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
Your Travel Handbook
Grand Circle Foundation
Know Before You Go
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.

(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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Salzburg & Melk Abbey

Discover two of Austria’s most captivating historical gems
on these included tours …

Immerse yourself in Central Europe’s rich, dynamic legacy with included visits to the city of Salzburg and the fascinating Melk Abbey. Each of these guided tours provides you with a unique glimpse into a bygone era, illuminating the unique architecture, religion, social hierarchy, and scholarship that defined medieval Europe. And Salzburg and Melk Abbey are only two of the eight exclusive tours included on your Old World Prague & the Blue Danube itinerary.

Salzburg

New for 2012, your River CruiseTour now features a full day excursion to Salzburg—a value of $210 per couple. A beautiful medieval city, Salzburg is where the musical genius Amadeus Mozart was born, and where the Oscar-winning movie The Sound of music was shot. Your trip begins with a guided tour of Salzburg’s many highlights followed by an included lunch at a local restaurant and time to explore Salzburg’s treasures on your own. At the heart of the city sits the Getreidegasse, the renowned center for Austrian shopping. Intricate architectural details abound on this lane of shops and galleries, nestled under skillfully crafted wrought-iron signs and offering a myriad of jewelry, antiques, leather goods, and regional foods. The vaulted passageways offer scenic access to artisans’ workshops and arcaded courtyards. Nearby, a small museum is found in the house where Mozart was born, located on the main shopping street of Salzburg’s Old Town. All around Salzburg, you’ll behold the magnificent Alps—shimmering with reflections of sun and sky; making you feel as if the hills are, indeed, alive.

"Salzburg will always be my favorite. We were in awe of the centuries-old buildings and the history of the area …"

Barbara Beau
3-time traveler
Vinton, Iowa

Melk Abbey

Strategically situated on a steep, cliffside perch, the 900-year-old Melk Abbey boasts a long and storied history. Its earliest incarnation was as a Roman border post before serving as a Babenberg fortress in the tenth century. It became a Benedictine monastery in 1089 and earned a distinguished reputation for medieval scholarship. It also served as an inspiration for Umberto Eco’s popular mystery novel The Name of the Rose, which culminated in a devastating fire—like the ones that ravaged the Abbey in 1297 and 1683. During your included tour here, you’ll see the Abbey’s remarkable library, filled with thousands of books and manuscripts, and 365 windows—one for each day of the year. The interior of the Abbey’s church is similarly impressive, boasting a kaleidoscope of red, orange, and gold—with a magnificent carved pulpit, shimmering ceiling frescoes, and an arresting helical stairway. You’ll have the chance to observe such wonders up close, learning more about the Abbey’s extensive history along the way.

"Melk and its Abbey were spectacular. The gold leaf in the cathedral and the frescoes in the Marble Hall were breathtaking."

Suzanne Matthews
11-time traveler
Beverly Hills, Florida