FAQ - Travelling by ship

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FAQs - All questions about your holiday ...

Here you will find answers to the most important questions about our cruises. If your question remains unanswered, please feel free to contact us. We will get back to you as soon as possible.

Glide into the distance!

Enjoy freedom on a cruise with Donau Touristik

One river, two superlatives: the Danube is the world's most sung-about river and flows through ten countries - more than any other river in the world. Narrow valleys such as the Wachau, the Danube Bend in Hungary or the Iron Gate alternate with large floodplains, many of which have become national parks. Active cycle cruises, short breaks on 3- or 4-day tours and more are on the programme. Traditional cruises include a daily evening of entertainment by local artists in the on-board theatre - unique to all Danube ships! All according to the motto: INDIVIDUALITY IS OUR TRUMP.

Arrival and departure by boat

Individual journey to the embarkation point. Embarkation usually takes place at 3 pm. Details such as boarding time and place can be found in the arrival information which you will receive approx. 4 weeks before arrival.

Accessibility

The MS Primadonna is barrier-free and has 4 barrier-free cabins (2 on the upper deck and 2 on the promenade deck).

The upper and promenade decks as well as the open deck are accessible by lift or stair lift (open deck).

Manual wheelchairs can be used on board without any problems; electric wheelchairs: can be taken on board up to a maximum weight of 35 kg; these can be used individually for shore excursions (without bus), but not on board (storage in the cabin). Manual wheelchairs are available for hire for getting around the ship (free of charge, advance booking required; only a deposit is required at reception).

Booking


Online booking

On each tour page you have the option of making your booking online by clicking on "Book tour". The calendar displayed informs you about the available dates for the respective tour. If you book via our homepage, your booking will be transferred directly to our computerised system and we grant an internet discount of € 10 per person.

Booking by telephone

We are happy to take your booking by telephone on 0043 732 2080 or 0800 100 11 47 (free of charge from Germany).

Booking by e-mail or post

Send your booking by e-mail to info@donautouristik.com or by post to Donau Touristik GmbH, Lederergasse 4-12, 4010 Linz.

We need the following data from you for a booking

  • Name of the trip/travel number
  • If applicable, the desired category
  • date of travel
  • Contact details of the person making the booking, including telephone number and e-mail address (if available)
  • First name and surname of fellow travellers
  • Accommodation (double/single/triple/quadruple room)
  • Catering (breakfast/half board/demi-half board)
  • Rental bike or own bike (type of bike + respective body size of the travellers)
  • Information on whether additional nights are required
  • Information whether return transfer by train/bus is desired

Furthermore, please indicate any special features and requests for your desired trip when booking. For example: separate beds in the double room, food intolerances, thicker tyres on your own bike and much more. This enables us to clarify your wishes in advance with the hotels or various partners.

Booking confirmation

Once a booking has been made, we will confirm it within approx. 7 days by e-mail or via our customer portal and request a 10% deposit. There are no booking fees. All general information is enclosed with the booking confirmation. If the desired date, category, room, hire bike etc. is not possible, we will contact you to clarify any outstanding questions.

Please understand that in exceptional cases, due to high demand, it may take a little longer to process your booking.

0043 732 2080 Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm 0800 100 11 47 Free hotline from Germany

Entry requirements

You must always carry a valid travel document such as a passport or identity card (driving licence is not sufficient). Further information can be found at www.bmeia.gv.at.

Own wheels

It is generally possible to bring your own bike; please note: this is at your own risk. No liability is accepted for damage to the bike or in the event of loss/theft.

Discounts

Here you will find an overview of all the discounts we can offer you. From group discounts, early booking and internet discounts to discounts for children.
HERE you can find the discounts

Photo competition

Win a Danube cruise on our 4****Sup. MS Primadonna with your holiday snapshot! This is how it works:

Take part and send us your favourite photos from your last Donau Touristik cycling holiday, for example with your bike in front of a sight, landscape backdrop or on the cycle path. Closing date: 15 November 2024. Please send photos in original size, stating where they were taken and a short testimonial directly to grafik@donautouristik.com.

