Splendours Of The Majestic Danube Cruise

Itinerary

Day 1

Travel to Engellhartszell in Austria, where you’ll meet your sleek A-ROSA vessel. Perhaps take a stroll through the town, before your ships departs in the late afternoon. Overnight, you’ll sail east, toward Vienna.

Day 2

You’ll arrive in Vienna around lunchtime. Enjoy an included city tour of the Austrian capital, city of Strauss waltzes, ‘coffee and cake’, elegant arcades, the Ringstrasse of imposing buildings, great St Stephan’s Cathedral and the magnificent Hofburg Palace.  Your ship overnight’s in Vienna giving you the opportunity to experience this wonderful city at night.

Days 3

A full day to explore Vienna further. Choose from a range of optional excursions. The A-ROSA destination scout will also be on hand to assist with your independent explorations, so you can get the most out of your time here. Set sail after dinner towards Budapest.

Day 4 and 5

Enjoy a morning on your ship, before arriving in Budapest after lunch, where you’ll stay until the following evening. Enjoy an included city tour that will bring to life the ‘Pearl of the Danube’. The most striking monuments are found on the left bank of the river, Buda, and include the romantic Castle Hill, home to the former Royal Palace and to important museums. The vast Gothic Parliament buildings line the right side of the river, Pest, in the style and location of their British counterparts, while the buzzing metropolis of the Belváros, or old town, is a hive of designer stores, elegant coffee houses. Spend the following day in Budapest. Perhaps join one of several optional excursions or continue exploring this stylish city under your own steam. The local A-ROSA destination scout will be on hand to assist you with your independent explorations. Your ship will leave in the evening, around 10pm.

Days 6

This morning stop for a short visit to Kalocsa, one of Hungary's oldest towns, and famous for the production of paprika peppers that you can appreciate at the Paprika Museum. We then cruise to Mohacs, a pretty town on the Danube in southern Hungary with an almost Mediterranean climate and scenic setting. Choose to spend the afternoon here leisurely exploring Mohacs' snug alleys and generous squares or delving into the area's profound history.

Day 7 and 8

You’ll arrive in Belgrade early in the morning, staying until the following evening. Sitting on the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers, Belgrade has been a strategic stronghold for centuries. Overlooking the city is the imposing Kalemegdan Fortress, which dates to the 3rd century BC and was originally built by the Celts. The fort is surrounded by Kalemegdan Park, which meets the old town at its outer reaches. At the heart of the old town is Republic Square, a great place to sit and relax, and maybe try a pljeskavica, a tasty local burger-like snack, served with cream cheese and flatbread. Depart Belgrade later the following evening, giving you the whole of the next day to continue your exploration of the Serbian capital, either under your own steam, or by joining an optional excursion.

Day 9

Spend a delightful day on your ship, as you pass through one of the most scenic stretches of the Danube, the Iron Gates. Sit back and relax as you cruise past the steep-sided dramatic gorges, and the mighty Danube is reduced to a narrow channel. Keep an eye out for the 141ft-high carving of Decebalus, the last king of Dacia who fought against the Romans and preserved his country’s independence. Enjoy a pleasant evening on board, as you continue overnight to Novi Sad.

Day 10

This morning you’ll dock at Novi Sad, Serbia’s second-largest city. Dominated by the Petrovaradin Fortress, nicknamed Gibraltar on the Danube, Novi Sad boasts a captivating old town, with a distinctly Italian feel to it. We spend the day here where you can join one of several excursions to discover the city, or alternatively explore by your own arrangement. Your ship will depart in the evening.

Day 11

Sit back, relax and enjoy life on board as you spend a day on the Danube, passing some spectacular scenery. Perhaps use of the ship’s facilities, such as the spa, or just rest and relax on deck – the choice is yours.

Day 12 and 13

Cruise upstream on the Danube towards Bratislava, arriving early evening, where we overnight. Tonight enjoy an included speciality dinner on board. The next day you have a full day to explore the Slovakian capital, which uniquely also borders Hungary and Austria, and is a medieval gem. Join an included tour visiting the Gothic St Martin’s Cathedral, some splendid Baroque palaces and the city’s ancient suspension bridge. You’ll continue cruising back into Austria after dinner.

Day 14

This morning, you’ll wake to the delightful scenery of the Wachau Valley. Sit back and relax, as you enjoy a delightful morning cruising on the river, passing by picturesque rolling hills, carpeted with vineyards and dotted with medieval villages and fortresses. Around lunchtime, you’ll dock at the picturesque town of Melk for the afternoon, home to the famous abbey. Join an optional excursion to explore the magnificent 11th-century abbey, perched high above the town. Enjoy a last night on board, as you depart Melk in the late afternoon, arriving back at Engelhartszell early the following morning.

