About the Danube
The Danube is Europe's second-longest river and the only one that flows from west to east across the continent. Classic itineraries run Passau–Budapest in seven nights, while extended sailings continue through Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania to the Black Sea, passing the dramatic Iron Gates gorge.
Headline destinations: Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava, the Wachau Valley, the Iron Gates.
The river flows through 8 countries — Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania. 121 ships from 13 different operators currently sail itineraries here, ranging from week-long classic loops to multi-week extended voyages.
Featured itineraries on the Danube
| Itinerary | Length | Sample ports |
|---|---|---|
| Danube Waltz | 8 nights | Passau · Linz · Melk · Vienna · Bratislava · Budapest |
| Romantic Danube | 8 nights | Budapest · Vienna · Linz · Passau · Regensburg · Nuremberg |
| Lower Danube Discovery | 11 nights | Budapest · Mohács · Belgrade · Iron Gates · Vidin · Russe · Bucharest |
| Christmas Markets Danube | 8 nights | Nuremberg · Regensburg · Passau · Linz · Melk · Vienna · Budapest |
Operators sailing the Danube
Viking River Cruises
Scandinavian-styled Longships exploring Europe's great waterways.
AmaWaterways
Boutique river ships with twin balconies and onboard bicycles.
Avalon Waterways
Suite Ships with beds that face the river.
Scenic Luxury Cruises
All-inclusive Space-Ships with butler-served suites.
Emerald Cruises
Star-Ships with an indoor pool that converts to a cinema.
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
Floating boutique hotels with hand-curated antiques.
CroisiEurope
Family-owned French line covering Europe's lesser-known rivers.
Tauck
Family-owned American operator with multi-generational departures.
A-ROSA River Cruises
Lifestyle river cruising for a German-speaking market.
Riviera Travel
British operator with single-supplement cabins on every ship.
Amadeus River Cruises
Family-owned Austrian line with classic European itineraries.
Grand Circle Cruise Line
Small-ship river cruises for active North American travellers.
Riverside Luxury Cruises
New ultra-luxury entrant with all-suite ships.