Your journey begins in the picturesque city of Budapest, one of Europe’s most diverse and vibrant cities. Divided by the Danube, with Buda on one side and Pest on the other, this city became united in 1873, when a newly built bridge connected the two. The city is an architectural treasure trove comprising styles from Gothic to Art Nouveau and everything in between.

This afternoon, board your all-inclusive ultra-luxury Scenic Space-Ship and settle into your suite. Relax and raise your glass to the days ahead at this evening’s welcome reception. Your ship will remain docked here overnight, so you can go onshore to enjoy the festive atmosphere and legendary nightlife.

Discover a different perspective on Budapest with a variety of fascinating activities to choose from today.

Scenic Freechoice:
Discover Budapest with your Scenic Freechoice excursions:

Budapest in Depth: Visit both Buda and Pest, the two districts that are separated by the Danube. See the Várkert Bazár before crossing the Margaret Bridge to Széchenyi Square and Elizabeth Square. Don’t forget to visit the local Christmas market to stock up on traditional treats before the big day.

Hospital in the Rock: Experience the labyrinths of the Hospital in the Rock, built as a secret hospital during WWII and was later converted to a nuclear bunker.

Hungarian Culinary Market Tour; This foodie tour in Budapest promises an unforgettable journey through the city’s culinary delights. Visit the bustling Grand Central Market and other locations for tasting the local delicacies, and hear fascinating stories about the city’s traditions.

Guided hike of Buda: This hike up to the World Heritage-listed site of Buda Hill combines history with picturesque beauty. On your walk, see Várkert Bazár and lovingly landscaped gardens while enjoying great views over the Danube River and the city architecture.

Today perhaps wake to a coffee delivered to your suite by your butler as you cruise the majestic Danube River towards Vienna, the Austrian capital. Perhaps recline in the Salt Therapy Lounge, enjoy an aperitif on the Sun Deck or make new friends in Panorama Lounge, before arriving to Vienna in the evening where you’ll experience a magical concert exclusive to Scenic guests.

Scenic Enrich
Classical concert at Palais Lichtenstein: Breathe in the opulence and luxury of Palais Liechtenstein this evening as you relish an exclusive private classical concert. Enjoy a glass of fine Austrian Sekt and listen to the timeless music of Strauss and Mozart performed by a renowned orchestra. You’ll be seated in Vienna’s largest secular Baroque hall, an ornate space where royals and nobles have sat for centuries. Accompanied by ballet dancers and vocalists and surrounded by world-famous art, this will be a concert that you’ll remember for a lifetime.

Admire the spectacular scenery of Vienna, a city full of festive grandeur. Discover the world’s most beautiful boulevard, The Ringstrasse, and the legacy of the Habsburg monarchy.

Scenic Freechoice:
Today, choose how you’d like to explore via a Scenic Freechoice excursion:

Central Vienna exploration: The city centre of Vienna is brimming with history, elegance and diverse architecture. During this tour your expert local guide will delight you with stories from the city before allowing you free time to explore as you wish.

Schönbrunn Palace: Explore Schönbrunn Palace, the former summer residence of the Habsburg family, one of the most prominent dynasties in European history. As you wander its countless ornately designed rooms, hear tales about the royal family that lived here and marvel at its impressive gardens.

Kunsthistorisches Museum: Discover a wealth of artistic treasures in Vienna’s premiere art museum. The museum is an architectural masterpiece itself, its design mirrors that of the Naturhistorisches Museum, with a grand facade featuring a prominent central dome, ornate reliefs, and statues representing major figures and cities in art history.

Arrive in Melk this morning. The picturesque small town is dominated by its dramatic, World Heritage-listed Benedictine Abbey, which towers above it from a rocky outcrop.

Scenic Freechoice:
Select between these Scenic Freechoice excursions today:

Guided tour of Melk Abbey: Wander the halls of this grand 18th century abbey, visit the decorated Marble Hall and the library, which is filled with more than 80,000 books, and be awed by the Abbey Church, adorned in frescoes and intricate statues.

UNESCO Wachau Valley e-bike experience: Join your guide on a bicycle tour along the Danube. Pass by charming villages and rolling vineyard landscapes. You will have time to stop along the way to enjoy the breathtaking views of the Danube. 

With a late departure, you will be able to go onshore and celebrate midnight mass tonight. 

Merry Christmas! Spend this special day admiring the spectacular scenery over a gourmet Christmas feast and special celebrations. Expect plenty of festive fun, frivolity and fizz.

You will arrive in Regensburg just before lunch today. Set on the confluence of three rivers in Bavaria, Regensburg is a delight to explore. Its medieval Old Town is one Germany’s largest and it’s also a World Heritage site.   

Scenic Freechoice:
Be immersed in Regensburg with your choice of Scenic Freechoice excursions today:

Regensburg walking tour: Your expert local guide will show you the old stone bridge, the Church of St. James, and the Porta Praetoria all while sharing the customs and traditions of the region during the festive period.

Bavarian beer tasting: Visit a series of traditional breweries, learn about the intricacies of brewing and sample a variety of distinctive Bavarian beers, from the crisp refreshment of Helles lager to the smooth richness of Dunkel and the fruity, spicy character of Weissbier.

You will arrive in Nuremberg, Bavaria’s second-largest city, this afternoon. Boasting an Old Town protected by an ancient city wall, this city is dominated by one of the most significant imperial forts of the Holy Roman Empire, the 12th century Imperial Castle, which was the preferred residence of German kings.

