✓ Incredible sightseeing including Munich, Neuschwanstein Castle & Linderhof, Salzburg salt mines, Linz, Melk, Durnstein, Vienna, Bratislava & Budapest and more
✓ 6 Day river cruise on the Danube River through Austria, Slovakia & Hungary
✓ 2 nights in centrally located 4 stars accommodation in Munich
✓ 5 nights accommodation in 3 & 4 star river cruise
✓ 16 meals including daily 7 breakfasts, 4 lunches & 5 dinners
✓ Refined French cuisine, gala dinner/evening and welcome cocktail
✓ Onboard drinks included with meals and at the bar
✓ Onboard activities as outlined in the itinerary
✓ Includess port fees
✓ Free Wi-Fi onboard your river cruise
✓ Munich Airport arrival and departure transfers
8 Day Munich & The Blue Danube To Budapest
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Pace
Moderate Pace
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Escorted Type
Partially Escorted
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Cruise Style
River
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Protection Guarantee
Free Date Change Protection
✓ Incredible sightseeing including Munich, Neuschwanstein Castle & Linderhof, Salzburg salt mines, Linz, Melk, Durnstein, Vienna, Bratislava & Budapest and more
✓ 6 Day river cruise on the Danube River through Austria, Slovakia & Hungary
✓ 2 nights in centrally located 4 stars accommodation in Munich
✓ 5 nights accommodation in 3 & 4 star river cruise
✓ 16 meals including daily 7 breakfasts, 4 lunches & 5 dinners
✓ Refined French cuisine, gala dinner/evening and welcome cocktail
✓ Onboard drinks included with meals and at the bar
✓ Onboard activities as outlined in the itinerary
✓ Includess port fees
✓ Free Wi-Fi onboard your river cruise
✓ Munich Airport arrival and departure transfers
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Cooling Off Period
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Unbeatable Value
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Award Winning Customer Support
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Covid Safety and Wellbeing
Travelling with Inspiring Vacations allows you to explore the wonders of the world in a variety of different ways. We have partnered with a worldwide network of local travel experts to bring you culturally unique and delightfully unforgettable travel experiences. Whether it is meandering through narrow canyons by rail, cruising the idyllic waters of the Mediterranean or touring through the backroads of provincial towns, Inspiring Vacations trips offer amazing value and will leave you inspired.
Welcome to Munich! On arrival to Munich Airport, your transfer will take you to your centrally located hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure for you to become acquainted with this wonderful city.
Check-in & Arrival Information:
Hotel check in is at 2pm. Should you arrive earlier, hotel staff will do all possible to check you in as soon as possible. If your room is not available before check-in time, you are welcome to leave your luggage in storage and explore the surrounding area.
If this is your first time in Munich, you may want to arrive a day or two earlier and explore the city in depth. We can help you arrange extra accommodation.
After breakfast, join a guided tour to the Bavarian countryside and visit two of Germany’s highlight castles in one day. The Neuschwanstein Castle and Linderhof Royal Palace and village are among the top sights to see outside of Munich, and it's easy to see why. Explore Neuschwanstein, the castle that inspired the famous Disney Castle and King Ludwig II's most impressive creation.
Enjoy a delicious breakfast and a free morning in town before being transfered to the train station in time to catch your train to Passau. The train journey takes between 2 to 3 hours. German trains are modern and comfortable so have your favorite book at hand or simply sit back and watch the country side go by. Once at Passau train station, please take your own taxi or Uber to your cruise port which is located 1-2kms away on Fritz Schäffer–Promenade (located between Schanzlbrücke et Ortsspitze). A taxi or Uber from the train station will cost you approximately EUR 5-10.
You are welcome to board the ship by 4:00 p.m. After comfortably settling into your cabin, you'll be introduced to the crew at a welcome cocktail. We'll begin to cruise towards the beautiful region of Engelhartszell.
Today you will enjoy a guided tour of the Melk Abbey. Departu by coach in company of your host/hostess towards Melk Abbey. We will meet up with our guides in the inner courtyard to start our visit. The Abbey overlooking the Danube was first built as the Babenberg's fortified castle. It was founded in the 11th century and the current buildings of the Benedictine abbey date from the Baroque era and were designed by architect Jakob Prandtauer.
Melk Abbey now houses a museum in which you'll discover several rooms that have been enhanced thanks to architecture, sound and light as well as the use of various types of media. Computer animations will tell you a story about the construction of the edifices. You will also visit the marble hall, the world famous library and the bedchambers where a number of illustrious visitors have slept. Return on board by coach.
