The Road We've Traveled
Experience Munich’s Gay Oktoberfest & Sail the Legendary Danube with BearCruise.com!
Munich’s Gay Oktobearfest Optional Pre-Cruise Program
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Day 1 (Saturday, Sep 19, 2026)
Munich, Germany
(Guest Arrival & Transfer to Hotel)
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Day 2 (Sunday, September 20, 2026)
Munich, Germany
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Day 3 (Monday, September 21, 2026)
Munich, Germany
The Legendary Danube
Main Program
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Day 1 (Tuesday, September 22, 2026 )
Munich / Passau, Germany
(Guest arrival (Main program) / Embark Transcend Evolve)
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Day 2 (Wednesday, September 23, 2026)
Český Krumlov, Czech Republic
(Docking Location: Linz, Austria)
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Day 3 (Thursday, September 24, 2026)
Salzburg, Austria via Majestic Imperator
(Docking Location: Linz, Austria)
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Day 4 (Friday, September 25, 2026)
Scenic Sailing the Wachau Valley / Vienna, Austria
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Day 5 (Saturday, September 26, 2026)
Vienna, Austria
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Day 6 (Sunday, September 27, 2026)
Budapest, Hungary
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Day 7 (Monday, September 28, 2026 )
Budapest, Hungary
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Day 8 (Tuesday, September 29, 2026)
Budapest, Hungary
(Disembark Transcend Evolve / Guest Departure)
Day 1 - Tuesday, September 22
Munich / Passau, Germany
Welcome to Passau and Transcend Evolve!
For guests not participating in Munich’s Gay Oktoberfest Optional Pre Cruise Extension Program, once you’ve cleared customs at either the Munich(MUC) Airport, you will be greeted by a BearCruise.com representative and transferred to your floating boutique hotel, the Transcend Evolve docked in the heart of Passau(two hour drive). For those that arrive at the ship by 11 am, we’ll visit the imposing Baroque St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the mother church of St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna which contains the largest cathedral organ in the world. We’ll attend a 30 minute performance of this incredible pipe organ followed by a brief afternoon visit to some of the most significant sites of Passau. The town is filled with charming little lanes and beautiful squares: Passau, the City of Three Rivers, boasts so much to discover in the way of art and architecture.
This evening, join your fellow BearCruise.com travelers for a festive welcome reception and dinner followed by the first of several incredible performances onboard.
Day 2 - Wednesday, September 23
Český Krumlov, Czech Republic
This morning we dock at Linz, Austria, and following breakfast, we make our way to this fairy-tale town buried in the hills of the southern Czech Republic. With its delightfully cobbled Old Town, rare Baroque theater, and colorful castle, Český Krumlov feels lost in a time warp, so much so that the entire city has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tucked into a hairpin bend in the Vltava River, it was a safe, choice spot for Celtic, then German, then Slavic tribes to settle. In the 16th century — the town’s Golden Age — Český Krumlov hosted artists, scientists, and alchemists from all over Europe.
We first visit the mighty castle of the Rožmberk family, who ran the city from this perch for three centuries, until about 1600. The interior of the castle gives a glimpse of the ultimate in Bohemian noble living through the ages.
The strikingly colorful round tower, featuring a 162-step climb to the top, was built to guard the medieval river crossing. Bear pits hold a family of European brown bears, as they have since the Rožmberks added these animals to their coat of arms in the 16th century(A must visit for BearCruise.com guests!). A 2,300-foot-long garden boasts a mix of French and English styles.
The castle’s highlight is the Baroque Theater, where guests of the noble family would go for evening entertainment. We’ll actually tour under the stage to see the wood-and-rope contraptions that enabled scenes to be scooted in and out within seconds while fireworks and smoke hid the action from the audience. Baroque theater was all about melodrama, created with lighting, perspective, and sound effects. Machines were used to simulate a horrifying wind, driving rainstorm, and menacing thunder. But the use of candles and pyrotechnics for special effects took their toll. Europe once had several hundred Baroque theaters, but most burned down. Český Krumlov’s theater is one of only two that survives, the other being in Stockholm.
