DAY 1 Budapest

Arrive at the Budapest airport and transfer to your hotel in the heart of the city for a 3-night stay. Spend the rest of the day relaxing, or begin doing a bit of exploring on your own.

DAY 2 Budapest

This morning, take a tour of Hungary’s capital, exploring both the “Buda” “Pest” sides. Begin in Pest, where you see the National Opera House and visit historic Heroes’ Square. Cross the Chain Bridge to Buda, where you stroll Fishermen’s Hill to Fishermen’s Bastion and Matthias Church. The rest of your day is free; or take an optional afternoon excursion to Visegrád. With a population of less than 2,000, Visegrád was used as a royal retreat, and it has no fewer than three castles. Enjoy the view of the Danube Bend from the hexagonal Solomon Tower at the Lower Castle. (B)

DAY 3 Budapest – Tennis and Party Day

Today we play our tennis match and party with the Magyars. (B, D)

DAY 4 Budapest

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and we will take you to embark your ship. Enjoy a final free day in Budapest—explore a museum, do some shopping, ride around the city on the wonderful subway system, peek inside one of the Art Deco spas or visit the Great Synagogue and Jewish Quarter. As always, your Program Director can help you plan your free time. Return to your ship for a welcome dinner aboard. (B, D)

DAY 5 Kalocsa

Arrive in Kalocsa, Hungary this morning and take a guided city tour including a visit the Archbishop’s Palace. Then, you are treated to a performance of traditional Puszta horsemanship. Return aboard and enjoy your lunch during departure. Dine aboard. (B, L, D)

DAY 6 Osijek

Wake up in Vukovar and have breakfast before your excursion to the Croatian city of Osijek. Inhabited by humans since Neolithic times, this area has had several heydays under the Romans, the Ottomans and the Habsburgs; now it is a pleasant town popular for its baroque buildings, parks and monuments. Return aboard for lunch and departure. International cuisine for dinner in the evening. (B, L, D)

DAY 7 Belgrade

Wake up in Belgrade, capital of Serbia. Take a guided walk through the grounds Kalemegdan Fortress, now a beautiful park; also see the Orthodox cathedral and stop at the Square of the Republic. Lunch aboard, then free time to explore Belgrade’s gracious architecture or visit one of its many museums, like the Nikola Tesla Museum. Dine aboard or experience some of Belgrade’s nightlife—we depart very late this evening. (B, L, D)

DAY 8 Scenic Cruising & Iron Gate

Today, enjoy scenic cruising as you travel through one of the most picturesque areas the Lower Danube. The Iron Gate is one of Europe’s most dramatic natural wonders, a spectacular narrow gorge with enormous white limestone cliffs. Your cruise director will provide commentary about the region and scenic points of interest as you sail toward Vidin. (B, L, D)

DAY 9 Vidin & Belogradchik

Arrive in the picturesque Bulgarian port of Vidin during breakfast, then take an excursion to see Belogradchik Fortress, built right into the striking Belogradchik Rocks, and enjoy breathtaking views. Lunch aboard is followed by free time to explore Vidin’s city center, Orthodox churches and the ruins of the city’s once-grand synagogue. Depart during dinner. (B, L, D)

DAY 10 Veliko Tarnovo & Arbanasi

After breakfast, disembark at Russe for a full-day excursion to Bulgaria’s former capital Veliko Tarnovo. There you will see Tsaravets Hill and the ruins of the royal castle. During free time, shop for local crafts along Samovodska Charshia. Proceed to Arbanasi for lunch in a local restaurant and a guided tour of the Nativity Church with its intricate floor-to-ceiling murals and icons. Return to your ship and dine aboard. (B, L, D)

DAY 11 Oltenita & Bucharest

Disembark in Oltenita and proceed to the superior first class Athenee Palace Hilton in the heart of the Bucharest. This afternoon, enjoy a half-day tour of Romania’s lovely capital city. See the Arch of Triumph, the Antim Monastery and the iconic Palace of Justice, completing your tour at the Palace of Parliament. (B, L)

DAY 12 Bucharest - Tennis Match Day

This is our day of tennis and partying with our Romanian hosts. Our first ever.

