Danube River Tours & Trip Packages

Danube River Tours & Trips

262 Danube River trips. Tours from 59 tour companies. 70 reviews. 4.8/5 avg rating.

18 trips exactly matchall of the the filters you selected.
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Wachau
Enchanting Danube (2022)
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5/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
River Cruise
Why we love them
They have the highest staff-to-guest ratio in the river cruise industry and a reputation for excellent service.
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Bratislava, Budapest, Linz, Passau, Salzburg, Vienna, Wachau

Themes

50 plus, Cultural, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"Personnel were all very polite and happy to serve. Service was timely and professional. Most remembered your preferences and were prepared to assist."

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Delightful Danube & Prague (2022)
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5/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
River Cruise
Why we love them
They have the highest staff-to-guest ratio in the river cruise industry and a reputation for excellent service.
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Budapest, Nuremberg, Prague, Vienna, Wachau

Themes

50 plus, Cultural, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"Personnel were all very polite and happy to serve. Service was timely and professional. Most remembered your preferences and were prepared to assist."

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Delightful Danube (2022)
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5/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
River Cruise
Why we love them
They have the highest staff-to-guest ratio in the river cruise industry and a reputation for excellent service.
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Bavaria, Budapest, Nuremberg, Vienna, Wachau

Themes

50 plus, Cultural, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"Personnel were all very polite and happy to serve. Service was timely and professional. Most remembered your preferences and were prepared to assist."

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A Cycling Journey: Munich to Vienna along The Danube River
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4.4/5 Great
100+ reviews
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Wheelchair Accessible
Trip pace
Full schedule

Visits

Bavaria, Linz, Passau, Vienna, Wachau

Highlights

  • Pedal through the Wachau wine region with a stop at 900-year-old Benedictine Melk Abbey for a history lesson
  • Discover the fascinating history of shipping on the Danube River during a visit to the Schifffahrtsmuseum tucked away in Castle Greinburg
  • Enjoy an organ concert at St
  • Stephan’s Cathedral in Passau, home to the largest church organ in the world

Themes

50 plus, Education / Learning

What travelers are saying

"Our family of four, including two adult children, took the Bicycling: Day Trips to Paradise in Canada. This trip is entirely outsourced to the owners of the inn, there are no Road Scholar employees involved in the trip. Two of us have taken bicycle trips all over the world and the bicycling component of this trip was disorganized, haphazard and almost unsafe. We all filled out forms giving details regarding our bicycle fitting months before the trip. On the first day, the leader Stephen, went around the room and asked the same questions and said everyone would get fitted in the morning before we began the first ride. The morning brought a rack of bikes, all different types in various levels of readiness. There were road bikes, hybrid bikes, mountain bikes and e-bikes. The rides were all on paved surfaces and the mountain bikes were heavy and the additional suspension added weight. The bike I received had rust on the chain and rear sprocket. When I asked about it, was told they were waiting for another van to show up with tools and equipment. Once it arrived, they gave me the lubricant to spray on the rust. My wife’s bike would not shift into the high gear on the front sprocket. Instead of adjusting the derailleur, they suggested spraying it with lubricant. Our one son is over six feet and needed a larger frame bike, even though he detailed it in the bike form months ago, there was no bike to fit him. One of the guides, then went home and brought a larger bike that was a full suspension mountain bike for him. The bike was very heavy, hard to control on the road and he felt unsafe. After two days, one of the guides convinced Stephen that they could adjust a hybrid bike to fit him. Clearly there was no work done to prepare the bikes for the trip. Many of the bikes needed adjusting and all needed lubricant to function easily. For every day, there was a tray of snacks placed out for us to take along the ride. None of the bikes had any baskets or attached bags, so if you didn’t bring a small day pack, there was no way to carry the snacks. For lunch on the rides, they brought exactly one sandwich for each rider. Since most of us get hungry while doing a day of exercise, it would have been helpful to have a few extras. On one day, they ran out of sandwiches and one of the leaders that were riding with us did not get lunch. Do NOT take this trip if you are expecting it to be a bicycling trip. We have used VBT and Discovery Bicycle Tours many times over the past 25 years and they are excellent bike tour companies. Lastly, after sharing these details with Road Scholar after the trip, their response was weak at best. After doing the full reviews and having to call them, their response was to give us $200 credit after spending $8000 on this trip. Not only was that insulting, they assumed that I would take another trip with their organization."

