Category SSF - Seven Seas Suite Forward
Seven Seas Suite (Forward)
Photos are examples only. Actual cabin colors and features may vary.
This cruise has already sailed
12 Night The Black Sea to Budapest Cruise and Land Tour from Bucharest
Ship: MS Esprit
Cruise Line: Tauck River
Sailed: Thursday, Jun 11, 2026 from Bucharest, Romania
Ended: Tuesday, Jun 23, 2026
The itinerary information below reflects the original day-by-day port of call schedule for the Thursday, Jun 11, 2026
departure of the MS Esprit. If Tauck River modified this itinerary for weather or operational reasons after departing
, the modified schedule would not be reflected here.
Want to book MS Esprit
31 Departures. Starting from $5890
Tour begins: 6 PM, JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel. A transfer is included from Bucharest Henri Coanda International Airport to the JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel in the heart of the city, located adjacent to Bucharest's monumental Palace of Parliament. This evening, join a Tauck Exclusive at the Bragadiru Palace (a.k.a the Palace of Culture). Named after founder Dumitru Marinescu Bragadiru, one of Romania's most important industrialists, the palace was originally used as a brewery and a performance hall before being confiscated in the 1940s (later returning to the descendants of Bragadiru in the early 2000s); attend a special welcome reception at the palace, complete with musical entertainment.
Day 2 - Friday - Jun 12, 2026
Bucharest, Romania
Bus Travel
Bran Castle, Romania
Bus Travel
Bucharest, Romania
A choice of sightseeing today echoes the legacy of 15th-century Romanian prince Vlad Tepes (a.k.a. "Vlad the Impaler"), thought to be the historical model for Bram Stoker's Dracula. You may choose to take a full-day excursion to Transylvania's 14th-century Bran Castle, which Tepes once used as a fortress during his military campaigns; the excursion includes a visit to the castle and free time in Bran. Alternatively, you can travel on a full-day excursion into the Carpathian Mountains to the mountain resort town of Sinaia and visit a nearby castle. Or, drive to Targoviste to visit the formal royal court of Vlad the Tepes a.k.a. Dracula. Return to Bucharest for free time. If you wish, have dinner at the hotel tonight, or choose to enjoy a lunch or dinner at the hotel at another time during your stay.
Day 3 - Saturday - Jun 13, 2026
Bucharest, Romania
Discover more of Romania's capital on a morning sightseeing tour with local guides, seeing such sights as Revolution Square and Triumphal Arch, and ending in Bucharest's Old Town, plus a choice of visiting the National Museum of Art of Romania or the Village Museum. The rest of the day and evening are yours to spend pursuing what interests you most in this fascinating city.
Day 4 - Sunday - Jun 14, 2026
Bucharest, Romania
Bus Travel
Mamaia, Romania
Bus Travel
Cruise Begins
Constanta, Romania
Before embarking your riverboat today, drive to Romania's popular Black Sea coast - first to the popular resort town of Mamaia for lunch and some "beach time", then on to the port city of Constanta. Here, in what was originally the ancient Greek colony of Tomis, you'll view numerous Greek and Roman antiquities, an Art Nouveau casino, and a monument to the Roman poet Ovid, who spent years in exile here, then board your riverboat in Constanta to launch your unforgettable Danube cruise. Meet the captain and crew at a welcome reception, followed by dinner onboard at your leisure.
Day 5 - Monday - Jun 15, 2026
Rousse, Bulgaria
Bus Travel
Basarbovo Monastery, Bulgaria
Bus Travel
Rousse, Bulgaria
Your cruise continues in Bulgaria; largely off limits during four centuries of Ottoman rule and decades behind the Iron Curtain, the country's rich natural beauty and history is yours to discover today. Disembark in Ruse - often referred to as "Little Vienna" for its Art Nouveau homes, Austro-Hungarian architecture, and lively cafes - for a choice of sightseeing today. You may join a guided walking tour of the Basarbovo rock church, and its easily-accessible chapel, or alternatively, embark on a vigorous hike to the celebrated rock churches in the village of Ivanovo, whose stony chambers carved into steep, cliffside caves reveal stunning medieval frescoes inside; a visit is richly rewarding. Afterwards, both groups will convene in Ruse before returning to the riverboat.
Day 6 - Tuesday - Jun 16, 2026
Cruising Danube Canal, Austria
Vidin, Bulgaria
There's something special about just "kicking back" during a leisurely morning cruising the Danube, enjoying picture-perfect views of the passing landscapes. Onboard activities throughout your cruise, such as special lectures and presentations, cooking demonstrations, or music and dance performances, are an important part of the Tauck river cruising experience. Today, after the riverboat arrives in Vidin, Bulgaria, join us for a walking tour of Vidin's cobblestone streets, including a visit to Baba Vida fortress. Back aboard the riverboat this evening, enjoy musical entertainment by a local classical ensemble, followed by the Chef's Signature Dinner in the Compass Rose.
