Blue Danube: Family Riverboat Adventure
8 Days starting from $2,790.00
   
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Length: 8 Days
Type: Escorted Cruise
Category: NULL
Operator: Tauck Tours
Tour Code: Tauck-YUW2010
   
 
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About This Tour

About This Tour


Cities Visited:
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Tauck Bridges' new Blue Danube: Family Riverboat Adventure beckons to families looking for family fun on Europe's best riverboat cruise! There is no easier, and no better, way to see so much of the heart of Europe than on a leisurely cruise along the "River of Kings" with your family aboard the well-appointed ms Swiss Sapphire. Unpack only once as you travel from Budapest, Hungary, to Slovakia, Austria and Germany, enjoying action-packed shore excursions specially designed for Tauck Bridges families. Go on a scavenger hunt in Bratislava, Slovakia. Soar over Vienna on the Riesenrad in the Prater, the city's famous amusement park (made famous in The Third Man). Learn how to make strüdel onboard the riverboat. Visit Schönbrunn Palace, an awesome "real" palace that Empress Maria Theresa, her daughter Marie Antoinette and even Napoleon once called home! Bike along the Danube and discover the tricky secrets of Schloss Hellbrunn in Salzburg. End this coolest of family Europe tours in Passau, Germany, by checking out Europe's biggest pipe organ and making yourself something yummy with marzipan. Note: Embarking in Budapest, Hungary, and disembarking in Regensburg, Germany, these special Tauck Bridges departures consist of the 8-day, cruise-only segment of Tauck World Discovery's 12-day journey, The Blue Danube; Tauck Bridges' guests join that longer journey on day 3 and depart on day 10.

 

Dates & RatesItinerarySightseeingWhat's IncludedDetails & SpecialsReviews & Ratings

Dates & Prices

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Touring Date
Land Only
Land + Air
Single
(Land Only)
Single
(Land + Air)
7/1/2010 - 7/9/2010
$2,790
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Get A Quote
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7/29/2010 - 8/6/2010
$2,790
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What's Included

•   All private Tauck shore excursions $625 Value on Taucks 4-country, 7-night Danube River cruise

Your Tour Itinerary Includes

Day 1: • Welcome aboard!
A transfer is included from Budapest's Ferihegy Airport right to the gangway, where you'll drop off your luggage aboard ms Swiss Sapphire. Your 7-night cruise begins with a sightseeing tour of the city. Budapest is divided by the Danube River into two sections, Buda and Pest; you'll learn about the turbulent history and see iconic sites such as Heroes' Square and Fisherman's Bastion. Board ms Swiss Sapphire, settle in, and meet fellow families at the Captain's welcome reception and dinner aboard the riverboat tonight.
Overnight: Aboard the Riverboat
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: • Go on a scavenger hunt and whitewater rafting* in Bratislava
If you think that you'll spend the first day of your journey tromping through musty museums and dusty cathedrals, think again! After a morning spent cruising the Danube along Hungary's border with Slovakia to Bratislava, get set for one of the most exciting days you've ever spent. Become a detective on Tauck bridges' scavenger hunt; we don't want to give too much away, but look up... and down... and sideways when following the clues. You'll also shoot the "rapids" on a controlled whitewater rafting course* in one of the best artificial water channels in the world, used as a training ground for Olympians. Back on board ms Swiss Sapphire, a Slovakian cultural presentation and a dinner featuring Slovakian specialties complete the day. On our family river cruising Europe tours, this is a day that your family will never forget!
Overnight: Aboard the Riverboat
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 3: • Live the life the royals in Wien
While most of the world knows this city as Vienna, the Austrians (and other German-speaking people) call it Wien. Whatever you call it, it's famous for a whole lot of cool things, as you'll discover on a sightseeing tour of this grand Imperial city today. There are the Habsburgs and the history and the architecture… and of course, there are the famous classical composers who lived and worked here, whose music is beloved around the world. But there also may be a few surprises in store as you make your way around the city! Do a little city sightseeing to view magnificent boulevards like the celebrated Ringstrasse, beautiful gardens and parks, and Vienna's famed architecture. discover what it was like to be really rich and really royal during a guided visit to the huge – it has 1,441 rooms! – Schönbrunn Palace, the permanent summer residence of the Austrian Imperial Family, the Habsburgs, from the era of the legendary Empress Maria Theresa until 1918. As you look around, you may find yourself wondering what it would have been like to live in a palace... Once upon a time, only the Imperial family was allowed to walk through the garden Maze. Today – it's your turn; look for its hidden secrets... and visit, which is the world's oldest! Tonight brings another highlight on this most unique of family Europe tours – you'll have another royal experience when you visit a traditional palace for an Imperial Evening. Welcome drinks are followed by a special dinner and some extraordinary Viennese entertainment for a grand night of family fun.
Overnight: Aboard the Riverboat
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 4: • A ride on the Vienna Prater and a lesson in strüdel
Additional Vienna sightseeing this morning includes family fun at the world-famous Vienna Prater amusement park, featuring over 250 rides and attractions to enjoy. You'll find the Riesenrad, a giant ferris wheel (which film buffs will recognize from the film The Third Man); "extreme speed" rides, merry-go-rounds and go-carts tracks; haunted houses and a fun house; and so much more. Take a carriage ride through Old Town, then spend a free afternoon in Vienna - there are over 100 museums among Vienna's historical and cultural attractions! Back onboard the riverboat, activities include a demonstration in making real Viennese strüdel as  your riverboat sails on to Dürnstein.
Overnight: Aboard the Riverboat
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 5: • Tour de Danube
When you wake up this morning, your riverboat will be docked in the pretty medieval town of Dürnstein, known for its 13th-century abbey and 16th-century houses along twisting, narrow, cobblestone streets. Your family will take off on a leisurely bicycle tour* along the Danube River and through the countryside to the historic town of Krems. Take a look around town and, while you're there, you may see something that seems to belong in Texas rather than Austria! Bike on back to Dürnstein, where you might want to hike up the big hill to the ruins of Kuenringerburg Castle, for terrific vistas of the town, river and surrounding vineyards. Within the walls of this very castle, England's King Richard the Lionhearted was held as a prisoner after the Third Crusade – although he probably couldn't enjoy the view like you can on our Europe tours! The Wachau Valley is renowned for its vineyards, and a wine tasting for the adults is offered to sample the grapes. Spend the afternoon aboard ms Swiss Sapphire; every evening there are briefings before dinner, and tonight there is Austrian entertainment.
Overnight: Aboard the Riverboat
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 6: • A very tricky place... and Mozart's Salzburg
Once upon a time, there was a Prince Archbishop of Salzburg who really liked playing practical jokes, had a great sense of humor... and was possibly a little bit crazy. His many guests were astounded both by the Baroque beauty they found at his home, Schloss Hellbrunn (or Hellbrunn Castle), and the tricks he played on them in his "pleasure grounds" filled with gardens, fountains and "18th-century animatronics." Whether or not they found his pranks as funny as he did is another matter. But today, you'll find out for yourselves what surprises Schloss Hellbrunn has in store... and you may be as amazed by what you experience as his guests were. You'll even find some locations made famous by the movie The Sound of Music, such as the pavilion made famous as the setting for the song Sixteen Going on Seventeen. Later, you'll discover there's much to see and do in lovely, historic Salzburg, as you explore the hometown of composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as you please during leisure time. And maybe you'll find all 14 of the ancient drinking fountains scattered around the Old City during your explorations... or have fun trying!
Overnight: Aboard the Riverboat
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 7: • Making music – and faces – in Passau
Have you ever had a chance to take a look at a really humongous pipe organ? If you have, you've no doubt wondered how any one person can play an instrument with as many as five keyboards and a whole bunch of pedals on the floor. Today, you'll see – and hear – one of the biggest pipe organs in Europe at historic St. Stephen's Cathedral in Passau; it has 17,774 pipes and 233 registers... and it's totally awesome! Later, learn how marzipan, a candy made from sugar and ground almonds in all sorts of very realistic shapes, is made – and try your hand at making your own tasty tidbit in the shape of a face, very popular in Passau. Tonight, be sure to get the addresses of all your new friends who shared the coolest of Europe tours with you at our festive farewell dinner aboard the riverboat.
Overnight: Aboard the Riverboat
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 8: Homeward bound!
Tauck's family-friendly river cruising Europe tours end in Regensburg, Germany. Fly home anytime after 2:00 PM. A transfer from Regensburg to Munich Airport is included. Be sure to allow 2 1/2 hours for check-in formalities at the airport.
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast

Sightseeing Highlights

Go on a scavenger hunt in Bratislava, state capital of Slovakia, where famous composers are remembered in plaques and peculiar statues reside. Learn to make Vienna’s famous strüdel aboard the riverboat. Explore the Maze at Schönbrunn Palace and see the world’s oldest zoo. Go on a bicycle tour along the Blue Danube. Marvel at a mechanical wonderland of trick fountains and other surprises at Hellbrunn Castle. Discover the secrets of marzipan-making and more in the riverside city of Passau. Remember The Third Man? Ride the famous ferris wheel at the Vienna Prater, the city’s historic amusement park. Spend an evening at a traditional palace in Vienna – and you’ll feel like you’ve entered a fairy tale. Royals and rascals alike come to life as you explore grand Imperial cities including Vienna, Salzburg and Bratislava. • = Cruise day • 1. Arrive Budapest / Begin your riverboat cruise along the Danube Tour begins: 2:00 PM, Budapest, Hungary. A transfer is included from Budapest’s Ferihegy Airport directly to ms Swiss Sapphire where you may drop off your luggage and use the lounge. Join us at 2:00 PM for a sightseeing tour of the city. Budapest is divided by the Danube River into two sections, Buda and Pest; you’ll learn about the turbulent history and see iconic sites such as Heroes’ Square and Fishermen’s Bastion. Board your luxury riverboat, one of the newest on Europe’s rivers, for your family’s weeklong, adventure-filled cruise. This evening you’ll meet fellow families at the Captain’s welcome reception that’s followed by a welcome dinner. Meals D • 2. Scavenger hunt & whitewater rafting in Bratislava After cruising the Danube along Hungary’s border with Slovakia this morning, arrive in Slovakia’s capital, Bratislava, a city with 1,700 years’ worth of stories to tell. It’s your chance to play detective on Tauck Bridges’ scavenger hunt; we don’t want to give too much away, but look up... and down... and sideways when following clues. You’ll also shoot the “rapids” on a controlled whitewater rafting course in one of the best artificial water channels in the world, used as a training ground for Olympians. Back onboard ms Swiss Sapphire, a Slovakian cultural presentation and a dinner featuring Slovakian specialties complete the day. Meals BLD • 3. Imperial Vienna and Schönbrunn Palace Vienna, Austria, is the setting for two days of exploration in one of the grandest cities of “Old Europe.” Vienna has a rich history as the legendary capital of the old Habsburg Empire; do a little city sightseeing today to view magnificent boulevards like the celebrated Ringstrasse, beautiful gardens and parks, and Vienna’s famed architecture. Ever dream about what it would be like to live in a palace? A visit to Schönbrunn Palace, which Austro-Hungarian Empress Maria Theresa built to “out-Versailles” France’s Palace of Versailles, is a start. Once upon a time, only the Imperial family was allowed to walk through the garden Maze. Today – you will; look for its hidden secrets... then visit the zoo, which is the world’s oldest. Tonight you’ll have another royal experience when you visit a traditional palace for an Imperial Evening. Welcome drinks are followed by a special dinner and some extraordinary Viennese entertainment. Meals BLD • 4. The Vienna Prater and strüdel-making Additional Vienna sightseeing this morning includes family fun at the Vienna Prater, one of the world’s most famous amusement parks! The Prater boasts more than 250 attractions including the 100+ year-old Giant Ferris Wheel (which film buffs of all ages will recognize as the famed ferris wheel in The Third Man), ghost trains and hi-tech modern roller coasters. Take a carriage ride through Old Town, then spend a free afternoon in Vienna – there are over 100 museums among Vienna’s cultural and historical attractions! Back onboard the riverboat, activities include a hands-on strüdel-making demonstration. Meals BLD • 5. Dürnstein / Bike along the Danube to Krems Wake up in Dürnstein, whose twisting cobblestone streets are lined with 16th-century houses. Take off on your next adventure – a leisurely bike ride* along the Danube to the country town of Krems, where you’ll spend a little time before biking back to Dürnstein. The Wachau Valley is renowned for its vineyards, and a wine tasting for the adults samples the grapes. If you wish, hike high above the town to the ruins of Kuenringerburg Castle where Richard the Lionhearted was once held for ransom. Spend the afternoon aboard ms Swiss Sapphire; every evening there are briefings before dinner, and tonight there is Austrian entertainment. Meals BLD • 6. Salzburg and tricky Hellbrunn Castle Dock in Linz for an excursion to Salzburg, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s alpine hometown. Just outside of town, you’ll take a private tour of an amazing place that has to be seen to be believed – Hellbrunn Castle, built centuries ago for the private amusement of the wealthy Prince Archbishop of Salzburg, who had an odd sense of humor. As you and your family stroll through this summer palace of fun, filled with trick fountains, grottoes, hundreds of statues, and water-driven 18th-century animatronics, you’ll find out firsthand how the Archbishop surprised and befuddled his guests! You can also visit the pavilion made famous as the setting for the song Sixteen Going on Seventeen from the movie The Sound of Music, located on the Hellbrunn Castle grounds. Spend some free time in Salzburg, perhaps joining your Tauck Director for a visit to Mirabell Gardens, before returning to the riverboat for dinner. Meals BLD • 7. Marzipan-making and more in Passau Arrive in Passau, Germany, for a walking tour through the tunnels, archways and cobblestone streets of this Bavarian town on the Danube and Inn rivers – including a stop at St. Stephen’s Cathedral for a performance of the largest pipe organ outside of the United States! A highlight of your visit to Passau is a marzipan demonstration at the famous Café Simon; after learning how this sweet confection is made from sugar and ground almonds, you’ll have a chance to “make a face” by rolling and shaping your own marzipan treat! Celebrate your marvelous adventures at tonight’s farewell dinner aboard ship en route to Regensburg. Meals BLD 8. Journey home Tour ends: Regensburg, Germany. Fly home anytime after 2:00 PM. A transfer is included from Regensburg to Munich Airport; allow 2 1/2 hours for flight check-in. Meals B

