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Highlights of Eastern Europe
from $3,959 pp

  • Duration: 10 Days
  • Destinations: Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Serbia

Uniworld | 10 Days | Budapest to Bucharest

April-August 2026 Departures

Immerse yourself in new cultures as you travel from splendid Budapest to dynamic Bucharest, discovering the best that the revitalized nations of Eastern Europe have to offer along the way.

Gaze in wonder at the lofty spires of Hungary’s Parliament Building as it rises majestically above the Danube in Budapest. Sit down for friendly, intimate meals with farmers in Croatia and enthusiastic locals in Bulgaria. Uncover scores of little-known treasures and step back in time to investigate the history and legends along the Danube.

Who will love this cruise? Explorers wishing to discover ancient lands and modern multicultural cities. Photographers, amateur archaeologists, connoisseurs of regional cuisines, and anyone who loves beautiful and mysterious locales.

AAA Member Benefits and Special Offers:

  • Member Benefits
    • Up to $500 per couple savings
  • AAA Vacations® Amenities
    • Up to $300 per couple onboard spending credit on select sailings
Call to Book 1-800-529-3222
Included With Your Trip

What's Included:

Dining:

  • All meals onboard, prepared using the finest and freshest ingredients
  • 9 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 7 dinners
  • 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

Excursions:

  • 7 days of excursions, all fully hosted by English-speaking local experts
  • Guided “Let's Go” program
  • State-of-the-art Quietvox portable audio-headset system on all excursions
  • Use of bicycles and Nordic walking sticks

Accommodations:

  • 7-night cruise in a riverview stateroom on the majestic S.S. Beatrice or the imperial River Duchess
  • 2 nights in Bucharest at The Marmorosch Bucharest hotel (or similar) with breakfast
  • 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 Wi-Fi

Experiences:

  • 5 countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Serbia
  • 2 UNESCO World Heritage sites
  • Services of an experienced Uniworld Cruise Manager
  • Gratuities for onboard personnel (ship staff, crew, Cruise/Tour Manager) are included during the cruise/tour
  • Cultural enrichment, including captivating onboard local entertainment
Additional Information

Day 1: Budapest, Hungary (Embark)

Arrive at Budapest Ferenc Liszt 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 the ship.

Day 2: Budapest, Hungary

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, or cover more ground with a panoramic tour. Vibrant Budapest, Hungary’s capital, offers an enchanting combination of East and West.

Day 3: Batina (Osijek), Vukovar, Croatia

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.

Day 4: Belgrade, Serbia

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.

Day 5: Golubac, Cruising the Iron Gates

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.

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 6: Vidin, Bulgaria 

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 indulge in a tasting at a local winery.

Day 7: Ruse, Bulgaria

Bulgaria’s foremost Danube port, Ruse is sometimes called “Little Vienna” for its elegant 19th-century mansions and public buildings.

Day 8: Giurgiu (Disembark), Transfer to Bucharest

This morning, you’ll disembark the ship in Giurgiu and drive through the countryside to Bucharest, where you’ll enjoy a panoramic city tour and a visit to People’s Palace. Tonight, you’ll relax in the comfort of a luxury hotel located in the heart of the city, Romania’s capital and its cultural and economic center.

Day 9-10: Bucharest, Romania

Get to know the bustling heart of Romania's capital city with a full day to explore Bucharest on your own.

Check out of your hotel this morning. If your cruise/tour package includes a group departure transfer or if you have purchased a private departure transfer, you will be transferred to Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport for your flight home.

Departure Dates
Start: April 1, 2026
End: August 31, 2026
Price: $3,959 pp


Price My Trip
Price My Trip
Product Code: AAA-Uniworld

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