The Danube's Imperial Cities and Yuletide Markets River Cruise - MS Emily Brontë
Holiday Highlights
- Explore Budapest, Vienna and Bratislava on guided tours of the cities.
- Soak up the festive ambience at the festive Yuletide Markets of Vienna and Bratislava.
- Enjoy the kaleidoscope of winter scenery along the banks of the Danube River.
- Relax with a five-night stay on board in your choice of luxury cabin or suite, with river views.
What's Included
- Prices are per person, based on two people sharing a twin cabin with a limited number of sole occupancy cabins available on all decks, at the relevant supplement. The price includes:
- All meals on board - from dinner on your day of arrival until breakfast on your final day - including welcome cocktails and the Captain's dinner.
- Complimentary on-board tea and coffee
- All visits and excursions as mentioned
- Airport transfers
- Coach travel as mentioned
- Travel to and from port of embarkation
- The services of a Riviera Travel cruise director and concierge
Itinerary
Day 1
You fly to Budapest, where a coach transfers you to your five-star cruise ship moored in this beautiful city straddling the banks of the glorious Danube. As you step on board you will be greeted by your professional, five-star crew who are on hand to help you settle in as you familiarise yourself with the layout of this splendid ship. We are moored overnight so you may fancy a wander ashore to start exploring this charismatic city, so full of atmosphere at this special time of year. It won’t be long before our first excellent dinner is served in the ship’s restaurant, over which you can get acquainted with some of your fellow travellers. Enjoy a digestif in the welcoming lounge as you ponder all that the next few days has in store!
Day 2
Budapest is always an atmospheric and fascinating city, but at this time of the year, the muted colours of its magnificent archaic spires and grand domes are especially captivating on the wintry skyline. The historic and palatial buildings, the superb Roman ruins and exquisite Art Nouveau architecture provide a truly impressive backdrop for the city’s acclaimed Christmas markets. This morning we enjoy a guided tour seeing the main sights such as the iconic Parliament Building and the ancient Castle District with its winding streets and panoramic views. There’s free time to explore under your own steam, so perhaps take in one of the city’s fine museums or simply wander the markets. Soak up the traditional atmosphere as classical music fills the air along with the delicious smells of spicy gingerbread and peppery goulash – and don’t forget the mulled wine to stave off the winter chill! Back on board for lunch, excitement mounts as we slip our mooring and our adventure begins; just sit back and relax as the fairytale landscape glides by through the ship’s panoramic windows. This afternoon we witness a cruising highlight as we navigate the Danube Bend, where the river spectacularly winds its way through a narrow twisting valley, flanked by high mountains and snow covered hillsides. Wrap up and take to the deck to enjoy this wonderful kaleidoscope of Christmas card scenery drifting by in the frosty air, then return to the warmth of the ship’s inviting lounge and catch up on some reading or write those final Christmas cards. Later head to the convivial atmosphere of the ship’s well-stocked bar for your favourite aperitif, before another excellent dinner is served.
Click here to take a virtual tour of the MS Emily Brontë
It is extremely difficult to convey just how extraordinary this outstanding ship really is and exactly what distinguishes it from similar vessels. It would be very easy to just say ‘luxurious’ but it’s much more than that; we have deliberately avoided the current trend for a minimalist style where you could be anywhere in the world, creating instead a unique yet exquisite blend of understated taste, style and elegance at the highest level. Immediately striking is just how exceptionally spacious this new vessel is as you enter a gleaming, richly coloured marble-floored lobby flooded with natural light from a stunning atrium above. Moving inside, exceptional creativity from Europe’s finest design studio has produced a superbly balanced masterpiece of onboard style, utilising sustainable rich hardwoods, gleaming brass and polished copper, sparkling glass and intricate wrought iron. The ship is beautifully illuminated throughout – including the exterior and imaginatively furnished with harmonious colour schemes, all designed to create the serene atmosphere reflective of the golden age of cruising which time after time you tell us you adore.
The restaurant rivals the finest on shore establishments taking fine dining to another level complemented by delicate European porcelain, gleaming glassware and the intuitive service in which the Swiss excel. This superb vessel carries 44 in-house trained crew members serving just 169 guests (similar size vessels may carry well over 190 passengers) giving the ratio which our experience proves is concurrent with our first class service levels.
Furthermore your suite will easily exceed your expectations for not only will you enjoy the most discerning décor, so too the ship’s dimensions afford the ultimate in space and comfort - a minimum 16 square metres (172 square feet), with upgrades available to ‘Superior’ and ‘Deluxe’ accommodation.