DDSG Blue Danube, Austria's largest inland waterway shipping company, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Founded in 1995 as the successor to the First Danube Steamship Company, the company looks back on a long tradition. To mark the anniversary, management announced numerous new offerings and themed cruises. The highlight of the celebrations will be a special musical cruise on March 22, 2025, on the MS Kaiserin Elisabeth, during which the poet Ernst Molden and Maria Petrova will pay musical tribute to the 200th birthday of Johann Strauss.
To mark the official start of the season, managing directors Wolfgang Fischer and Wolfgang Hanreich, along with Wien Holding managing director Kurt Gollowitzer, presented several product innovations. The new "Danube Panorama Tour" will launch in a few weeks, offering local guests a new perspective on the Danube. In addition, the popular Heurigen tour will be offered weekly again starting in April. Another highlight is the planned special trip to the apricot blossom in the Wachau, which will take place from March 22, 2025, weather permitting.
With a fleet of nine ships, DDSG Blue Danube offers scheduled and themed cruises between Vienna, the Wachau Valley, and Bratislava throughout the year. Established offerings include the "City Cruise," the "Grand Danube Cruise," and various evening cruises. The company invests approximately half a million euros annually in modernizing its ships. The fleet carries more than 400.000 passengers annually and is one of the most important tourism providers in the Danube shipping sector in Austria.
In addition to scheduled services, themed events are also an integral part of the program. Special trips such as the "Country Barbecue" and the Irish St. Patrick's Day celebration are already scheduled for the coming days. Starting April 3, 2025, the weekly Heurigen (wine tavern) trip will also be offered again. The company, which is equally owned by Wien Holding and VERKEHRSBUEROS (Transport Office), aims to further expand the cultural and tourist experience on the Danube with these new offerings.
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