We then head into the heart of the Old Town is the main square for lunch on our own. We will visit beautiful streets lined with a mix of Renaissance and Baroque homes (all built on 12th-century Gothic foundations). You’ll pass by the Lékárna, with a fine red Baroque facade on the lower corner of the square, which is still a pharmacy, as it has been since 1620. (McDonald’s tried three times to get a spot here but was turned away each time.) This afternoon visit the Puppet Museum at your leisure which features more than 200 movable creations and a model stage, where children(and grown men!) of any age can try their hand at pulling the strings on their favorite fairy tale. (Do I hear “High on a hill is a lonely goatherd…”? You are welcome for the earworm.)
Day 3 - Thursday, September 24
Salzburg / Linz, Austria
This is likely to be one of the most memorable days of your life – how is that for setting expectations? We’ll head off for a brief drive to Linz’s railway station, where we’ll board the Majestic Imperator train for our journey to Salzburg. This literal palace on wheels will transport us back in time where we’ll enjoy a lovely breakfast as we make our way through the Austrian countryside, offering views of rolling hills, forests, and charming villages with distinctive architecture and charming facades. Upon arrival we begin a tour of the iconic movie “The Sound of Music”, the classic 1965 movie starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer.
Set here in Salzburg in the years leading up to World War II, the movie follows Maria, a lively young woman who begins as a nun-in-training and ends up as the wife of naval officer Georg von Trapp and the stepmother to his seven children. (Meanwhile, the much more glamorous and flawlessly dressed Baroness von Schrader is sent packing to eventually become one of the fabulous Gabor sisters, but that’s another story for another day…) The film was adapted from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical (which was based on the memoir of the real Maria von Trapp) and features memorable songs such as “Do-Re-Mi,” “Edelweiss” “My Favorite Things, and “High on a hill is a Lonely Goatherd…” (There’s that earworm again!)
Even travelers who aren’t fans of the Academy Award-winning film will enjoy this day which includes some of the most beautiful parts of the Baroque city (a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the nearby mountain landscapes that served as backdrops for the movie. (Gurl… you know you want to spin around on that mountain!!!)
We’ll visit many of the places associated with the iconic film including the Mirabell Palace and Gardens, Leopoldskron Palace. We’ll have lunch at the incredible Schloss Hellbrunn, a 17th century estate alongside a reconstruction of the gazebo where Liesl von Trapp and Rolf the postman danced and sang “Sixteen Going on Seventeen”. We’ll continue on our Sound of Music tour learning along the way about the real Von Trapp family, we’ll also visit the grounds of the real Villa Trapp, the actual residence of the family. This afternoon we’ll once again board the Majestic Imperator for our return back to Linz and our floating hotel, Transcend Evolve. En route, we’ll enjoy a beautifully presented dinner onboard the train just as Kaiser Franz Joseph I would have. Both he and his wife Elisabeth(Sisi) loved to travel.
“The thought of having to leave a place, moves me and lets me love it”.
(Empress Elisabeth)
Train Deluxe
Majestic Imperator
Although the Austro-Hungarian Empire has vanished into the mists of time, this is a lovingly recreated replica of the Imperial Train. As you approach the Majestic Imperator Train de Luxe, the atmosphere of the past is redolent of romance and mystery. On boarding, one’s breath is taken away by the sumptuous elegance of a bygone era. The luxury carriages are based on the imperial train of the Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth of Austria (Sisi). Surrounded by the splendour of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, one can absorb the magic of days gone by.
Sisi’s favourite colour was blue, which is used in the carriage named after her, whilst other carriages sport rich golds or deep greens, wood-carved Italian chairs and paintings of the Royal family. The ambiance created by these carriages during the day, turns into a romantic setting by night.
Day 4 - Friday, September 25
Sailing the Scenic Wachau Valley-Vienna Austria
This morning we’ll sail the Wachau Valley en route to Vienna. A scenic journey through this UNESCO World Heritage Site, featuring terraced vineyards, picturesque towns, and ancient castles. Just 25 miles long, the Wachau Valley has been inhabited since prehistoric times, the rolling bends and access to fresh water too attractive to ignore for centuries. We’ll pass remnants of castles, churches and villages dating all the way back to the Dark Ages on this scenic stretch. People going about their daily business amidst one of the most beautiful regions in Europe. These are those towns that look the way we think all of idyllic Europe should look. Picture-perfect communities nearly hidden away by the mountains, with locals doing things not unlike they were done centuries ago. And that’s why ultimately UNESCO decided to add it to their list. Not just for the beauty, but for the cultural landscape. Seeing these beautiful towns and vineyards along the Wachau Valley can only be properly appreciated from the water which is a true highlight during our journey. As we sail, enjoy a fascinating afternoon talk by an expert on the gay history of Vienna. Vienna was an important city for progressive thinkers and researchers around sexuality in the late 19th century and the fun and interesting factoids definitely put color to our next stop along this journey!
This evening we arrive in Vienna as we enjoy our cocktail reception on deck with special entertainment. We then make our way to dinner onboard and enjoy the opportunity to disembark this evening to enjoy Vienna’s gay nightlife scene. Austria’s capital has a vibrant and active community and is often referred to as Austria’s “queer capital”. The city offers a variety of gay bars, clubs, and saunas, and it is considered a safe city for queer people. Join Metamorkid and Kelly Heelton, your hosts for this evening’s festive BearCruise.com pub crawl to some of the most popular watering holes!
Day 5 - Saturday, September 26
Vienna, Austria
The grand dame of the Danube, Vienna was the heart of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and remains, to this day, the political and cultural center of Austria. Klimt painted here; Beethoven and Mozart composed here; Freud developed his theories here. It’s a treasure trove of splendid architecture, astonishing art collections, and inviting cafés—and today it is yours to explore.
We’ll head-off first on an expert-led architectural tour of Vienna, with a special stop at the Hotel Sacher, with a presentation and tasting of the iconic Sacher Torte. Following lunch on your own we then make a visit to The Spanish Riding School of Vienna, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating from 1732, for a spectacular performance of the Lipizzaner Stallions. Continuing to explore the imperial flair of Vienna, we’ll visit the famous Schönbrunn Palace complex. Marvel at the massive Baroque building with its iconic yellow exteriors. Stroll hallways elaborately decorated with golden stucco, rich velvet, and stunning frescoes. This palace complex was the primary summer residence of the Habsburgs and features many testament to their history and extravagance.
After free time in the heart of the city, return to the Transcend Evolve for a festive Viennese inspired reception and dinner as we make our way to Budapest.
Day 6 - Sunday, September 27
Budapest, Hungary
Following a relaxing morning onboard, we arrive at the iconic city of Budapest, known as the “Paris of the East” and we’ll dock very near the beautiful 19th-Century Chaine Bridge connecting the hilly Old Town of Buda with the flat but vibrant district of Pest. Following lunch onboard, we’ll start our tour at Heroes’ Square by the iconic Millennium Monument with statues featuring the Seven Chieftains of the Magyars and the Memorial Stone of Heroes. We’ll then continue to two of Europe’s most important synagogues at Dohány Street Synagogue and Rumbach Street Synagogue, as well as St Stephen’s Basilica, a neoclassical cathedral named for the first King of Hungary. Before returning to the ship for dinner, we’ll learn how Hungary has been home to a great number of accomplished musicians, including the famous Franz Liszt, who established a university for music in Budapest in 1875. To this day, the Franz Liszt Academy is still a world-famous conservatory, with degree programs in classical instruments, singing, conducting, and composing. Take a guided tour of the academy today, culminating in an orchestra performance by some of the current students.
Day 7 - Monday, September 28
Budapest, Hungary
Today we’ll show you how to snack around Budapest like a local, starting with a tram ride to the House of Parliament. Hop off the tram and take a short walk to your first treat: a coffee break at the First Strudel House of Pest. Energized by your cup of coffee, we’ll head to the Great Market Hall to sample some traditional Hungarian fare, such as salami, sausages, and cheese, while your local expert explains the intricacies of Hungarian cuisine. We then head off to Szechenyi Baths & Pool, a beloved Neo-Baroque spa complex that has been around for over a century. With 15 indoor pools, saunas, massage and facial facilities, and three outdoor pools featuring whirlpools and water jets, there’s plenty of relaxation to be had. The mineral-rich hot springs that feed the pools are believed to have therapeutic benefits, too. Our team will work with you earlier in the week to review and pre-book services for your convenience (spa services are at an additional cost).
This evening we enjoy our last night in Budapest in true gay style as top local drag entertainers host Drag Bingo aboard our ship, the Transcend Evolve followed by an incredible closing performance.
Day 8 - Monday, Sep 28
Budapest, Hungary
Following breakfast, we bid you farewell and provide airport transportation to the Budapest Airport (BUD) with memories of another remarkable BearCruise.com adventure!
