The historic Passion Play in Oberammergau (Bavaria's Garmisch-Partenkirchen district) is a performance only taking place every decade.
Since 1634, the inhabitants of the small town have put on a portrayal of the life and death of Jesus, originally produced in gratitude for being spared from the bubonic plague. The seasonal show has since been performed 42 times and is considered the longest-running play in the world. The next performance, scheduled for 2020, had been rescheduled to 2022, resulting in limited opportunities for travelers to access the event.
Emerald Waterways planned 6 "Passion Play" themed river cruisetours for North Americans looking to make the most of the time in Europe. The 10-day voyages combine an 8-day Danube cruising with a Passion Play extension package. Departures are offered in May, June, July and September 2022, giving potential customers choice in planning.
Depending on the departure date, passengers will either begin or end their 8-day Danube voyage aboard one of Emerald’s 180-passenger riverboats with the Passion Play package. The itineraries visit 4 countries, including Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Germany, with ports of call the capital cities Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, along with charming small villages and towns.
The Passion Play portion of the trip includes 1-day admission to the play, 1-night stays in Munich (with a city tour) and Oberammergau, transfers to/from the airport and ship, as well as some meals.
Passengers booking a Passion Play cruise by February 28 receive a savings of US$2000 per couple or discounted roundtrip airfare of US$295, making the starting price US$3490 pp for a category E stateroom.
Customers paying in full 12 months in advance receive an additional 10% off when reserving Panorama Balcony Suite categories C/above. Daily excursions, meals, port charges, ship transfers, gratuities, wine and beer with dinner and lunch, along with all gratuities are included in the fare.
All bookings come with Emerald’s flexible booking policy that allows passengers to defer travel plans and transfer to alternate departure dates or itineraries up to 60 days before departure with no fees.