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Pay in full at time of booking on or before October 31, 2010 to SAVE $450 per person off cruise/tour rate on suites or category 1 and 2 staterooms.

Overview

Experience timeless holiday traditions and elegant pageantry along the enchanting Danube

Four countries – Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, and Germany – await your arrival for one unique, festive party after another. From the large Christmas Markets of Vienna to the more intimate Christmas Markets of Bratislava, Passau, and Salzburg – each combines timeless traditions with elegant pageantry.

Discover the Baroque splendor of the Habsburg Empire with visits to Göttweig, Salzburg, Passau, Vienna, and Linz on this enchanting holiday extravaganza along the Danube. Uncover the heart and soul of Slovakia as you tour Bratislava and explore its Christmas Market. Participate in a gingerbread-baking demonstration in Passau and be enchanted by a festive classical concert in a famous Viennese concert hall.

Enjoy the cheerful sight of holiday décor and the merry sound of Christmas caroling while onboard your ship, and cherish all the glory and magic of the season in grand European style as you cruise along the Danube during this festive time of the year.

Who will enjoy this cruise:

Music aficionados will rejoice in the “sounds of the season” from a classical concert in Vienna to a traditional onboard Christmas caroling evening to an exclusive organ recital at Göttweig Abbey. Everyone will delight in discovering the unique gifts and collectables found in Christmas Markets along the way.

Itinerary

Day 1: Budapest (embark)

Arrive at Budapest Ferihegy International Airport where you will be transferred to the ship. (D)

Day 2: Budapest

Featured Excursion: Budapest city tour and Christmas Market

Explore Budapest, an enchanting city often referred to as the “Queen of the Danube.” Made up of two parts—Buda, the hills, and Pest, the flat lands—the city is divided by the Danube. It’s an architectural dream, which you will discover on your city tour. You will visit the UNESCO World Heritagedesignated Castle Hill district and see dramatic vistas from the 19th-century Fisherman’s Bastion. You will cross the famous Chain Bridge, an early-19th-century bridge that was the first to connect Buda with Pest. In the center of it all is the Christmas Market, where you will get to shop for traditional Hungarian wares and delightful holiday treats like apricot brandy and cinnamon-spiced gingerbread. (BB, L, Captain’s Welcome Gala)

Day 3: Bratislava

Featured Excursion: Bratislava city tour and Christmas Market

The heart and soul of Slovakia, Bratislava is full of surprises—many of which you will discover on your city tour. While Bratislava’s very first Christmas Market was only established in 1993, the Slovakians have quickly embraced the holiday traditions of their Austrian and Hungarian neighbors with stalls filled with folk handicrafts from the region. (BB, L, D)

Day 4: Vienna

Featured Excursion: Vienna city tour with National Library visit, Christmas Market, and Mozart and Strauss concert

This regal city becomes even more dazzling during the holidays. Vienna is a treasure trove of secular and sacred gems, many of which you will see during your panoramic city tour. You will travel the stately Ringstrasse and see St. Stephen’s Cathedral, where Mozart was married in 1782. You will also visit the Baroque State Hall of the Austrian National Library, said to be the most beautiful library in the world. Afterward, you will walk with your tour guides to two Christmas Markets. Austria’s most famous Christmas Market, with over 140 wooden huts, is set in front of City Hall. Macaroons with nutmeg and rum balls are two treats you won’t want to miss. You will also visit a smaller, but no less charming, Christmas Market at Freyung Square, which has taken place every winter since 1772. Later in the evening, you will celebrate the spirit of Mozart and Strauss in one of Vienna’s well known concert halls. (BB, L, D)

Note: On Mondays, Mozarthaus will be substituted for the Library.

Day 5: Krems, cruising the scenic Wachau Valley

Featured Excursion: Göttweig Abbey with organ recital

You will visit the beautiful Benedictine Göttweig Abbey, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which has a spectacular location on a prominent hill on the eastern edge of the world famous Wachau Valley. While at the abbey, you will be treated to a special organ recital. After lunch, depart Krems and enjoy a scenic cruise through the heart of the UNESCO-designated Wachau Valley with its abruptly rising hills, nestling Baroque villages, and ancient monuments. (BB, L, D)

Note: The organ concert may take place in a different location if the Göttweig Abbey visit falls on a Catholic holiday.

Day 6: Linz (Salzburg)

Featured Excursion: Full-day Salzburg with walking tour

Linz is the gateway to your full-day excursion to Salzburg. It’s hard to imagine the hills becoming even more alive with the “sound of music,” but at this time of the year, they do. The alpine elegance of this Baroque town is in perfect harmony with its lovely setting between two hills. You will become acquainted with magical Salzburg on your walking tour of Old Town. Its magnificent cathedral was inspired by St. Peter’s Cathedral at the Vatican. In the afternoon, visit Salzburg’s Christmas Market, located at the foot of the Hohensalzburg Fortress and around the venerable cathedral. (BB, D)

Day 7: Passau

Featured Excursion: Passau walking tour, Christmas Market, and gingerbread-making and floral-decorating demonstrations

Your guided walk starts in the Medieval section of Passau and takes you past St. Stephan’s Cathedral, the New Residence, and Town Hall, to the confluence of the three rivers that converge in Passau. At Passau’s Christmas Market, set against the glorious backdrop of St. Stephan’s Cathedral, you will find unique crafts, including Bavarian-style houses and glass ornaments. As an added treat, you will attend a gingerbread-making and floral-decorating demonstration. (BB, L, Captain’s Farewell Dinner)

Day 8: Passau (disembark), transfer to Munich airport

Disembark the ship in Passau and transfer to Munich Airport for your flight home, or extend your stay in the beautiful city of Munich. (CB or BB)

Pricing Details Per Person

*On these dates cruise operates from Passau to Budapest.

†Prices exclude additional port charges of $112 and are per person, cruise-only based on double occupancy. Other restrictions may apply

A limited number of singles are available for an additional supplement

To upgrade to a higher category, add per person the following prices below:

Owner’s Suite $2,995

Suite $1,395

Category 1 $875

Category 2 $675

Category 3 $475

Category 4 $175

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