15 days Vienna-Danube Delta-Vienna on MS Bellissima
Experience the Danube at first hand! On this cruise from Vienna to the Danube Delta you will see all the highlights of this majestic river. The Iron Gate with its narrow gorge offers the least tamed stretch of the river, whilst in the Danube Delta you will find its softer side with an abundance of flora and fauna. We also gain an insight into the Danube‘s richness as we visit not only the larger cities of Vienna, Bratislava, Belgrade and Budapest, but also smaller towns such as Kalosca and Vukovar. This is a journey of contrasts, which starts and ends in majestic Vienna.
short itinerary
Day
Arrival
Departure
Place
Excursions
1. day
-
-
Vienna-Nussdorf
Embark at 15.00. Cast off at 17.30
2. day
-
-
Kalocsa
At leisure on board or a choice of local excursions.
3. day
-
-
Belgrade
City tour by coach
4. day
-
-
Cruising
Cruise through the rapids
5. day
-
-
Rousse
At leisure on board or a choice of local excursions
6. day
-
-
Tulcea
At leisure on board or a choice of local excursions
7. day
-
-
Oltenita / Giurgiu
City tours by coach
8. day
-
-
Vidin
At leisure on board or a choice of local excursions
9. day
-
-
Turnu Severin
At leisure on board or a choice of local excursions
10. day
-
-
Novi Sad
City tours by coach
11. day
-
-
Vukovar/ Osijek
Excursion to Vukovar an Osijek
12. day
-
-
Budapest
City tours by coach
13. day
-
-
Bratislava
City tours by coach and on foot
14. day
-
-
Vienna-Nussdorf
City tours by coach
15. day
-
-
Vienna-Nussdorf
Disembark at 09.00
Book by 30th November 2009 and save 200 EUR per person! Book by 31 st January 2010 and save 100 EUR per person!
Our price includes
• cruise in the booked cabin-category (only outside cabins) • full board with three main meals (from dinner on Embarkation Day to breakfast on the last morning) • a bottle of water per cabin on Embarkation Day • coffee / tea after lunch and dinner • coffee / tea or midnight snack in line with the itinerary • Welcome and Farewell Cocktail with the Captain • Captain’s Dinner • nicko tours Cruise Director, English speaking local guides • participation in the on-board events programme • resident musicians • free use of the ship’s wellness area, with sauna and fitness equipment • detailed cruise documents • all harbour dues • luggage transfer from the quayside to your cabin and v.v.
Our price does not include
Individual travel to and from the port of embarkation / disembarkation, travel insurance, beverages, gratuities (we recommend a sum of € 5-7per person and day), personal spendings.
Additional services (price per person)
guided excursion package 184 EUR per person
Life on board The atmosphere on board is informal. We recommend comfortable clothing, a jumper for cooler evenings and stout footwear for the excursions ashore. We ask that you dress a little more smartly for Dinner. Our Cruise Team is at your disposal during the whole cruise with help and advice. This is a non-smoking vessel, where smoking is permitted only on the Sun Deck.
Capacity
142 passengers
Length
110 m
Beam
11.4 m
Height above water-level
6 m
Draught
1.5 m
Crew
abt 36
Electrical supply
220 Volt
15 days Vienna-Danube Delta-Vienna on Bellisima April-Oct Sailings 2011
cabins
location
deck
price p.p.in euros from
2-bed Main Deck
outside
Main Deck
1,899,-2,099
2-bed Middle Deck bow
outside
Middle Deck
2,199,-2,399
2-bed Middle Deck
outside
Middle Deck
2,599,-2,798
2-bed Upper Deck with french balcony
outside
Upper Deck
2,599,-2,798 -
2-bed Suite Upper Deck with french balcony
outside
Upper Deck
3,199,-3,398 -
Single
outside
Add 800
Optional Excursions
Excursion to the Puszta plains (optional) We start our excursion from Kalocsa. You will be welcomed with schnapps and salt cake. We will visit the stud and afterwards have a short tour with a horse-drawn carriage into the Puszta plains (about 25 minutes). The following show will give you an impression about the Hungarian horse traditions and the way of life of the Tschikoschen (Hungarian cowboys). Then snacks will be served at the Csarda and you will have enough time to buy some typical souvenirs at the shop, such as Salami, paprika products, vine and schnapps (strong liqueur).
Hajos (Swabian village) (optional) Hajos is located about 25 km southeast of Kalocsa. It takes us about 30 minutes crossing the Hungarian lowlands, the Puszta, to arrive at the little village. Comprising 1,200 wine-press houses, the cellar village of Hajós is an architectural curiosity. Adjoining press houses of identical size and style were built by the Swabians, who settled here in the Middle Ages. At the small Swabian-Hungarian museum of local history you will find out more about the way of life of the Danube Swabians in former times. Even today there are many people who still can speak German perfectly.
Excursion Novi Sad (package) First we will drive to the Fortress Petrovaradin, one of the biggest defensive fortifications in Europe, which was built in the 18th century by the French architect Vauban. It was his masterpiece. You will be impressed by the wonderful view over the river Danube from there. Then we will drive to Novi Sad and take a walk through the old town (about 30 minutes).
Veliko Turnovo with lunch (optional) It takes about 90 minutes to drive to Veliko Turnovo, the medieval capital of Bulgaria. Ancient travellers wrote about the town of Turnovo as "the second after Constantinople" in its beauty and might. The town of Veliko Turnovo is built in the ending outskirts of the Central Fore Balkan. The town is situated amphitheatrically on 4 hills - Tsarevets, Trapezitsa, Momina Krepost and Sveta Gora. The houses, stacked one above the other, situated on the slopes of the hills of the town, show a remarkable and unique architectural style. Afterwards we drive to Arbanassi. The old settlement of Arbanassi is situated on a high plateau with a view to the hills of Tzarevetz and Trapezitza, four kilometres from Veliko Turnovo. It's distinguished for its impressive houses and churches with rich interior decoration, wood-carving, and mural paintings created in 16th till 17th century.
City tour Rousse (optional) First our bus takes us to the old town where we will make a short photo stop. Then we will continue to the Pantheon (Christian memorial for Bulgarian Heroes). Afterwards the tour reaches the Alvosha monument, the concert hall and finally to the central square. There we will visit the Bulgarian-orthodox Holy Trinity Church. We continue with a short walk through the city center passing the Monument of Freedom, the opera house and the court house. Afterwards we will visit the Ethnographic Museum which gives us an impression of the Bulgarian urban live in the 19th century. We will also join a short piano concert (about 10 minutes) before we drive back to the vessel.
Danube Delta (optional) The mighty Danube River flows 1,788 miles from its springs in Germany’s Black Forest to the Black Sea. Just before reaching the sea it forms the second largest and best preserved of Europe's deltas: 2,200 square miles of rivers, canals, marshes, tree-fringed lakes and reed islands. The Danube Delta is a wildlife enthusiast’s paradise. You will explore the area on big excursion boats. Please note that we cannot guarantee that you will see all the animals you might expect.
City tour Bucharest by bus (package) We start our excursion from Oltenita right after lunch. Known for its wide, tree-lined boulevards, glorious Belle Époque buildings and a reputation for the high life (which in the 1900s earned its nickname of "Little Paris"), Bucharest, Romania's largest city and capital, is today a bustling metropolis. First we will drive to the Parliament Palace. Built by Communist Party leader, Nicolae Ceausescu, the colossal Parliament Palace (formerly known as the People's Palace) is the second largest administrative building in the world after the Pentagon. We continue our tour on to the Patriarchal Palace. There we have the opportunity to visit a Romanian – Orthodox Church. Afterwards we visit the fascinating outdoor Village Museum. It features a collection of 50 buildings representing the history and design of Romania's rural architecture. Steep-roofed peasant homes, thatched barns, log cabins, churches and watermills from all regions of the country were carefully taken apart, shipped to the museum and rebuilt in order to recreate the village setting Then the bus takes us back to Giurgiu to the vessel.
Excursion to Belogratschik (optional) The excursion to the cliffs of Belogradschik starts in Vidin. Over the course of millions of years nature formed this red stone. The fantastic shapes transport us into a fairytal world. Each outcrop bears a legend of tragic love, disloyalty, courage and deat. They bear such names as „Adam and Eve“, „The Monks“, „The Horseman“ or „The Madonna“. In the midst of the rocks are the remains of an ancient fort, which served as a defensive complex until 1885
Hercules Bath (optional) Baile Herculane is the oldest resort in Romania (and one of the oldest in the world), documentary attested in 153 A.D. The healing power of the thermal springs, discovered since the times when the Romans were building the first fortresses in Dacia, is nowadays famous all over the world. The spa (dedicated by the Romans to Hercules) is guarded, in the east, by the Mehedinti Mountains and, in the west, by the Cerna Mountains. The preserved Belle Époque buildings and some Roman ruins combined with modern architecture make Hercules Bath so special. We also visit an archaeological museum with a collection of Roman coins and mosaics.
Turnu Severin (optional) Turnu Severin was named after the Roman Emperor Serverus Alexander who built a castle there and turned Severin into a city. Other people assume that Turnu Severin is the Roman-Slavic name for “Northern Tower”. One of the most interesting sights is the Trajan’s Bridge which was built by the famous Roman architect Apollodorus of Damascus in 102 till 105. Furthermore there are ruins of a military camp and the foundation walls of the oldest known Romanian-Orthodox church. On our way back to the vessel we will have a short coffee break and will experience an impressing view over the biggest hydroelectric dam of the River Danube.
Belgrade city tour by bus (package) Belgrade is the capital of Serbia and is situated in South-Eastern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula, at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. First we will visit the Belgrade Fortress at Kalemegdan which is situated high above the Sava and Danube confluence. We will learn more about the history during our walk around the surroundings of the fort. Afterwards we will drive to the Serbian-Orthodox church which is very close to the fortress. There we will get interesting details about the singularity of the Serbian orthodoxy. Then we will continue to the Republican Square where we start our guided walk. Having enjoyed a short break with refreshments we will continue on a city tour by bus (about 1 hour) passing the Royal Palace among other things, before we get back to the vessel.
Belgrad by night (optional) One of the best Serbian Folkloristic groups will await you tonight. Do not miss this unique opportunity to experience a fascinating show (about 1 ½ hours) with music, dances and costumes from all over Serbia while tasting the Serbian wine.
Excursion “A glimpse of Croatia” (package) After arriving in Vucovar we will start our excursion and drive to the famous Franciscan monastery which had been restored in 2000. Afterwards we go to Osijek. The city experienced its boom years during the turn of the century. Join us on a guided walk through this enchanting old town with its wonderful art nouveau houses.
City tour Budapest by bus (package) Budapest, the “queen of the river Danube”, is one of the most beautiful European cities. The Danube River divides the city into the two city-parts of Buda and Pest. We will drive to the Heroes’ Square in the city center first. There you can see the Millenary Monument and other monuments of Hungarian kings. We continue our bus tour to the Castle District. During our guided walk on the Castle Hill we pass the Matthias’ Church and arrive at the Fishermen’s Bastion which we will see from the outside. Then we will continue our bus tour to the Gellert Hill. There you will have the opportunity to enjoy a fabulous view over the city and the river Danube.
Budapest by night (optional) Enjoy an impressing show of a Hungarian Folkloristic dancing group with its spirited music. During the show a typical Hungarian goulash soup will be served as well as a sweet desert. Afterwards you will join us on a night tour by bus through Budapest. You will be impressed by the view over the illuminated city from the Castle Hill.
City tour Bratislava (package) Bratislava is situated in the fertile Danube plains, south of the Little Carpathians, close to the borders of Austria and Hungary. “Small but pretty” might be a good characterisation of the Slovakian Capital. The old town has been restored with great attention to detail. First we will enjoy a tour with a small train which takes us through the Embassy Quarter up to the Castle, the town’s landmark. There we will have a short break to take pictures and enjoy the beautiful panoramic view over the city. You will learn more about the eventful history of the castle, which used to be the residence of numerous Hungarian kings before Maria Therese moved in. Afterwards we will drive to the old city center where we take a guided walk (about 1 ½ hours) passing the Redoute, the National Theatre, the Town Hall and some baroque palaces and town gates which testify to the k.u.k. Monarchy (Dual Monarchy). Furthermore we will visit the Primate’s Palace with its 6-piece series of famous tapestry.
