The Blue Danube - Eastbound Aboard ms Joy

Wind your way past medieval landscapes aboard Tauck's ms Savor or ms Joy to explore five European countries, visit castles and cathedrals, embark on locally guided sightseeing and spend special evenings in two private palaces. Enjoy two nights each at centrally located hotels in Prague and Budapest.



Along the river of kings... medieval castles and Gothic cathedrals... charming riverside villages... the Imperial treasures of the Habsburgs... lush Wachau valley vineyards... the music of Mozart... From Prague to Budapest, castles of all descriptions have watched over the landscape from their royal perches for centuries. On this 12-day journey featuring a 9-night Danube cruise, they remain lasting testimony to kingdoms and culture, ready to welcome you... during a private dinner in Lobkowicz Palace... an exclusive evening of Imperial entertainment at a private Vienna palace... in Baroque Salzburg and atop Budapest's Castle Hill... and exploring Vienna's Hofburg or Schonbrunn Palace. It's a Blue Danube cruise to remember!

Along the river of kings... medieval castles and Gothic cathedrals... charming riverside villages... the Imperial treasures of the Habsburgs... lush Wachau valley vineyards... the music of Mozart... From Prague to Budapest, castles of all descriptions have watched over the landscape from their royal perches for centuries. On this 12-day journey featuring a 9-night Danube cruise, they remain lasting testimony to kingdoms and culture, ready to welcome you... during a private dinner in Lobkowicz Palace... an exclusive evening of Imperial entertainment at a private Vienna palace... in Baroque Salzburg and atop Budapest's Castle Hill... and exploring Vienna's Hofburg or Schonbrunn Palace. It's a Blue Danube cruise to remember!

Traveling Well Includes:
  • TAUCK EXCLUSIVE - Private Imperial Evening at a palace in Vienna featuring a gala dinner and Viennese performers
  • TAUCK EXCLUSIVE - Private aperitif and dinner in Prague at Lobkowicz Palace, Prague Castle
  • TAUCK EXCLUSIVE - A private tour of Prague's Baroque libraries, Strahov Monastery
  • All gratuities to ship staff, drivers, local guides, Tauck Directors and Tauck Cruise Director
  • All private Tauck shore excursions - $3,438 Value

  • Day 1 - Arrive Prague - private evening at Lobkowicz Palace

    Tour begins: 5:30 PM, Prague Mariott Hotel. A transfer is included from Vaclav Havel Airport Prague or the Praha Hlavni Nadrazi train station to the Prague Fairmont Golden Prague Hotel in the heart of the city. Begin your amazing Blue Danube river cruise adventure early this evening with a Tauck Exclusive - a royal welcoming reception, tour and dinner at 16th-century Lobkowicz Palace at Prague Castle. Immerse in an evening of classical cultural treasures - music and art played an important role in the aristocratic world of the Lobkowicz family.



    Lodging: Fairmont Golden Prague Hotel

    Meals: D

    Day 2 - Legacy of many centuries in Prague

    Start today's exploration of Prague this morning with a choice of walking tours through Prague's ethereal Old Town, choosing between a one-hour introductory tour; a walk through the centuries (note: this excursion has two versions, with one being shorter and less requiring less walking); or the city's poignant Jewish sites in Josefov, the historic Jewish Quarter (ask at booking about dates that cannot visit inside the Jewish Heritage sites as they are closed Saturdays and on Jewish holidays; in those cases, alternate sightseeing will be offered). This afternoon, your choices in the ancient Hradcany (Castle) district include the 1,000-year-old Prague Castle's complex of palaces, courtyards and gardens; the magnificent Gothic Cathedral of St. Vitus; and the grand Baroque libraries of Strahov Monastery, where a private tour is a Tauck Exclusive. Sample the culinary pleasures of Prague on a free night to spend as you wish; the city's many fine restaurants and cafes feature a wide range of cuisines... and some of the best schnitzels, goulashes, strudels, dumplings and beer the region has to offer. Tomorrow - your Danube river cruise begins.

    Lodging: Fairmont Golden Prague Hotel

    Meals: B

    Day 3 - Regensburg / Embark your riverboat

    A choice this morning precedes the start of your cruise along the Danube. If you wish, you may stay in Prague for the morning to explore the city as you please, or, venture off to the quintessential Bavarian town of Regensburg, whose roots stretch back to Roman days. This afternoon, drive to Germany, where you'll board your riverboat and launch your 7-night Danube cruise. Join your shipmates and crew at a welcome reception followed by dinner aboard the riverboat tonight.

    Lodging: ms Joy

    Meals: B, L, D

    Day 4 - Engelhartszell & cycling along the Danube

    Take in the views from your riverboat's sun deck, lounge, or the windows of your outside cabin as your ship glides along the mighty Danube this morning. Your first port of call on your cruise is Engelhartszell, a pretty town on the Danube in Upper Austria. After a visit to a local private home (and a taste of local cake, sweets and coffee), you'll have a choice of a walking tour of town including 18th-century Engelhartszell Abbey and Danube World, or a guided tour of the Jochenstein Lock on the Danube, through which ships navigate through the Wachau Valley (please note, there may be ongoing renovations in progress). Following lunch aboard the riverboat, you may, if you wish, join us for an optional bicycle excursion along the Danube to Aschach (a fairly rigorous bike ride, for experienced cyclists only) before continuing your cruise this afternoon, bound for Linz. Enjoy the Chef's signature dinner this evening; after the riverboat's arrival in Linz, the musical trio Donau3Klang entertains onboard tonight.

    Lodging: ms Joy

    Meals: B, L, D

    Day 5 - Salzburg, Cesky Krumlov or Linz

    Your boat stays docked in Linz today, with a choice of how you spend your day - full-day excursions to Salzburg (Austria), or Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic, or remaining in Linz. A setting for The Sound of Music, Salzburg is enticing with Baroque architecture, painted wrought-iron signage, ornate church towers, and grand palaces. Our walking tour explores Old Town, Mirabell Gardens, and Mozart's birthplace with time on your own to have lunch and experience the sights as you wish. Alternatively, travel with us through beautiful landscapes to Cesky Krumlov, which has been called a living gallery of elegant Renaissance-era buildings with a well-preserved medieval heritage and charming ambiance. A walking tour takes you to part of Krumlov Castle; it's worth climbing the many steps to see firsthand the medieval, Renaissance and Rococo design found inside, along with the stunning views of the town below. Your riverboat overnights in Linz.



    Lodging: ms Joy

    Meals: B, L, D

    Day 6 - Wachau Valley cruise to Durnstein

    Continue cruising through the Wachau Valley, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its well-preserved medieval landscapes. Dock in Durnstein for a closer look at its 16th-century Baroque houses and 13th-century Romanesque church on a walking tour along cobblestone streets; or join us for a bicycle ride in the Wachau Valley. If you wish, visit the Augustinian Monastery. Enjoy some free time in this charming riverside town - perhaps taking an invigorating climb up the steps to the ruins of Kuenringerburg, a hilltop castle above the town where Richard the Lionhearted was held for ransom during the Crusades, from which the views of the river and valley are glorious - and sample the fruits of the Wachau Valley vineyards during a wine tasting at an authentic Austrian tavern. The riverboat departs early evening for Vienna.

    Lodging: ms Joy

    Meals: B, L, D

    Day 7 - Choices in Vienna

    Your riverboat arrives overnight in Vienna, Austria, where an introductory tour of this former capital of the old Habsburg Empire - and its grand boulevard, the Ringstrasse - precedes a walking tour focusing on medieval Vienna and complimented with various samples of the local cuisine. Alternatively, enjoy a more active walking tour that concludes at the Albertina. The afternoon is yours to explore this famous city as you please. Later, nothing compares to the royal treatment and pageantry you'll experience tonight at our private Imperial Evening in the Palais Pallavicini, an opulent, private Viennese palace that played a role in the 1940s film noir classic The Third Man. Welcome cocktails and dinner precede an unforgettable spectacle of beautiful ball gowns and a musical performance celebrating the legacy of Mozart.



    Lodging: ms Joy

    Meals: B, L, D

    Day 8 - Vienna sightseeing & on to Slovakia

    A choice of sightseeing this morning features either a tour of the Habsburgs' Schonbrunn Palace, an architectural masterpiece and Austrian cultural treasure, or the Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, one of the world's most acclaimed art museums located in a palatial building on the historic Ringstrasse. Then, shuttles are at the ready to bring you back to the riverboat before an afternoon of cruising to neighboring Slovakia. Dinner tonight introduces you to a glimpse of daily life in Slovakia with a taste of regional cuisine and an onboard performance by a talented troupe of Slovak dancers.

    Lodging: ms Joy

    Meals: B, L, D

    Day 9 - Baroque in Bratislava

    Begin the day with a Tauck Exclusive - a presentation by our local guide that takes you inside contemporary Slovakia and Bratislava for a look at politics, the economy, religion, the social order, preservation and emergence of the arts, and more. Then, it's your choice of a walking tour of this cobblestoned, vehicle-free city, where you'll see 17 centuries of history eloquently chronicled in sites including its 13th-century Old Town Hall, Baroque Habsburg-era palaces, the Opera House, Slovak Philharmonic Hall and St. Martin's Cathedral - or a guided bicycle excursion through the Iron Curtain Area of Bratislava. Back aboard ship, get ready to celebrate tomorrow's arrival in Budapest.



    Lodging: ms Joy

    Meals: B, L, D

    Day 10 - Arrive Budapest, explore Pest, and a special farewell evening

    Arrive this morning in Budapest, Hungary, which is split into Buda and Pest by the Danube River. This morning, following a visit to the Opera House, City Park and Heroes Square, you have a choice of sightseeing. Explore the Pest side of the city on a choice of walking tours at a slower or faster pace. Spend the afternoon as you please. Budapest has acquired quite an excellent reputation for cuisine; tonight's special farewell cocktail reception and dinner is at the grand Akademia Club in the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, including music by a Hungarian band.

    Lodging: ms Joy

    Meals: B, L, D

    Day 11 - Explore Buda

    Begin the day by exploring Buda. Head up to Castle Hill, a UNESCO World Heritage Site overlooking the Danube on the Buda side of the city, for a choice of sightseeing. A guided tour includes Fisherman's Bastion, with its Neo-Romanesque design, the stained glass windows and centuries of history in the 14th-century, late-Gothic Matthias Church (may be closed on some days due to services) and more. Alternatively, learn about the city's historic thermal water springs on a visit to the famed Szechenyi Bath Spa. Following a free afternoon with time to explore as you please, join us for a final night aboard the riverboat, beginning with a farewell toast and dinner.



    Lodging: ms Joy

    Meals: B, L, D

    Day 12 - Journey home

    Tour ends: Budapest, Hungary. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from the riverboat to Budapest Ferenc Liszt Airport or the Keleti train station; allow a minimum of three hours for check-in at the airport.



    Lodging:

    Meals: B

    Call (441) 295-3815 for more information or to book today! Mention code 18851679

    Cruise Line
    Tauck River Cruising
    Offer
    Offer valid through 12/31/2024
    Duration
    12 Days
    Cruise Ship
    ms Joy

    Click for more information on this ship.

    DayPortArriveDepart
    Day 1Regensburg  
    Day 2Prague  
    Day 3Regensburg  
    Day 4Engelhartszell  
    Day 5Salzburg  
    Day 6Durnstein  
    Day 7Vienna  
    Day 8Vienna  
    Day 9Bratislava  
    Day 10Budapest  
    Day 11Budapest  
    Day 12Budapest  
    Dates/Pricing

    Click Quote or call us to get additional information on your chosen travel date. Special offers or competitive pricing may be available!

    DatePrice / DescriptionQuote
    06/19/2025Quote
    09/09/2025Quote
    Disclaimer
    * Land / cruise price per person in U.S. dollars, based on double occupancy, includes cruise fare, most meals, port charges, shore excursions, applicable fuel surcharges, and gratuities to Tauck Directors, Tauck Cruise Director, ship staff, local guides & drivers, and on all included meals.

    Itinerary Changes - Although not expected, Tauck reserves the right to alter the sequence of ports or omit or substitute scheduled ports or attractions at any time without prior notice. Further, museums and attractions may be subject to closure due to state, local or religious holidays.

    Cruises


    • The Blue Danube - Eastbound Aboard ms Joy

      From $8,790.00 (USD)

      Destination: Europe
      Ship: ms Joy
      Wind your way past medieval landscapes aboard Tauck's ms Savor or ms Joy to explore five European countries, visit castles and cathedrals, em...