Reserve Your Cabin
on the Magic of Advent
River Cruise
Magic of Advent on the Danube | Amadeus Queen River Cruise
November 30 – December 6, 2023
Hosted By: Sue Ball of Sphera Travel
Enjoy the Most Wonderful Time of Year
Nuremberg, Germany to Vienna, Austria – 7 Nights – City Tours and Christmas Markets
This year’s Advent, take the chance to enter a real winter fairytale! Explore sleepy little towns and riverscapes, warm yourself with a delicious glass of mulled wine on board and immerse yourself in the wonderful traditions of the Christmas season.
Visit the best Christmas Markets along the Danube: The Palais Thurn und Taxis and its outbuildings form one of the impressive backdrops, and the quality of the wares is exceptional, too. Furthermore, discover the elegant Christmas market in the forecourt of Schönbrunn Palace.
Enjoy DISCOVERING THE WORLD TOGETHER with a mulled wine party in the famous wine-growing region of Wachau!
River Cruise Itinerary
Day 1: Nuremberg
Welcome to a wintery Nuremberg, home to the famous Nuremberg lebkuchen (gingerbread)! Your magical Advent journey to the most beautiful Christmas markets along the Danube starts here. After embarking, you have the opportunity to meet the cruise director at a Welcome Cocktail, and after that, a generous Welcome Dinner awaits you in the Panorama Restaurant. Your ship remains anchored in Nuremberg overnight.
Day 2: Nuremberg
A morning sightseeing tour through a festively decorated Nuremberg takes you past all its main attractions. Don’t miss the famous Nuremberg Christmas market, where culinary specialties, artisan crafts, and regional products are available.
At lunchtime, you return to your ship, which heads towards Regensburg.
Day 3: Regensburg
You reach the Bavarian town of Regensburg at breakfast time, which boasts one of the best-preserved medieval old towns in Germany. A guided city walking tour will show you the city’s most beautiful side, and in the afternoon, a visit to the Thurn and Taxis Castle is guaranteed to put you in a festive mood. This is the site of one of the most beautiful Christmas markets in the region, which you should on no account miss. Alternatively, you can visit Weltenburg Abbey. After that, you will return to your AMADEUS ship, which leaves Regensburg after dinner.
Day 4: Passau
In the morning, you arrive in Passau, the romantic “City of Three Rivers.” After breakfast, we offer you a guided walking tour through this picturesque town where the Danube, Inn, and Ilz Rivers meet.
After lunch, you can visit the festively decorated Christmas market in Passau, and after that, your ship weighs anchor and sets sail for Austria.
Day 5: Melk Emmersdorf and Vienna
When you awake, you can enjoy a fantastic view of one of the most beautiful landscape regions in Austria – the Wachau. Emmersdorf is the starting point for a trip through this wintery region, including a visit to Melk Abbey. Or visit the wine-growers village of Dürnstein as an alternative. At the end of both tours, we invite you to a glühwein (mulled wine) party on board while your vessel continues its journey to Vienna, which you will reach in the early evening. You can attend the concert “Sound of Vienna”, where the “Alt Wien” Salon Orchestra will entertain you with Viennese classics.
Day 6: Vienna
Today will be devoted entirely to the magical, wintery Danube city of Vienna. Enjoy a city sightseeing trip from the comfort of a tour coach, which will take you to the most beautiful sights and elegant buildings in Vienna. After lunch, we recommend visiting the magnificent Schönbrunn Palace, where an atmospheric Christmas market awaits you. Here, the pervasive pre-Christmas atmosphere and the aromas of lebkuchen (gingerbread) and roasted almonds combine in an unforgettable, authentic Advent experience. Alternatively, you can visit the famous Art History Museum of Vienna.
In the evening, an elegant captain’s Gala Dinner takes place on board, during which you can enjoy a wonderful Advent ambiance.
Day 7: Vienna
After breakfast on board, you disembark and begin your homeward journey. We wish you a pleasant and safe journey, and a happy festive season! We hope to welcome you again soon!










all about the
MS AMADEUS QUEEN
The Amadeus Queen sails along the Danube, Rhine, Main rivers, and the Dutch and Belgian Waterways. Like its prominent predecessors, this ship continues our orientation to high-quality European river cruises.
