and the Hohe Strasse pedestrian area in the afternoon, or enjoy an optional visit to Köln’s Roman-Germanic Museum, built around the mosaic floor of a 3rd-century villa and showcasing a large collection of Roman artefacts (closed on Mondays). Dinner aboard ship tonight is followed by an onboard performance by local musicians.
DAY 4: Cruising the Rhine… and a visit to Rüdesheim and the merry music machines
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
The perfect Rhine cruise… glide along the river until early afternoon, and relax as your Tauck Director shares a tale or two during the cruise through the scenic – and literally legendary – Lorelei Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Arrive in Rüdesheim, where an entertaining lunch in a local German restaurant with an old-world ambiance precedes a visit to Siegfrieds Mechanisches Musikkabinett, an eclectic collection of mechanical musical instruments housed in a 15th-century castle in Rüdesheim, followed by free time. Walk back to the ship or ride the mini train; enjoy dinner while cruising the Rhine tonight.
DAY 5: Rothenburg, a romantic road and river cruising
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Enjoy the views as your Rhine cruise continues into the Main River, for a full day of cruising through scenic valleys studded with castles, cathedrals, and fortified towns. A Bavarian-themed dinner aboard the riverboat tonight precedes a demonstration of the time-honoured skill of glass-blowing, followed by a crew show or an evening of music and dancing.
DAY 6: Fairy tales in Lohr and wine tasting in Würzburg at the historic Residenz
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Spend the morning cruising and have lunch aboard the riverboat before arriving in Würzburg for choice of sightseeing. You can choose an excursion to medieval Rothenburg, on Germany’s “Romantic Road,” to see its Gothic cathedral and gabled houses on a walking tour, and enjoy some free time. Or stay in Würzburg and visit its famous Residenz, where the town’s prince bishops lived from 1744. One of the largest and most beautiful Baroque palaces in Germany, it was built and decorated in the 18th century by an international team of architects, painters, and sculptors, and is today recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Later, all will gather in Würzburg for a wine tasting, then return to the riverboat for dinner aboard ship.
DAY 7: River cruising along the Main to Bamberg
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Continue along the Main to the Bavarian town of Bamberg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site situated atop seven hills. After discovering the town’s lovely gardens, medieval architecture and 13th-century Gothic cathedral with its four imposing towers on a walking tour of Old Town, you’ll have time to explore this charming town on your own.
DAY 8: Main-Danube Canal & historic Nürnberg
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Tauck’s Main, Danube and Rhine cruise negotiates the Main-Danube Canal today, which ultimately links the North Sea with the Black Sea – and which you’ll learn all about from a local expert during your transit. The idea goes back as far as Charlemagne, but wasn’t realized until this canal was completed in the 1990s; pass through 16 locks as the waterway traverses the mountains. Sail on to historic Nürnberg, where you’ll have a choice of a walking tour through Nürnberg’s medieval ramparts to the Imperial Castle and the old city, or view the Courthouse, Zeppelinfeld rally grounds, and other sites associated with World War II and its aftermath, and visit the Documentation Center. Dinner is aboard the riverboat this evening.
DAY 9: A visit to Regensburg mixes ancient times and today
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
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 local guide will lead the way as you see the town’s 12th-century Steinerne Brücke (Germany’s oldest surviving stone bridge), the 15th-century Altes Rathaus (Town Hall), the towering Dom St. Peter, and the remains of the Roman wall. Visit the princely house of Thurn und Taxis on a guided tour, followed by free time. Enjoy an onboard musical performance by a local quartet before your ship sets off for Passau.
DAY 10: Explore a bit of Baroque in Passau and cruise the Danube
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
The riverboat docks in the port city of Passau, dating way back to Roman times. Spend time exploring this lovely Bavarian town – well-known for its Baroque architecture including unique four-story homes, scores of churches and marvelous stained glass – on a walking tour; inside St. Stephan’s Cathedral, you’ll see (and maybe even hear) the largest pipe organ outside of the U.S. (and the world’s biggest cathedral organ). Listen to commentary from your Tauck Director and take advantage of other activities as you continue your Danube, Main and Rhine cruise in the afternoon, bound for Melk, Austria. This evening, enjoy a musical performance by a classical trio.
DAY 11: Medieval Austrian abbeys and castles in Melk… Vienna at night
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Your next destination is the town of Melk, Austria, where you’ll step back in time on a guided tour of its 900-year-old Benedictine Abbey, perched on a rocky outcrop above the river. Inside this Baroque masterpiece are fine frescoes, early manuscripts, and a high altar. Back aboard the riverboat, enjoy views of castles, vineyards, small towns, monasteries and medieval ruins while cruising through the Wachau Valley to the magnificent Austrian capital city of Vienna, where you’ll have the evening to explore. Join us for a drive into the city after dinner to see the magnificent sights illuminated after sunset.
