Cruise Tours
International ToursDEPARTURE INFORMATION
Lower Mainland
September 29, 2026 – 20 Days
Vancouver Island
September 28, 2026 – 21 Days
BC Interior
September 28, 2026 – 21 Days
Activity Level 3
GROUP SIZE
TOUR SUMMARY
Cruise the Rhine, Main & Danube on Emerald Astra!
With 14 days on three European rivers and one canal, this amazing cruise on the brand new MV Emerald Astra takes in a wonderful variety of sights. After two days in Amsterdam, we board the ship and cruise upstream on the Rhine and the Main Rivers for six days. The Main-Danube Canal is 171 km long and our ship is raised or lowered through 16 locks during the three-day passage. The Danube is Europe’s second longest river, rising in Germany’s Black Forest and flowing through or along the borders of 10 countries to the Black Sea. Our cruise takes in a very scenic portion from Kelheim, Germany, to Budapest, Hungary, with five relaxed days to admire the vistas from the river. Savour fabulous cuisine, fine wines, exquisite suites, inspiring shore excursions, and the luxury of an Emerald ship.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
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Meals
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52 meals
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50 meals
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49 meals
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Transportation
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Accommodation
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Guides & Gratuities
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Knowledgeable Wells Gray tour director
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Tour Highlights (Included)
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TOUR FARES
| Departure Point | Balcony C | Balcony B |
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$17,695$29,625 |
$18,265$30,710 single |
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$17,870$29,800 |
$18,440$30,885 |
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$17,365$29,070 |
$17,935$30,155 |
- Please add 0.2% GST.
- There is an additional cost to fly from/to Nanaimo or Comox to join this tour.
- Single seats are limited. Please book early if you prefer to travel single.
DEPARTURE POINTS & DATES
ACTIVITY LEVEL
Level
High Activity: You are an active traveller who wants to explore wherever you go. You don’t mind a mix of full days, early morning starts, and some late nights. You can walk longer distances, up to 4 km without difficulty which may be over cobblestone streets, uneven ground, or beaches/ shorelines. Choose shore excursions based on your mobility. There is lots of walking at the museums and historic sites if you want to see everything. There can be longer walks in the airports. You must be able to handle your own luggage in airports as well as at hotels where luggage handling may not be available.
This tour is not appropriate for people with canes, walkers, wheelchairs, or other mobility assistance devices. Hiking poles are fine. Additionally, this tour is not appropriate for those who have cognitive impairments such as memory loss or confusion, difficulty expressing thoughts, repeating questions, or getting lost. The tour director, European guides and drivers have many responsibilities, so please do not expect them, or your fellow travellers, to provide ongoing assistance. If you are not capable of keeping up with the group or require frequent assistance, the tour director may stop you from participating in some activities or some tour days. In extreme situations, you may be required to leave the tour and travel home at your own expense; travel insurance will probably not cover you.
Please note: Prior to accepting your booking, you will be required to sign a declaration that you are capable of
travelling on an Activity Level 3 tour.
Tour Size
This tour is limited to 25 participants, making it a more intimate travel experience.
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MV EMERALD ASTRA: The newest ship in the Emerald Cruises fleet, the MV Emerald Astra will join six other Emerald Star-Ships in 2026. With just 90 staterooms and carrying a maximum of 180 passengers, the experience is intimate and deluxe. The ship is 134 metres long with four decks. Public areas include Reflections Restaurant, Horizon Lounge and bar with great views and comfortable furniture, an outside covered terrace with sitting area, a fitness centre, and a huge partly shaded sun deck with sun beds and a pool. Wi-Fi is complimentary. The floor to ceiling windows and French balconies on the Vista and Horizon decks make for bright staterooms with a contemporary design. Comfort is essential — dress code is relaxed and casual except the Welcome and Farewell dinners are a little more dressy. Dining has open seating with no reserved tables. You can choose a buffet or menu for breakfast in the dining room, or a light breakfast in the lounge. Complimentary wine, beer, and soft drinks are served with lunch and dinner. Your cruise director keeps you informed about the daily entertainment, the upcoming lectures on ports of call, and various on-board activities to enrich your river experience. Two or three tours are offered at each stop and you choose one based on your activity level. Some of these tours are on a motorcoach and some are walking tours. Sometimes a paid excursion with more elaborate inclusions is offered; you can reserve on the ship or on the Emerald website up to eight months before sailing (details in Important Tour Information at final payment). There are several types of suites available. Categories B and C are on Vista or Horizon decks and measure 180 square feet; they have floor to ceiling windows and the French balcony changes from an indoor to outdoor space with ease as the window lowers to a halfway point at the touch of a button. We can also check availability for Grand Balcony Suites on Horizon deck or Emerald staterooms on Riviera deck which have a window instead of a balcony.
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CRUISING 3 EUROPEAN RIVERS WITH EMERALD: With 14 days on three European rivers and one canal, this amazing cruise on MV Emerald Astra takes in a wonderful variety of sights. After two days in Amsterdam, we board the ship and cruise upstream on the Rhine and the Main Rivers for six days. The Main-Danube Canal is 171 km long and our ship is raised or lowered through 16 locks during the three-day passage. The Danube is Europe’s second-longest river and a vital means of transportation for 2,000 years. It rises in Germany’s Black Forest and flows through or along the borders of 10 countries to reach the Black Sea. Our cruise takes in a very scenic portion from Kelheim, Germany, to Budapest, Hungary, with five relaxed days to enjoy the vistas from the river and local excursions in the cities. The ship stops in many towns along these rivers and sometimes stays overnight. At each stop, there is a choice of shore excursions, most included and some with an extra charge. These tours may be walking through a town with commentary provided on personal headsets, or may be on a motorcoach with an extended visit to a city that is not on the river. You can sign up on the ship for paid tours and these usually have unique themes and experiences that are worth the extra cost. Our tour is with Emerald Cruises, an Australian company that is owned by the Moroney family and part of the Scenic Group. The passion for detail is evident in the design of the ships, from the placement of windows to the comfort of the lounges. Off the ships, the award winning land programs help you experience each destination, with guided sightseeing in every port, engaging port lectures, VIP access into key destinations, no waiting in lines, and great cultural immersion and storytelling thanks to skilled cruise directors and guides. This is the 5th cruise that Wells Gray has offered with Emerald and Scenic.
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Documentation: A valid passport is required with sufficient blank pages and must not expire until three months after return date. Visas are not currently required for any country we are visiting. The ETIAS system may be in operation when this tour is underway; details will be in the Important Tour Information document at final payment.
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Currency & Expenses: The Euro is the official currency in all countries along our cruise route. You should have Euros on hand for smaller purchases and any gratuities not included. You can order Euros from your bank a week prior to departure. The currency on board the ship is the Euro. Purchases on board can be charged to your ship account and paid at the end of the cruise by credit card.
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Gratuities: for cruise staff and European guides and drivers are included.
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Beverages: In many countries outside Canada and USA, it is not standard practice to include beverages with tour meals. During the land portion of this tour, tea, coffee, or bottled water is usually included with each meal and other beverages can be purchased. On the ship, wine, beer, and soft drinks are included at lunch and dinner.
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Rooms for singles: are often a different style or smaller size than twin rooms in hotels (not on ship). Many hotels limit the number of single rooms for a group. Please book early if you prefer to travel single. Triples are not available on this tour.
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Importance of early booking: Cruises are incredibly popular. Ships are filling up fast and earlier than they once did, so waiting too long to book usually means “Sorry, wait until another year.” Mayflower Cruises, a division of Emerald, has confirmed a block of Verandah suites for this cruise and they are normally held until eight months before sailing (January 2026). However, any unsold suites can be taken away from us at any time if the ship or even a category fills. This occurs on most of our group cruises, then we have to wait list disappointed customers. Emerald Astra is a new vessel which increases its appeal among elite travellers and many cruises sell out months in advance, so we urge you not to delay booking this tour.
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Shore excursions: can be booked on board but some paid excursions should be booked when they become available, usually eight months prior to the cruise. Most shore excursions are included.
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Included lunches: The above itinerary shows an included lunch on every cruise day. These lunches are on the ship, so if you book a shore excursion during lunchtime, you may miss an included lunch if you are not back on board at lunchtime. There is no compensation for missed lunches.
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Flight upgrades: Please enquire about current prices for upgrades on the flights between Vancouver and Amsterdam and return from Budapest. Premium economy and business class may be available.
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Flight seating: We are unable to take requests for window or aisle seating on the planes. The airline will not accept them, as group seating is assigned as a block. If this is important to you, we suggest you take the “No Flight” option and book your own flight which allows seat selection. The fare reduction will be known in December 2025 as the flight cannot be booked until 11 months prior to the return date.
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Flight delays or cancellations: In t he event flights are delayed or cancelled by airlines due to weather or other reasons, there may be additional costs to you. Wells Gray Tours will not pay for hotel rooms and meals during the delay. Most travel insurance policies cover expenses incurred for flight delays.
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Food Allergies on cruises: You must notify us no later than at final payment if you have a food allergy. During the pre-cruise and post-cruise touring and the included shore excursions, some restaurants may not be able to satisfy all food allergies. An allergy causes medical distress, a preference does not. Most food allergies can be handled at meals on the ship, but you may have to order 24 hours in advance. For some allergies, please consider bringing your own snacks or food items so you are not dependent on what restaurants are able to serve.
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Payments: deposit of $1,000 per person is requested at the time of booking and balance is due May 27, 2026. By paying the deposit, you agree to the Terms & Conditions, Activity Level 3 requirements, and Cancellation Policy outlined. Payments can be made by online banking or cheque (3% discount on tour fare), or by Visa or Mastercard.
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Cancellation Policy: Up to April 27, 2026, the cancellation charge is $100 per person. From April 28 to May 27, the cancellation charge is $400 per person. From May 28 to June 26, the cancellation charge is 30% of the tour fare. From June 27 to July 24, the cancellation charge is 80% of the tour fare. After July 24, there is no refund.
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Itinerary and Fare Changes: Our many suppliers may notify us about changes to the itinerary prior to departure and sometimes during the tour. We do our best to substitute a similar service if something cancels, but occasionally the only alternative is to provide a refund for the missed activity. Please note that if we are forced to cancel a tour component due to an issue beyond our control, the current penalties still apply if you choose to cancel the entire tour. Fuel surcharges and changes to taxes, currency exchange rates, or other tour costs can occur at any time, therefore Wells Gray Tours reserves the right to increase fares due to such changes up to departure.
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Travel Insurance: A Comprehensive Insurance policy is available through Wells Gray Tours and coverage is provided by Travel Guard. Policies purchased at deposit include a waiver of the pre-existing condition clause for medical and cancellation claims, otherwise policies can be purchased no later than at final payment. Medical questionnaire is not needed. Please contact us for details. If you have your own travel insurance, please read the policy carefully to be sure that you are adequately covered for medical, cancellation, interruption, and luggage. Please do not travel to Europe without medical insurance as a minimum.
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Photo Credits: Pixabay (Budapest, Cologne, Regensberg) and Pexels (Zaanse Schans, Bamberg, Vienna, Passau, Rüdesheim am Rhein).
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Experience Points or E-points: This tour earns 330 e-points. Each time you travel on a Wells Gray tour, you earn e-points that are added to your account after the tour returns. One e-point equals $1. Redeem your earned points on select tours or accumulate enough points to earn a free tour! Redemptions offered until May 27, 2026.
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Consumer Protection BC Licenses: Kamloops 178, Vernon 655, Kelowna 588, Penticton 924, Victoria 65842