Uniworld Grand Europe River Cruise 2009 - Grand European Discovery

2010 EARLYBIRD SPECIAL

PAY-IN-FULL at time of booking on or before September 30, 2009 to SAVE A$2,600 per couple (A$1,300 per person) off twin share cruise only rates on suites or category 1 and 2 staterooms. SAVE A$1,300 per couple (A$650 per person) on category 3, 4, and 5 staterooms.

OR BOOK and DEPOSIT on or before November 30, 2009 to SAVE A$650 per couple (A$325 per person) off twin share cruise only rates.

Grand European Discovery
Basel to Vienna - 15 Days

Combine the Danube and Rhine Discovery into one Grand European Discovery

Travel along three majestic rivers - the legendary Rhine, the meandering Main, and the enchanting Danube - where you'll be inspired at every turn. You'll touch history in Switzerland, France, Germany, and Austria.

Visit wonderfully preserved towns that offer a glimpse into life as it must have been lived centuries ago in Miltenberg, with its crooked streets and leaning houses, and Strasbourg's Petite France, which is lined with canals. Explore legendary landmarks - the Niederwald Monument in Rüdesheim, the 900-year-old Melk Abbey, and the UNESCO World Heritage Würzburg Residenz Palace. Enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride through the enchanting Bavarian Forest. And get a taste of culinary diversity while indulging in wiener schnitzel in Austria, sipping fine Rheingau and Franconian wines, and drinking hearty beers from Germany.

Come discover what's grand about Europe on this allencompassing adventure with lots of scenic sailing and leisurely sightseeing.

Who will enjoy this cruise: Naturalists looking to view some of the most stunning topography in Europe from the majestic Alps to the sweep of the Danube. History enthusiasts, music lovers, and those looking for Old World Charm – it’s here in abundance.

European Discovery ( Category L - Rhine Deck SUITE / Category 1 - Rhine Deck / Category 2 - Danube Deck / Category 3 - Main Deck / Category 4 - Moselle Deck / Category 5 - Moselle Deck ) What's Included

Sightseeing Highlights

  * Basel: A guided walking tour of the city.
  * Strasbourg: See Strasbourg on a canal cruise.
  * Speyer: Gondola ride to Neiderwald Monument.
  * Miltenberg: A walking tour of this Medieval town.
  * Würzburg: Enjoy wine tasting of Franconian wines
  * Bamberg: A walking tour of this UNESCO World Heritage site.
  * Nuremberg: City tour.
  * Regensburg: See the Cathedral of St. Peter on your guided walking tour.
  * Passau: Walking tour and St. Stephan’s Organ concert.
  * Melk: A guided tour of through the Abbey.
  * Vienna: City tour.

Dining Highlights

  * Exciting on-board entertainment and insightful lectures
  * Captain’s Welcome & Farewell Dinners
  * All meals on board ship: breakfast, lunch and dinner

First Class Travel Highlights

  * 14-night cruise in an outside stateroom on the River Countess
  * 12 shore excursions with all-English speaking guides
  * Cruise Manager throughout your cruise
  * Airport Transfers will be provided
  * A stylish travel bag and wallet containing tour documents and helpful information

Complimentary Transfers

  * Arrival Transfers: Flights must arrive between 0800 and 1500 on the day that the cruise departs in order to receive airport to ship transfers. These transfers are group transfers and passengers may experience a waiting period between transfers. Passengers will need to make their way to the meet and greet area where they will be met by a representative holding a TRAFALGAR UNIWORLD sign. Passengers arriving outside these times will need to make their own arrangements or purchase a private transfer.
  * Departure Transfers: Flights must depart between 0800 and 1400 on the day that the cruise ends in order to receive the ship to airport transfer. Passengers departing later than this must make their own arrangements or purchase private transfers.

Important Note: Complimentary transfers will vary on certain tours especially if a Land portion is included on the tour. Please contact Costless Holidays at time of booking to confirm the Complimentary transfer status on your selected tour.

