From Budapest to Nuremberg aboard a Premier River Vessel
Blue Danube Discovery Cruise
BOOKING DISCOUNT
- 2026: $500-$1,250 savings per person on select departures
- 2027: $250-$1,000 savings per person on select departures
Availability is limited, please call for details
Overview
Discover a wealth of art, history, and cultural treasures as you cruise to some of Europe's most famous destinations. Journey to Bratislava, Vienna, Passau, and the 2,000-year-old town of Regensburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Along the way, visit magnificent cathedrals and Baroque abbeys, sample Vienna's sinfully rich sachertorte cake, experience the breathtaking scenery of the Wachau Valley wine-making region, and traverse Europe's Continental Divide. Add on a pre-cruise extension to Budapest or a post-cruise extension to Prague.
Arrive: Budapest, Hungary
Depart: Nuremberg, Germany
Highlights
- Cultural and architectural heritage of Vienna, Bratislava, Melk, Passau, Regensburg
- Walking tours, wine tastings, guided bike tours
- Extend your adventure to Glorious Prague, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Itinerary
Note: This trip is not exclusive to, nor operated by, Wilderness Travel, who acts solely as an agent in booking your reservation with the operator. Please download the Rate Sheet in the Dates & Pricing section to see the full pricing details and contact our Cruise Collection Specialists to check availability.
Arrive in Budapest and relax in your cabin on the Danube, where the city’s holiday charm will welcome you.
Learn why Bratislava is known as the “Coronation City of Kings” on a guided walking tour, or savor local flavors on a special “Tastes of Slovakia” experience, with an option for a more active adventure hiking up to Bratislava Castle for stunning city views.
Activities: Walking Tour / Tastes of Slovakia / Bratislava Castle Hike
Admire the treasures of the “City of Waltzes” on a guided tour of Vienna's regal landmarks, including the majestic Opera House, the former Imperial Palace of the Habsburgs, and St. Stephen's Cathedral, with the option for a more active adventure on a guided bike ride, followed by leisure time to explore the city at your own pace.
Activities: Imperial Vienna Tour / Vienna Bike Tour
Spend the morning in the Wachau Valley with a choice of excursions in Dürnstein, from a walking tour to the luminous blue Stiftskirche with a wine tasting and apricot delights, to a hike up to Richard the Lionheart’s former fortress, before cruising through the picturesque valley to Melk for a tour of the UNESCO-listed Melk Abbey or a guided bike ride, with the option to add a hike for more adventurous passengers.
Activities: Walking and Wine Tasting Tour / Apricots and Sweets Tasting / Durnstein Fortress Hike / Scenic Cruising through UNESCO Wachau Valley / Benedictine Abbey Tour / Guided Bike Ride to Melk / Melk Abbey Hike
Disembark in Linz for a full-day voyage to Salzburg, where you can explore the historic center, Mirabell Gardens, Residenz Square, and the Old Market. Or, remain on board to enjoy a scenic cruise to Passau with a walking tour of its Gothic and Baroque architecture and St. Stephen’s Cathedral, with the option to take a guided hike to Veste Oberhaus Fortress or a bike tour along the Inn River.
Activities: City of Three Rivers Walking Tour / Passau Bike Tour / Passau Castle Hike / River Inn Bike Tour
Sightsee in Regensburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Germany’s best-preserved medieval cities, on a guided walking tour featuring the Old Town Hall and the ancient Roman Porta Praetoria. Indulge in Bavarian specialties like beer, sausage, and pretzels. Or, take a scenic bike ride to Walhalla to admire the neoclassical white marble temple inspired by the Parthenon.
Activities: UNESCO City Walking Tour / Taste of Bavaria / Walhalla Bike Tour
Enjoy a scenic morning cruise along the Main-Danube Canal to Nuremberg, then explore the medieval city center with a tour of the Imperial Castle, Albrecht Dürer's home, and Market Square. In the afternoon, delve into the city's WWII history with a visit to Zeppelin Field and the Nuremberg Trials museum or savor traditional Franconian flavors with Nuremberger Bratwurst, Rotbier, and gingerbread.
Activities: Medieval City Tour / WWII City Tour / Tastes of Franconia
Depart the ship after breakfast, with the option to add the post-cruise Land Program.
Additional 2-nights Budapest pre-cruise
Day 1: Arrive / Budapest, Hungary
Arrive in Budapest and transfer to your hotel. The remainder of the day is free to relax or begin exploring this beautiful city.
Day 2: Budapest
Explore Budapest, the “Queen of the Danube,” where iconic sights like Fisherman’s Bastion, Buda Hill, and the Hungarian Parliament stand alongside hidden treasures waiting to be discovered. Your guide will lead you beyond the riverbanks to uncover the city’s rich history, culture, and lesser-known gems.
Day 3: Budapest / Embark
Check out of your hotel to boar your luxurious ship. During the evening, be treated to a special illuminations cruise around Budapest's famed Parliament Building.
