Scenic Opal September 29-October 27 2026 Cruise & Offers | Scenic Cruises

Your journey begins in the picturesque city of Amsterdam. A labyrinth of narrow laneways and canals lined with beautifully preserved 17th-century buildings and charming cafés, the city is a delight to wander. Board your ultra-luxury 5-star Scenic Space-Ship this afternoon, meet your fellow guests and raise a glass to the start of...

Amsterdam is a published destination on North Sea to the Black Sea with Turkey: Amsterdam to Istanbul aboard Scenic Opal. It provides the setting for this stage of the journey; arrival, departure, berthing and excursion details are displayed only when they appear in the stored Scenic schedule, and final operating information should be reconfirmed before sailing.

Arrive in the 2,000-year-old city of Cologne early this afternoon. Cologne suffered extensive damage during World War II but was painstakingly restored over the following decades. Set out on a walking tour of the Old Town, admiring its historic buildings, beautiful squares and the World Heritage-listed Cologne Cathedral. Then enjoy some free time to explore the city on your own.

Relax on board this morning as you cruise through the picturesque Rhine Gorge, where the landscapes could have been pulled from the pages of a fairytale. This 65-kilometre stretch of the river is dotted with some 40 hilltop castles and fortresses that span a period of 1,000 years.

Relax on board this morning as you cruise towards Miltenberg. You may like to book a massage in the spa^ or relax in the exclusive Salt Therapy Lounge, which has natural anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. This afternoon, dock in Miltenberg.

With its lavish Baroque and Rococo architecture, you’ll be captivating by the glamorous port of Würzburg. This city straddles the Main River in the heart of Franconian wine country. Surrounded by undulating vineyards, Würzburg is home to a World Heritage-listed palace, a dominating hilltop fortress, the 15th century Old Main Bridge, and three universities, including Bavaria’s oldest.

Dock in picturesque Bamberg after lunch. You could spend this morning relaxing in your spacious suite or enjoying the vistas of the Main River from the Sun deck. Built on seven hills, this World Heritage-listed town has surprises at every turn. Intersected by rivers and canals, Bamberg’s Old Town is resplendent with cobblestoned streets and well-preserved medieval buildings.

Arrive in Nuremberg, Bavaria’s second-largest city,where the Old Town is protected by an ancient city wall. The city is dominated by one of the most significant imperial forts of the Holy Roman Empire, the 12th century Imperial Castle, which was the preferred residence of German kings.

You will arrive in Regensburg after lunch today. Boasting a staggering 2,000-year history, Regensburg has one of Germany’s best preserved medieval town centres, with more than 900 of its Romanesque and Gothic buildings listed as World Heritage sites. Within its narrow laneways, the city lays claim to having the highest concentration of bars in the country.

Arrive in Passau early this morning. Set at the meeting point of three rivers and close to the border with Austria, it was an important trading point for centuries. It was also a significant town in the Holy Roman Empire and the charming Old Town was mostly built by powerful prince-bishops in an Italianate style.

Spend this morning in Dürnstein, a small and picturesque town in Austria’s scenic Wachau Valley. Enjoy some free time to explore this World Heritage-listed town, perched on the edge of the Danube River and surrounded by ancient, terraced vineyards.

Welcome to Vienna, the capital of Austria and a centre of art, music and culture. The city fostered the musical geniuses Mozart and Beethoven, and oozes charm with magnificent Baroque buildings, ample green spaces, a vibrant coffee-house scene, and masterpiece-filled galleries and museums.

Wake this morning with Vienna on your doorstep. A city full of grandeur, Austria’s imperial capital is famous for having the world’s most beautiful boulevard, The Ringstrasse, and for the legacy of the Habsburg monarchy. Slow down and spend a full day exploring Vienna or venture further afield.

This morning you will arrive in Budapest, the capital of Hungary and one of Europe’s most diverse and vibrant cities. Divided by the Danube, with Buda on one side and Pest on the other, this city became united in 1873 when a newly built bridge connected the two.

Budapest is often considered to be the most beautiful city in Europe and you have a full day at leisure to see why. Budapest is a published destination on North Sea to the Black Sea with Turkey: Amsterdam to Istanbul aboard Scenic Opal.

You will arrive in Mohács this morning. Straddling the Danube, this small Hungarian town was the site of the 16th century Battle of Mohács, which led to the destruction of the Hungarian monarchy and the rise of Ottoman and Habsburg rule.

Your Scenic Space-Ship will arrive this morning in the Croatian town of Vukovar, a poignant city with a turbulent history. Over the past 500 years it has been part of the Ottoman, Habsburg and Austro-Hungarian empires, and in the 1990s was the epicentre of the Croatian War of Independence.

The capital of Serbia, Belgrade is known as the ‘Door to Central Europe’ and lies at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. This eclectic city is steeped in history, Brutalist and Art Nouveau buildings and a bohemian vibe. One of the oldest capitals in Europe, Belgrade has been rebuilt almost 40 times.

Today you’ll cruise through the spectacular scenery of the Djerdap Gorge system, or Iron Gates. This stretch of the Danube is the natural border between Serbia and Romania, and features four narrow gorges, soaring cliffs and the mighty rock carving of Decebalus, the former Romanian king.

Your Scenic Space-Ship will arrive in the Bulgarian town of Svishtov this morning. Here you will have the choice to disembark and take an excursion to Veliko Tarnovo, known as the City of the Kings, or stay on board and cruise towards Rousse, which has been described as ‘Little Vienna’.

Arrive in Silistra early this morning. This Bulgarian town has changed hands many times over the centuries. As a major Turkish fortress and trade centre in the 15th century, it played a significant role in the Russo-Turkish wars of the 1870s, briefly became part of Romania after the Second Balkan War and finally reverted to Bulgaria in 1940.

This morning, farewell your Scenic Space-Ship and transfer to Bucharest. The capital of Romania was once called the ‘Paris of the East’, however WWII changed the face of the city with much of its Art Nouveau and Art Deco architecture destroyed.

This morning sees you setting off from Bucharest on an included flight to Istanbul. Home to more than 15 million people, it’s the largest city in Turkey and one of the largest in the world. Istanbul will inspire all your senses. It’s an exhilarating blend of cultures, cuisines, architecture, history and style.

There have been settlements in what is now Istanbul, occupying both banks of the Bosphorus Strait, for thousands of years. The modern city began life as Constantinople in the 4th century, before changing its name to Istanbul in 1930. Wherever you go, you’re walking through history.

Today, we leave Istanbul behind and visit the city of Çanakkale. Sitting on the edge of the Dardanelle Strait, Çanakkale has been at the forefront of history for centuries. It’s the gateway to the World War One battlefield of Gallipoli and the ancient city of Troy.

Today you are bound for Gallipoli, a special place in the heart of Australians and New Zealanders. The Gallipoli peninsula where the eight-month WWI campaign took place is now a national park and your guide will take you through the most significant sites.

This morning you’ll be venturing to a place that is shrouded in mystery and legend, the ancient city of Troy. For more than 3,000 years, the tales of Troy and the Trojan War were thought to be mythical, made most famous by Homer’s Iliad.

Istanbul is a published destination on North Sea to the Black Sea with Turkey: Amsterdam to Istanbul aboard Scenic Opal. It provides the setting for this stage of the journey; arrival, departure, berthing and excursion details are displayed only when they appear in the stored Scenic schedule, and final operating information should be reconfirmed before sailing.

Before you farewell Istanbul, take a moment this morning to listen out for the call to prayer before the sun rises. The traditional Muslim call rings out over the city five times a day and is a reminder of the nation’s strong ties to its faith.