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Illuminations on the Danube (Eastbound) 2026

From Vilshofen, Germany to Budapest, Hungary
Length: 10 Days - Departs: Thu, Jun 04, 2026
Operator
Ship
Departure
Jun 04, 2026
Arrival
Jun 13, 2026

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Save $3000 per couple on select 2026 Europe river cruises

Mention Promo Code: PT3416
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Save $3000 per couple on select 2026 Europe river cruises

Save $3000 per couple on select 2026 Europe river cruises

Promotion Details
Book a select 2026 Europe river cruise to receive $3000 off per couple ($1500 off per person) on the cruise/land or cruise only price. Plus, receive our AffordableTours everyday savings.
Must Book By Mon, Jun 30, 2025
View Promotion Terms & Conditions ›

*Book a select 2026 Avalon Waterways Europe river cruise to receive $1500 off per person on the cruise/land or cruise only price. Booking must be made, under deposit, and discount applied between August 5, 2024 and June 30, 2025 for travel for select cruises in 2026. Not applicable to custom tours and charters. Not applicable on TBA space. Promotional discount will apply to Groups of 8 or more who provide their Group Block Deposit within the promotion's booking dates and will apply to all individual members of the Group until the due date of the passenger names/non-refundable individual deposits. Offer reliant on space availability at time of booking and may be withdrawn at any time. Combinable with Welcome Back Credit and select account specific offers only. Applies to new 2026 bookings only and offer will not be applied to pre-existing bookings. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply; see Travel Terms & Conditions for details. May be withdrawn at any time. Offer applies to participating GFOB offices only. PRMW1139 PRMW1139

Save $3,000 on 2025 Avalon Waterways Mekong River Cruises

Mention Promo Code: PT3391
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Save $3,000 on 2025 Avalon Waterways Mekong River Cruises

Save $3,000 on 2025 Avalon Waterways Mekong River Cruises

Promotion Details
Book a select 2025 Avalon Waterways Mekong river cruise to receive $3,000 off per couple ($1500 off per person) on the cruise/land or cruise only price. Plus, receive our AffordableTours.com everyday savings.
Must Book By Mon, Jun 30, 2025
View Promotion Terms & Conditions ›

*Book a select 2025 Avalon Waterways Mekong river cruise to receive $1500 off per person on the cruise/land or cruise only price. Offer available on select dates in 2025 and on select cruises ONLY. Booking must be made, under deposit and discount applied between May 9, 2024 and JUne 30, 2025 for travel at select times in 2025. Not applicable to custom tours. Not applicable on TBA space. Combinable only with the Welcome Back Credit. Promotional discount will apply to Groups of 8 or more who provide their Group Block Deposit within the promotion's booking dates and will apply to all individual members of the Group until the due date of the passenger names/non-refundable individual deposits. Applies to new bookings only and offer will not be applied to pre-existing bookings. Offer reliant on space availability at time of booking and may be withdrawn at any time. This promotion is inventory managed and subject to availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply; see Travel Terms & Conditions for details. Offer applies to participating GFOB offices only. PRMW1115 PRMW1146


River Cruise Itinerary

Cruise along the peaceful Danube River through Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary—stopping at some of Central Europe’s most splendid capitals and charming towns along the way. Visit Passau, Germany—called the “City of Three Rivers” at the confluence of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz rivers. Take a guided walking tour to admire the Patrician houses and baroque St. Stephen’s Cathedral. In Linz, Austria, walk around the Hauptplatz, Austria’s largest medieval square. Enjoy the magnificent views as your Danube River cruise takes you through the picturesque wine region of the Wachau Valley. Stops include Melk to visit the magnificent Benedictine Abbey and Krems. Vienna, the “City of Music,” makes an immediate impression with its lavish Hofburg Imperial Palace and neo-renaissance Vienna Opera House. Enjoy a guided tour of this magical city and take time to explore on your own. In Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, take a guided walk through the delightful Old Town and to the Gothic St. Martin’s Cathedral. Sail to Esztergom for a visit to its Basilica and a Palinka tasting, then continue to Visegrad for a canoe excursion along the Danube river or a hike in the Danube-Ipoly National Park. In Budapest, the vibrant capital of Hungary, a local expert shows you all the must-see sights. Then to round out this timeless European river cruise, take a stroll along Váci utca—the main shopping street, or take pictures from Fishermen’s Bastion for the best panoramic views of Budapest. This Danube River cruise explores the legendary beauty and remarkable destinations you’ll never forget.