DAY 3 Prague

Tennis match with locals at our host club and tennis party with our Czech hosts. (B,L,D)

DAY 4 Prague

A Day of leisure in this great city with additional optional tours offered. (B, D)

DAY 5 Nuremberg

Transfer to Nuremberg, Bavaria’s second largest city by motor coach – a lovely drive, stopping en-route for lunch. After boarding, you have free time to explore the city on your own—or join our “cruising welcome walk” to stretch your legs and start getting oriented. (B, L, D)

DAY 6 Nuremberg & Main-Danube Canal

Your morning tour of Nuremberg features the former Nazi parade grounds and the Palace of Justice, historic home of the Nuremberg Trials. You have a brief stop at the Court House before walking from the imperial castle grounds past the Albrecht Dürer House to the Main Market Square in the Old Town area enclosed by ancient city walls. After lunch aboard, you sail through a number of locks that comprise the Main-Danube Canal. The canal, an engineering marvel stretching 106 miles from Bamberg on the Main River to Kelheim on the Danube, enables river travel from the North Sea to the Black Sea. Dinner is served aboard and you cruise through the night. (B, L, D)

DAY 7 Kelheim & Regensburg

This morning, meet your guide dockside for a walking tour through the town of Regensburg, considered one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval cities. See one of the largest groupings of 13th- and 14th-century church spires, towers and patrician houses north of the Alps. You also encounter the 12th-century Old Stone Bridge, St. Peter’s Cathedral and a number of idyllic courtyards. Take time to stroll the streets or shop—as always, your Program Director can help you plan your free time. This afternoon, spend more time in Regensburg, perhaps visiting the Alte Wurstküche Germany’s oldest restaurant. Or, choose an optional excursion to Kelheim at southernmost point of the Main-Danube Canal. Travel by road to Kelheim,then embark on a ferryboat ride to explore the Danube Gorge’s dramatic scenery and its spectacular 400-foot chalk cliffs. You also visit the renowned Weltenburg Abbey, famous for its dark ale, brewed here by monks since 1050. Rejoin your ship for dinner and cruise through the night. (B, L, D)

DAY 8 Passau

Arrive early morning in Passau, at the confluence of the Inn, Ilz and Danube Rivers Your guided walk along the town’s narrow streets takes you through the Old Town and past traditional patrician houses. You see the Oberhaus Fortress and visit the impressive baroque St. Stephan’s Cathedral with its ornate interior. Inside, you are treated to a special concert played on the 17,000-pipe organ, considered Europe’s largest church organ.† Eat lunch aboard, but return to the city for further exploration on your own before an early evening departure and cruise through the night. (B, L, D)

†Passau organ concert not available after November 1.

DAY 9 Melk & Vienna

Join a guided tour through the ornate interior of this baroque gem architecture—the Benedictine abbey at Melk. See its elaborate frescoes and admire the library’s extensive collection of medieval manuscripts; enjoy the garden courtyard and the terrace views. Rejoin your ship for lunch and an afternoon cruise through the extraordinarily scenic Wachau Valley. Later, enjoy a workshop about Viennese coffee, complete with apple strudel. Arrive after dinner in Vienna and enjoy an evening at leisure, or you may choose to attend an optional evening concert in this “City of Waltzes.” (B, L, D)

DAY 10 Vienna

After breakfast, begin your half-day city tour. See some of Vienna’s  architecture, then ride along the beautifulRingstrasse with sights including the Opera House,Stadtpark and Hofburg Theater. You then see St. Stephan’s Cathedral. After lunch aboard, the afternoon is yours to further explore this city on your own. Shop along the Kärtnerstrasse or take an optional excursion to Schönbrunn Palace, home of Maria Theresa and summer residence of the Habsburgs. Dinner is served aboard. (B, L, D)

