Embarkation begins on the MS AMADEUS in Passau at 3 p.m. The ship leaves the port at 4 p.m. and heads towards Vienna through a lovely stretch of the Danube called "Schlogener Schlinge." A complimentary cocktail will be served in the Panorama Bar, prior to the welcome dinner. Tonight enjoy the first of the musical performances in the Panorama Bar.
Around 8:00 a.m. the ship docks for a short stop in Tulln. You will join the city excursion to Vienna, which includes the important sights, such as St. Stephen's Cathedral and the Imperial Palace. After lunch there will be a lecture on the opera performance in Budapest. In the evening, attend a concert in the Panorama Bar entitled "Dance Music from Vienna's Imperial Past". Dinner will be served following the performance.
The MS AMADEUS arrives in Budapest around 7:30 a.m. In the morning the Budapest sightseeing tour encompasses all the major sights of the city. Budapest is made up of two parts, Buda and Pest. Buda is the older more graceful area, with its cobblestone streets and medieval architecture, while Pest is the administrative and commercial centre with its wide avenues and impressive 19
th century buildings. East meets west in this fascinating city, which is reflected by the variety of shops and restaurants it has to offer. In the early evening, you are driven through Budapest's illuminated streets on your way to the included performance at the State Opera. Overnight moored in Budapest.
| Day 4 |
Budapest - Esztergom |
After breakfast an expert lecturer will explain the opera performances of Bratislava. Enjoy the morning at your leisure. You may stroll through shopping malls, or visit the Museum of Fine Arts. Following lunch onboard, the included "Szentendre-Esztergom" excursion leaves the ship and continues by bus via Visegrad to Esztergom. The ship sails upstream through the "Danube Bend", one of the most scenic stretches of the entire river, also known as the "Hungarian Wachau". MS AMADEUS arrives at Esztergom at 6:00 p.m., where you will have a fine view of the massive cathedral towering above the Danube, and where the excursion participants will rejoin the ship. Before dinner you will be entertained by a Hungarian Folklore performance onboard. Following the performance, the ship pulls away for Bratislava.
The ship docks in Bratislava around 9:00 a.m. During the Bratislava tour you will see the sights of the capital of Slovakia. After lunch an expert lecturer will explain the opera performances in Vienna. The remaining afternoon is at your leisure. In the evening, your cruise director will accompany you to the Bratislava music performance. The ship leaves for Vienna around midnight.
The MS AMADEUS reaches Vienna early this morning. During your city sightseeing tour, you can visit the "Schoenbrunn Castle", followed by a lovely performance in its famous puppet theatre. In the evening a bus takes you to a performance of Vienna's State Opera House or Volksopera, returning to the ship again after the performance. The MS AMADEUS leaves Vienna around midnight.
Enjoy breakfast onboard. The ship arrives in Melk at 9:30 a.m. A guided walking tour through the world famous 900 year old Baroque "Benedictine Abbey of Melk" will follow. The MS AMADEUS casts off for Passau at 1:30 p.m. Enjoy the afternoon on the sun deck as the impressive landscape passes by. Tonight the captain invites you to a gala dinner with a farewell musical performance in the Panorama bar.
The MS AMADEUS arrives at Passau, the town where three rivers meet, the Danube, the Inn and the Ilz . Disembark at 9:00 a.m.
