Grand European Cruise

If you are a U.S. citizen traveling internationally, you will need a passport valid for six months beyond the completion of your Tauck journey for entry into Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Germany and The Netherlands. You are not required to obtain a visa to enter any of the countries visited for the short duration of this tour.

If you are a citizen of another country traveling internationally, you should contact a consulate or embassy of Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Germany and the Netherlands to determine what travel documentation is required.

International maritime security guidelines require that your passport information be provided to us prior to your embarkation. You need to provide this information to us as soon as you book your cruise or boarding may be denied. Once you board the riverboat, your passport will be held by the purser temporarily to make copies.

Please Note: Longer stays abroad for any purpose may require additional travel documentation.

You will be issued a boarding card, which you must present before embarking the ship in each port. This security measure also ensures that only Tauck guests are permitted onboard.

We recommend that you make at least two photocopies of all the travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, the date of expiration and your citizenship. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your room while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents are misplaced, lost or stolen.

To facilitate Travel Requirements, destinations are increasingly utilizing online forms that require digital proof that you've successfully completed your submission (via an email, QR code, etc.) To ensure smooth travels and peace of mind, we strongly recommend all guests carry a personal smart phone and sign up for international data plans before traveling overseas.

Note Regarding Crossing Borders between non-Schengen Countries: In order to clear customs at the non-Schengen ports, the Reception staff will take your passport during the cruise in order to show local authorities as we pass borders. Occasionally you will need to come to the front desk to have your identify quickly crossed checked with your passport by the authorities. The process is quick and efficient and there is no need for declarations, etc.

TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN AS A GUARDIAN: If you are traveling as the guardian of a child/children, we strongly suggest that you carry a letter from both parents of the child authorizing emergency treatment in the event of illness or accident. For travel abroad, many foreign countries have specific entry requirements for children under 21 who are traveling internationally without BOTH parents. (These requirements are in response to the increased incidence of children being abducted and taken abroad.) PLEASE NOTE THAT TAUCK IS NOT RESPONSIBLE for the disruption of travel caused by improper documentation for children traveling without both parents.

See your travel advisor, or call Tauck at 1800-962-043 to make a reservation.

Deposit Information:

The deposit and the fees for the optional Protection Plan are due at time of booking. Your deposit is AUD $1,100.

Terms and Conditions:

For additional information pertaining to our Tauck Journeys, including Cancellation Information and Booking Conditions, click here to learn more.

• Tour Name and Departure Date Desired
• Traveler Name(s):  Please have first and last names as they appear on the passport or driver's license.
• Traveler's Address(es)
• Traveler's Phone Number(s)
• Emergency Contact Information: This would be a relative or friend whom we could contact during the tour in the event of an emergency. Please provide their name and phone number(s).
• Interest in purchasing a travel protection product (US and Canada)
• Interest in extending your trip by staying in a Tauck recommended hotel before your trip begins or after it ends
• Interest in our specially negotiated airfares.

Regarding your final payment:

Final Payment is due to the Tauck Australia office 60 days before departure for lands trips, and 120 days before departure for cruises and rail journeys. If your deposit was made by credit card, final payment will be automatic unless you opted out at time of booking. Bookings without full payment at this time may be subject to cancellation without notice. Failure to make payment will be a considered a cancellation by the guest and all applicable cancellation fees will apply.

Deposit Protection Plan – Tauck provides a "Deposit Protection Plan" at a cost of AUD $89 per person per tour or cruise. The cost is non-refundable and non-transferable and must be paid at the time of booking with your deposit. It only applies when you cancel your tour or cruise prior to final payment date. The deposit held in credit will exclude fees imposed by third parties in relation to air, rail travel, hotels, transfer or applicable cruise cabins. When booking airfares through Tauck (including when taking advantage of a special offer that includes air travel), standard airline cancellation fees will apply. In some cases, airfares will be non-refundable. In the event of cancellation, these fees will be deducted from the deposit paid, and therefore the credit being held. We will only credit the remainder of deposit to a future tour or cruise booking if you book within 24 months of cancellation of the original Tauck tour or cruise. This offer expires after the 24 months. We will only credit the remainder of the deposit to a future tour or cruise booking Balance Due and it can't be used as a credit for the initial deposit of a future tour or cruise booking. The Tauck "Deposit Protection Plan" only covers a Tauck tour or cruise and it does not replace Travel Insurance, which we recommend at the time of booking.

If you cancel within 10 days of initial deposit

Within the first 10 days after you place your initial deposit, you may cancel your reservation for any reason with no cancellation fees.

If you cancel more than 10 days after initial deposit

Regardless of reason, cancellations of confirmed bookings result in costly penalties and fees from hotels, ship operators and other travel providers. Therefore, the per person fees listed below will apply:

Land Tours

Cancellation penalties for land tours apply as follows:

60 days or more before departure

Loss of Deposit.

8 days before departure

25% total cost of tour

7 days or less before departure

Loss of Deposit.

60 days before departure

59-1 day before departure

Please note -  Airfares included on On-Tour Flights required with any of Tauck tours may be subject to different cancellation fees not outlined above.

* For services included in your booking that are not provided by Tauck, additional cancellation fees may be incurred

* Travel Professionals may impose their own cancellation fees.

In the event of an unforeseen circumstance beyond our control, Tauck reserves the right to amend the cancellation terms outlined herein.

Tour Interruption Fees: If you have to interrupt your tour en route, you may be entitled to a refund for the unused land portion if it exceeds 24 hours; certain restrictions apply. Such refunds are based upon the number of overnights missed less a fee of AUD $50 per person per day for unused transportation and other fixed expenses.

Partial Room Cancellation: A person who cancels or leaves a tour while a roommate remains constitutes a cancellation of one type of accommodation and rebooking of another type of accommodation. The price charged to the remaining person is the new, higher price for the new accommodation.

Click here to find Tauck's Travel Terms & Conditions.

We have compiled a reading list of recommended books to give you more information about the destinations you will be traveling to on your upcoming journey!

You can view the reading list here.

The most favorable months for riverboat travel in Eastern Europe are in late spring and summer. During those months the temperatures range from highs of 63 to 73 ºF in May (17 to 23 ºC) and 71 to 83 ºF (22 to 28 ºC) in July. The overnight temperatures range from 45 to 50 ºF (7 to 10 ºC) in May and 53 to 60 ºF (12 to 16 ºC) in July. The temperatures increase as you travel down the Rhine and the Main to the Danube and finally the Black Sea port of Constanta.

Rainfall averages during these months range from 2.4 to 2.8 in (61 to 71 mm) in May, 2.8 to 3.6 in (71 to 91 mm) in June, and 2.5 to 3.0 in (64 to 76 mm)  in July.

To read about current weather conditions, we suggest you log on to the Internet website, noaa.gov, by clicking here.

Bringing the right clothing for your trip is important – we've partnered with New Headings who provide an "easy-to-use, one-stop shop" for your Tauck travel needs, specifically selected for this trip. Click here to visit their site.

Your journey is designed with leisure in mind. Many days are spent outside or in transit. Dress for comfort and convenience with a wardrobe that is adaptable and allows for layering. Generally, during the day, casual, comfortable, cotton clothing is recommended. Cool weather at higher elevations or at night will require warmer, layered clothing.

During evenings aboard the riverboat, dress is resort casual.  Items such as slacks and collared shirts are appropriate for men.  For women, slacks, a dress or a skirt and blouse are suitable.  For dinner and throughout the evening, guests should refrain from wearing shorts, t-shirts, flip-flops or sneakers.  Your journey also includes one or two special occasion dinners, where a sport coat and tie for gentlemen and a dress/pantsuit for ladies are suggested.  (Your Tauck Director will advise you prior to those evenings.)

Bathrobes, slippers and hairdryers are provided in each guest room at the hotel and in each cabin on board the riverboat.

Irons and ironing boards are either located in your hotel guest room or are available immediately upon request. Ironing facilities are available on the riverboat by request to the front desk. Category 7 suites feature their own irons and ironing boards. Onboard the riverboat, valet laundry and pressing services are available; there is no dry cleaning on board.

We recommend that you pack an adequate supply of your prescription medication in its original container to last through your entire journey, together with a copy of your doctor's prescription or a letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you, a list of the generic names of your medication, your travel documents and a change of clothing in your carry-on bag to avoid any inconvenience in the

event that your flight or luggage is delayed. No medications are sold on board the riverboat.

Following is a list of recommended items to pack for your Grand European Cruise: 

• Casual daytime wear – shorts, slacks, long and short-sleeved shirts
• Sport jacket and optional tie for men
• Casually elegant evening wear for ladies
• Sunglasses, sunscreen, hat
• Swimwear
• Gym wear
• A light sweater or jacket for higher elevations or a breezy night
• Binoculars (7x50 preferably)
• Insect repellent
• Camera, lenses, batteries, memory cards and chargers
• Lightweight, comfortable, sturdy walking shoes that have already been broken-in
• Travel alarm clock/cell phone with alarm function (many hotels do not have clocks in the rooms)
• Rain poncho and collapsible umbrella
• Reusable zipper-lock bags or other waterproof bags
• Daypack for camera equipment
• Sundries and toiletries that may be difficult to find en route
• Copies of your travel documents that should be secured in the safe in your ship cabin while traveling