12 Day Danube River Cruise with Prague Budapest to Regensburg, Monarch Queen
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Price does not include airfare, departure or arrival transfers, airline taxes and fuel surcharges.
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Exclusive, $800 Off European River Cruises
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Promotion Details
Offer applies to new bookings made through March 31, 2025 and is valid on 2025/2026 departures. $400 per person savings is valid on European River Cruises. Promotion is not combinable with any other offer. Additional restrictions may apply.
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Save 5% - Cash Payment Discount
Promotion Details
Gate 1 offers the flexibility of paying for your vacation by credit card or check. Choose check for your final payment to save 5% off of your remaining balance. Full details will be sent with your invoice.
- Day 1DAY 1, Saturday - Depart for HungarySat, Nov 08, 2025Depart for Hungary
- Day 2DAY 2, Sunday - Cruise Embarkation in BudapestSun, Nov 09, 2025Arrive in Budapest, Hungary and transfer to the port. Embarkation begins at 2 PM. Earlier arrivals have access to the ship lounge or can drop off luggage prior to check-in. After arrival formalities, time to relax on board. Tonight, meet your Cruise Director and enjoy dinner as it sets the mood for your delightful river cruise
Overnight: River Cruise
Meals: Dinner - Day 3DAY 3, Monday - Budapest City TourMon, Nov 10, 2025Your morning tour begins on the Pest side of the city; view the Parliament, City Park and Heroes Square. Admire the Buda side with beautiful views of the Royal Palace, Matthias Church and the graceful medieval architecture. Explore the city's wonderful shops and cafes this afternoon on your own before you set sail for Bratislava
Overnight: River Cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner - Day 4DAY 4, Tuesday - Bratislava City TourTue, Nov 11, 2025This morning, enjoy the tranquil scenery as you sail along the scenic Danube. Arrive in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, a mix of modern and Baroque architecture. This capital city is among the youngest in Europe, yet retains a rich history dating back more than 2000 years. Walk along the cobblestone lanes of the historic town center. View St. Martin's Cathedral, coronation site of the kings of Hungary, the 13th century Old Town Hall and the Franciscan church. Time to explore this colorful city on your own before returning to the ship for dinner. This evening, the ship will set sail for Vienna
Overnight: River Cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner - Day 5DAY 5, Wednesday - Vienna City TourWed, Nov 12, 2025Your morning tour of romantic Vienna introduces you to this Imperial city with its legendary opulence and elegance. Drive along the famed Ringstrasse, Vienna's main boulevard lined with magnificent palaces, parks and monuments, as well as the Opera House and the Austrian Parliament. Walk through the lavish Hofburg Palace on the way to St. Stephen's Cathedral. Spend the afternoon at leisure, or, join the optional tour to the magnificent Schonbrunn Palace, once summer residence of the Habsburgs. Visit the gorgeous Baroque apartments and stroll through the world-famous manicured gardens. Tonight, perhaps take the opportunity to attend an evening of Viennese culture in the "City of Music" at an optional recital performance of the classical masterpieces of Mozart and Strauss
Optional: Schonbrunn Palace Tour (PM)
Optional: Classical Viennese Recital (PM)
Overnight: River Cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner - Day 6DAY 6, Thursday - Melk AbbeyThu, Nov 13, 2025This morning, arrive in the village of Durnstein, one of the prettiest towns on the Danube. Free time to stroll this quintessential village in the heart of the Wachau wine district. Walk along medieval cobblestone streets revealing 16th century town houses and wine taverns. Continue sailing late this morning and relax on board as the ship cruises through the scenic Wachau Valley, with lovely storybook views of vineyards, castles, hilltop ruins and monasteries. Later, disembark in Melk for a guided tour of the historic Benedictine Abbey, considered one of the finest examples of Baroque architecture in Europe. View the Abbot's chambers, the Kaiser's walk, and the lavish library. The ship will set sail as you dine on board this evening
