Uniworld Eastern Europe River Cruise
with KTBB & Paul Gleiser
May 18-28, 2025 | (7 night cruise + 2 nights in hotel + 1 travel day)
$3729 per person, double occupancy
Day to Day Itinerary
Note: The itineraries presented are subject to modification due to water levels, closures because of public holidays or other uncontrollable factors. Every effort will be made to operate programs as planned, but changes may still be necessary throughout the cruise. This day-to-day schedule is subject to change. Your final day-to-day schedule will be provided onboard on the first day of your cruise.
Day 1 — Fly to Bucharest
Day 2 — Bucharest
Arrive at Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport . If your cruise/tour package includes a group arrival transfer or if you have purchased a private arrival transfer, you will be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to your ship the beautiful SS River Duchess.
Note: For Arrival, Departure and Transfer details, please visit Uniworld.com/transfers. For Port Location details, please visit Uniworld.com/ports.
Day 3 — Bucharest
Get to know the bustling heart of Romania’s capital city with a full day to explore Bucharest on your own.
Day 4 — Bucharest, Transfer to Giurgiu (Embark)
Bucharest is a fascinating combination of Communist grandiosity, elegant French-influenced 19th-century buildings and surprising survivors dating from the 1500s. Today in Bucharest you’ll enjoy a panoramic city tour or a walking tour in the old Lipscani district. Later, you’ll travel via motorcoach to Giurgiu, where your ship awaits.
Featured Excursion: Bucharest Communist tour with People’s Palace
In the evening, a special Captain’s Welcome Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you.
Day 5 — Ruse
Bulgaria’s foremost Danube port, Rousse is sometimes called “Little Vienna” for its elegant 19th-century mansions and public buildings.
Choice of Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanassi with authentic Bulgarian lunch or Rousse walking tour with Ivanovo and Basarbovo Monasteries
Day 6 — Vidin
Vidin is a port town on the Danube that once played an important role in medieval Bulgarian politics, as the great fortress Baba Vida attests. It’s your base for an unusual excursion today—a visit to the fascinating Belogradchik rock formations. Or you can head to a local’s home to bake a traditional Bulgarian dish called banitza.
Choice of Belogradchik red rock valley or Banitza home baking experience
Day 7 — Cruising the Iron Gates, Donji Milanovac, Golubac
Today’s main attraction will be the spectacular scenery along the Danube, as you cruise a stretch of gorges known as the Iron Gates. Later, head ashore to explore a Paleolithic site and an extraordinarily well-preserved medieval fortress. All along the way, history lines the banks of the river. Keep an eye out for Trajan’s Plaque, which the ancient Romans erected to commemorate the road they anchored in the steep cliffs above the water, and Golubac Castle, built in the 14th century and attacked successively by the Serbs, Magyars and Turks.
Featured Excursion: Lepenski Vir archaeological park and Golubac Castle
Unwind onboard as you cruise the breathtaking Iron Gates, an 83-mile-long (134-kilometer-long) stretch of scenic gorges that were cut through the Carpathian and Balkan mountains over eons by the Danube River. These gorges, which act as a natural border between Serbia and Romania, are among the most dramatic and beautiful sights in all of Europe. This was one of the swiftest and most dangerous stretches of the river before two dams were built: Iron Gate I and Iron Gate II. Construction on the dams began in 1964 and took 20 years to complete; they have dramatically altered the area’s landscape, raising the water level by 114 feet (35 meters) and drowning several islands and villages.
Day 8 — Belgrade
Belgrade, the modern-day capital of Serbia, is one of Europe’s oldest cities, dating back some 7,000 years. Signs of its tumultuous history are visible everywhere, juxtaposed with the city’s vibrant modern-day present.
Choice of Belgrade city tour with visit to the Royal Grounds of Karadjordjevic Dynasty Palace or “Let’s Go” “I Bike Belgrade” tour
Day 9 — Vukovar (Osijek), Batina, Mohács
Welcome to Croatia! This ancient country, which has made a remarkable recovery from a brutal civil war, is noted for its beautiful countryside and thriving folk traditions, as well as simple, delicious local rustic food. You’ll dock in Vukovar, Croatia’s biggest port, at the confluence of the Danube and Vuka rivers.
Choice of Vucedol Culture Museum and lunch at a family winery or Home-hosted lunch with Karanac Craft Museum visit
Day 10 — Budapest
Located on opposite sides of the Danube, Buda and Pest each have their own distinctive character and allure. Explore this dynamic and multifaceted city with your choice of excursions—you can see it from a local’s perspective on our walking tour, cover more ground with a panoramic tour or “Let’s Go” with a guided bike ride. Vibrant Budapest, Hungary’s capital, offers an enchanting combination of East and West.
Choice of Budapest Communist Tour or Budapest panoramic highlights with synagogue visit
In the evening, a special Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you.
Day 11 — Budapest (Disembark)
Disembark the ship. If your cruise/tour package includes a group departure transfer or if you have purchased a private departure transfer, you will be transferred to Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport for your flight home. Or you can extend your stay in beautiful Budapest with our exciting optional post-cruise extension.
