Budapest To The Black Sea

Upon arrival transfer to the port and embark your 5★ luxury river ship and meet your friendly crew, who will welcome you on board and help you settle into your spacious, luxuriously appointed suite. The ship remains here overnight, so watch dusk descend over Hungary’s capital as you enjoy your first dinner on board.

*Please note - itinerary is based on 2026 departures.*

Discover Kalocsa and learn all about paprika, or drive into the Puszta with a visit to an equestrian farm

★INCLUDED EXCURSION: Guided tour of Kalocsa with paprika museum or Puszta drive with Equestrian farm visit

Uncover the contrasting faces of Belgrade on a guided tour in the shadow of the Kalemegdan Fortress, then enjoy a folklore show

★INCLUDED EXCURSION : Guided tour of Belgrade

For many, today will be a highlight of the cruise as we begin our passage through the magnificent Iron Gates Gorge. One of the most memorable stretches of the Danube, this is where the river cuts its mighty path between the Carpathian and Balkan Mountain ranges, forming part of the boundary between Serbia and Romania.

The ‘true’ Iron Gates is a single narrow gorge, but the name covers an entire 83-mile stretch of valleys where towering limestone cliffs plunge into the depths below. During the 1960s and ’70s, two hydroelectric power stations were built here, and their dams raised the river level by over 100 feet, submerging a number of historic settlements.

We pass through the Great Kazan, meaning ‘cauldron’, where the river narrows to just 500 feet. As the Captain skilfully steers us through, you’ll see the huge sculpture of a Romanian hero – Decebalus – carved into the rock.

Created in the 1990s, at over 130 feet high it is the largest rock relief in Europe – it even dwarfs the US presidents at Mount Rushmore. Decebalus was the last king of Dacia, the kingdom stretching from the Carpathians to the Black Sea. A warrior through and through, he fought the Roman Empire in three campaigns before the emperor Trajan got the better of him. Decebalus fled into the Carpathians, taking his own life rather than being captured.

On a day like this, the spacious Sun deck comes into its own. Watch the spectacular scenery drift by from the comfort of a sun lounger or maybe enjoy a drink with new friends. You may even find an ice cream being served on the Bow deck, which is beautifully attired with soft furnishings and stylish wooden fittings.

Discover Pleven’s Panorama Museum and its old town on a guided tour and enjoy an on-board Bulgarian folk music show

★INCLUDED EXCURSION: Guided tour of Pleven

Enjoy a guided tour of Bucharest, ‘Little Paris’, with its tree-lined boulevards and elegant belle-époque villas

★INCLUDED EXCURSION: Guided tour of Bucharest

Overnight, we'll cruise towards Brăila, and this morning, we take a coach from Brăila to Tulcea, clinging to seven hills overlooking the river and regarded as the gateway to the vast Danube Delta on the edge of the Black Sea. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Danube Delta is the best preserved and second-largest river delta in Europe.

We'll board smaller boats and sail into the tranquil Danube Delta. Our guide helps to point out some of the fascinating flora and fauna – you could spot a colourful kingfisher or a catfish darting beneath the water's glassy surface.

The Danube Delta consists of 2,200 square miles of rivers, marshes, tree-fringed lakes and reed islands and is home to nearly 3,500 animal and fish species and 1,700 types of plants. A birdwatcher's paradise, the maze of canals bordered by willows and oaks offers the perfect breeding ground for countless species. Millions of Egyptian white pelicans arrive here every spring to raise their young, while equal numbers of Arctic geese come to escape the harsh Northern European winters. Keep an eye out for cormorants and white-tailed eagles. 

(Please note, lunch is not provided on this full day excursion; the ship will prepare a packed lunch snack to take with you.)

As dusk falls on this magical landscape, we slip our moorings again. Enjoy another delicious dinner, maybe tonight choosing a more intimate dining experience in the Riverview Kitchen at the stern.

Visit Constant¸a with its rich Greek and Roman legacy and landmark Art Nouveau casino

★INCLUDED EXCURSION: Guided tour of Constanta

See Ruse and the churches of Ivanovo and Basarbovo, or visit Veliko Tarnovo, Arbanasi & Ivanovo

★INCLUDED EXCURSION: Full-day guided tour to Veliko Tarnovo, Arbanasi and Ivanovo or Half-day guided tour of Ruse, Ivanovo & Basarbovo with free afternoon in Ruse

Moor in Vidin, home to the fortress of Baba Vidin, to visit the rock formations of Belogradchik

★INCLUDED EXCURSION: Guided visit to the Belogradchik Rocks

Cruise the Iron Gates Gorge, visit Lepenski Vir, an important archaeological site and Kapetan Mišin breg

★INCLUDED EXCURSION: Guided visit to Lepenski Vir

★INCLUDED EXCURSION: Guided visit to Kapetan Mišin breg with tasting of local snacks

Explore on a guided tour of Novi Sad with its maze of underground tunnels. Tonight enjoy a performance of popular Serbian melodies

★INCLUDED EXCURSION: Guided tour of Novi Sad

Enjoy guided tours of Vukovar and Osijek ports, or enjoy a boat ride in Kopacˇki Rit Nature Park

★INCLUDED EXCURSION: Guided tour of Vukovar & Osijek or Guided visit to Kopacˇki Rit Nature Park

Return to Budapest for a guided tour this afternoon, and a Hungarian folklore show as a fitting finale to your cruise

★INCLUDED EXCURSION: Guided panoramic coach tour of Budapest or Active tour with a guided walk of the castle district