Essence of the Elbe: Hamburg to Prague (2012)

Germany: Hamburg, Lauenburg, Tangermunde, Berlin, Wittenberg, Torgau, Meissen, Dresden, Swiss Saxony • Prague, Czech Republic
  • 12 days
  • from only:
  • $2595
  • $217 per day
    River Cruise Only
  • 13 days
  • from only:
  • $3395
  • $262 per dayIncludes international airfare and government taxes
IN THIS SECTION:
Detailed Itinerary
Video: Travelers' experiences of Essence of the Elbe
It's Included
Hotel & Ship Accommodations
Pre- & Post-Trip Extensions
Hamburg, Germany
Munich, Germany
Highlights of Poland: Warsaw & Krakow
Optional Tours
Local Team & Insider Tips
Know Before You Go
Photos From Our Travelers
Your Travel Handbook
Air information
LearnMore
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Customize your trip

Learn how to customize your River Cruise, or view standard air routing and travel times. The choice is yours with our True Choice program.

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Customize your trip

With our True Choice Program, you can choose to stay longer before or after your trip on your own, or combine two vacations to maximize your value. Here are more ways to create the Grand Circle Cruise Line River Cruise that’s right for you:

  • Choose our standard air routing, or work with us to select the airline and routing you prefer
  • Make your own international flight arrangements directly with the airline, applying frequent flyer miles if available
  • International airport transfers to and from your ship or hotel are available for purchase
  • Stay overnight in a connecting city before or after your trip
  • Request to arrive a few days early to get a fresh start on your vacation
  • Choose to “break away” before or after your trip, spending additional days or weeks on your own
  • Extend your vacation with our optional pre- and post-trip extensions
  • Combine your choice of Grand Circle Cruise Line vacations to maximize your value
  • Upgrade to business or premium economy class

The air options listed above will involve an additional fee of $100 per person for confirmed requests (as well as incremental airfare costs based on your specific choice). This service fee will be waived for Inner Circle/Sir Edmund Hillary Club members.

Or, when you make your reservation, you can choose our standard air routing, for which approximate travel times are shown below.

(Hamburg to Prague)

GATEWAY

TRAVEL TIME*

Atlanta, Chicago, New York (JFK), Minneapolis

12hrs

Baltimore, Denver

15hrs

Los Angeles, San Diego

17hrs

Newark, Philadelphia, Portland, OR, Seattle

13hrs

San Francisco

14hrs

* Estimated total time, including connection and layover. Actual travel time may vary.

The information above reflects approximate flight times from the gateway cities listed to Hamburg, Germany. Routing is based on availability and subject to change. You will receive your final air itinerary approximately 14 days prior to departure.

(Prague to Hamburg)

GATEWAY

TRAVEL TIME*

Atlanta, Boston, Houston, Newark, Washington, DC (Dulles)

12hrs

Baltimore, Los Angeles, Philadelphia

14hrs

Boston, New York (JFK)

11hrs

Dallas, Minneapolis

13hrs

Denver, Portland, OR, San Francisco, Seattle

15hrs

San Diego

18hrs

* Estimated total time, including connection and layover. Actual travel time may vary.

The information above reflects approximate flight times from the gateway cities listed to Prague, Czech Republic. Routing is based on availability and subject to change. You will receive your final air itinerary approximately 14 days prior to departure.

REFER and EARN

Earn increasing rewards as a Vacation Ambassador

REFER and EARN as a Vacation Ambassador with
the BEST referral program in the industry

Inspiring new travelers to join the Grand Circle Cruise Line family is a rewarding experience—both for you and your new travelers.

Share your love of travel with others and, for each referral who embarks on a Grand Circle Cruise Line trip, you will earn $100 in CASH or credit. With your 4th referral departing on a 2012 departure, your reward increases to $200 in CASH or credit per person. And once you refer 8 travelers departing in either 2012 or 2013, you'll earn a FREE trip valued up to $4,500 per household—which will bring the total value of your earned rewards up to $5,600.

And you are also passing along savings to your new traveler: We'll instantly deduct $100 off the cost of their reservation when they mention your name and Customer Number while reserving.

To learn more about the benefits of our Vacation Ambassador Referral Program, please call us toll-free at 1-800-221-2610
or click here.

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Pre-Trip: Hamburg, Germany

3 nights from only $645
Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Hamburg is Germany’s second-largest city—and its greenest. Nourished by the Elbe and studded with lakes and canals, Hamburg is as rich in natural beauty as it is in history and culture. You’ll discover this Hanseatic port and its neighboring city Luneburg on included tours. You’ll also enjoy ample time at leisure—whether you choose to explore maritime treasures or revel in the beauty of the city’s parks, you’ll find delights to suit every traveler.

