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Enchanted Europe (Eastbound) 2026

From Basel, Switzerland to Budapest, Hungary
Length: 16 Days - Departs: Sun, May 03, 2026
Operator
Departure
May 03, 2026
Arrival
May 18, 2026

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Save $3000 per couple on select 2026 Europe river cruises

Mention Promo Code: PT3416
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Save $3000 per couple on select 2026 Europe river cruises

Save $3000 per couple on select 2026 Europe river cruises

Promotion Details
Book a select 2026 Europe river cruise to receive $3000 off per couple ($1500 off per person) on the cruise/land or cruise only price. Plus, receive our AffordableTours everyday savings.
Must Book By Wed, Apr 30, 2025
View Promotion Terms & Conditions ›

*Book a select 2026 Avalon Waterways Europe river cruise to receive $1500 off per person on the cruise/land or cruise only price. Booking must be made, under deposit, and discount applied between August 5, 2024 and April 30, 2025 for travel for select cruises in 2026. Not applicable to custom tours and charters. Not applicable on TBA space. 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. Offer reliant on space availability at time of booking and may be withdrawn at any time. Combinable with Welcome Back Credit and select account specific offers only. Applies to new 2026 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. May be withdrawn at any time. Offer applies to participating GFOB offices only. PRMW1139 PRMW1139


River Cruise Itinerary

Your breathtaking river cruise begins on the Rhine River in Basel, Switzerland. You’ll sail to Breisach, your starting point for a Black Forest excursion, and to the city of Strasbourg, France, along the way. Sail to Rüdesheim and through the spectacular Rhine Gorge. The modern and charming city of Frankfurt is also on your route along the Rhine, and you’ll sail on the Main River to visit an authentic village. Visit Würzburg, and take a guided tour of Bamberg, before reaching Nuremberg, from where you will take a full-day excursion to Munich. Sail from Nuremberg to Regensburg, the only German city not bombed during WWII. Cruise next to Passau, with its narrow streets and baroque St. Stephen’s Cathedral. In Melk, you will visit Austria’s majestic Benedictine Abbey. Take in the breathtaking views before continuing through the picturesque Wachau Valley to the romantic sights of Vienna, the “City of Music.” Your European river cruise ends in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, with guided sightseeing and free time to explore this vibrant city on your own.

  1. Day 1
    BASEL, SWITZERLAND (EMBARKATION)
    Sun, May 03, 2026
    Welcome to Switzerland! Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding. Flights into Zürich or Basel must arrive by 3 pm. Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm.Enjoy dinner and explore the ship on your first night on board as you sail to Breisach.EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BREISACH (D)
  2. Day 2
    BREISACH, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO BLACK FOREST
    Mon, May 04, 2026
    Charming Villages and the Beautiful Black ForestDISCOVERY Join a full-day Guided Tour to the magical Black Forest to experience the Vogtsbauernohf open-air-museum, visit an authentic water mill, and see a traditional butter-making demonstration, OR: CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour to explore Freiburg’s medieval city center, sheltered by the Black Forest amid vineyards and gardens of the Upper Rhine Valley.You may choose to join a Guided Optional Excursion to visit the charming village of Colmar in the morning. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO STRASBOURG (B,L,D)
  3. Day 3
    STRASBOURG, FRANCE
    Tue, May 05, 2026
    A Grand Cathedral and La Petite France Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.CLASSIC Join a City Tour of Strasbourg’s sights, including Gothic, stained-glass cathedral with its celebrated ancient murals and astronomical clock, as well as the magical La Petite France District.You may also choose to join a Guided Optional Excursion to the historic Maginot Line—the pre-WWII fortifications designed to protect the eastern border of France--or visit Alsace’s wine country today.Alternatively, take some free time in Strasbourg to visit a museum, or stroll across the city center.AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO RÜDESHEIM(B,L,D)
  4. Day 4
    RÜDESHEIM, GERMANY–RHINE GORGE
    Wed, May 06, 2026
    Eat, Drink, and Be Merry in Wine CountryACTIVE Enjoy a hike with your Avalon Adventure Host through the picturesque vineyards of Rüdesheim, OR:DISCOVERY Tour the incredible Mechanical Music Museum for a one-of-a-kind instrumental experience; enjoy a tasting of the authentic Rüdesheimer coffee.This afternoon, stretch out on the Sky Deck as you pass through the spectacular Rhine Gorge on your way to Boppard. BOPPARDA Peaceful Jewel in the Rhine Gorge Enjoy some free time to relax or explore the Rheinallee Promenade for delicatessen fare with a cup of German coffee or glass of Riesling wine. Later, enjoy onboard entertainment while sailing to Frankfurt.OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO FRANKFURT(B,L,D)
  5. Day 5
    FRANKFURT. EXCURSION TO SELIGENSTADT
    Thu, May 07, 2026
    Charm in FrankfurtCLASSIC Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour of Frankfurt to see the city’s cultural landmarks and gleaming financial headquarters combined with the cozy ambience of quaint neighborhoods, OR: DISCOVERY Take a Guided Tour to Seligenstadt—one of Germany’s oldest towns and home to the Einhard Basilika—dubbed “minor basilica” in 1925 by Pope Pius XI.Later, enjoy live entertainment onboard. AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO WERTHEIM(B,L,D)
  6. Day 6
    WERTHEIM
    Fri, May 08, 2026
    Beauty on the Main River Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities. CLASSIC Join a Guided Walking Tour of a picturesque Bavarian village.AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO WÜRZBURG (B,L,D)
  7. Day 7
    WÜRZBURG
    Sat, May 09, 2026
    A Perfect Day in the Pearl of the Romantic RoadCLASSIC Take a Guided Sightseeing Tour of Würzburg with its Old Main Bridge, towering fortress, and baroque Bishop’s Residenz—with the largest known ceiling fresco.You may choose to join a Guided Optional Excursion to the beautiful Bavarian town of Rothenburg. See the local sights and enjoy the fairytale atmosphere that has inspired artists. Enjoy live entertainment on board as you set sail for Bamberg. AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BAMBERG (B,L,D)
  8. Day 8
    BAMBERG
    Sun, May 10, 2026
    The City of Seven HillsCLASSIC Take a Guided Walking Tour of the historic home to imperial dynasties, and see its Romanesque cathedral, Old Town Hall, and seven hills crowned with churches.After the tour, spend free time with a glass of German-style Rauchbier (smoked beer).EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO NUREMBERG(B,L,D)
  9. Day 9
    NUREMBERG. EXCURSION TO MUNICH
    Mon, May 11, 2026
    A King’s Palace and Town HallsCLASSIC Take a full-day Guided Tour of the highlights of fascinating Munich. See Nymphenburg Palace—a former residence of German monarchs, along with the old and new Town Halls of Marienplatz.OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN NUREMBERG(B,D)
  10. Day 10
    NUREMBERG
    Tue, May 12, 2026
    Legends and History LessonsVisit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.ACTIVE Start your day with a bike ride together with your Adventure Host around the port area of Nuremberg, OR:CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided Sightseeing Tour of the Bavarian town of Roth—with its half-timbered houses, market square, and 1535 hunting lodge Schloss Ratibor, OR:CLASSIC Choose a Guided Tour of Nuremberg’s medieval architecture, gilded fountain, Gothic cathedral, and Kaiserburg Castle, OR:CLASSIC Take a Guided Tour of the historic Nuremberg Rally Grounds—used by the Third Reich.DISCOVERY Enjoy an Onboard Lecture about the Main-Danube Canal—linking these two rivers to make a vital connection enabling navigation between the North and Black Seas. Later, enjoy live entertainment on board. AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO REGENSBURG (B,L,D)
  11. Day 11
    REGENSBURG
    Wed, May 13, 2026
    Bavaria’s Medieval MiracleCLASSIC Join a Guided City Walk and see Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) and Porta Pretoria—built in 179 AD as the entrance to Castra Regina fortress.You may choose to join a Guided Optional Excursion to visit the Benedictine Monastery in Weltenburg. Alternatively spend a free afternoon exploring Regensburg on foot or by bike through its charming streets.EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO PASSAU(B,L,D)
  12. Day 12
    PASSAU
    Thu, May 14, 2026
    Where the Danube, Inn, and Ilz Rivers MeetCLASSIC Join a Guided City Walk to learn more about this beautiful “City of Three Rivers.”Alternatively, join a full day Guided Optional Excursion to Salzburg—the city of Mozart—or to the picturesque Bohemian town of Cesky Krumlov.Sail to Linz this afternoon or join your ship after your selected full-day excursion.LINZ, AUSTRIALegendary, Lovely LinzEnjoy a free afternoon to linger in Linz. Take a bicycle from the ship and cycle along the Danube or follow one of Linz’s many nature trails for a bird’s-eye view of the city and river below.Later, enjoy live entertainment onboard.OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MELK(B,L,D)
  13. Day 13
    MELK–WACHAU VALLEY
    Fri, May 15, 2026
    Frescoes Above and Vineyards Below ACTIVE Join your Avalon Adventure Host for a Morning Hike through Melk’s beautiful countryside, OR: CLASSIC Take a Guided Tour of Melk’s magnificent Benedictine Abbey to marvel at its frescoed ceilings, statues, incredible library, and ornate pipe organ.Enjoy a coffee or a cocktail on the Sky Deck as you sail through the picturesque Wachau Valley to Vienna.VIENNAViennese Waltzes on the Blue DanubeThis evening, you may choose to attend an Optional Excursion to a Royal Waltz Concert for an unforgettable evening of music in an elegant hall.OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN VIENNA (B,L,D)
  14. Day 14
    VIENNA
    Sat, May 16, 2026
    Royal Collections, and Amusing AttractionsAsk about today’s energizing or relaxing Adventure Host activitiesACTIVE Explore Vienna's Danube Island by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:CLASSIC Explore the Habsburg empire this morning on a Guided City Tour of Vienna’s gilded landmarks. See the Imperial Palace complex—the winter residence of the Imperial Family, the iconic Vienna Opera House, and stunning St. Stephen’s Cathedral.Join a Guided Optional Excursion to Schönbrunn Palace—summer home of the Habsburg Empire. Enjoy free time to take a tram to visit Vienna’s Prater amusement park or one of the many museums nearby. You may also borrow a bike from ship to explore Vienna’s square or the banks of the Danube. Later, relax on board with live entertainment as you sail to Budapest. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BUDAPEST(B,L,D)
  15. Day 15
    BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
    Sun, May 17, 2026
    War Heroes and Hot WaterACTIVE Hike up to a magnificent viewpoint in Budapest with your Adventure Host, OR:CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided City Sightseeing, including the iconic Heroes’ Square.This afternoon, select from a variety of Guided Optional or spend free time soaking in one of Budapest’s famous thermal baths. Consider a scenic hike above the Danube, or enjoy Budapest’s cafés, pubs, or nightlife.OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN BUDAPEST(B,L,D)
  16. Day 16
    BUDAPEST (DISEMBARKATION)
    Mon, May 18, 2026
    Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning. (B)

