Join us as we host a gay group trip on the Danube River from December 22-29, 2023. The 7-night cruise is round-trip from Passau, Germany with amazing ports of call including visits to European Christmas markets. Sail with us on Viva Cruises from Germany to Slovakia, Hungary, and Austria. Our group trip will enjoy daily group meals, shore excursions, cocktail hours, activities & more! Scroll down to the FAQs section to view pricing.
7 Days
Specific Tour
___
40 people
Depart Passau at 04:00 PM Located in Germany at the confluence of three rivers, the Danube, Inn and Liz, the Bavarian town of Passau has a charm that attracts tourists from far and wide. Rich in history, the town can trace its roots back to the 2nd century AD when it was established as a colony of the Roman Empire. Today, the town boasts superb examples of Gothic and Baroque architecture, including the Cathedral of St. Stephen. Built in 1688, this magnificent cathedral houses one of the world's largest pipe organs and is a major attraction for visitors. Other notable buildings in the town include the Church of St. Michael and Lamberg Palais. With a population of only just over 50,000, Passau is a peaceful town and not at all difficult to get around for visitors. It's certainly worth a visit.
Arrive to Bratislava at 04:00 PM Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia, lies on the Danube in the west of the country. The city is renowned for its bar and cafe culture, giving the place a lively feel despite its population of under half a million. Bratislava Castle, rebuilt in the 1950s after a devastating fire over 100 years earlier, lies on the edge of the old town. The city is full of parks and green spaces, with several lakes for people to walk or relax beside. The Old Town Hall dates from the 15th century and is Slovakia's oldest city hall. Nearby is the much more recent Man at Work, a humorous bronze sculpture by Viktor Hulk depicting a man climbing out of a manhole. As the country's capital, the city also contains a wide range of museums and galleries, as well as the National Theatre. Departure Bratislava at 09:00 PM
Arrive to Budapest at 08:30 AM Budapest is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. As the capital of Hungary, it is full of history and heritage with a mass of attractions, ancient and modern. Magnificently straddling the Danube, the city is as equally impressive to view from the water on a river cruise as when walking the streets. Everywhere is a feast for the eyes and the photo opportunities are endless. Architecture is flamboyant with major attractions being the Royal Palace, Parliament, the Fisherman's Bastion, Heroes Square, and the Basilica of St. Stephen. Must-visits include the statues in Memento Park and the House of Terror in the Jewish Quarter. Something else not to be missed is the Szechenyi Baths, one of the biggest natural hot spring spa baths in Europe. It's a terrific place to unwind the day after sampling the exceptional nightlife. Budapest is super tourist friendly and budget-friendly. Overnight in Budapest
Every year at Vörösmarty Square, a grand festive Christmas Market takes place. Set against the backdrop of an intricately decorated slender tree and with over 100 stalls offering delightful winter fare including fragrant mulled wine, hearty goulash and other traditional treats such as strudel, flódni cake or Sekler pie - it's no surprise that visitors come from far to experience this special holiday event! Acoustic concerts playing jazz & world music fill the square between 5pm-8 pm on weekdays. Depart Budapest at 01:30AM (Dec 26th)
Arrive to Esztergom at 06:30 AM Esztergom has a rich history. It is the city where the first King of Hungary was born. His name was Saint Stephen and was also crowned as the King of Hungary. Therefore the city is located on the right bank of the Danube River, making the border between Hungary and Slovakia. Visitors can have a tour in the city, admiring the beautiful sights of the city. Saint Stephen Square is the most beautiful squares lying in a spectacular area at the castle hill just close to Basilica. The green areas that are attached to the Danube walkway one can find playgrounds, shops, and restaurants. Aqua Island is an amazing, extensive bath complex in the city. It has a building that is remarkable with plants on its rooftops. The bath is full of pride with a variety of equipment such as caves, slides, and infra saunas that visitors can enjoy. In the Esztergom Castle Theatre, there are several plays in which one can enjoy a unique experience. The city also plays a significant role in promoting the culture of the Turkish. Therefore, the city will be interesting for a guest on a River cruise. Departure Esztergom at 12:00 PM
Arrive to Vienna at 08:30 AM Sitting on the majestic River Danube, Vienna is one of the most culturally-rich cities in Europe. Whether passing through on a river cruise or on a weekend break, there's plenty to soak up in the capital of Austria. The city has long been Europe's spiritual home of classical music and the orchestrations of many of the great names seem to exude from the streets that are packed with magnificent architecture much of which reflects the grandeur of the imperial Hapsburgs. Must-see attractions include the Hofburg Palace, Schloss Schönbrunn, and City Hall. The cultural richness is evident in a clutch of excellent museums such as the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna and the modern MUMOK. You can catch a musical performance at the opera house or Musikverein or learn about the "City of Music" at the Hans Der Musik Museum. The Austrian capital has a wonderfully vibrant café scene and it's easy to while away a few hours with a slice of sachertorte and a glass of apricot liqueur alongside an excellent coffee. Departure Vienna at 06:00 PM
Arrive to Linz at 02:00 PM The River Danube changes its direction of flow, due to a bend in the river, in the Austrian city of Linz. Visitors to Linz / Danube will enjoy the Donaupark which forms a part of the city's 'cultural mile'. The park is located between the Brucknerhaus music venue and the Kunstmuseum. The whole city can be viewed from the Pöstlingberg mountain. The 100 year old Pöstlingberg tram provides a comfortable way of reaching the summit. There is a connection from the city's main square. For unique shopping experiences, the Landstrasse offers a selection of vintage boutiques providing previously owned furniture, designer fashions, and jewelery. The Mariendom holds the title of 'largest cathedral', not only in Linz / Danube, but in the whole country. It boasts a capacity of 20,000 worshipers. A visit to Paul's brewpub should provide a great experience for those with a taste for craft-beer. Hearty meals are also available. Departs Linz at 10:30 PM
Arrive to Passau at 07:00 AM This is the departure day after 7 awesome days together. Disembark from the ship after breakfast and if your schedule allows, make the most of your time in Passau before leaving.
Click the 'Book Now' button at the top of this page. You'll be directed to a booking request form to add your contact information as well as the number of guests. Once you submit your booking request we'll get in touch with you via email to finalize your booking. You only need to put down a 20% deposit on voyage fare to hold your reservation.
The price of the trip can vary based on the cabin type and booking date but starts at €1,150 per person based on double occupancy in a standard cabin. You can click the link below to view live pricing. CLICK TO SEE RATES (e.g. price per person for 2 people sharing a cabin) Solo travelers pay just a 30% single supplement for a private cabin. However, any solo bookings made before March 31, 2023 will recieve a promotional 'no single supplement offer.' All prices above are final and already include taxes and fees.
You only need to put down a 20% deposit on voyage fare to hold your reservation. The remaining balance is due no later than 30 days before the start of the cruise (November 22, 2023). Below is the standard cancelation policy from Viva Cruises. VIVA Cruises has determined the following lump sum compensation, taking into account the period between the notice of cancellation and the commencement of the Tour as well as the expected cost savings and the expected earnings by the use of the travel services in another way. The compensation shall be calculated as follows after the date of receipt of the notice of cancellation: • up to 120 days prior to the commencement of the Tour 10%, • from the 119th to the 90th day prior to the commencement of the Tour 20%, • from the 89th to the 30th day prior to the commencement of the Tour 40%, • from the 29th to the 15th day prior to the commencement of the Tour 60%, • from the 14th to the 1st day prior to the commencement of the Tour 80% of the travel price, • Cancellation on the date of the Tour or failure to set out on the Package Tour: 90% of the travel price. You can view the full cancelation policy here.
We don't like to place an age limit on the trip. But in saying that it's best suitable for ages 18+ and that guests are healthy and can get into the spirit of the trip. Our average age range is usually between mid-'30s and mid-'60s but we've also had younger and older on past trips. Our trips are also active and include many walking tours so it may not be suitable if you if you can't spend several hours on your feet, walking around the city and up and down hills.
Absolutely! Although we are not able to match you with a roommate, Viva Cruises offers private, solo traveler cabins and charges only a 30% single supplement. Plus, any solo bookings made before March 31, 2023 will recieve a promotional 'no single supplement offer.'The majority of guests on our trips are solo travelers so you won't be alone!
If you have more questions, simply fill out this form with your information and questions and we'll get in touch with you.
The trip is open to any member or ally of the LGBT+ community. While the vast majority of our guests tend to be gay men, we're happy to welcome anyone who is friendly, welcoming and has an open mind.
No, Viva Cruises is a mainstream, river cruise line open to anyone that launched in 2018. It was started by the renowned Swiss shipping company Scylla AG, which currently owns a fleet of 40 ships. They have dedicated themselves to comfortable travel on water - with a convincing all-inclusive offer for their guests as well as exclusive destinations in Europe. The MS VIVA TWO ship is the second new build of VIVA Cruises with 95 cabins accommodating up to 190 passengers Although we will be joining a ship with other guests, our small gay group trip of approximately 20-40 gay guests will offer daily group meals together, group shore excursions, cocktail hours, group activities and more!
You should plan to fly into Germany at least the day before the cruise starts. We recommend flying into Munich so your flight should arrive in Munich on December 21st or before. This is to ensure you have enough time to board the ship, should there be any flight delays or cancellations.
You can either get a hotel in Munich the night before the cruise and then take the train from Munich to Passau on the morning of December 22nd or fly into Munich and immediately take a train to Passau and spend the night there. Either option is fine, it just depends on your preference.
We recommend staying in the city center somewhere near the central train station. That's both for the convenience of getting the train to/from Passau, but also where all the interesting sights and Christmas markets are located. You can find a list of recommended hotels in our Munich Gay Guide.
Generally speaking, embarkation/check-in begins two hours before the start of the journey; therefore, usually from 2pm since the ship departs at 4pm from Passau. Disembarkation on the day of departure begins after breakfast, at 9:30am at the latest. Embarkation in Passau is either in Lindau or in Passau's old town. You will receive the arrival information via email shortly before the start of the trip.
You can book your roundtrip train from Munich main station (Hbf) to Passau main station (Hbf) using the official Deutsche Bahn website. Note that seat reservation is possible up to a few minutes before train departure but no earlier than three months before departure.
The direct train ride takes approximately 2 hr 15 min. Please keep in mind that embarkation will start around 2pm so if you are taking the train the same day as boarding on December 22nd, plan to arrive with plenty of time.
From the Passau main station, you can take a taxi (approx. 5-10 minutes) directly to the ship's pier. There is a taxi rank right outside the Passau main train station exit.
If you are taking a flight from Munich upon our return to Passau, you can book your train from Passau Hbf to Munich Airport T (München Flughafen Terminal). It will require one transfer at Freising.
You can also book an individual transfer with the cruise line – regardless of whether you are traveling alone or in a group. For bookings, send an e-mail to info@viva-cruises.com.
We are not organizing group transfers from Munich because guests have different plans for arrival and departure so not everyone will be going and coming at the same time.
Join us on our Virgin Voyages gay group trip of the Adriatic Sea from June 16-23, 2024.
7 Days
40 people
Explore the renowned gay neighborhood of Chueca. We’ll visit three gay bars in Chueca in this 2-hour, private tour.
2 hours
2 people
Join us on our Virgin Voyages gay group trip of Spain, Italy & France from October 6-13, 2024.
7 Days
40 people
Join us on our Virgin Voyages gay group trip of Spain & France from October 15-22, 2023.
7 Days
Unlimited
