Dates & prices

Services

Our price includes

Our price includes

• cruise in the booked cabin-category (only outside cabins, cabins for single use only bookable on request)
• full board with three main meals (from dinner on Embarkation Day to breakfast on the last morning)
• coffee/tea self-service from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• coffee/tea or midnight snack in line with the itinerary
• Welcome and Farewell Cocktail with the Captain
• Captain’s Dinner
• nicko tours Cruise Director
• participation in the on-board events programme
• resident musician
• free use of the ship’s spa area, with sauna and fitness equipment
• cabin voucher ( excursion voucher if booked )
• all harbour dues
• luggage transfer from the quayside to your cabin and v.v.

Our price does not include

Our price does not include

• Individual travel to and from Passau
• excursions
• travel insurance
• beverages
• gratuities (we recommend a sum of EUR5-7 per person and day)
• personal spendings

Excursions

Visit to Melk Abbey (Package)
Where the Danube enters the Wachau Valley, one of its loveliest stretches, lies the small town of Melk. Famous in literary circles through the novel „The Name of the Rose“ by Umberto Eco, the Baroque Benedictine Abbey dominates the town. For over 1000 years Melk has been a centre for religion and culture, firstly as a residence for the Babenberg dynasty and then from 1089 as a Benedictine monastery, founded by Count Leopold II. The huge dimensions of the abbey demonstrate its high status and the important role of its abbot Berthold Dietmayr. It was built by Jakob Prandtauer together with leading artists of the period. A one-hour guided tour outlines the former role of the abbey and afterwards you have the chance to explore the surrounding park before the bus takes you back to the ship.
(THIS TOUR IS NOT SUITABLE FOR PASSENGERS WHO FIND WALKING DIFFICULT).

Classical Concert in Vienna (optional)
Vienna justifiably has the title of „City of Music“. We take a coach from the ship to the concert hall of the Wiener Residenzorchester, one of the city’s finest chamber orchestras. These musicians are joined by opera singers and a ballet troupe to present an evening which reflects Vienna’s charm and joie de vivre, allowing us to savour the era of Imperial Vienna. The programme includes fiery music by the famous waltz-king Johann Strauss and by W. A. Mozart. Enjoy an evening of lilting waltzes, polkas and operatic arias performed by top-flight artists. The eveing concludes with a drive along the illuminated Ringstrasse, before returning to the ship. (Very little walking is involved in this tour).

Heurige – excursion to a traditional Viennese tavern (optional)
It is true to say that a visit to Vienna needs time, since relaxation is an important item of life here. Join us for an evening visit to a typical Viennese Heurige. We travel by coach for some 20 minutes to the famous wine-growing suburb of Neustift am Walde to spend an evening in the unique atmosphere of a traditional wine bar. The word „Heurige“ is the name of the traditional taverns and for the new wine. Musicians add their part to the festivities. The price of this excursion includes a drink. We stay some 90 minutes in the tavern before driving back to the ship along the illuminated Ringstrasse to experience a little of Vienna by night. (Very little walking is involved in this tour)

City tour in Vienna (Package)
Today brings a full introduction to this historic city on the Danube. On leaving the ship we drive firstly through „New Vienna“ with the Uno-City and the Donauinsel. We then take the famous Ringstrasse past a series of major buildings – the State Opera, the Parliament, the Burgtheater, the Town Hall, the university and the Votiv Church - into the heart of the city to St. Stephan’s Cathedral.
At Stephan’s Square (Stephansplatz) there is about half an hour’s free time, giving you the opportunity to see the cathedral from the inside. Following this we take around one hour to walk through the Old Town to the Michaeliplatz (Hofburg), and then past the Viennese Riding School, the Albertina and the Kärntnerstrasse. We rejoin our coach at the Schwedenplatz. (Passengers who find walking a problem are able to wait for the rest of the group at Stephan’s Square).

Coach tour to the northern Vienna Woods (optional)
Just outside Vienna, in the Danube Valley, lies the Abbey of Klosterneuburg, which we reach after a 15-minute coach journey. The Abbey can be seen from a long way off and played a dominant role in the country’s history. It was founded in 1114 by Count Leopold III, who was later canonized. Since 1133 it has been the home of the Augustinian monks and it provides a close link between spiritual care, art, hospitality and viticulture. We take an hour-long walk through the abbey, with its courtyard and the beautiful gardens and learn something of the abbey’s history. For centuries it was a national centre of learning. There then remains time to look at the inside of the church.
We then travel along the „High Road“ through the Vienna Woods to the Kahlenberg, a hill with great significance for Vienna, for it was here that the decisive battle took place which defeated the Turkish invaders. From the hilltop we have an excellent view over Vienna and the Danube Plain. (This tour is not suitable for passengers who find walking difficult).

