Uniworld 2011 - Grand Christmas & New Year's Cruise, 13 Days Nuremberg to Budapest

SAVE $1,000 per person on select 2011 Cruises

Pay in full at time of booking on or before October 31, 2010 to SAVE $1,000 per person off cruise/tour rate on suites or category 1 and 2 staterooms.

Overview

Make this holiday season extra special and welcome 2012 in grand style

Have an unforgettable holiday season. Celebrate Christmas in Regensburg, one of the loveliest Medieval towns in Europe, where you will have time to attend Christmas Mass in one of Regensburg’s magnificent churches, followed by a grand celebration onboard your ship. Learn how the tradition of glassblowing has remained basically unchanged since the glassblower’s pipe was invented some 2,000 years ago, and take a horse-drawn carriage ride through the Bavarian Forest.

We have arranged for a private cocktail reception for you at Artstetten Castle with Princess Anita von Hohenberg, a descendant of the royal Habsburgs. You will also welcome the New Year at an exclusive gala dinner and dance in a Viennese palace. While here, you will be treated to a festive dinner and a private concert, at which you can even waltz to the famous tunes of Strauss and Mozart—all in the elegant ambience of this historic salon.

Three captivating countries—Germany, Austria, and Hungary—plus one enchanting river, the Danube, will provide the perfect backdrop for celebrating the holidays in grand style.

Who will enjoy this cruise:

Those looking for an extra special way to celebrate the holidays and welcome in the New Year in grand style will be thrilled by this enchanting cruise.

Itinerary

Day 1:

Arrive at the Nuremberg airport where you will be transferred to the ship. (D)

Day 2: Nuremberg

Featured Excursion: Nuremberg city tour and Christmas Market

Discover Nuremberg, a quintessential Medieval German city, on your panoramic city tour. Your tour takes you past the mighty ancient walls with 80 towers that enclose the historic city centre. You will stop at Medieval Kaiserburg Castle, and then walk through the lively old quarter with its wellpreserved traditional half-timbered houses. You will visit Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt, Germany’s oldest and best-known Christmas Market with over 200 stalls filled with signature toys and tasty seasonal treats. While at the market, you will certainly want to sample the lebkuchen (gingerbread), since Nuremberg is the “Gingerbread Capital of the World.” (BB, L, Captain’s Welcome Gala)

Day 3: Nuremberg, cruising the Main-Danube

Canal Regensburg Spend a leisurely day onboard your floating hotel as you cruise along the Main River and through the remarkable 106-mile-long Main-Danube Canal to the Danube River. This canal is a marvel of modern engineering and was completed in 1992 to allow travel from the North Sea all the way to the Black Sea. It stretches from Bamberg on the Main River all the way to Kelheim on the Danube River, and includes 16 locks that rise to a height of 1,330 feet, making it the highest point of any commercial waterway in Europe. (BB, L, D)

Day 4: Regensburg

Featured Excursion: Regensburg walking tour

In the morning, you can attend Christmas Mass in one of Regensburg’s lovely churches; during the afternoon you will be taken on a walking tour of this unspoiled gem of a city. Starting at the Cathedral of St. Peter, you will be taken past the Gothic Town Hall, the 12th-century Stone Bridge, and Old Town. Invigorated by the stroll through this winter wonderland, you will return to the ship for a warm and festive Christmas meal, complete with all the holiday trimmings. (BB, L, D)

Day 5: Deggendorf

Featured Excursion: Bavarian Forest horse-drawn carriage ride and Theresienthal visit

Begin the day with a horse-drawn carriage ride through the Bavarian Forest village of Baernzell. After a scenic drive through the Nature Reserve of the Bavarian Forest, marvel at the amazing collection exhibited in the Theresienthal Glass Museum. Experience the art of glass making first hand during a visit to a world-renowned glass manufacturer. While there, you will learn about the techniques used to create the famous glass, as well as the extraordinary history of Theresienthal Palass. (BB, L, D)

Day 6: Deggendorf, Passau

Featured Excursion: Passau walking tour

The beautiful city of Passau, which is situated at the confluence of three rivers, was an important centre of trade during the Medieval period. On your Passau walking tour, you will see the treasures of Old Town, including Italian Baroque buildings erected after the big fire of 1662 and the city’s ornate cathedral. (BB, L, D)

Day 7: Linz (Salzburg)

Featured Excursion: Full day in Salzburg

Journey through the region known to many as the “smile on the face of Austria,” Salzburg. On your guided tour through the UNESCO World Heritage Old Town, view historical gems from the 17th-century cathedral to Mozart’s birth house to the famous Getreidegasse. You’ll then have time to further explore this Austrian treasure. (BB, D)

Day 8: Dürnstein

Featured Excursion: Exclusive cocktail reception at Artstetten Castle with Princess Anita von Hohenberg

Explore charming Du¨rnstein at your leisure in the morning. Later in the day, you are invited to an exclusive cocktail reception at Artstetten Castle with Princess Anita von Hohenberg, a descendant of the royal Habsburgs. (BB, L, D)

Day 9: Vienna

Featured Excursion: Vienna city tour and National Library visit

Vienna is a treasure trove of secular and sacred gems, including St. Stephen’s Cathedral—the most beloved architectural wonder in all of Vienna—and the stately Ringstrasse, the broad thoroughfare surrounded by the many imperial buildings and monuments that give Vienna its wedding cake appearance. After your panoramic tour, visit the Baroque State Hall of the Austrian National Library, said to be the most beautiful library room in the world. (BB, L, D)

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

Day 10: Vienna

Featured Excursion: Schönbrunn Palace and exclusive New Year’s gala dinner and dance at a Viennese palace

During the morning, you will visit the stunning former Habsburg summer residence, Schönbrunn Palace. Later in the evening, celebrate New Year’s Eve in grand style in a magnificent Viennese palace. You will delight in a festive dinner along with a private concert, and then dance to famous Strauss and Mozart tunes. (BB, L, D)

Day 11: Vienna, Budapest

Spend a full day cruising the enchanting Danube. (BB, L, Captain’s Farewell Dinner)

Day 12: Budapest

Featured Excursion: Budapest city tour

Your panoramic city tour features the famous 19th-century Chain Bridge, the first bridge to connect Buda with Pest, as well as the Great Synagogue, the Hungarian National Museum, the Hungarian State Opera House, St. Stephen’s Basilica, and the stunning Parliament Building. Visit the UNESCO-listed Castle Hill district, St. Matthias Church, and the 19thcentury Fisherman’s Bastion. (BB, L, D)

Day 13: Budapest (disembark), transfer to the airport

Featured Excursion: Budapest city tour

Your panoramic city tour features the famous 19th-century Chain Bridge, the first bridge to connect Buda with Pest, as well as the Great Synagogue, the Hungarian National Museum, the Hungarian State Opera House, St. Stephen’s Basilica, and the stunning Parliament Building. Visit the UNESCO-listed Castle Hill district, St. Matthias Church, and the 19thcentury Fisherman’s Bastion. (BB, L, D)

Pricing Details Per Person

Cruise Start Date Cruise Only† Ship
Thursday, December 22, 2011 $3,699 River Empress

†Prices exclude additional port charges of $192 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:

Suite $2,025

Category 1 $1,225

Category 2 $925

Category 3 $625

Category 4 $225

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Europe