- Austria River Cruises
- Premium Grand Capitals of the Danube
This voyage takes you along the dramatic Danube river, renowned for stunning sceneries of sweeping hillsides and a route which crosses into three capital cities: Vienna in Austria, Bratislava in Slovakia and Hungary's Budapest. Please note that the vessel used will vary depending on your departure date. The departure dates for each vessel can be found on the tour dossier.
Dinner
Depart on your scheduled flight to Vienna. You will be boarding your cruise ship at 6 pm, if you arrive earlier than this, you will be free to explore the surrounding areas. Your luggage can be left in the docking area. This evening, cruise through the night to Melk, enjoying the moonlit scenery as you sail.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Arrive early this morning for a tour of Melk, a small riverside town that lies an hour away from Vienna. While the town offers a small but picturesque historic centre, its main draw in 11th-century monastery of Melk Abbey, perched on the hillside overlooking the town. Visit the abbey and explore its marble halls and intricate frescos. In the afternoon, sail through the picturesque Wachau valley to the wine region of Durnstein where you'll disembark for a tour of this charming medieval town before returning to your ship and cruising onward to Bratislava.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Arrive in the Slovakian capital of Bratislava and take a guided tour around this city on the banks of the Danube. Admire the contrast between the beautiful medieval structures and Communist-era buildings which line its streets. Cruise through the afternoon as you make your way to Kalocsa.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Trace the river's path into Hungary and visit the prairie town of Puszta for a guided tour through its town and its sweeping grassland plains, where horse, sheep and buffalo often roam, and an impressive horse show. Return to your ship where you'll sail through the night toward Budapest.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Take a guided tour of Hungary's sophisticated capital, with its intoxicating blend of beautiful Art Nouveau architecture, rickety trolley buses, traditional bathhouses and excellent, locally produced wines.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
The domed Basilica of Esztergom, which can be seen from miles away, announces your arrival in the city of Esztergom. Explore this picturesque city at your leisure, perhaps exploring the basilica and its surrounds, then enjoy an afternoon of cruising as you sail towards Vienna. Enjoy tonight's gala dinner on board.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Today, experience a full day in Vienna with a guided city tour which includes a visit to the magnificent Schoenbrunn Palace, a former imperial summer residence that boasts 1,441 rooms. In the evening, an optional Viennese music concert.
Breakfast
After breakfast, disembark at 9am for your transfer to the airport and your return flight to the UK. If you have a late return flight, you may leave your luggage onboard the ship until 14.00pm and spend your time exploring the city until your return airport transfer.
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The Captain and CroisiEurope reserve the right to alter/modify an itinerary at any time, should safety or external circumstances make this necessary, changes are also subject to tides. This also means that included excursions will alter/modify to match the cruise itinerary.
Some of the highlights may only be seen on optional excursions at an additional cost, or by exploring independently.
Please note that the vessel used will vary depending on your departure date.
If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of £295.00pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.
It is your responsibility to check your passport validity. To enter Austria, Slovakia or Hungary, your passport must: have a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive and have an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave. Sources of information include; https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
Please note that final flight details will be confirmed on your final documentation which will be sent to you approximately 21 days before departure. Check in baggage is included with your flight. A printed E-ticket is no longer required at check-in, all you need to do is present your passport to the staff at the desk and your boarding pass will be given to you.
Airport Extras: If you wish to arrange Airport car parking, lounges or accommodation at preferential rates, we recommend you book this in advance with Holiday Extras Tel. 0333 188 0407, quoting HX313.
We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras, including up to a 20% discount, which is given to all Mercury Holidays customers. To arrange your insurance with Holiday Extras, please visit https://www.mercuryholidays.co.uk/info/insurance for more details. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24 hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.
It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, http://travelhealthpro.org.uk/, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.
This river cruise is accessible to most people with an average level of fitness and normal mobility. It involves getting on and off the cruise vessel managed by gangways and climbing stairs on all decks on board the vessel. On moderate days the level terrain on walking excursions are cobbled streets. This cruise is not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties.
The currency in Austria and Slovakia is the Euro. In Hungary it is the Hungarian Forint, We recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK, however cash machines are available in all the major cities to withdraw money in the local currency. It is important that you budget carefully and ensure you have the right form of currency before you arrive in the country.
Credit cards are accepted on board ship and throughout all major cities.
This cruise is All-Inclusive, so you will only need to take a little extra money with you to cover any premium drinks on board and souvenirs, drinks and snacks purchased when off the ship, as well as any optional excursions you wish to book.
Tipping is at your discretion. There is an envelope in your cabin for these purpose that can be handed to reception at the end of your cruise.
Your cruise is shared with international clients from other companies.
An English-speaking Cruise Director will be on board your cruise to help with any queries that you may have. While on excursions included in your itinerary, you will be accompanied by an English-speaking local tour guide. When exploring locally during your leisure time you will not be accompanied by a tour guide.
Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location, comfort, or character. Cruise accommodation is generally rated as a local 4- or 5-star rating, to please note differences in facilities and quality do exist between the UK and Europe destinations.
Please note that the vessel used will vary depending on your departure date.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily are taken onboard the ship. Tables seat 6 people, so you’ll be able to converse and socialise with new friends, whilst never feeling crowded together. Tea and coffee are available on-board the cruise vessel as well as unlimited soft drinks and alcoholic drinks, including a variety of wines and beer, both during meals and at the bar. (Premium brands are available at an extra cost).
It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed countries water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way.
Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information.
On your arrival in Vienna, you will be met by a representative from our local agent, CroisiEurope. The representative will be waiting at the information point when you exit the arrival hall with your luggage, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays/CroisiEurope”. The Mercury Holidays/CroisiEurope representative will show you to your transfer vehicle. On embarking the ship, you will be greeted by the captain, crew and staff and treated to welcome cocktails.
Embarkation Time: 6pm
If your arrival is before this time, you will be transferred to the docking area where you will be able to leave your luggage. You are then free to explore the city at your own pace until it is time to board your ship.
Disembarkation Time: 9am
If your return flight is after 9am you will be able to leave your luggage onboard the ship (until 14:00pm) and spend your time exploring the city until your return airport transfer. Please note that from 9:00 am on day of disembarkation drinks will not be available in the lounge bar and there will be no other cruise services on board.
Emergency contact information: Please find below the CroisiEurope emergency contact details for the MS Beethoven: 0033 7 85 74 87 54
