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18 Day Avalon Waterways River Cruise from Vilshofen to Bucharest 2025(WDOY)
The Danube from Germany to Romania with 1 Night in Bucharest and 2 Nights in Transylvania
Starting from $9,067
Ship(s): Avalon Expression, Avalon Passion
River Cruise Description
Embark on an 18-day journey from Germany to Romania, concluding with two nights in mysterious Transylvania. Spend time exploring the beauty of this area with expert Local Guides after your cruise, including superior accommodations, sightseeing, and complimentary transfer from your Avalon Suite Ship®. Begin your Danube River cruise in Vilshofen, Germany and sail to Passau-the "City of Three Rivers." In Austria, visit its lovely towns along the Danube, including Linz, Melk, Dürnstein, and Vienna. See the gilded sights and indulge in Austrian specialties and sweets. Explore picturesque vineyards and ancient castles of the "Blue Danube" with a Viennese Waltz lilting in the air. Explore the incredible Habsburg Empire and see the royal family's Imperial Palace, the historic Opera House and St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. Visit Budapest-the "Pearl of the Danube," and experience the beauty and history of the Balkan States of Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania-from ancient archaeological sites to amazing architecture and art. Your cruise concludes with a visit to the Romanian capital of Bucharest. Called the "Paris of the East," its lovely tree-lined boulevards include the Arc de Triomphe and the Royal Palace Square. This amazing odyssey through history and legendary beauty on a European river cruise, concluding with an escorted tour of Transylvania, is the trip of a lifetime!Thanks for your interest!
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I'm sorry, but an error has occurred. Try Again| Departure Date | Ship | Priced From (per person) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 21, 2025 | Avalon Passion | Waitlist | Call Us! |
| Jun 18, 2025 | Avalon Passion | Waitlist | Call Us! |
| Jul 26, 2025 | Avalon Expression | $9,467 | Call Us! |
| Aug 15, 2025 | Avalon Passion | $9,067 | Call Us! |
| Oct 12, 2025 | Avalon Passion | $12,765 | Call Us! |
Avalon has designed included activities with a choice of experiences. We invite you to select the tours, activities, and events that interest you most, so you can experience your cruise your way. There are 3 types of included shore excursion on every Europe cruise:
Classic
Your local expert is ready to guide you through the history and heritage of local destinations. You'll marvel at the legends, lore, and spectacular architecture of iconic and historic sites.
Discovery
We've found inspiring and interactive activities to speak to your interests — from cooking classes, to painting workshops — to immerse yourself in each culture you explore.
Active
Embark on energetic excursions to keep you in motion and on the go — from a guided jogging tour of Amsterdam, to biking, paddling, and hiking your way through scenic locales.
- Plus independent exploration options and use of Avalon's exclusive AvalonGO APP.
River Cruise Itinerary
Day 1 VILSHOFEN, GERMANY (EMBARKATION)
Welcome to Germany. Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding.Flights into Munich must arrive by 2 pm. Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm.Explore your ship and enjoy dinner on your first evening on board.EVENING CRUISE TO PASSAU
(D)
Day 2 PASSAU–SCHLÖGEN OXBOW
Where the Danube, Inn, and Ilz Rivers Meet
Active
Follow your Avalon Adventure Host for Hiking from Oberhaus along a trail down to the valley and along Ilz River, OR:
Classic
Join a Guided City Walk to learn more about this beautiful “City of Three Rivers".
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN LINZ
(B,L,D)
Day 3 LINZ, AUSTRIA
Legendary and Lovely Linz
Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.Classic
Take a Guided Walk through the city’s historic and beautiful sites along the shore of the Danube and see Hauptplatz—Austria’s largest medieval square—and the towering white-marble Trinity Column.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO YBBS
(B,L,D)
Day 4 YBBS. EXCURSION TO MELK–WACHAU VALLEY
Frescoes Above and Vineyards Below
Classic
Visit the Lower Austrian little town of Ybbs. Walk through the doors of Austrian history with a guided sightseeing tour of Artstetten Castle, OR:CLASSIC Take a Guided Tour of Melk’s magnificent Benedictine Abbey to marvel at its frescoed ceilings, statues, incredible library, and ornate pipe organ.
Active
Alternatively, experience the Wachau Valley from a unique perspective, join your Adventure Host for a bike ride along some of Wachau’s bike trails.
DÜRNSTEIN
A King’s Ransom and Castle Ruins
Active
Join a Guided Hike up to the castle ruins to take in the spectacular view of the village, Danube, and the Wachau Valley below, OR:
Classic
Join a Guided Walk, and hear the legendary tale of King Richard the Lionheart—who was imprisoned in the castle during the Crusades.
OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO VIENNA
(B,L,D)
Day 5 VIENNA
Viennese Waltzes on the Blue Danube
Active
Explore Vienna's Danube Island by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:
Classic
Explore the Habsburg empire with a morning Guided City Tour of Vienna’s gilded landmarks. See the Imperial Palace complex-the winter residence of the Imperial Family, the grand historic Vienna Opera House and stunning St. Stephen’s Cathedral, OR:CLASSIC After a short walk of Vienna, join a Guided Visit of Austria’s largest museum, the legendary Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts).
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN VIENNA
(B,L,D)
Day 6 BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA
Cathedral Coronations and a Crowning Castle
Active
Follow your Avalon Adventure Host on a hike to lofty Bratislava Castle, OR:
Classic
Take a Guided City Walk, including the quaint streets of Old Town, Town Hall, and the sight of royal coronations at St. Martin’s Cathedral.
OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BUDAPEST
(B,L,D)
Day 7 BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
War Heroes and Hot Water
Active
Hike up to a magnificent viewpoint in Budapest with your Adventure Host, OR:
Classic
Enjoy a Guided City Sightseeing, including the iconic Heroes’ Square.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN BUDAPEST
(B,L,D)
Day 8 BUDAPEST
The Pearl of the Danube in the Heart of Europe
Take free time to enjoy Budapest’s famed thermal baths. You can also take a scenic hike in the hills above the Danube. Take time to explore the city’s cafés and restaurants. OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO VUKOVAR
(B,L,D)
Day 9 VUKOVAR
History and Beer
Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.Discovery
Join a Guided Walking Tour to discover the heritage, culture, and tradition of Vukovar and enjoy a beer tasting, OR:
Classic
Join a Guided City Tour to discover the captivating culture and tradition of Vukovar and learn about its rich history and heritage.
ILOK, CROATIA
History and Culture in Croatia
Classic
Join a Guided tour of Ilok, with its 1,000-year-old wine making traditions still thriving and its medieval fortress protected for its Croatian cultural heritage. Refresh your spirit with a wine tasting in a local cellar and hear the stories of culture and tradition in the natural beauty of Eastern Croatia, OR:
Active
Explore more of Croatia on a Guided Bike Tour along Ilok’s city walls, into the central church, and the towns’ museum on your way to Principovac Castle and Estate.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN NOVI SAD
(B,L,D)
Day 10 NOVI SAD, SERBIA
The Athens of Serbia
Active
Power walk in Novi Sad with your Adventure Host OR:
Discovery
Get to learn more about the beekeeper profession on this Guided Tour of Novi Sad by stopping to the Honey Museum and by tasting local honey specialties. OR:
Classic
Join a Guided Tour of Novi Sad, the second largest town in Serbia. Admire its Austro-Hungarian old town, with its baroque buildings, and ancient fortifications.
OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BELGRADE
(B,L,D)
Day 11 BELGRADE
Fortresses and Folklore
Active
Discover Belgrade's central walkway with your Adventure Host, OR:
Classic
Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour of Belgrade—where the Danube and Sava Rivers converge—and see the city’s many fascinating sights, including Saint Sava—one of the world’s largest Orthodox churches.
Discovery
Attend an onboard Lecture to learn about the rich history, destinations, and culture of the Balkan states.
OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO GOLUBAČ
(B,L,D)
Day 12 GOLUBAČ–DONJI MILANOVAC. EXCURSION TO LEPENSKI VIR–IRON GATES GORGE
Ancient Artifacts and the Iron Gates
Classic
Visit the Fortress of Golubač, one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses in Europe. You’ll hear about its tumultuous history as a border control defense in the Middle Ages, and a source of conflict between Serbia, the Habsburg Monarchy and the Ottoman Empire, OR:
Classic
Join a Guided Tour to the Mesolithic archaeological site of Lepenski Vir—with unique views of the Danube Gorge.
AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO VIDIN
(B,L,D)
Day 13 VIDIN, BULGARIA
Rocks, Ruins and Balkan Beauty
Active
Join your Adventure Host for a bike tour around the city, OR:
Classic
Join Guided Sightseeing to Baba Vida Fortress, followed by a Guided Tour of Belogradchik. Marvel at the remarkable rock formations on the western slopes of the Balkan Mountains, sculpted by 200 million years of natural elements, OR:
Discovery
Discover more than two centuries of a proud family history of Bulgarian winemaking with a tour and tasting at a local winery. Here, you’ll enjoy a wine tasting in the cellars.
AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO ROUSSE
(B,L,D)
Day 14 ROUSSE. VELIKO TÂRNOVO & ARBANASSI EXCURSION
Fortresses and Folklore
Active
Explore Rousse's old town by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:
Classic
Join a full-day Guided Tour to the former Bulgarian capital of Veliko Târnovo—with its ancient stone houses clinging to the cliffs above the Yantra River. Discover one of the oldest towns in Bulgaria (circa 4300 BC), as well as the Bulgarian Revival architecture in the 15th-century town of Arbanassi, OR:CLASSIC Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour of Bulgaria’s largest inland port and visit its impressive Holy Trinity Church.
OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO OLTENITA
(B,L,D)
Day 15 OLTENITA, ROMANIA (DISEMBARKATION)–BUCHAREST
Disembark your Ship and transfer to Bucharest.Classic
Take a Guided Tour of the Romanian capital city of Bucharest with its tree-lined boulevards and Arc de Triomphe—honoring WWI Romanian soldiers. See the Royal Palace Square—the scene of the city’s 1989 riots to overthrow the communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.
(B,D)
Day 16 BRASOV
Dracula Bites & Castle Sights
Classic
Enjoy a Guided Tour of Brasov and admire its gothic, baroque and renaissance architecture.
Classic
Take a Guided Tour of Bran Castle—the 1377 legendary home of the famed Romanian vampire, followed by a dinner in this amazing location.
(B,D)
Day 17 BRASOV–SINAIA–BUCHAREST
The “Paris of the East”Classic
Enjoy a Guided Tour of Visit Peles Castle, the summer residence of the royal family until 1947.
(B,L)
Day 18 BUCHAREST
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.(B)
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