Musical Delights of the Danube with Russell Watson

Departure Date: 15th April 2019 

With this unique 8 day tour, you will cruise along the River Danube on a luxury 5 star ship. You will take in the wonderful landscape, while enjoying the musical delights of Russell Watson.

Once described as a performer who sings like Pavarotti and entertains the audience like Sinatra, Russell Watson began his career in the unlikely role of a factory worker making nuts and bolts, before entering and winning the local radio talent show that propelled him to stardom. Now the UK’s best-selling classical artist, Russell’s debut album “The Voice” spent 52 weeks at number one in the UK charts. Having released a further nine albums, Russell has also performed for notable dignitaries including the Queen and Prince Charles.

Now you can discover Russell’s story and enjoy an exclusive performance with the man himself, on this brand new eight-day river cruise. Sailing from Budapest, you will discover the delights of the Hungarian capital before venturing on to Vienna via Esztergom, Bratislava, Dürnstein, Melk and Salzburg, before joining Russell in the Austrian capital. The ideal personality with whom to experience the region, which is renowned for its musical heritage, Russell will perform his greatest hits during a delightful private performance aboard the ship in Vienna. You will also have the opportunity to enjoy one-to-one time with the tenor and hear stories from his career during a meet-and-greet event and a CD signing.

With seven nights aboard the MS Thomas Hardy luxury river ship and the chance to explore Linz, this is a special opportunity to enjoy time with one of the UK’s favourite recording artists, in one of Europe’s most significant musical regions.

Itinerary 

Day 1: Arrival in Budapest
Fly to Budapest and transfer to your river ship. Enjoy a welcome dinner aboard after time to explore the ship and its facilities. Overnight cruise to Esztergom.

Day 2:Esztergom
Discover Esztergom, one of Hungary’s oldest towns, a royal capital during medieval times and today the seat of the country’s archbishop. See Esztergom castle, the former seat of the government. Take lunch aboard and discover the towns and villages of Hungary on one river bank and of Slovakia on the other, as you sail onwards to Bratislava. Enjoy a welcome dinner tonight.

Day 3: Bratislava
Explore Slovakia’s fast-emerging capital city, Bratislava, on a guided tour and discover its beautifully restored Old Town and 17th-century castle. This afternoon cruise into bucolic Lower Austria, home to some of the countrys best wines. Admire the passing scenery as we sail towards Dürnstein during dinner.

Day 4: Durnstein & Melk
Discover Dürnstein, known for the ice-blue tower of its abbey and the castle where Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned in 1192, after being shipwrecked on his return from the crusades. After lunch, visit the remarkable Melk Abbey, which has been a monastic school and monastery since the 11th century. Return to the ship for dinner and sail through the scenic Nibelungengau region, which was immortalised in the music and compositions of Wagner.

Day 5: Salzburg & Linz
Take a guided walking tour of Linz exploring its charming baroque old town and fortress-like castle, which is now a museum housing a fine collection of 19th and and 20th-century artworks. Alternatively, visit Salzburg and explore with an expert local guide, before free time to soak up the city’s history and that of its most famous son, Mozart.

Day 6: Meet Russell Watson in Venice 
Visit Vienna, one of the highlights of the cruise. Join a local guide and discover why Vienna is one of Europe’s great capitals, before free time to explore the former home of some of the worlds finest classical composers, including Beethoven, Brahms and Mozart. This evening, join world-renowned tenor Russell Watson for an exclusive concert that will bring alive the musical heritage of this wonderful city.

Day 7: Budapest
This morning enjoy a scenic cruise through Hungary’s peaceful pastoral landscape towards Budapest, the delightful Hungarian capital. Make use of the ships facilities or relax on the sun deck and admire the scenery, before a delicious lunch. On arrival in Budapest, enjoy a sightseeing tour of this captivating city, known as the Pearl of the Danube. This evening attend a delightful farewell Gala Dinner aboard the ship, before a traditional Hungarian folklore show.

Day 8: Return to the UK
After breakfast this morning, disembark the ship and transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK.

Departure Options & Costs per Person
15 Apr 2019: Edinburgh Airport from £1,739.00
15 Apr 2019: Manchester Airport from £1,749.00
15 Apr 2019: London Stansted Airport from £1,699.00
15 Apr 2019: London Heathrow Airport from £1,759.00

M.S Thomas Hardy
It is extremely difficult to convey just how extraordinary this outstanding ship really is and exactly what distinguishes it from similar vessels. It would be very easy to just say ‘luxurious’ but it’s much more than that; they have deliberately avoided the current trend for a minimalist style where you could be anywhere in the world, creating instead a unique yet exquisite blend of understated taste, style and elegance at the highest level. Immediately striking is just how exceptionally spacious this new vessel is as you enter a gleaming, richly coloured marble-floored lobby flooded with natural light from a stunning atrium above. Moving inside, exceptional creativity from Europe’s finest design studio has produced a superbly balanced masterpiece of onboard style, utilising sustainable rich hardwoods, gleaming brass and polished copper, sparkling glass and intricate wrought iron. The ship is beautifully illuminated throughout – including the exterior and imaginatively furnished with harmonious colour schemes, all designed to create the serene atmosphere reflective of the golden age of cruising which time after time you tell us you adore.

The restaurant rivals the finest on shore establishments taking fine dining to another level complemented by delicate European porcelain, gleaming glassware and the intuitive service in which the Swiss excel. This superb vessel carries 44 in-house trained crew members serving just 169 guests (similar size vessels may carry well over 190 passengers) giving the ratio which our experience proves is concurrent with our first class service levels.

Furthermore your suite will easily exceed your expectations for not only will you enjoy the most discerning décor, so too the ship’s dimensions afford the ultimate in space and comfort – a minimum 17 square metres (183 square feet), with upgrades available to ‘Superior’ and ‘Deluxe’ accommodation.