Grand European River Cruise - 2022

23-night river cruise with Mainz, Cologne, Rüdesheim, Heidelberg, Marktheidenfeld, Würzburg, Bamberg, Nuremberg, Regensburg, Passau, Vienna, Budapest, Kalocsa, Pécs, Vukovar, Belgrade, Donji Milanovac, Iron Gates, Ruse, Veliko Tarnovo, Sinaia | Bucharest
  • Grand European River Cruise including Cologne, Marktheidenfeld, Würzburg, Bamberg, Nuremberg, Vienna, Budapest, Vukovar, Belgrade, Iron Gates, Veliko Tarnovo, and Bucharest
    ENJOY CRUISE LIFE ON A DELUXE RIVER SHIP, FEATURING WORKSHOPS, EVENING ENTERTAINMENT, AND MORE
  • The sprawling Hungarian Parliament building in Budapest
    FALL IN LOVE WITH BUDAPEST AND ITS GRAND ARCHITECTURE
  • Cliff-perched historic village of Veliko Turnovo
    DISCOVER VELIKO TARNOVO, A BEAUTIFUL TOWN IN NORTH CENTRAL BULGARIA
  • Aerial view of the Iron Gates of the Danube
    CRUISE THROUGH THE DANUBE’S IRON GATES, A SERIES OF SCENIC STRETCHES
  • The fairytale castle of Peles against a mountainous background
    STEP INSIDE THE FAIRY-TALE MANSE OF TRANSYLVANIA’S PELEȘ CASTLE
  • The People's Palace in Bucharest
    VISIT THE PEOPLE’S PALACE IN BUCHAREST AND LEARN THE HISTORY OF THIS COLOSSAL BUILDING
DATES & PRICES
STARTING FROM
$8,799
  • $338
    PER DAY
  • 26
    DAYS
  • 61
    TOURS
TRIP WITH AIR
27 DAYS FROM $8,799
Luxury
Extend Your journey (4 available)
Paris, France (Pre-Trip)

4 DAYS FROM $1,699

Transylvania, Romania (Pre-Trip)

4 DAYS FROM $999

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Extend Your Journey

Extension Image

Paris, France (Pre-Trip)

FROM $1,699 PER PERSON | 4 DAYS | $424 PER DAY

Paris never goes out of style. So, let Vantage return you — or introduce you — to this timeless capital on a romantic 3-night extension. You’ll be seduced by the city’s intoxicating allure, where every corner offers the chance to fall in love — whether with the Mona Lisa on a tour of the Louvre, or with the luscious food! You’ll enjoy the best location at Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel, the services of our worldwide Concierge to plan activities and make restaurant reservations, and the chance to explore the chic Le Marais neighborhood on your own. Take advantage of your intercontinental experience and linger a while longer! Embrace the Parisian way of life on this intimate tour in the City of Lights.

Your Price Includes:
  • 3 nights’ accommodations at the Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel (or similar)
  • 4 meals: 3 breakfasts and 1 dinner
  • 4 included features and Cultural Connections, including a half-day panoramic city tour and a visit to the Louvre
  • All transfers and baggage handling (where permitted)
  • Services of a City Host
  • Tipping for drivers and local guides
  • Services of the Vantage Worldwide Concierge to plan celebrations, activities, or provide regional expertise. Log in to My Portfolio and submit a request, or send an email any time up to two weeks prior to your departure to concierge@vantagetravel.com
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Day 1:

Fly to Paris

Fly overnight to Paris, France, arriving on Day 2.

Day 2:

Arrive in beautiful Paris

Welcome to Paris! If you purchased your flight from Vantage, you’ll be met upon arrival at the airport by a Vantage representative who will assist you with the transfer to your hotel. After checking in to your chic and central hotel, enjoy a Welcome Drink and Dinner.

Included meals:

Dinner

Day 3:

Enjoy a panoramic tour of Paris and an afternoon at leisure to explore more

The day will begin with a breakfast at the hotel before setting off on a panoramic city tour. Immerse in the beauty of such an emblematic and romantic destination, including photo stops at Trocadero to see the Eiffel Tower up close and the Ile de le Cité, a city-centric island home to Notre Dame Cathedral.

This afternoon, you can enjoy some leisure time to further explore Paris, perhaps heading to Le Marais, where centuries of religious and art history await in Paris' oldest district. This area is home to some of the most intact medieval and prerevolutionary buildings in Paris, as well as galleries galore and trendy cafés. You’ll see why this neighborhood is a hotbed for the who’s-who of the city’s creative and cultural circle. Later, continue your evening at leisure to mingle among the Parisians, with dinner on your own.

Included meals:

Breakfast

Day 4:

See iconic works at the Louvre

Have breakfast at your hotel in the morning, then join in on a guided visit of the iconic Louvre Museum. The Louvre has one of the world's most important art collections, averaging 15,000 visitors per day. First constructed as a fortress in 1190 by King Philippe Auguste to protect Paris against Viking raids, it was then changed into a magnificent Renaissance style building. Throughout the centuries, French kings and emperors have improved and enlarged it, making it the impressive site you see today. With its 800 years of history, the Louvre is not only a museum but a palace with a centuries-old architectural evolution. After exploring some masterpieces like Venus de Milo, the Mona Lisa, and the Wedding Feast of Cana, transfer back to the hotel and have lunch on your own.

In the afternoon, you're free to explore more on your own. There’s a Paris for everyone, whether you’re into haute couture shopping, poking around in flea markets, exploring the Latin Quarter, visiting museums, seeking out artistic treasures, or visiting some of the world’s most recognizable monuments — from the elegant ironwork of the Eiffel Tower to the “inside-out” architecture of the Centre Pompidou.

Included meals:

Breakfast

Day 5:

Transfer to your ship and stop in Metz

Depart the City of Lights and transfer via coach to your ship. On your way to join the base trip, enjoy a lunchtime stop in Metz, one of France's bustling university towns, with charming design and architecture. You'll have a short orientation walk around town with some free time on your own.

Upon arrival at your port, embark your ship and begin your river cruise.

Included meals:

Breakfast
Extension Image

Transylvania, Romania (Pre-Trip)

FROM $999 PER PERSON | 4 DAYS | $249 PER DAY

Vantage invites you to Transylvania, where the lure of vampire legends awaits in Romania’s fabled central region, home to mountainous scenery, medieval villages, and Bran Castle — Dracula’s legendary manse. You’ll visit Prejmer Fortified Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and check another UNESCO Site off your list. Step inside bohemian Brasov, and a forested region of fairytales!

*Please note that for pre- and post-trip extension travelers to enjoy the best pacing and airline routing, two days of base tour features will be listed in the itinerary below as noted (Days 25 and 29 for the post-trip extension). For post-trip extension travelers, your price includes:

Your Price Includes:
  • Accommodations for 3 nights in Brasov, Romania, at the Aro Palace Hotel (or similar)
  • Daily breakfast
  • Half-day excursion to Bran Castle, legendary home of Dracula
  • Excursion to Prejmer Fortified Church
  • 1 UNESCO World Heritage Site 
  • Transfers and baggage handling overseas (except in customs)
  • Services of a City Host and experienced local guides
  • Tipping for drivers and local guides (excluding City Host)
  • Services of the Vantage Worldwide Concierge, to plan celebrations, activities, or provide regional expertise. Log in to My Portfolio and submit a request, or send an email any time up to two weeks prior to your departure at Concierge@vantagetravel.com.
View Extension Details
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Day 1

Fly to Romania

Fly overnight to Bucharest, Romania.

Day 2:

Attend a Welcome Dinner and Briefing at your hotel

Arrive in Bucharest today. Tonight, meet your fellow travelers during a Welcome Dinner at the hotel, where you will also attend a Welcome Briefing.

Day 3:

Panoramic tour of Bucharest and exploring its historic buildings

Explore Bucharest’s grand monuments and leafy, old-world boulevards on a city tour that includes a choice of entrances. Unforgettable Moment: You can visit the infamous People’s Palace, the grandiose, sprawling, and never-completed administrative building initiated by dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. Alternatively, take a fascinating tour of Manuc’s Inn, Bucharest’s oldest hotel building, which was built as a way station for caravans and surrounds a large open courtyard. 

After lunch in Bucharest, we’ll travel into Transylvania, the mountainous, legend-haunted region in central Romania. Dinner is at a local restaurant in Brasov.

Please note: Today's activities are part of your base tour price.

Included meals:

Breakfast

Day 4:

Explore Brasov and Bran Castle

Following breakfast, explore more of Brasov, the compact baroque city that still retains the medieval walls and gates erected nine centuries ago by Saxon merchant princes. You’ll visit pretty Council Square, which is surrounded by tidy baroque buildings in pastel colors. The tall spire of the aptly named Black Church towers above. Then, embark on a tour to Bran Castle, the legendary home of Dracula. Return back to the hotel and spend the remainder of the day at leisure.

Included meals:

Breakfast

Day 5:

Explore Brasov on your own

Enjoy a day at leisure in charming, walkable Brasov. In the evening, you're invited to join a pub crawl through Brasov.

Included meals:

Breakfast

Day 6:

Inside Prejmer Fortified Church

Today you’ll enjoy an included excursion to Prejmer Fortified Church, a fascinating UNESCO World Heritage Site that was constructed in the 13th century by Teutonic knights and fortified by a circular wall in the 15th century by German colonists. Three hundred storage rooms on up to four levels held supplies for potential siege, and the fortress protected the church from 50 attacks over the course of history. You’ll learn about its victorious battles and those who protected it before returning to your hotel for a free evening.

Included meals:

Breakfast

Day 7:

Transylvanian delights: mountainous Sinaia and grand Peles Castle

Our tour of Transylvania continues as we travel through the scenic valleys and humble villages of the last medieval landscape in Europe. On the way, stop for lunch in Sinaia, a royal summer retreat, and visit the fairy-tale Peleș Castle. Afterward, we'll transfer to Giurgiu and embark ship.

*Please note: Today's activities are part of your base tour price.

Included meals:

Breakfast
Extension Image

Paris, France (Post-Trip)

FROM $1,699 PER PERSON | 4 DAYS | $425 PER DAY

Paris never goes out of style. So, let Vantage return you — or introduce you — to this timeless capital on a romantic 3-night extension. You’ll be seduced by the city’s intoxicating allure, where every corner offers the chance to fall in love — whether with the Mona Lisa on a tour of the Louvre, or with the luscious food! You’ll enjoy the best location at Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel, the services of our worldwide Concierge to plan activities and make restaurant reservations, and the chance to explore the chic Le Marais neighborhood on your own. Take advantage of your intercontinental experience and linger a while longer! Embrace the Parisian way of life on this intimate tour in the City of Lights.

Your Price Includes:
  • 3 nights’ accommodations at the Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel (or similar)
  • 4 meals: 3 breakfasts and 1 dinner
  • 4 included features and Cultural Connections, including a half-day panoramic city tour and a visit to the Louvre
  • All transfers and baggage handling (where permitted)
  • Services of a City Host
  • Tipping for drivers and local guides
  • Services of the Vantage Worldwide Concierge to plan celebrations, activities, or provide regional expertise. Log in to My Portfolio and submit a request, or send an email any time up to two weeks prior to your departure to concierge@vantagetravel.com
View Extension Details
Expand All

Day 27:

Journey toward Paris, with a stop in Metz

Your extension begins with breakfast aboard the ship. Then, you'll transfer via coach toward Paris. On the way, stop for lunch (on your own) in Metz, one of France's bustling university towns, with charming design and architecture. You'll also have a short orientation walk around town, with some free time on your own. Upon arrival in Paris, check into your chic and central hotel, and join an orientation walk. Enjoy an evening at leisure with dinner on your own. Feel free to ask your City Host for recommendations.

Day 28:

Enjoy a panoramic tour of Paris

Welcome to Paris! The day will begin with breakfast at the hotel before setting off on a panoramic city tour. Immerse in the beauty of such an emblematic and romantic destination, including photo stops at Trocadero to see the Eiffel Tower up close and the Ile de le Cité, a city-centric island home to Notre Dame Cathedral. Later, indulge your evening at leisure to mingle among the Parisians, with dinner on your own.

Included meals:

Breakfast

Day 29:

See iconic works at the Louvre

Have breakfast at your hotel in the morning, then join in on a guided visit of the iconic Louvre Museum. The Louvre has one of the world's most important art collections, averaging 15,000 visitors per day. First constructed as a fortress in 1190 by King Philippe Auguste to protect Paris against Viking raids, it was then changed into a magnificent Renaissance style building. Throughout the centuries, French kings and emperors have improved and enlarged it, making it the impressive site you see today. With its 800 years of history, the Louvre is not only a museum, but a palace with a centuries-old architectural evolution. After exploring some masterpieces like Venus de Milo, the Mona Lisa, and the Wedding Feast of Cana, transfer back to the hotel and have lunch on your own.

In the afternoon, you're free to explore more of "Gay Paree"! There’s a Paris for everyone, whether you’re into haute couture shopping, poking around in flea markets, exploring the Latin Quarter, visiting museums, seeking out artistic treasures, or visiting some of the world’s most recognizable monuments — from the elegant ironwork of the Eiffel Tower to the “inside-out” architecture of the Centre Pompidou.

Included meals:

Breakfast & dinner

Day 30:

Fly home from Paris

After a sumptuous breakfast buffet at your hotel, you'll check out and transfer to the Paris-Charles De Gaulle Airport and depart France on a flight back home to the U.S.

Included meals:

Breakfast
Extension Image

Transylvania, Romania (Post-Trip)

FROM $999 PER PERSON | 4 DAYS | $250 PER DAY

Vantage invites you to Transylvania, where the lure of vampire legends awaits in Romania’s fabled central region, home to mountainous scenery, medieval villages, and Bran Castle — Dracula’s legendary manse. You’ll visit Prejmer Fortified Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and check another UNESCO Site off your list. Step inside bohemian Brasov, and a forested region of fairytales!

*Please note that for pre- and post-trip extension travelers to enjoy the best pacing and airline routing, two days of base tour features will be listed in the itinerary below as noted (Days 25 and 29 for the post-trip extension). For post-trip extension travelers, your price includes:

Your Price Includes:
  • Accommodations for 3 nights in Brasov, Romania, at the Aro Palace Hotel (or similar)
  • Daily breakfast
  • Half-day excursion to Bran Castle, legendary home of Dracula, and a walking tour of Brasov
  • Excursion to Prejmer Fortified Church
  • 1 UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • Transfers and baggage handling overseas (except in customs)
  • Services of a City Host and experienced local guides
  • Tipping for drivers and local guides (excluding City Host)
  • Services of the Vantage Worldwide Concierge, to plan celebrations, activities, or provide regional expertise. Log in to My Portfolio and submit a request, or send an email any time up to two weeks prior to your departure at Concierge@vantagetravel.com.
View Extension Details
Expand All

Day 25:

Traveling through Transylvanian history

Today we’ll venture into Transylvania, the mountainous, legend-haunted region in central Romania. On the way, we’ll stop for lunch in Sinaia, a former royal summer retreat, and visit fairy-tale Peleș Castle. As we enter Transylvania proper, you’ll see why it’s known as the last medieval landscape in Europe. Our destination is charming Brasov, the compact baroque city that still retains the medieval walls and gates erected nine centuries ago by Saxon merchant princes. Dinner is included at a local restaurant.

Please note: Today's activities are part of your base tour price.

Included meals:

Breakfast & dinner

Day 26:

Discover Brasov on a walking tour, then head to Bran Castle

Discover more of Brasov when you explore it by foot today. You’ll see the buzzing Piata Sfatului, Brasov’s main square, and more. You’ll have free time to get lunch on your own. Afterward, head to the imposing Bran Castle, the legendary home of Dracula. Return back to the hotel and spend the remainder of the day at leisure, with dinner on your own.

Included meals:

Breakfast

Day 27:

Explore Brasov on your own

Enjoy a day at leisure in charming, walkable Brasov. In the evening, you're invited to join a pub crawl through Brasov.

Included meals:

Breakfast

Day 28:

Inside Prejmer Fortified Church

Today you’ll enjoy an included excursion to Prejmer Fortified Church, a fascinating UNESCO World Heritage Site that was constructed in the 13th century by Teutonic knights and fortified by a circular wall in the 15th century by German colonists. Three hundred storage rooms on up to four levels held supplies for potential siege, and the fortress protected the church from 50 attacks over the course of history. You’ll learn about its victorious battles and those who protected it before returning to your hotel for a free evening.

Included meals:

Breakfast

Day 29:

Panoramic tour of Bucharest and exploring its historic buildings

Today we’ll make our way to Bucharest, Romania’s largest city and capital, where we’ll have lunch and embark on a panoramic tour. Afterwards, explore Bucharest’s grand monuments and leafy, old-world boulevards on a city tour that includes a choice of entrances. Unforgettable Moment: You can visit the infamous People’s Palace, the grandiose, sprawling, and never-completed administrative building initiated by dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. Alternatively, take a fascinating walking tour of Manuc’s Inn, Bucharest’s oldest hotel building, which was built as a way station for caravans and surrounds a large open courtyard. Dinner is included at your hotel. 


Please note: The Bucharest portion of today's activities are part of your base tour price.

Included meals:

Breakfast

Day 30:

Return home

Transfer to the airport for your return flight home.

Included meals:

Breakfast

Contact Vantage

CALL 1-888-514-1845

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