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Gems of Southeast Europe (Wine Cruise)

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Gems of Southeast Europe (Wine Cruise)

No Reviews No Booking FeesDedicated Cruise Advisor
River View
$5,359
Balcony
$7,421
Suite
$10,761
* Port charges, taxes and fees included
 Cruise Length
8 Days
 Cruise Starts
Budapest
 Cruise Finishes
Giurgiu
8 Day Gems of Southeast Europe (Wine Cruise) Itinerary (AmaWaterways)
Countries Explored: Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria
 Cruise Length
8 Days
 Cruise Starts
Budapest
 Cruise Finishes
Giurgiu
8 Day Gems of Southeast Europe (Wine Cruise) Itinerary (AmaWaterways)
Countries Explored: Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria
Cruise Line
AmaWaterways
No Reviews
Ship
Departures
Passengers
160
Crew
51
Launched
2010
Refurbished
2021
Cruise Code
AJW
Cruise Line
AmaWaterways
No Reviews
Ship
Departures
Passengers
160
Crew
51
Launched
2010
Refurbished
2021
Cruise Code
AJW

Overview

Touch history and learn about winemaking traditions while sailing along the lower Danube River through Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania. Wine connoisseurs will have a chance to taste history from the centuries-old winegrowing hills dating back to the Romans in Ilok, a royal and vinous town. Be treated to the flavors, sights, sounds and cultures of this diverse swath of the continent.

Taste Bulgarian wine in Vidin and visit one of the oldest red-wine-growing areas in Szekszárd. With a dedicated wine expert to guide you, indulge in wine tastings and a specially curated food...read more and wine pairing dinner on board. Venture off the beaten path and enjoy an epicurean adventure that includes brandy and local wines in five distinctive countries.
Touch history and learn about winemaking traditions while sailing along the lower Danube River through Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania. Wine connoisseurs will have a chance to taste history from the centuries-old winegrowing hills dating back to the Romans in Ilok, a royal and vinous town. Be treated to the flavors, sights, sounds and cultures of this diverse swath of the continent.

Taste Bulgarian wine in Vidin and visit one of the oldest red-wine-growing areas in Szekszárd. With a dedicated wine expert to guide you, indulge in wine tastings and a specially curated food...read more and wine pairing dinner on board. Venture off the beaten path and enjoy an epicurean adventure that includes brandy and local wines in five distinctive countries.

Itinerary

Board the ship for your Gems of Southeast Europe cruise. (D)

Enjoy an excursion to Pécs and see Szechenyi Square, the Christian Necropolis – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and St. Peter's Basilica with its underground burial chambers. For a more active adventure, delight in a guided bike ride along the Danube River. For wine connoisseurs, you'll visit the Szekszárd wine region, one of the oldest red-wine-growing areas in Hungary, established more than 2,000 years ago. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

  • Pecs Excursion OR Guided Bike Ride Along the Danube OR Szekszárd wine tasting

Explore Novi Sad, a city rich in tradition and culture, on a full-day walking tour. Begin your tour at the Dunavski (Danube) Park; stroll through Stari Grad, the old town center; and explore Liberty Square, which is dominated by the Old Town Hall. You will also have the option to visit the Petrovaradin Fortress. Or enjoy your morning in Vukovar on a guided city tour where you will have a chance to visit Eltz Manor House, Vukovar's famous water tower, and the Vucedol Museum. Alternatively, you may explore Vukovar on an active bike tour. In the afternoon, travel to Ilok, situated in the easternmost part of Croatia, to enjoy a wine tasting and tour in the Old Cellars of Ilok, famous for their Grasevina, Traminac and Frankovka wines. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

  • Full-day Novi Sad Tour OR Highlights of Vukovar OR Vukovar Guided Bike Tour
  • Croatian wine tasting

Explore Serbia's capital, Belgrade, on a city tour, which includes the Nikola Tesla Museum, encompassing the world-renowned inventor's life and inventions, as well as the Kalemegdan Fortress and the Serbian Orthodox Temple of St. Sava. Alternatively, you can enjoy a taste of the region by sampling wine and snacks at the Podrum Panajotovic Wine Cellar, where old traditions and excellent wine are preserved 10 meters below the streets of Belgrade. For those wishing for a more active adventure, join a guided bike tour or hike to Belgrade Fortress. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

  • “The City by Two Rivers” tour OR Belgrade Fortress hike OR Podrum Panajotović wine tasting OR Belgrade bike tour

Visit Golubac Fortress – one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses in Europe – before cruising through the Iron Gates – one of Europe's most awe-inspiring natural wonders. The Danube narrows as it winds through a series of magnificent gorges between the Carpathian and Balkan mountains, forming a natural border between Serbia and Romania. The ancient King Decebalus, the last king of Dacia, is proudly carved into the mountainside and always captivates travelers. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

  • Golubac Fortress visit
  • Scenic Cruising – The Iron Gates

Explore Vidin, one of Bulgaria's oldest cities, and surrounding areas with a choice of excursions. Discover Baba Vida Fortress, the largest preserved medieval castle in Bulgaria. Alternatively, visit a local home for a demonstration of traditional Bulgarian yogurt and Banitsa, a pastry you will also get to make. You also have the choice to bike through Vidin and to the castle. Or enjoy a wine tasting at a local boutique winery just outside of Vidin. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

  • Baba Vida Fortress and Vidin Walking Tour OR Calafat wine tasting OR Banitsa Pastry and Yogurt making OR Vidin bike tour OR Dos Alamos wine tasting

Visit Bulgaria's ancient capital, Veliko Tarnovo, with its medieval fortress and multiple orthodox temples. You can opt instead to go to Rousse, known for its 19th- and 20th-century Neo-Baroque and Neo-Rococo architecture, and then afterwards visit the UNESCO-designated Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo with frescos revealing exceptional artistry of 14th-century paintings. Alternatively, travel through the Romanian countryside to the capital of Bucharest, known as the “Little Paris of the East,” for a full day tour.

Enjoy a panoramic tour of the historic city center and its elegant architecture, followed by a visit to the Palace of the Parliament, the second largest administrative building in the world. In the afternoon, journey to a Rousse Wine House and the Leventa complex set in a unique fortification structure dating back almost 200 years and be treated to a tasting of three wines while learning about the wine making process. (B/L/D) *Not available with full-day excursions

Excursions:

  • Full-day Veliko Tarnovo excursion OR Veliko Tarnovo & Wine Tasting excursion OR Ivanovo Rock-Hewn Churches & Rousse Highlights Tour OR Full-day Bucharest excursion
  • Leventa wine tasting*

Bid farewell to Giurgiu as you prepare for your flight home. (B) *Not available with full-day excursions

Board the ship for your Gems of Southeast Europe cruise. (D)

Enjoy an excursion to Pécs and see Szechenyi Square, the Christian Necropolis – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and St. Peter's Basilica with its underground burial chambers. For a more active adventure, delight in a guided bike ride along the Danube River. For wine connoisseurs, you'll visit the Szekszárd wine region, one of the oldest red-wine-growing areas in Hungary, established more than 2,000 years ago. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

  • Pecs Excursion OR Guided Bike Ride Along the Danube OR Szekszárd wine tasting

Explore Novi Sad, a city rich in tradition and culture, on a full-day walking tour. Begin your tour at the Dunavski (Danube) Park; stroll through Stari Grad, the old town center; and explore Liberty Square, which is dominated by the Old Town Hall. You will also have the option to visit the Petrovaradin Fortress. Or enjoy your morning in Vukovar on a guided city tour where you will have a chance to visit Eltz Manor House, Vukovar's famous water tower, and the Vucedol Museum. Alternatively, you may explore Vukovar on an active bike tour. In the afternoon, travel to Ilok, situated in the easternmost part of Croatia, to enjoy a wine tasting and tour in the Old Cellars of Ilok, famous for their Grasevina, Traminac and Frankovka wines. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

  • Full-day Novi Sad Tour OR Highlights of Vukovar OR Vukovar Guided Bike Tour
  • Croatian wine tasting

Explore Serbia's capital, Belgrade, on a city tour, which includes the Nikola Tesla Museum, encompassing the world-renowned inventor's life and inventions, as well as the Kalemegdan Fortress and the Serbian Orthodox Temple of St. Sava. Alternatively, you can enjoy a taste of the region by sampling wine and snacks at the Podrum Panajotovic Wine Cellar, where old traditions and excellent wine are preserved 10 meters below the streets of Belgrade. For those wishing for a more active adventure, join a guided bike tour or hike to Belgrade Fortress. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

  • “The City by Two Rivers” tour OR Belgrade Fortress hike OR Podrum Panajotović wine tasting OR Belgrade bike tour

Visit Golubac Fortress – one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses in Europe – before cruising through the Iron Gates – one of Europe's most awe-inspiring natural wonders. The Danube narrows as it winds through a series of magnificent gorges between the Carpathian and Balkan mountains, forming a natural border between Serbia and Romania. The ancient King Decebalus, the last king of Dacia, is proudly carved into the mountainside and always captivates travelers. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

  • Golubac Fortress visit
  • Scenic Cruising – The Iron Gates

Explore Vidin, one of Bulgaria's oldest cities, and surrounding areas with a choice of excursions. Discover Baba Vida Fortress, the largest preserved medieval castle in Bulgaria. Alternatively, visit a local home for a demonstration of traditional Bulgarian yogurt and Banitsa, a pastry you will also get to make. You also have the choice to bike through Vidin and to the castle. Or enjoy a wine tasting at a local boutique winery just outside of Vidin. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

  • Baba Vida Fortress and Vidin Walking Tour OR Calafat wine tasting OR Banitsa Pastry and Yogurt making OR Vidin bike tour OR Dos Alamos wine tasting

Visit Bulgaria's ancient capital, Veliko Tarnovo, with its medieval fortress and multiple orthodox temples. You can opt instead to go to Rousse, known for its 19th- and 20th-century Neo-Baroque and Neo-Rococo architecture, and then afterwards visit the UNESCO-designated Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo with frescos revealing exceptional artistry of 14th-century paintings. Alternatively, travel through the Romanian countryside to the capital of Bucharest, known as the “Little Paris of the East,” for a full day tour.

