Amadeus River Cruises

Experience PICKLEBALL Like Never Before

Join us for this once-in-a-lifetime experience on board this EXCLUSIVE Amadeus

Danube River Cruise.

August 8th -17th, 2024

Early Booking Discount!

Book by October 31st and receive $150.00 per person discount.

Don't miss out on this one-of-a-kind Pickleball experience. Book a call with our Travel & Pickleball Experts and let us help you book your stay.

Trip Dates

From: August 8, 2024

To: August 17, 2024

What's Included In Your Pickleball Vacation

**Your Exclusive Pickleball Pre-Cruise Package Itinerary:**

Day 1: Arrive Budapest

Check-in to your four star city center hotel. Meet your Hungarian guide and Zoltán Bőhm, President of the Hungarian Pickleball Federation, and celebrate the start of your experience toasting other group members with a glass of champagne. Enjoy dinner as a group, creating a festive atmosphere that embodies the spirit of the trip. The evening concludes with a leisurely walk back to the hotel through the beautiful city of Budapest.

Meet & Greet in the hotel lobby with your guide: 5.45pm
Celebrate with other passengers with champagne & dinner: 6pm
Walk back to the hotel: 9pm

Day 2: Lake Balaton Pickleball Play

Begin your exclusive pickleball experience as you travel to Lake Balaton and the village of Andocs, filled with scenic beauty, sports, and culinary delights. The journey to Lake Balaton offers beautiful views and a chance to explore the lake’s serene beauty. The afternoon will be filled with Pickleball play, where you can engage in friendly competition and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow travelers. After the games, indulge in a traditional Hungarian “pálinka” party and dinner at Komoland.

Breakfast on your own at hotel
Meeting with the guide, and Zoltán in the lobby (bring a bag with sport wear etc. for the afternoon): 9am
Departure to Lake Balaton: 09.15am
Stop at picturesque Lake Balaton: 10.45am
Arrival at Andocs: 11.45am
Lunch at the private estate, Komoland: 12pm
Pickleball games at Komoland starting from 1pm
End of the games at 6pm, possibility to have shower
Lunch and “pálinka” party in Komoland: 6.30pm
Drive back to Budapest: 9pm

Day 3:

Breakfast on your own at hotel
Departure to Budapest pickleball courts: 9am
Pickleball Games: 9.30am
Check-in to your ship, The Amadeus Cara: Afternoon
Passenger Champagne Dinner Meet & Greet: 6pm

Exclusive Pickleball Package Includes:

Two nights in Budapest in a four star city center hotel
Included breakfast and lunch each morning and afternoon
Welcome Dinner & special Hungarian Farewell Dinner
Round trip transfers to/from local pickleball court and return
Lake Balaton pickleball exchange Court Fees
Transfers from airport to hotel in Budapest/ transfer to ship for embarkation
Included luggage handling at hotel

Luxurious Accommodations

Your Cruise Experience aboard the beautiful Amadeus Cara awaits you.

Luxury accommodation in an outside river-view stateroom
Gourmet dining featuring breakfast, multi-course lunches and dinners
with menu choices (including vegetarian options), afternoon tea and
late-night snack.
Free-flowing hand-selected red & white wines from Europe’s famous
wine regions, draft beer and soft drinks as well as coffee and tea with
every lunch and dinner on board
Coffee and tea available 24 hours a day in the AMADEUS Club
Welcome and Farewell Cocktail Reception, Welcome Dinner and
Captain’s Gala Dinner
Complimentary state-of-the-art audio headsets for all excursions
Services of an experienced, English-speaking Cruise Director
Gratuities included for all shipboard staff and crew
AMADEUS digital audio system for all guided excursions
WIFI is included throughout the vessel including staterooms
Bottled water in cabin
Complimentary use of Onboard bicycles for independent exploration
Non-smoking environment indoors (smoking limited to dedicated outside area)
All port taxes, embarkation, disembarkation and lock fees
Package Prices begin at $4499 per person based on double occupancy

Day 3 (continued) – Budapest

Welcome to your Danube cruise! Your journey begins in Budapest, with an afternoon embarkation. This evening, join us for a Welcome Cocktail Reception, followed by a specially-prepared Welcome Dinner. A romantic evening cruise through beautifully illuminated Budapest, as well as a Hungarian folklore show, make for a perfect beginning!

Day 4 – Budapest

Discover the beautiful sights and attractions of the Hungarian capital. Explore the city which straddles the beautiful Danube, with its Fisherman‘s Bastion on the Buda side, overlooking the river, and the Pest side with its grand, Neo-Gothic style Parliament House. *Morning Exclusive Pickleball Play

Day 5 – Bratislava

In the morning, we call our next capital city ̶ Bratislava. Explore the city during a walking tour, or on your own. See the home of the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, the old city walls, the summer residence of the archbishop, and the current residence of the president of Slovakia. *Morning Exclusive Pickleball Play

This afternoon‘s optional excursions offer a choice – first, the opportunity to visit the impressive Schloss Hof with its aristocratic palace, terraced garden, and tranquil estate farm. The palace was acquired in 1726 by Eugene of Savoy and redesigned for Empress Maria Theresia. Wine lovers will want to explore the wine country of Slovakia in the foothills of the Carpathian mountains, on the Small Carpathian wine route. Enjoy dinner on board before the vessel departs from Slovakia late this evening and crosses into Austria.

Day 6 – Vienna

There is much to see in Imperial Vienna: Palaces, a Museum Quarter displaying works by artists Egon Schiele and Gustav Klimt, the historic buildings along the Ringstrasse, St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the famous Vienna State Opera among others. *Morning Exclusive Pickleball Play

This afternoon, choose to venture to Schönbrunn Palace, the sumptuous summer palace and gardens of Empress Maria Theresia and the Habsburg Empire. This evening take the chance to attend the “Sound of Vienna” and listen to the “Alt Wien” orchestra play popular pieces from Vienna’s classical era ̶ a perfect end to your Vienna experience, before the vessel departs.

Day 7 – Vienna Durnstein Melk Abby

The romantic Wachau Valley is one of the most beautiful landscapes of Austria. In the morning your AMADEUS ship docks in Dürnstein, with its picturesque blue medieval abbey on the edge of the Danube river. Wander through this quaint village or join a walking tour featuring a visit to the Dürnstein Abbey.

Alternatively, if you wish to explore the wines of the Wachau, a visit to the Krems winery estate to learn about the history and enjoy a tasting is a must. During lunch on board, your cruise continues to Emmersdorf. Spend the afternoon discovering this typical small town in Lower Austria or opt to travel across the river to nearby Melk and its magnificent Benedictine abbey ̶ the largest in Austria. In the evening, your ship leaves the Wachau and heads for Linz.

Day 8 – Linz – Passau

Arrive in the erstwhile cultural capital of Linz, where your vessel makes a short stop for the departure of today‘s excursions ̶ the walking tour of Linz with a scenic drive to Aschach to rejoin the vessel for lunch, or a full-day tour to the Mozart town of Salzburg with lunch at a local restaurant.

Late in the afternoon, the vessel arrives at the confluence of the Danube, the Inn and the Ilz Rivers, in the three-rivers city of Passau, which you can explore on a commented walking tour. This evening, celebrate at the Captain’s Gala Dinner with multi-courses of regional specialties.

Day 9 – Regensburg

After a leisurely breakfast, arrive in the Bavarian city of Regensburg, which is one of the most beautiful old towns in Germany. This UNESCO World Heritage Site boasts architecture from many centuries, reflective of its varied history. The stone bridge, built in 1135—1146 and the Cathedral of St. Peter are a few of the highlights seen on the guided walking tour.

This afternoon, offers two wonderful options – an excursion to the Danube Gorge and Weltenburg Abbey or a visit to the Thurn & Taxis Palace – both excursions offer the opportunity to sample the local brew. A traditional Bavarian dinner is served as your ship departs for Passau.

Day 10 – Passau

After breakfast, we bid you farewell. We hope to welcome you again soon!

This trip was the best adventure I have ever experienced. Playing pickle on shore with the locals was fantastic! Language was no barrier, all you need are smiles and fingers for score. It was the love of pickleball that brought congeniality to the group. No arrogance just camaraderie. Our friendship will last forever. It was perfectly organized. I would go again.

This past month I had the honor to be on the Amadeus Star inaugural Pickleball & Classical Danube Riverboat Cruise, from May 18 - 27, 2023. What an amazing time we had, having the opportunity to combine our passions for pickleball and travel. We had a fabulous time with other players, who quickly became friends, as well as talented Hungarian players, including a national champion. This was a first class trip, well organized and executed. Thank you Connection to Cruise and Amadeus Cruises. The Amadeus Star is a beautiful ship, with world class accommodations and service. A voyage of a lifetime!