Danube cruises · v1 · Chinese / Romanian / English · an Iron Gates–Black Sea decision, not a booking page
Danube Cruise Selector: Routes, Companies and Seasons on the Romanian Leg
Brochures sell cruises; compare six itineraries from three companies: Viking sleeps in Bucharest+Budapest hotels (11 days, from $3,799); AmaWaterways sails short and long (8 days / 14 nights, via Giurgiu); CroisiEurope sails two mirrored 12-day routes; both include the canal–Constanța loop to Romania’s Black Sea port (from €2,292 on the 18 Sep 2026 capture). The organised visit in Constanța is optional. All fares are starting fares from capture day, 18.09.2026.
Built from the operators' full pages captured 18.09.2026 + AFDJ (sector definition + levels) + the INHGA Danube bulletins. All three operators say itineraries can change — re-check with the company; dollar and euro fares stand side by side, unconverted.
Three sentences first: all six transit the Iron Gates, none reaches the Delta mouths (Tulcea/Sulina are markers only); the Bucharest gateway differs by company (Viking sleeps in town, Ama uses Giurgiu, CroisiEurope uses Oltenița); fares are dated starting fares, not 'the price of the cruise'.
Compare six itineraries from three companies, with the dates behind months and fares. Fares are the starting prices on capture day; itineraries can change, so confirm with the operator before booking. The six-page snapshot of 18 September 2026 had no June/July dates. A separate check of both official direction pages on 22 October listed the same five June–July 2027 dates, across seven date–ship records; all seven were then marked Sold Out. The tables do not identify a direction for each record.
One river: the schematic keeps order only
The AFDJ Romanian sector — Baziaș (km 1,075) to the mouth — runs 1,075 km: one stretch of water, cut six ways by three companies. The schematic below keeps upstream–downstream order only, not distances; the two grey stops (Tulcea, Sulina) are served by none of the six — they close the map's eastern edge plus a pointer. No map needed to read on: every port card sits below in sailing order.
Vilshofen
German embarkation port: only the Grand Danube starts here. Upstream, not detailed.
Calls: A2
Linz
Austrian leg: Grand Danube calls (gateway to Salzburg excursions, per the operator program).
Calls: A2
Weissenkirchen
Wachau town: Grand Danube calls. Upstream, not detailed.
Calls: A2
Vienna
Endpoint of the CroisiEurope 12-day pair (C1 disembarks, C2 embarks); Grand Danube passes through. Upstream endpoint, no excursion detail.
Calls: C1, C2, A2
Bratislava
CroisiEurope D9: CLASSIC city tour + local tasting, or DISCOVERY Little Carpathians hike (Devin Castle panorama); Grand Danube passes through.
Calls: C1, C2, A2
Budapest
All six reach it: Viking sleeps three nights (Castle District, Chain Bridge, spas); Ama embarks/disembarks; CroisiEurope passes. The threshold of the southeast stretch.
Calls: V1, V2, A1, A2, C1, C2
Kalocsa
Viking: paprika dishes + Puszta horsemanship show; CroisiEurope passes. Last Hungarian stop.
Calls: V1, V2, C1, C2
Mohács
Only Grand Danube calls (gateway to Pécs).
Calls: A2
Vukovar / Osijek
Viking does Osijek (local family + Vukovar buildings); Ama does Vukovar (prehistoric sites, wines). The Croatian stretch.
Calls: V1, V2, A1, A2
Novi Sad
Only CroisiEurope calls (city tour). Viking and Ama sail past.
Calls: C1, C2
Belgrade
All six call: Viking (Kalemegdan/St. Sava), Ama (iconic sights), CroisiEurope (CLASSIC tour or DISCOVERY bike ride, WWII to today).
Calls: V1, V2, A1, A2, C1, C2
Golubac
Only Viking calls: 14th-century Golubac Fortress + river views. The Serbian outpost of the gorge.
Calls: V1, V2
Iron Gates
All six transit: Viking runs a 'scenic Iron Gate sailing' day, Ama an 'Iron Gates and Dacia's legacy' day, CroisiEurope names it in the route string. AFDJ gauges: Orșova (km 954), Drobeta (km 931). No excursion landing — the banks are the show.
Calls: V1, V2, A1, A2, C1, C2
Vidin (Bulgarian bank)
Viking (medieval castle) and Ama (fortress + traditions) call; CroisiEurope's route string skips it. Across the river sits Romanian Calafat — nobody stops, you only see it.
Calls: V1, V2, A1, A2
Ruse (Bulgarian bank)
All six call (Viking and CroisiEurope spell it Ruse, Ama Rousse): Viking (medieval architecture + food), Ama (Ivanovo artistry), CroisiEurope passes. Faces Giurgiu across the river.
Calls: V1, V2, A1, A2, C1, C2
Giurgiu
Ama's embark/disembark port (one end of Gems, the end of Grand Danube), named in CroisiEurope's route string; absent from the captured Viking page. AFDJ keeps a branch here. Onward transfer to Bucharest is not described on the captured pages — ask the operator.
Calls: A1, A2, C1, C2
Oltenița
Only CroisiEurope uses it: embark/disembark port for both 12-day sailings (canal–Constanța loop first). It is CroisiEurope's Bucharest gateway, not Giurgiu — gateways differ by company, check when choosing.
Calls: C1, C2
Constanța (via canal)
Only CroisiEurope gets there: via the Danube–Black Sea Canal to Constanța (the site calls the canal a colossal work of Romanian and Eastern European communism). Optional visit: Roman mosque (exterior), Orthodox church (interior), Genoese lighthouse, seafront casino (exterior). The only seaside of the six.
Calls: C1, C2
Tulcea (orientation marker)
None of the six reaches Tulcea. Delta boats and permits live on the site's logistics page, birds on the birding page; here only the direction.
None of the six calls
Sulina / Black Sea (orientation marker)
None of the six reaches Sulina. The end of the AFDJ Romanian sector (Baziaș km 1,075 to the mouth), placed here as the map's eastern edge. For the mouths: the Delta logistics page.
None of the six calls
The route axis: three ways to go
Gorge transit (Viking: Bucharest–Budapest, 11 days, hotels in both capitals); Lower-Danube short sailing (Ama Gems: Budapest–Giurgiu, 8 days, the shortest); full transit (CroisiEurope 12 days Oltenița–Vienna + the canal–Constanța leg, Ama Grand Danube 14 nights Vilshofen–Giurgiu). For the gorge: all six. For Black Sea calls, CroisiEurope is the only operator in this comparison, and both of its routes include Constanța via the Danube–Black Sea Canal. For the Delta mouths: none of the six — see the logistics and birding pages.
Gorge transit: Viking 11 days
Two Bucharest nights, three Budapest nights, 6 days through the Iron Gates. Both directions (V1/V2) mirrored, from $3,799. For: first visit, unhurried, sleeping in capitals.
Lower-Danube short: Ama 8 days
Gems (A1): embark Budapest, disembark Giurgiu, gorge, Vidin, Ruse included, 8 days, the shortest. No fare on the captured pages — port charges only. For: little time, just the southeast stretch.
Full transit: CroisiEurope 12 days / Ama 14 nights
CroisiEurope (C1/C2): mirrored Oltenița–Vienna, from €2,292, the only seaside (Constanța, via canal). Ama Grand Danube (A2): 14 nights Vilshofen–Giurgiu, 15 stops, the longest. For: the whole transit in one go, 12+ days acceptable.
The company axis: three cards
Each card: products, ships (only what the captured pages name), excursion model, fares (dated starting fares), terms. Viking: included plus optional excursions; Ama: 'daily onshore experience options', no fare published on the captured pages; CroisiEurope: everything optional, CLASSIC guided and DISCOVERY active packages.
Viking (Viking River Cruises, US)
Passage to Eastern Europe, 11-day cruise-tour
Two hotel nights in Bucharest (Palace of Parliament, Village Museum), three in Budapest (Castle District, Chain Bridge, thermal spas), with 6 sailing days through the Iron Gates between, either direction. Daily excursions: included ones plus optional ones (the site's wording). No ship name on the captured page.
From $3,799 (both directions, as listed on the page captured 18.09.2026; about $345/day, this site's arithmetic).
Operator terms: itinerary and shore excursions are subject to change and may vary by departure. · Itineraries here: V1, V2
AmaWaterways (US)
Two products: Gems of Southeast Europe, 8 days Budapest–Giurgiu; Grand Danube, 14 nights Vilshofen–Giurgiu. Both directions have dated departures.
Ships rotate by departure: AmaBella, AmaVerde, AmaMagna (the operator table pairs date, direction and ship, e.g. 21.09.2026 Giurgiu→Budapest on AmaBella). Daily 'onshore experience options' (the site's wording). The reverse direction has dates and ships, but day-by-day detail is published only Budapest→Giurgiu.
The captured page publishes no cruise fare (18.09.2026); what can be written: port charges $323/person in 2026 (included in the fare, per the site), $378 in 2027, $391 in 2028. Single supplement: 50% (suites 100%).
Operator terms: dates, fares and itineraries are subject to change. · Itineraries here: A1, A2
CroisiEurope (France, European river fleet)
Two 12-day mirror sailings: From the Black Sea to the Blue Danube, Oltenița→Vienna; From the Blue Danube to the Black Sea, Vienna→Oltenița. Uses the Danube–Black Sea Canal to reach Constanța.
Ships: MS Vivaldi and MS L'Europe, rotating by departure (the table pairs dates with ships). Excursions are all optional, in two packages: CLASSIC (guided, e.g. Belgrade city tour) and DISCOVERY (active: Belgrade by bike, Bratislava hike); Constanța (mosque exterior, Orthodox church, lighthouse, casino exterior) is optional too. The Bucharest-gateway embarkation port is Oltenița, not Giurgiu.
Black Sea→Blue Danube: from €2,292 pp (03.10.2026 Vivaldi) to €3,060 (04.10.2026 L'Europe); Blue Danube→Black Sea: €2,839–€3,279 (8 departures in 2027). The site's footnote: lowest all-inclusive per-person inside-cabin price, excluding supplements, transportation, transfers, fees, taxes and optionals. About €191–€255 / €237–€273 per day (this site's arithmetic, 18.09.2026).
Operator terms: the order of visits can change, times are approximate. The booking form asks for passport numbers (cross-border sailing). · Itineraries here: C1, C2
The season axis: months from tables, water from bulletins
This section records the operator tables captured on 18 September 2026: Viking names only the 2026 season (no monthly breakdown); Ama both sailings September–December + March–April; CroisiEurope one sailing in October, the other April–October. The six pages captured on 18 September 2026 listed no dated June or July departures; that describes the snapshot, not the current operator calendar. Level example (AFDJ, values of 18.09.2026 03:00, not means): Orșova (km 954) 2,518 cm, Gruia (km 851) −152 cm (below zero). Before booking, check the INHGA Danube diagnosis+prognosis bulletins and the AFDJ levels page yourself. No heat or crowd claims here (no citable source). The Delta bird season wheel lives on the birding page — one pointer here.
| March | A1 Gems of Southeast Europe: Budapest→Giurgiu, A2 Grand Danube: Vilshofen→Giurgiu |
|---|---|
| April | A2 Grand Danube: Vilshofen→Giurgiu, C2 Blue Danube–Black Sea: Vienna→Oltenița |
| May | C2 Blue Danube–Black Sea: Vienna→Oltenița |
| June | No dated departures on the captured pages |
| July | No dated departures on the captured pages |
| August | C2 Blue Danube–Black Sea: Vienna→Oltenița |
| September | A1 Gems of Southeast Europe: Budapest→Giurgiu, A2 Grand Danube: Vilshofen→Giurgiu, C2 Blue Danube–Black Sea: Vienna→Oltenița |
| October | A1 Gems of Southeast Europe: Budapest→Giurgiu, A2 Grand Danube: Vilshofen→Giurgiu, C1 Black Sea–Blue Danube: Oltenița→Vienna, C2 Blue Danube–Black Sea: Vienna→Oltenița |
| November | A1 Gems of Southeast Europe: Budapest→Giurgiu, A2 Grand Danube: Vilshofen→Giurgiu |
| December | A1 Gems of Southeast Europe: Budapest→Giurgiu, A2 Grand Danube: Vilshofen→Giurgiu |
The captured Viking pages name the 2026 season but do not itemise months; this is not a dated match for the selected month.
The Delta bird season wheel lives on the birding page (three seasons); no detail here.
CroisiEurope calendar: separate check (22 October 2026)
Both official direction pages showed the same five distinct June–July 2027 dates and seven date–ship records. All seven records were marked “Sold Out” when checked. The same list appears on both pages, so it is not a separate total for each direction. Some rows also link to “Reverse direction”. Dates and availability can change; confirm with the operator before booking.
| Departure | Arrival | Ship | Status when checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 June 2027 | 17 June 2027 | MS L'Europe | Sold Out |
| 30 June 2027 | 11 July 2027 | MS Vivaldi | Sold Out |
| 4 July 2027 | 15 July 2027 | MS L'Europe | Sold Out |
| 15 July 2027 | 26 July 2027 | MS Vivaldi / MS L'Europe | Sold Out |
| 26 July 2027 | 6 August 2027 | MS Vivaldi / MS L'Europe | Sold Out |
Water levels: one dated example + the self-check gate
Example (AFDJ levels page, values of 18.09.2026 03:00, not monthly means): Orșova (km 954) 2,518 cm; Gruia (km 851) −152 cm (below gauge zero); Drobeta (km 931) 680 cm. Before booking, check yourself: the INHGA Danube diagnosis+prognosis bulletins and the AFDJ levels page (links on the method page).
The selector: month first, wish second
The selector filters the itinerary snapshot captured on 18 September 2026; it does not check seats or act as a live booking calendar. The CroisiEurope calendar checked on 22 October 2026 appears above: five distinct dates across seven date–ship records, all then marked “Sold Out”; the same list appears on both pages rather than as separate totals for each direction; some rows also link to “Reverse direction”. Dollar and euro fares remain in their published currencies. None of the six reaches the Delta mouths.
| Company | Itinerary | Days | Ends | Months | Fare (capture day) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viking | Passage to Eastern Europe: Bucharest→Budapest | 11 | Opens with two Bucharest hotel nights, ends with three in Budapest | 2026 season (months not itemised on the captured page) | From $3,799 (18.09.2026; about $345/day, this site's arithmetic) |
| Viking | Passage to Eastern Europe: Budapest→Bucharest | 11 | Opens with three Budapest hotel nights, ends with two in Bucharest | 2026 season (months not itemised on the captured page) | From $3,799 (18.09.2026; about $345/day, this site's arithmetic) |
| AmaWaterways | Gems of Southeast Europe: Budapest→Giurgiu | 8 | Embark Budapest, disembark Giurgiu (8 day-cards); the reverse has dates and ships, but day-by-day detail is published only this way | Sep–Dec 2026, Mar 2027 (operator departure table) | No fare on the captured page (18.09.2026); port charges $323/person (2026, included) |
| AmaWaterways | Grand Danube: Vilshofen→Giurgiu | 14 | 14 nights, Vilshofen–Giurgiu (15 stops); the reverse has dates and ships too | Sep–Dec 2026, Mar–Apr 2027 (operator departure table) | No fare on the captured page (18.09.2026); port charges $323/person (2026, included) |
| CroisiEurope | Black Sea–Blue Danube: Oltenița→Vienna | 12 | Embark Oltenița, canal–Constanța loop first, disembark Vienna; 8 countries (the site's wording) | October 2026 (departures in the operator table) | €2,292–€3,060 pp (03/04.10.2026 departures, Vivaldi/L'Europe; about €191–€255/day, this site's arithmetic, 18.09.2026) |
| CroisiEurope | Blue Danube–Black Sea: Vienna→Oltenița | 12 | Embark Vienna, downstream to Oltenița with the canal–Constanța leg; 8 departures (Apr–Oct 2027), Vivaldi and L'Europe rotating | Apr, May, Aug, Sep, Oct 2027 (operator departure table) | €2,839–€3,279 pp (2027 departures; about €237–€273/day, this site's arithmetic, 18.09.2026). The site's footnote: lowest all-inclusive inside-cabin price, excluding supplements, transportation, transfers, fees, taxes and optionals. |
Re-check with the operator before booking: dates, fares and itineraries can change (original clauses on the company cards).
Before you go: what can change
The original clauses sit on the company cards: itineraries, dates and fares can change, visit order too, times are approximate. At low water the itinerary changes — ask the company how before booking. All three cross borders (Serbia + Schengen states): the CroisiEurope booking form asks for passport numbers, so confirm documents with the operator. Romania Schengen visas have their dedicated site page. Read the fare footnote again: CroisiEurope's 'all-inclusive' excludes supplements, transportation, transfers, fees, taxes and optionals; Ama's single supplement is 50% (suites 100%).
Method
- Operators' full pages captured 18.09.2026: Viking both directions with day-by-day (from $3,799); Ama Gems 8 day-cards + 20 dated departures (ship on each), Grand Danube 15 stops + 20 dated departures, port charges $323/person (2026); CroisiEurope both directions with route strings + departure tables (ships, dates, €2,292–€3,279) + the CLASSIC/DISCOVERY model. Ama publishes no fare on the captured pages — the gap stays visible.
- AFDJ: the definition of the Romanian sector, from Baziaș at km 1,075 to the mouth; branches; and one dated water-level example. INHGA: the Danube diagnosis+prognosis bulletin collection. Danube Commission ports map: a reference.
- Left out, on the record: June/July dates are absent from the 18 September 2026 snapshot; the official calendar checked 22 October lists five distinct June–July 2027 dates across seven date–ship records, all then marked “Sold Out” (see Season); heat/crowds (no citable source); Viking ship and embarkation port (unnamed); Ama fares (unpublished); cabin-grade comparison (incompatible definitions); Delta-mouth sailings (nonexistent among the six — see the Delta pages); Iron Gates day trips (see the Cazane page).
Source notes
Viking both-direction pages · AmaWaterways Gems and Grand Danube pages · CroisiEurope both-direction pages · AFDJ overview and levels · INHGA Danube bulletins · Delta logistics · Delta birding · the Cazane page. Full list on the method page.