Prices are per person based on double occupancy
prices include $230 pp Port Charge
$3729 Classic
$4429 Deluxe
$5329 French Balcony
$7929 Suite
If you are a past guest with Uniworld, receive an additional $200 per person discount
PRICE INCLUDES
7 night cruise on the RIVER DUTCHESS ● $150 On Board Credit ● 2 nights in Bucharest at the Radisson Blu Hotel (or similar) ● All transfers on arrival and departure days ● All gratuities onboard ● 9 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 7 dinners ● All meals onboard, prepared using the finest and freshest ingredients ● Captain’s Welcome and Farewell Receptions ● Welcome and Farewell Gala Dinners ● Unlimited beverages onboard, including fine wine, beer, spirits, specialty coffee and tea, soft drinks and mineral water ● 7 days of excursions, including “Choice Is Yours” options, all fully hosted by English-speaking local experts ● Guided “Let’s Go” and “Do as the Locals Do” programs ● State-of-the-art Quietvox portable audio-headset system on all excursions ● Use of bicycles and Nordic walking sticks ● Lavishly appointed riverview staterooms and suites have handcrafted Savoir® Beds of England, high thread count 100% Egyptian cotton sheets and European duvets, and a menu of pillow options ● Free Internet and Wi-Fi access ● 5 countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Serbia ● 2 UNESCO World Heritage sites ● Services of an experienced Uniworld Cruise Manager ● Captivating onboard local entertainment
PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE
Airfare
Items of a personal nature
Alcoholic beverages other than specified
**Travel insurance is recommended**
Your passport cannot expire for at least 6 months after your return. If you are not an American Citizen, you are responsible to have proper documentation to enter any of the ports of call. Failure to do so may result in being denied boarding. As of this writing Covid tests may be required.
Payments: A deposit of 10% of total fare per person is due with booking. Final payment is due January 10, 2025. Deposit may be made with a credit card (no fee). Final payment may be made by check or Zelle, or with a credit card (& 5% fee). We accept MC, VISA, and & AX. Please call us for instructions – 1/800-648-4856.
Cancellations: If cancelled before January 10, 2025, an $400 per person fee is assessed. If cancelled on or after January 10, 2025, package is fully non-refundable. Name changes are allowed up to 100 days prior to departure at $200 per name change. Within 100 days, no changes are allowed for any reason. Credit card fees are non refundable, even if trip is cancelled.
INSURANCE: Insurance is highly recommended. Please contact Sharon Carr Travel for a quote. SCT can book the insurance for you after your trip deposit is made. Please note “cancel anytime” insurance must be done at the same time as the deposit. It does have restrictions and only repays 80% of the trip cost. Insurance does not cover a pandemic.
The overall activity level of this tour is a level 3. This means you’re an on-the-go traveler. You don’t want to miss a thing, so walking and standing for longer periods of time (2-3 hours) isn’t a big deal. A moderately paced two-and-a-half-hour walking tour, covering several miles, hills, and uneven surfaces, is no problem for you. Walking four miles over the course of a day is very doable, as is climbing into and out of various modes of transportation (tuk-tuk, cable car, zodiac, etc.). You can climb three flights of stairs easily and handle altitudes between 6,000 and 9,000 feet. Expect some longer days with early mornings or late nights balanced with free time to recharge or set out on your own adventure. The roads in Costa Rica are notoriously poor and impacted by heavy rains each season making them bumpy and requiring lower driving speeds. In order to experience all that we have included on this tour, we will spend an average of 4-5 hours on your coach to travel to your next stay. You can expect winding and some unpaved roads along the way. Many accommodations can be spread out and you should be prepared to walk a variety of terrain to get to public spaces like resort lobbies and restaurants; you may need to access your room through outdoor pathways. This level is not a fit for travelers who require mobility assistance devices.
SHARON CARR TRAVEL IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR WEATHER-RELATED OR MECHANICAL DELAYS.
Any out of pocket expenses caused by airline delays are the sole responsibility of the client and any refunds due are at the sole discretion of the airline. Client must contact the airline directly for any reimbursement. Once again, INSURANCE IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
RESPONSIBILITY: Sharon Carr Travel/Journey House offers retail travel services to customers, which are provided by separate and independent vendors of travel services. Sharon Carr Travel/Journey House does not operate, control, or otherwise provide the services of the independent travel vendors. Hence, customer agrees that Sharon Carr Travel/Journey House acts only as agent for the client in acquiring transportation, hotel accommodations, sightseeing, and other privileges, or services for the clients’ benefit, and on the express condition that Sharon Carr Travel/Journey House shall not be responsible for any loss, accident, injury, delay, defect, pandemic, omission or irregularity which may occur or be occasioned, whether by reason of any act, negligence or default of any company or person engaged in or responsible for carrying out any of the arrangements, or otherwise in connection there with. The suppliers reserve the right to make minor adjustments to the itinerary. Sharon Carr Travel /Journey House will not be held responsible should any of these suppliers fail to provide the travel services purchased, whether through default or any other cause. Sharon Carr Travel /Journey House is not responsible for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in air schedules or other causes. All such losses or expenses will be the responsibility of the member of the tour. Sharon Carr Travel /Journey House is not responsible for any loss or damage to luggage during the tour. Also, Sharon Carr Travel /Journey House is not liable for any illnesses contracted during or after travel, is not liable for medical care or the adequacy of any care that may be rendered during or after travel. Acceptance of the Tour Contract will serve as a Release of Liability and Assumption of Risk Agreement. This agreement is binding on your heirs, legal representatives and assigns. If, for some reason, a trip must be rescheduled due to any of the above reasons, participants are bound by the new dates of travel, and can only obtain a refund if insurance has been purchased and insurer is contractually bound. SHARON CARR TRAVEL IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR WEATHER RELATED OR MECHANICAL DELAYS.
NOTE TO TRAVELER: The traveler assumes and understands that there is a risk involved with travel and travel activities and/or excursions. The traveler is responsible for reading and abiding by all Health and Safety protocols of the vendor & the destination prior to travel, has reviewed the travel itinerary for accuracy, has been advised of all applicable fees imposed by Sharon Carr Travel/Journey House Travel and the suppliers, and has been offered the option of purchasing trip cancellation/interruption insurance. The traveler also understands that discounted fares and vacation packages typically involve restrictions and that changing any aspect of any travel arrangements may result in the payment of additional money.
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