DAY 11 Budapest

Arrive in Budapest, Hungary’s vibrant capital divided by the Danube River. a panoramic city tour through the more modern “Pest” side of the city—Journey along Andrássy Avenue and see the 19th- and 20th-century mansions, National Opera House, Parliament Building and Chain Bridge. Stop in Heroes’ Square to learn more about Hungarian history, then cross the Danube to Buda’s Castle District. Walk up the hill to Fishermen’s Bastion and Matthias Church; enjoy brilliant views of the city below. Return to your ship for lunch and the rest of the day is yours to explore both sides of the city. (B, L, D)

DAY 12 Budapest

After breakfast, disembark and proceed to your hotel in Budapest for 2 nights, for our tennis match with the Magyars and to explore the city in greater depth (B, D)

DAY 13 Budapest – tennis Match

This is the day you have all been looking forward to – tennis with the Magyars and partying with them in the evening.

DAY 14 Budapest

Check out of the hotel and transfer to the airport for departure. The following meals are included:  B = Breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner

About Our Ship

For costs and dates – please contact us below

DAY 1 Beijing

Start this tennis tour by flying to Beijing, China’s former imperial capital whose rich history dates back more than 3,000 years, then transfer to your hotel.* After check-in, you have free time to relax or explore.

DAY 2  Beijing

This morning visit the enormous Tiananmen Square, which can over 1,000,000 people. Then, tour Beijing’s Forbidden City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; made up of nearly 800 buildings, it is the world’s largest surviving palace complex. Walk its grounds among the opulent palaces, pavilions, courtyards and imperial gardens within the 26-foot-high walls.

After lunch in a local restaurant, see the Summer Palace, a 700-acre complex of elegant buildings and gardens (complete with man-made Kunming Lake) frequented by the Imperial Court when they wanted to escape the bustle of Beijing. Tonight, taste some local specialties at dinner. (B, L, D)

DAY 3  BEIJING TENNIS MATCH

Today we play tennis with our local counterparts at a tennis club and invite our Chinese tennis hosts to a party in the evening. (B,  D) DAY 4 BEIJING

After breakfast, travel to the Badaling Hills. There, you behold one of the most impressive and best-preserved sections of the Great Wall of China—a 4,000-mile- series of sandstone and earthwork fortifications built and maintained between the 5th century B.C. and the 16th century A.D. that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore its winding pathways and marvel at the panoramic views from its ramparts.

After a lunch of local specialties, visit the Sacred Way, a tree-lined avenue guarded by massive sculptures of elephants, lions and camels leading to the Ming Dynasty tombs. This evening, relax and dine at your hotel—or, enjoy an optional evening featuring China’s famous Peking duck and a recital by Peking Opera performers. (B, L, D)

Day 5 BEIJING & XIAN 

Today tour Old Beijing’s hutongs (narrow alleys) via rickshaw.† Discover the sights traditional Chinese life. Visit a silk carpet workshop for a demonstration of this ancient art. After lunch, fly to Xian, key city of the Tang Dynasty. From 618 to 907 A.D., this dynasty presided over one of China’s most glorious cultural periods spreading its influence throughout Asia into Europe and Africa. This evening, you may choose to dine surrounded by the song and dance of this colorful era, or have dinner and relax at your hotel. (B, L, D)

DAY 6 XIAN & CHONQING

After breakfast, tour the mausoleum where Emperor Qin Shi Huang was laid to rest over 2,000 years ago. See the thousands of life-sized terra cotta warriors, and infantrymen that were buried with him; each man and horse molded with its own distinctive features. Walkways provide a bird’s-eye view of the entire necropolis where the Terra Cotta Army was discovered in the 1970s. After lunch in Xian, fly to Chongqing, gateway to the Yangtze to board your ship. You are welcomed aboard with a Western meal, and set sail this evening. (B, L, D)