Day 15

Tie up this morning in Engelhartszell and begin your homeward journey, bringing a wonderful cruise the Danube to an end.   Back to top

Further Information

Special requirements

If you have notified us of any special requirements, please check that they have been noted and acknowledged. This is especially important with any dietary needs you may have.

Optional shore excursions

Optional excursions are available on all cruises. If the number of bookings needed to operate any excursion is not reached, the excursion may be cancelled.

Tipping

Tipping is not compulsory, but from experience we know that many passengers like to leave gratuities for the crew. At the end of the cruise you will find a tip box for the entire crew at the reception and the suggested amount is five Euros per guest per day. Of course, you are free to tip individual crew members at any time, should you wish.

Disabled guests and guests in need of assistance

All ships have stairs, are not equipped with lifts, and may not be suitable for passengers with restricted mobility. Wheelchairs cannot be used on board.

Dress code

The dress code on board and ashore is comfortable and casual; we recommend that you bring sturdy footwear for excursions. For the restaurant we recommend smart casual dress. Please remember to bring warmer clothes for evenings out on deck.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is provided free of charge in accordance with A-ROSA's conditions of use. You can request a login and password from reception. Internet reception is limited and will vary from location to location.

Luggage

Where possible, we recommend non-rigid suitcases as these are easier to store within your cabin.

Pool

A heated pool can be found on the sun deck of the following ships: A-ROSA DONNA, FLORA, SILVA and STELLA.

Whirlpool

A heated Whirlpool can be found on the following ships: A-ROSA AQUA, and VIVA.

Cabin facilities

In your cabin you will find a safe installed in the wardrobe, a hairdryer, bathrobes and slippers, insect screens and pool towels. The power supply in your cabin is 220 V/50 Hz. All sockets are European two-pin, meaning you will need to bring an adapter.

Air-conditioning

All A-ROSA vessels are air-conditioned throughout, with individual climate control in each cabin.

Drinking water

The water on board is potable and bottled water is provided in your cabin.

Itinerary changes

On rare occasions, the Captain may need to alter the Cruise Itinerary. If this happens, the Cruise Manager will keep passengers informed.

Foreign Office travel advice

Visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice to find out the latest Foreign And Commonwealth Office travel advice for your holiday destination, as well as information about passports and visas.

Travelling to Europe

Rules may have changed since you last travelled to European Union countries and Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The following are useful guidelines which will help you prepare for your next adventure. Note that these new rules do NOT apply when travelling within the United Kingdom or to the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or the Republic of Ireland. You do require government issued ID when travelling by air though. Names - It is very important that all passenger names are exactly as per your passport although we do not require middle names. Passport - Your passport must meet two requirements to travel to an EU country and to Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. It must be: Less than 10 years old on the day you return home (please check the "date of issue") and valid for at least 3 months after the day you return home (please check the "expiry date"). These rules do not apply to travel to Ireland where you can continue to use your passport as long as it’s valid for the length of your stay. Visa - If you’re a tourist, you do not need a visa for short trips to most EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. You’ll be able to stay for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period. Different rules will apply to Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania; if you visit these countries, visits to other EU countries will not count towards the 90-day total. Travel to Ireland will not change and stays there will not count towards the 90-day total. European Travel Information & Authorisation System (ETIAS) - Commencing in 2023, all citizens of the United Kingdom will require a ETIAS electronic form completed prior to their arrival into the EU and Schengen member countries. The cost for this travel authorisation will be €7.00 per person with exceptions for under 18’s and over 70’s. The latest information and further details can be found at www.etias.com. Border Control - At border control, you may need to show proof of your return journey - your travel documentation issued by us will be sufficient for this. You will also need to use separate lanes from EU, EEA and Swiss citizens if manual checks are required. Healthcare Cover - You should always get appropriate travel insurance with healthcare cover before you go abroad which covers pre-existing conditions. You should understand the terms and conditions of your travel insurance and be happy with its cover for healthcare and travel disruption. Newmarket sell a comprehensive travel insurance policy. Ask our travel consultants for more information. You should also apply for a UK Global Heath Insurance Card (GHIC) which lets you get urgent state healthcare in Europe at a reduced cost or sometimes for free. Note GHIC is only valid in EU countries and not in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

Terms and conditions

Save up to £800pp discount offer applies to new bookings only on selected A-ROSA river cruises booked between 1 February and 31 March 2023. The £800pp money off discount applies to 14-nights Splendours of the Majestic Danube river cruise departing on 21 May 2023 only, with select cruises valid for £300pp and £400pp off discounts. Exclusions apply. The offers do not apply to Douro Explorer and Danube Christmas Market cruises, holidays with late availability pricing and cannot be combined with any other concession. Prices shown when booking do not include the discount which will be applied to your booking once the promo code RIVER300, RIVER400 & RIVER800 has been entered and will be confirmed before purchase. The discount applies to your final holiday price (excluding holiday insurance) at the time of booking. The offers are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time. Back to top