OCTOBER 2026 LOWER DANUBE TOURS
Hello. My wife & I are booked on Tauck’s 10/15/26 Westbound Bucharest to Budapest tour. We’re concerned — like many of you, I suspect — whether Tauck will cancel or change this tour and when Tauck will notify us of its decision.
Since it appears the Lower Danube may have different low-water issues than the the Upper Danube, may I suggest that we start a new discussion thread to share questions and information about Tauck’s only two remaining 2026 Lower Danube tours, namely the 10/9/26 Eastbound Budapest to Bucharest tour and the 10/15/26 Westbound Bucharest to Budapest tour.
I’ll start by asking three questions of all of you booked on either of these two Lower Danube tours. Has Tauck told you anything about whether it expects that your tour will proceed as scheduled, with or without changes? Do you know the impact, if any, of Tauck apparently reassigning our scheduled ship, the MS Esprit, to one or more tours on the Upper Danube following the cancellation of the 9/17/26 Lower Danube trip? Do you have any other trip-related news, comments, or questions to share?
Thanks in advance for any input any of you may have.
Comments
I too am currently booked on the 10/15 westbound Bucharest to Budapest tour. I’ve received no information from Tauck, and based on what others have been posting about earlier sailings, I’m not expecting to hear anything “official” until 7-10 days out. I’m hoping this could change, because this is no longer a “new” situation, and even though the Esprit is once again on the move, I think there are currently no Tauck ships east of Vienna.
We are also on the 10/15 westbound from Bucharest. Don't see how the tour can take place with the current water level of the lower Danube unless we have several heavy rain during the next few weeks. Our major problem will be the air tickets.
claim on your Tauck insurance
Tickets are not purchased thru Tauck. I thought only medical reasons Aon Insurance will cover.
The Tauck insurance is cancel for any reason. As far as I know, this covers plane tickets you buy independently.
The key factor is whether the traveler cancelled voluntarily, or if Tauck outright cancelled the trip. Traveler can Cancel For Any Reason under the Cancellation Waiver portion of the Tauck Cruise Protection Plan, and Tauck will reduce the regular cancellation fees outlined in your contract. Tauck has offered in their letters to refund 100% of the Tauck itinerary cost only, excluding the cost of the Cruise Protection Plan, with NO penalties (including pre or post stay arrangements and airfare made through Tauck). due to the drastic changes to the trips.
Independent air arrangements they will NOT assist with if the traveler cancels.
The insurance portion of the Cruise Protection plan (Underwritten component) is essentially limited to cancellations due to injury, sickness or death:(
This is obviously not the same as the land tours insurance. Maybe another reason I prefer land tours.