1-800-342-0019 Speak to a River Cruise Expert
Hero Image

Balkan Discovery with 1 Night in Budapest 2023

From Budapest, Hungary to Bucharest, Romania
Length: 10 Days - Departs: Sat, Aug 26, 2023

Why Pay Retail? Call us or click for a quick quote and save money!

This river cruise qualifies for unpublished pricing. Please call us or Click Here To Get Our Low Price

Special Offers

LOW UNPUBLISHED PRICES ON AVALON WATERWAYS (GLOBUS) CRUISES
We have Low Prices on Avalon Waterways (Globus) - Guaranteed!

Save $500 per couple + Free Air on select 2023 Europe River Cruises

Mention Promo Code: PT3145
Promotion Image

Save $500 per couple + Free Air on select 2023 Europe River Cruises

Save $500 per couple + Free Air on select 2023 Europe River Cruises

Promotion Details
Book a select 2023 Europe river cruise to receive $500 off per couple ($250 off per person) on the cruise/land or cruise only price. Combinable with Free Air promotion and Welcome Back Credit. Plus, receive our AffordableTours.com everyday savings.
Must Book By Fri, Jun 30, 2023
View Promotion Terms & Conditions ›

*Book a select 2023 Avalon Waterways Europe river cruise to receive $250 off per person on the cruise/land or cruise only price. Booking must be made, under deposit, and discount applied between January 3, 2023 and June 30, 2023 for travel at select times in 2023. Not applicable to custom tours. Not applicable on TBA space. Offer does not apply to instant purchase air. Groups of 8 passengers or more do not qualify for this offer. Please call for Group promotion options. Offer reliant on space availability and may be withdrawn at any time. Combinable with Free Air promotion (PRMYFF) and Welcome Back Credit only. Applies to new 2023 bookings only and offer will not be applied to pre-existing bookings. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply; see Travel Terms & Conditions for details. Offer applies to participating GFOB offices only. PRMW1006 PRMW1006

Single supplement waived on select 2023 Europe river cruises

Mention Promo Code: PT2885
Promotion Image

Single supplement waived on select 2023 Europe river cruises

Single supplement waived on select 2023 Europe river cruises

Promotion Details
Book a select 2023 Europe river cruise in order to waive the cabin single supplement fee on the cruise portion of your booking. There is a limited number of staterooms available for this promotion per departure. Applies to E, D, B, A & P cabin categories. Plus, receive our everyday AffordableTours.com savings.
Must Book By Sun, Dec 31, 2023
View Promotion Terms & Conditions ›

*Book a select 2023 Avalon Waterways Europe river cruise in order to waive the cabin single supplement fee on the cruise portion of your booking. There is a limited number of staterooms available for this promotion per departure. Applies to E, D, B, A & P cabin categories. Applies to new bookings only and will not be applied to pre-existing bookings. Offer reliant on space availability and may be withdrawn at any time. For Groups, selling more than one passenger in a group, with this promotion requires confirmation. Not combinable with other offers except the Welcome Back Credit. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply; see Travel Terms & Conditions for details. May be withdrawn at any time. Offer available from participating GFOB offices only. SWPBA SWPBA

Save $3,000 on select 2022/2023 Europe cruises for groups of 8 or more

Mention Promo Code: PT2970
Promotion Image

Save $3,000 on select 2022/2023 Europe cruises for groups of 8 or more

Save $3,000 on select 2022/2023 Europe cruises for groups of 8 or more

Promotion Details
Book a select 2022 or 2023 Avalon Waterways Europe river cruise for 8 or more people to receive $3000 off per couple ($1500 off per person) on the cruise/land or cruise only price. Plus, receive our AffordableTours.com everyday savings.
Must Book By Fri, Jun 30, 2023
View Promotion Terms & Conditions ›

*Book a select 2023 Avalon Waterways Europe river cruise for 8 or more people to receive $1500 off per person on the cruise/land or cruise only price. Group Booking must be made, under deposit and discount applied between January 4, 2022 and June 30, 2023 for travel on select 2023 departures. Offer reliant on space availability and may be withdrawn at any time. Combinable with Welcome Back Credit, Peace of Mind Credit and Group Advantage Program. Promotional discount will apply to Groups of 8 or more who provide their Group Block Deposit within the promotion's booking dates and will apply to all individual members of the Group until the due date of the passenger names/non-refundable individual deposits. Cannot be used in conjunction with any air promotion. Applies to new group bookings only and will not be applied to pre-existing group bookings. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply; see Travel Terms & Conditions for details. Offer applies to participating GFOB offices only. PRMW0934 PRMW0934


River Cruise Itinerary

See the highlights of Eastern Europe on this Danube River cruise adventure through the beautiful Balkans! Enjoy relaxing on your ship and exploring the most fascinating cities with free time and guided sightseeing. You’ll spend one night in the lively Hungarian capital of Budapest before boarding your Avalon Suite Ship®. See the iconic statues of Heroes’ Square, and spend free time exploring the lookout towers of Fishermen’s Bastion. On an excursion to Pécs, Hungary, you’ll visit underground burial chambers with fascinating murals, now part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, is one of the oldest cities in Europe, where the Sava River meets the Danube. Cruise through the dramatic views of Iron Gates Gorge—a natural border between Serbia and Romania. Visit Bulgaria’s Belogradchik, and see the fascinating rock formations sculpted by natural elements for over 200 million years. On an excursion to the ancient Bulgarian capital of Veliko Târnovo, you’ll visit Arbanassi’s Church of the Nativity, housing an impressive collection of frescoes. To round out this timeless Eastern European river cruise, you’ll stay in Romania’s vibrant capital of Bucharest, the “Paris of the East.” A local expert will show you many of its historical treasures, such as the Arc de Triomphe, built in honor of WWI soldiers.

  1. Day 1
    BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
    Sat, Aug 26, 2023
    Welcome to Budapest—Hungary’s Captivating CapitalThe day is yours to relax and enjoy Eastern Europe’s shining city on the Danube.
  2. Day 2
    BUDAPEST (EMBARKATION)
    Sun, Aug 27, 2023
    The Pearl of the Danube in the Heart of Europe CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided City Sightseeing, including the iconic Heroes’ Square.This afternoon, board your Suite Ship®. This evening enjoy a dinner onboard. OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MOHÁCS(B,D)
  3. Day 3
    MOHÁCS
    Mon, Aug 28, 2023
    Hungarian History in a Harbor TownVisit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.ACTIVE Explore Mohacs by foot as you follow the lead of your Adventure Host, OR:CLASSIC Join a morning Guided Sightseeing Tour of Mohács—the quiet Danube harbor town with its historical memorial parks, statues, and distinctive churches. Tour the remarkable medieval St. Nicholas Watermill—one of only a few remaining watermills performing stone-ground grain processing, OR: CLASSIC Take a Guided Tour of nearby Pécs to see its 4th-century Christian underground tombs, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with fascinating murals. You’ll also enjoy an organ concert on your tour.EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO ILOK(B,L,D)
  4. Day 4
    ILOK, CROATIA
    Tue, Aug 29, 2023
    History and Culture in CroatiaCLASSIC Join a Guided Tour of Ilok, with its 1,000-year-old winemaking tradition still thriving and its medieval fortress protected for its Croatian cultural heritage.Enjoy a brief cruise to Novi Sad while having lunch onboard.NOVI SAD, SERBIA The Athens of SerbiaACTIVE Get your daily dose of exercise, join your Adventure Host on this walk in and around town, OR:CLASSIC Join a guided tour of Novi Sad, the second largest town in Serbia. Admire its Austro-Hungarian old town, with its baroque buildings, and ancient fortifications.OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BELGRADE(B,L,D)
  5. Day 5
    BELGRADE
    Wed, Aug 30, 2023
    Fortresses and Folklore ACTIVE Discover Belgrade's central walkway with your Adventure Host, OR:CLASSIC Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour of Belgrade—where the Danube and Sava Rivers converge—and see the city’s many fascinating sights, including Saint Sava—one of the world’s largest Orthodox churches.DISCOVERY Attend an onboard Lecture to learn about the rich history, destinations, and culture of the Balkan states.Spend your free time exploring the city on your own this afternoon on Knez Mihailova Street—Belgrade’s central pedestrian thoroughfare with many lively cafés, shops, and cultural spots. Alternatively, enjoy one of the Optional Excursions on offer. This evening, you might like to join an Optional Excursion for an authentic Bohemian Dinner in the Quarter of Skadarlija.OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO GOLUBA?(B,L,D)
  6. Day 6
    GOLUBA?–DONJI MILANOVAC. EXCURSION TO LEPENSKI VIR–IRON GATES GORGE
    Thu, Aug 31, 2023
    Ancient Artifacts and the Iron Gates CLASSIC Visit the Fortress of Goluba?, one of the best preserved medieval fortresses in Europe. You’ll hear about its tumultuous history as a border control for defense in the Middle Ages, and a source of conflict between Serbia, the Habsburg Monarchy and the Ottoman Empire.Enjoy a brief sailing to Donji Milanovac.ACTIVE Stretch your legs, ease your mind and enjoy a walk led by your Adventure Host, OR:CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour to the Mesolithic archaeological site of Lepenski Vir with unique views of the Danube Gorge.Sail through the spectacular and narrow Iron Gates Gorge—a natural border between Serbia and Romania. AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO VIDIN(B,L,D)
  7. Day 7
    VIDIN, BULGARIA
    Fri, Sep 01, 2023
    Rocks, ruins and Balkan BeautyJoin your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.ACTIVE Wander and discover this town, join your Adventure Host for a walk, OR:CLASSIC Join Guided Sightseeing in Vidin, followed by a Guided Tour of Belogradchik. Marvel at the remarkable rock formations on the western slopes of the Balkan Mountains, sculpted by 200 million years of natural elements.AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO ROUSSE(B,L,D)
  8. Day 8
    ROUSSE. VELIKO TÂRNOVO & ARBANASSI EXCURSION
    Sat, Sep 02, 2023
    Fortresses and Folklore ACTIVE Join a walk in the park in Rousse with your Avalon Adventure Host, OR:CLASSIC Join a full-day Guided Tour to the former Bulgarian capital of Veliko Târnovo—with its ancient stone houses clinging to the cliffs above the Yantra River. Discover one of the oldest towns in Bulgaria (circa 4300 BC), as well as the Bulgarian Revival architecture in the 15th-century town of Arbanassi, OR:CLASSIC Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour of Bulgaria’s largest inland port and visit its impressive Holy Trinity Church.Later, enjoy live entertainment on board with a Bulgarian folklore show. OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO OLTENITA(B,L,D)
  9. Day 9
    OLTENITA, ROMANIA (DISEMBARKATION)–BUCHAREST
    Sun, Sep 03, 2023
    The Paris of the EastCLASSIC Take a Guided Tour of the Romanian capital city of Bucharest with its tree-lined boulevards and Arc de Triomphe—honoring WWI Romanian soldiers. See the Royal Palace Square—the scene of the city’s 1989 riots to overthrow the communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.Spend some free time exploring on your own to visit shops and museums. See the beautiful home and churches along Victory Avenue.You might consider partaking one of the Optional Excursions available.(B)
  10. Day 10
    BUCHAREST
    Mon, Sep 04, 2023
    Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.(B)