Single Supplement: FREE.

Please note: Availability and price may vary by departure date. Please call for details.

Hamburg is a pre-trip extension on the Hamburg to Prague itinerary and a post-trip extension on the Prague to Hamburg itinerary.

It's Included

  • Accommodations for 3 nights at the Arcotel Rubin Hamburg
  • 3 meals: 3 breakfasts
  • 2 Included tours: Hamburg, Luneburg
  • Exclusive services of a resident Grand Circle Program Director
  • All transfers

Optional Tour

Rural Life in 19th Century Germany ($75 per person)

Day 1
Depart U.S.

Depart the U.S. today on your flight to Hamburg, Germany. Please refer to your personal air itinerary for exact departure and arrival times.
Day 2
Arrive Hamburg, Germany

Arriving in Hamburg, you’ll be met at the airport and assisted to your hotel. Later, get acquainted with your Program Director—who will accompany you throughout your trip—and fellow travelers over a Welcome Drink at your hotel.
Day 3
Hamburg/City Tour

Launch your discoveries of this historic seaport today with an included motorcoach and walking tour of the city’s highlights, including the Altstadt (Old Town), which is anchored by the Rathaus (Town Hall), a 19th-century neo-Renaissance gem with 647 rooms and a jade-green copper roof. The Rathaus overlooks the Rathausmarkt, the plaza used for local festivals and ceremonial events. The surrounding Alstadt offers visitors a great window onto the past, with its narrow lanes lined by neo-Gothic and half-timbered homes from the 1700s, many still occupied by local families. After lunch on your own, the rest of the day is free to relax or to explore independently.

This evening, revel in the variety of dining options in this cosmopolitan city, perhaps choosing local favorites—from traditional comfort food dishes like pan-fried fish, to specialties that reflect ancient Hamburg’s trade with Scandinavia, such as Rote Grutze (red berry summer pudding) or Labskaus (a one-pot dish of corned beef, mashed potatoes, and beets).

Please note: Travelers on this pre-trip extension will take a Hamburg city tour today, while travelers on the main trip only will take a Hamburg city tour on Day 3 of the main trip. To avoid repetition during the main trip, pre-trip travelers will, instead, receive an included tour of Lubeck, Germany.
Day 4
Hamburg/Optional Rural Life in 19th Century Germany tour

Enjoy a full day at leisure in Hamburg. Many visitors enjoy the waterfront experience of St. Pauli, one of Hamburg’s 105 quarters (districts). St. Pauli is home to the Landungsbrucken, a major port on Hamburg Harbor. Built of volcanic rock at the dawn of the 20th century, the 660-foot long structure makes a striking impression, with a series of domes and arches leading to a clock tower that rises above the piers. After soaking in this national treasure, dedicated as a historic monument in 2003, head underground into the Alter Elbtunnel, which connects St. Pauli with the Steinwerder, a shipyard island. After descending 80 feet beneath the ground on a motorized lift, you’ll stroll beneath the Elbe through a tunnel decorated with terra cotta tiles and artwork.

You might also experience the charms of the other body of water that defines this riverside city—Alster Lake, a 400-acre lake right in the heart of Hamburg. Outlined by some of the city’s most beautiful homes and many of the local foreign consulates, this gleaming lake offers boat rides, and canoe and sailboat rentals, for a leisurely afternoon in a true urban oasis. Back ashore, if you venture to the lake’s western banks, the lush 180-acre Alsterpark is perfect for an afternoon stroll through manicured gardens.

Or, perhaps you'll join us for an optional tour of Rural Life in 19th Century Germany, where you'll visit Kiekeberg's Open-Air Museum. This museum is comprised of about 30 historic buildings displaying a typical traditional farm in this northern part of the Lunenburg Heath. After your tour, you'll have some free time to make your own discoveries before returning to Hamburg.
Day 5
Hamburg/Luneburg

After breakfast, transfer by motorcoach to Luneberg. A city with a recorded history dating back to the tenth century, Luneburg was a key salt supplier during the Hanseatic heyday. Here, you enjoy an informative stroll before time to explore on your own. The town motto, “mons, pons, fons,” means “hill, bridge, spring” and reflects its charms—from a castle-topped hill, to the town center alongside a bridge, to an array of thermal springs. Today, visitors can see restored buildings from the Middle Ages, explore the Old Harbor with its centuries-old wooden crane, or take advantage of the thermal delights at the city’s spa center.

After lunch on your own, return to Hamburg this afternoon, where you will join your fellow travelers on Day 2 of your Essence of the Elbe River CruiseTour.