New Year on the Danube River Cruise for Solo Travellers

On arrival, a coach will transfer you to your cruise ship moored in this beautiful city. The dedicated crew are there to welcome you on board, ensuring you settle in and familiarise yourself with this first-class floating hotel that will be your home for your New Year sojourn.

You’ll be mesmerised by the beautiful twinkling garlands and luscious décor, a striking backdrop to welcome in the new year. Following your first dinner on board, join fellow guests on deck for glühwein as the ship glides out of Budapest and admire the city’s twinkling skyline as you sail into the night.

Spend a leisurely morning cruising towards Bratislava. Find a cosy spot in the lounge, warm drink in hand, and watch the riverside scenery drift on by or take advantage of the ship's facilities. 

After a delicious lunch, this afternoon we explore Slovakia’s capital city, Bratislava, on a guided tour. Until recently swathed in the drab uniformity of Communism, the city has rekindled the splendour of its imperial past in its beautifully restored old town. Equally impressive is the imposing white fortress, former seat of the rulers, which enjoys expansive views across the Danube.

You’ll have some free time to explore the cobble-stoned streets of this captivating city - so what’s it to be? Why not head to the regal Primatial Palace with its fabulous Hall of Mirrors? Built in the late 1700s in a classical style, the former home of the archbishop of Esztergom now holds a rare collection of tapestry works from the 17th-century. Alternatively, wander the maze of streets, admiring the charming baroque architecture, until you reach the main square. Absorb the café culture with a freshly brewed coffee and maybe sample some local delicacies such as skalický trdelník. This hollow pastry treat comes with the likes of almonds, apricots or walnuts, before being dusted with sugar. 

Tonight, the ship comes alive with festive spirit as we prepare to ring in the New Year in true Riviera style. You’ll enjoy a superb New Year’s Eve dinner in the ship’s beautifully adorned restaurant, where our chefs will serve a specially curated menu to mark the occasion. After dinner, make your way to the lounge - transformed with seasonal décor - for a delightful classical recital, the perfect prelude to the evening’s celebrations.

As midnight approaches, gather with your fellow guests and our wonderful crew to welcome the New Year. With a glass of sparkling wine in hand you’ll toast to new beginnings as the clock strikes twelve - an unforgettable way to ring in the New Year.

Enjoy a slow, peaceful start to the year with a leisurely New Year’s Day brunch served as you drift towards Vienna.

For many, Vienna will be a highlight of the cruise. The city’s very name provokes images of elegance, fine music, wide boulevards, Baroque architecture and a rich tapestry of people who were drawn here from all corners of Europe. For 200 years until the First World War, Vienna was the cultural centre of Europe and many of the showpiece buildings, galleries, aristocratic palaces and magnificent churches you see today were built to reflect its imperial status.

The city was the seat of the Habsburg emperors and home to some of the world’s finest classical composers, including Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart and of course, a whole family of Strausses. In this captivating city, there’s also the colossal Hofburg, the former royal court that is now home to a collection of museums, the Crown Jewels and the Spanish Riding School and the Vienna Boys’ Choir. The city’s most iconic monument is the breathtaking Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, whose striking multi-coloured roof and huge Gothic South Tower dominate the skyline.  

This afternoon, we enjoy a tour in the company of a local guide who will offer insights into why Vienna is one of Europe’s great capitals, now proudly embellished in winter sparkle.

There will also be some free time, maybe retreat to the refined yet cosy elegance of a traditional Viennese café for a steaming hot chocolate and a tempting pastry.

Return to the ship in time for an apéritif, before tonight's dinner is served. We will remain in Vienna overnight.

After breakfast we visit the magnificent Schönbrunn Palace. Once the summer residence of the Habsburgs, this former royal residence now houses a range of world-class museums and galleries. Your included entrance and audio guide allows you into the dazzling state rooms, with their wealth of priceless artworks and the family’s impressive royal carriages. The palace also hosts a superb Yuletide market, specialising in traditional handicrafts and nostalgic toys. There will be some time to browse the stalls of the market before returning back to the ship for lunch.  

Leaving Vienna after lunch, we head towards Budapest. Seek out a good vantage spot in the lounge, sink into a comfy chair and watch this lovely slideshow of winter wonderland scenery effortlessly gliding by – what could be more relaxing!

Or maybe head up to the sun deck to enjoy the bracing river breeze with a steaming cup of tea in hand as the Captain skilfully navigates our return course to the Hungarian capital. For the more energetic, perhaps a visit to the ship’s fitness centre to keep up your usual routine or start something new.

As evening falls, enjoy a leisurely dinner on board before returning to the lounge to unwind with fellow guests as the ship continues its smooth overnight passage along the Danube. 

Budapest is always an atmospheric and fascinating city, but at this time of the year, the muted colours of its magnificent archaic spires and grand domes are especially captivating on the wintry skyline. 

The twin cities of Buda, built around the hilltop fortress, and Pest, with its wide boulevards, were fought over through the centuries. The Ottomans ruled here for 150 years before being ousted in the late 17th-century, but their legacy lives on in the many thermal baths fed by hot springs, giving rise to Budapest’s other sobriquet – the ‘City of Spas’.  

After the end of Ottoman rule, Budapest became an imperial city of the Habsburg Empire, attracting great cultural and commercial wealth. The historic and palatial buildings, the superb Roman ruins and exquisite Art Nouveau architecture also provide a truly impressive setting for the acclaimed Yuletide markets.

This morning, we enjoy a guided tour of this captivating city which truly does live up to its reputation as the ‘Pearl of the Danube’. Castle Hill is Budapest in microcosm: two churches, seven museums and a theatre among streets and squares with their own special atmosphere and a dramatic view across the river to the awe-inspiring neo-Gothic Parliament.

After lunch back on board, the afternoon is free to explore under your own steam - perhaps take a thoughtful stroll along the river to the moving Shoes on the Danube Bank memorial, created in remembrance of the Jewish lives that were taken during the Second World War. From here, continue along the waterfront towards the striking Parliament Building, its grand façade rising gracefully above the river.

A lively Hungarian folklore show draws this glorious cruise to a close, giving you time to bid farewell to your travelling companions and reflect on all the wonderful places you have experienced on this most magical of holidays.