Countries Visited

Serbia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Croatia, Romania

Rivers Visited

Danube

OR Call Us For a Free Quote 1-800-342-0019

Inclusions

  • In the event of technical or water level issues, it may be necessary to operate the itinerary by motorcoach or alter the program, including hotel overnight when necessary.
  • Guided Tours, Optional Excursions, activities, sailing and docking schedules may be contingent on weather conditions or other issues outside of our control and could therefore be subject to change at any time.
  • Please check visa requirements with your local consulate(s); responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveler.


Accommodation Information

Port charges:
$210

Gratuities to Local Guides & Excursion Drivers are included.

Avalon offers the opportunity for solo travelers to sail with no single supplement (subject to availability).

Please call for single accommodation details and prices. Triples not available.

Health and Safety Protocols for Avalon Waterways

Today's world has changed, but what remains certain is Avalon Waterways' commitment to guest safety, comfort and peace-of-mind while traveling with us. To that end, Avalon Waterways has established a worldwide Assurance program, with enhanced on-trip protocols and procedures, to ensure the health – and happiness – of guests throughout their travels with us.

It all starts with Avalon Waterways' Global Health & Safety Team, dedicated to ensuring that cleanliness of all operations exceeds today’s travel standards—from start to finish. The following areas address Avalon Waterways' commitment to providing a safe and clean environment for guests.

WELCOME ABOARD

New embarkation procedures to offer guests a safe start to their journey, including:

  • Social distancing throughout embarkation
  • Mandatory health screening, including touch-free temperature-check, for all guests and crew
  • Luggage disinfection prior to onboarding (with crew wearing gloves and masks)

FRESH AIR, INSIDE AND OUT:

In addition to Avalon Waterways' Open-Air staterooms, the air in the ships is not circulated between staterooms; only within an individual stateroom and mixed with fresh, outside air.

