Austria · DANUBE RIVER CRUISES
The city cruises run a loop through Vienna in about an hour; the valley boats take most of a day. The 15 below separate the two, priced, with a note on which serve a proper lunch and which hand you a coffee.
Take a skip-the-line ride to Vienna’s Danube Tower observation decks at 150 meters. Enjoy wide views over the city, the Danube, and distant hills, then add time for the revolving cafe or restaurant. The ticket covers entry only, so the slide, meals, and reserved dining are extra.
“Would have been better if weather was sunny but still a very cool experience and nice view.”
Travel from Vienna into the Wachau Valley by modern coach, stop in Dürnstein, cruise the Danube from Spitz to Melk in summer, and visit Melk Abbey if selected. Guides such as Tommy, Claudia, and Eric have been praised for clear history and smooth logistics. Winter dates replace the boat ride with lunch.
“It was a good trip. Guide Eric and driver Christian were exceptional. First stop the village was outstanding. Allotted time was not enough since it takes almost 15 minutes to reach only. Otherwise it was a good trip”
Spend 510 minutes exploring Lower Austria by air-conditioned coach and summer boat. Visit Krems, Dürnstein, Melk, and the Baroque Abbey of Melk with an English or Spanish guide. Choose carefully: summer basic includes the boat but not the abbey, while the all-inclusive option adds the abbey visit.
“Really enjoyed this day trip to see a few places outside of Vienna. We went for the option without the tour of the Abbey & enjoyed the amount ot free time we were able to have in Melk on our own. Highlight of the day was the cruise along the Danube, nice and relaxing.”
Spend three hours aboard the MS Vindobona, MS Blue Danube, or MS Wien, cruising from Vienna’s canal toward the Danube at sunset and after dark. You’ll find an onboard restaurant, upper-deck views, live-camera images, and German- and English-speaking staff, but no regular sightseeing commentary.
“We really enjoyed this cruise, the food and beverages were excellent. There isn’t much to see through the journey though in comparison to other cruises we gave done, but it was nice to do something different and have time with family. There is quite a long period where you go through the locks. All in all it was a pleasant experience.”
Cruise Vienna aboard the MS Wien or Hundertwasser-designed MS Vindobona on a 3.5-hour loop through the Danube, Danube Canal, Prater greenery, modern skyline, and historic city center. German and English service, onboard dining, card payment, and wheelchair access make this a relaxed city outing.
“Good food in comfortable surroundings, the sun didn’t shine but that didn’t matter as it was nice and warm inside. The staff where very helpful. It would of been better if the boat had gone a little further but I don’t know if it could.”
See Vienna from the Danube on a 1.5 to 3.5-hour DDSG Blue Danube cruise. Choose a shorter route through modern Vienna or continue through the Prater area and Danube Island. Optional Viennese specialties are served on board, while drinks cost extra.
“A great Way to see Vienna from the seaside. Very nice cruise ship and good service”
Travel from Vienna to Bratislava by coach, tour the Old Town with a local guide, then enjoy several hours for lunch, the castle, cafes, and shops before returning on the Twin City Liner catamaran. Expect an 8 to 11 hour day, with no guide on the outward bus ride.
“The local guide did a job in showing us the major sites in the old city. He also gave us great advice about the other sites in the and where they were.”
Ride the fast lift 150 meters up Vienna’s Danube Tower for a 360-degree view across the city and Danube Park. Admission covers the tower, while food, drinks, the outdoor slide, and restaurant dining cost extra. Allow 30 minutes to 4 hours, depending on your plans.
“Sumptuous food. Outstanding service and very relaxing ambience. Despite it being foggy, we all enjoyed our dining experience.”
From Krems, you’ll cruise the Danube through the UNESCO-listed Wachau Valley aboard a comfortable DDSG ship. Expect broad river views, vineyards, medieval castles, baroque monasteries, and optional schnitzel, brunch, breakfast, or wine tasting. English and German tour support is available.
“Really enjoyed the boat journey out Melk. The 1015 boat was very busy and, on a sunny day, the outdoor space was limited but we did find a bench.”
Board at Handelskai 265, pier 7, for a three-hour Danube cruise through Vienna. Enjoy a breakfast-and-lunch buffet, optional coffee and Austrian pastries, and live music from Caroline Kreutzberger, Nikos Pogonatos, or Edmund Hauswirth.
“Das Buffet war nichts besonders: Nur croissants und Pancake als süsses Frühstück. Nur Weissbrot, keine andere Arten. Als Nachspeise nur ein Fruchtsalat aus der Dose. Keine Kuchen. Meine Freundin, die ein paar Wochen davor, die Aktivität gemacht hatte, erzählte von einem reichen Buffet mit einem Schokobrunnen. Was ist passiert zwischen Anfang März und den 25. April, damit die Leistung so unterschiedlich sein kann?”
Spend 210 minutes aboard the MS Admiral Tegetthoff, cruising from Vienna’s Reichsbrücke toward the Greifenstein lock and back. Enjoy live country music, line dancing, and a BBQ buffet with ribs, burgers, vegetarian dishes, vegan sides, and desserts. Drinks cost extra.
“Adorei o barco o passeio tudo perfeito mais a comida ficou um pouco a desejar”
Take a one-hour private e-boat island rental on Vienna’s Old Danube. Your group of up to eight gets a quiet, easy-to-drive electric boat, a water map, anchor, and entry aids for a relaxing trip, swim stop, or gentle cruise. An English, German, or Spanish-speaking host greets you at the office.
Board the MS Admiral Tegetthoff at Vienna Reichsbrücke for a 3.5-hour evening cruise toward the Greifenstein lock. Enjoy antipasti, pasta, Saltimbocca, desserts, a singer, and DJ while seeing modern Vienna, Korneuburg, and Klosterneuburg from the Danube.
“Ruoka oli hyvää! Tunnin lyhyempänä risteily olisi ollut täydellinen. Pimeä tuli nopeasti, maisemia ei sitten enää voinut ihailla. Hieno miljöö laivalla!”
Board the MS Vienna at Pier 6 near Reichsbrücke for a two-hour round trip along Vienna’s Danube. You’ll see DC Tower, Millennium Tower, and Danube Tower from the water. The cruise has an onboard restaurant, several daily departures, and optional lunch, schnitzel, or strudel packages.
“In reality, the cruise was not interesting because there was little to see.”
Board the MS Admiral Tegetthoff at Pier 7 for a 3.5-hour Danube dinner cruise with live ABBA music by Abba Chiquita Revival. You’ll enjoy a Swedish smörgåsbord with meatballs, salmon, wild boar, and more. Drinks cost extra, and the cruise returns to Pier 7.
“It was a lovely evening - the food was good - but the buffet was poorly set up - it would have been nice if the same dishes had been on both sides. The information that the dishes would be replenished might have encouraged some people not to put mountains on their plates. But overall it was a really lovely evening.”
Pick a palace, a lake or a concert hall.
