The Danube River Cruise Pricing Charts are part of a continuing series of comparison charts and articles featuring European River Cruises offered by world class river cruise lines. Our goal is to provide a True Per Diem for each cruise, or the daily cost breakdown of the trip once all extra fees are added to the cruise fare.
Comparison charts serve as a guide and attempt to answer the most frequently asked questions from our readers:
- What does a Danube river cruise cost?
- How does the cruise I am looking at compare to Danube river cruises offered by other companies?
- What is the price for an entry-level cabin?
- What’s the price for an upgrade?
- What’s included in a 2025 Danube River cruise?
- What Danube river cruise deals are there for 2025?
Our goal is to provide a True Per Diem for each cruise, or the daily cost breakdown of the trip once all extra fees are added to the cruise fare.
Why Cruise The Danube?
The Upper Danube is my number one choice for people new to river cruising. Why? For starters, the Danube is Europe’s second longest river, touching the banks of ten countries and four capitals, coursing through Germany, Austria, Hungary and Slovakia, to name a few. Stops along the way include historic capitals as well as marquee cities such as Nuremberg, Passau, Linz, Vienna, Budapest, and Bratislava. Bucharest and Belgrade are featured on Lower Danube itineraries. I’ve cruised the Danube more than a dozen times and I love it every time that I go because I see something different on each cruise.
The Danube begins in the shaded glory of Germany’s Black Forest near the Swiss border, where the Breg and Brigach headstreams converge and stretch all the way to the Black Sea. It flows east to west from Germany to Ukraine, but “the Upper Danube” is technically the eastern side—from Germany to Hungary—and proves to be the most popular with cruise companies. This is the tour for you if you really want to experience a collection of Europe’s greatest hits such as visiting the Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, or biking Austria’s Wachau Valley between Melk and Durnstein. Attend evening events in Viennese palaces, lit in their full glory, to witness a waltz or concert, or a stroll from Buda to Pest undoubtedly confirm poets’ romantic notions of European charm and grace.
Most seven to ten-night itineraries allow sufficient time to explore the major cities along the river. The most common route extends between Passau, Germany and Budapest, Hungary. Prague is often listed as a starting or ending point of a cruise; however, Prague is not located on the Danube River. It’s about 140 miles north of Passau and about 190 northeast of Nuremberg, with guests bussed to and from the ship.
Some vessels operate roundtrip from Passau, Germany, the “City of Three Rivers,” where the Inn, Ilz, and Danube rivers converge. The city of Passau is a maze of narrow cobblestone streets lined with beautiful Patrician houses, and St. Stephen’s Cathedral, which is a masterpiece of baroque architecture. For the most part, the Upper Danube spans more than a mile wide, meandering through fertile plateaus dotted with fairy-tale fortresses, with the only narrow, canyon-like gorges being Hungary’s Visegrád north of Budapest and the Iron Gates on the Lower Danube.
Danube cruises also include sailings between Vienna or Budapest to Nuremberg, which requires transiting the section of the Main-Danube Canal over the Franconian Alps. This passage is known as Europe’s Continental Divide. This canal or “Divide” was the vision of Charlemagne, and took 1,200 years to come to fruition—reaching completion in 2002. The Divide is a series of 16 locks spreading over a distance of more than 100 miles, methodically lifting river cruisers nearly 1,400 feet above sea level. The Divide is represented by a concrete monument on the banks of the river. Be sure not to miss this spectacle.
Understanding The Pricing Charts
The prices in this chart are based on double occupancy. The upgrade costs for a cabin with a balcony are per person. The value of the incentive is broken down per day, per person. True per diem will include the savings of incentives/discounts offered at the time of research as well as the imputed value of items that are not included.
Prices and details reflect information available at the time of research. Cruise lines offer varying incentives with differing time limits or deadlines, and it is best to work with a travel advisor to check active promotions. The incentives that are included in the charts were current at the time they were compiled and may no longer apply or there may be a new special offer.
Summer 2025 Danube Pricing
*Notes about our methodology
* Per Diem – The rate divided by the number of nights on board, indicated per person but based on double occupancy. Solo travelers will, in most cases, pay single supplements.
* Gratuities (on ship) – Some companies include gratuities for crew, others leave it to their guests to take care of gratuities.
* Gratuities (on shore) – Just as with crew gratuities, some companies take care of on-shore gratuities for guides and drivers; other companies leave it to their guests.
* Beverages – Nearly all river cruise companies offer complimentary soft drinks, speciality coffees, beer and wine during lunch and dinner. In between mealtimes, though, you’ll pay for most beverages. AmaWaterways hosts a “Sip & Sail” Happy Hour which includes complimentary cocktails before dinner.
* Optional Shore Excursions – All river cruise companies include complimentary excursions in most, if not all, ports of call. However, some companies offer optional shore excursions for a fee.
* Current Incentive (per person) – Companies offer a range of incentives, from early-booking savings to two-for-ones and reduced or free air. The incentives are always changing so be sure to check with your travel advisor or the cruise company about current offers.
* Value of Incentive (per day/pp) – We’ve divided the amount of the incentive by the number of days on board to arrive at a per-diem value.
* Balcony Upgrade – Nearly all of the entry-level staterooms feature fixed windows.
Autumn 2025 Danube Pricing