The prize:
A Danube cruise with 3 x overnight stays with full board in a double cabin main deck (bathroom with shower/WC, safe, minibar, telephone, air conditioning) from Vienna to Budapest for 2 people worth around € 910!

HERE you can find the conditions of participation.

Luggage service

Here you will find some important instructions for baggage transfer:

  • Each piece of luggage to be transported must be labelled with a luggage tag.
  • The owner, booking number and cabin number are noted on each tag.
  • Your luggage will be transported from the atrium to the cabin and from the cabin to the atrium.

Dress code

Casual. No evening wear necessary.

Contact during the journey

Our hotel manager and his colleagues at reception are always available to answer your questions.

Rental bikes

You will find information on bike collection times in the daily programme on board.

Cycling stages

Do I have to cycle all the stages?

You can decide each day whether you want to cycle or take a break. Please inform the service staff in advance if you are staying on board for lunch.

Cycling tours

The fitness levels and the quality of the cycle paths and local signposting are indicated for each tour.

Fitness levels 1 - 5:

1 = Easy to cycle, suitable for everyone
2 = Easy routes, can be mastered with little effort
3 = For "leisure cyclists" with normal fitness, occasional stages with inclines
4 = Slightly more challenging routes, for cyclists with average fitness
5 = For active cyclists with several hilly stages. Basic fitness required!

Quality of cycle paths and signposting 1 - 5:

The quality of the cycle paths and local signposting is based on personal experience, the condition of the cycle paths and ADFC-approved cycle routes.

Bike transport on arrival/departure

Unfortunately, it is not possible to transfer your own bikes. You must bring your bike to the boat yourself and then ride to the car park. From there, there is a passenger transfer.
For the return transfer at the end of the cruise, you can first take the bus to the car park and then collect your own bikes from the ship by car.

Cycle helmet / high-visibility vest obligation

Rental helmets cannot be provided, but helmets can be purchased on board (subject to availability).

In Austria, children under the age of 12 are required to wear helmets, but not high-visibility vests. Adults are not obliged to wear a helmet, but are encouraged to set an example. There is currently a 0.8 per mille limit for cyclists.

In Slovakia, helmets are generally compulsory for cyclists under the age of 15. Outside built-up areas, all cyclists must wear a helmet and high-visibility waistcoat (a high-visibility waistcoat must generally be worn in poor visibility).

Helmets are not yet compulsory in Hungary , but high-visibility waistcoats must be worn in poor visibility.

Smoking on board

Smoking is permitted on the open deck or in the allocated areas. Smoking is not permitted on the balcony of the cabins.

Travel confirmation

How did you like the trip? Quality is our goal. Your opinion is very important to us! Please take the time to give us a short feedback on your trip.

ClickHERE for the questionnaire!

Types of travel

Distance tours

You cycle from place to place, travelling around 30-70 km a day depending on the tour. You travel individually and not in a group. This allows you to adapt the pace to your fitness and you are travelling without (great) effort. You will get to know many different towns, sights and cities in a short space of time. The luggage service with daily collection and delivery of your luggage to the next hotel makes travelling comfortable.

Star cycle tours

Cycling tours through the respective holiday region from a hotel are both comfortable and varied. You are travelling individually and not in a group. You stay in the same comfortable accommodation for the entire duration of your holiday, so you don't have to pack your bags every day. The daily stages are carefully planned so that you can explore the holiday region on well thought-out cycle routes without having to search for long routes. With this type of holiday, you are independent of the weather or fitness level and can also take a break for a day and use the hotel infrastructure (often with a wellness area) or explore the surrounding area by car.

Cruises

On a cruise on the Danube with the 4****Superior MS Primadonna, you not only spend time on board, the programme also includes shore excursions, including varied city tours, concerts and much more. During your time on the water, you can enjoy the ship's countless amenities.

Cycle cruises

Take a leisurely cycle through unique natural landscapes during the day and spend the night in first-class comfort on board. A bike and boat trip combines cruising with cycling. The cruise ship replaces a hotel. With this type of trip, you are independent of weather or fitness and can also take a day off and spend a day on board. You collect countless impressions of the most beautiful holiday regions by bike and your hotel floats along with you.

