Christmas on the Danube
- calendar_today 18 Dec 2027
- bedtime 7 nights
- directions_boat Viking Gullveig
- location_on Depart from Regensburg
- Outside price from $4,289*/person
- Balcony price from $4,989*/person
- Suite price from $8,989*/person
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This 7-night Christmas voyage aboard Viking Gullveig departs Regensburg on 18 December, sailing the Danube through the Christmas markets of Passau and Vienna before arriving in Budapest on Christmas morning, with all meals, wine and beer with lunch and dinner, shore excursions and gratuities included.
There is no better way to experience Christmas in Europe than from the deck of a Viking Longship. The Danube corridor between Regensburg and Budapest is the heartland of the continent’s Christmas market tradition, and this sailing puts you in the middle of it all. Gluhwein in Passau, the Schonbrunn market in Vienna, and Christmas morning in Budapest with the Vörösmárty Square market and a walk across the illuminated Chain Bridge. It is as close to a perfect Christmas as a traveller can get.
Past Viking guests booking before 30 April 2026 receive double their standard loyalty discount, an additional $800 per stateroom for those who sailed in the last 12 months, or $400 per stateroom for those who sailed more than 12 months ago. Enquire today before this deadline closes.
Dream bigger – flexible booking options available.
Your Cruiseabout specialist will walk you through the flexible booking options available with Viking and find the right fare for your situation. Expert advice included.
INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKAGE
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SAVE up to $5,000* per stateroom
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7 night luxury river voyage from Regensburg to Budapest or vice versa
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One complimentary shore excursion in every port of call
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Free Wi-Fi (connection speed may vary)
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Beer, wine & soft drinks with onboard lunch & dinner
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24-hour specialty coffees, teas & bottled water
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Port taxes & fees
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Enrichment lectures & Destination Performances
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Onboard gratuities
YOUR ITINERARY
Regensburg is the oldest city on the Danube and one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe, and boarding Viking Gullveig here is a fittingly grand beginning.
Having escaped major bomb damage during the Second World War, the UNESCO World Heritage old town looks much as it did centuries ago. The 12th-century Stone Bridge with its 16 arches, St Peter’s Cathedral widely considered Bavaria’s finest Gothic work, and the Neupfarrplatz square, once a Jewish quarter, a marketplace and the site of Nazi book burnings, together tell a city’s long and layered history. Tonight the Christmas lights are on and the Danube is waiting.
Regensburg at Christmas is one of the most atmospheric experiences in Bavaria, and today is yours to spend in the middle of it.
The medieval streets fill with the scent of gingerbread and gluhwein, hidden courtyards open to reveal stalls selling handcrafted dolls, pottery and silk paintings, and the warm glow of fairy lights reflects off the 12th-century stone facades. The Regensburger Domspatzen, one of the oldest and most celebrated boys’ choirs in the world, was founded at the cathedral in 975 and still performs here during the Christmas season. If they are singing while you are in town, do not miss it.
Passau at Christmas is one of the most beautiful stops on the entire Danube corridor.
St Stephen’s Cathedral, home to the largest church pipe organ in the world with 17,974 pipes, is the anchor of the Christkindlmarkt that spreads through the cobblestone streets around it. The handmade ornaments, carved woodwork and local confectionery at the market stalls are exceptional, and the cathedral hosts choral concerts throughout the festive season. If the choir is performing during your visit, the sound filling those baroque walls is something you will not forget.
Today is the most scenically varied day of the voyage, moving from one of Europe’s most beautiful river valleys to one of its greatest imperial capitals.
The Wachau Valley unfolds along the Danube like a painting, its terraced vineyard slopes, hilltop castle ruins and riverside villages reflecting the December light in shades of amber and grey. Krems at the valley’s eastern end is surrounded by some of the finest Riesling and Gruner Veltliner vineyards in Austria, and its cobblestone streets and wine taverns are worth exploring if time allows. Then Vienna arrives, and the city delivers everything the name promises: the Ringstrasse boulevard, the Hofburg Palace, the State Opera and the Viennese coffeehouses where a Sachertorte and a melange coffee are the best possible preparation for the Christmas markets that await tomorrow.
