Cycling holiday Danube Waltz

Included

• 7 nights in outside cabins with private facilities and air conditioning
• Port charges
• Program according to itinerary from/to Passau
• Captain‘s greeting and welcome cocktail
• Daily cabin cleaning, towels and bed linen
• Full board: breakfast buffet, lunch onboard (non-cyclists) or packed lunch (cyclists), afternoon coffee break, dinner (2/3 dishes to choose), late night snack
• Gala dinner with farewell cocktail
• Farewell crew show
• Daily live music
• Cruise director (does not cycle with the group)
• Daily information meeting
• Detailed road book per cabin

Not Included

• € 20,- reservation charges
• Bike insurance, can be booked and paid on-spot
• Cycling tour guide (for the tour incl. tour guide, see Danube Waltz Guided)
• Ferry to Engelhartszell, AU, Visegrad and Szob
• Most tasting in the upper Danube valley
• Personal insurance/ cancellation insurance (optional)
• Other drinks
• Admission charges

Excursions to be booked on board

• Budapest: City tour by bike or HOP ON HOP OFF bus; Budapest by night + folklore show at a traditional Hungarian Csard
• Bratislava: City tour with scenic train and walking tour
• Vienna: City tour by bike or by bus; Waltz & Operetta concert in one of Vienna’s famous Palais
• Wachau: Wine tasting with a local wine grower in the Wachau Valley

Special details

• This tour will be operated by our local partner
• Please take good notice of our Terms & Conditions
• This program is subject to change without notice
• All bike tours are unescorted.
• All mileages are approximate distances of recommended routes.
• Please be aware that the cabin storage space is very limited. 
• In case of flood or low tide, the shipping company reserves the right to bridge parts of passages by buses. In extreme situations, the shipping company reserves the right to cancel the journey on short notice.No legal right shall be constituted of both situations. (Water level is force majeure). The same applies for officially ordered – previously not announced – repair work on locks or bridges or in case of breakdown of engine or power unit through no fault of shipping company or tour operator.
• Please be aware that a cruise ship on the Danube is not only your hotel but also a machine that works with engine power that may cause noise during the night, when passing locks and bridges and during preparation work.
• Minimum of participants: 90 people (has to be reached at the latest 4 weeks before cruise start)

Embarkation Passau / Dockings

Embarkation: from 4 pm.

Drop-off luggage + bikes: possible from 2.30 pm

The ship is moored at one of the following docking-addresses:

- Passau-Lindau (A), Franz-Weismann-Straße an der B 388
- Passau-Racklau (B), Racklau 3a
- Passau-Schalding (C),  Industriestrasse 14a

Please note: place of embarkation/disembarkation can be changed by the port authorities even on the day of arrival. You will find the web site where you can check the correct mooring place in your travel documents
If you cannot find your ship, please contact the cruise manager on board (phone number in your travel documents).

Airport

The nearest international airport to the embarkation point in Passau is  Munich Airport (MUC). Driving Munich airport - Passau (via Freising): approx. 2 1/2 h (bus/taxi, train) 

Recommended routing:
Munich - Freising
BUS Munich Airport - Freising train station (ca. € 3,30/person)
TAXI Munich Airport – Freising train station (ca. € 30,-/way)
Freising - Passau
TRAIN Freising – Passau / Bayernticket: 1st person € 26,- >> www.bahn.de
every next person € 6,- (up to person).; driving time approx. 2 hrs

Train

Passau is connected with the regional and intercity trafficnet of the Deutschen Bahn (german train). Main train station is reachable - depending on the ship landing stage of the ship - between 2-6 km. You´ll find taxis at the Airport exit. No liability for any delays. Please be informed that seat reservations can only be done via Deutsche Bahn AG (f.i. via webpage >>www.bahn.de)  or in your travel agency.

Car + parking

Driveway to the dockings Passau Lindau / Racklau / Schalding:
Driveway is possible - parking is forbidden, stops only for un-/loading

Car parking Passau: attended parking lot € 68,- / garage € 79,-
(incl. transfer to / from ship, payable locally; prebooking required)

In Passau we offer a guarded parking possibility with our Partner Globus Parkservice / Eichberger Reisen.
Parking for special vehicles (caravan, minibus, van) for additional charge. Prices incl. 2 transfers (parking-ship-parking). A transferbus will bring you directly to the ship. As buses cannot reach pier 1 or 2 you will get off at Römerplatz (pier 5) and have to walk the last meters (walking distance approx. 4-5 min.). Your luggage will be delivered seperately by minibus directly to the ship.

Further information will be given within your travel documents prior departure.

End of the tour

Disembarkation will take place after arrival of the ship (about 10:00 h) and will take about 1 hour to complete.
Please take this into account when planning your return journey and do not book trains before 11:30 h.
Note for private departing guests: Taxis are very popular in Passau on embarkation and disembarkation days - very long waiting times.
Further information can be obtained on board from the cruise line or at the reception.

On this tour the following barges are scheduled

By this tours you can rent the following bikes:

A ship as your hotel

Imagine a floating hotel sailing to the next stage, while you are calmly pedalling along. No lugging of luggage: that is exactly what Bike & Barge is all about! In the pleasant atmosphere on board you can have a chat, go through the day with the others, and enjoy the meals prepared specially for cyclists. In the evenings you can enjoy a drink and admire the setting sun on deck. If you do not want to cycle, just stay on board and enjoy the passing landscape on the sun deck or relax in the infrared cabin. The crew is trying to make your stay as comfortable as possible.

Do not expect a cruise ship with its passive luxury. The Bike & Barge Holidays are for people who really enjoy the physical activity of cycling and who value sociability more than wholesale luxury. Please keep in mind that our ship is a river vessel, not a large ocean cruise ship. Riverboat cabins, in comparison, are relatively small, and ship amenities, in general, are comfortable but not lavish. On some docks several ships are docked next to each other and noise and other disturbances cannot be avoided. Please do not forget that the ship is your hotel as well as a machine, which has to be maintained and operated. A certain level of noise is therefore inevitable.

The team

The captain, cruise director and the chef all welcome you warmly. They are prepared specifically for these trips and will provide good and safe passage, good meals, and a friendly, pleasant atmosphere. They will, of course, also give you a great deal of interesting information during and after the cycling and sailing. The captain is responsible for the smooth running of things on board; the chef is in charge of the catering. The cruise director will be available to answer questions and solve any problem you may have during the entire week. During the daily meeting he will provide you with useful information referring the next cycling-day.

Individual tour
You will receive a detailed roadbook with maps and infomation to the routing on board. You do not cycle in a group – you cycle individually in your own tempo and are therefor able to time your day to your needs. Only the schedule gives you a time frame. Our cruise director explains the evening before the next cycling path in the daily breefings and inform you about the specifics and gives tipps about sightseeing, possibilities to take a rest and specialities.

Guided option
The Carissima has a capacity of 150 people and the Fortuna has a capacity of 170 people. If you wish to get personal attention from a dedicated guide, you can book this tour including a cycling tour guide. You cycle in a small group (max. 18 people) where you explore a lot of local cultures, discover hidden sites and secret places and enjoy some delicious appetizers. To book: see Danube  Waltz Guided.

The meals

In the convivial panoramic restaurant, all guests will eat together at the same time. We provide daily fresh prepared international and national specialties from the cuisine of the countries along the route. If you are traveling with friends, please mention this when booking. Gladly an internal note is deposited to get a common table in the restaurant. Please note that it is not always possible for several people to accommodate all at one table as there is limited space in the restaurant and not all table sizes are available. The full board consists of: breakfast, packed lunch for bikers (resp. light meal for guests on board), dinner with menu-choice, coffee-/tea break with sweets in the afternoon. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, lacto-free etc is no problem. Special meals have to be ordered latest by 3 weeks prior departure. Please be informed that due to the limited shopping possibilities of the constantly changing ports, not all diets can be offered. In individual cases and by appointment, you are also welcome to bring along your own food for your special meal.

You and the group,new friends from around the world!

One of the most attractive aspects of the Bike & Barge holidays is that you encounter an international company on board. It’s a great opportunity for you to get to know various cultures at the same time! We have people of all ages, solo travelers, couples and also families with children (during the school holidays).