Scenic Freechoice:
Choose from these Scenic Freechoice excursions:

Walking tour of the Old Town: You will drive into Nuremberg’s city centre, where your local guide will take you on a walking tour to see the Imperial Castle which overlooks the city, St. Egidien’s church and market square.

World War II tour: Your local guide will highlight the main events that occurred in Nuremberg during the Nazi regime. Learn about this dark time in Germany's history and visit some of the most important sites.

Nuremberg's Castle and City Walls: The historic city of Nuremberg is yours to explore during this active walking tour. Wander the cobblestone streets surrounding the Imperial Castle and admire the impressive city walls that have stood strong since medieval times.

Arrive in Bamberg this morning and join a guided tour to explore the World Heritage-listed Old Town, which occupies an island on its own. Admire a Gothic and Romanesque-style cathedral and the Old and New Residences – an episcopal palace, a pretty ‘Little Venice’ and a 12th century castle that teeters on the highest of the seven hills.

Cruise into Würzburg today. This Baroque city straddles the Main River in the heart of Franconian wine country. Surrounded by undulating vineyards, Würzburg is home to a World Heritage-listed palace, a dominating hilltop fortress, the 15th century Old Main Bridge, and three universities including Bavaria’s oldest.

Scenic Freechoice:
Choose from these Scenic Freechoice excursions:

Walking tour: Guided city tour: Transfer to the centre of Würzburg where a local guide is delighted to show you their hometown. Here you’ll stroll towards the historic market square where you will have time to wander.

Romantic Road to Rothenburg: From Würzburg drive by coach to Rothenburg along the so-called Romantic Road, an important trading route during the Middle Ages. Take a guided tour in Rothenburg, famous for its well-preserved medieval Old Town, to see the Gothic and Renaissance City Hall as well as the famous City Councillors’ Tavern.

Dock in the stunning town of Miltenberg around lunchtime. Here, your local guide will showcase the city during a walking tour through the beautiful cobblestone streets lined with historic half-timbered houses.

Afterwards, take a coach to the historic town of Wertheim, on the picturesque banks of the Main and Tauber rivers. Enjoy an orientation tour of Wertheim before reboarding your Scenic Space-Ship.

This morning you will disembark in Rüdesheim, a picturesque town surrounded by steep vineyards that have been cultivating wine for 2,000 years.

Take a mini train from the pier to Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Museum, where some 350 musical instruments from the 18th and 19th century play themselves for your enjoyment. Afterwards, explore the charming centre of Rüdesheim, filled with half-timbered houses lining cobbled streets, quaint shops selling trinkets such as cuckoo clocks, as well as a smattering of wine taverns.

At lunch time, depart Rüdesheim and cruise the spectacular Rhine Gorge where the landscapes could have been pulled from the pages of a fairytale. This 65 kilometre stretch of the river is dotted with some 40 hilltop castles and fortresses that span a period of 1,000 years. Look out for the Lorelei statue, dedicated to the tragic legend of a beautiful maiden.

Arrive in the German city of Bonn for New Year’s Eve celebrations. You can either stay on board and ring in the New Year with your fellow guests and crew or venture into the city of Bonn and celebrate withe the locals.

Happy New Year! You will arrive in Cologne this morning. This is a city known for its liberal and laidback lifestyle, a unique beer culture, thriving auto industry and cathedral that dominates its skyline.

Discover Cologne on a walking tour. Wander the laneways of the historical Old Town, which is home to breweries serving up draft Kölsch beer and enjoy free time to visit the city's centrepiece and icon, Cologne Cathedral. You will have further free time afterwards to explore the city on your own.

Amsterdam is a treasure trove of urban beauty. Look around and you’ll find architectural marvels, masterpiece-filled galleries, boats putting along 17th century canals, narrow cobbled laneways filled with boutiques and cafes and streets busy with cyclists. Often referred to as the ‘Venice of the North’, the World Heritage-listed waterways are lined with well-preserved canal houses and intersected by charming bridges.

Scenic Freechoice:
Today it’s your Scenic Freechoice:

Canal cruise: Amsterdam has more than 100 kilometres of canals. See some of the picturesque sights of the city on a one hour cruise along these historic waterways. Admire Golden Age mansions, grand warehouses and narrow bridges. Stay warm inside your canal boat as you take the city from a different perspective.

City walking tour: Explore Amsterdam on foot today, discovering the maze of canals and bridges in the city centre. Your guide will cover history, modern lifestyle and Dutch culture.

Excursion to Schermerhorn and Alkmaar: Windmills are an iconic feature of Dutch culture. As you travel out of town enjoy the sweeping countryside landscape and explore the nearby villages of Schermerhorn, home to a number of World Heritage-listed windmills dating back to the 16th century, and Alkmaar.

It’s time to farewell your fellow guests and Scenic crew, taking with you a wealth of memories and festive cheer. 

Due to new restrictions on cruise ships at Amsterdam’s city docks, your cruise is now likely to embark and/or disembark at a port outside central Amsterdam. If your ship does not have a central Amsterdam docking, Scenic will provide a central Amsterdam meeting point and transfers to your ship as required. These changes are required by local authorities and are in line with our booking terms which allow changes to berthing or dock locations and ports where operationally necessary. You will be advised of the confirmed docking location prior to departure.

This itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons such as high and low water. As such, the cruise may operate altered from what is stated above. Please refer to our terms and conditions.