The Danube from Romania to Budapest with 1 Night in Bucharest and 2 Nights in Transylvania 2025
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Save $1000 on select 2025 Europe river cruises
Save $1000 on select 2025 Europe river cruises
Promotion Details
*Book a select 2025 Avalon Waterways Europe river cruise to receive $500 off per person on the cruise/land or cruise only price. Booking must be made, under deposit, and discount applied between August 8, 2023 and June 30, 2025 for travel for select cruises in 2025. 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 Offer reliant on space availability at time of booking and may be withdrawn at any time.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 2025 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 May be withdrawn at any time.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. PRMW1036 PRMW1036
Save $3,000 on 2025 Avalon Waterways Mekong River Cruises
Save $3,000 on 2025 Avalon Waterways Mekong River Cruises
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*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 Offer reliant on space availability at time of booking and may be withdrawn at any time.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
Multiple Vacation Discount: Up to $200 Off
Multiple Vacation Discount: Up to $200 Off
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*Discount varies depending on the brand(s) booked. This promotion is meant for promotion purposes only to showcase the offer. Please refer to the booking instructions for the individual multiple vacation discounts by brand and for the specific offer and terms. Please call to confirm the promo qualifications and have discount applied. Discount is available on the subsequent land-only portion of the core tour/cruise only not including extra night accommodations, extensions, taxes/fees, tips or supplements. Booking must be made, under deposit and discount applied by December 31, 2025, for travel in 2025. Multiple tours or cruises must travel within same calendar year and must be booked at the same time. Offer is combinable with applicable consumer promotions, Welcome Back Credits, and account specific promos. Offer reliant on space availability. Not applicable to Groups, Custom, Charter, Sole Uses or Private Touring. Applies to new bookings only. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply. Offer may be withdrawn at any time. Offer applies to participating offices only. 0CALL
Sail from Romania to Hungary’s capital of Budapest to experience river views like no other. Begin your Danube River vacation your way before your cruise with an overnight stay and sightseeing in Bucharest. Drive into the Carpathian Mountains to Sinaia to visit the grand Peles Castle. You’ll continue to Transylvania for two nights in Brasov. Take a guided tour of the city by day, followed by a tour of Dracula’s Bran Castle by night, and enjoy guided sightseeing in Bucharest. Enjoy superior hotel accommodations with complimentary breakfast, an expert Local Guide, and courtesy hotel-to-ship transfer. From Bucharest, travel to Oltenita to embark on your Danube River cruise. Take in the incredible views along the way, your cruise on the Danube River carries you through the striking landscapes of the Balkans. In Bulgaria’s largest inland port, take a guided sightseeing tour of Rousse, including the Holy Trinity Church, or spend a full day with a guided tour of the Bulgarian capital of Veliko Târnovo, where ancient stone houses cling to the Yantra River cliffs. One of the oldest towns in Bulgaria, Arbanassi holds Bulgarian Revival architecture within its 15th-century locale. Guided sightseeing In Vidin is followed by a guided tour of Belogradchik, with its ancient fortress and tremendous rock formations on the Balkan Mountains. Next visit Lepenski Vir for a guided tour with ancient archaeological finds before cruising through the narrow Iron Gates Gorge. In Serbia, take a guided tour of Belgrade, including one of the world’s largest Orthodox churches, and see the most preserved Croatian fortress in Osijek. You’ll also attend a stirring performance by young students of the Franjo Kuhač music school. Tour the historic towns of Mohács and Pécs before cruising to Budapest to conclude your amazing cruise on the Danube.
- Day 1BUCHAREST, ROMANIAFri, May 02, 2025Welcome to Bucharest—The “Paris of the East” The day is yours to relax and enjoy Bucharest. Spend some free time exploring this fascinating city on your own to discover its trendy shops, cafés, museums, beautiful homes, and churches along Victory Avenue.