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Grand European Tour
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5/5 Excellent
41 reviews
River Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Bamberg, Nuremberg, Vienna, Wachau

Highlights

  • Visit fascinating abbey at Melk, a 900-year-old Benedictine monastery
  • Opportunity to tour Regensburg a UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • Get an opportunity to visit 9 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
  • Discover Netherlands
  • Visit Marksburg Castle, the only Rhine fortress never destroyed

Themes

50 plus, Cultural, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"Most of the people on this 17-day river cruise was quite elderly and infirm. Therefore the complimentary excursions were painfully slow walking. Local guides mostly told stories of their own upbringing and the conflicts they lived through. There was not much history on any of the excursions; and none of the buildings we saw gave us an opportunity to go inside, even the paid excursions. The accommodations were excellent, except that we paid for the best veranda but could not sit on our veranda because for the first 5 days our ship was packed tight next to another Viking ship. Food was good, except for dinners which were quite mediocre and never captured the flavor of the local foods."

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Blue Danube: Family Riverboat Adventure - Eastbound 2022
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4.2/5 Great
100+ reviews
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Full schedule

Visits

Bratislava, Budapest, Linz, Munich, Passau, Salzburg, St. Wolfgang, Vienna, Wachau

Highlights

  • Selected as one of the '10 Best River Cruises' byFodor's Travel... there is no better way to experience the heart of Europe with your family than on a leisurely Tauck Bridges Danube river tour and cruise aboard one of Tauck's custom-designed riverboats.Unpack only once as you travel from Budapest
  • Hungary
  • to Slovakia
  • Austria and Germany
  • enjoying action-packed shore excursions specially designed for families. Play medieval games on a visit to Devin Castle in Slovakia. Soar over Vienna on the Riesenrad (giant ferris wheel) in the Prater
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Themes

Family Friendly, Hiking & Walking

What travelers are saying

"Sad to see a once good tour company stumble and fall into mediocrity. That’s Tauck post-Covid. My May 2023 tour of Normandy, Brittany and the Loire Valley was done on the cheap by Tauck, yet cost me thousands of dollars extra as a solo traveler on a special small-group tour. 

5-star hotels switched to 3 and 4 (without any compensation or explanation)… many more meals “on your own”… lots of “self-guided” tours of museums and chateaux and castles we knew nothing about… airline quality “rubber chicken” dinners, not in hotel restaurants, but in sad and isolated business convention spaces… poorly-trained newer Tour Directors (like the one on this tour) with limited experience traveling outside her tiny Canadian village or dealing with people from diverse backgrounds. She even confessed that this was a second gig job that took her away from her own business back home! You get what Tauck pays for, but unfortunately, not what YOU pay for. 

Speaking to a “Guest Relations” agent was comically pointless. She tried to make everything my fault, which I now understand is par for the course with the “new” post-Covid Tauck. Please reconsider spending huge amounts of your hard-earned money on a tour company that has lost its way and no longer delivers."

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The Legendary Danube
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3.7/5 Great
39 reviews
River Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Budapest, Linz, Nuremberg, Prague, Vienna, Wachau

Highlights

  • Enjoy a fascinating 7-night cruise from Nuremberg to Budapest
  • Discover Prague and get an opportunity to visit world historic sites
  • Explore Vienna cruise through the scenic and romantic Wachau Valley en route to Melk.
  • Visit Budapest

Themes

50 plus, Cultural, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"I’ve sailed with AmaWaterways 4 times. They are the best! You become family. I can’t wait to sail with them again!"

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Danube River Cruise Biking
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4.9/5 Excellent
74 reviews
River Cruise
Lodging level
Luxury - 5 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Bratislava, Budapest, Linz, Munich, Vienna, Wachau

Highlights

  • Enjoy riding along the Danube Bike Path
  • Discover the Old City in Passau
  • Visit 'Donau Auen' National Park
  • Enjoy a casual bike tour of the main sights and explore Budapest

Themes

50 plus, Cycling & Biking, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"Butterfield and Robinson just planned and executed a great, great trip for us to the Amalfi coast. All the services and hotels were wonderful and the guides were great fun and and well informed. Many nice surprises along the way and an itinerary we would have had trouble putting together on our own was effortless. All guides were well trained the transportation and drivers were polite and on time. The recommended hotels were amazing. We loved every minute of our vacation."

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18 trips exactly matchall of the the filters you selected.
My selections:
Wachau

Danube River Reviews & Ratings

4.8/5  Excellent
70  Reviews
See all Danube River tour reviews
Excellent
29
Great
7
Average
1
Disappointing
0
Terrible
0
V

Victoria

Sep 2015

Written on

The trip was well organised and well

The trip was well organised and well thought out. It was only a 10 day trip but we saw so much in that time. Our tour guide provided us with options of what to do i...

C

Chris

Sep 2015

Written on

Brilliantly organised and value for money.

Brilliantly organised and value for money.

T

Tim

Sep 2015

Written on

The trip was fun, interesting and you

The trip was fun, interesting and you experience a different culture to Western Europe.

D

Dee

Aug 2017

Written on

They Made It Difficult For Me To Get Money Back

I booked a 981euro holiday with Intrepid in July 2017. They emailed me a few days after booking to tell me that trip was cancelled and that I was entitled to a refun...

N

Nadia

Oct 2015

Written on

Small groups are ideal! Like that the

Small groups are ideal! Like that the tour leader is ...

Write a Review

Danube River Tour Selection Trips

  • Because the Danube is Europe’s longest river outside Russia, you have several choices of routes.
  • The most popular stretch flows from Nuremberg, Germany, to Budapest, Hungary (or reverse).
  • Allow at least eight days for your cruise (for the Nuremberg-Budapest itinerary) and up to two weeks or more to sail farther into Eastern Europe.
  • Going downriver – from west to east -- tends to be a smoother voyage, though seasickness is seldom a problem.
  • To judge the best value as opposed to just the lowest price, watch for how many “extras” are included in the base rate – port excursions, alcohol, balcony cabins -- that could add to the cost.
  • Many Danube itineraries include options for intriguing side trips away from the river – such as to Salzburg in Austria or to medieval Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic.
  • You can combine a Danube river cruise with a Rhine river cruise through Germany all the way to Amsterdam via a canal replete with locks.
  • For maximum privacy and comfort, consider splurging on a balcony cabin, where you can relax and watch the changing riverside tableau pass by.
  • May through September is the most popular (and expensive) season on the Danube (September often offers the most pleasant weather with fewer crowds).
  • Don’t overlook the magic of Yuletide cruises, when the entire region comes alive with colorful outdoor Christmas markets.
  • Some Danube River cruise lines market almost exclusively to baby boomers aged 50 and up, while others also cater to younger passengers.
  • If you plan on traveling alone on your cruise, check into policies on charging for single supplements; they might match you with a same-sex roommate to avoid the extra charge.
  • Some luxury river cruise lines offer special evening events on shore – such as private concerts or dining in palaces – or provide complimentary bicycles for sightseeing and exercise.

Additional details

Danube River cruises and tours are available in a variety of lengths, either focusing on a specific section of the river or covering the entire distance. You will often see an itinerary listed as “Westbound” or Eastbound”. This can be helpful when determining your pre and post cruise activities.

The average length of a Danube River cruise is between one and two weeks. Longer Danube River cruises often also visit the Black Sea and a few other rivers in Europe - you’ll see so much of Europe in comfort gliding along the water, and only unpack once!

Many shorter departures along the Danube include cycling excursions, such as those with Butterfield and Robinson. If you travel on a Danube River cruise that’s 6 days or less, chances are you’ll begin or end in Budapest, Hungary visiting three or four other countries along either an Eastbound or Westbound route.

What to Wear on a Danube River Cruise

The Danube is one of the largest rivers in Europe, both by length and width. Given this, it will always be slightly cooler on the boat than on the shore.

Light layers should suffice for most of the year, heavier outerwear for the winter when it will commonly be snowing. Christmas markets are a very popular wintertime activity in Europe and many Danube River Cruises operate during this time, visiting markets along the way.

While most river cruises don’t have strict dress codes, they do cater to an older audience more likely to dress up for dinner.

Danube River Weather

The weather on the Danube is generally mild, though expect to encounter a lot of microclimates as you travel, regardless of the length of your trip. Since you’ll be passing through numerous countries and regions, it’s difficult to pinpoint an easy weather pattern.

The Danube is a popular destination year round - you have the joyous and magical Christmas markets in the wintertime, the lovely springtime with flowers blooming and sunshine peeking through, summertime when it’s warm and small towns and villages vibrant with tourists, and the fall when you can see beautiful changing leaves along the shore and up in the hills.

Weather on the Danube River in August

August is universally one of best months to travel. This is when you’ll find some of the best weather (in the northern hemisphere at least), and the crowds are not quite as heavy as the peak summertime months of June and July, but not so dissipated that certain activities and destinations are shut down to tourism.

In Europe and along the Danube, August is an ideal month, with temperatures ranging from the mid 60s to the mid 90s fahrenheit.

Weather on the Danube River in September

Like August, September is one of the more ideal times to travel. Even less crowds than August, and the weather is usually still warm, but not blazing hot. Expect lows in the 50s especially at night, and 60s and 70s during the day (fahrenheit). You also might get to see some early changes in nature from your cruise deck.

Weather on the Danube River in March

In March, expect the weather on the Danube River to be a bit nippy, though not unbearable. You will be spending time outside though, on the viewing deck, out on the water. So definitely bring a warm jacket so you can spend more time outside. Temperatures will be in the 40s and 50s, mid 30s at night.

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