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2026

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2027

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2028

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Who is travelling?

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0
From
$6,330
US $2,385 per person

Christmas Time on the Danube & Budapest

7 days
From Vienna to Budapest
4.2
30 traveler reviews
From
$6,330
-62%
US $2,385 per person

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

Select Date

Select departure month

2026

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2027

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2028

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0
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Plan your adventure:
River Cruise
Scenic waterways and effortless exploration
Fully Guided
An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Low Intensity
Travelers can expect some light physical activities
Guided in English
Group Size 30 - 182
Ages 12+
Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Itinerary

  1. Day 1

    Vienna

    Your Vienna adventure begins with an airport pickup and transfer to your Emerald Cruises Star-Ship. Once you're settled in, the rest of the day is open for you to wander around Vienna on your own and get familiar with the city.

    Itinerary Image 1
  2. Day 2

    Vienna

    A guided drive takes you along the Ringstrasse where you'll see the Opera House, Burgtheater, Town Hall, St. Stephen's Cathedral, and Hofburg Imperial Palace. After that, free time lets you hit Vienna's Christmas markets and try local foods like Käsekrainer sausage, doughnuts, pretzels, and Kartoffelpuffer.

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided tour of Vienna

    Optional Activities

    • Visit to Schönbrunn Palace (extra expense)
    • Viennese evening concert (extra expense)
    Landmarks
    Vienna State Opera House
    Burgtheater
    Vienna Town Hall
    St. Stephen's Cathedral
    Hofburg Imperial Palace
    Schönbrunn Palace
  3. Day 3

    Vienna to Bratislava

    You'll travel to Bratislava, Slovakia's capital, situated between the Carpathians and Alps. A walking tour covers the Old City including the Town Hall, Mirbach Palace, and Gothic Cathedral of St Martin. During free time, browse the Christmas markets or take an active guided hike up to Bratislava Castle.

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Walking tour of Bratislava

    Optional Activities

    • Guided hike to Bratislava Castle
    Landmarks
    Bratislava Old City Town Hall
    Mirbach Palace
    Cathedral of St Martin
    Bratislava Castle
  4. Day 4

    Bratislava to Budapest

    Travel to Budapest, which has plenty of energy and things to do. A guided coach tour shows you the main sights and tells you about the city's landscape and architecture. Free time lets you check out the Christmas market near Váci Utca Street for Hungarian crafts. This evening, you'll have a traditional Hungarian dinner with folk dancing and music at a local restaurant.

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Traditional Hungarian dinner with folk dancing and music in a local restaurant)

    Included Activities

    • Guided coach tour of Budapest
    • Dinner in Budapest with Folklore Show

    Optional Activities

    • Excursion to Szentendre (extra expense)
    Landmarks
    Váci Utca Street
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2Itinerary Image 3
  5. Day 5

    Budapest

    After breakfast, you'll leave your Star-Ship and head to a centrally located hotel in Budapest for two nights. A guided coach tour then explores the city, showing you both the Buda and Pest sides with the festive Christmas atmosphere, fairy lights, wooden ornaments, spiced mulled wine, and roasted chimney cake.

    Meals
    Breakfast

    Included Activities

    • Guided coach tour of Budapest
    Landmarks
    Chain Bridge
  6. Day 6

    Budapest

    This day is entirely yours to explore Budapest however you'd like. Cross the Chain Bridge to see the differences between Buda and Pest, or spend time at the Christmas markets sampling Hungarian treats and local goods.

    Meals
    Breakfast
  7. Day 7

    Budapest

    After breakfast, you'll say goodbye to your travel companions and transfer from your hotel to the airport for your departure.

    Meals
    Breakfast
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What's Included

Expand All
  • Accommodation
  • Guide
  • Meals
  • Additional Services
  • Transport
  • Free eSIM
    TourRadar offers the lead traveler (the person who booked) a free 1GB eSIM for the trip. The eSIM is redeemable only through the TourRadar app 72 hours before departure.

What's Not Included

  • Insurance

Operated by

Emerald Cruises

Number of tours

564

Age Range

12 to 90 years old

Response time

within 2 days

Response rate

84%

There’s nothing quite like an Emerald Waterways river cruise. From Europe to...

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Your Peace of Mind Options

Cancellation Policy

A transparent overview of applicable fees.

Travel Insurance

Be covered for any unforseen circumstances.

Emerald Cruises Ship

Reviews from other tours by Emerald Cruises

  • Lynn
    July 23rd, 2025
    5.0
    This is the best river cruise we have had. The itinerary, staff, and organisation was excellent. The atmosphere was...
    Show more
  • Lorna
    May 8th, 2024
    5.0
    Great food, entertainment.

Dates & Availability

Select departure month and travellers

Select Date

Select departure month

2026

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2027

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2028

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0
Upcoming departures
Hurry, deals only available for a limited time!
Ends on 11 Feb, 2026
  • -62%
    From Saturday
    28 Nov, 2026
    To Friday
    4 Dec, 2026
    English
    From:
    $6,415
    US $2,420 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • -62%
    From Saturday
    20 Nov, 2027
    To Friday
    26 Nov, 2027
    From:
    $6,330
    US $2,385 per person
    Multiple Room Types
Want to read it later?

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Why book with TourRadar?

    • Trusted and vetted operators
    • Rated excellent on
    • Best price guarantee
    • 24/7 customer support
    • Earn $50 in travel credits
    • Free eSim with every purchase

    To protect your payment and ensure your booking will be processed in United States, never transfer or communicate outside of the TourRadar website or app.

More benefits
Can’t find the answer to your question?
Reach out to the experts at Emerald Cruises with your enquiry, they usually respond within 2 days.
From
$6,330
-62%
US $2,385 per person

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

Select Date

Select departure month

2026

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2027

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2028

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0
Save and compare this adventure

Best price guarantee Learn More

Plan your adventure:

Good to Know

Tour ID: 304335

  • Currencies
    Euro
    Austria
    Ft
    Forint
    Hungary
  • Plugs & Adapters

    As a traveler from USA, Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa you will need an adaptor for types C, E, F.

    Type C
    Hungary and Slovakia
    Type E
    Hungary and Slovakia
    Type F
    Hungary and Slovakia
  • Vaccines
    • These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
    • Tick-borne encephalitis - Recommended for Austria.Hungary.Slovakia. Ideally 6 months before travel.
    • Hepatitis A - Recommended for Hungary.Slovakia. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Hepatitis B - Recommended for Hungary.Slovakia. Ideally 2 months before travel.
  • Visa
    • Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
    • Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
  • Payment information
    • For any tour departing before May 14th, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after May 14th, 2026, a minimum payment of 100% is required to confirm your booking with Emerald Cruises. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 95 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
    • The following cards are accepted for "Emerald Cruises" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
  • Cancellation Policy
  • Accessibility
    Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0

Select departure month

2026

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2027

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2028

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec