Day 1, Saturday – Depart the USA
Depart USA for your flight to Hungary. Your flight includes meals, drinks, and in-flight entertainment for your journey.
Day 2, Sunday – Arrive in Budapest Cruise Embarkation, Time at leisure, Welcome Dinner
Arrive and transfer to your ship for embarkation. Enjoy the balance of the day at leisure. Tonight, join us for a gala welcome dinner on board.
Overnight: Cruise
Meals: Welcome Dinner
Day 3, Monday – Budapest City Tour, Time at leisure in Szentendre
After breakfast we'll begin our tour of Budapest. This mornings tour will start in Pest with the Parliament. This building is said to have been the largest of its time and the outside is completely covered with native white stone while the inside is decorated with frescoes. Next you'll see the Royal Palace followed by the Millennium Monument of Hero's' Square. This square was build to commemorate 1000 years of Hungarian history and features a statue of the Archangel Gabriel atop a column in the center. This square also features the Museum of Fine Arts and the Palace of Arts. Conclude this portion of the tour with a trip to Market Hall. Continue across the Danube via the Chain Bridge, which is the oldest connection between the Pest and the Buda side, to the Buda Hills. Here you will see Matthias Coronation Church and the fairytale like Fisherman's Bastion. In the afternoon, depart for the artisans village of Szentendre and enjoy time on your own upon arrival. This evening enjoy dinner on board.
Overnight: Cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4, Tuesday – Bratislava City Tour, Time at leisure in Vienna
This morning arrive in Bratislava, capital city of Slovakia and join a city tour that begins at the Opera House. Todays tour will take you to St. Martin's Cathedral, Town Hall, and Michael's Gate which is the only preserved gate of medieval city fortification. This afternoon cruise to Vienna. Upon arrival take some time to venture on your own.
Overnight: Cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5, Wednesday – Vienna City Tour, Mozart & Strauss Concert
Your morning tour of Vienna begins with a drive along the famed Ringstrasse, Vienna's main boulevard, to the Hofburg Palace. This enormous palace is home to the National Library, the Imperial Treasury, the Museum of Ethnography, the Spanish Riding School, and exotic butterflies which are in a marvelous art-deco glass house. Walk the courtyards to the Vienna State Opera House, continuing to view the Parliament, St. Stephen's Cathedral, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Natural History, and City Hall. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure and then join us for dinner on board. After dinner, come ashore for an evening concert in the heart of the city, featuring the works of Mozart and Strauss.
Overnight: Cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6, Thursday – Linz City Tour, Visit to Melk Abbey, Heurigen Dinner
Wake up and cruise the Wachau Valley towards Linz. In the early afternoon, enjoy a guided tour of the historic Melk Benedictine Abbey, considered one of the finest examples of Baroque architecture in Europe. It was first used by the Babenberg family and then handed over to the Benedictine monks. Tonight, taste the flavors of East Austria at a Heurigen dinner on board.
Overnight: Cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7, Friday – Passau City Tour, Time at leisure
Take the morning at leisure on board, while passing the “Schloegener Schlinge,” a beautiful part of the Danube with an unusual natural loop. Arrive in Passau in the afternoon and join us for a city tour. Today you'll see sights such as St. Stephen's Cathedral, home to the largest cathedral organ in the world and the Old City district. Following the tour take some time to view the many fine examples of Baroque and Gothic architecture this city has to offer on your own. Tonight, sail for Regensburg (Substitute with Nuremberg if in Sept).
Overnight: Cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8, Saturday – Nuremberg City Tour, Time at leisure, Farewell Dinner
Enjoy the morning cruising the scenic Danube and upon arrival join a walking tour of Nuremberg. On todays tour of this famous walled city you'll see sights including the medieval square, the Church or Our Lady and the Rally Grounds. Spend the rest of the day at leisure, and dine at the Captain's Farewell Dinner this evening.
Overnight: Cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Farewell Dinner
Day 9, Sunday – Cruise Disembarkation, Munich City Tour, Dinner at Hofbrau House
After breakfast disembark, meet your Tour Guide, and depart for Munich. While en route you'll see such sights as the Baroque Nymphenberg Palace, the former summer residence of the Wittlesbach dynasty, and the Marienplatz with its famous Glockenspiel clock. Once in Munich join us for a city tour. This afternoon we'll visit two of the city's most important churches that Pope Benedict XVI served before being appointed Archbishop. From there continue on to the University of Munich and then to the 15th Century Church of Our Lady in the city centre. Afterwards join us for dinner at Hofbrau House.
Overnight: Munich
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 10, Monday – Neuschwanstein
Castle Tour, Visit to Weiskirche en route to Oberammergau
This morning head into the densely forested mountains of southwest Bavaria. Here you'll see the dream-like castle of Neuschwanstein. This castle was built by the “Mad King” Ludwig and is known for its extraordinary architectural feats. View Weiskirche, otherwise known as “The Church in the Meadow”, on the way to Oberammergau.
Overnight: Oberammergau
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 11, Tuesday – Mass, Village Tour, Time at leisure, Passion Play
Attend morning Mass and then join us for a walking tour of the village. Then take some time to enjoy this quaint mountain village on your own. After lunch take your premium seats for the world famous Passion Play. The play has a running time of approximately 5 hours. Dinner is served during a 3 hour intermission.
Overnight: Oberammergau
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 12, Wednesday – Depart for USA
Enjoy breakfast and then transfer to Munich airport for your flight back to the USA.
Meals: Breakfast