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Budapest Small Ship Cruise Tours & Trips

462 Budapest trips. Tours from 72 tour companies. 656 reviews. 4.6/5 avg rating.

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Small Ship Cruise
The Black Sea to Budapest - Westbound 2021
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The Black Sea to Budapest - Westbound 2021

By Tauck
none
4.2/5 Great
100+ reviews
River Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy

Visits

Belgrade, Bucharest, Budapest, Croatia, Romania

Highlights

  • Explore the romantic lower Danube through the heart of Central Europe
  • where East and West meet and intertwine in fascinating cultures and turbulent history... Glide past medieval monasteries
  • citadels and villages...Discover resort towns along Romania’s Black Sea Coast
  • explore an ancient Christian necropolis in Pecs
  • and visit 'Dracula’s' castle in Transylvania... dine in the Soviet-style People’s Palace in Bucharest... Share homemade refreshments in the home of a Croatian family rebuilding their lives in postwar Vukovar
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Themes

Small Ship Cruise

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."

Trip dates & details
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13 days From$5,990
Price updated 1 year+ ago
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Grand European Cruise - Westbound 2021
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Grand European Cruise - Westbound 2021

By Tauck
none
4.2/5 Great
100+ reviews
River Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy

Visits

Amsterdam, Bamberg, Belgrade, Bratislava, Bucharest, Budapest, Croatia, Romania, Vienna

Highlights

  • Travel like the royals of old on our grand eastern European river cruises combining Amsterdam to Budapest by Riverboat with Budapest to the Black Sea to create an unforgettable 25-day experience through the heart of Europe.This remarkable voyage virtually links the North Sea to the Black Sea via the Danube
  • Main and Rhine rivers
  • taking you through the Netherlands
  • Germany
  • Austria
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Themes

Small Ship Cruise

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."

Trip dates & details
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25 days From$12,590
Price updated 1 year+ ago
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Passage to Eastern Europe
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Passage to Eastern Europe

By Viking River Cruises
preferred
4.7/5 Excellent
41 reviews
River Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Belgrade, Bucharest, Budapest, Croatia

Highlights

  • Take guided walk through the grounds of Kalemegdan Fortress
  • Experience two nights in bustling Budapest, cosmopolitan capital of Hungary
  • Sail past dramatic natural wonders like the soaring white cliffs of the Iron Gate region
  • Enjoy Serbian & Hungarian folkloric performances
  • Enjoy the authentic flavors of Eastern Europe, on shore and aboard

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."

Trip dates & details
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11 days From$2,699
Price updated 1 year+ ago
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Grand European Cruise
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Grand European Cruise

By Grand Circle Cruise Line
none
4.6/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
River Cruise
Lodging level
Luxury - 5 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Amsterdam, Bamberg, Bucharest, Budapest, Budapest History Museum, Frankfurt, Heidelberg, Hofburg Imperial Palace, Nuremberg, Transylvania, Vienna

Highlights

  • Cruise along Europe’s greatest waterways through eight countries, from Amsterdam on the North Sea to Constanta on the Black Sea
  • Cruise aboard our award-winning 140- to 164-passenger ships with a dedicated English-speaking crew
  • Experience this European itinerary, and uncover a local and American perspective in destinations impacted by global events, such as World War II and the Cold War
  • Explore with an expert, local Program Director—a native or resident of Europe—who will be dedicated to your group of no more than 47 from the start to the end of your trip

Themes

50 plus, Cultural, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"I am a 12 time traveler with Grand Circle and OAT. But maybe no more. They are impossible to reach by phone without waiting for hours. I even tired their emergency phone number and was on hold for hours. What if I had been stranded in a foreign country? They cancelled my Eastern Europe to Black Sea Cruise in Sept 2021 and cited "covid" or "civil unrest" issues. Baloney. They cancelled because they did not sell out the cruise and lied about it to me. I know because I went with Viking during the same month with no excuses like Grand Circle gave me. Add to that they promised me a $1,000 credit on my next trip- which was to Antarctica in December. The invoice they sent me showed the credit- and 1 month later a new invoice arrived with the credit removed. Why? Another lie? Something is really wrong here with the company now and I would suggest be very careful with bookings as they are not the same company I traveled with for the past 12 years."

Trip dates & details
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28 days From$7,195
Price updated 1 year+ ago
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The Legendary Danube
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The Legendary Danube

By AMA Waterways
preferred
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!"

Trip dates & details
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8 days From$3,579
Price updated 1 year+ ago
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Magnificent Europe (Christmas Cruise)
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Magnificent Europe (Christmas Cruise)

By AMA Waterways
preferred
3.7/5 Great
39 reviews
River Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Amsterdam, Bamberg, Bavaria, Koblenz, Munich, Nuremberg, Vienna, Wachau

Highlights

  • Visit Medieval Gothic Cathedral at Cologne
  • Explore Regensburg
  • Discover Nuremberg
  • Explore Würzburg
  • Visit the Residenz Palace and gardens
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Themes

50 plus, Cultural, Small Ship Cruise, Festivals & Special Events

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!"

Trip dates & details
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15 days From$5,599
Price updated 1 year+ ago
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The Romantic Danube
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The Romantic Danube

By AMA Waterways
preferred
3.7/5 Great
39 reviews
Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Bratislava, Budapest, Český Krumlov, Linz, Prague, Salzburg, St. Martin's Cathedral, Vienna

Highlights

  • Explore Prague
  • Enjoy walking tour to Regensburg, Linz
  • Discover Vienna city tour
  • Visit Budapest

Themes

50 plus, Cultural, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, 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!"

Trip dates & details
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11 days From$3,579
Price updated 1 year+ ago
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Danube River Cruise Biking
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Danube River Cruise Biking

By Butterfield & Robinson
none
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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8 days From$7,995
Price updated 1 year+ ago
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Budapest Reviews & Ratings

4.6/5  Excellent
656  Reviews
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Excellent
310
Great
128
Average
17
Disappointing
5
Terrible
2
E

Emma

Oct 2023

Written on

Budapest to Prague Adventure

Csilla was superb! So knowledgeable and friendly. A great guide on a brilliant trip. A good mix of mini bus travel and train, which gave us a view of local culture a...

Tour:  Budapest to Prague Adventure

A

Amy

Aug 2023

Written on

Budapest to Prague Adventure

I found this trip enjoyable but repetitive. Lots of castles etc so depending on your preferences it could be amazing or a bit much. Not many arranged activities, mor...

Tour:  Budapest to Prague Adventure

T

Trusted Customer

Aug 2023

Written on

Budapest to Prague Adventure

The first hotel in Budapest (Papillon) was disappointing, very tired and not up to the standard I would usually expect from Explore which was a shame. I would have b...

Tour:  Budapest to Prague Adventure

S

Sara

Aug 2023

Written on

Budapest to Prague Adventure

This trip was less well organised than many trips. We saw some wonderful thi...

Tour:  Budapest to Prague Adventure

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Budapest Tour Selection Trips

  • In general, Hungarian food is not terribly friendly to vegetarians. As a metropolitan city, Budapest will have more offerings, but the majority of food will still be meat based.
  • Budapest is an almost guaranteed stop along a Danube river cruise. If it's your last port, try to arrange to stay a few extra days to really take advantage of this remarkable city

    •  


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