DAY 7 SHIBAOZHAI   

This morning, visit Shibaozhai Temple, a 12-story pavilion built in 1650 along the Yangtze. Tour the pavilion and temple before returning aboard for lunch. Enjoy Yangtze River scenery as you cruise this afternoon and through the night. (B, L, D)

DAY 8 THREE GORGES & LESSER THREE GORGES 

For the next 150 miles, travel the most scenic stretch of the Yangtze as it forces its way through a spectacular series of limestone ridges known as the Three Gorges. breakfast, cruise through Qutang Gorge, the shortest, narrowest and most spectacular of the three large gorges. Then, board a smaller boat for an excursion through the Lesser Three Gorges. Sail through these remarkable canyons flanked by towering cliffs. Along the way, see fascinating sites including the hanging coffins of the Ba people and the ancient plank road carved into the cliffside. Return aboard for lunch, and spend the afternoon sailing through Wu (Witches) Gorge, renowned for its magnificent scenery. Dinner is served aboard. This evening, sail through the five-stage locks of the Three Gorges Dam. (B, L, D)

DAY 9 THREE GORGES DAM & THREE GORGES 

This morning, disembark for a tour of the Three Gorges Dam where you learn about this immense engineering masterpiece and what it means for the Chinese people and the Yangtze. Lunch and dinner are served aboard while you cruise through Xiling Gorge, the longest of the Three Gorges. (B, L, D)

DAY 10 JINGZHOU    

This morning, arrive in Jingzhou, where you visit a school sponsored Viking River Cruises. You are greeted and entertained by the children, then return to your ship for scenic cruising. (B, L, D)

DAY 11 WUHAN & SHANGHAI  

After breakfast, disembark in Wuhan. Visit the Hubei Provincial Museum where you hear the music of ancient bronze bells. Then, fly to Shanghai, China’s largest city and one of the world’s most important ports. Here, you can see the modern metropolis of the financial district juxtaposed with the older sections of the city. Check in to your hotel. (B, L, D)

DAY 12 SHANGHAI

This morning, see Old Shanghai and travel along the elegant Bund, stopping to some of its historic buildings and city views. Then tour the Shanghai Museum, featuring displays of ceramics, bronzes, calligraphy and paintings. Visit a silk embroidery factory to see a demonstration of this delicate art. After lunch, we spend some time at the exquisite Yuyuan Garden, dating back to the Ming Dynasty. Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant before the world-famous Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe show from the best seats in the house. (B, L, D)

DAY 13 SHANGHAI TENNIS MATCH 

Today we play tennis with our local counterparts at a tennis club and invite our Chinese tennis hosts to a party in the evening. (B,  D)DAY 14 SHANGHAI

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and proceed to the airport for your flight.* Or, continue your China journey with an escorted land program that includes 1 night in Guilin and 3 nights in Hong Kong. Spend a relaxing day along Guilin’s scenic Li River, then sightsee and shop in fabulous Hong Kong. (B)

The following meals are included:
B = Breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner

Viking Emerald

Fly to Hanoi, former capital of French Indochina, then transfer to your hotel. Check in for a 3-night stay, then relax or take a walk to stretch your legs or play some tennis, or begin getting acquainted with the city.

DAY 2 HANOI

After breakfast, take a tour of this unique, thousand-year-old Asian capital where and new combine in a lush setting of parks and lakes. Visit the Temple of Literature, a maze of courtyards and graceful gateways, an excellent example of traditional Vietnamese architecture. See the vast Ho Chi Minh Memorial, a complex dedicated to Vietnam’s 20th-century Communist leader, and tour the notorious “Hanoi Hilton,” the facility where American POWs were held captive during the Vietnam War. Later, spend some time in the excellent Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, where you learn about the cultural heritage of this multicultural country’s 50+ ethnic groups. Relax this afternoon before dinner at a local restaurant. (B, D)

