Germany - Danube v. Rhine River Cruises

When I was in Passau in 2007, I saw some large river cruise ships, the kind you stay on overnight, tied up along the river and noted that they showed their home port as Basel, so they must have come through the Rhein-Main-Danube canal. I took a picture, but it doesn't indicate the line.

However, I did find someone's account of cruising from Frankfurt to Budapest. Hope this helps.

The Danube river only starts to be shippable at Passau, which is almost the border city to Austria. So a Danube cruise would take place in Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. If you've seen the Rhine river before how about an Elb river cruise from the greater Prague area via Swiss Saxony, Dresden, the famous Wörlitz gardens all the way down to Hamburg?

"The Danube river only starts to be shippable at Passau".

I think the Danube is navigable from Kelheim, above Regensburg, where the Main-Donau canal joins it. The canal handles ships the size of those on the Rhein, and somehow they get from the canal to Passau (and from there to the Black Sea).

True, above Kelheim it is not navigable. I don't think there are any highways paralleling it, but there is a bike path, at least some of the way.

Lee, you're right: You can get to Regensburg on the Danube.

Caroline - Last summer I took a cruise up the Rhine (Amsterdam - Basel) on VikingRiverCruises.com. We enjoyed the 8 day cruise a lot and this Christmas we are taking their cruise down the Danube from Nuremberg to Budapest. Nuremberg via Main-Danube canal to Kelheim, Regensburg, Passau, Melk, Vienna and Budapest.
The river cruise ships are smaller, average about 100 passengers, there are daily excursions included in the fare, the meals (B,L,tea, and D)were excellent with a lot of variety, but it is NOT the 24/7 food fest you get in the Caribbean. It's a very pleasant way to travel and about 10x more enjoyable that a bus tour, IMO. PM if you want any more details.

I have taken a short boat ride on the Rhein and I have biked thru towns on the Danube in Austria. I submit for your consideration that you consider the bike tour. On a 30 day trip, that bike tour was my favorite day. Granted the weather was PERFECT! The biking was pretty easy and mostly flat. You bike from town to town, learn about the history, sample wine, swim in the Danube, sample wine, pick grapes, sample wine and climb an old ruined fortress. It takes place on the stretch from Krems to not quite Melk.

The tour was grapegrazingtours.com

however if Austria is not in the cards for you, the Rhein was fantastic too! I think that as far as the Danube goes, the best part of it is in Austria though....maybe.

In 2006 we took an Amsterdam-Basel cruise, including Koblentz-Trier with Jerry Van Dyke. We are booked with them for a Danube cruise next year. Advantages? 1. They travel mainly during the day, so you do not miss any scenery and you can go into town atin the evening as the ship is docked. 2. They are only 2 decks high so they get under bridges without clearing the sundeck and they are seldom stuck because of high waters restricting bridge passage. 3. EVERYTHING is included - tips, meals, wine with dinner, our bill at the end was about 8 Euros - for postage for post cards. 4. Everything is in English. 5. Passengers are mainly Canadiains(!!).

Disadvantages - On the expensive side.

We were in Germany last week of July 2010. We used the K-D cruise line. They take the Germany Rail-Pass, so we would ride a little, then get off at a town...get back on, etc. They also go up the Mosel. But the boats we used were strictly day excursions...no overnight accomodations.