Danube River Cruises
As the second-longest river in Europe, the Danube meanders through Germany, Austria, Hungary and seven other countries all the way to the Black Sea. Along its banks lie great cities, medieval trading towns, cathedrals, palaces, and spectacular gorges fringed by mountain ranges.
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Search 6,038 river cruise departures along the Danube
Popular Cruises on The Danube
The Danube River
Where does the Danube start & finish?
The Danube starts in the Black Forest region of Germany, where the Breg and Brigach rivers join. It flows through Central and Eastern Europe and ultimately empties into the Black Sea, forming the Danube Delta in Romania and Ukraine.
Europe's Second Longest River
The Danube is the second-longest river in Europe, after the Volga. It spans approximately 2,850 km's (1,770 miles) and flows through ten countries - more than any other river in the world.
Historic Cities
From Vienna's musical history to Budapest's thermal baths, the Danube provides access to some of Europe's most iconic cities. These ports of call offer rich history, vibrant culture, and world-class cuisine right at the river's edge.
Danube Delta Wonders
The Danube Delta is Europe's second-largest delta and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Home to hundreds of species of birds and fish, it's an eco-lover's paradise and an excellent spot for bird-watching and fishing excursions.
Popular starting ports for cruising the Danube
Vienna, Budapest, Passau, Nuremberg and Bucharest serve as logistical starting ports for your Danube river cruise and also offer you the opportunity to enhance your trip by adding a few extra days prior to your cruise departure to explore these cultural and historical cities.
It's not all Blue
Despite the famous waltz "The Blue Danube" by Johann Strauss II suggesting otherwise, the Danube is not always blue and can appear green, grey, or even brown depending on weather conditions, water flow, and sediment levels.
Featured River Cruise Operators Featured Operators
Danube Rivers
Budget
Premium
Known For
Panorama Suites and flexible cruising
All-Inclusive Level
Inclusive
Danube Rivers
Budget
Premium & Luxury
Known For
Truly all-inclusive luxury
All-Inclusive Level
Highly Inclusive
Danube Rivers
Budget
Premium
Known For
Real connections through guided travel
All-Inclusive Level
Enhanced
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Highlights of the Upper and Lower Danube
The Sound of Salzburg 
Český Krumlov 
Schönbrunn Palace 
Fisherman's Bastion 
The Iron Gates Latest Reviews
What our clients are saying about their journeys along the Danube
Things didn’t go according to plan
Danube Symphony (Westbound)
Tatyana, Australia, Aug 2026
Unfortunately I didn’t get the chance to do this trip due to severe drought and Danube water levels dropping so low no cruise ships could sail anywhere. I was afraid that Avalon would claim force majeure and not offer any compensation at all. To give them their due they offered refund for the cruise portion of the trip if I chose to do the trip and read more just use ships at three different locations as hotels and coach everywhere to maintain our on land itinerary. This wasn’t appealing at all given that I’ve just finished a coach tour with Trafalgar, so I’ve opted for a full refund instead. Tracey was great to deal with from initial booking to the very end handling cancellation and refund. I would be delighted to book another tour with both Avalon and Global Journeys in the future. Thank you Tracey!
Melodies of the Danube
Melodies of the Danube
Kylie, QLD, Australia, Aug 2026
The AmaSofia and the Melody of the Danube itinerary along the upper Danube is something special, and I especially appreciate how AmaWaterways offer a very inclusive product with their excursions and gratuities and also have a real focus on local food, wine and culture (including the freshly baked bread and desserts on board). It’s these kinds of details read more that stick with you. In addition to the incredible food and service and the warm and friendly crew, highlights for me off the ship were Melk Abbey, Durnstein, Wachau Valley and Cesky Krumlov. It was great how well AmaWaterways handled the low water levels, (Aug 2026) and I certainly came to realise how hard the operations team and the onboard crew work to offer a seamless amended itinerary at sometimes very short notice. I must also give high praise to our incredible cruise manager Tamas who went above and beyond!
River cruise
Grand European Tour
Peter and Vivienne, WA, Australia, Aug 2026
Thank you so much Global Journeys, we had a wonderful time. Water level was a problem but Viking were beyond helpful and handled the situation very well considering it was beyond their control. Will certainly book with Global Journeys again, all in all very happy travellers.
Sensational Melodies of the Danube
Melodies of the Danube
Bronwyn, WA, Australia, Aug 2026
AmaWaterways was truly a sensational experience, and despite the river being at an all-time low, it was incredible to see first-hand how seamlessly AmaWaterways adapted to the situation. I was impressed from the moment we arrived. As we couldn’t get on the ship in Budapest, we were instead put up in a hotel for the first night. When our Uber pulled read more up outside the Dorothea that morning, we were barely out of the car before a concierge approached, asked if we were part of the AMA group, and immediately offered to take care of our luggage. They were expecting us, the communication at every level was excellent.It really demonstrates the level of care and service that AMA delivers, even when circumstances are not quite as expected. The crew, the AmaSofia, and the dining were all exceptional. The Chef’s Table in particular was an outstanding experience - such a generous and salubrious inclusion, and that tomato amuse bouche! We didn’t know much about Ama before this trip, but we will be telling everyone about how good the trip was and how well you are treated when things don’t go according to plan.
Superior in all aspects to any other river cruise...
Melodies of the Danube
David, QLD, Australia, Aug 2026
Prior to leaving Australia, AmaWaterways contacted us to let us know due to low water levels on the Danube there would be schedule changes. They did a very professional job. Due to the low water levels, we spent our first cruise night in Budapest at the Dorothea Hotel with dinner, loads of drinks ad breakfast provided by AmaWaterways. The Dorothea hotel read more is a 2 minute walk to some of the main sites along the riverbank. The next day we drove to Bratislava for a walking tour with guides, along with free time. (They put E25 per person onto our ship account to make up for lunch not being included in Bratislava.) In the afternoon we took another coach to Melk where we joined AmaSophia. It’s a brand new ship with 156 passengers. We had one of the suites, which was large at 33 sq mtr with a bedroom, separate lounge, 2 TV’s, full marble bathroom with twin basins, separate bath tub and shower and separate toilet and 2 balconies. Beautiful room and fantastic room service. As we were in the suite, all laundry was also included! A bonus for us to leave the ship with a clean suitcase! his is one of the few ships on the rivers with a decent swimming pool and swim again swim jets!
Every night the App was updated with the next days program, so you had it well in advance. Champagne was available at breakfast and the wines were readily available with lunch and dinner with a great selection from the local areas. A daily Sip & Sail 1 hr cocktail party is provided every night with music and from what we experienced, there were no limitations at all!
The Daily Cruiser provided by the very professional Cruise Manager, Tamas, not only contains the daily program but also weather forecasts, ship phone numbers and cruise managers email & phone number so one was never not able to contact the ship and personnel if they were ever needed.
All meals were provided with incredible choices – buffet breakfast and lunches and A La Carte dinners. Service was always fast, polite and fun. The included Chefs Table (no surcharge) is a 8 course dinner with fine premium wines and excellent service bookable in advance whilst on board. There is also a gym on board, massage room and a wellness host offering a numerous array of activities on ship and land using the provided bicycles and walking sticks.
Complimentary recyclable water containers and water is provided as well as high quality WIFI. Gratuities are all included as well.
All tours are included and offered and run professionally with knowledgeable local guides. I did the Cesky Krumlov tour from Linz, which was certainly a highlight. As was the new tour of the Mauthausen nazi concentration camp. In conclusion, I can say without a doubt this AmaWaterways trip which was run so professionally was superior in all aspects to any other river cruise I have taken – we were kept fully informed of daily activities etc well in advance, provided with beautiful accommodations, great food and wines and service throughout.
Every night the App was updated with the next days program, so you had it well in advance. Champagne was available at breakfast and the wines were readily available with lunch and dinner with a great selection from the local areas. A daily Sip & Sail 1 hr cocktail party is provided every night with music and from what we experienced, there were no limitations at all!
The Daily Cruiser provided by the very professional Cruise Manager, Tamas, not only contains the daily program but also weather forecasts, ship phone numbers and cruise managers email & phone number so one was never not able to contact the ship and personnel if they were ever needed.
All meals were provided with incredible choices – buffet breakfast and lunches and A La Carte dinners. Service was always fast, polite and fun. The included Chefs Table (no surcharge) is a 8 course dinner with fine premium wines and excellent service bookable in advance whilst on board. There is also a gym on board, massage room and a wellness host offering a numerous array of activities on ship and land using the provided bicycles and walking sticks.
Complimentary recyclable water containers and water is provided as well as high quality WIFI. Gratuities are all included as well.
All tours are included and offered and run professionally with knowledgeable local guides. I did the Cesky Krumlov tour from Linz, which was certainly a highlight. As was the new tour of the Mauthausen nazi concentration camp. In conclusion, I can say without a doubt this AmaWaterways trip which was run so professionally was superior in all aspects to any other river cruise I have taken – we were kept fully informed of daily activities etc well in advance, provided with beautiful accommodations, great food and wines and service throughout.
Lovely trip through the shallow waters of the danube
Danube in Depth
Tony and Lesley, WA, Australia, Jul 2026
Sadly the Danube is not at its best. Interuptions to the itinery meant more coach travel than usual. I think people on board called it a river cruise on wheels. However Avalon cannot be falted for there efforts. We saw 90% of what was originally offered. The service on the boat was magnificent. Food plentyful and well presented. As was the bar service read more especially happy hour. Cabins were always well prepared and clean along with the bathroom facilities. We missed out on Bulgaria but having been before it really didnt bother us. Kayla kept us up to date with changes which we thank her for. Avalon sent me 6 emails with changes but a couple were a mystery to us. We had booked flights out of Bucharest for the 15th August but there email was for the 14th. Good job we had Stefano as our ship manager to correct things. Thanks again to Global Journeys for the bookings. Our 15th river cruise and i think our 10th with Avalon.