Vienna City tour by bus (package) The tour begins with a glimpse of the “New Vienna” with the UN-City and the Danube Island. We continue our tour on the Ring Boulevard passing magnificent buildings such as State Opera House, Parliament, the Burgtheater, Town Hall, University and votive church until we arrive at the St. Stephens Cathedral. At the Stephen’s Square you will have some time at leisure so you can visit the church on your own. Then we will have a guided walk through the old town passing the Michaeli Square (Hofburg), Albertina and Kärntner Street. The bus will pick us up at the Schwedenplatz to drive us back to the vessel.
Klosterneuburg Abbey (optional) Not far from Vienna, one finds the 900-year-old Klosterneuburg Abbey with its sacred art treasures, including the "Verdun Altar" and an impressive view of baroque splendor. We will cross the patio and while you are walking through the wonderful garden you will learn more about the Abbey and its history. Afterwards you will have some time at leisure to visit the church also from the inside. On our way back we will drive on the “Höhenstrasse” through the Vienna Woods (Wienerwald). You will be impressed by that fantastic panoramic view over Vienna and the Danube River.
Schönbrunn Palace (optional) Schönbrunn, the former summer residence of the imperial family, is considered one of the most beautiful baroque palaces in Europe. The Habsburgs resided here the better part of the year in numerous rooms for the large imperial family in addition to representational rooms. Today, the palace is part of UNESCO’s cultural heritage due to its historic importance, its unique grounds and its splendid furnishings. After a guided tour through the palace you will also take a walk through the wonderful garden of the palace
Bus tour to a Heuriger (optional) Nothing more authentic than an evening at a Heuriger - one of the wine taverns with gardens in the hilly outskirts. Heuriger is also the name of the wine which is served there. Enjoy one glass of wine while listening to typical Austrian music and experience the Vienna way of life. One drink is already included in the excursion price.
Classical concert in Vienna (optional) Vienna is also called the „capital of music“. The “Wiener Residenzorchester” (Vienna Imperial Court Orchestra) dressed in historical costumes, together with Opera singers and ballet, performs the most beautiful melodies by Johann Strauss and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
The excursion package includes the following excursions - Belgrade city tour - Bucharest city tour - Excursion Novi Sad - Excursion Vukovar and Osijek - Budapest city tour - Bratislava city tour - Vienna city tour
We offer the following optional excursions which may be booked on board only - Excursion to the Puszta plains or Hajos village (both excursions are at the same time) - Excursion Veliko Turnovo or city walk Rousse (both excursions are at the same time) - Excursion Danube Delta - Excursion to the Belogradtshik Rocks in Vidin - Excursion Turnu Severin or Hercules Bath (both excursions are at the same time) - Belgrade by night - Budapest by night - Klosterneuburg Abbey or Schönbrunn Castle (both excursions are at the same time) - Classical concert or bus tour to a Heuriger (both excursions are at the same time) The rate of the excursion is based on a minimum pax number of 30 passengers per bus. Smaller groups between 10 and 20 passengers will have other rates. Booked and paid excursions cannot be refunded, no matter if the booking was made in advance or on board. Only exception: if nicko tours has to cancel the excursion due to high/low water or if the minimum pax number is not achieved.
Please note that there might be delays due to high/low water or waiting time in front of the locks. Therefore nicko tours reserves the right to change the excursion program and also the drop off and pick up locations in such cases.
The itineraries and excursion programs are subject to change ! In case that part of the cruise cannot be operated by the vessel due to high/low water or technical problems the shipping company reserves the right to transfer the guests on these parts of the cruise by bus, to accommodate them in hotels and/or to change the routing. Sometimes there might also be a change of the vessel necessary.
Avalon Waterways 2011 with Extra Discounts We have sailed the ships, slept in the beds, taken the shore excursions and eaten the food. Our prices are lower than the cruise lines.