In the afternoon, we'll cruising on to Vienna. After our arrival, perhaps join an optional Tour Vienna by night.
Optiona Tour - Guided Tour of Vienna by night - EUR 36 (Booked on tour)
Discover Vienna by night with a panoramic coach tour. This two-thousand-year-old city is a true open-air museum. Vienna embodies Romanticism through its powerful architecture and numerous monuments. We'll take the famous Ring which encircles historic Vienna, on the right bank of the Danube. Our coach will go past a multitude of buildings that were erected under the old Austro-Hungarian monarchy: the Opera, the City Hall, the Hofburg and many official buildings.
We will stop at Schwarzenbergplatz with a monument in honor of Johann Strauss. Then, a walk around Albertina quarter will allow us to admire Hofburg Palace, the winter residence of the Habsburgs which today houses the Sisi Museum, as well as the Augustinian Church where Franz Joseph and Sisi's wedding was conducted. Return to the boat by coach.
Today you will take a guided tour of Vienna and Schoenbrunn Palace. You will begin the tour by taking the famous Ring to reach Schoenbrunn Palace. The "Ring" was one of the personal projects of Emperor Franz Joseph. In 1857, he decided to take down the ramparts that enclosed the city center and had this boulevard built lined with fine buildings. Along the Ring you will admire this architectural showcase of the old Austro-Hungarian monarchy, including: the State Opera; the Hofburg Palace; the Natural History Museum; the City Hall; the Burgtheater and more.
When you arrive at Schoenbrunn Palace, you will be guided through the numerous rooms of the Hapsburgs' summer residence, which bear witness to the splendor of the Court at the time of Maria Theresa. You will also have some time to wander through the Palace gardens.
You will then return to the coach, which will take you to the city center to enjoy some free time in the area around St Stephen's Cathedral. You will then return to the coach, which will take you back to the boat, via the Ring.
Later on we'll cruise to Budapest, passing Bratislava on the way. Tonight is our gala dinner and evening.
Enjoy some time on your own exploring Esztergom, the former capital of Hungary. We'll then spend the afternoon cruising to Budapest. The Hungarian capital lies along the banks of the Danube and is one of the most attractive cities in Europe. Enjoy some free time sightseeing the city before returning to the ship.
Join an expert local guide on a guided tour of Budapest. In the company of our guides, we will leave for a panoramic tour of Budapest, the Pearl of the Danube. First we will head for the hills of Buda by crossing the Elizabeth Bridge and we will go up to the Castle quarter, from where we'll enjoy a fantastic panoramic view of the city. We will walk round the castle quarter and on to the Fisherman's Bastion, built in neo-Roman style in 1902 for the simple pleasure of offering a panoramic view over the city and the Danube.
Behind the Bastion, we will find Matthias Church which notably was the venue for the coronation of Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife "Sissi". Our coach will then take us down to the plains of Pest. There, we will visit Heroes' Square whose central monument depicting Prince Arpad and the chieftains of seven Magyar tribes was built for the millennium of Hungary. We will pass by the famous Szechenyi thermal baths, the zoo - a true piece of architecture - Vajdahunyad Castle and more.
We will walk through the famous Andrassy Avenue and pass by St. Stephen's Basilica whose construction began in 1851 and was only completed in 1905. We will walk along the river and see the famous Parliament building overlooking the Danube with its white silhouette in the Byzantine and neo-Gothic styles. Return on board.
Enjoy one last buffet breakfast on board before disembarking at 9:00 a.m. Cruise staff will be able to help you arrange transport to Budapest airport. Alternatively, a taxi or Uber ride will cost you approximately EUR 15-20
Inspiring Vacations has been globally recognised and awarded for its handling of COVID-19 during the pandemic. The safety and wellbeing of our guests is our highest concern during this time of uncertainty, and we are continuously monitoring the evolving COVID-19 situation.
We have adopted the advice of the WHO to ensure all customers can travel with the knowledge of how to travel safely and with confidence.
Australian owned and operated with 100% Australian Customer Service support
We are proudly 100% Australian owned and operated, with our head office located in Melbourne, Victoria. When you make your booking, you will receive dedicated and ongoing support from our team of travel professionals throughout your booking, up until you are due to depart.
Cooling off period
If you change your mind within 7 days of making your booking online, you can request a refund of your initial deposit payment as part of our cooling off period. Once your purchase date falls outside of the 7 day period, our standard terms and conditions will apply.
Please ensure that any request to cancel your booking is received via email to support@inspiringvacations.com, including the reason for cancellation.
Deposit & Payments
- Please follow the 'book now' prompts to view the deposit amount
- A second installment will be due 28 days after your initial deposit of 30% of the package cost per person
- You will then be invoiced for final payment 90 days prior to departure
Booking Process
- 'Sign Up' first by entering your email and creating a password
- Then select the red 'Book now' tab of the tour you have selected
- Select your Departure Date, Number of Passengers, Room Configuration, any Upgrade Options, and enter any Special Requests
- Click the red ‘Proceed to Secure Checkout' tab
- Enter your credit card or PayPal details to secure your deposit/payment
- Once your order is complete, you will be prompted to complete a Booking Form so that we can fulfil your booking
- Your booking is on request and will be confirmed by Inspiring Vacations once all components of your package have been secured with our partners, please see below for further information
Booking On Request
- Your Inspiring Vacations package is made up of multiple components and travel partners. Once your booking is made and passenger details form submitted, we will begin to confirm all of your arrangements.
- Please note, this process can take several business days to complete.
Once all elements have been confirmed we will send you an email confirmation, if we are unable to confirm we will provide you with alternative dates or offer a full refund of your deposit or re-credit your account if a travel credit was used. - Please DO NOT book any additional services, such as flights, until we have confirmed your Inspiring Vacations package in writing. Inspiring Vacations will not be liable for any fees or charges incurred to change or cancel components not booked by Inspiring Vacations should your selected package be unavailable.
Croisieurope Cruises
The river cruise section of this itinerary is operated by our parter Croisieurope Cruises. Since its creation, Croisieurope has built a fleet of cruise ships capable of taking passengers on all the European rivers. Today, the company counts 32 ships on the continent, all of Standard category and Premium category. Designed with care and taste for detail, each of the boats in the CroisiEurope fleet offers comfort and safety, and always with a touch of originality in interior decoration.
100 to 180 passengers can board, depending on the design of the ships. These are regularly maintained to kept up to date with decor and optimal safety standards. The Croisieurope fleet welcomes new cruise ships every year, while some of the older ones are completely refurbished. Becoming the European leader in river cruises, Croisieurope represents today quality, with its experience, its dynamism and its sense of innovation.
This itinerary is operated on a number of different ships. See below for links and more information on your selected ship. Cabin inclusions vary from ship to ship. The price of this trip includes a comfortable Main Deck Cabin. Cabins feature (at least) a window and are equipped with two beds that can be separated, private bathroom with shower and bath products, satellite TV, safe, hairdryer and radio. You can request an upgrade to Upper Deck or Middle Deck.
- Main Deck - Included
- Upper Deck - from AUD 315 per person
Please request your cabin upgrade in the 'special requests' field. Availability and price will then be confirmed and added to your invoice upon acceptance.
Ships available during this trip:
- MS France - Standard
- MS Douce France - Premium
COVID-19
Due to COVID there maybe disruptions to standard operating schedules of particular components of this itinerary. Should a component be affected a substitute will be confirmed prior to departure.
Fitness Requirements
While the tour itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers.
As a general rule, porterage is not included, therefore at all times you are expected to handle your own luggage where help may not be available.
Accommodation
The accommodation listed is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard.
Single Supplement
A Single Supplement is available on this tour. Select 'book now' and choose 1 passenger to show the single supplement for this tour.
Triple Share
Not Available
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is required to protect yourself against the unexpected.
Tour Documentation
Final documentation including, e -tickets and hotel details, will be provided approximately 30 days prior to travel.
Group Size
Group size varies from package to package. Depending on the services provided, the group size might range from private 2 person experiences up to coaches of 60 people depending on your selected holiday.
Tour Style
Partially Escorted - A section of this itinerary is Independent. We have arranged your transportation, accommodation and activities. During this time you will joined by other non Inspiring Vacations travelers. The river cruise portion of this tour runs as a group tour where you will be escorted by expert ship's staff and by local leaders during off shore excursions.
Children
Children must share a room with parents at all times and are charged the same price as adults.
- International flights
- Personal expenses
- Optional activities
- Anything not mentioned in the itinerary
- Travel insurance (highly recommended)
- Guide/Driver tipping
- Transportation to/from activities on Day 2 & 10 starting point - as explained in the itinerary
- Expenditures of a personal nature, drinks and meals if not stated explicitly in the programme
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