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Visit lovely central Europe and Romania over 15 days and experience some of the best of this historic region. Includes a luxurious cruise on the Danube River from Vienna to Bucharest. Choose from four itinerary/package options up to 19 days starting at $11,280 $8,799 after member savings:
FULL RETAIL VALUE: $11,280pp. YOU PAY FROM $8,699, SAVE UP TO $2,481pp.
Cruise through scenic landscapes and experience the Old World charms of central Europe! Don't pass up this opportunity to explore the extraordinary places along the Danube River to romantic Romania. Choose from 4 package options from 15 to 19 days.
Price varies according to Package version (see Inclusions), season and departure city. Four similar itineraries are available with river cruises covering different ports of call, with various departure dates and trip durations. Enquire today and we'll discuss the itinerary options in more detail with you.
In the style of most Global Escapes Independent Traveler itineraries, this is a perfect blend of self-guided adventure and forward-planning to ensure that the main elements are organised in advance allowing for plenty of time to relax and take in each place you visit.
We guarantee to beat any competitor accommodation-only quote or travel package price and/or value by a minimum of 15%. Conditions.
We guarantee to beat any competitor accommodation-only quote or travel package price or value by a minimum of 15% ("price-beat") on the following conditions:
Note: By requesting a price-beat you are under no obligation to place a booking with us or proceed with the final travel package as the case may be. A non-refundable deposit is required in the case of a tour/travel package price-beat (see below).
The following terms and conditions apply to travel plans and accommodation quotes requested from and supplied by Travel Directions Pty. Ltd. trading as Global Escapes Travel, Australian Escapes Holiday & Travel Club (Australian Escapes) and Kiwi Escapes (the company) and are subject to change without notice. These conditions are to be read in conjunction with our standard booking conditions and conditions applicable to Australian Escapes Holiday & Travel Club membership as defined in website FAQs.
There are two main scenarios:
(1) You request a price-beat on a specific property. Our objective is to provide at least 15% more total value or a price that is 15% lower than a competitor quote supplied to us for the same accommodation property, on the same conditions and with the same inclusions, provided we have access to be able to book the accommodation through our normal supplier channels.
If we do not have access to member rates that property we will offer an alternative that is of the same or higher standard, as per our hotel rating system and that meets the stated requirements, subject to availability, and subject to the following:
(2) We propose a property with member pricing: If the "you pay" price we submit is already discounted using GCash travel credits and the lowest available price at the time it was submitted, it does not qualify. Otherwise our objective is to provide at least 15% more total value or a price that is 15% lower than a competitor quote supplied to us for the same accommodation property, on the same conditions and with the same inclusions.
A price-beat will be deemed successful and this guarantee is therefore met when the applicable objective is achieved.
Inclusions in travel and tour packages assembled by competitor travel agents, tour companies, wholesalers, online travel promoters will all be different in some way. Packages will typically vary by inclusions, validity, suppliers, component type, standard, terms and conditions, travel date, etc ("package components").
Our objective in this type of price-beat situation is to assemble a package containing similar and/or higher value package components to that which you present to us. We guarantee to offer at least 15% more total value (through added value) or a price that is 15% lower than the competitor quote ("successful price-beat") subject to the following:
A price-beat will be deemed successful and this guarantee is therefore met when the above objective is achieved.
The price-beat must be requested before you place a booking with any other travel agent, online booking agent or property direct in relation to the subject accommodation or package.
A price-beat may be requested by providing clear, written evidence of the competitor quote as well as your requirements to an employee of the company who performs a reservations or travel consultant role ("company contact") as follows:
A competitor quote presented under this guarantee must be genuine (not contrived) and must be a final, fixed price, backed by verifiable evidence. A competitor quote that we determine is not genuine or final is excluded. The requested date range(s) for travel/tour commencement as well as for individual package components must be realistic and flexible.
This condition applies to travel/tour packages only. We require up to $900 deposit per person (amount depending on package complexity) as a guarantee that you will proceed with the travel plan after we are successful with the price/value beat. This requirement exists because of the amount of travel consultant time required to price according to a competitor quote.
Your Australian Escapes Holiday & Travel Club membership must be Gold level or above and active and paid up at the time of requesting the price beat.
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* All prices are per-person on a twin-share basis and bookings are subject to availability. The final price and deposit amount varies according to travel date. All prices are estimates only. A firm quote (travel plan) with payment terms will be submitted for consideration prior to agreement to proceed. Full booking terms and conditions are available HERE...
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Four similar itineraries and packages are available with river cruises covering different ports of call and with various departure dates. The itinerary and descriptions in this presentation are based on Package 1 (see Inclusions). Enquire today and we'll discuss the itineraries and options in more detail with you.
This is a first-class travel itinerary that's fully flexible. Want more or fewer days or you want to include a special destination or activity? No problem, we’ll customise a travel plan for you.
Four packages are available starting from $8,799 (after $2,481 GCash travel credits). Enquire today and we'll discuss the itineraries in more detail with you.
From $8,999pp (after $4,675 GCash travel credits).
From $8,999pp (after $2,763 GCash travel credits).
This is exactly the same as Package 1 except in reverse. We start in Bucharest, Romania and finish in Vienna, Austria.
From $9,799pp (after $2,763 GCash travel credits).
Starts in Bucharest and ends in Vienna. Ship class is 4 to 4.5-star. Duration of the river cruise is 12 days. Inclusions are the same as Package 1. Variations from Package 1 are:
From $8,999pp (after $2,538 GCash travel credits).
Starts and ends in Passau, Germany. Ship class is 4 to 4.5-star. Duration of the river cruise is 15 days. Variations from Package 1 are:
Cabin details:
All packages offer very similar cabin types. Most ships have three levels: Water-line, mid-deck and upper (top) deck. All feature spacious cabins and suites that offer comfortable, spacious bathrooms, flat screen television, cabin safe, and air conditioning which can be individually regulated.
Type 1: Standard cabin. Fixed window. Very comfortable and perfect if you don't intend to spend much time in your cabin. All pricing is based on this cabin type.
Type 2: Mid and upper deck cabins. Panoramic windows which extend across the cabin front, or a French balcony with sliding door.
Type 3: Suites: Panoramic windows which extend across the entire cabin front or a French balcony with sliding door. Views extend further. Suites are larger cabins with additonal window space and a balcony on some ships.
Standard river cruise inclusions:
Other:
If the pictured or included hotel accommodation is not available for your travel dates, we will substitute for accommodation of the same or higher standard.
Read about our accommodation rating standards and the methods used to assess quality.
This itinerary is fully customisable to suit your requirements. Your personal travel consultant is available to discuss changes and additions that will enhance your travel experience.
Lonely Planet is renowned for its first-hand approach, up-to-date maps and commitment to providing the best information for travelers. Lonely Planet authors are experienced, insightful travel experts. They personally research the places they write about - both in the first and in subsequent editions - and provide essential travel details along with a wealth of insider information and first-hand tips.
You will receive these guides to help you gain the most out of your holiday. Recommendation: Take the time to read suggestions for things to see and do before you leave home. Take your Lonely Planet guides with you in your luggage.
* All prices are per-person on a twin-share basis and bookings are subject to availability. Price and deposit amount varies according to travel date. If flights are shown as included then a flight cost provision (allowance) applies and is based on travel from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. Travel can be arranged from any other major centre and for any number of people. All prices shown are estimates only. A firm quote (travel plan) with payment terms will be submitted for consideration prior to agreement to proceed. Total price after member discount (using Getaway Cash travel credits and Australian Escapes Free Flights Vouchers if applicable) is generally payable as follows: Deposit on booking, balance 120 days prior to departure. Packages can be priced for families and groups on request. Standard price and full retail value comparisons are with similar packages offered elsewhere or what we estimate would be payable by a non-member for the same or similar package and may include a value we define for specialty travel agency services. Travel insurance if included is a provision only and may be declined on request. No recommendations or advice are given in regard to travel insurance suitability. Travel Directions Pty Ltd (t/as Australian Escapes Holiday & Travel Club) standard booking terms and conditions apply to all booking enquiries and bookings and are available here to view (or visit our website and go to either the "Booking Enquiry" or "About Us" menu item.)
Travel across magical central Europe and Romania to experience the best of this historic area. Experience Austria's rich musical tradition firsthand before embarking on our opulent Vienna to Bucharest cruise along the Danube River.
Your cruise itinerary highlights seven nations (Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia, Bulgaria, and Romania). The sail through the famous "Iron Gates" is just one of the scenic highlights. Spend some time in romantic Bucharest to round off your journey.
"Adventure is worthwhile." - Aesop
The following 15-day itinerary features both included and optional excursions. A full list of optional activities is available on request. All dining, meals and standard drinks aboard your cruise ship are included.
Welcome to Europe! Upon arriving at the airport, head to your top-class accommodation in Vienna's city centre. Early check-in can be arranged (surcharge applies) if your flight arrives early in the day.
Depending on arrival time, you can enjoy some time in this exciting city. Your included Lonely Planet guide will give you some tips and ideas. Take this opportunity to plan the days ahead.
You can enjoy free time until your concert this evening. The Austrian capital is one of the great cities of Europe, a marvelous place with incredible history a terrific cafe scene to boot. You will find excellent museums and galleries, fantastic restaurants and a sense of grandeur that cannot be denied.
This evening make to Kursalon Vienna concert hall for an evening of Viennese classical music. Listen to renowned works from Mozart and Strauss in a show complete with opera singers, ballet dancers, piano concertos and more. Settle into your selected seat at the very place where the waltz was made famous in the 19th century.
After the performance, make your own way back to your hotel or linger in the area to continue your evening out in Vienna.
Schönbrunn Palace is one of Vienna’s top attractions, but its long lines and vast size can be overwhelming. Zip past the crowds with skip-the-line tickets. Take in the best of the palace and gardens on this professionally guided tour.
Explore Schonbrunn Gardens, Palace and Imperial Rooms and see amazing nature and architecture in Schlosspark, step inside magnificent interiors, meet fascinating history and find out about the huge Austrian heritage!
Explore Gardens from east to west while listening to the story of the Habsburg family and how this Park developed through the years. Along the way, admire fabulous combinations of architecture like Angel Fountain and nature.
Discover Hallstatt and its surrounding attractions on a full-day small-group tour from Vienna. Travel by private transportation and discover more points of interest in less time. Listen as your guide narrates the sights and make stops at filming locations for 'The Sound of Music' and more.
Enjoy a sightseeing tour of Hallstatt followed by free time to explore independently before your comfortable return journey.
Your exciting and informative journey along the Danube begins in Vienna. Embarkation starts in the afternoon.
After exploring your luxury floating hotel, you have the opportunity of meeting the cruise director at a welcome cocktail evening. The top-class chef will spoil you with a lovingly prepared welcome dinner, after which your ship will weigh anchor and head towards Bratislava.
You arrive in the Slovakian capital of Bratislava before breakfast. This romantic city with its impressive Gothic and Baroque buildings is best explored in the morning, during the course of a city sightseeing tour, which takes you to all the most beautiful sights. You return to your ship for lunch on board, and thereafter you have the opportunity of visiting the imperial Festchloss Hof, once a residence of the Austrian Empress Maria Theresia, during the afternoon. The sumptuous gardens of this palace are highly recommended. Your ship weighs anchor before midnight and arrives in Esztergom in the morning.
After breakfast, you can join a guided tour to Esztergom and Szentendre, two towns which, though vastly different, are equally fascinating. In the former Hungarian capital of Esztergom you follow the footsteps of Hungarian kings and clerics, while the artists’ town of Szentendre is unique due to the many museums and contemporary galleries housed there. Passengers who choose to remain on board will, in the meantime, continue to Budapest, where those passengers who opted for the tour will rejoin the ship for lunch.
In order to enjoy the magnificence of the Hungarian capital, you can go on a city sightseeing tour during the afternoon. In the evening, you will enjoy an atmospheric cruise through Budapest, also known as the “Paris of the East”, which is festively lit up at night, revealing Budapest’s most beautiful side. A folklore show on board will complete the experience.
You arrive in Mohacs early in the morning, and depart again directly after breakfast, heading towards Croatia. Your cruise ship reaches the eastern Croatian town of Vukovar after lunch, and you can take a city sightseeing tour, followed by a breathtaking excursion to the Kopacki Rit nature park. This 18-hectare nature reserve, situated at the confluence of the Drava and Danube Rivers, is home to a diverse bird population and provides a protected environment for many species of plants and animals. Explore this wetland by boat and enjoy the unspoilt beauty of nature before returning to your ship for dinner. Your ship departs for Belgrade during the night.
Enjoy a new day in a new country! You reach Belgrade, the vibrant and distinctly western-influenced capital of Serbia at breakfast time. This metropolis is home to many attractions from various eras and cultures, and you can view these during the course of a morning sightseeing tour. After lunch, you can join an excursion to Topola and Oplenac, where you can see the famous St. George’s Church, which is the final resting place of most of the Serbian royal family.
After dinner, night owls get to enjoy an evening excursion to the lively artists’ quarter Skardaljia. The ship will leave the harbor before midnight.
Spend the day on board and enjoy a truly impressive natural spectacle. Your journey takes you through the “Iron Gates”, one of the most imposing gorges in Europe, which also forms the natural border between Serbia and Romania.
One of the most beautiful stretches along the route includes the “Cazan” near the town of OrÅŸova, where the riverbed recedes to 200 meters width and 80 meters depth and passengers will be rewarded with a fascinating view of the surrounding Carpathian Mountains and the Balkan Mountain range. The small abbey church Mraconia, which is situated on the Romanian side of the Danube at the water’s edge, is equally worth seeing. The monumental rock sculpture of King Decebalus of Dacia reaches skywards at Dubova, and at 40 meters high is the largest in Europe.
Early in the morning you reach the Bulgarian town of Svishtov. Those who wish can take part in an on-land excursion to Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanassi, which will include an exciting morning filled with culture and history, as well as lunch in a local Bulgarian restaurant, before returning to the ship, which will in the meantime have travelled to Giurgiu. After lunch, the journey continues downriver and in the evening, you can enjoy a festive Gala Dinner with your captain and an evening program which will be an atmospheric close to the day.
Your journey continues through the breathtakingly beautiful Danube Delta, one of the largest wetlands in the world, with a large variety of plant and animal species, which has been declared a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. You travel along St George’s Canal, also known figuratively as the “end of the Danube”, the so-called “kilometre zero”, where the mighty river flows into the Black Sea. Your destination is the nearby fishing village of St. George, which is the starting point for an exciting Danube Delta boat safari – a great way to discover and get close to the impressive natural landscape and its fascinating flora and fauna. In the afternoon, your ship leaves St. George.
During breakfast you reach the Romanian town of Fetesti, where you leave your vessel – but your trip is not over yet! You will be transferred to Bucharest and check in at a centrally located gold standard hotel.
Thereafter, you can take part in a city sightseeing tour through this vibrant metropolis, which has 2 million inhabitants and a unique charm thanks to its colorful mix of buildings from different eras. At lunch time, you will dine in Bucharest, while in the evening you can enjoy a stylish farewell dinner in your hotel, while reflecting on your exciting Danube journey.
Your enjoyment of Bucharest continues with two extra nights at the cruise/tour end hotel, so you can enjoy more of this wonderful city and visit Transylvania tomorrow. Your Lonely Planet guide is your best resource to enable you to plan today’s activities.
Escape the urban bustle of Bucharest for the day to discover the legends and treasures of Transylvania.
Wander through the Gothic chambers and turrets of Bran Castle nicknamed ‘Dracula’s Castle’ thanks to its spooky atmosphere and ties to Vlad the Impaler, and then feel like you’ve stepped into a fairy tale on a tour of splendid Peles Castle, the former royal residence of Romanian kings. Finally, explore one of Transylvania’s most well-preserved medieval villages on a walking tour of Brasov.
Our journey from Vienna to Bucharest sadly must come to an end today. After breakfast you'll check out and make your way to airport for your flight home.
After such an unforgettable getaway, we’re sure you’ll be back. Until then you have the memories and photos you took along the way.
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