Tauck Grand European Cruise

• Gratuities to ship staff, drivers, local guides, Tauck Directors and Tauck Cruise Director
• Tauck’s private shore excursions and distinctive inclusions valued at £4,513
• A private Imperial Evening at a traditional palace in Vienna featuring dinner and Viennese performers
• In Amsterdam, a guided tour of the famed Rijksmuseum, home to many masterpieces
• Day exploring Nürnberg, the walled medieval town whose history is forever intertwined with World War II
• Choice of sightseeing in Vienna – a visit to the Sisi Museum and the Imperial Apartments in the Hofburg or to Schönbrunn Palace
• Memorable visits to Melk Abbey, Kölner Dom, and Siegfrieds Mechanisches Musikkabinett in Rüdesheim
• Guided sightseeing in the historic European capitals of Bratislava, Slovakia, and Budapest
• Two nights in Bucharest at a hotel with an ideal location next to the Parliament Palace
• Dinner at the massive Parliament building (the “People’s Palace”) in Bucharest
• Visit with a Croatian family in their private home in Vukovar
• Private piano performance on a visit to the Béla Bartók Memorial House in Budapest
• A visit to the city of Pécs in Hungary, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Passage through the Iron Gate on the Danube River
• Choice of Romanian excursions exploring the story of Vlad Tepes, 15th-century inspiration for Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”
• Unlimited complimentary beverages aboard ship include regional wine, beer and premium spirits in addition to specialty coffee, water and soft drinks.
• Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted
• 67 meals (23 breakfasts, 22 lunches & 22 dinners); some meals in local restaurants; porterage, and applicable fuel surcharge

Day 1 Embark ms Esprit in Amsterdam

Your ultimate European river cruise starts at 4:00 PM in Amsterdam, Netherlands. A transfer is included from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport or Central Station directly to your Tauck riverboat, ms Esprit

Day 2 Great art, a canal cruise & more in Amsterdam

Amsterdam… the name itself conjures up images of the Dutch capital’s myriad cultural treasures, from gabled houses, markets and cafés to awe-inspiring museums housing a treasure trove of world-famous art – and it’s all yours.

Day 3 A blend of ancient & modern in Köln

After a morning of cruising and lunch aboard the riverboat, your explorations continue in Köln (Cologne), the oldest city in Germany. A guided walking tour of city sights includes a visit to twin-spired Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral)

Day 4 The Lorelei & Rüdesheim’s music machines

The perfect Rhine cruise… glide along the river until early afternoon, and relax as your Tauck Director shares a tale or two during the cruise through the scenic – and literally legendary – Lorelei Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Day 5 A full day cruising the Main

Enjoy the views as your Rhine cruise continues into the Main River, for a full day of cruising through scenic valleys studded with castles, cathedrals, and fortified towns. A Bavarian-themed dinner aboard the riverboat tonight .

Day 6 Rothenburg or Würzburg & a wine tasting

Spend the morning cruising and have lunch aboard the riverboat before arriving in Würzburg for choice of sightseeing. You can choose an excursion to medieval Rothenburg, on Germany’s “Romantic Road,” to see its Gothic cathedral.

Day 7 Along the Main to Bamberg

Your riverboat cruises along the Main to the Bavarian town of Bamberg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site situated atop seven hills. After discovering the town’s lovely gardens, medieval architecture and 13th-century Gothic cathedral.

Day 8 Historic Nürnberg & the Main-Danube Canal

Tauck’s Main, Danube and Rhine cruise arrives this morning in historic Nürnberg, where you’ll have a choice of a walking tour through Nürnberg’s medieval ramparts to the Imperial Castle and the old city, or view the Courthouse, Zeppelinfeld.

Day 9 Ancient Regensburg & on to Passau

With its roots as a Roman encampment on the Danube, the quintessential Bavarian town of Regensburg is home to more than 1,400 original historic buildings. Walking here is a delight and is the only way to view the sights up-close.

Day 10 Explore Baroque Passau & cruise the Danube

The riverboat docks in the port city of Passau, dating way back to Roman times. Spend time exploring this lovely Bavarian town – well-known for its Baroque architecture including unique four-story homes.

Day 11 Melk Abbey & a Grand Evening in Vienna

Your next destination is the town of Melk, Austria, where you’ll step back in time on a guided tour of its 900-year-old Benedictine Abbey, perched on a rocky outcrop above the river. Inside this Baroque masterpiece are fine frescoes, early manuscripts.