European Discovery ( Category L - Rhine Deck SUITE / Category 1 - Rhine Deck / Category 2 - Danube Deck / Category 3 - Main Deck / Category 4 - Moselle Deck / Category 5 - Moselle Deck )

Day 1: Arrive Basel
Arrive in Basel and be greeted by a cruise representative who will escort you to the ship. (Dinner)

Day 2: Basel
Basel, Switzerland’s second largest city, is best explored on foot. Your guide will take you to the attractive Old Town with fine buildings, Münster Cathedral, the striking Medieval City Hall, and the maze of narrow alleys along the banks of the Rhine. (Breakfast, Lunch, Captain’s Welcome Dinner)

Featured Excursion: Basel City Walk
Onboard Highlight: Captain’s Welcome Dinner

Day 3: Strasbourg
See Strasbourg in the way it has been seen through the centuries—on a canal cruise. You’ll also see Petite France, a picturesque district that seems as if it has been lifted from the pages of a fairytale with its timberland houses adorned with flower boxes. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Featured Excursion: Canal Cruise
Onboard Highlight: Exciting Local Entertainment

Day 4: Speyer (Rüdesheim)
Rüdesheim is one of the most scenic wine towns of the Rhine Valley, and you’ll get to see the beauty of it from “up high” as you travel by gondola to the top of the Niederwald Monument, a symbol of Germany’s birth as a nation. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Featured Excursion: Gondola Ride to Niederwald Monument

Day 5: Aschaffenburg
Aschaffenburg is an impressive 1000-year old town. King Ludwig I called it his “Bavarian Nice” due to its Mediterranean flair. We’ll guide you to the 17th-century Johannisburg Castle with art treasures and “Pompeiianum” – a Roman villa rebuilt on plans discovered in Pompeii. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
*Closed on Mondays

Featured Excursion: Renaissance Castle Johannisburg*
Onboard Highlight: Exciting Onboard Entertainment

Day 6: Miltenberg
Your city tour of Miltenberg, a Medieval town with crooked streets and leaning houses right out of the pages of a German fairytale, takes you past Main Castle on the way into Old Town and New Square. You’ll see the famous Royal Inn, which has been a working hotel since the 16th century, the aptly named Crooked House, and Old Square. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Featured Excursion: Miltenberg Walking Tour

Day 7: Würzburg
You’ll visit Würzburg Residenz Palace, a UNESCO Heritage Site, and one of Germany’s
greatest architectural treasures. Your tour will be capped off with a wine tasting of Franconian wines. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Featured Excursion: Würzburg Residenz & Wine Tasting

Day 8: Cruising Main River & Main-Danube Canal
As we head toward Bamberg, enjoy cruising the Main River passing picturesque green meadows and typical Franconian towns. At the mouth of the Regnitz River marvel at the engineering prowess exemplified in the Main-Danube Canal as you travel through it. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 9: Bamberg
Bamberg is an architectural gem and UNESCO World Heritage Site boasting Renaissance palaces, Baroque houses and a breathtaking cathedral. You’ll discover on your walking tour a town untouched by time. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Featured Excursion: Bamberg Walking Tour

Day 10: Nuremberg
Your Nuremberg tour begins with the Nazi Party Rally grounds, the Medieval landmark of the Kaiserburg Castle, the Medieval town wall and its towers, and ends with a walk to the central market with its beautiful fountain. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Featured Excursion: Nuremberg City Tour

Day 11: Regensburg
An unspoiled gem, Regensburg is a friendly town with quaint cobblestone streets and historic Roman remnants. On your tour, you’ll see the Cathedral of St. Peter, with magnificent stained glass windows dating from the 14th century and the town’s famous 12th-century Stone Bridge. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Featured Excursion: Old Town Walking Tour
Onboard Highlight: Exciting Local Entertainment

Day 12: Passau
Your guided walk starts in the medieval section of Passau and then takes you past St. Stephan’s Cathedral home to Europe’s largest pipe organ and site of your concert.** (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
** Only May 1 to Oct 31, and not on Sunday.

Featured Excursions: Passau Walking Tour and St. Stephan’s Organ Concert

Day 13: Melk and Cruising the Wachau Valley
While in Melk, you’ll be guided through the Melk Abbey, one of the finest examples of Baroque art in the world. Leaving Melk, you’ll enjoy a scenic cruise through the vineyard-rich Wachau Valley. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Featured Excursion: Melk Abbey

Day 14: Vienna
Vienna is a city steeped in history yet on the cusp of current trends. With your panoramic city overview, travel the stately Ringstrasse to St. Stephen’s Cathedral, where Mozart was married, and then onto Figaro House. (Breakfast, Lunch, Captain’s Farewell Dinner)

Featured Excursion: Vienna City Tour
Onboard Highlight: Captain’s Farewell Dinner

Day 15: Depart Vienna
Disembark the ship and transfer to the airport in Vienna for your trip home.

Cruise Ship operating this itinerary:
River Countess

Please Note
The order of sightseeing and itinerary is subject to change.

To reserve your cabin and SAVE call Costless Holidays:

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