Vienna has more Christmas markets than almost any other city in Europe, and a full day here barely covers them all.
The Schonbrunn market, set in the baroque forecourt of the Habsburg summer palace, is one of the most beautiful Christmas settings in the world. The Freyung market in the city centre, the candlelit Am Hof Square with its choral performances, and the Belvedere market overlooking the baroque palace and its reflecting pools all offer distinct atmospheres and exceptional handcrafted gifts. Between markets, the Viennese coffeehouses are warm, unhurried and essential.
A third day in Vienna sounds indulgent and is exactly that.
The Kunsthistorisches Museum houses one of the greatest art collections in Europe, assembled by the Habsburgs over centuries. The Vienna State Opera offers morning guided tours even when not performing. And the Viennese coffeehouse, listed by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of humanity, is reason enough to spend an entire afternoon going nowhere in particular. Order an Einspanner, take the corner table, and let Vienna do what it does best.
Christmas Eve on the Danube, and Budapest is waiting at the end of it.
The Danube Bend, a dramatic 40-kilometre curve through forested hills and ancient royal hunting grounds in northern Hungary, is one of the most beautiful passages on the entire river and best appreciated from the deck with a warm drink in hand. Then the lights of Budapest appear and the city reveals itself in its full Christmas splendour. Vorösmärty Square hosts the largest Christmas market in Hungary, St Stephen’s Basilica is illuminated with nightly light shows, and the Chain Bridge glitters across the Danube between Buda and Pest. Christmas Eve in Budapest is extraordinary.
Merry Christmas. You are in Budapest, and there is no better place to be.
Christmas morning in the city has its own quiet magic before the day fills up. A walk across the Chain Bridge at dawn, the castle quarter dusted with winter air and the Danube moving silently below, is a memory worth carrying home. Disembarkation is today, but Budapest extends a generous invitation to linger — the thermal baths, the ruin bars and the extraordinary food scene are all still very much open. Ask your Cruiseabout specialist about post-cruise Budapest extensions if you are not quite ready to say goodbye.
YOUR SHIP - The Viking Gullveig
Her name means “gold branch.” This beautiful, beguiling Norse sorceress loves and desires nothing more than gold. When she leaves the realm of the Vanir gods and travels to Asgard, home of the Aesir gods, in search of gold, Gullveig talks of nothing else. Worried by her gold-lust, the Aesir cast her into the fire three times. Each time she rises from the flame brighter and more beautiful. When she then returns to the Vanir, they vow to avenge her mistreatment, and so begins the fabled war between the worlds.
Boutique
Elevator
Laundry Service
Walking Track
Bar
Lounge
Raffles Court & Terrace
The Restaurant
Veranda
Description
Her name means “gold branch.” This beautiful, beguiling Norse sorceress loves and desires nothing more than gold. When she leaves the realm of the Vanir gods and travels to Asgard, home of the Aesir gods, in search of gold, Gullveig talks of nothing else. Worried by her gold-lust, the Aesir cast her into the fire three times. Each time she rises from the flame brighter and more beautiful. When she then returns to the Vanir, they vow to avenge her mistreatment, and so begins the fabled war between the worlds.