BLENDING CULTURAL PROXIMITY WITH SOCIAL DISTANCE:

New social distancing guidelines for guests throughout their Avalon cruise include:

  • Reducing ship capacity as required for more space on board per guest
  • Introducing more dining venues for more dining space per person
  • Crew wearing masks for the duration of the cruise during any guest interaction
  • Providing masks for guests to wear during any event where social proximity could become an issue, including disembarkation for excursions and safety drills
  • Adjusting ratio of guides and coaches for excursions, as required

NEW TECHNOLOGY TO ENSURE CLEANLINESS:

  • Electrostatic disinfecting systems
  • UV disinfecting systems

TOUCHING HEARTS, NOT HANDS:

Reducing risk with hands-free service, including:

  • More hand-sanitizing stations throughout the ship
  • Required use of hand-sanitizing stations when leaving the ship, returning to the ship and entering dining venues as well as entering each public/common space
  • Self-serve stations, including buffets, drinks, specialty coffees and snacks have been replaced with crew service
  • All buffets (breakfast and lunch) replaced by a full range of á la carte menu choices
  • Hourly (or more frequent) disinfection of all public areas

COMMITMENT TO THE CLEANEST SHIPS:

Enhanced cleaning procedures throughout each ship, including these additional steps that go above-and-beyond Avalon’s already strict procedures:

  • Deep disinfection of each stateroom between cruises, including:
    • Use of disinfectants and cleaning materials that meet the highest standards
    • Soft goods in each stateroom (mattress, sofa, window coverings, chairs, etc.) disinfected between cruises
  • Disinfection of all dining areas between meals
  • Disinfection of all shared items like umbrellas, bicycles and other Adventure Center items
  • Disinfection of all goods prior to loading on the ship
  • Ongoing crew training in protective equipment use and hygiene

FOCUS ON CREW HEALTH:

Ensuring a healthy crew, including:

  • Medical certificate required prior to start of contract
  • Daily temperature checks
  • Social distancing in crew living quarters
  • Regular health screenings

OR Call Us For a Free Quote 1-800-342-0019

Ship Information

Loading...

Cabins

Loading...

Life on Board

Loading...

Questions & Answers

Question: Will the day-by-day itinerary change?

Yes, the river cruise itineraries may change due to reasons such as inclement weather or unforeseen events. Your safety is the number one concern aboard and all precautions necessary will be taken in order to ensure passenger safety, including changing itineraries. Please note that when itineraries do change, the ship staff will do their best to substitute any missed port with an alternative destination.

Question: In what language is the river cruise conducted?

The river cruise will be conducted in English only.

Customer Reviews

Overall Rating
4.4
Accommodations
4.4
Itinerary
4.4
Professional Staff
4.6
Repeat with Operator
4.4
Value for Money
4.1

Ratings based off 60 reviews - currently showing 19 reviews with comments only

This was my fourth river cruise with Avalon, and I love everything about them! The ships, the rooms, the staff, the food - all excellent. The staterooms have every imaginable convenience. The variety and quality of the meals are top notch. The staff was incredibly helpful and cheerful, and they are welcoming to solo travelers, like myself. I would happily book a fifth European cruise with them, until I run out of rivers!

Had a wonderful time. Everything was to our expectations and more. Will do it again.

Avalon had all details worked out, never felt confused or unsure of the daily activities. Worry free vacation

Our Cruise Director Yony was fabulous our waiter/waitress

Nina was just terrific, very informed about traveling with tips to help novice travelers. Any questions we had she answered promptly, found all the discounts she could which made the tip more affordable for us. I would highly recommend her as we are going to use her to book again for our next adventure.

Overall a great trip since my wife and I did a lot of things on our own with the Captain's blessing like riding bikes along the Danube and meeting the boat at the next port. If you are looking for an active trip with lots to do, Avalon's Active Discovery cruise would be for you.

We were very pleased with everything. Only one area that was somewhat disappointing. Our train ride for our extended days in Paris. There were four couples, eight people. We all had first class tickets and two couples, four people were in one car and were offered two meals; breakfast, lunch and drinks. Two couples, four people (us in our car) were not offered any food. So upon arrival two couples were able to start touring immediately. We had to find something to eat first at our own expense.

Sailing with Avalon was fantastic. The ship was really nice - like new even thou it was 4 years old, The food and drinks provided were gourmet cuisine. The tour director Monica was wonderful- extremely knowledgeable and helpful. The crew was great - so friendly and bent over backwards to serve us with a smile. Avalon did a great job getting people to feel comfortable and interact with each other. We all felt like good friends at the end of the trip. The included tours were excellent - led by knowledgeable persons native to the countries who shared much local history. Since the Danube was low we were unable to start our cruise in Nuremburg as planned, but Avalon took us all at no additional cost to a great classical concert in Vienna which was an optional excursion previously. The optional excursions were also excellent - a good variety led by knowledgeable locals who really wanted to share with us everything they could to help us understand the history as well as the present day political and economic situations in these various countries. I admit the great weather may have helped our overall great experience, but I cannot say enough good things about traveling with Avalon. I would definitely recommend them to friends and would love to travel with them again soon.