DAY 3 HANOI TENNIS MATCH & PARTY

Today we play tennis with our local counterparts at a tennis club and invite our very gracious Vietnamese tennis hosts to a party in the evening. (B,  D) 

DAY 4 HANOI & SIEM REAP

This morning, check out of your hotel and proceed to Hanoi’s old town area. Here, you will explore the “36 Streets” by cyclo, the ubiquitous passenger bicycles of Southeast Asia. You will see charming French colonial mansions and boulevards, the bustling street life, and countless market stalls where you can buy anything from silk garments to gravestones. Ride through the streets—each with its specialty—and watch the locals practicing tai chi in the parks and on the lake shores.

Enjoy some free time for additional exploration before taking a short afternoon flight to Siem Reap in Cambodia. Check in to your hotel for a 3-night stay; tonight’s dinner is accompanied by a traditional Apsara dance show. (B, D)

DAY 5 ANGKOR WAT & SIEM REAP 

Siem Reap is the gateway to Angkor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most important archeological sites in the world. Begin your day with a visit to one of Angkor’s largest Khmer temples, Angkor Wat, built for King Suryavarman II in the 12th century A.D. With its beautiful proportions and extensive, intricate bas-relief stone carvings, it is one of the most spectacular sights in Southeast Asia. You also visit the mysterious Bayon Temple, known for its giant, stone carved faces with their enigmatic smiles. Later today, encounter present-day Siem Reap; visit a training center where young people learn the traditional crafts of stone sculpture, woodcarving and painting. You will also mingle with Cambodian locals as you stroll through one of Siem Reap’s open air markets. (B, D)

DAY 6 SIEM REAP

Today, continue your exploration of the temple ruins left behind by the mighty Khmer Empire, which ruled Cambodia from the early 9th century for some 400 years. Its founder, King Jayavarman II, was a contemporary of Charlemagne, and his dreams of empire were equally grandiose. At its zenith, the Khmer Empire covered most of the Indochinese Peninsula. This afternoon, enjoy your afternoon at leisure exploring the streets of Siem Reap. (B, D)

DAY 7 KAMPONG THOM & KAMPONG CHAM

After breakfast, check out of your Siem Reap hotel. A coach tour through Cambodia brings you to your ship in Kampong Cham, via the provincial capital of Kampong Thom Due to its central location, this area is rapidly becoming an important hub for fishing and agriculture; it also has a rich archeological heritage, to which the 200 temples—some of which predate the Khmer empire—attest. This afternoon, board your ship, the RV Tonle; after you get settled in, meet the ship’s officers over a welcome cocktail. (B, L, D)

DAY 8 KAMPONG CHAM

You will visit the hilltop temple of Wat Hanchey this morning, which affords stunning views of the Mekong River. The temple itself dates back to the 8th century and it is surrounded by smaller religious monuments dotting the hillsides. After lunch, visit the twin holy mountains of Phnom Pros and Phnom Srey with their many temples and pagodas, still used during traditional Khmer festivals. Return to Kampong Cham to visit an orphanage sponsored by Pandaw. (B, L, D)

DAY 9 TONLE SAP & KAMPONG CHHANG

Cruise downriver and turn into the Tonle Sap River to reach the eponymous lake. the wet season, the current in this tributary of the Mekong reverses its flow, and the Tonle Sap Lake fills up with the floodwaters of the great river, acting like a natural safety valve protecting the delta area from flooding. The fertile wetlands here are teeming with life—its rich fishing grounds providing for birds, mammals and humans alike. The Tonle Sap area is perhaps the most important inland fishing area in the world. Disembark and explore the river banks around Kampong Chhnang in smaller vessels. (B, L, D)