Enjoy a panoramic tour of the historic city center and its elegant architecture, followed by a visit to the Palace of the Parliament, the second largest administrative building in the world. In the afternoon, journey to a Rousse Wine House and the Leventa complex set in a unique fortification structure dating back almost 200 years and be treated to a tasting of three wines while learning about the wine making process. (B/L/D) *Not available with full-day excursions

Excursions:

  • Full-day Veliko Tarnovo excursion OR Veliko Tarnovo & Wine Tasting excursion OR Ivanovo Rock-Hewn Churches & Rousse Highlights Tour OR Full-day Bucharest excursion
  • Leventa wine tasting*

Bid farewell to Giurgiu as you prepare for your flight home. (B) *Not available with full-day excursions

Life Onboard AmaBella

AmaBella
AmaBella

Onboard AmaBella you'll find a massage and hair salon, fitness room, specialty coffee station, gift shop, and a heated pool on the Sun Deck. Read more

All Excursions Included
All Excursions Included

Our guests have different tastes, so we offer a variety of included shore excursions so you can tailor your experience in every port of call. Read more

The Luxury Of Space
The Luxury Of Space

Sophisticated, contemporary and elegantly appointed, your spacious stateroom serves as your personal oasis for rejuvenation. Read more

Award-Winning Dining
Award-Winning Dining

All onboard dining, as well as unlimited wine and beer with lunch and dinner, is included so you can indulge whenever and however you'd like. Read more

Feels Like Family
Feels Like Family

Our staff are committed to the happiness of our guests and cruise after cruise they tell us of their wonderful experiences the've had with us. Read more

Active Ways To Discover
Active Ways To Discover

All of our guided hikes and bike tours are included in the cruise fare so you have more choices when it comes to how you prefer to explore. Read more

Brochure

Heart of the River

AmaWaterways Heart of the River (2025)

Step aboard a world of unparalleled experiences, where your journey is our passion. Allow us to share villages that time forgot. Walk along cobblestone streets filled with delights. Pedal through historic town squares. And revel in moments that last a lifetime. When you step aboard AmaWaterways, each day brings a genuine smile that warms the heart....more Every river a new culture that inspires, and each course a moment to savour and share. Experience these wonders and delights with AmaWaterways, the Heart of the River.

Availability Click on prices below to view cabin upgrades and details

Exclusive Savings
Monday 31 Mar 2025
Monday 07 Apr 2025
Ship AmaBella
River View
$5,487
View Cabins
Balcony
$7,563
View Cabins
Suite
$11,275
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Exclusive Savings
Monday 21 Jul 2025
Monday 28 Jul 2025
Ship AmaBella
River View
$6,526
View Cabins
Balcony
$8,602
View Cabins
Suite
$12,313
View Cabins
Anniversary Sale
Sunday 16 Nov 2025
Sunday 23 Nov 2025
Ship AmaMagna
*This departure itinerary varies slightly. The finalised itinerary will be provided with final documentation.
River View
Save $656
$5,967
View Cabins
Balcony
Save $1,048
$9,172
View Cabins
Suite
Save $1,146
$9,973
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Early Booking Rewards
Monday 30 Mar 2026
Monday 06 Apr 2026
Ship AmaBella
River View
Save $590
$5,419
View Cabins
Balcony
Save $835
$7,421
View Cabins
Suite
Save $1,244
$10,761
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Exclusive Savings
Monday 13 Apr 2026
Monday 20 Apr 2026
Ship AmaVerde
River View
$6,398
View Cabins
Balcony
$8,623
View Cabins
Suite
$12,334
View Cabins
Exclusive Savings
Monday 27 Apr 2026
Monday 04 May 2026
Ship AmaBella
River View
$6,695
View Cabins
Balcony
$8,920
View Cabins
Suite
$12,631
View Cabins
Summer Triple Savings
Monday 03 Aug 2026
Monday 10 Aug 2026
Ship AmaVerde
River View
Save $1,550
$5,359
View Cabins
Balcony
Save $1,573
$7,583
View Cabins
Suite
Save $1,610
$11,295
View Cabins
Note
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by AmaWaterways. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from AmaWaterways. These should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.

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