Very new to this river cruise - Prague & Budapest - cruise only!

[anniecreebes]

Hi, I am hoping some experienced people will be able to assist.

I am searching for a cruise suited to our needs: April or May 2024, including Prague and Budapest, max 9 days.

I have found a couple of cruises but they all seem to include 3 night prior to the cruise.  I'm not interested in this - I just want the cruise!

Any tips, insights, recommendations?

Thanks in advance

Annie

Edited August 17, 2023 by anniecreebes
incorrect dates

[Host Jazzbeau]

Prague isn't on a river for cruising, so if you want to include that there will have to be some extra time before or after the cruise.  I don't know how flights from Australia work (i.e. what time of day you would arrive); from the eastern US we usually arrive early in the morning.  Here's what you could do:  fly in to Prague, sightsee that day and spend one night there; get a transfer to Vilshofen and board this AmaWaterways cruise to Budapest (7 nts including a day touring Budapest), fly home the next day.  That leaves you with one extra night to put in either Prague or Budapest.

https://www.amawaterways.com/destination/europe-river-cruises/2024/romantic-danube

 

The reason I suggest AMA is that they start in Vilshofen, which is below the notoriously low-water choke point on the Danube – so you won't have to worry about water levels.

[Daisi]

Welcome! As Jazz says, Prague isn't on the river (Danube) for cruising, and his suggestion to fly in early (or stay a bit later) to see Prague is probably your best bet. If you would like to actually see more of Budapest, then I really would suggest a cruise that includes extended stays at both ends. Otherwise, you will be getting a short tour of the city, and then wander on your own with the ship leaving later that day (if you start in Budapest). 

 

We will be doing Avalon's Blue Danube Discovery in Sept with 2 nights in Budapest and 2 nights in Prague. Just from researching what to see in the two cities, I know we should have more time, but I'm worried that I will find them to overpowering (I'm not used to big cities) to spend much longer. Our travel will consist of about 20 hrs from leaving home to arriving in Budapest, so the 1st day is going to be very limited as to what we do. This is the cruise we will be doing, I really wanted to see Nuremburg, otherwise I would be ending at Vishofen as Jazz suggested.

https://www.avalonwaterways.ca/river-cruise/the-blue-danube-discovery-with-2-nights-in-budapest-2-nights-in-prague/WBNY/?season=2023

 

May I suggest, if you haven't done a river cruise before, you read the stickies that Jazz posted at the top of the main page? Very helpful information there as to what to expect - tours, water levels, what is included or not etc. Also, don't be afraid to ask questions here. I know we haven't provided you with what you wish, but this is a friendly board, and most are very willing to help out.

[TashaB]

After much research over the last 3 years 😀  we also (party of 5 single cabins) booked Avalon.  We are on the Active and Discovery on the Danube with 2 nights in Prague (Eastbound).   This is a 9 night package but we have added 2 more nights in Prague pre and 3 nights in Budapest post.   Avalon includes the coach transfer from Prague to Vilshofen with a stop along the way at Cesky Krumlov a UNESCO World Heritage Sight.  Since we live on the farthest point in western Canada on Vancouver Island our flights too will take a good 20 plus hours with layovers.  We leave on September 7th of this year

[Got2Cruise]

Ama also has Melodies of the Danube, begins in Budapest with extension in Prague. I would arrive one day early to see extra places. I assure you the stops in between are all very worthwhile. The transfer to Prague is painless, it’s done by motor coach and there is a stop in Regensburg, the world oldest sausage kitchen located there. 

 

[anniecreebes]

Thanks everyone!  So grateful for the useful info.  We are quite happy to arrange our own pre and post and will probably spend min 4 days in Prague and Budapest.  I am definitely going to use @Host Jazzbeau's fabulous insights to form the basis for our plans.

[texasstar]

When we took this AmaWaterways cruise, we came a few days early to see Budapest prior to the cruise.  We were very glad we did, because their tour really only consisted of a drive through look.  Make sure you get tickets for an English speaking tour of the Parliment before you go.  We stayed at the Sofitel and were able to walk everywhere.  At the end, AmaWaterways allowed us to purchase only the transfers to Prague, then we made our own arrangements once we arrived in Prague.  We stayed in the Old Town Hilton which is within walking distance of everything you need to see.  This was our first river cruise and we were sold on the idea after that.

[RobInMN]

We did the 3 night pre-cruise with Ama in Prague. We loved it. We'd definitely go back. Regardless of how you end up doing it, you should have a great time. 

If you didn't see it, the first post of my review thread for AmaMagna's Grand Danube covers our Prague pre-cruise:

 

[me4cruizing]

21 hours ago, TashaB said:

After much research over the last 3 years 😀  we also (party of 5 single cabins) booked Avalon.  We are on the Active and Discovery on the Danube with 2 nights in Prague (Eastbound).   This is a 9 night package but we have added 2 more nights in Prague pre and 3 nights in Budapest post.   Avalon includes the coach transfer from Prague to Vilshofen with a stop along the way at Cesky Krumlov a UNESCO World Heritage Sight.  Since we live on the farthest point in western Canada on Vancouver Island our flights too will take a good 20 plus hours with layovers.  We leave on September 7th of this year

We are on the same cruise but we cruise starting  12Sept. I just booked it yesterday so I have a bit of catch up with the planning. 

[TashaB]

Sounds like the Envision which we also board on September 12th.   Our first 2 nights are in Prague on our own then 2 in Prague with Avalon.   We bus to the boat on the 12th.   

[Daisi]

42 minutes ago, TashaB said:

Sounds like the Envision which we also board on September 12th.   Our first 2 nights are in Prague on our own then 2 in Prague with Avalon.   We bus to the boat on the 12th.   

 

We will be boarding the Envision the day you disembark. Be nice to the crew for us, don't wear them out. 🙂

 

 

@anniecreebes, probably any line has just Bud - Vilshofen/Nuremburg cruises, you will probably end up with 1 day in Budapest with a tour included if you end your cruise there. If you know a TA who has river experience, they can probably help you find a line that suits your expectations. Sign up for the main lines e-mails (you'll get flooded, but you can always send them to junk once you find one you like) and you will get notified of any specials going on. Planning is 1/2 the fun, so enjoy.

Edited August 18, 2023 by Daisi

[JordanF]

We just took Gate 1, a 7 day Danube cruise with Budapest and Prague.  Gate 1 has excellent prices and does a great job.  If you want to shorten it up you can skip the Budapest add-on as the boat spends a day there--but we really enjoyed Budapest...  Here is a link to my review:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2942656-gate-1-monarch-governess-may-26-2023-cruise-review-danube-with-budapest-and-prague/#comment-65659378

 

[franski]

Welcome!  Extra days are quite doable on your own in both Prague & Budapest.  The transfer to/from Prague is a bit more challenging on your own - if you don't arrange with the cruise line.  Not impossible, but just extra work.  Finding a cruise that includes just one or two days there - and extending on your own is a good way to go --> then you get the transfer!!

 

While I do understand Jazz's suggestion about using Vilshofen as the end-point for the cruise, you would miss Regensburg and Nuremberg --> both (IMHO) worth visiting. Not sure if those stops are important to you - but a bit of research would help you decide.

 

Enjoy!!

 

Fran