ITINERARY

Day 1: BELFAST TO DUBLIN

12June 2027

Optional overnight stay (extra cost – £140 per room)

Day 2 : DUBLIN-BUCHAREST

13 June 2027

We will fly today to Bucharest and stop overnight.

Evening meal included

Day 3 : BUCHAREST - OLTENITA (Romania)

14 June 2027

Morning tour of Bucharest. We will travel by coach or by rail to Oltenita. We can board the ship at 6:00 p.m. After comfortably settling into your cabins, we'll introduce the crew at a welcome cocktail. Dinner. Our ship will cruise through the night towards Cernavoda.

Day 4 : CERNAVODA - Danube-Black Sea Canal - CONSTANTA (Romania)

15 June 2027

Morning sailing on the Danube-Black Sea Canal. The completion of the Danube-Black Sea Canal is a colossal work in the history of Communism in Romania and Eastern Europe.

In the late morning, arrival in Constanta. Join us on an optional excursion for both packages: guided tour of Constanta and local wine tasting.

Dinner on board.

Our ship will cruise through the night to Cernavoda.

Day 5 : CERNAVODA - OLTENITA - RUSE

16 June 2027

A morning’s sailing on the Danube towards Oltenita. There is an optional tour to Bucharest or you can stay on board and sail on to Ruse, where those from the excursion will rejoin the ship. (We suggest the latter)

It’s actually a lovely day’s sailing, so you may wish to take advantage of this day to relax on the sun deck and take part in the activities on board. Our ship will overnight in Ruse. Dinner on board.

Day 6 : RUSE (Bulgaria)

17 June 2027

Join us on an optional excursion to the medieval capital of Bulgaria but also the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire. Veliko Tarnovo, with its medieval fortress of the Tsarevets Kings, is one of the oldest cities in the country and the regional administrative center.
We'll have lunch in a restaurant offering a wonderful view over the ruins of the fortress.
We'll move on towards Arbanassi in the afternoon. Located 4 km away from Veliko Tarnovo, this is one of the most visited villages in Bulgaria and is Stoday listed as an "Architectural and Historical Reserve”.

Enjoy an evening of traditional entertainment.

Day 7 : RUSE (Bulgaria)

18 June 2027

Join us on an optional excursion for  the Tour of Ruse. The city is impressive with its broad avenues, large squares and wonderful buildings which pay tribute to the architecture of the national Renaissance. After our tour, we'll return to the ship and begin to cruise all afternoon. We will pass through two countries, Romania on the left bank and Bulgaria on the right bank. Our ship will cruise through the night.

Day 8 : THE IRON GATES

19 June 2027

The day will be spent cruising on the Danube sailing through Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia. Our ship will pass through the Iron Gates, the gorge on the Danube between the Carpathians and the Balkans, also known as “The Gates of Hell”. On the Serbian bank of the river, we'll catch a glimpse of the Tabula Traiana - a marble plaque honouring the Roman Road that once linked Rome to the province of Dacia.

Day 9 : BELGRADE (Serbia) - NOVI SAD (Serbia)

20 June 2027

We'll arrive in Belgrade. Join us for the optional excursions proposed: CLASSIC: Guided tour of the Serbian capital. DISCOVERY: Biking in Belgrade. You'll cycle along the history-filled streets with your guide, who'll explain the city's recent past from World War II to current times.

After our tour, we'll return to the ship. Join us on an optional excursion: Guided tour of Novi Sad and the Krusedol monastery.

We'll start cruising in the direction of Osijek, where we’ll overnight.

Day 10 : OSIJEK - MOHACS - SAILING

21 June 2027

After breakfast you can either join the ship’s guided tour of Osijek, or take part in a cycling tour. Discover the fourth largest city in Croatia from the seat of a bike! The old part of the town, Tvrda, was built at the beginning of the 18th century and is a dream to cycle through. It is the best-preserved, largest ensemble of Baroque buildings in Croatia and consists of a Habsburg star fort built on the right bank of the Drava River. We'll return through several of the city's parks and a main avenue boarded by beautiful Art Nouveau buildings. Our tour will finish up in front of the cathedral before returning to the ship. Cruise to Budapest.

Enjoy a Hungarian dinner this evening. Our ship will cruise through the night.

Day 11 : BUDAPEST (Hungary)

22 June 2027

Breakfast on board. Disembark around 09.00

(We can leave our cases on the ship until later)

Morning excursion (TBA)

Break for Lunch

Afternoon excursion (TBA)

Evening train to Vienna (approx. 3 hrs)

There is a buffet car on the train.

Check in to 4* Mooons Hotel on B&B basis

Day 13 : VIENNA (Austria)

23 June 2027

Buffet breakfast

Join us for the optional excursions. In the morning, we will offer a guided walking tour of Vienna. Then there will be free time to enjoy on your own. Should you wish to visit the Schönbrunn Palace, we suggest going around 2.00pm. We can help you book this.

You'll be free to explore the city on your own in the afternoon. In the evening, meet up for dinner.

Day 14 : VIENNA (Austria)

24 June 2027

Enjoy one last buffet breakfast.

Depart hotel 09.00am

Transfer to airport and fly to Dublin.

MS VIVALDI

The MS Vivaldi is named after one of the greatest virtuosos in the history of music, who notably composed “The Four Seasons”. The ship sails on the Danube, and takes passengers to discover the many wonders offered by this romantic river.

The MS Vivaldi is a superb Premium ship, measuring 110 meters long and 11,40 meters wide. It can accommodate 176 passengers, in 88 cabins spread over three decks. The size of each cabin is between 9 m2 and 13 m2, offering amenities and providing guests with all the comforts they need during their stay. The decoration is stylish and its atmosphere, both elegant and friendly, and in perfect harmony with its surroundings. See photos below of the cabins.

Located on the middle deck, the restaurant offers a delicate cuisine in a refined setting, where large bay windows allow guests to fully enjoy the panorama. Also situated on the middle deck is the lounge / bar with a dance floor, while a piano bar welcomes passengers on the upper deck, in an intimate and cozy atmosphere. Comfortable sun loungers are provided on the sun deck, with a large shaded area, the ideal place to relax and admire the surrounding landscapes.

NOTES

1.           There are a range of excursions offered during this cruise, detailed in the itinerary and below. . You will have a £150 credit towards the excursions. All you have to pay is anything over the £150.

2.           Croisieurope offer a fixed three course menu for lunch and dinner, with a choice of main course options. The food is of the highest quality but sometimes a particular course may not appeal to you. The menu is on display from early morning and you may ask your waiter if he/she can arrange something else for you. You must do this at breakfast time, or an alternative may not be available.

3.           Unlimited drinks, alcoholic and otherwise, are available throughout your cruise. The offer includes beers, spirits, soft drinks, teas & coffees, bottled water and a selection of fine house wines but excludes those from the wine list.

4.          Gratuities are included aboard the ship but, if you feel you have received exceptional service, please feel free to put something into the unmarked envelope, which will be left in your cabin towards the end of the cruise. Gratuities for tour guides, etc. are not included and a small contribution would be appreciated.

5.           “Accessibility” Whilst the “MS Vivaldi” offers one fully-accessible cabin for those who require wheelchair access, our experience shows that this cruise is not ideal for those with limited mobility. Berthing is often via steep ramps, possibly steps, and we may also need to cross through another vessel, often involving steep steps. We would endeavour to ensure you get the maximum from a cruise but cannot guarantee you will be able to get off at each and every port. You must also have a carer with you, who is able to manage every aspect of operating and pushing the wheelchair, your luggage, etc. Neither our representatives nor the crew of the ship can be called upon to assist, as we are not insured for it.

EXCURSIONS

Bucharest - £20 – 14 June morning

Walking Tour or Bucharest – 2hrs 30m

Discover the highlights of Bucharest with this guided walking tour. Over the course of two hours, get a good overview of the city and see many of its major sites, including the Royal Palace, Parliament, Stavropoleos Monastery, Manuc’s Inn, and more, with a local guide to provide historical context and insights.

Guided tour of Constanta with Wine Tasting - £75 (Ship’s tour)

This tour organised by the cruise line will include coach travel and walking. The ship will dock some distance from the town, so if you don’t take the excursion, you can enjoy a relaxing day on board.

Ship’s tour to Bucharest - £85

This tour is for those who wish to see Bucharest again and includes lunch. (We suggest you stay on board and enjoy the cruise!)

Tour of Ruse. Ship’s tour - £50

The city is impressive with its broad avenues, large squares and wonderful buildings which pay tribute to the architecture of the national Renaissance.

Belgrade – Ship’s tour - £40

Join us for the optional guided tour of the Serbian capital.

Or…..if you feel fit….

Belgrade by Bike – Ship’s tour - £65
DISCOVERY TOUR: Biking in Belgrade. You'll cycle along the history-filled streets with your guide, who'll explain the city's recent past from World War II to current times.

Novi Sad - afternoon - £35

Guided tour of Novi Sad and the Krusedol monastery.

Budapest

After arriving in Budapest, we have the whole day before our evening train to Vienna. We will be offering a selection of tours, or you could have some free time to explore on your own. Details to follow.

Vienna

Once again, your hosts Alan and Ann know Vienna very well and will be happy to conduct a couple of walking tours, which will also involve trams and underground journeys. If you wish to visit either of the Schönbrunn or Hofburg Palaces, get in touch with Acetours now and we’ll get it sorted for you by booking the tickets and getting you there and back.

Otherwise, plenty of time for browsing, shopping, museums, etc.

We will confirm details of these tours shortly.

An attraction in Vienna is the Spanish Riding School but, unless it’s an actual performance, we do not recommend it. Boring might describe it!