8 days • On the new and magnificent Amadeus Nova riverboat
Featuring the singers and cantors Udi Ullman and Or Shevach
14 July 2024
A wonderful cruise to the capitals of the Danube: Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava, charming cities that each serve as gems along the route - the Danube and among them: Passau, and Melk, adding many shades of ruby, amber, and emerald. Cruising on a riverboat is a wonderful and convenient way to experience the pastoral landscapes, villages, and picturesque towns along the river - all this on a "floating hotel" that allows for the perfect combination of a tour and a relaxing vacation together.
Udi Ullman is one of the most successful singers following his five successful albums sold in Israel and around the world, earning him singer of the year titles several times. The cruise is also accompanied by Or Shevach, a graduate of the IDF Rabbinical Ensemble. Shevach performs as a singer at cultural events and private events in Israel and around the world, moving between various musical styles of Hasidic/Israeli/Eastern. The cruise will be managed musically by Mickey Rosenbaum, a composer, creator, and performer considered a pioneer in the field of original Jewish music.
Amadeus Nova
The river ship Amadeus Nova, owned by Luftner Cruises, will be launched in spring 2024. During the cruise, you can enjoy a panoramic restaurant and bar, a café, a fitness room, a heated swimming pool on the upper deck, and spacious rooms. The ship can accommodate 158 passengers. The rooms feature air conditioning, a hairdryer, a shower and toilet, a wardrobe, a television, a telephone, a minibar, and a safe.
Day 1 (Sunday) Vienna - Boarding the Riverboat
Check in will be at 15:00. Overnight stay on the riverboat.
Day 2 (Monday) Aschach - Saint Andrew - Budapest - Folklore Evening and Night Cruise in Illuminated Budapest
This morning, we will wake up to a cruise on the Danube River in areas where the river serves as a border between three countries: Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary. We will pass through agricultural areas and see small fishermen's huts along the river, where fishermen come on weekends to enjoy the peace and tranquility. We will pass through the largest lock on the Danube: Gabcikovo Lock, where the river widens and becomes a lake due to the giant dam built to construct the power station in the area. After lunch, we will dock in Aschach, which was once the ancient capital of Hungary. We will see the giant cathedral atop the hill and overlook the "Danube Bend" where the river changes its direction. We will continue our tour and travel to the artists' town of Saint Andrew, where we will visit the Margit Kovács Ceramics Museum. Margit Kovács was a Hungarian Jewish artist who dedicated her life to working with clay, leaving her works as a legacy to the town of Saint Andrew. We will then continue to Budapest where we will meet the ship. After dinner, we will enjoy a magnificent folklore performance followed by a night cruise in Budapest, passing by the impressive and illuminated buildings on both sides of the river and under the illuminated Chain Bridge. Overnight stay on the riverboat.
Day 3 (Tuesday) Budapest - Visit to the Synagogue
We will embark on a tour of the two parts of the city built on the two banks of the river: Buda and Pest. Buda is the older and more charming city with cobbled streets and medieval architecture, while Pest is an administrative and commercial center with wide avenues and impressive modern buildings. During our tour, we will see the impressive Parliament building known as the "Cream Cake of Budapest," Heroes' Square, and climb to a breathtaking viewpoint atop Gellért Hill. We will have an emotional visit to the impressive and unique Dohány Street Synagogue in Dohány Street, which is the largest in Europe and the fifth largest in the world, and see the weeping willow tree memorial for the victims of the Holocaust. We will return to the ship for lunch and continue sailing towards Bratislava. Overnight stay on the riverboat.
Day 4 (Wednesday) Bratislava - Chatam Sofer Tomb - Vienna City Tour
This morning, we will dock and tour Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. Here, we will visit the tomb of one of the greatest rabbis in recent generations, Rabbi Moshe Schreiber, known as the Chatam Sofer, who was the chief rabbi of Bratislava. He served as the head of the yeshiva in the city, which at his time numbered about 500 students, and was considered one of the most important Torah study centers in Europe. We will visit his tomb complex, which has become a place of pilgrimage for many believers. We will continue with a tour of the old city center where we will see the impressive National Theater, the Gothic Cathedral of St. Martin, Michael's Gate, the Old Town Hall, and more. We will return to the ship for lunch and sail to Melk. Upon arrival, we will go on a tour of Melk, a well-preserved town dating back 1,000 years. We will see its Renaissance and Baroque buildings and the imposing monastery perched above it. We will meet Absalom, whose hair got caught in the terebinth tree, and the Irish saint Columbanus, who was accused of espionage unjustly. We will see the ancient bakery with its special wooden ovens and St. John of Nepomuk, the patron saint of rivers. Overnight stay on the riverboat.
Day 5 (Thursday) Dürnstein - Wachau Valley - Melk
This morning, we will dock and visit the town of Dürnstein, a medieval town surrounded by remnants of walls and gates. We will hear the story of Richard the Lionheart who was imprisoned in the castle whose ruins still stand on the hilltop, by Duke Leopold V, and the story of Blondel the faithful who found him after disappearing on his way back from the crusade. We will walk around the town and enjoy the special atmosphere of the place. We will then continue sailing along the Wachau Valley towards the town of Melk. Upon arrival, we will go on a tour of the well-preserved town, which dates back 1,000 years. We will see its Renaissance and Baroque buildings, the imposing monastery perched above it, and meet Absalom, whose hair got caught in the terebinth tree, and the Irish saint Columbanus, who was accused of espionage unjustly. We will see the ancient bakery with its special wooden ovens and St. John of Nepomuk, the patron saint of rivers. Overnight stay on the riverboat.
Day 6 (Friday) Linz - Salzburg - Songs in Honor of Shabbat - Festive Shabbat Prayers and Meal
This morning, we will dock in the city of Linz, the third-largest city in Austria, and from there, we will go on a tour of Salzburg, the hometown of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The city is located at the foot of Hohensalzburg Fortress and is traversed by the Salzach River. We will walk through Getreidegasse, where Mozart's birthplace is located, the Old Market Square, and Residenz Square. We will be impressed by the grand cathedral and end our tour in Mirabell Gardens. We will return to the ship for lunch and prepare for Shabbat. Overnight stay on the riverboat.
Day 7 (Saturday) Prayers and Walking Tour in Linz
After morning prayers and breakfast, we will embark on a short walking tour of the central square, which served as the medieval market square and is now surrounded by colorful Renaissance houses, with market stalls in the summer replaced by cafes serving the famous "Linzer torte," walnut cake. We will see the impressive plague column in the center of the square. Along the riverbank, we will see the city's municipal museum and the Anton Bruckner Concert Hall. Overnight stay on the riverboat.
Day 8 End of the cruise in Vienna
After breakfast disembarkation.
Rates & Details
The price of the trip includes:
- Full board throughout the cruise, including unlimited water during meals and a glass of wine with dinner.
- Evening entertainment with the singers and cantors Udi Ullman, Or Shevach, under the musical direction of Mickey Rosenbaum.
- Fresh gourmet kosher meals cooked on board under the supervision of a kosher supervisor.
- Kosher kitchen with kosher certification supervised by Rabbi Oren Dovadavni, Head of Kashrut Organization.
- Regular prayers, Torah scroll on board, and electronic Sabbath candles.
- Gourmet meals - buffet for breakfast, lunch, afternoon coffee and tea, dinner.
- Welcome dinner, captain's festive dinner, and crew performance.
- Daily music performances by the onboard music team.
- 24 - hour free coffee/tea and water station for guests.
- Coffee and pastries for early risers.
- Midnight buffet - late-night snacks.
- Shore excursions at each port of call (some on foot and some by bus).
- Air-conditioned tourist buses for tours.
- Tips for service providers (except for the ship, where an additional €60 per person is required for the entire trip).
- Experienced guide from "Bishvil Hazahav" team.
- Personal audio system for each passenger during shore excursions.
Double room on the lower deck, Hayden Deck C 1, with a size of 16 square meters
Price per person: €3,080
Additional charge for a single occupancy in the room: €1,900
Total price for a couple: €6,160
Total price for a single room: € 4,980
Double room on the middle deck, Strauss Deck B 4- (ship's promenade), with a large panoramic window (opening downwards) and a size of 17.5 square meters
Price per person: €3,700
Additional charge for a single occupancy in the room: €2,800
Total price for a couple: €7,400
Total price for a single room: €6,500
Double room on the middle deck, Strauss Deck B1- with a large panoramic window (opening downwards) and a size of 17.5 square meters
Price per person: €3,750
Additional charge for a single occupancy in the room: €2,850
Total price for a couple: €7,500
Total price for a single room:€ 6,600
Double room on the upper deck, Mozart Deck, with a large panoramic window A1- (opening downwards) and a size of 17.5 square meters
Price per person: €3,900
Additional charge for a single occupancy in the room: €3,000
Total price for a couple: €7,800
Total price for a single room:€ 6,900
Double suite on the upper floor Mozart Deck with a balcony of 26 square meters
Price per person: €4,170
Additional cost for a single occupancy in the room is €3,000
Therefore, the total price for a couple is €8,340
And the total price for a single room is €7,170
Important to know:
- The tour price does not include tips for the tour guide (€45 per person for the entire tour) and the kosher supervisor (€15 per person for the entire tour).
- The cruise company and "Bishvil Hazahav" reserve the right to change the tour route in cases of malfunctions in the riverboat, changes in river levels, malfunctions or blockages at river crossings (locks), weather conditions that do not allow the tour route to be carried out as published. In these cases, deviations from the published route may occur, and there may be overnight stays in hotels instead of on the boat. Alternative transportation means may also be used, including alternative boats or vehicles such as buses, to conduct the tour instead of cruising on a boat. In cases where cruising is part of the tour, changes in cruising may affect the performance of the entire tour, both in terms of the route to be taken and changes to be made in it, hotels, transportation means, and so on.
- Our tour route is suitable for travelers who are able to walk for a minimum of 30 consecutive minutes. Within ancient cities where buses cannot enter, the tour is conducted on foot. Those who find it difficult to walk have the option to sit and wait in a café and join the group later. Additionally, we mostly travel in ancient cities where the streets are paved with stones, and sometimes stairs need to be climbed or descended, therefore, wheelchairs or walkers cannot be used.
Cancellation fees (it is recommended to purchase health insurance at registration to protect your money in case of unexpected health issues):
- Less than 120 days before departure and up to 60 days before departure: 35% of the tour price.
- Less than 60 days before departure and up to 30 days before departure: 55% of the tour price.
- Less than 30 days before departure and up to 15 days before departure: 70% of the tour price.
- Less than 15 days before departure and up to 7 days before departure: 85% of the tour price.
- Less than 7 days before departure: full cancellation fees.