DAY 10 PHNOM PENH

Dock along the lovely waterfront of Cambodia’s capital and explore the city in style, in cyclo. This mode of transportation provides many Cambodians with a source of income and visitors with a speedy and enjoyable way to move around. See the magnificent Royal Palace with the Silver Pagoda, built in the 19th century by the French but inspired by the centuries-old architecture of the Khmer. The National Museum of Cambodia houses treasures of Khmer art and craftsmanship and also displays art that predates the mighty empire. This afternoon, join an excursion to the sobering memorial in the Tuol Sleng detention center, a former high school in which thousands of victims of the murderous Khmer Rouge regime died, and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, or explore the city’s maze of small alleys, markets and busy streets on your own if you prefer. Tonight’s dinner is accompanied by a folkloric performance. (B, L, D)

DAY 11 MEKONG RIVER SCENIC CRUISING

Sail down the Mekong, one of the world’s great rivers, toward the Vietnamese border. The Mekong is truly the Mother River of Southeast Asia, sustaining civilizations through the centuries. Pass by some of the Mekong rice fields—the Khmer empire was founded on a rice surplus and rice is still the main staple of Vietnam’s present-day cuisine. (B, L, D)

DAY 12 CHAU DOC & CU LAO GIEN 

This morning, board a small boat to visit a Cham tribal village. Descended from ancient Malay-Polynesian empire that arrived in Southeast Asia during the 1st and 2nd centuries B.C., the Champa people competed with the Khmer for dominance of the area. Observe village life and visit a catfish farm. Later, see the busy riverside port of Châu Ðôc riding a trishaw. In the afternoon, visit Cu Lao Gien Island where you see the monastery of St. Paul of Chartres, built in 1875 and later known as “la Providence.” Once a thriving mission with an orphanage, a hospital to treat leprosy victims, a school and a hospice, it serves today as a retreat for some 180 retired nuns. This evening, enjoy a screening of the film l’Amant (the Lover) which will prepare you for tomorrow’s visit to Sa Dec. (B, L, D)

DAY 13 SA DEC & CAI BE

In Sa Dec, you will see the house of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le, the protagonist in Marguerite Duras’s beloved autobiographical novel, l’Amant (The Lover). Duras, who grew up in what was then French Indochina, is one of France’s best-selling authors. Later today, board a sampan boat to explore the backwaters and canals of the Delta. Small factories line the river channels here; see local workers producing rice noodles, coconut candy and a host of other handmade products. Then, visit the colorful floating market of Cái Bè. This evening, attend an onboard screening of the 2002 film The Quiet American, based on Graham Greene’s novel set in 1952 Saigon. (B, L, D)

DAY 14 MY THO & HO CHI MINH CITY 

Bid farewell to the RV Tonle this morning as your cruise through Cambodia and Vietnam comes to an end. Disembark in My Tho, a busy river port not far from the capital of Southern Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon. Upon arrival, take a tour of Reunification Palace—the site of South Vietnam’s defeat. See the Central Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral. After your tour, check in to your hotel for a 3-night stay, then spend the rest of the day at leisure, or playing tennis, or getting acquainted with this lively city at your own pace—see some of the historic French colonial architecture and soak up some of the city’s youthful energy. Tonight’s dinner is in a local restaurant. (B, D)

DAY 15 HO CHI MINH CITY 

After breakfast, begin another tour of this bustling metropolis with a visit to its center. Take a stroll along Dong Khoi Street, the main shopping boulevard in the old colonial heart. See the grand city hall, the old opera house with its soaring arched entryway, the Chinatown area and a Lacquer Factory. For a perspective on modern-day Vietnam, visit the War Remnants Museum, which provides a stark picture of the Vietnam war, from a decidedly partisan point of view. Complete your morning tour at Ben Thành Market. This evening your festive final dinner is accompanied by a traditional Vietnamese wedding ceremony. (B, D)

DAY 16 TENNIS MATCH IN HO CHI MINH CITY

Today we play our tennis match with our local counterparts at a tennis club and invite our very gracious Vietnamese tennis hosts to a party in the evening. (B,  D) 

DAY 17 HO CHI MINH CITY 

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and proceed to the airport for your flight.

The following meals are included:
B = Breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner