MS Rousse Prestige

MS Rousse Prestige is owned by Union Group (Bulgaria) and operated under charter by the German companies Phoenix Reisen (until 2018) and Plantours Kreuzfahrten (5-year charter, 2019-2024). The boat cruises on the Rhine, Main, Moselle and Danube rivers.

Itineraries

On the Danube River, the ship operates 16-day roundtrips from Passau to ports in Slovakia (Bratislava), Hungary (Budapest, Kalocsa, Mohacs, Esztergom), Serbia (Novi Sad, Belgrade), Romania (Turnu Magurele, Oltenita), Ukraine (Vilkovo), Bulgaria (Lom, Vidin), Austria (Vienna) and Germany (Durnstein). The 8-day Passau roundtrip itinerary visits Durnstein, Vienna (overnight), Esztergom, Budapest (overnight), Bratislava and Melk.

Rhine River cruises operate roundtrip from Dusseldorf to ports in Belgium and Holland.

Rousse Prestige’s onboard facilities and amenities include:

• The Restaurant (161-seat capacity) serves European cuisine with traditional specialties inspired by the ports visited along the itinerary. Breakfast is buffet-style, while lunch and dinner are multi-course.
• The fore-located Bar Lounge features large windows, comfortable seating and live entertainment.
• Afternoon tea/coffee and midnight snacks are offered complimentary.
• Complimentary drinks (included in the ticket price) such as house wine, beer, soft drinks (soda, mineral water, juices) and coffee/tea are served daily between 8 am and midnight.
• Formal events include the Captain's Reception (complimentary cocktail party) and the Captain's Dinner (with a gourmet menu and premium wines).
• Onboard entertainment includes quiz games, themed dance evenings, live music performances (by a resident pianist and local folklore artists), language lessons and themed lectures.
• The Library (18 seats) serves as a reading lounge with an Internet corner.
• The Sun Deck offers outdoor lounge furniture (deckchairs, loungers, 4-seat tables), a shaded seating area (covered with retractable awnings), a whirlpool, an open-air Sky Bar (161-seat capacity) and a retractable Wheelhouse (Navigation Bridge).
• Infirmary (shipboard doctor).
• Reception (24-hour Guest Services Desk), laundry service, Spa and Beauty Salon (hairdresser and barber services, massages).
• Coffee Station (free coffee, tea, snacks).
• Boutique (Souvenir Shop).
• Wireless Internet access.
• The onboard language is German, although most crew members also speak English.
• Shore excursions are optional (not included in the cruise fare) and can be booked onboard or online in advance. All tours are led by professional guides and are usually conducted in German. On select voyages, some excursions are included in the cruise fare.

Rousse Prestige cruise fares include onboard dining and entertainment, port taxes and river lock fees. Not included are personal expenses (shopping, laundry, phone), excursions, gratuities (not obligatory) and Travel Insurance (Cancellation and Health). Pre- and post-cruise hotel packages are also offered at discounted rates.

Cabins

The ship has 79 cabins, including 48 Deluxe / Komfortkabinen (on Upper and Panorama decks), 30 Standard cabins (on Main and Upper decks) and 1 Mini Suite (Upper Deck, midship-starboard). All staterooms are outside and feature two lower beds (except the Mini Suite, which has a double bed). Cabin sizes are 11 m² / 120 ft² (Standard), 14 m² / 150 ft² (Deluxe / Comfort) and 17 m² / 180 ft² (Mini Suite). After the 2018 refurbishment, all Comfort cabins were upgraded with French balconies.

Deluxe cabins on Panoramic Deck and Upper Deck feature large opening windows. Upper Deck cabins 201–220 and all Main Deck cabins are fitted with smaller non-opening windows. Cabin amenities include a flat-screen TV (satellite reception), telephone, en-suite bathroom (WC, shower, washbasin, hairdryer, bath products), wardrobe, electronic safe (in the closet), individual air-conditioning and daily newspaper service. Cabin decks are connected by stairs and one lift (passenger elevator).

The Bulgarian cruise ship Rousse Prestige is owned by Union Group (Dunav Tours, Bulgaria).

DUNAV TOURS company history

The shipowner DUNAV TOURS is a Bulgarian cruise company and the successor of Balkantourist, which was founded in 1948 to manage premium hotels in Bulgaria.

• In October 1983, Balkantourist purchased two luxury riverboats (MS ROUSSE and MS SOFIA) built by Shipyard Kooiman Hoebee BV (Dordrecht, Holland). Bulgarian river cruise operations officially started on April 26, 1984.
• In 1991, Balkantourist was renamed DUNAV TOURS, and in August 1999 the company was privatized, with sole proprietor “Union Group” (96% shareholder since 2012).
• In February 2003, the newbuild ROUSSE PRESTIGE was launched (constructed by Merwede Shipyard BV in Hardinxveld-Giessendam, Holland). Her inaugural cruise season from Rotterdam began on March 18, 2003.
• In 2006, DUNAV TOURS acquired MS Heinrich Heine (extensively renovated in 2005) featuring a sundeck swimming pool.
• In December 2006, MS Elegant Lady was added to the fleet.

Note: You can see CruiseMapper's list of all river cruise ships and riverboats in the "Itinerary" section of our River Cruises hub. All companies and their fleets are listed there.