- Day 2BUCHAREST–SINAIA–BRASOVSat, May 03, 2025Drive into the Carpathians to Sinaia to visit Peles Castle. On the way, enjoy a local lunch. This afternoon continue to Brasov for the night. (B,L)
- Day 3BRASOVSun, May 04, 2025Join a morning Guided Sightseeing Tour of Brasov followed by free time. In the evening enjoy a tour of Bran Castle of Dracula lore followed by dinner. (B,D)
- Day 4BRASOV–BUCHAREST–OLTENITA (EMBARKATION)Mon, May 05, 2025CLASSIC Join a Guided Excursion in Bucharest, see the Royal Palace Square—the scene of the city 's 1989 riots to overthrow the communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.Join your Avalon Suite Ship® this afternoon, for embarkation in Oltenita.EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO ROUSSE(B,D)
- Day 5ROUSSE, BULGARIA. VELIKO TÂRNOVO & ARBANASSI EXCURSIONTue, May 06, 2025Fortresses and Fountains in “Little Vienna” ACTIVE Join a bike tour in Rousse with your Avalon Adventure Host, OR:CLASSIC Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour of Bulgaria’s largest inland port and visit its impressive Holy Trinity Church, OR:CLASSIC Join a full-day Guided Tour to the former Bulgarian capital of Veliko Târnovo—with its ancient stone houses clinging to the cliffs above the Yantra River. Discover one of the oldest towns in Bulgaria (circa 4300 BC), as well as Bulgarian Revival architecture in the 15th-century town of Arbanassi.Sail to Svistov or join your ship there if you opted for the full-day tour.EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO VIDIN(B,L,D)
- Day 6VIDINWed, May 07, 2025Rocks, Ruins, and Balkan Beauty Ask about today’s energizing or relaxing Adventure Host activities.ACTIVE Wander and discover this town, join your Adventure Host for a bike ride, OR:CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour of Belogradchik. See the remarkable rock formations on the slopes of the Balkan Mountains, sculpted by 200 million years of nature’s elements. Then, visit the mighty Baba Vida Fortress in nearby Vidin.This evening, enjoy live entertainment on board with a Bulgarian folklore show.EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO DONJI MILANOVAC(B,L,D)
- Day 7IRON GATES GORGE. EXCURSION TO LEPENSKI VIR, SERBIAThu, May 08, 2025Ancient Artifacts and the Iron Gates Before lunch on board, you’ll sail through the spectacular and narrow Iron Gates Gorge—forming a natural border between Serbia and Romania. CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour to Lepenski Vir—an important Mesolithic archaeological site chronicling prehistoric cultures, settlements, and art. Marvel at the ancient discoveries and artifacts, as well as the unique views the site affords of the Danube Gorge. Continue to the Fortress of Golubač, one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses in Europe. OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BELGRADE(B,L,D)
- Day 8BELGRADEFri, May 09, 2025Fortresses and FolkloreJoin your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.ACTIVE Discover Belgrade's central walkway with your Adventure Host, OR:CLASSIC Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour of Belgrade—where the Danube and Sava Rivers converge—and see the city’s many fascinating sights, including Saint Sava, one of the world’s largest Orthodox churches. You may choose to join an Optional Guided Biking tour or spend free time in Belgrade exploring Knez Mihailova Street—Belgrade’s central pedestrian thoroughfare with many lively cafés, shops, and cultural spots. DISCOVERY Attend an onboard Lecture to learn about the rich history, destinations, and culture of the Balkan states.OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO NOVI SAD(B,L,D)
- Day 9NOVI SADSat, May 10, 2025A Capital of CultureCLASSIC Join a Guided Tour of Novi Sad, the second largest town in Serbia. Admire its Austro-Hungarian old town, with its baroque buildings, and ancient fortifications.ACTIVE Enjoy a walking tour in Novi Sad along the narrow streets that climb slowly to the top of the hill above the city to Petrovaradin Fortress, OR:DISCOVERY Experience the sweet life in Serbia with a visit and tasting at the Museum of Beekeeping and Živanović Wine Cellar in Sremski Karlovci.OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN ILOK (B,L,D)
- Day 10ILOK, CROATIASun, May 11, 2025Croatian Heritage and Hilltop VintagesDISCOVERY Take a walking tour of Ilok with a wine tasting in a local cellar with stories of Croatian tradition.Enjoy a short sailing to Vukovar during lunchtimeVUKOVAR, CROATIAThe Heroic Town on the DanubeCLASSIC Enjoy a walking tour of Vukovar, the city the largest river port in Croatia.This evening, enjoy live entertainment on board.OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MOHÁCS(B,L,D)
- Day 11MOHÁCS, HUNGARY. EXCURSION TO PÉCSMon, May 12, 2025Underground Tombs and Heavenly MusicCLASSIC Join a morning Guided Sightseeing Tour of Mohács—the quiet Danube harbor town with its historical memorial parks, statues, and distinctive churches. Tour the remarkable medieval St. Nicholas Watermill—one of only a few remaining watermills performing stone-ground grain processing, OR:CLASSIC Take a Guided Tour to nearby Pécs to see its 4th-century Christian underground tombs, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with fascinating murals. You’ll also enjoy an organ concert on your tour.AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BUDAPEST(B,L,D)
- Day 12BUDAPEST (DISEMBARKATION)Tue, May 13, 2025Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.Flights should not leave Budapest airport before 8 am.(B)
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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.
Accommodation Information
Port charges:
$240
Avalon offers the opportunity for solo travelers to sail with no single supplement (subject to availability).
Please call for single accommodation price. Triples not available.
OR Call Us For a Free Quote 1-800-342-0019
Ship Information
Cabins
Life on Board
Questions & Answers Ask A Question
Question: Will the day-by-day itinerary change?
Question: In what language is the river cruise conducted?
Was a fabulous experience. Avalon, the boat, the staff, the tours, the airfare. Perfect!
This tour /cruise was fantastic. The pre-cruise extension in Transylvania was for me the highlight and anyone considering the cruise should definitely include this. Our Avalon cruise director and the entire crew were outstanding as were the local guides who were extremely knowledgeable and spoke perfect English.
Outstanding cruise,ship and crew were excellent.Cruise Director Simona is a delight,extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Will travel again with Avalon.
I would travel on valon only in the future. Cleaner, newer, more comfortable ships with a great stafff. Better than my previous river cruises with a high end ship! And the cruise director has to be the absolutely best in the industry!!!
The ship is beautiful and the rooms very comfortable. Avalon seems to attract a very friendly and social group of travelers. It is also welcoming to the solo traveler.
This was probably the best cruise we have ever taken and we travel a lot. Autumn from Affordable is the best. She was always there when I needed her and so accommodating. The ship Passion was a 10 plus in every way from the rooms to the tours, food and staff. I liked that they had healthy choices at every meal.
Our Avalon cruise exceeded our expections. We had a great staff, great tours, and met wonderful people.
This river cruise to see the Christmas Markets and tour parts of Austria, Germany, and the Czech Republic was a dream come true. Every part of it was amazing. From the organization of Affordable Tours pre-cruise to Avalon Waterways beautiful ship, great crew (especially cruise director Gusta) and the spectacular meals. The tours were marvelous and informative. Cant say enough about the great time we had.
As always the service on Avalon was excellent and the rooms wonderful. Missed the allergy notifications cards on buffet as my daughter had celiacs Did appriciate that after the third day the had made gluten fee desserts that she was able to have and the snacks provided at captains cocktail time. Would have been perfect if these items had been available the first few days also, as not having them made me feel my daughter was left out and me also feel guilty if I ate in front of her.
I thought the dinner meals were not as good as past cruise. Breakfast and lunch were fine. Service from staff was excellent
It was a wonderful trip and the person who made it really great was our Cruise Director, Monika. She was friendly, helpful and extremely kind. When I had a severe asthma attack in Venice, she made arrangements to get me to a hospital for necessary treatment and throughout the rest of the trip continued to check on me and make sure that I had whatever was needed to be comfortable. It can be a scary experience to be ill in a foreign country, but with Monika's help I made it through the rest of the trip without any more worries.
We had a great trip. This is our second river cruise with Avalon through Affordable Tours. We knew what to expect from our previous trip (Romantic Rhine a year ago). The day excursions are well-led, with lots of information from our capable guides. The food on board is very good, with buffet style (our preference) for breakfast and lunch. We're not gourmet food aficionados, honestly two-hour dinners every night are not our style, but we knew they were part of the package, so we weren't surprised.
Avalon staff and tours were excellent - enjoyed the many excursions.
The attention to detail is incredible. The tour director left nothing on the table. Everything was perfectly organized and described. The cruise was great and I would, and will, recommend this to all my friends and family. If you find yourself on this cruise, you are in for a great adventure. All arranged/included tours at each port were top notch.
The trip was an educational trip about the Balkan Region. It was wonderful!
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Avalon Passion had the intimate atmosphere of small ship cruising. By the end of the trip there was a good family atmosphere on the boat. The ship was in great condition, crew and staff were pleasant and attentive and the Tour Director was great. Local guides were all passionate about their destinations, and since we were in four different countries in a week, we got interesting, and sometime startling, perspectives on Balkan history. The weather was very hot, and this made some of the walking tours rather grueling, but the Tour director and guides did their best to adapt tours to the heat, and make sure there was plenty of water, rest and shade. The shore based last three days were fascinating but tiring. All in all, a great experience.