About the Port
The Main-Danube Canal is a modern waterway completed in 1992, connecting the Main River near Bamberg with the Danube near Kelheim in Bavaria. Stretching roughly 105 miles, it climbs and descends through a series of locks that lift vessels over the Franconian watershed, joining the North Sea and Black Sea drainage basins for the first time. Passage through the canal offers a close look at the region's rolling farmland, wooded hills, and small riverside towns.
For river cruise travelers, the canal serves mainly as a transit route rather than a destination in itself, linking ports such as Bamberg, Nuremberg, and Regensburg. Watching the lock system in operation, with vessels rising and falling in measured stages, gives passengers a firsthand sense of the engineering behind this historic link between two of Europe's major rivers.
Pavlus Recommendations
How our planners would spend a day in Main-Danube Canal.
Watch the Lock Transits
Stand on deck as the ship rises or falls through one of the canal's tall lock chambers, an engineering process that takes about 20 minutes per stage and offers a rare close-up view of river navigation at work.
Spot the Continental Divide
Near the summit level around Hilpoltstein, the canal crosses Europe's watershed between the North Sea and Black Sea basins, a subtle but historic milestone worth watching for from the top deck.
Enjoy the Passing Countryside
Use the quieter transit hours to relax outside and take in Franconia's wooded hills, farmland, and small villages sliding past, a scenic contrast to the busier port stops on either end.
Cruise Lines That Call Here
Cruises That Visit Main-Danube Canal
| Departs | Cruise Line | Ship | Itinerary | Nights | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 5, 2026 | Viking River Cruises | Viking Egdir | 14 | $8,499 | |
| Aug 5, 2026 | Viking River Cruises | Viking Gymir | 14 | $5,899 | |
| Aug 9, 2026 | Viking River Cruises | Viking Magni | 14 | $6,149 | |
| Aug 9, 2026 | Viking River Cruises | Viking Baldur | 14 | $6,049 | |
| Aug 11, 2026 | Viking River Cruises | Viking Ve | 14 | $6,149 | |
| Aug 12, 2026 | Viking River Cruises | Viking Eldir | 14 | $6,099 | |
| Aug 12, 2026 | Viking River Cruises | Viking Lif | 14 | $6,149 | |
| Aug 13, 2026 | Viking River Cruises | Viking Vali | 14 | $6,099 | |
| Aug 13, 2026 | Viking River Cruises | Viking Tir | 14 | $6,049 | |
| Aug 15, 2026 | Viking River Cruises | Viking Skadi | 14 | $6,049 | |
| Aug 19, 2026 | Viking River Cruises | Viking Gymir | 14 | $8,699 | |
| Aug 23, 2026 | Viking River Cruises | Viking Magni | 14 | $8,949 | |
| Aug 25, 2026 | Viking River Cruises | Viking Ve | 14 | $10,599 | |
| Aug 25, 2026 | Viking River Cruises | Viking Gefjon | 14 | $9,049 | |
| Aug 26, 2026 | Viking River Cruises | Viking Eldir | 14 | $5,999 | |
| Aug 26, 2026 | Viking River Cruises | Viking Vidar | 14 | $5,999 | |
| Sep 2, 2026 | Viking River Cruises | Viking Gymir | 14 | $5,899 | |
| Sep 6, 2026 | Viking River Cruises | Viking Baldur | 14 | $5,899 | |
| Sep 22, 2026 | Viking River Cruises | Viking Gefjon | 14 | $5,849 | |
| Oct 18, 2026 | Viking River Cruises | Viking Baldur | 14 | $5,599 |
Showing the next 20 of 329 upcoming departures. Browse them all in cruise search → or call 800-528-9300 for today's best pricing.