This vessel follows the award-winning model of the AMADEUS Silver ships but offers even further innovative developments. The popular concept of spaciousness has been maintained. This includes generous public areas and spacious cabins: 12 large suites impress with an outdoor balcony and a cozy reading corner. In contrast, the 69 standard cabins mainly have panoramic window fronts, which can be automatically lowered, and luxurious bathrooms. The on-board highlight is the indoor pool, the roof of which can be opened in fine weather. This area may also be used for informative talks, functions, and cinema showings in the evenings.
important details
Trip Overview
Port of Embarkation Information
- Nuremberg, Germany
- November 30, 2023
Port of Disembarkation Information
- Vienna, Austria
- December 6, 2023
Destinations Visited
- Nuremberg, Germany
- Regensburg, Germany
- Passau, Germany
- Melk, Austria
- Emmersdorf, Austria
- Vienna, Austria
Deposit
- 10% nonrefundable deposit
Ready To Reserve Your Cabin?
CABIN PRICES
Mozart Suite
- $3039.00 per person double occupancy
Mozart A-1
- $2519.00 per person double occupancy
Strauss B-1
- $2248.00 per person double occupancy
Strauss B-4
- $2089.00 per person double occupancy
Haydn C-1
- $1728.00 per person double occupancy
Single supplement surcharge (based on per person pricing as listed above)
c4-c1: 15% | b-4: 30% | B1:50% | A-1:60% | Suite 100%
Prices and availability are subject to change.
INCLUSIONS
EXCLUSIONS
Included
- Accommodations based on chosen cabin
- Full board including Early Riser (reduced breakfast buffet in the Panorama Bar),
Buffet Breakfast (includes omelet service), Lunch (Buffet or table service depending upon the itinerary), Light Lunch (served in the Panorama Bar), Dinner (5 courses, three choices for the main course), Coffee & tea, iced water with meals, midnight (late night) snack. (No refund for meals not taken onboard; full board service starts with dinner on embarkation day and ends with breakfast on disembarkation day) - Music program every day in the bar by a pianist or by the Amadeus music group
- Welcome Cocktail, Welcome Dinner, and Captain’s Gala Farewell Dinner
- Experienced English-speaking cruise director
- Free-flowing red & white regional wines, beer & soft drinks with lunch and dinner onboard.
- Complimentary WiFi
- 24-hour coffee station
- Bottled water in every stateroom
- Audio headsets for optional shore excursions
- Gratuities to shipboard staff and crew
- All port charges and local taxes
Host(s)
- Onboard hosts during the duration of the cruise
Benefits Of A Hosted Vacation
- Onboard assistance
- Clear communication among group
- Peace of Mind
EXCLUSIONS
Insurance
- Sphera Travel will supply you with a custom insurance quote after you reserve your stateroom.
Transportation
- Airfare to/from our embarkation/disembarkation port cities. Sphera Travel will work with you to customize your flights. * Airline Ticketing Fee: $100.00 per person
- Transfers and other ground arrangements
Shore Excursions
- See below for options and pricing
Pre/Post Night Packages
- Sphera Travel will offer a special two-night pre-cruise package at an additional cost
Gratuities other than onboard ship
Meals other than indicated
- Meals ashore at travelers’ expense
Spa Treatments
- Will be billed to your cabin
Alcohol
- Beer and wine are included with lunch and dinner | All other alcohol will be billed to your cabin.
Optional Shore Excursions
Cruise your way and choose from a carefully curated selection of immersive and inspiring excursions and adventures.
Select one of our packages offered at a discounted rate when purchased in advance, or book individual shore excursions at regular rates onboard your cruise.
Individual Exursions| Purchase Onboard
Nuremberg with Christmas market* | $51 |
Or Visit to the World of Gingerbread and Christmas craft market* | $46 |
Regensburg walking tour | $24 |
Thurn und Taxis with visit to the Palace and Christmas market* | $75 |
OR Visit to Weltenburg Abbey | $44 |
Passau walking tour with organ concert in St. Stephan’s cathedral | $31 |
Visit to Melk Abbey* | $61 |
OR Dürnstein walking tour with visit to the Dürnstein Abbey* | $38 |
Sound of Vienna classical concert (cat. B) | $73 |
Vienna – Imperial discovery tour | $45 |
Visit to Schönbrunn Palace with Christmas market* | $67 |
OR Visit to the Museum of Fine Arts* | $71 |
Torchlight hike with tasting of mulled wine and chestnuts | $67 |
Full Excursion Package | $401.00
Pick from our selection of unforgettable shore excursions, plus enjoy a discounted rate when
purchased in advance.
Book our new complete excursion package before departure for a great value. Create your
personalized shore excursion program by choosing your favorite tours from our list of exciting options in each port. Please note that a discounted excursion may not be exchanged for another while during your cruise.
Introductory Excursion Package | $128.00
Enjoy a package of four pre-selected excursions for a discounted rate when purchased in
advance:
- City tour of Nuremberg with Christmas market
- Regensburg walking tour
- Passau walking tour with organ concert in St. Stephan’s cathedral
- Vienna – Imperial discovery tour
Additional shore excursions can be purchased on board at the below rate
and added to your onboard account