The Romantic Danube (Taste of Christmas) - AmaWaterways

Cruise Itinerary

Date	Port	Arrive	Depart
21 Nov 2026	Vilshofen, Germany	Embark
22 Nov 2026	Passau, Germany
23 Nov 2026	Linz, Austria
24 Nov 2026	Weissenkirchen, Austria
25 Nov 2026	Vienna, Austria
26 Nov 2026	Bratislava, Slovakia
27 Nov 2026	Budapest, Hungary
28 Nov 2026	Budapest, Hungary	Disembark

7 Night Cruise sailing from Vilshofen to Budapest aboard AmaLea.

Day 1 EMBARKATION – VILSHOFEN, GERMANY
Embark your cruise in Vilshofen. This evening meet your fellow passengers on board. (D)

Day 2 VILSHOFEN – PASSAU
Explore Vilshofen’s beautiful old town before cruising to Passau, known as the “City of Three Rivers.” Join a walking tour or if you prefer to be more active, hike high into the hills for a visit to the “Veste Oberhaus,” Passau’s Castle Hill; or go on a Danube bike tour. (B,L,D)

Day 3 LINZ, AUSTRIA
Opt for a full-day excursion to Salzburg where you’ll tour the historic center, Mirabell Gardens, Residenz Square and the Old Market. Stop at Mondsee's Basilica St. Michael, the site of the wedding scene in The Sound of Music. Alternatively, join a morning walking tour through Linz’s old city center and by the Mozart House; or bike along the city’s famed “Culture Mile” and the Danube. During the afternoon, visit the charming Czech mountain town, Český Krumlov. (B,L,D)

Day 4 WEISSENKIRCHEN
Cruise through the Strudengau and Wachau valleys to Weissenkirchen, gateway to Dürnstein. Once here, you can choose to join a walking tour in Dürnstein along its cobblestone streets to the Baroque Stiftskirche, and then visit Melk’s magnificent Benedictine Abbey. For the more active adventurer, you can opt to hike up to the fortress where Richard the Lionheart was once held, or take a bike ride along the Danube through the Wachau Valley. As an alternative excursion, visit a local apricot grower, where you’ll enjoy the region’s finest apricot treats. Later in the evening, enjoy a special wine tasting of locally grown, world-renowned Riesling and Grüner Veltliner in Weissenkirchen. (B,L,D)

Day 5 VIENNA
The “City of Waltzes” offers a treasure trove of gems and your city tour showcases them, including the majestic Opera House and the former Imperial Palace. Your tour concludes in the historic city center with a visit to St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Or if you prefer a more active tour, take a guided bike ride through Vienna. During the afternoon, enjoy leisure time to further explore this iconic city. (B,L,D)

Day 6 BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA
Host to the crowning ceremonies of 11 Hungarian kings and queens between 1536 and 1830, Bratislava certainly has earned the title “Coronation City of Kings,” as you’ll discover during your walking tour. Or join a special “Tastes of Slovakia” tour. For a more active adventure, hike up to Bratislava Castle, offering magnificent views of the city. (B,L,D)

Day 7 BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
Your city tour begins at Budapest’s Great Market Hall, where you’ll discover plenty of delicious food and shopping. Afterwards, you’ll visit both the Buda (hilly) and Pest (flat) sides of the Danube River. You’ll see the 19th-century Chain Bridge, which connects the Buda district with Pest; and the UNESCO-designated Castle Hill district, which contains some of Budapest’s most important medieval monuments and museums. As an alternative choice, you can hike up to Castle Hill for breathtaking views of the city below. Spend your last evening on board cruising past the famed Parliament Building as the city turns on all her dazzling lights. (B,L,D)

Day 8 BUDAPEST – DISEMBARKATION
Disembark the ship as you prepare for your flight home. (B)

The AmaLea – set to debut in 2018 – is a sister ship to the AmaKristina and features the most advanced design of any river cruise vessel currently in operation. Our exclusive Twin Balconies are available in most staterooms, which measure a spacious 210-235 sq. feet, with four suites measuring 350 sq. feet. Passengers will enjoy gourmet dining with free-flowing fine wines at multiple onboard dining venues; a heated sun deck swimming pool with a ‘swim-up’ bar; fitness center and spa; complimentary ship-wide Wi-Fi and in-room Internet and entertainment on demand; and a fleet of bicycles carried onboard for passengers to enjoy on their own or on guided bike tours.

Their Story
Proudly celebrating more than 21 years on the river, family-owned and operated AmaWaterways was founded in 2002 by three families; however, their river cruise story began well before that. Co-Founder and President Rudi Schreiner was born in Vienna, at the heart of the Danube. His love of design drew him to architecture, but his even greater love of travel drew him to places far and wide. In 1975, he travelled to South America for a journalism assignment on the Amazon. It was here he designed his first ship, using what he could find to build a raft that would take him up and down the river during the next 7 months. Soon thereafter, he started working in travel, creating unique tour experiences in Europe.

A Turning Point
Rudi started the North American operations for many of today’s major river cruise companies, developing itineraries and ships that would become the templates for what we know river cruising to be today. After years of success as a driving force in the industry, Rudi decided to start his own venture — one that would provide guests with a higher standard of luxury travel by river. That’s when he teamed up with Co-Owners and Co-Founders Kristin Karst and Jimmy Murphy to start AmaWaterways.

In 2016, Rudi was inducted into the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Hall of Fame and was honoured with their Lifetime Achievement Award for his years of devotion to the river cruising industry.

A Team of Pioneers
Kristin was born in Germany and brings extensive experience in travel, river cruising and customer service to the company in her role as Executive Vice President. Jimmy Murphy was a brilliant travel entrepreneur, having built Brendan Vacations, one of the most successful tour operators in the U.S. Jimmy’s son, Gary, who also played a major part at Brendan, took on an executive sales role at AmaWaterways. Together with Rudi, a true team of pioneers emerged.

The Story Continues
From the beginning, their goal was to create a river cruise company that they themselves would enjoy. To then, that meant the highest-quality, locally sourced food and wine; elegantly appointed ships with staterooms offering maximum views to enjoy the ever-changing countryside; and a crew who goes above and beyond, treating every guest like they are part of THEIR family.

With that in mind, for two wonderful decades, they have been building one-of-a-kind ships with added comforts and conveniences ranging from our signature view-enhancing twin balconies to the Chef’s Table specialty restaurant to their award-winning AmaMagna – redefining the river cruise experience. They continue to lead the way in innovation, pioneering the first sailings on Colombia’s Magdalena River in 2025. As they look ahead to the future, they are more committed than ever to offering innovative and sustainable ways for their guests to experience the rich culture and history found along the banks of the world’s most iconic rivers.