Overnight: River Cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner - Day 7DAY 7, Friday - Afternoon in PassauFri, Nov 14, 2025Today presents a wonderful opportunity to join the optional full day tour to beautiful Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart and setting for The Sound of Music. The walking tour will include some of Salzburg's most historic sites including the Mirabell Palace, the Abbey, Salzburg Cathedral, and St. Peter's Cemetery. After lunch at a local restaurant, there will be time to discover Salzburg on your own before returning to the ship. If you choose to remain on board, the afternoon is free to explore 2500-year-old Passau. Well known for its pastel patrician houses, cafes, cobblestone lanes and riverfront promenade, Passau is a town with a mix of Roman, Italian Baroque and Gothic architecture. In early evening, all passengers will rejoin the ship and set sail for Regensburg
Optional: Tour of Salzburg
Overnight: River Cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner - Day 8DAY 8, Saturday - Regensburg City TourSat, Nov 15, 2025Arrive in Regensburg this morning, one of Germany's best preserved medieval cities designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The guided walking tour highlights the city's stunning architecture as you view the Old Town Hall, the Dom St. Peter, and the Porta Praetoria, gateway to an ancient Roman fort. Marvel at beautiful churches and one of the oldest stone bridges crossing the Danube. Return to the ship, or spend the afternoon at leisure discovering the delights of Regensburg on your own. The ship will remain docked in port this evening as you enjoy your final night on board
Overnight: River Cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner - Day 9DAY 9, Sunday - Disembarkation, PilsenSun, Nov 16, 2025This morning, bid farewell to your Cruise Director and meet your local host as you disembark from the river cruise and drive to the "Golden City" of Prague. On your way, stop in the city of Pilsen for a city tour. Visit Republic Square, a large medieval square in the Czech Republic, and gaze upon the Gothic style of St. Bartholomew's Cathedral & Old Town Hall. View the onion domes of the Great Synagogue before free time to explore Pilsen on your own. Tonight, mix with the locals at Wenceslas Square, shop for local handicrafts, enjoy one of the many charming cafes or dine at a world-class restaurant
Overnight: Prague
Meals: Breakfast - Day 10DAY 10, Monday - Prague City TourMon, Nov 17, 2025Discover Prague this morning with a city tour. Visit the 1000-year-old Hradcany Castle grounds, former residence of the Bohemian kings and admire breathtaking views of the Charles Bridge and Lesser Town below. Walk though the elegant courtyards and see St. George Basilica and the St. Vitus Cathedral. Continue to the Jewish Quarter, and the Old Town Square to view the world-famous Astronomical Clock and Town Hall. This afternoon, join the optional tour to Terezin, the infamous Nazi WWII concentration camp, now a memorial to those who perished
Optional: Half Day Terezin Tour (PM)
Overnight: Prague
Meals: Breakfast - Day 11DAY 11, Tuesday - Full Day in PragueTue, Nov 18, 2025Today is free to further explore this beautiful city independently. Visit the museums, galleries or stroll along Parizska Street, the city's famous shopping district, or perhaps join the optional tour of Malá Strana*, also known as Lesser Town, one of Prague's most historic districts. Explore this enchanting part of Prague, filled with important cultural landmarks such as the Charles Bridge with its 30 Baroque statues of various saints, and beautiful Kampa Island which is full of quaint restaurants and a lovely park. This evening, perhaps try traditional Czech cuisine at a popular restaurant. Remember to sample Prague's national treasure - its world-renowned beer
*Mala Strana Tour is available for Apr - Oct departures only.
Optional: Mala Strana Tour (AM)
Overnight: Prague
Meals: Breakfast - Day 12DAY 12, Wednesday - Depart the Czech RepublicWed, Nov 19, 2025Transfer to the airport for your departure flight
Meals: Breakfast
Countries Visited
Rivers Visited
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Inclusions
Price does not include airfare, departure or arrival transfers, airline taxes and fuel surcharges.
River Cruise Package Includes
Other departure cities available.
