The Danube: four capitals, one river, every line priced side by side.
Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna and Belgrade sit on the Danube, with Passau, Melk, Dürnstein and the Wachau Valley in between and Prague or Munich a short transfer from the river. Every Danube sailing from AmaWaterways, Avalon, Viking, Uniworld, Scenic, Emerald, Riverside, CroisiEurope, Amadeus and Tauck is here, priced live with taxes, fees and port expenses included and refreshed each time you load the page. Call 1-800-444-1560 and a river cruise expert prices the lines against each other for your week.
Three ways to sail the Danube
Pick a departure city and the list below filters to it.
Budapest to Passau or Vilshofen
- 7 nights, Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, Dürnstein, Melk, Linz, Passau
- Hotel nights in Prague or Munich bolted on before or after
- The itinerary every line runs, so the widest choice of dates and prices
Best for: first river cruise, couples, wine and music lovers
Amsterdam to Budapest, 14 nights
- Rhine, Main and Danube in one voyage through the Main-Danube Canal
- Nuremberg, Bamberg, Würzburg and Regensburg between the two great rivers
- Jewels of Europe with Prague: the long cruise with a Prague stay
Best for: two weeks away, repeat river cruisers
Budapest to the Black Sea
- Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania: the Iron Gates gorge, Belgrade, Vidin, Rousse
- Round trips from Budapest or one way to Bucharest and Giurgiu
- Far fewer ships, so the quietest river stretch in Europe
Best for: seasoned river cruisers, history, the road less traveled
Danube river cruise deals: SmartCruiser picks first
Every Danube sailing from every river line, priced live with taxes, fees and port expenses included. The picks at the top are sailings where booking with SmartCruiser gets you something extra; below them, every departure with full sorting by line, month, length and price.
SmartCruiser picks
Sorted by what you save, biggest firstEvery Danube sailing
Stack any filters, then pick a sortPrices are per person, double occupancy, in US dollars, and include cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses as published by the cruise line at the moment you load this page. Fares are capacity controlled and change daily; the fare is confirmed when you book. Flights, hotels and transfers are extra unless the line’s offer says otherwise. SmartCruiser instant savings and bonus onboard credit are provided by SmartCruiser on top of the cruise line’s price and are not available when booking direct; amounts are per stateroom, vary by stateroom category and are shown for the lowest category offered. Special SmartCruiser rates are pricing SmartCruiser holds on that sailing for its clients, with extra onboard credit; you book your own stateroom and travel on your own. Senior fares apply to guests 55 and over; resident fares need proof of residency in a listed state or province at check-in; police and fire fares apply to active or retired police, fire and EMT personnel with ID. Qualifier-fare savings are measured against the best fare the cruise line offers the general public for the same stateroom category on the day the list was pulled, updated weekly.
Pick your embarkation city
Each button filters the list above to one departure city.
Which line for the Danube?
Every line is on the list above. Our one-line take on each, with a link to its deals page.
When to go
The Danube season runs April to December. These windows have the most space and the best weather for what they offer.
Danube river cruise questions we answer every day
Which direction is better, Budapest to Passau or Passau to Budapest?
Both sail the same river and stops. Westbound ends with a transfer to Munich or Prague; eastbound saves Budapest for last, with the illuminated Parliament as you arrive. Pick by the flights that price best; we check both.
How long is a Danube river cruise?
The classic itinerary is 7 nights between Budapest and Passau or Vilshofen. Grand voyages run 14 nights from Amsterdam to Budapest on the Rhine, Main and Danube, and Lower Danube cruises run 7 to 10 nights between Budapest and Bucharest.
Are flights included?
Some lines sell the cruise with air included or at a fixed add-on and we price it both ways. Close to sailing the line’s air deal is often cheaper than booking your own flights, so ask before you buy tickets.
Which line is best for a first Danube cruise?
AmaWaterways, Viking, Avalon and Emerald run the classic week most often and cover the widest price range. Uniworld, Scenic, Riverside and Tauck are the all-inclusive, higher-service end. Tell us your budget and whether you want excursions, drinks and gratuities included, and we narrow it to two.
Are taxes and fees included in the prices here?
Yes. Every price on this page includes cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses. Flights, hotels, gratuities where not included and optional excursions are extra.
Do you have Rhine and Christmas market cruises too?
Yes: Rhine river cruises, Christmas market river cruises and every other river on our river cruises page.
Talk to a Danube river cruise specialist
Tell us your week and your budget, and we price every Danube line side by side, with taxes and port fees included and the flights and hotel nights worked out. Monday to Thursday 9 to 6, Friday 9 to 5, Saturday 10 to 6 ET.