  1. Day 1
    VILSHOFEN, GERMANY (EMBARKATION)
    Thu, Jun 04, 2026
    Welcome to Germany. Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding.Flights into Munich must arrive by 2 pm. Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm.Explore your ship and enjoy dinner on your first evening on board.EVENING CRUISE TO PASSAU(D)
  2. Day 2
    PASSAU–SCHLÖGEN OXBOW
    Fri, Jun 05, 2026
    Where the Danube, Inn, and Ilz Rivers Meet ACTIVE Follow your Avalon Adventure Host for Hiking from Oberhaus along a trail down to the valley and along Ilz River, OR:CLASSIC Join a Guided City Walk to learn more about this beautiful “City of Three Rivers".Before sailing to Linz, take a little free time to explore Passau’s cobblestone streets and galleries of Artists’ Alley. Maybe stop at St. Stephen’s Cathedral to catch a concert rehearsal. This afternoon, cruise to Linz through the Danube’s dramatic horseshoe bend called Schlögen Oxbow.Later, enjoy live entertainment on board.OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN LINZ (B,L,D)
  3. Day 3
    LINZ, AUSTRIA
    Sat, Jun 06, 2026
    Legendary and Lovely LinzVisit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.ACTIVE Join your Adventure Host for a bike ride along the Danube, OR:CLASSIC Take a Guided Walk through the city’s historic and beautiful sites along the shore of the Danube and see Hauptplatz—Austria’s largest medieval square—and the towering white-marble Trinity Column.Consider a full-day Guided Optional Excursion to Salzburg—the city of Mozart, or to the picturesque Bohemian town of Cesky Krumlov. You may otherwise spend the afternoon on a biking picnic along the banks of the Danube or hike through Linz’s beautiful nature trails to Pöstlingberg for a bird’s-eye view of the city and river below. This evening, enjoy live entertainment on board.OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MELK(B,L,D)
  4. Day 4
    MELK–WACHAU VALLEY
    Sun, Jun 07, 2026
    Frescoes Above and Vineyards Below CLASSIC Take a Guided Tour of Melk’s magnificent Benedictine Abbey to marvel at its frescoed ceilings, statues, incredible library, and ornate pipe organ.Later, stretch out on the Sky Deck as you sail through the Wachau Valley past vineyards, castles, and charming villages on your way to Krems.KREMS An Ancient Village and Vintages of the Wachau ValleyACTIVE Experience Wachau valley by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:CLASSIC Join a guided walk to explore this small valley town, seemingly untouched by the new world.OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO VIENNA(B,L,D)
  5. Day 5
    VIENNA, AUSTRIA
    Mon, Jun 08, 2026
    Strauss, Schnitzel, Strudel and Sachertorte Viennese Waltzes on the Blue DanubeACTIVE Take a Guided Bike Tour along the famed Ringstrasse and pedestrian avenues of Vienna to see the city’s highlights from a unique perspective, OR: DISCOVERY Take an Insider’s Tour of Vienna to get behind the scenes of her sights and attractions. You will meet locals, have the chance to prepare some food, and enjoy other surprises, OR:CLASSIC Take a Guided Sightseeing Tour of Vienna, including a tour of Belvedere Palace to see Gustave Klimt’s renowned “Kiss” painting.Spend free time this afternoon strolling through the pedestrian Kärntnerstrasse then take a break for a piece of Sachertorte. Or enjoy an optional excursion in Schönbrunn.OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN VIENNA(B,L,D)
  6. Day 6
    VIENNA
    Tue, Jun 09, 2026
    Feast for the SoulDISCOVERY Enjoy a morning Guided Walking Tour to see the city in her best light, along with breakfast at a Viennese café, OR: CLASSIC Dive into one of the world’s most important museums with a Guided Tour of the Habsburg family’s private art collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, and enjoy Italian or Dutch master works.This evening consider joining an Optional Excursion to attend a Royal Waltz Concert in an elegant hall.OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BRATISLAVA(B,L,D)
  7. Day 7
    BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA
    Wed, Jun 10, 2026
    Cathedral Coronations and a Crowning Castle Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.ACTIVE Follow your Avalon Adventure Host on a hike to lofty Bratislava Castle, OR:CLASSIC Take a Guided City Walk, including the quaint streets of Old Town, Town Hall, and the sight of royal coronations at St. Martin’s Cathedral.Enjoy free time to discover on your own Bratislava, the beautiful capital of Slovakia, rich in history and culture, but also a green city with its forests and parks just a hop away from the city center. Later, relax on board with live entertainment.OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO ESZTERGROM(B,L,D)
  8. Day 8
    ESZTERGOM, HUNGARY
    Thu, Jun 11, 2026
    Mountains Views and PàlinkaACTIVE Take an E-bike Guided Tour and explore the surroundings of the Pilis Mountains Region. Enjoy the view from the lockout point at Dobogókő, OR:CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour into the scenic Carpathian Basin for a visit of the ancient Esztergom Basilica that includes the traditional Pàlinka tasting in its impressive cellar.Enjoy a brief cruise to Visegrad during lunchtime.VISEGRÁD Jousting Tournaments and Dracula’s TowerACTIVE Explore Hungary’s beautiful Danube-Ipoly National Park and visit Count Dracula’s prison tower on a Hiking Tour, OR: ACTIVE Take part in a Canoe Excursion through the picturesque Bend Region of the Danube for a truly unique perspective of one of the river’s most beautiful stretches, OR: DISCOVERY Join a Guided Visit to the Medieval Knights Tournament at Visegrád’s Lower Castle, featuring targeting and fighting demonstrations by members of the St. George Knightly Order.Spend free time after your selected activities to explore Palotaház, where stonemasons, smiths, potters, and paper-makers produce their traditional items using age-old techniques.This evening, enjoy a sailing into Budapest and magnificent views of the beautiful Parliament Building.OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN BUDAPEST(B,L,D)
  9. Day 9
    BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
    Fri, Jun 12, 2026
    War Heroes and Hot WaterACTIVE Hike up to a magnificent viewpoint in Budapest with your Adventure Host, OR:CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided City Sightseeing, including the iconic Heroes’ Square.This afternoon choose among a wide offer of Optional Guided Excursions or take in the beauty of Budapest while enjoying some free time exploring such famous sights as the Chain Bridge. Get to know the city’s cafés and pubs, or take a hike through the hills above the Danube.OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN BUDAPEST(B,L,D)
  10. Day 10
    BUDAPEST (DISEMBARKATION)
    Sat, Jun 13, 2026
    Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning.(B)

