DAY 1: Nuremberg (Embark)
Arrive at Nuremberg Airport. If your cruise package includes a group arrival transfer or if you have purchased a private arrival transfer, you will be transferred to the ship.
DAY 2: Cruising the Main-Danube Canal, Regensburg
The Main-Danube canal is a masterwork of engineering: It allows ships of all shapes and sizes to cruise from the Black Sea all the way to the North Sea, through no fewer than 15 countries. Sixteen locks punctuate the 106-mile (160-kilometer) stretch between Kelheim and Bamberg, linking the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers. Building the canal was no small task, especially considering changes of altitude (each river is different); the locks gently lift and lower the ships an astonishing 1,332 feet (406 meters) over the continental divide. Efforts to connect the rivers began with Charlemagne in AD 793, but the present-day canal was only completed in 1992. You have your choice of adventures in Regensburg, famous for its beautiful, UNESCO protected old city center. “Regensburg is so beautifully situated; this region had to attract a town,” wrote Goethe in his Diary of an Italian Voyage. And attract a town it did, but not due to its beautiful location alone. Ambitious and farseeing locals built a bridge (Steinerne Brücke, or Stone Bridge) over the Danube back in the 12th century, making Regensburg an international trading hub. Because so many of the handsome buildings from that period remain, UNESCO declared the old city center a World Heritage Site in 2006.
Choice of "Baroque 500" Thurn and Taxis castle visit or "Let's Go" Regensburg hiking experience or BMW factory visit
Generations Excursions:
Fascination BMW
Student stroll
These excursions are only available on sailings that belong to the Generations program.
In the evening, a special Captain’s Welcome Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you.
DAY 3: Cruising the Danube River, Passau
Passau is a crossroads in more ways than one—three rivers meet here and three nations nearly do, making for a fascinating cultural mosaic. Get to know the town and its main claim to fame, Europe’s largest pipe organ, or enjoy an invigorating riverside hike or bike ride.
Choice of Passau walking discovery tour or “Let's Go” scenic Bavarian river biking or "Let's Go" hike along the Ilz River
DAY 4: Engelhartszell, cruising the Danube River
Your ship cruises through a scenic highlight of the Danube today, the Schlögener Schlinge—a hairpin loop in the Danube that was once very hazardous for ships and is now a lovely, serene stretch of water.
DAY 5: Spitz, Cruising the Wachau Valley
Your ship will dock in Spitz, midway through the glorious landscape, where you are invited to enjoy a private sparkling wine reception at Artstatten Castle. Later in the day, you’ll want to find a comfortable seat in the lounge or on the Sun Deck as your ship cruises through the Wachau Valley. Over the eons, the Danube cut a gorge through the foothills of the Bohemian Mountains, resulting in a 19-mile (30-kilometer) stretch of riverine scenery so beautiful, UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Landscape.
Featured Excursion:
Private sparkling wine reception at Artstatten Castle with a member of the Habsburg royal family
DAY 6: Vienna
A city tour will show you the architectural highlights of the Austrian capital as well as the legendary opera house in the heart of the city. Or, indulge your passion for art with visits to two distinctively different collections—a “cabinet of curiosities” collected by the Habsburgs and the Belvedere’s extraordinary cache of paintings by Klimt and other renowned artists. The grand dame of the Danube, Vienna was the heart of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and remains, to this day, the political and cultural center of Austria. Klimt painted here; Beethoven and Mozart composed here; Freud developed his theories here. It’s a treasure trove of splendid architecture, astonishing art collections and inviting cafés—and today it is yours to explore.
Choice of Vienna panoramic highlights with Old Town food and art walk or Vienna panoramic highlights World Museum Vienna: the manic Habsburg collector's treasures
DAY 7: Budapest
Located on opposite sides of the Danube, Buda and Pest each has a distinctive character and allure all its own. Explore this dynamic and multi-faceted city with your choice of excursions—you can see it from a local’s perspective on our exclusive walking tour, or cover more ground with a panoramic tour. Vibrant Budapest, Hungary’s capital, offers an enchanting combination of East and West, old and new. Even its geography is made up of two parts—Buda (the hills) and Pest (the flatlands)—divided by the Danube. Appropriately enough, you have your choice of two different ways to explore it today.
Choice of Budapest panoramic highlights with Parliament visit or “Do as the Locals Do” Budapest walking tour
Generations Excursion:
Hospital in the Rock
This excursion is only available on sailings that belong to the Generations program.
A special Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you this evening.
DAY 8: Budapest (Disembark)
You’ve experienced the best of the Danube River, sampling myriad culinary delights and exploring fascinating stops along the way. Now your journey comes to a close (unless you’ve booked a Uniworld post-cruise tour of Budapest) and it’s time to disembark the ship. If your cruise/tour includes a group departure transfer or if you have purchased a private departure transfer, you will be transferred to Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport for your flight home. Your Uniworld adventure may be over, but we know you’ll enjoy the memories you’ve made for years to come.