Countries Visited

Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Switzerland

Rivers Visited

Danube, Main, Rhine

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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

Gateway city for arrivals is Zurich.

Port charges:
$495 are included.

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

Please call for single accommodation price. Triples not available.

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Ship Information

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Cabins

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Life on Board

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Questions & Answers
  Ask A Question

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
4.2
Accommodations
4.3
Itinerary
4.2
Professional Staff
4.5
Repeat with Operator
4
Value for Money
4.1

Ratings based off 81 reviews - currently showing 25 reviews with comments only

Avalon is as good as it gets. Perfect in pretty much everything. Pretty astounding what a great job they do. will book them again. actually, we have already done that

There were adjustments to the itinerary along the way due to high water levels but the Cruise Director and Captain did a great job of adjusting. Avalon also compensated us for the issues even though they were not within their control.

It was difficult to break larger bills on the trip, so I would recommend brings small bills for tips for excursions or staff members who are exceptional.

The entire Avalon staff were outstanding, especially our cruise director. I was very pleased to be able to book this trip with the single supplement waived.

Very enjoyable, relaxing experience. The accommodations, excursions, and service were exceptionally good.

I had a nice surprise of an upgraded cabin on the Avalon Tranquility II, done by the cruise lines. Very enjoyable to have a cabin with full window wall.

Despite the problem of the low water level of the Rhine in parts, Avalon went out of its way to provide us with wonderful shore accommodations and all the excursions we were looking forward to enjoying. They couldn't have been more solicitous of our situation. They are to be highly commended for the way the company handled the situation, and I would recommend this company to anyone looking to book a river cruise. They go above and beyond in caring for their passengers!

Was a great trip. Enjoyed every minute. We saw a lot of beautiful sites and cities.

Alex was very competent and professional. Whenever we had a question she would answer right away . We would definitely recommend her!

Wonderful trip, enjoyed every moment.

Excellent service. Once of a life time experience but wish that there extra days in smaller towns like Miltenberg etc to enjoy the culture of the place.

The entire cruise was wonderful. It was our first experience and it couldn't have been better. The staff was professional, courteous, fun and helpful. All the tours were well organized and very informative.

Avalon Waterways is a great company to travel with. They are efficient and have a variety of tours that you take. Very friendly people. Would highly recommend them.

We had a bad experience in that our room was flooded on the second day, thus we could not stay on the boat. However Avalon put us up in hotels and bussed us each day to the ship. They paid all of the expenses including a refund of our our cruise costs. We were able to do almost all of the same things that the other people on the cruise did. They were very upfront and tried to make the trip acceptable.It was unfortunate but it worked out pretty well for us.

I would book another trip with Avalon but would want a different experience. We are in our mid 50's and the schedule was too early and too scheduled. Would like to have some meals off the boat.

There could have been more flexibility in the off-boat included tours. The trip felt very regimented. Up by 6:30/7:00 for breakfast, off the boat by 8:30 for the morning tour, back to boat for lunch, off the boat by 1:00/1:30 for afternoon tour, back to boat for some minor down time before dinner, then basically off to your stateroom for sleep. If you wanted some time for relaxation you felt like you were going to be missing out on something.

Avalon portion was wonderful! Monogram portion was less than satisfactory!

We were very impressed with Avalon Waterways. It was top-notch, and we plan to travel with them again in the future.

The Avalon Rhine River cruise was phenomenal - first class in all ways. The Tranquility II ship was new and immaculate, and the cruise director and crew were first rate, taking care of our every need! The excursions along the cruise were outstanding with the local guides all very pleasant and knowledgeable. Avalon, as a cruise provider, was on par with the Insight land tour provider, and I expect my wife and I will return to Avalon in the future for another cruise or two in coming years!

Everything about this trip was top notch and definitely met and exceeded our expectations.

It was interesting to visit with the families in Croatia & the extra income helped them,I suspect,as well as helping us learn about the true reality of their lives.

The Avalon Panorama was a beautiful new ship. The captain, crew, restaurant and bar personnel were extremely friendly and made you feel welcome.

I would highly recommend Affordable Tours to anyone and everyone! We had the trip of a lifetime! The local guides at each destination were extremely knowledgeable! Our tour guide was great! He made sure everything went perfectly and everyone's needs were met. The staff on the ship were so friendly and personable. We felt like we were one big family by the end of the trip.

we all had a wonderful time. Our trip went smoothly 

Our Avalon River Cruise was superior . From the cruise director to the wait staff, all was excellent. The staff had fun so the passengers did as well. We can\'t say enough about our cruise director and our Maitre\' D. These individuals went above and beyond to make our vacation very special!

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