Countries Visited

Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia

Rivers Visited

Danube

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Inclusions

  • In the event of technical or water level issues, it may be necessary to operate the itinerary by motorcoach or alter the program, including hotel overnight when necessary.
  • Guided Tours, Optional Excursions, activities, sailing and docking schedules may be contingent on weather conditions or other issues outside of our control and could therefore be subject to change at any time.
  • Please check visa requirements with your local consulate(s); responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveler.
Meals:





Accommodation Information

Gateway city for arrivals is Munich.

Port charges:
$297 are included.

Avalon offers the opportunity for solo travelers to sail with no single supplement (subject to availability).

Please call for single accommodation details and prices. Triples not available.

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Ship Information

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Cabins

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Life on Board

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Questions & Answers
  Ask A Question

Question: Will the day-by-day itinerary change?

Yes, the river cruise itineraries may change due to reasons such as inclement weather or unforeseen events. Your safety is the number one concern aboard and all precautions necessary will be taken in order to ensure passenger safety, including changing itineraries. Please note that when itineraries do change, the ship staff will do their best to substitute any missed port with an alternative destination.

Question: In what language is the river cruise conducted?

The river cruise will be conducted in English only.

Customer Reviews

Overall Rating
4.2
Accommodations
4.3
Itinerary
4.2
Professional Staff
4.5
Repeat with Operator
4
Value for Money
3.8

Ratings based off 61 reviews - currently showing 11 reviews with comments only

AVALON did NOT disappoint again--- this was our third Riverboat trip with Avalon. Ship was beautiful -- staff was excellent --- food was absolutely amazing. Entertainment was great -- guides for the off boat tours were very knowledgeable and personal.

Avalon vs. Viking: I would probably go back to Viking, but each has it's favorable points and room for improvement. The Avalon ship was spotless and the staff was quite good. The food was fine. The Cruise Director was the best I have experienced anywhere. The cabin was spacious, but I missed having the lanai. The guides were great and timing was spot-on. The onboard entertainer was mediocre at best, though, and that really was a downer. On our Viking cruise two years ago, the onboard entertainer was awesome and a good part of our social time was spent enjoying him in the lounge. This guy on Avalon could not sing and his music was intended for the 80 year old+ audience. No one danced or sang along. Disappointing. One of the special music guests was incredibly good, and the other was incredibly bad.

Our Avalon Waterways river cruise was phenomenal! So much fun! The cruise director was wonderful! The staff and the wait service are going to be missed! The excursions kept us up and moving everyday, which was expected. The local guides were all great! It was a dream vacation for sure! A guided tour of Europe was our best decision. Very happy indeed!

Very pleasant and helpful and resulted in significant savings versus booking directly.

I was a bit skeptical when I booked but that went away the first day. Everyone was very helpful and everything was fabulous, hope we can do another trip soon.

OUr cruise was exactly as described and actually exceeded our expectations. Everything was so well done. Ship was great. Staff wonderful. Food excellennt. Couldn't have asked for moore.

All was good EXCEPT the optional tours were not worth it. The places were beautiful by the guides were not helpful.

We had a change in boats due to water level. It seemed that this crew was not as motivated as the other trips he had with Avalon. The food though good did not give alternated to offer myself and my sister. Staff was not as good as previous trips, had this been our first trip we would not return as the others were outstanding.

Our vacation with Avalon Waterways was fantastic. The Tour Guide, Tony was the best person we have ever met for this type of tour. We are excited to look at other river cruises and will book with them again

Aga is the best. She responded to you promptly and goes out of her way to answer your questions. I had a complication situation in which the Avalon itinerary did not match and thus had arranged for buisiness in one city when indeed the ship was in another city. She call operations for the company found out the exact time things would occur and made a great recommendation for when i could have my business meeting. I encourage management to recognize her efforts!

Avalon River Cruises are GREAT!!! It is even more wonderful than Ocean Cruising. We will do this again.

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