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The Danube from Romania to Budapest

4.8/5 Based on 4 Reviews No Booking FeesDedicated Cruise Advisor
Our Price From
US$3,551
Save $1,640pp
Port charges, taxes and fees included
 Cruise Length
9 Days
 Cruise Starts
Oltenita
 Cruise Finishes
Budapest
9 Day The Danube from Romania to Budapest Itinerary (Avalon)
Countries Explored: Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary
Cruise Line
Avalon
Ship
Departures
Passengers
166
Crew
47
Launched
2014
Cruise Code
WOB

Overview

Embark your river cruise along the beautiful Danube River to Budapest in Oltenita, Romania. Enjoy guided sightseeing in Bulgaria’s ancient capital of Veliko Tarnovo, and visit the Ethnographical Museum and Church of the Nativity in Arbanassi. Take pictures of Belogradchik’s eclectic group of rock formations and the spectacular views as you cruise through the Iron Gates Gorge.

Visit Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, and one of the oldest cities in Europe. Continue up the Danube and take an excursion to the ancient city of Pécs, Hungary. These and countless other memorable moments await you read more on this fascinating Danube River cruise through Eastern Europe.

Itinerary

Your Balkan Adventure Begins. Flights into Bucharest must arrive by 2 pm. Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm.

Explore your Avalon Suite Ship® this evening and enjoy a dinner onboard.

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO ROUSSE (D)

Fortresses and Fountains in “Little Vienna”

  • Active: Join a bike tour in Rousse with your Avalon Adventure Host, OR:
  • Classic: Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour of Bulgaria's largest inland port and visit its impressive Holy Trinity Church. Later, enjoy a short scenic drive to explore the rock - hewn churches of Ivanovo, a UNESCO World Heritage. OR:
  • Classic: Join a full-day Guided Tour to the former Bulgarian capital of Veliko Târnovo—with its ancient stone houses clinging to the cliffs above the Yantra River. Discover one of the oldest towns in Bulgaria (circa 4300 BC), as well as Bulgarian Revival architecture in the 15th-century town of Arbanassi.
Sail to Svistov or join your ship there if you opted for the full-day tour.

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO VIDIN (B/L/D)

Rocks, Ruins, and Balkan Beauty

Ask about today's energizing or relaxing Adventure Host activities.

  • Active: Wander and discover this town, join your Adventure Host for a bike ride, OR:
  • Classic: Join a Guided Tour of Belogradchik. See the remarkable rock formations on the slopes of the Balkan Mountains, sculpted by 200 million years of nature's elements. Then, visit the mighty Baba Vida Fortress in nearby Vidin.
This evening, enjoy live entertainment on board with a Bulgarian folklore show.

OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO DONJI MILANOVAC (B/L/D)

Ancient Artifacts and the Iron Gates

Before lunch on board, you'll sail through the spectacular and narrow Iron Gates Gorge—forming a natural border between Serbia and Romania.

  • Classic: Join a Guided Tour to Lepenski Vir—an important Mesolithic archaeological site chronicling prehistoric cultures, settlements, and art. Marvel at the ancient discoveries and artifacts, as well as the unique views the site affords of the Danube Gorge. Continue to the Fortress of Golubač, one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses in Europe.

OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BELGRADE (B/L/D)

Fortresses and Folklore.

Join your Adventure Host for today's special activities.

  • Active: Discover Belgrade's central walkway with your Adventure Host, OR:
  • Classic: Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour of Belgrade—where the Danube and Sava Rivers converge—and see the city's many fascinating sights, including Saint Sava, one of the world's largest Orthodox churches. You may choose to join an Optional Guided Biking tour or spend free time in Belgrade exploring Knez Mihailova Street—Belgrade's central pedestrian thoroughfare with many lively cafés, shops, and cultural spots.
  • Discovery: Attend an onboard Lecture to learn about the rich history, destinations, and culture of the Balkan states.

OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO NOVI SAD (B/L/D)

A Capital of Culture.

  • Classic: Join a Guided Tour of Novi Sad, the second largest town in Serbia. Admire its Austro-Hungarian old town, with its baroque buildings, and ancient fortifications.
  • Active: Enjoy a walking tour in Novi Sad along the narrow streets that climb slowly to the top of the hill above the city to Petrovaradin Fortress, OR:
  • Discovery: Experience the sweet life in Serbia with a visit and tasting at the Museum of Beekeeping and Živanović Wine Cellar in Sremski Karlovci.

OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO ILOK (B/L/D)

Croatian Heritage and Hilltop Vintages.

  • Discovery: Take a walking tour of Ilok with a wine tasting in a local cellar with stories of Croatian tradition.
Enjoy a short sailing to Vukovar during lunchtime.

VUKOVAR, CROATIA The Heroic Town on the Danube.

  • Classic: Enjoy a walking tour of Vukovar, the city the largest river port in Croatia.
This evening, enjoy live entertainment on board.

OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MOHÁCS (B/L/D)

Underground Tombs and Heavenly Music.

  • Classic: Join a morning Guided Sightseeing Tour of Mohács—the quiet Danube harbor town with its historical memorial parks, statues, and distinctive churches. Tour the remarkable medieval St. Nicholas Watermill—one of only a few remaining watermills performing stone-ground grain processing, OR:
  • Classic: Take a Guided Tour to nearby Pécs to see its 4th-century Christian underground tombs, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with fascinating murals. You'll also enjoy an organ concert on your tour.

AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BUDAPEST (B/L/D)

Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning.

Flights should not leave Budapest airport before 8 am. (B)

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Avalon Choice

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Active & Discovery
Active & Discovery

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From View to Table
From View to Table

Savour regional cuisine and familiar favourites using the freshest local ingredients throughout your river cruise. Read more

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Trip Reviews (4) Most Recent 'The Danube from Romania to Budapest' Reviews

4.8
Average Rating 4.8 / 5
4 Reviews
5 Star
75%
4 Star
25%
3 Star
2 Star
1 Star
Affordable luxury 3 , New Zealand, Jun 2019
We were pleasantly surprised when we booked online and found that we were allocated our personal travel agent. This made the process really easy and pleasant. Our ship, the Avalon Passion, was new and offered comfort beyond our expectations. All staff were knowledgeable, courteous and helpful. Our fellow passengers were friendly and many made interesting table companions.
Avalon river cruise 5 , VIC, Australia, Sep 2017
The Avalon river cruise from the Black Sea to Budapest takes you on a less travelled part of the Danube, giving you a snapshot of life in Romania, Bulgaria, and Serbia before getting to Hungary. There is some time spent off the ship to go on bus tours into the countryside. These tours were largely included which was very good, but sometimes it was god read more to just relax on the ship. Facilities on board were superb.
The Black Sea to Budapest with Avalon 2 , NSW, Australia, Jul 2017
We have travelled with Avalon before and again had another wonderful time. The service, FOOD, accommodation, staff and trip was great. The ship was modern and had everything you needed... including amazing afternoons & suppers! After dinner there was entertainment or you could sit on the top deck and take in the beautiful skies.

It is a very different read more trip to say doing the Romantic Rhine, as the scenery isn't as magnificent, but it was like stepping back in time, with some of the places we visited and made you realise how lucky we are. It wasn't an over busy or full on tour each day, so a nice leisurely place. Our Tour Director was fantastic and nothing was a problem.

Our hotels that we stayed in before and after the cruise were great and we found finishing with Budapest was the icing on the cake. We were lucky with having a variety of different ages and nationalities on our trip, so it was a lot of fun. Hannah from Global Journeys made our booking very easy and was a pleasure to deal with. Thanks so much Hannah.
River cruise very much up to standard 3 , Australia, Aug 2013
The accommodation, food, general level of service were very much up to the standards of three previous river cruises. As before, we enjoyed the company of several fellow-passengers. I would, however, be less inclined to recommend this cruise than previous ones - Moselle/Rhine/Danube to Budapest; Paris to Normandy and Saone/Rhone to Monaco - for two read more reasons: 1) because most of the lower Danube is less scenic the cruise involved lengthy side trips by bus virtually each day. Many were good, some were tiring, and one (a visit to a so-called Champagne factory) was uninformative and environmentally noxious from dust and mould. 2) the cruise director, while helpful, was irritatingly verbose and over-enthusiastic about quite banal 'highlights'.

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Cabin Layout Options:

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From $3,551
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Sunday 31 May 2026 31 May 26 Oltenita
Monday 08 Jun 2026 08 Jun 26 Budapest
Details
Avalon Passion
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River View
US$4,967
Save $196
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Monday 15 Jun 2026 15 Jun 26 Oltenita
Tuesday 23 Jun 2026 23 Jun 26 Budapest
Details
Avalon Passion
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River View
US$4,967
Save $196
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Tuesday 30 Jun 2026 30 Jun 26 Oltenita
Wednesday 08 Jul 2026 08 Jul 26 Budapest
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Avalon Passion
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River View
US$4,871
Save $192
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Wednesday 15 Jul 2026 15 Jul 26 Oltenita
Thursday 23 Jul 2026 23 Jul 26 Budapest
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Avalon Passion
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River View
US$4,871
Save $192
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Thursday 30 Jul 2026 30 Jul 26 Oltenita
Friday 07 Aug 2026 07 Aug 26 Budapest
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River View
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Friday 14 Aug 2026 14 Aug 26 Oltenita
Saturday 22 Aug 2026 22 Aug 26 Budapest
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Avalon Passion
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River View
US$4,871
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Saturday 29 Aug 2026 29 Aug 26 Oltenita
Sunday 06 Sep 2026 06 Sep 26 Budapest
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River View
US$5,255
Save $208
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Sunday 13 Sep 2026 13 Sep 26 Oltenita
Monday 21 Sep 2026 21 Sep 26 Budapest
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Avalon Passion
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River View
US$5,255
Save $208
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Monday 28 Sep 2026 28 Sep 26 Oltenita
Tuesday 06 Oct 2026 06 Oct 26 Budapest
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River View
US$4,535
Save $928
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Tuesday 13 Oct 2026 13 Oct 26 Oltenita
Wednesday 21 Oct 2026 21 Oct 26 Budapest
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Avalon Passion
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River View
US$5,063
Save $200
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Wednesday 28 Oct 2026 28 Oct 26 Oltenita
Thursday 05 Nov 2026 05 Nov 26 Budapest
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Avalon Passion
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US$4,775
Save $188
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Monday 12 Apr 2027 12 Apr 27 Oltenita
Tuesday 20 Apr 2027 20 Apr 27 Budapest
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US$3,551
Save $1,636
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Tuesday 27 Apr 2027 27 Apr 27 Oltenita
Wednesday 05 May 2027 05 May 27 Budapest
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US$4,223
Save $1,164
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Wednesday 12 May 2027 12 May 27 Oltenita
Thursday 20 May 2027 20 May 27 Budapest
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River View
US$4,559
Save $928
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Thursday 27 May 2027 27 May 27 Oltenita
Friday 04 Jun 2027 04 Jun 27 Budapest
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River View
US$4,319
Save $1,168
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Friday 11 Jun 2027 11 Jun 27 Oltenita
Saturday 19 Jun 2027 19 Jun 27 Budapest
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Avalon Passion
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River View
US$4,079
Save $1,408
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Saturday 26 Jun 2027 26 Jun 27 Oltenita
Sunday 04 Jul 2027 04 Jul 27 Budapest
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Avalon Passion
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River View
US$3,887
Save $1,400
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Sunday 11 Jul 2027 11 Jul 27 Oltenita
Monday 19 Jul 2027 19 Jul 27 Budapest
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Avalon Passion
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River View
US$3,647
Save $1,640
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Monday 26 Jul 2027 26 Jul 27 Oltenita
Tuesday 03 Aug 2027 03 Aug 27 Budapest
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Avalon Passion
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River View
US$3,647
Save $1,640
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Tuesday 10 Aug 2027 10 Aug 27 Oltenita
Wednesday 18 Aug 2027 18 Aug 27 Budapest
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Avalon Passion
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River View
US$3,647
Save $1,640
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Wednesday 25 Aug 2027 25 Aug 27 Oltenita
Thursday 02 Sep 2027 02 Sep 27 Budapest
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Avalon Passion
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River View
US$4,271
Save $1,416
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Thursday 09 Sep 2027 09 Sep 27 Oltenita
Friday 17 Sep 2027 17 Sep 27 Budapest
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River View
US$4,751
Save $936
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Note
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Avalon. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from the cruise-line and should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.

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