Special Features
River Cruise Features & Amenities
Know Before You Book - High & Low Water
European river cruising has gained in popularity for very good reason. It's a relaxing and convenient way to experience Europe while enjoying the comfort of a deluxe ship. However, before making the decision to reserve your vacation, please be aware of potential conditions which may impact your cruise. While most of the time river cruises operate exactly as planned, weather conditions may result in high or low water levels which impact a ship's itinerary and, on occasion, render a ship unable to sail at all. On very rare occasions, other events such as heavy fog, a damaged lock, or an incapacitated vessel blocking the river, may impact a sailing. These events typically occur with little or no notice. In the event that a cruise is partially or completely impacted, the itinerary will be operated by deluxe motor coach, accompanied by a Tour Manager, with overnights in hotels. When the option exists, the operator will "swap ships" with another vessel sailing in the opposite direction, retaining the sailing experience. Crew, ship and cabin configuration may differ. The itinerary will include as many of the originally scheduled sightseeing features as possible, considering the travel time and distances required, as well as meals. While it is not possible to recreate the more leisurely comforts of sailings, we will endeavor to provide a comparable itinerary. These alternative services will be provided at no additional charge. †Transfers are available for purchase for land only or on alternative flight dates Not Included: Passengers arriving to Budapest/Prague on day 2 should select flights that arrive no later than 2 PM. Due to physical constraints and space limitations, wheelchairs and walkers are not allowed on motor coaches and/or river cruises. There are no elevators or chair lifts on board. Kindly refer to our Terms for additional information. While sailing with Monarch Cruises, passengers are subject to the cruise's Terms & Conditions which can be viewed at: . Know Before You Book - High & Low Water European river cruising has gained in popularity for very good reason. It's a relaxing and convenient way to experience Europe while enjoying the comfort of a deluxe ship. However, before making the decision to reserve your vacation, please be aware of potential conditions which may impact your cruise. While most of the time river cruises operate exactly as planned, weather conditions may result in high or low water levels which impact a ship's itinerary and, on occasion, render a ship unable to sail at all. On very rare occasions, other events such as heavy fog, a damaged lock, or an incapacitated vessel blocking the river, may impact a sailing. These events typically occur with little or no notice. In the event that a cruise is partially or completely impacted, the itinerary will be operated by deluxe motor coach, accompanied by a Tour Manager, with overnights in hotels. When the option exists, the operator will "swap ships" with another vessel sailing in the opposite direction, retaining the sailing experience. Crew, ship and cabin configuration may differ. The itinerary will include as many of the originally scheduled sightseeing features as possible, considering the travel time and distances required, as well as meals. While it is not possible to recreate the more leisurely comforts of sailings, we will endeavor to provide a comparable itinerary. These alternative services will be provided at no additional charge. Please note that the following inclusions may contain items that are only applicable when you purchase Land & Air. The brochure prices below are for Land Only - call us for our best deal.
Optional shore excursions and gratuities.
Additional Information:
Cruise only price does not include arrival/departure transfers.OR Call Us For a Free Quote 1-800-342-0019
Ship Information
Cabins
Life on Board
Questions & Answers Ask A Question
Question: Will the day-by-day itinerary change?
Question: In what language is the river cruise conducted?
The trip was beyond expectations. This is the 2nd time we have used Gate 1 as our tour operator and we will continue to use them in future trips……very memorable experiences on both occasions.
The tour exceeded our expectations.
We really enjoyed the river cruise. The accommodations were as expected, and we were very happy with that. It had enough closet space and the rooms were very comfortable.
Tour Director was excellent, very professional, helpful, knowledgeable and delightful. Activities Director, also excellent. The whole staff could not have been better. Best tour I've been on. Food was very good. One thing I found is all the guides give too much information/details, the non stop commentary whether on the bus or at the visiting sites is too long and tiring.
Rhine river cruise was excellent. Staff on the Monarch Queen was friendly and service was great. Cruise director and local guides were very knowledgeable. Overall wonderful experience.
I don't remember seeing the room options and would have considered a cabin on a higher floor for more of a view. There is a lot of details and for an inexperienced traveler it can be overwhelming. Perhaps a mention of how the rooms work on a cruise would have been helpful.
This River Cruise was wonderful we will book one again.
Second experience with Gate1 and on both occasions we had very knowledgeable guides and effective tour managers. The tour stops were well timed so we did not spend a lot of time in line anywhere. The service on the river ship was excellent, the food very good and we really enjoyed the somewhat casual dinner dress code and atmosphere.
am a long-term traveler with gate 1 so i obviously consider they provide a good program; amsterdam tour pretrip couldn't have been better, river ship staff & services great; however, the 2 gate 1 tour directors on board the river ship could have provided better service--local guides did most of the am local tours, afternoons were largely free, only extra activities provided was an hour game program in the afternoon & a morning exercise program along with early bird breakfast--both provided by the male tour director; the ship's pianist only played briefly; several travelers who were new to gate 1 were complaining about too much free time & i went out of my way to explain that this was unusual; i need to mention that, along with being a gate 1 traveler, we have also taken 5 other river boat cruises;
We were delighted with the Gate1 River cruise. staff was professional, competent, courteous and friendly. food and service excellent. cabin efficient and clean. Itinerary was the right balance between guided tours and free time. we loved the small towns more than the large cities. many people on board were sick and the crew handled this expertly. space on board the ship is limited since the upper deck was off limits for much of the time but we were sailing mostly in the evenings after a full day's activities so it did not feel restrictive. we would definitely consider another river cruise and will definitely go on other tours with Gate1.
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My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our trip with Affordable Tours/Gate 1. Having a direct flight as opposed to one stop over would have been welcomed as we arrived at Warsaw thoroughly exhausted. Also I would have welcomed the tours starting a little later in the morning. Overall the food, staff and accommodations were great.