Day 12 An “Imperial” day in Vienna

Get an overview of Vienna, Austria’s capital and one of Europe’s greatest cities, with a morning sightseeing tour of this historic former capital of the Habsburg Empire. Take your choice of a tour of Schönbrunn Palace

Day 13 A bit of Baroque in Bratislava

Depart Vienna after breakfast, and spend the morning cruising to Slovakia. Arrive early afternoon in Bratislava, capital of Slovakia, where 17 centuries of history are chronicled on a walking tour led by a local guide.

Day 14 Welcome to Budapest on the Danube

Your remarkable riverboat voyage from the North Sea to the Black Sea cruises into Budapest, Hungary’s capital, today – the mid-point of your grand European river cruise.

Day 15 Buda sightseeing

Sightseeing in the city’s Buda section today includes the Hungarian Parliament building, a 19th-century neo-Gothic masterpiece on the Danube (when open); and Fisherman’s Bastion, standing watch like a sentinel over the river.

Day 16 Antiquities and more in Hungary

Arrive in Mohacs this morning and travel to Pécs for a walking tour. Here you’ll also explore the fascinating Christian Necropolis, a complex dating back to the 4th century that includes underground burial chambers and chapels adorned.

Day 17 Vukovar, Croatia & on to Novi Sad in Serbia

Your riverboat exploration of the lower Danube cruises into Croatia; an onboard lecture by a local expert provides insights into the country’s culture and history.

Day 18 Belgrade sights & a private palace visit

Dock in Belgrade, Serbia’s eclectic, cosmopolitan capital at the juncture of the Danube and Sava rivers. You can choose to spend the morning touring the “New Belgrade” section of the city by bicycle with a local guide.

Day 19 The Iron Gate, King Decebalus & more

Continuing one of Tauck’s popular Danube cruises, relax on a day’s cruise past the fields and vineyards of Eastern Europe; shipboard activities which may be offered throughout your cruise range from cooking demonstrations to folkloric, music and dance.

Day 20 Bulgarian art in Ruse or Ivanovo

Your journey along the lower Danube cruises to Bulgaria; largely off limits during four centuries of Ottoman rule and decades behind the Iron Curtain, the country’s rich natural beauty and history is yours to discover today.

Day 21 Constanta & Mamaia on the Black Sea

Depart the riverboat in the key Black Sea port city of Constanta, Romania, for a tour of what originally was the ancient Greek colony of Tomis and home to numerous Greek and Roman antiquities.

Day 22 Disembark for a massive palace in Bucharest

Disembark your riverboat in Cernavoda and travel across fertile plains to Bucharest, capital of Romania and once regarded as the “Paris of the Balkans.” A sightseeing tour of city landmarks includes Revolution Square and the Triumphal Arch

Day 23 Transylvania, Targoviste or Peles Castle

A choice of sightseeing today echoes the legacy of 15th-century Romanian prince Vlad Tepes (a.k.a. “Vlad the Impaler”), thought to be the historical model for Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

Day 24 Homeward bound

Tour ends in Bucharest, Romania. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from the JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel to Bucharest Henri Coanda International Airport and Bucuresti Gara de Nord; please allow 3 hours for flight check-in at the airport.

MS Esprit, one of four 361-foot (110-meter) riverboats in Tauck’s Destination Fleet, debuted in 2018 with a newly redesigned deck plan optimized for the utmost in spaciousness.

While similar-sized riverboats accommodate on average about 160 guest, ms Esprit accommodates no more than 98 guests, with 70% of her cabins measuring 225 square feet or larger.

Guest amenities inside her include; 14 lush 300-square-foot Tauck Suites include brocade upholstery, roomy walk-in closets with built-in drawers, spacious bathrooms with separate showers, and two French balconies with floor-to-ceiling windows that open to idyllic riverscapes.

She also sports twenty roomy 225-square-foot cabins, four 183-square-foot cabins and one 182 square-foot cabin, similarly furnished. Eight 150-square-foot cabins are cozy and comfortable, and are similar in décor and style to the larger suites. 85% have floor-to-ceiling windows with real French balconies that open on to a balcony in the fresh air; all have in-room movies, minibar, adjustable heating and cooling, private bathroom and shower with pampering toiletries. In addition to the main dining room, The Compass Rose, the ship also features Arthur’s, a second dining venue offering casual fare.

Please note, prices listed are guide prices only and are based on 2 people sharing and don’t include any additional supplements. Holiday prices are fluid and dynamic and may be changed at a moment’s notice, prior to booking, at which point they are confirmed. Please call the team free on 0800 707 6229 for more departure dates available and a quote.