City tour in Budapest (Package )
Budapest is known as the „Queen of the Danube“ and is one of Europe’s loveliest cities. The river flows through the heart of the city, dividing it into two - Buda and Pest. We start with a 30-minute drive through the city centre to Heroes’ Square to see the Millenium Monument and other monuments to Hungarian monarchs. We then drive for a further 30 minutes to the castle for a walk (1 hour) on Castle Hill. Here we pass St. Matthias Church (where Hungarian monarchs are crowned) to reach the Fisherman’s Bastion.
Then follows a 15-minute drive to Gellert Hill for a short photo stop to admire the lovely view across the river, the buildings lining its banks and the many bridges, before returning to the ship. (Although this tour involves a fair amount of walking it is also possible to remain in the coach) .

Budapest by Night (optional)
We drive from the ship to a traditional evening entertainment. First up is a lively perfomance (abt 45 minutes) by a folk group with their passionate music. During the performance a goulash soup and a dessert are served. We are also able to taste the local wines. After a stay of some 90 minutes we drive for some 20 minutes through Budapest at night with its illuminated buildings and monuments. On our arrival at Castle Hill we view the lights of both parts of the the city, including the Fisherman’s Bastion, the Parliament and the city bridges (including the magnificent Chain Bridge). After a short stop we return to the ship. (Very little walking is involved in this tour).

Excursion into the Puszta (optional)
The drive to Lajosmizse takes around one hour and goes south from Budapest towards the Hungarian Plain, the Puszta. On arrival in Tanyacsárda you are greeted in traditional fashion with schnaps and salt cake. You visit the stud farm and then take a 25-minute carriage ride across the Puszta. You then are presented with a unique equine performance by the Csiskos (cowboys). The performance demonstrates Hungarian horse breeding and the life of the former Csikos and how, in earlier times, the horse was man’s best friend in the Puszta. After the show there is time for a short walk around the stables and the zoo to attend a Csarda demonstration (40min). A light snack of Hungarian specialities and wine is served, before you have the chance to visit the shop, where typical souvenirs, salamis, paprikas, wine and schnaps are on sale. We then return directly to the ship in Budapest. (Very little walking is required)

St. Stephan’s Cathedral and Margaret’s Island (optional)
As an alternative to the Puszta tour we offer a visit to St. Stephan’s basilica, one of the loveliest and best-known sights of Budapest. In 2005 it celebrated its 100th anniversary: on 9. November 1905 the building was dedicated and given over to the congregation 10 days later. The Basilica contains statues and portraits by a range of Hungarian artists. We then continue to Margaret’s Island, where a small tourist train takes us around the site. This green island houses a wonderful park with over 10 000 plane trees and offers opportunities either to stroll round or sit down. There are also large flower displays and well-tended lawns. The earliest monuments on the island date back to the 11th Century – for example the remains of an ancient monastery, in which the king’s daughter St. Margarethe lived, and the ruins of two religious houses from the same period. There is also St. Michael’s Church, a musical fountain and a UNESCO listed water tower. After the train trip there is time for a walk through the Japanese garden.

Danube Bend and Esztergom (Package)
After lunch we drive for about 45 minutes along the Danube towards the Danube Bend. During this time the ship also departs Budapest. The first destination is the impressive ruined castle of Visegrad, built in around 1300 by King Bela IV. At the time Visegrad was one of Hungary’s largest and loveliest towns and a centre of religious and royal power. From the castle ruins we have a fine view of the Danube Bend and the region named the Hungarian Wachau. The Danube makes a 90 degree turn onto a north-south axis. We then contiue in the coach to Esztergom (30 minutes), which was also originally known as Gran. Esztergom is the seat of the archbishop and is dominated by the neo-Classical St. Stephan’s Cathedral. With seats for 8000 this is Hungary’s largest church. Our visit is the culmination of this tour, before we drive to the jetty to rejoin the ship. (This tour is not suitable for passengers who find walking difficult).

Guided walk in Bratislava (Package)
Bratislava lies in the fertile Danube Plain, to the south of the Carpathians and very close to the border with Austria and Hungary. „Small and nice“ is an apt description of the Slovak capital. The Old Town has been lovingly restored. Our tour takes us for about one hour on a small tourist train through the diplomatic quarter and up to the castle, which dominates the city. Here we have a photo stop and a magnificent view over the city and, with good weather, across into Austria. There follows an account of the castle’s lively history, which includes a period as the residence of Hungarian kings, before Empress Maria Theresia settled here and brought a time of great spledour. We then travel down to the Old Town, where we leave the train to start a 90-minute walk to see testimonies to the Austro Hungarian monarchy - the Redoute, the National Theatre, the Town Hall, several Baroque palaces and the city gates. You will also meet Bratislava’s most famous citizen – the „Gullimann“. We then go back to the ship – which is anchored some 10 minutes walk away from the Old Town.

