DANUBE CHRISTMAS MARKETS CRUISE December 2-9, 2017 Budapest to Passau (Munich) along the Danube Type to enter text Celebrate the holiday season with centuries-old traditions and brand-new style. Is there anywhere more enchanted with the spirit of Christmas than Europe during the holidays? Uniworld takes you on this seasonal cruise in incomparable style. Browse Christmas markets in Budapest, then experience Uniworld’s exclusive “Taste of Christmas” Program in the heart of Vienna, followed by the music of Mozart and Strauss at a Viennese concert hall. Holiday atmosphere, beautiful Baroque architecture, unforgettable food and cultural experiences… what could be better? Uniworld’s All-Inclusive Highlights • Shore excursions hosted by English- Budapest has celebrated Christmas for a thousand years, since the reign of St. Stephen, the king who founded Hungary and encouraged the spread of Christianity throughout his realm. As you ramble through speaking local experts the Christmas Market on Vörösmarty Square, admiring the handmade porcelain, stop to enjoy as kürtös • All gratuities onboard and onshore kalács —a pastry—is baked on rods over an open fire and then coated with sugar before it’s handed to you. • All scheduled airport transfers • Unlimited beverages (alcohol and non- In Bratislava, where a lively young art scene is revitalizing the compact city core, stalls abound with alcohol) traditional Slovakian Christmas items like medovníky (spiced ginger cookies) and šúpoli (figurines made from corn husks). Experience Uniworld’s exclusive “Taste of Christmas” Program in the heart of Vienna • All gourmet meals onboard during the day, and then celebrate the music of Mozart and Strauss at a Viennese concert hall in the • Port charges evening. Follow the lights down the Landstrasse in Linz to the Volksgarten, where you’ll find a fairytale Christmas—large, animated displays of scenes from fairytales that will entrance the child in you. Or mail a • Free Internet and Wi-Fi onboard letter from Christkindl, where children from all over the world send their Christmas wish lists. • All entertainment and cultural enrichment programs onboard Glorious Baroque architecture, delightful concerts, and ravishing scenery will make this Christmas season • Exquisitely appointed ships with an unforgettable as you sail through the holidays on the Danube. average capacity of just 130 guests and the highest staff-to-guest ration in Who will enjoy this cruise: the cruise industry. Music lovers will find many special holiday treats on this cruise, from onboard caroling, to a classical concert in Vienna, to an exclusive organ recital. Shoppers will delight in the chance to pick out a variety of unique! gifts at enchanting Christmas Markets. YOUR ALL-INCLUSIVE CRUISE PACKAGE INCLUDES: TRAVEL 7-night cruise in a riverview stateroom on Uniworld’s majestic S.S. Maria Theresa All transfers on arrival and departure days, all port charges, daily excursions and all gratuities TASTE All meals onboard, prepared using the finest and freshest ingredients 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 7 dinners Captain’s Welcome and Farewell Receptions Welcome and Farewell Gala Dinners Unlimited beverages onboard, including fine wine, beer, spirits, soft drinks, specialty coffee and tea, and bottled water EXPLORE 4 countries 9 excursions, including “Choice Is Yours” options, all fully hosted by English-speaking local experts Guided “Taste of Christmas” and “Gentle Walking” programs 4 UNESCO World Heritage sites Services of an experienced Uniworld Cruise Manager State-of-the-art Quietvox portable audio headset system on all excursions Use of Nordic walking sticks EXPERIENCE Captivating onboard local entertainment Cultural enrichment, including a Signature Lecture: “The Sound of Christmas Music, from ‘Stille Nacht’ to ‘Weihnachtsoratorium’” ! ITINERARY December 2, 2017: Budapest, Hungary (embark) Arrive at Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, where you will be transferred to the ship. December 3, 2017: Budapest, Hungary FEATURED EXCURSION: Budapest city tour with Christmas Market. Explore Budapest, an enchanting city often referred to as the “Queen of the Danube.” Made up of two parts—Buda, the hills, and Pest, the flat lands—the city is divided by the Danube. It’s an architectural dream, which you will discover on your city tour. Visit the UNESCO World Heritage-designated Castle Hill district and see dramatic vistas from the 19th-century Fisherman’s Bastion. In the center of it all is the Christmas Market on Vörösmarty Square, where you’ll get to shop for traditional Hungarian wares and delightful holiday treats like spiced wine and cinnamon-spiced gingerbread. Only the finest Hungarian craftsmen are invited to participate in the market, so you can be assured of finding unique and beautifully made gifts. Among the special features of the market are a six-foot Advent wreath and a hand-carved manger, part of a Nativity scene that includes live animals. Savor traditional honey cakes with spiced wine or aromatic coffee as you stroll and shop. In the evening, enjoy a Captain’s Welcome Reception and Gala Dinner. December 4, 2017: Cruising the Danube River, Bratislava, Slovakia FEATURED EXCURSION: Bratislava walking tour with Christmas Market. The heart and soul of Slovakia, Bratislava is full of surprises that are yours to uncover on your walking tour of the historic downtown area, which concludes at the Christmas Market. While Bratislava’s very first Christmas Market was only established in 1993, Slovakians have quickly embraced the holiday traditions of their Austrian and Hungarian neighbors, filling stalls with distinctive local folk art. December 5, 2017: Vienna, Austria FEATURED EXCURSIONS: Choice of Vienna city tour with Winter Palace of Prince Eugene visit and Christmas Markets or exclusive “Taste of Christmas” walking tour, and Mozart and Strauss concert at a Viennese concert hall. This regal city becomes even more dazzling during the holidays. Vienna is a treasure trove of secular and sacred gems, many of which you will see during your panoramic city tour. Venture inside Prince Eugene’s magnificent Winter Palace, then explore the Christmas Market in front of City Hall - Austria’s largest and most famous Christmas Market and the small but charming market at Freyung Square. Or, stroll through Old Town Vienna on a “Taste of Christmas” walking discovery tour. Travel the stately Ringstrasse and see St. Stephen’s Cathedral, where Mozart was married in 1782. Afterward, take in two Christmas Markets with your guide. Austria’s most famous Christmas Market, with over 140 wooden huts, is set in front of City Hall. You will also visit a smaller but equally charming Christmas Market at Freyung Square, which has taken place every winter since 1772. Venture down the city’s famous shopping streets, the Graben and Kohlmarkt, where you’ll see the wonderful confectionary treats on display in Café Demel’s windows. Savor some vanillekipferl, Austria’s most famous cookie, and other seasonal goodies. In the evening, celebrate the spirit of Mozart and Strauss at a concert in one of Vienna’s well-known concert halls. December 6, 2017: Krems, cruising the Wachau Valley FEATURED EXCURSION: Göttweig Abbey with private organ recital Beautiful Benedictine Göttweig Abbey boasts a spectacular hilltop location on the eastern edge of the famed Wachau Valley. Though the abbey was founded more than 900 years ago, it was “modernized” following a fire in 1718, when it was transformed into a vast palace with interiors that are a monument to Baroque art and design. Explore its Baroque glories and listen to a private organ concert in the beautiful abbey church. After lunch, enjoy a scenic cruise through the breathtakingly beautiful Wachau Valley, a 19-mile stretch of the Danube between Krems and Melk. This ravishing region—with steep, densely wooded slopes on the south side of the river and a mixture of crags and south-facing vineyards on the north—has been declared a World Heritage Cultural Landscape by UNESCO. Dotted along the banks are small historic towns and winemaking communities. Note: The organ concert may take place in a different location if the Göttweig Abbey visit falls on a Catholic holiday. December 7, 2017: Linz, Austria (Salzburg or Linz/Steyr) FEATURED EXCURSIONS: Choice of full day Salzburg with walking tour and Christmas Market or Linz and Steyr with Christmas Markets Spend the day in Salzburg, starting with a walking tour of Old Town. The magnificent cathedral there was inspired by St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. Visit Salzburg’s Christmas Market, located at the foot of the Hohen-Salzburg and around the cathedral; it is a true feast for the senses, featuring the warm aroma of spiced wine and Austrian pastries, the sights and sounds of holiday performances, and the bright colors of traditional handcrafts. Or you may opt to explore the beautiful towns of Steyr and Linz. The unique ambiance of Steyr shines brighter than ever during the holiday season, when brass bands, storytellers, and choir performances add to the enchantment of the Christmas Market in Old Town. Two delightful Christmas Markets are linked by the main shopping thoroughfare in Linz, with a truly spectacular light show connecting them. Begin at the Hauptplatz and follow the illuminations down the Landstrasse to the Volksgarten, where you’ll find animated displays of fairytale scenes. December 8, 2017: Passau, Germany FEATURED EXCURSION: Passau walking tour with Christmas Market, and gingerbread-making and floral-decorating demonstrations Baroque Italian flair overlays the Medieval Old Town of Passau. Your tour takes you past St. Stephan’s Cathedral, the New Residence, and Town Hall to the spot where three rivers converge in the city. At Passau’s Christmas Market, set against the glorious backdrop of St. Stephan’s Cathedral, you will find unique crafts, including Bavarian-style miniature houses and glass ornaments. As an added treat, you will attend a gingerbread-making and floral-decorating demonstration. In the evening, enjoy a Captain’s Farewell Reception and Gala Dinner.