Other
Boutique
Elevator
Laundry Service
Walking Track
Food and Drink
Bar
Lounge
Raffles Court & Terrace
The Restaurant
Veranda
Launched
2014
Tonnage
5,000
Length
443
Capacity
190
AVAILABLE STATEROOMS
Click the tabs to view the different staterooms with their category
![Standard Stateroom -[F]](https://www.cruiseabout.com.au/volume/images/original/1581070208.jpg)
Standard Stateroom -[F]
![French Balcony Stateroom-[D]](https://www.cruiseabout.com.au/volume/images/original/1597406950.jpg)
French Balcony Stateroom-[D]
![Veranda Suite-[AA]](https://www.cruiseabout.com.au/volume/images/original/1597407010.jpg)
Veranda Suite-[AA]
Outside from $4,289*
![Standard Stateroom-[E]](https://www.cruiseabout.com.au/volume/images/original/1581070181.jpg)
Standard Stateroom-[E]
Standard Stateroom -[F]
Balcony from $4,989*
![Veranda Stateroom-[A]](https://www.cruiseabout.com.au/volume/images/original/1597406972.jpg)
Veranda Stateroom-[A]
![Veranda Stateroom-[B]](https://www.cruiseabout.com.au/volume/images/original/1597406966.jpg)
Veranda Stateroom-[B]
![French Balcony Stateroom-[C]](https://www.cruiseabout.com.au/volume/images/original/1597406942.jpg)
French Balcony Stateroom-[C]
French Balcony Stateroom-[D]
Suite from $8,989*
Veranda Suite-[AA]
![Explorer Suite-[ES]](https://www.cruiseabout.com.au/volume/images/original/1597407043.jpg)
Explorer Suite-[ES]
ALTERNATIVE DATES
View our alternative dates and durations below for this cruise. Prices based on twinshare cabin.
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DateTripCruise ShipNightsPrice per person
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27th Nov ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Budapest to RegensburgViking Var- 7Nights7
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27th Nov ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Regensburg to BudapestViking Tor- 7Nights7
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28th Nov ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Budapest to RegensburgViking Gullveig- 7Nights7
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28th Nov ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Regensburg to BudapestViking Egil- 7Nights7
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29th Nov ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Budapest to RegensburgViking Jarl- 7Nights7
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29th Nov ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Budapest to RegensburgViking Magni- 7Nights7
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29th Nov ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Regensburg to BudapestViking Atla- 7Nights7
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1st Dec ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Budapest to RegensburgViking Ve- 7Nights7
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3rd Dec ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Budapest to RegensburgViking Vali- 7Nights7
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4th Dec ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Budapest to RegensburgViking Tor- 7Nights7
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4th Dec ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Regensburg to BudapestViking Var- 7Nights7
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5th Dec ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Regensburg to BudapestViking Gullveig- 7Nights7
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6th Dec ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Regensburg to BudapestViking Jarl- 7Nights7
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6th Dec ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Regensburg to BudapestViking Magni- 7Nights7
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8th Dec ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Regensburg to BudapestViking Ve- 7Nights7
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10th Dec ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Regensburg to BudapestViking Vali- 7Nights7
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11th Dec ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Budapest to RegensburgViking Var- 7Nights7
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11th Dec ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Regensburg to BudapestViking Tor- 7Nights7
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12th Dec ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Budapest to RegensburgViking Gullveig- 7Nights7
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12th Dec ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Regensburg to BudapestViking Egil- 7Nights7
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13th Dec ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Budapest to RegensburgViking Jarl- 7Nights7
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13th Dec ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Budapest to RegensburgViking Magni- 7Nights7
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13th Dec ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Regensburg to BudapestViking Atla- 7Nights7
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15th Dec ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Budapest to RegensburgViking Ve- 7Nights7
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17th Dec ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Budapest to RegensburgViking Vali- 7Nights7
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18th Dec ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Budapest to RegensburgViking Tor- 7Nights7
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18th Dec ‘26Christmas on the Danube – Regensburg to BudapestViking Var- 7Nights7
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26th Nov ‘27Christmas on the Danube – Budapest to RegensburgViking Tor- 7Nights7
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26th Nov ‘27Christmas on the Danube – Regensburg to BudapestViking Var- 7Nights7
