We’re almost ready for our beautiful Danube River Cruise with AmaWaterways, June 6–13, 2026. We look forward to seeing everyone onboard the first night for our Sip and Sail get-together.

Reminders

• Check-in with AmaWaterways if you haven’t already. Your eDocs are now available on the app or website. Note – there are six eDoc sections and the last one ”Guest Travel Booklet” has most of the details.
• Log into your AmaWaterways account and make the selections that are best for you for each day of the cruise.
• Your passport needs to be valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure date. If this is a concern you can contact the passport office for more information. 
• For travel advisories, please go to https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories to find specifics for the countries you are visiting.
• In Budapest, seniors aged 65 and over can simply board public transport vehicles, including metro lines, trams, and buses, without purchasing or validating a ticket. There are random ticket inspections, and you may be asked to show your passport or identification card to confirm your age.
• There is Uber in Budapest for those of you who use the Uber App or you can download the Bolt App.
• If you have any questions related to the cruise, please contact Mark Frohlich or Jessica Cain at Expedia Cruises at 604-533-9339.
• If you have any other Power Pioneer cruise-related questions, please contact our River Cruise Chair, Maureen Lachnit, at 604-307-7045 or email mlachnit22@gmail.com.

Communications

Expedia Cruises will be setting up a WhatsApp group for all cruisers to receive messages that relate to the group. If you would like to reach out to Expedia Cruises, the Power Pioneers Committee or each other while on board, you can contact Customer Service on the ship to have messages left in our staterooms.

Theme Day

We’re planning to take a group photo during the trip and thought it would be fun to coordinate a colour theme for the occasion. We’ve chosen blue in honour of the famous Blue Danube. You may recognize the beautiful waltz by Johann Strauss II. In 1866, choir director Johann Herbeck commissioned Strauss to compose an uplifting choral work for the Vienna Men’s Choral Society to inspire optimism during carnival season. The Blue Danube soon became known as “Austria’s second national anthem” and remains a cherished tradition today. It is famously featured each year at the Vienna New Year’s Concert, often performed just after midnight. So, if you’d like to join in the spirit of the occasion, we invite you to wear something blue for our group photo.

AmaWaterways Chef’s Table

We have everyone assigned to the Chef’s Table across three evenings. Please see the link below for the date you are booked. Dinner times are expected around 7 or 7:30pm. This will be confirmed on the ship.

Provincial Danube River Cruisers Chef’s Table Seating

Things to see and do in Budapest

If you are a first-time traveller to Budapest and have time during your stay, here are a few suggestions to get you started. Look them up or find your own gems in this amazing historic city. There are endless good restaurants and things to see depending on your interest. You may want to pre-book any tours so you don’t miss out.

See below or click this link for pdf version – Things to see and do in Budapest

Restaurants, Bars and Markets

New York Café – one of the most beautiful historic cafés in Europe

Great Market Hall – largest market in the city to buy food and souvenirs

Ruin Bars – unique historical ruin buildings turned into pubs and bars

Duna Corso – watch the Danube go by, great food and gypsy music

Urban Betyar – a restaurant and a museum all in one

Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace – great stop for a cup of tea or drink

Time Out Market, Corvin Palace Budapest – opened fall 2025, some of the best food in the city under one roof

Sky bars – a great way to get a view of the city from different vantage points, here are a few:

• White Raven Skybar Hilton Hotel
• Liz and Chain Rooftop Bar Marriott Hotel
• High Note SkyBar Aria Hotel
• The Duchess Skybar Matilda Palace Hotel

Budapest City Sites  

St. Stephens Basilica – UNESCO Heritage site, largest in Budapest

Andrassy Avenue– UNESCO listed historic boulevard for strolling, shopping

Hungarian State Opera House – Andrassay Avenue – recently renovated

Hungarian Parliament – advance booking highly recommended

House of Terror Museum – commemorates two tragic eras in Hungarian history

Heroes Square – at the end of Andrassy Avenue

Dohany Street Synagogue – largest in Europe

Ervin Szabo library – neo-baroque Wenckheim Palace turned library

Franz Liszt academy of Music – university, concert hall, museum

Mupa Budapest and National Theatre – stroll around enormous entertainment venues just a tram ride away

Budapest cave tours – unique underground experiences ranging from adventurous to historical walking tours

Walks and Hikes on the Buda side (the hilly side)

Danube walk – stroll along the Danube (both sides) or hop on the trams

Normafa walk and Sziszi hunting lodge – on the Buda side, bus ride up to the top and then stroll along the top of the hill and take in the view of Budapest

Peace Lady (Liberty Statue) – Buda side, Gellert Hill hike to the top

Buda Castle, Fishermans Bastion and Varkert Bazaar – easy walk around the top of the castle hill, many direct or weaving paths lead down the hill to the Danube

Margaret Island – car-free green oasis in the middle of the Danube

Budapest Thermal Baths

Szechenyi – largest medicinal bath in Europe

Rudas – popular Turkish bath

Veli Bej – One of the oldest Turkish baths

Lukacs – smaller bath popular with the locals