YPAS 2011 Performance Cruise Itinerary

DAY 1 Saturday, April 2, 2011
Overnight flight to Budapest
The travelers start their journey with leaving Cincinnati at 7:10 PM with Delta Airlines. After a stop-over in Atlanta, the KLM flight KL622 leaves Atlanta at 10:25 PM.

DAY 2 Sunday, April 3
Welcome to Central Europe

Arrival in Amsterdam at 12:50PM. Clear Customs and Immigration and proceed to your next departure gate; your luggage is checked through. KLM flight KL1977 leaves Amsterdam at 2:35 PM. Arrival in Budapest at 4:35 PM. Meet your tour manager and enjoy a orientation tour en-route to the MS Amalyra. Welcome dinner aboard the ship with traditional Hungarian fare and Gypsy music.

DAY 3 Monday, April 4
Budapest Sightseeing
Enjoy a sightseeing tour of Budapest today including the National Opera House, Matyas Templom, Heroes’ Square, and Buda Castle Hill. Some time at leisure this afternoon before your evening departure from Budapest towards Slovakia - see the city by night!

DAY 4 Tuesday, April 5
Bratislava - City Tour & Exchange
Stop in the capital city of Bratislava. Exchange with local students and perform a recital at the Evangelical Bilingual Lyceum. Lunch aboard the ship as you continue on to Vienna. Optional "Vienna by Night" tour this evening.

DAY 5 Wednesday, April 6
Vienna Sightseeing - Highlight Concert (Mozart Requiem)
"Willkommen in Wien." Tour the city‘s highlights including visits to Schubert‘s Birthplace and the Mozart Museum. Rehearsal this afternoon before performing the Mozart Requiem at the Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral) this evening. Depart for Dürnstein and Melk.

DAY 6 Thursday, April 7
Dürnstein & Melk - Monastery Concert
Visit the picturesque town of Dürnstein where you will present a highlight concert at the beautiful Dürnstein Monastery this morning. Taste some of the local products and tour additional sites of the Wachau Valley this afternoon with a tour and possible recital at Melk Abbey. Dinner aboard the ship as you depart for Linz.

DAY 7 Friday, April 8
Visit Linz and optional excursion to Cesky Krumlov
Prior to saying "Auf Wiedersehen Austria", visit Linz - the 2009 European Capital of Culture and home to Bruckner and Mozart - then cross the border to the Czech Republic and South Bohemia where you have the option to experience Cesky Krumlov‘s historic city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Perform a special joint concert this evening with the Cesky Krumlov Pipers. Continue on to Germany.

DAY 8 Saturday, April 9
Passau & Vilshofen
Visit the historical university town of Passau where three rivers meet for a guided tour. It is a typical Bavarian city with the charm of people still dressed in traditional outfits. Then the journey continues to Vilshofen where you present to a concert at Schweiklberg Abbey at 7:00PM followed by an exchange with local German students. Farewell dinner aboard the ship.

DAY 9 Sunday, April 10
Scenic Drive to Prague
Embark from the ship after breakfast and head to the heart of the Czech Republic to visit its capital city with a local guide. Your tour includes the Royal Castle District and Saint Charles' Bridge. Afternoon at leisure followed by a fun farewell dinner.

DAY 10 Monday, April 11
Departure or Prague Extension
Leave Europe on Delta Airlines flight DL211 at 11:55 AM. Arrival in New York at 3:05 PM. Delta Airlines flight DL2013 leaves New York at 5:10 PM. Arrival in Cincinnati at 7:41 PM.

Are you aboard the YPAS 2011 Performance Cruise Tour down the Danube?

Dearest Singers, Musicians, Parents, Family and Friends of the YPAS Choirs & Orchestra.

We are so excited to share the news about the upcoming YPAS Performance Cruise with you all and hope that we get anough aboard to fully charter the wonderful 4 star superior MS AMALYRA from AmaWaterways to take you all from Budapest via Slovakia and Austria to Germany and Prague from April 2 to 11.

You will be for eight nights on the ship with full board (meaning all meals and most beverages are covered and I can tell you the food is amazing) and one night + dinner/breakfast in a nice hotel in Prague. There will be amazing concert opportunities for the singers and hopefully many of the orchestra players can join the touring ensemble as well to present a major work like the Mozart Requiem in original venues this music was composed for such as the Baroque Abbey Church of Goettweig.

If you have not yet received a registration form, please email us to info@incantatotours.com and put YPAS Cruise in the subject line. It is our goal to keep the final tour cost well under $3500 and in this case, the more join (up to 156 have space aboard), the better the rate will get. So spread the word about this special opportunity as the cruise rate we negotiated for YPAS is well under the regular rate so maybe grandma and grandpa always wanted to go on a European river cruise and now they can do so and even see and hear the kids perform. Non-performers pay a $150 surcharge to help off-set scholarships and chaperone costs.
Feel free to email us with questions and keep checking the blog for updates.
The prime cabins which usually cost a lot more, but in this case everyone pays the same, are assigned on a first come, first get basis which already means one Dad and his daughter get the first pick as we just received their registration forms in the mail yesterday. But don't worry, even the first level cabins are nice and comfortable, they just do not feature the panoramic windows of the other two levels.

Auf Wiedersehen, Sandra from all of us at Incantato

P.S. I hope you enjoy the pictures from my personal taste of the AMA Cruise experience feature on this blog. Click here for pictures and a video of the AMAWaterways Cruise experience and just imagine that all the guests you see are people that you know from YPAS or their family and friends.

Your Home on the River: MS Amalyra

Built in 2009, 360 feet long and 38 feet wide - that could be your home on the Danube river during your performance tour 2011 from Budapest to Vilshofen. The MS Amalyra was designed and built in Holland by Europe's best ship builders and under the watchful eyes of Europe's top Caterers. There are 2 lounges located on the Upper Deck from which you can enjoy panoramic river views, the Panorama Lounge which accommodates up to 150 passengers, and the smaller Adagio Lounge in the Aft of the ship, which can also be reserved for group meetings. A wellness area is located in the aft area of the Violin Deck. This generously designed space includes a glassed-in fitness room, massage and beauty salon. Each ship has an elevator, which very few river cruise ships feature. The onboard culinary staff offers menus comprised of soups, fresh produce, high quality choice cut meats, and fresh fish and seafood. Start your day with a breakfast buffet and choose from a rich assortment of breads, croissants and pastries, a variety of fresh fruit, yogurt, cereals, and smoked salmon. In the evening, be the guest for an elegant dinner or a traditional theme night with a feast of regional specialties.