Best experience ever! From booking to traveling, just what was expected.

Avalon provides great service, excellent meals and a beautiful ship to travel on.

Everything was well done - including late breakfast!

The cruise director was was excellent. The entire staff on the Avalon Impression was amazing!

These Avalon guys are great! Food, accommodations, people - hard to find fault with anything. We saved quite a bit by booking an early season cruise and could see why. The weather was okay, but not great, and the flowers in The Netherlands were a little short of their peak.

Avalon continues to provide a superior class service for the price. Our river cruise boat had a large cabin with ample space, and a bathroom big enough that two people could use it at the same time when getting ready. The personal service by not only the cruise director, but all the staff on board, was excellent. I would not hesitate to use Avalon in the future.

The hotel in Prague was not near the city center, requiring a subway ride to get to the historic area. The hotel was very nice, but staying in the historic area has benefits. Also the choice of restaurants at the hotel we stayed at were limited.

Absolutely a wonderful trip! The Capitals of Europe River Cruise was excellent, and we added Berlin to our experience. I would recommend Avalon Waterways as the "only" way to travel down the Danube. We are looking forward to another River Cruise in the future!

Everything was great with the exception of the last part of the trip, we were supposed to be staying at the intercontinental hotel in Prague and to our surprise we were at the Hilton and we had extended our time in Prague and had to switch hotels. Other than that it was a great trip! 

Staff on the boat were great ! We had a serious problem with luggage on the trip. No luggage for 4 days. The staff helped in any way they could. Because of Easter we were unable to shop for anything and they washed clothes for free and gave us some badly needed toilet articles.

You May Also Like

  • Ship Image
    Cruise Line
    AmaWaterways
    Ship
    AmaViola
    Starts
    Budapest
    Ends
    Vilshofen
    Days
    8
    From
    $3,899
  • Ship Image
    Cruise Line
    Avalon Waterways
    Ship
    Passion
    Starts
    Budapest
    Ends
    Bucharest
    Days
    11
    From
    $4,648
  • Ship Image
    Cruise Line
    Avalon Waterways
    Ship
    Passion
    Starts
    Budapest
    Ends
    Bucharest
    Days
    9
    From
    $3,948
  • Ship Image
    Cruise Line
    AmaWaterways
    Ship
    AmaMagna
    Starts
    Budapest
    Ends
    Vilshofen
    Days
    8
    From
    $4,299

AffordableTours.com is a travel agent for Avalon Waterways. Brochure Price is based on the itinerary's highest brochure price. Our price reflects our base price for the same departure as Brochure Price. All prices, itineraries, accommodations and dates are subject to change without notice and at any time. All prices are USD per person and based on double occupancy. Availability is limited and must be reconfirmed at time of booking. All prices change frequently and our website prices are not guaranteed until a deposit has been received by us. The prices on our website are intended to serve as a guide only and may not accurately reflect current prices. We are not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes in these prices until a booking has been confirmed by one of our agents. Please call us toll free at 1-800-342-0019 to confirm current prices and availability. Prices listed are per person, cruise only, and based on double occupancy.

Call Us Now 1-800-342-0019

How It Works

Vacationing has never been easier or cheaper with the help of a dedicated travel consultant from AffordableTours.com

Freq Quote 1. Free Quote

Find your perfect trip on our website and simply request a free quote. Need to speak to a live person? Call us 7 days a week at 1-800-342-0019. No robots here!

Dedicated Travel Consultant 2. Dedicated Travel Consultant

Your personal travel consultant will reach out and be your point of contact for your entire travel experience from start to finish. Did we mention you'll be working with an award winning team? Sweet!

Low Price Guaranteed 3. Lowest Price Guaranteed

Because we're one of the largest sellers of travel, we're able to give you a discount on your vacation package. No one beats our prices!

Stress Free Travel 4. Stress Free Travel

Knowing you got the best deal, all that's left is for you to pack your bags and enjoy your vacation!


AffordableTours.com BBB Business Review

Better Business Bureau

AffordableTours.com is a proud recipient of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) awards 2006-2022 with A+ Rating.

It Pays To Refer! Earn Up To $200!

It's simple: Sign up your friends, family, and anyone to us and when they book you will receive an American Express gift card worth up to $200 in the mail for simply referring.

Read More

Get discounts by Email!