Old World Prague & the Blue Danube (2012)

Budapest, Hungary • Bratislava, Slovakia • Vienna, Austria • Prague, Czech Republic
  • 11 days
  • from only:
  • $1895
  • $173 per day
    River Cruise Only
  • 12 days
  • from only:
  • $2845
  • $238 per dayIncludes international airfare and government taxes
IN THIS SECTION:
Detailed Itinerary
Video: Travelers' experiences of Old World Prague and the Blue Danube
Salzburg & Melk Abbey
It's Included
Hotel & Ship Accommodations
Pre- & Post-Trip Extensions
Optional Tours
Local Team & Insider Tips
Program Directors
Insider Tips
Your Travel Handbook
Grand Circle Foundation
Know Before You Go
Air information
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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.

(Budapest to Prague)

GATEWAY

TRAVEL TIME*

Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Minneapolis, Orlando

13hrs

Boston, New York (JFK)

11hrs

Dallas, Houston, Portland, OR

14hrs

Los Angeles, San Francisco

15hrs

Newark, Philadelphia, Washington, DC (Dulles)

12hrs

San Diego

19hrs

* 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 Budapest, Hungary. Routing is based on availability and subject to change. You will receive your final air itinerary approximately 14 days prior to departure.

(Prague to Budapest)

GATEWAY

TRAVEL TIME*

Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Newark, Philadelphia, Washington, DC(Dulles)

12hrs

Boston, New York (JFK)

11hrs

Dallas, Minneapolis

13hrs

Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Portland, OR, San Francisco

15hrs

Philadelphia

14hrs

San Diego

17hrs

* 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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Meet our expert, resident Program Directors

Grand Circle’s Program Directors live where you’re traveling; many were raised right in your path. So you’ll gain an insider’s perspective by exploring the world with them. Read on to meet the best of the best.


Insider Tips bring this trip to life

Hungary
Szilvapalinka Photo

Unique Food & Drink:
Szilvapalinka (plum brandy) is a favorite high-alcohol content beverage among Hungarians. We call all fruit brandy palinka, and this strong liquor—typically 80 proof—is brewed exclusively from traditional and locally grown Hungarian fruits such as pears and cherries (but plum is one of the best!). The tradition of making it goes back for centuries, and today it’s kept alive by a civil organization called the Hungarian Pálinka Order of Knighthood, who set the quality standards that distilleries must follow. Thanks to them, any bottle labeled with the word palinka should not contain any additives, preservatives, or sugar—just pure fruit brandy. It’s most often consumed during celebrations and social gatherings, and we even use it in a traditional Hungarian greeting: “Palinkas jo reggelt!” (“Good morning with palinka!”). In rural areas, locals used to begin their day with a shot of palinka, which is probably where the saying originated.

Istvan Pinter, Program Director, Europe
Budapest, Hungary
photo

Hidden Gems & Highlights:
In Budapest, I always recommend that travelers visit one of the oldest districts in the city: Obuda (“Old Buda”), the fishermen’s district. Here, you can see Roman ruins, communist blocks of flats, and a small part of 18th-century Budapest miraculously saved from destruction. You’ll also find the former town hall, artist Imre Varga’s group of four statues displaying ladies holding umbrellas (often called the “Umbrella Ladies”), a former imperial garrison with stables, and several traditional Hungarian restaurants. To get here, you can take a taxi, however I suggest trying Budapest’s public transportation system. To do this, head to the Batthyany ter metro station and catch the HEV suburban train to the Arpad hid stop.

Christian Pirv, Program Director, Europe
Read more Insider Tips

Our local offices give you the inside edge

Count on our local office in Bratislava, Slovakia to oversee every aspect of your trip. The Grand Circle associates here hail from a variety of European nations, and are responsible for managing our River Cruise vacations throughout this historic continent. Whether it’s personally selecting and training our team of more than 100 Program Directors; evaluating every element of your discovery-filled itineraries; establishing long-term relationships with our hotels and vendors; or staffing and maintaining our award-winning European fleet of small ships—they do everything they can to ensure you’ll enjoy the richest and most authentic experiences, at the best possible value. And because our staff lives in Europe, you’ll benefit from their intimate knowledge of local cultures and customs, and enjoy the peace of mind knowing that there’s a Grand Circle office nearby.