Additional 3-nights Prague post-cruise
Day 10: Regensburg / Prague
Disembark and travel to Regensburg, one of Germany's best-preserved medieval cities, for a guided walking tour through its historic streets. After exploring Regensburg, continue onward to the vibrant city of Prague
Day 11: Prague
Explore Prague’s UNESCO-listed historic center on a city tour or hike up to the grand castle. See landmarks like Rudolfinum, the Hundertwasser Dancing House, and the 1,000-year-old Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral, then cross the romantic Charles Bridge to the Old Market Square and its famous Astronomical Clock.
Day 12: Prague
Indulge in the storied history of Czech beer, from visits to the first brewery in 993 to sips on iconic brews like Pilsner Urquell and Budweiser. Join a tasting to sample a variety of styles from the country’s more than 100 breweries and experience firsthand why beer is central to Czech culture and identity.
Day 13: Prague / Depart
Bid farewell to Prague and prepare for your homeward flight.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
This cruise is rated Level 1, Easiest, and is appropriate for anyone in good health who is physically active. Daily shore excursions require a moderate amount of walking, often along uneven cobblestone streets and up and down stairs. To better accommodate guests and their individual fitness levels, AMA Waterways programs provide several levels of walking tours whenever possible: "Gentle Walkers" are designed for slower walkers to enjoy the tour in a relaxed manner, "Active Walkers" enjoy the tours at a normal pace, and there is also a "Late Starters" group offered to guests who prefer to sleep in.
Staterooms range from 160-350 square feet (depending on category), and typical hotel room amenities include hair dryer, bathrobe, television, and mini-safe. Every stateroom has individually controlled air conditioning, internet access, wi-fi (free throughout the ship!) and a movie-on-demand system that offers a variety of English language channels, films and music options. Most staterooms have balconies, either walk-on or French, but lower categories just have fixed windows or portholes.
AMA is known for its efforts to bring in regional cuisine, which is always fun as you explore new countries and cultures. Breakfast and lunch are served buffet-style with made-to-order specialties. Dinner is multi-course. Every lunch and dinner includes free-flowing regional wines as well as complimentary beer and soft drinks. Bottled water, specialty teas, and coffees are always available free of charge. All ships have an open seating policy in the main restaurant to encourage you to meet your fellow travelers.
AMA Waterways specializes in high-end river journeys that navigate some of Europe's most famous waterways. Their ships accommodate approximately 150 passengers in comfortable staterooms, all with scenic views. While this might sound like a lot of travelers compared to Wilderness Travel's traditional small group trips, it's a modest number of passengers in the cruise ship world and there are a number of comfortable lounges, dining rooms, bars, and sitting areas on board for you to find a perfect spot to socialize or quietly relax, depending on your mood.
There is a warm and welcoming feel to all AMA cruises. From the moment you step onboard, you will be welcomed by crew, staff, and leaders who are friendly, professional and English speaking. There is a high staff to guest ratio (1:3) that assures a feeling of being well-taken-care-of at all times. Your fellow passengers will come from a variety of English-speaking countries and guests tend to mingle freely. No need to bring fancy clothes as the atmosphere onboard is casual, although guests do tend to dress up for the Captain's dinner.
Daily shore excursions are included in the cost of the cruise, along with free time to explore on your own. Each tour is led by a qualified, local guide. At many stops, you'll be free to choose from one of several options. Complimentary headset systems ensure that you hear every word of your tour. AMA ships carry more than two dozen bicycles and helmets, free of charge, for your use should you want to venture into the countryside.
There is a reception desk onboard that is open 24 hours a day with somebody available to help you, should you need it. All announcements and lectures will be presented in English as the clientele is mainly North American, Australian, and European. All AMA cruises prohibit smoking inside their ships. Smoking is only permitted outside on the sun deck.
Electricity on board all ships is 220v, with 2-pin power outlets. You will need an adapter, and/or converter depending on which electrical appliances you bring with you. There are no medical facilities on board although if medical services are needed, they can easily be called from shore. Laundry services are available for a fee.
All ships are equipped with either a whirlpool or a small, heated swimming pool. If you think you might want to use this, be sure to pack a swimsuit!
Tips are not included in the price of the cruise, and are entirely at your discretion. The recommended rate suggested is 3 Euros per passenger per day to the Cruise Manager and 12 Euros per passenger per day to the crew, which will be divided up and distributed. You can use your credit card for this expense. It is also customary to acknowledge a particularly good performance of a local guide by leaving a tip of 1-2 Euros per tour.
Wilderness Travel enjoys partnering with AMA Waterways because they offer a high quality product with thoughtfully planned itineraries, allowing travelers to experience Europe's most glorious architecture, medieval castles, historic villages, and idyllic countryside with minimal effort. Since these trips are relatively short, you may consider this as part of a longer, European adventure!
Other Trips You Might Like
Browse All Trips
Cruise Collection
Captivating Rhine River Cruise
France, Switzerland, Netherlands, Germany
Level 1
8 Days
From $3,249
Cruise Collection
Grand Danube River Cruise
Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Turkey
Level 1
15 Days
From $6,799
Cruise Collection
Melodies of the Danube
Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia
Level 1
8 Days
From $3,649
Cruise Collection
Romantic Danube
Slovakia, Hungary, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic
Level 1
8 Days
From $3,449
Book your trip today
Our Area Specialists know every detail about our tours. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!
Itinerary
Submit the form below to download itinerary
Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult.