West meets East on one grand explorationThis trip combines two wonderful itineraries, European Serenade and Eastern Europe Explorer, into one grand journey where you'll experience both Western and Eastern Europe and visit nine countries, The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania.
This adventure gives you the chance to see countless historic districts, museums and churches - many of them UNESCO listed. And it provides you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the cultures of the countries you visit, observe the daily rituals of the locals and get an idea of what life is like in Europe's historic cities and villages, not just today, but in centuries past.
Travel the old pathways of kings and queens
Sail through the heart of Europe for more than 2,200 miles. Enjoy the natural beauty of pastoral landscapes, the vineyards of the romantic Rhine and the Danube's famed Iron Gates. Witness the dramatic changes in Eastern European countries since the end of the Cold War to the European Union membership. See the works of famous Dutch Masters at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Listen to the whimsical music from unique mechanical instruments while in Rudesheim. And experience plenty of UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as the Cologne Cathedral, Bamberg's and Regensburg's Old Towns, Budapest's Castle Hill district, the Upper Middle Rhine Valley with its many castles, and the wonderfully scenic Wachau Valley. This perfectly-paced trip truly is a voyage and value of a lifetime!
Who will enjoy this cruise: Those ready for a real quest and a life-enhancing experience that takes you from the colorful canals of Amsterdam to the captivating and reemerging cities of Eastern Europe.
Cruise Highlights include:
24-night cruise in an outside stateroom on the luxurious Grand River Duchess or regal Grand River Countess2 nights at the Superior First Class JW Marriott Bucharest (or similar) with breakfastClassical European cuisine with a twist of contemporary eleganceComplimentary wine during dinner, and bottled water in your stateroom21 shore excursions fully hosted by English-speaking guidesState-of-the-art Quietvox portable audio headset system on all shore excursionsCaptain's Welcome and Farewell DinnersEnriching onboard entertainment and insightful lecturesAn experienced Cruise Manager and attentive all English-speaking crewAll transfers