Winter holidays

Winter holidays in Europe offer incomparable experiences. Get active through the winter and boost your well-being. A good balance of healthy exercise and relaxation in the top hotels with wellness provides holiday enjoyment.

Distance travelling Star bike tours Cruises Bike cruises Winter holidays

Travel documents

You will receive your information pack, consisting of a guest sheet, deck plan and arrival information, approximately 3 weeks before arrival in your customer portal. You will receive all other travel documents directly on board. These include the service list with cabin number, luggage loops for transport to/from the cabin, bike book (for bike cruises), colourful ribbon for bike identification (for bike cruises).

Restaurant

The seat in the restaurant is allocated for all meals. This remains the same table for the entire journey. On the day of arrival, the service manager is available for table reservations and requests.

Tour briefings

Please note that our cycle cruises are not guided cycle tours, but there are tour briefings with our expert on board every evening (if the next day is a cycling day).

Parking facilities

In general, there are NO parking facilities at our landing stages. Access for boarding and disembarking or dropping off luggage or your own bikes is possible.

Passau:
Parking at the Donau Touristik-Info-Point (only with advance reservation; costs € 65,- per week). Our transfer bus will take you to the landing stage (it is not possible to take bikes; please refer to your travel documents for departure times).

Vienna:
A possible car park is the Park & Ride P+R Muthgasse (costs approx. € 16 per day, payable on site). You can get to the landing stage by tram line "D" or by taxi from Heiligenstadt station (U4 and S40).

Linz:
Access is possible up to approx. 100 metres in front of the ship. Parking is available in the Lentia City underground car park (costs approx. € 16 per day) or in the underground car park on the main square (costs approx. € 25 per day).

Catering

Extensive hot and coldbreakfast buffet including juices and coffee.

3-course menu of your choiceat lunchtime .
On cycle cruises, a packed lunch is available to pick up at breakfast. You are also welcome to eat lunch on board, but you must make an appointment with the service staff the evening before.

Coffee and cake with pastriesin the afternoon .

4-course menu of your choicein the evening.

Midnight snack

Please specify vegetarian, vegan and lactose-freespecial requests when booking (not possible for packed lunches). Gluten-free food is not offered.

Not included in the cruise fare: drinks - these are charged to the cabin number and are payable at the end of the cruise.

Wellness area MS Primadonna

For sauna (20-minute ticket), whirlpool, Kneipp pool, massage, hydrojet, an appointment must be booked at reception.

Bathrobes can be provided free of charge on request.

Payment methods on board

Cash, credit card (Mastercard, VISA, no Diners Club) or EC card.

Changing money on board/foreign currencies
Changing money on board is only possible in small amounts (Hungarian forint/Serbian dinar) - generally subject to availability.

Payment options

A deposit of 10% of the total tour price must be paid once the booking has been finalised. The balance must be paid at the earliest 20 days before the start of the holiday without further request.

Payment by bank transfer

In the euro zone, please use the account stated on your invoice, in the name of Donau Touristik GesmbH. For payments from outside the euro zone, please note that payment must be made in euros (€) and any charges will be charged to the customer. Payments from Switzerland CHF (SFR) are excluded: These can be made in euros (€) to the Swiss bank account specified on your invoice.

Payment by credit card

You are welcome to pay for your booked trip by credit card. All you have to do is enter your credit card details in the customer portal.

Payment at the customer centre in Linz/Danube

Customers from the surrounding area can pay directly at our customer centre in Linz an der Donau in cash or by EC or credit card.

Train tickets

If not included in the tour price, no DB train tickets can be issued. If included, these can be booked up to 4 weeks before arrival (then with a specified train connection for arrival and departure). These are only valid from the nearest long-distance train station (= with ICE, IC, EC); seat reservations included. ÖBB tickets are valid from all Austrian railway stations (e.g. from Linz or Vienna to Bregenz and back for € 78.00, 2nd class with free choice of train within the desired day of travel) - seat reservation can be booked for € 4.50 per direction.