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Details & Specials

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SPECIALS

Special Air Savings - Learn More

Hurry! Air Savings End March 26!

Special International Air Savings – Europe

Book and deposit summertime departures of the following Tauck journeys to Europe by March 26, 2010 and save $2,000 per couple off Business Class Air ($1,000 off per person) from select U.S. cities.

Savings are valid for travel between June 29 and September 5, 2010, subject to availability:

Treasures of the Aegean – 14 days with a 7-night cruise aboard Wind Star / Wind Spirit

Sicily, the Amalfi Coast & Rome – 11 days with a 7-night cruise aboard Le Ponant

Switzerland – 11 days featuring travel along Tauck’s scenic Yellow Roads

Italian Lakes, Venice, Florence & Rome – 10 days in Italy with all multiple-night stays

Paradors of Northern Spain – 14 days exploring culturally rich Iberia

The Best of Ireland – 13 days featuring iconic cultural treasures of the Emerald Isle

A Week In… Ireland – 8 days with a 2-night stay at Dromoland Castle

A Week In… Spain – 8 days from Barcelona to Andalucía, Seville and Madrid

A Week In… Scotland – 8 days with 2- and 3-night stays in Loch Lomond, Inverness & Edinburgh

Spain and Portugal – 14 days of Iberian pleasures and culinary treasures

Normandy, Brittany, Paris & the Loire Valley – 13 days showcasing joie de vivre

A Week In… London & Paris – 4 nights at a grand hotel in London and 3 nights in Paree

Castles & Kings: London to Paris – An 8-day family vacation alive with royal traditions

Deposit must be paid at time of booking and certain restrictions apply. Valid on new bookings only and not combinable with other promotions; ask for details.


Tauck Tour Deals

Traveling with a group of friends or family can add to the joy of any journey.

Book a group of 10 on any Tauck land journey or cruise and the 11th guest travels FREE.

Book a group of 8 on any Tauck Bridges family adventure and the 9th guest travels FREE


Tauck Single Specials

For those seeking singles tours, we are pleased to offer special values on select departures to our guests who choose to travel solo. You can travel with peace of mind, knowing that you are among like-minded travelers and will have all the day-to-day details handled for you! While everyone is welcome, on these select dates we offer special arrangements to those traveling solo at a reduced cost.

Tauck Single Specials in North America

Best of the Canadian Rockies

Michigan's Lakes & Mackinac Island

Charleston/Savannah

Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia

San Fransisco, Sonoma & Napa Valleys

Tauck Single Specials in Europe

A Week in Ireland

A Week in Spain

Mediterranean Discovery

Istanbul and the Black Sea

Treasure of the Mediterranean

Cruising Mediterranean Shores

The Blue Danube

Holland Belgium in Spring

Strasbourg to Prague Serenade

The Rhine and Moselle

Budapest to Amsterdam by Riverboat

Budapest to the Black Sea

Classic Italy

Bellissima Northern Italy

Italian Lakes, Venice, Florence and Rome

A Week in Paris and Provence

Tauck Singles Specials in Latin America

Panama Canal & Costa Rica


 

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