The Beauty of the Wachau Valley (Package)
We leave the ship in Dürnstein, where tradition and beauty combine. The landscape here has many attractions – the terraced vineyards, a mild climate and a host of fascinating cultural sites. In Dürnstein, the Pearl of the Wachau, we have a 60-minute walk through the attractive narrow streets. The blue and white Baroque tower of the Augustinian Church, known to the locals as „God’s finger“ is one of the town’s landmarks, together with he 850 year-old castle. We then drive on to Melk, famous for its huge Benedictine abbey. Built in the Baroque style the huge abbey has always been a religious and cultural centre. A tour lasting about one hour through the abbey demonstrates its former importance. There is then a chance to sample the excellent local wines in an informal atmosphere in the Abbey Cellar, before returning to the ship. (This excursion is not suitable for those passengers who find walking difficult).

The excursion package (EUR 159,- in German ) includes the following:
- Visit to Melk Abbey
- City tour in Vienna
- City tour in Budapest
- Excursion to the Danube Bend and Esztergom
- Guided walk in Bratislava with a train ride to the castle
- Excursion through the Wachau Valley.


The following optional excursions can be booked on board:
- classical concert in Vienna or coach trip to a Heurige tavern
- coach tour to the northern Vienna Woods
- evening tour in Budapest
- excursion to the Puszta or to St. Stephan’s Cathedral and Margaret’s Island


The Excursion Package can be booked in advance. However, excursions can also be booked on board either as a package or individually. The optional excursions are not included in the package and can be booked only on board. Please note that on-board bookings are subject to availability and that they must be paid for in cash (Euros).
Every excursion is subject to a minimum of 30 passengers.
Bookings for excursions, which are paid for either in advance or locally and then not taken up, are not eligible for refunds – unless nicko tours are forced to cancel the tour
due to river levels or where the minimum number of participants is not achieved.
We recommend you to attend the on-board briefings about the excursions and life on board. In order to ensure a prompt start to the excursions, we ask anyone who has booked but is now unable to take part to report this to the Cruise Team.
Please note that exceptional water levels or lengthy waiting times at locks can lead to alterations to the programme of excursions and to the points of embarkation / disembarkation.

We reserve the right to alter the printed itinerary and excursion schedule.

Your ship

Important travel information

Important Travel Information

Please check in good time that all necessary papers and documents needed for the cruise are valid and correct. May we draw your attention to the fact that you yourself are responsible for all official travel documents and (where needed) visas and for organizing any necessary inoculations.

Failure to follow these regulations may result in a refusal to allow you to undertake all or part of your journey and thus involve you and your party in considerable extra expense. Should the lack of appropriate documentation lead to your being refused permission to travel, there can be no refund of payments already made. It is not part of our service to obtain entry visas. This remains the responsibility of individual clients.

Minimum passengers per cruise: 125

Important Travel Information

Dear Partner:
We are delighted that you are interested in offering one of our river cruises and you are now starting the planning for the holidays of your customers. We would like to offer some suggestions for this process, to help you on your way. Each means of travel has its own peculiarities - things that are worth knowing. We have tried here to select some of the most important items.

 Travel Documents
nicko tours will not provide travel documents to you. As you are a tour operator you have to use your own documents and vouchers. You also have to provide nicko tours with a sample copy of the travel vouchers valid for the cruise. This will be forwarded to the Cruise Director to assure boarding of your group.
 
EU Safety Certificate
The cost of your tours includes an EU guarantee of set standards of care. This certificate will be sent with your letters of confirmation.

 Passports and Visas
You are responsible for the Visa arrangements of your customers. Please ensure, that they check in good time that all necessary papers and documents needed for the cruise are valid and correct.
May we draw your attention to the fact that you as the Operator are responsible for all official travel documents for your clients and (where needed) visas and for organizing any necessary inoculations.

Failure to follow these regulations may result in a refusal to allow your clients to undertake all or parts of their journey and thus involve considerable extra expense for your clients. Should the lack of appropriate documentation lead to a refused permission to travel, there can be no refund of payments already made. It is not part of nicko tours service to obtain entry visas. This remains the responsibility of the Operator and the clients.
 
Insurance
May we draw your attention to the fact that you and your passengers are responsible for travel insurances. Unfortunately you cannot book insurance directly with nicko tours.

 Travel to/from port
Travel to/from port of embarkation/disembarkation needs to be organized by yourself. Please note that should flight or train delays occur, the vessel cannot wait in the port of embarkation. In such cases the transfer to the next port, where embarkation is possible, must be arranged by yourself. Please contact the emergency hotline as soon as possible (0049-163 765 68 60). To book transfers between the airport or main station and the port of embarkation please contact us at sales@nicko-tours.com

Baggage Handling
If arriving by plane, please check the baggage regulations of your airline in advance.

 
Ship’s berth
Details of the ship’s berth you will get from our product managers.
Every vessel is officially assigned a harbour berth. Occasionally it is necessary to moor alongside another vessel. This means that the view from the cabins window may be restricted to the neighbouring vessel and that there may be a certain amount of additional noise and smell. While going ashore it might be necessary to pass through or across another vessel. Anchorages are subject to change.

 
Changes to the itinerary and to the programme
Cruise itineraries are weather-dependent – for example a long period of rain or drought could have a detrimental effect on water levels. It may on occasions be necessary to change the itinerary, as a result of abnormal water levels or delays at locks or bridges. On the rare occasion that a section of the river is closed, we will transfer passengers to alternative means of transport, which may result in cancellation of, or changes to planned visits. We also reserve the right to alter the order in which we visit the planned destinations.

 
Joining and leaving the vessel
You will get embarkation details from our product manager. However, since there are occasional changes to the ships’ berth, we ask your customers to check the information boards on the quayside, to find the exact location of the vessel. Please take special note of the embarkation times. Even though the vessel may already be at its berth, the crew need the available time to prepare the ship for its next cruise. Please understand that it is not possible to embark before the time specified, nor can we accept your luggage until this time.

 
Excursions / Going ashore
Excursions ashore organised by nicko tours offer a general view of the most important sights in the various ports of call. Your clients may also wish to explore the area on their own.
We ask your clients to wait for an announcement of official clearance of the vessel, before going ashore. Return times on board are published in the daily journal. Since our berths and our passage through locks have to be arranged in advance, we are not able to wait for passengers who return late.

 
Excursions
For each cruise we offer a package including interesting excursions, which we specially recommend.
Excursion packages for international groups are operated with English speaking guide. Therefore a minimum of 10 persons is required. nicko tours can also arrange excursion packages for other languafe groups. Please let us know.

It is, of course, possible to book these excursions on board as well, usually at a higher price and subject to availability, especially because of the language. Usually these optional excursions are subject to a minimum number of participants. Theatre performances depend on local schedules, which are sometimes subject to last minute alterations. Should your clients not take part in a pre-booked excursion (either as part of a package or booked individually on board), we are not able to issue a refund. Also please note that abnormal water levels or extended waiting times at locks may lead to delays and alterations to the planned excursion schedule or to a change of disembarkation or embarkation point.

 
On-board facilities
On board our ships your customers will find a Panorama Lounge offering excellent views of the passing scenery. Live music is played during the evening for dancing, whilst during the day the Lounge is used for lectures. Some ships have, in addition, smaller lounges for reading or board games or for small group meetings. On most of our ships there are fitness facilities, which you clients may use free of charge. On the Sun Deck they will find sunshades, chairs, tables and, in many cases, deck-chairs.

The on board language for all nicko tours vessels is German. However, if you are a inernational tour operator and arranging a closed group and an accompanying tour guide, we will provide all announcements, menus, daily programs etc. also in English (other languages on request).

 
Payment on board
The on-board currency depends on our route (Central Europe = Euro). Drinks taken and excursions booked on board can be paid for at the end of the cruise, either by credit card (see the cruise description for details) or in cash. Cash payments must be made in the on-board currency, as exchange is not permitted or not possible on board (except in China). Please be aware that your bank or Credit Card Company may impose fees for credit card payments.

 
Cabins
Normally you receive the cabin numbers with the booking confirmation. We will try our best to assign you the cabin you have specified with your booking, but this is not a contractual requirement on our part. A certain amount of noise from the ship’s engines, air-conditioning plant or ventilation systems is noticeable in some parts of the vessel. Those cabins marked “aft” are in the rear section of the vessel and here the noise may be noticeable when the vessel is underway. Occasionally there is noise from the bow propellers when manoeuvring or moving through locks. This mainly affects the forward cabins. On our Russian and Ukrainian ships the bathroom is rather more basic. The shower is drained through a drain in the bathroom floor and the shower head is extendable from the wash basin.