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27th Nov ‘27Christmas on the Danube – Budapest to RegensburgViking Gullveig- 7Nights7
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27th Nov ‘27Christmas on the Danube – Regensburg to BudapestViking Egil- 7Nights7
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30th Nov ‘27Christmas on the Danube – Budapest to RegensburgViking Ve- 7Nights7
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3rd Dec ‘27Christmas on the Danube – Budapest to RegensburgViking Var- 7Nights7
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3rd Dec ‘27Christmas on the Danube – Regensburg to BudapestViking Tor- 7Nights7
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4th Dec ‘27Christmas on the Danube – Regensburg to BudapestViking Gullveig- 7Nights7
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7th Dec ‘27Christmas on the Danube – Regensburg to BudapestViking Ve- 7Nights7
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10th Dec ‘27Christmas on the Danube – Budapest to RegensburgViking Tor- 7Nights7
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10th Dec ‘27Christmas on the Danube – Regensburg to BudapestViking Var- 7Nights7
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11th Dec ‘27Christmas on the Danube – Budapest to RegensburgViking Gullveig- 7Nights7
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11th Dec ‘27Christmas on the Danube – Regensburg to BudapestViking Egil- 7Nights7
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14th Dec ‘27Christmas on the Danube – Budapest to RegensburgViking Ve- 7Nights7
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17th Dec ‘27Christmas on the Danube – Budapest to RegensburgViking Var- 7Nights7
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17th Dec ‘27Christmas on the Danube – Regensburg to BudapestViking Tor- 7Nights7
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18th Dec ‘27Christmas on the Danube – Regensburg to BudapestViking Gullveig- 7Nights7
Important Notice
The following product terms and conditions apply in addition to our Booking Terms and Conditions (available on our website) and terms and conditions of the relevant travel service provider. Prices quoted are valid for sale until 30 June 2026 for travel during the period specified (if applicable) unless otherwise stated or sold out prior. All prices are per person, twin share (unless otherwise stated), subject to availability and may be withdrawn or varied without notice. All savings are included in the advertised price. Some categories may have obstructed views. Airfare (including internal flights) is not included unless otherwise stated and, if included, is economy class unless otherwise stated. Airfares require full payment in order to ticket. Airfares if included are based on specific dates and routings. Flights may be altered up to the package value which your Cruise Travel Advisor will be able to advise. Components of the total price including local payments, “resort fees”, “national park fees”, “trip kitties” and food funds (if applicable) may be payable direct to the supplier on arrival or to your travel consultant prior to your departure. Where applicable, these payments are included in the total price quoted. Onboard spending money is not included unless otherwise stated. If included it is per stateroom unless stated otherwise, is non-transferable, non-refundable and has no cash value. Onboard spending money/credit may not be used in the medical centre or casino and expires at the end of the cruise. Gratuities are not included unless otherwise stated. Prices shown are fully inclusive of taxes, levies and government charges current at the time of publication. Additional supplier conditions and travel restrictions may apply. Prices shown are for payments made by cash in store or by BPAY. Payments made in store by credit card will incur a surcharge (see Booking Terms and Conditions for further details). Prices quoted are accurate as of 30 March 2026 and may be higher depending on date of purchase and date of travel. Cruiseabout cannot guarantee that any particular product will still be available at the following prices, or for your exact dates of travel. At the time of making your booking, prices may differ to the price displayed on the website. Savings of up to $5,000 per stateroom apply to selected river voyages. Savings of up to $2,500 per stateroom apply to selected ocean and expedition voyages. Additional savings are available on selected river and ocean departures travelling between August and November 2026. All offers are valid for new bookings only, made between 1 April and 30 June 2026 at 5:00pm AEST, unless sold out prior, and apply to selected River, Ocean and Expedition itineraries departing 2026, 2027 and 2028. Past guests booking between 1 and 30 April 2026 are eligible for double the standard past guest discount. Guests who sailed with Viking in the last 12 months receive an additional $800 per stateroom discount. Guests who sailed more than 12 months ago receive an additional $400 per stateroom discount.A flexible deposit of $1,000 per booking is required to secure your reservation. Deposit terms and cancellation conditions apply — ask your Cruiseabout specialist for full details.All offers are capacity controlled and may be withdrawn or modified at any time. Viking reserves the right to correct any errors or omissions. Terms and exclusions apply. Member tier determines benefit access. Some earn exclusions apply (incl service, change/cancellation & merchant fees, gift card purchases and bookings with brand credit). Some products redeemable in store only and minimum and maximum point redemption values apply. Ask in store or visit https://rewards.cruiseabout.com.au/world360-rewards for full details. Please contact your Cruiseabout Travel Advisor to obtain the latest up to date information regarding applicable prices, fees and charges, taxes, availability, blackout dates (such as school holidays), seasonal surcharges and other terms and conditions which may apply. VIKSEP17