Day 7 - Wednesday - Jun 17, 2026
Iron Gates
Spend today aboard your riverboat as you sail along the Serbian-Romanian border, enjoying great views of the Transylvanian Alps. As you cruise, keep an eye out for a kingly face carved into the Danube's rocky bank on the Romanian side; it's a monument to the 2nd-century Dacian King Decebalus, who defended his kingdom from the invading Romans - and it's the tallest rock sculpture in Europe. Glide through Romania's Kazan Narrows and the Iron Gate of the Danube, a spectacular two-mile-long series of gorges between the Carpathian and Balkan Mountains, en route to Serbia; the ship arrives in Belgrade overnight.
Day 8 - Thursday - Jun 18, 2026
Belgrade, Serbia
Wake up today in Belgrade, Serbia's eclectic, cosmopolitan capital at the juncture of the Danube and Sava rivers. You can choose to spend the morning touring the "New Belgrade" section of the city by bicycle with a local guide (you'll need to be comfortable riding a bicycle in a city environment); or join the local guides for a city tour that includes visits to Tito's Memorial and the formidable Kalemegdan Fortress, and views of busy Slavija Square (now one of the city's major squares, but once a large pool where residents hunted wild ducks!), Parliament, Republic Square, and City Hall. After lunch onboard, you have the afternoon free to spend as you please. Onboard entertainment by Serbian performers during cocktail hour precedes dinner this evening.
Day 9 - Friday - Jun 19, 2026
Vukovar, Croatia
Your riverboat crosses the border from Serbia to Croatia and arrives in historic Vukovar today. Preceded by an onboard lecture on Croatia's turbulent history by a local expert, your tour of this venerable 10th-century city - once showcasing opulent 18th-century Baroque mansions, but now a mix of old and new - poignantly symbolizes the effects of the 1990s war. Visit with a local family who have recently returned to resume their lives in the city after the conflict, as they share homemade refreshments with you in their private home. You'll have some time at leisure in Vukovar before the riverboat continues on to Hungary tonight.
Day 10 - Saturday - Jun 20, 2026
Mohacs, Hungary
Bus Travel
Pecs, Hungary
Bus Travel
Vilany, Hungary
Bus Travel
Mohacs, Hungary
Arrive in Mohacs, Hungary, this morning for an excursion to Pecs and a tour of its 11th-century cathedral. Here you'll also explore the fascinating Christian Necropolis, a complex dating back to the 4th century that includes underground burial chambers and chapels adorned with early Christian art and frescoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the 19th century, Pecs was famous worldwide for the exquisite Zsolnay porcelain manufactured here, and your visit includes a stop at the Zsolnay Museum for a look at its stunning examples of Art Nouveau stoneware, tiles, and pottery. Visit a winery in Villany for lunch (this region is renowned for its red wines) then return to Mohacs. Tonight, attend the ship's farewell cocktail reception and dinner as your Danube cruise draws to a close.
Day 11 - Sunday - Jun 21, 2026
Budapest, Hungary
Cruise Ends
Budapest, Hungary
Bid your Danube cruise - along with your captain and crew - farewell as you disembark the riverboat in Budapest. Your exploration of the Hungarian capital, once the independent cities of Buda and Pest, begins in Pest with a visit to St. Stephen's Basilica, the city's Neo-Renaissance cathedral, and continues with views of Heroes' Square, bounded by some of the finest architectural works in Hungary, and such Budapest treasures as City Park and tree-lined Andrassy Avenue. When possible, visit the Parliament building, a Neo-Gothic architectural masterpiece. The rest of the day and evening is at your leisure in Budapest.
Day 12 - Monday - Jun 22, 2026
Budapest, Hungary
Today, you can choose to spend the morning touring Budapest by bicycle with a local guide (you'll need to be comfortable riding a bicycle in a city environment). Or you can do some Buda sightseeing in Castle Hill, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where a guided walking tour introduces architectural landmarks such as well-known Fisherman's Bastion. Revisit Budapest's World War II and Cold War days at the Sziklakorhaz ("Hospital in the Rock"), a re-creation of underground military and medical facilities in a former secret bunker and hospital hidden below Buda Castle. After time to explore this fascinating city as you please (or, if you wish, visit Dohany Synagogue with a Tauck director), we invite you to join us at this evening's farewell reception and dinner at the Festetics Palace in Budapest.
Day 13 - Tuesday - Jun 23, 2026
Budapest, Hungary
Tour ends today in Budapest. Fly home anytime; a transfer is included from The Ritz-Carlton Budapest to Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport and Budapest-Keleti Station. Allow three hours for departure flight check-in.