 
Multi-berth cabins
Some twin-berth cabins can be arranged to accommodate three or four occupants, but please note that these cabins are usually the same size. The third and fourth bed in these cabins is usually a fold away upper berth.


Drinking water
Because the fresh water supply comes from an on-board tank, we recommend drinking bottled water obtainable from the ship’s bar or restaurant. The water from the ship’s taps is perfectly safe for cleaning teeth etc.

 
Meals
All our cruises include full board – details are given in the brochure. We try to source the meals with local produce. On all ships we serve a buffet Breakfast. Lunch is usually served at table and Dinner is always table service. Meals on board are served at a single seating. Please refer to the tour information for further information. If one of your customers have special diet requirements, we ask you to inform us when making the booking, although this may present difficulties in Russia, Ukraine, China and Egypt.

 
Medical treatment and health issues
For urgent medical needs there is a doctor on board our ships in Russia, the Ukraine and China, as well as on board MS DONAUSTAR, MS DELTASTAR, MS MOLDAVIA and MS DNEPR. Otherwise it is normally easy to reach a doctor on shore. Medical treatment on board is charged for and medicines are also to be paid for locally. Please be aware that our on-board staff (eg at the Reception) are not allowed to dispense medicines. If your clients are taking prescription drugs, please ensure that they have a sufficient supply with them. We recommend international health insurance.

 
Dress
During the day on board and on the excursions your passengers may dress how they please, with the emphasis on comfort and practicality. We recommend wearing non-slip shoes on the outside decks and that they have warm clothes for cooler evenings and sound, comfortable footwear for trips ashore. Although there is no formal dress code, we ask to dress smartly for Dinner. Your customers should please remember to pack a hat, sun glasses and rainwear and please bear in mind that the countries to be visited have dress codes different to ours, often based on religious precepts. Churches, monasteries, temples and mosques are primarily places of contemplation and reverence. We therefore ask to dress accordingly – shorts, short skirts and sleeveless tops are not welcomed.

 
Mail
Your clients may hand in cards and letters for posting at Reception. Normally the mailbox is cleared at the next port of call. Postcards and stamps are available from the Reception Desk. Please be aware, though, that on-board prices are generally higher than those ashore.

 
Smoking
Smoking is permitted only outside and normally on the open Sun Deck. Smoking is not permitted in enclosed areas of the vessel, such as restaurants, lounges, cabins, corridors etc. The only exception is on board the MS CENTURY DIAMOND, where smoking is permitted in the Cigar Lounge.

 
Gratuities
Tips are not included in the tour price. They are a personal way of showing appreciation for good service. The amount is at the passenger’s discretion, but our recommendation for ships on the rivers Volga, Dnieper, Danube and on rivers in Germany is € 5-7 per passenger per night on board. As we recognise that European passengers often have difficulties with local scales of gratuity in China and Egypt, we offer a service whereby the recommended gratuities are collected at the start of the cruise by the Tour Leader, who then distributes appropriate amounts to the ship’s crew, local guides and coach drivers. Please refer to the cruise information for recommended scales of gratuities. In the case of cruises in Egypt with MS NILE EXCELLENCE the gratuities are included in the tour price.

 
Telephone
It is normally possible to call from cabin to cabin (except on the Russian and Ukrainian ships). On many ships your passengers can phone ashore using a satellite link. However, the charges for this service are high and we recommend your customers useing their own mobile phone. Your service provider can advise on tariffs.

 
TV
Those ships that offer on-board TV rely on satellite reception, which is operative over large parts of the itinerary. However, there can be unforeseen interruptions of transmission when passing under bridges or lock chambers as well as on certain stretches of the river.

 
Electrical appliances
For reasons of safety, electric irons and similar appliances are not allowed in the cabins. There is no hair dryer in the cabin on the Russian or Ukrainian ships. The electrical supply in the cabins is at 220 V. Please note that, as all electrical sockets on the vessels are German standard, your passengers might need to bring a suitable adaptor.

 
Items of Value
On board our ships there is either a deposit box at the Reception Desk (sometimes for a small fee) or a small safe in the cabins. Please use these to deposit items of value. However, we do recommend that your customers leave items of value (eg expensive jewellery) at home, if possible. Some of our tours take your clients to places where minor items are considered as wealth and where wearing expensive items can lead to covetousness or theft.

 
Children
For children we offer a discount of 30% up to the age of 11. Please note that this discount will be deducted at a later stage. The booking confirmation shows the full amount.


Should you have further questions please contact us on our Infoline +49 (0) 711 – 24 89 80 0

We wish your customers a splendid time on board, cruising some of the world’s most beautiful rivers.