Eastern Europe and Balkans Unveiled CANCELLED

 October 2026 

This is the river cruise that wasn't!! We knew about the low water levels and were aware that the ships would be used as our hotels (being moved to other stranded ships) and we would be bussed for excursions. All the cruise lines were doing the same things on the Rhine and the Danube.

Extreme heat and prolonged drought pushed Europe's second-longest river to its lowest levels in roughly 30 years.

I followed all the river cruise FB pages to keep up with the status.

We weren't happy but knew they were offering discounts and we would already be in Europe a week before and a week after the cruise so we figured we'd make the best of it.

However, the Hungarian government issued a "no cruise" mandate which meant they had to cancel. We were extremely pleased that they offered a full refund, some lines only offered credits for other cruises, I would not have been happy with that.

VIDEO

My draft version originally.

I'm calling this the "best of both worlds" river cruise. John really wanted a river cruise, bus tours can be so tiring, moving every day and spending hours on a bus in close quarters.

I wanted to go to Eastern Europe. I thought we had exhausted all the river cruises, click here for our list.

I looked for one that didn't start somewhere we had already been, but settled on this one departing from Budapest Hungary.

Eastern Europe & Balkans Unveiled

Route & Key Stops

• Budapest (Hungary): Journey start point featuring grand architecture along the Danube.

• Mohács (Hungary): Gateway for local traditions and regional access.

• Vukovar & Osijek (Croatia): Stops showcasing well-preserved Baroque architecture and local heritage.

• Belgrade (Serbia): An eclectic capital at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, featuring Kalemegdan Fortress and a private crypt choir performance at St. Sava Church.

• The Iron Gates (Serbia/Romania): Scenic daytime navigation through narrow gorges and soaring limestone cliffs along the natural border.

• Bulgarian Stops (Svishtov, Rousse, Silistra): Access points for historical tours, local village visits, and ancient fortresses.

• Bucharest (Romania): Trip conclusion in the vibrant capital known as the "Paris of the East".