Europe River Cruising - 15 day Magnificent Europe cruise

Fly free to Europe^

Book a 15 day Magnificent Europe cruise and receive a free flight to Europe:

• available all year round in 2012, if you book any suite category E or D; or
• available in all suite categories if you travel in October to December 2012

Inclusions

• Free return economy airfares including $700 air taxes^
• 14 night cruise abroad one of APT's luxury river ships in category E suite
• Services of a APT cruise director
• Airport transfers on the first and last day
• Tipping of all cruise staff
• All meals on cruise, local wine and beer with lunch and dinner
• Shore excursions in cities, towns and villages
• Complimentary use of bicycles

Itinerary

Day 1. Arrive Amsterdam
Be met at the airport and transferred to your river ship.
14 Nights: one of APT’s luxurious Aria Class or Concerto Class river ships.

Day 2. Amsterdam
Today select your activity from our options in the incredible capital city of The Netherlands.

Day 3. Düsseldorf, Cologne
Arrive in Düsseldorf today and choose your touring activity. After your chosen activity, continue to Cologne, which you’ll discover with a guided walking tour.

Day 4. Rüdesheim
Today cruise through the Rhine Gorge on what is known as the most beautiful stretch of the Rhine. Arrive in Rüdesheim, where you have a choice of activities. This afternoon, your ship enters the Main River.

Day 5. Freudenberg, Wertheim,
Still in Germany, cruise to Freudenberg and enjoy a fascinating demonstration of glass-blowing on board. From here, travel by coach to Wertheim, located where the Main and Tauber rivers meet.

Day 6. Würzburg, Kitzingen
Enjoy a tour of Würzburg that is the capital of Lower Franconia and a crucial centre for wine and trade. Alternatively, visit medieval Rothenburg, a beautiful walled town on the Romantic Road. Later, reboard your ship for lunch and cruise to the picturesque Bavarian town of Kitzingen.

Day 7. Bamberg
After breakfast, disembark and travel to World Heritage-listed Bamberg, one of the few German cities that wasn’t destroyed by bombs during World War II. Here, tour the city’s streets with charming houses and 18th century mansions. Then, visit a traditional Bamberg Beer Haus and enjoy a local brew compliments of APT. Later, return to your ship and cruise into the Main-Danube Canal. Having taken 32 years to construct, the canal is truly a feat of modern engineering. It links the North and Black seas, enabling ships to cross the entire continent.

Day 8. Nuremberg
Nuremberg played a pivotal role for the Nazi Party and was thus systematically bombed by the British and US air forces during World War II. Today, select from three touring options. Perhaps take a World War II tour, or take a medieval tour and see the 900 year-old ramparts that surround the city, the Imperial Castle, the Kaiserburg Fortress and more. The more adventurous may like to see the sights by Segway. At lunch, reboard your ship and continue along the Main-Danube Canal.

Day 9. Regensburg
Arrive in Regensburg today, one of Germany’s best-preserved medieval cities, at the confluence of the Regen and Danube rivers. Here you’ll enjoy the opportunity to see one of the oldest bridges crossing the Danube. a guided sightseeing tour of the city’s architectural highlights - including the Old Town Hall, the World Heritage-listed city centre and the Porta Pretoria. You may opt to visit the nearby Audi Museum and Factory, or perhaps take a guided bicycle tour to the imposing hillside temple of Walhalla.

Day 10. Passau, Linz
This morning arrive in Passau, where the rivers Inn and Ilz join the Danube. Here, you’ll disembark and select from our touring options. Perhaps travel by coach to Salzburg and take a tour of the city’s famous ‘Sound of Music’ sights, including the Wedding Church, Mirabell Gardens and Great Salzburg Festival Hall. Then travel by coach to Linz and rejoin your ship. Or you may like to take a day tour to the World Heritage-listed city of Ceský Krumlov in the Czech Republic. Alternatively, take a tour of Passau, including a visit to St Stephen’s Cathedral, before enjoying a cruise into Austria and to Linz. During your cruise, witness the culinary art involved in making traditional apple strudels during an onboard cooking demonstration. After dinner tonight, perhaps enjoy an evening stroll through Linz.

Day 11. Melk, Dürnstein
Cruise through the Strudengau region to the pretty Wachau Valley this morning and take a guided tour of Melk Abbey, one of the world’s most famous and spectacular monastic sites.  This evening, enjoy sampling delicious regional Wachau Valley wines during a wine tasting.

Day 12. Vienna
Disembark in Vienna this morning and enjoy a walking tour of the historic city, founded in 500 BC. This evening, choose from three tantalising dining options. Perhaps stay on board your luxury river ship and enjoy a classic dinner followed by a Mozart and Strauss concert. Complete your evening with an Illuminations tour around the sights of the famous Ringstrasse Alternatively, opt for an Austrian schnitzel dinner in a local beer garden, or enjoy a traditional dinner in a Heuriger wine inn.

Day 13. Vienna
On your second day in the Austrian capital. Visit Schönbrunn Palace for a tour or explore the impressive collection of artwork at the city’s Fine Arts Museum. Or see another impressive collection, the Hofburg Crown Jewels at the Imperial Treasury Schatzkammer, which boasts a thousand year-old collection of treasures. Alternatively, you may like to take an excursion to Slovakia’s capital, Bratislava, for a tour taking in the key historic landmarks of the former Communist regime.

Day 14. Budapest
Still on the Danube River, arrive in Budapest, the romantic Hungarian capital. Disembark for a tour that includes such places as 500 year-old Matthias Church, St Stephen’s Basilica, the distinctive Fisherman’s Bastion, the Royal Palace and historic Buda Castle, offering views of Buda and Pest over both banks of the river. In the afternoon, exclusive to APT, visit the Hungarian State Opera House.

Day 15. Disembark Ship, Depart Budapest
After breakfast this morning, you’ll disembark your ship and be transferred to the airport for your onward flight. 

Departure dates and Prices*

Below prices include the fly free offer in category E and D

Please contact an RACQ travel consultant for further information about suite upgrades

*Terms and Conditions

• Prices current as at 4 April 2012
• Not valid with any other offer
• ^Fly free offer is return economy airfares to Europe. Airfare is with Singapore Airlines or Emirates on selected itineraries and includes air taxes up to $700 per person. Airfare must be booked by APT and in conjunction with the 15 day Magnificent Europe river cruise. Subject to availability of airline and booking class. Valid from Brisbane. Free flight is valid on bookings made and deposit paid by 31 May 2012
• Available on new bookings only
• Airport transfers are valid on the first and last day of the tour only
• Prices are per person in AUD$ based on twin share
• Prices are subject to change (eg due to currency fluctuations)
• Offer is subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time
• Further conditions apply please see APT European river cruising brochure 2012