DAY 12: An “Imperial” day and evening at a private palace in Vienna
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Get an overview of Vienna, Austria’s capital and one of Europe’s greatest cities, with a morning sightseeing tour of this historic former capital of the Habsburg Empire. Take your choice of a tour of Schönbrunn Palace, built to rival Versailles, or a guided visit to the Sisi Museum and the amazing Imperial Apartments inside the Hofburg, the Habsburgs’ former Imperial palace that today is the official residence of Austria’s president. Tonight, a Tauck Exclusive – a private, gala Imperial Evening at a traditional palace in Vienna, featuring a sumptuous dinner and live Viennese music – just might sweep you off your feet!
DAY 13: Across the centuries in Bratislava, Slovakia
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Spend the morning in Vienna as you please, before departing midday for Slovakia. Arrive dockside in Bratislava, capital of Slovakia, where 17 centuries of history are chronicled on a walking tour led by a local guide. Highlights include Baroque palaces from the Habsburg era, along with St. Martin’s Cathedral, the Opera House, Slovak Philharmonic Hall, and a visit to Old Town Hall. Tonight, a taste of Slovakia with a Slovakian dinner and entertainment.
DAY 14: Both sides of remarkable Budapest
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Tauck’s memorable Main, Danube and Rhine cruise arrives at your final destination – Budapest, Hungary’s remarkable capital. Standing on opposite banks of the Danube, Budapest’s two distinct sections – Buda and Pest – were once independent cities. Explore both on a day of sightseeing that includes views of patriotic Heroes’ Square in Pest, dominated by statues of great leaders from Hungarian history; the Gothic-Revival Parliament building, an iconic feature of the Budapest skyline along the Danube; and Fishermen’s Bastion, standing watch like a sentinel over the river. Join us for the Captain’s festive farewell reception and dinner tonight onboard ship.
DAY 15: Danube, Main and Rhine cruise concludes
Meals: Breakfast
Your Danube, Main and Rhine cruise ends in Budapest, Hungary. Disembark in Budapest; a transfer is included from the riverboat to Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport and Budapest Keleti Railway Station. Allow 3 hours for departure flight check-in.
Cruise Line
Tauck Cruising
Go beyond the ordinary and experience cruise travel at its best with Tauck. What makes Tauck’s Small Ship Cruising and River Cruising unique is the focus on the destination. Each scenic ports of call connect you with people and places, which will give you a moving, compelling and heart-warming experience both onboard and ashore.
Time ashore is enriched by in-depth cultural exploration and insider access that ensures up-close-and-personal connections with the locals and daily life. Tauck’s cruise travel adventures include guided sightseeing with local experts such as naturalists, historians, and accomplished lecturers. You’ll dine on regional cuisine on land at aboard ship that showcases specialties of the destination. After a day of extraordinary sightseeing, Tauck welcome you back onboard the hand-picked vessels for warm camaraderie and lively conversation that’s inherent on every Tauck cruise travel experience. The stories are endless, the memories are timeless and the connections priceless.
You can expect to see the sights a bit differently than you would with anyone else. Tauck explores Europe’s great waterways from the Rhine and the Danube to the Rhône and the Seine in France. Their luxurious riverboats are spacious and comfortable, welcoming you to an onboard experience characterized by the Tauck. Discover river cruises that go beyond the ordinary!
Tauck Voted World’s Best River Cruise Line
For the second time in three years, Tauck has been named the “World’s Best River Cruise Line" by the readers of Travel + Leisure, one of the world’s most authoritative and respected publications for travellers. The World’s Best Awards from Travel + Leisure are selected by the magazine’s readers. Every year, T+L holds a survey for readers to fill out on their main website. The survey remains open until April.
Winners are announced in the August/September issues of Travel + Leisure. These awards are given in categories such as hotels, resorts, spas, cruises, airlines, travel companies, tour operators, cities, islands, family travel, and more.
River Cruising
The heart of history meets the art of sophisticated river cruise travel aboard Tauck’s river cruises. Experience the Tauck difference on cruise travel days along great European waterways from the Rhine to the Danube, from the canals of the Netherlands to the Rhône, from the Main to the Danube and the Moselle…
You’ll cruise aboard spacious riverboats that have been custom designed to meet American standards with well appointed outside facing cabins and suites, a choice of on-board dining venues, complimentary wine with dinner, fitness centers and attentive personal service from Tauck’s staff and the ship’s crew.
Ancient civilizations beckon on cruise travel days along the River Nile in Egypt and China’s Yangtze River on Tauck’s Exotic journeys, where 3- and 4-night river cruise travel enhances land journeys.
Small Ship Cruising
The difference in Tauck’s small ship cruise travel lies in the choreography of the total cruise travel experience – the combination of personalized cruising with cultural land exploration. How you spend your days ashore – where you go, what you do, who you meet – that’s the Tauck difference. From the moment you step ashore, with 85 years of expertise on land ensures that on every cruise travel day, every moment of your shore excursions (all included in the price) count! Smaller ships hold fewer passengers, which means more personal attention from the captain and the crew – you’ll find the on-board atmosphere to be both club-like and comfortable. The pace is more relaxed, the conversations are richer, and the day-to-day experiences are shared with like-minded travelers.
