Elevate your vacation and reveal more of what makes each destination unforgettable by adding Before and After Stays to your European river cruise. Discover pre- and post-cruise packages from Celebrity River Cruises℠ in iconic cities like Amsterdam, Budapest, Lausanne, and Prague. Find out what they are, what’s included, how to book, and why they are the ultimate way to seamlessly extend your journey beyond the sailing.
What Are Before and After Stays?
A couple shares a warm smile while strolling past illuminated historic buildings in Budapest.
Celebrity River Cruises℠ Before and After Stays are a seamless way to extend your European river cruise with more time to explore. From arrival to departure, every detail is designed to feel elevated and effortless. Before and After Stays let you continue the connection, extend the inspiration, and enjoy a few more days of unique local experiences in some of Europe’s most iconic cities.
Experiences are led by locals who know the places, traditions, and details that bring each destination to life. Destination Insiders offer the kind of local perspective that takes you deeper than any guidebook, while Premium and Ultra Premium hotels give you a thoughtfully selected place to begin or end each day. Daily breakfast is included, and included tour experiences are designed around intimate group settings that make each city feel more personal.
What’s Included in a Pre- and Post-Cruise Package?
Diners enjoy a rooftop view of the majestic Hungarian Parliament Building across the river.
Every story deserves a perfect beginning and ending. Before and After Stays aren’t your typical river cruise add-on:
- Spend 2-3 nights at your choice of a Premium or Ultra Premium Hotel in the heart of the city, surrounded by historic sites, dining, and boutiques.
- Take a daily excursion with a Local Storyteller℠ who knows the city by heart to explore the destination through a local lens.
- Connect more deeply with the city through exclusive, unique moments curated by a Destination Insider.
- Fuel your forays with breakfast at your hotel each morning before the day unfolds.
- Rest easy knowing that transportation, including hotel-to-ship transfers, is handled for you.
Before and After Stays are available to book when you choose your Rhine or Danube River cruise. The benefit of booking a pre- or post-cruise package is extending the journey beyond the sailing with the same dedication to discovery and seamless immersion you enjoyed while winding through the heart of Europe.
Popular River Cruise Destinations for Before and After Stays
Vibrant flowers and a yellow bicycle on a bridge overlooking an Amsterdam canal.
Guests can add Before and After Stays to select Rhine and Danube River cruises, giving guests more time to explore before or after sailing. With thoughtful planning, local insight, and seamless support throughout the experience, these stays bring guests closer to the culture, stories, and everyday rhythms of Amsterdam, Prague, Budapest, and Lausanne.
Budapest, Hungary
Divided by the Danube, Budapest brings together two sides of one unforgettable city. With extra time before or after your river cruise, you can explore Buda’s historic Castle District, Pest’s cafés and markets, the city’s celebrated thermal baths, and the Jewish Quarter’s ruin bars and layered history. A Destination Insider or Local Storyteller can help bring these places into focus, sharing the stories, etiquette, and local details that make Budapest come to life.
Prague, Czech Republic
Prague is a striking mix of Gothic architecture, winding lanes, historic squares, and cafés that glow softly into the evening. With a Before and After Stay, guests have more time to experience the “City of a Hundred Spires” beyond a single visit, from castle views and cobbled streets to design studios, breweries, markets, and hidden courtyards. Local experiences and insider guidance help reveal the city’s creative spirit, centuries-old traditions, and everyday rhythms.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Amsterdam’s canals, museums, markets, and cycling culture make it a natural place to spend more time before or after a Rhine River cruise. With a Destination Insider as your hometown host, guests can experience the city through a more local lens, from its artistic landmarks and canal-side neighborhoods to flower markets, historic waterways, and quiet corners that are easy to miss on your own. It’s a chance to slow down and see more of the city’s character beyond the postcard views, where gabled houses lean over the canals, café terraces hum with conversation, and every bridge seems to reveal another story.
Lausanne, Switzerland
Set above Lake Geneva, Lausanne offers a scenic Swiss extension for select Rhine itineraries that begin or end in Basel. Guests can explore the Ouchy waterfront, hillside Old Town, lake views, nearby vineyards, and local flavors such as chocolate, cheese, and wine. With local insight and your pick of two excellent hotels, a Before and After Stay in Lausanne adds another dimension to the journey, blending Swiss elegance, Alpine scenery, and lakeside discovery to accompany your time on the Rhine.
The best in Europe is better than ever, and choosing a Celebrity River Cruise brings you even closer. Booking Before and After Stays ensures you arrive well-rested, sans travel stress, ready to become part of the story.
- Users with an existing river cruise booking can access an online option for adding a Before and After Stay cruise package to their river cruise from the “Manage Reservation” page, as soon as they have booked.
- Choose your pace, choice of hotel grade, and depth of discovery. Design a destination-driven experience where you become part of the culture, rather than a mere observer.
How To Book a River Cruise Before and After Stay
The best in Europe is better than ever, and choosing a Celebrity River Cruise brings you even closer. Booking Before and After Stays ensures you arrive well-rested, sans travel stress, ready to become part of the story.
- Users with an existing river cruise booking can access an online option for adding a Before and After Stay cruise package to their river cruise from the “Manage Reservation” page, as soon as they have booked.
- Choose your pace, choice of hotel grade, and depth of discovery. Design a destination-driven experience where you become part of the culture, rather than a mere observer.
Before and After Stays FAQs
What are the benefits of booking Before and After Stays with your Celebrity river cruise?
Before and After Stays give guests more time to experience Europe beyond the sailing, with hotel accommodations, daily breakfast, transfers, and locally led experiences. It’s a seamless way to get closer to each city’s views, flavors, and stories, exploring with locals who help reveal the rare, remarkable, and real moments you won’t always find in a guidebook.
Can I book multiple Before and After Stays?
Yes, you can book Before and After Stays, both pre- and post-sailing. Many river cruises have “open-jaw” itineraries, meaning they start and end in two different destinations. For example, you could book Before and After Stays in both Amsterdam and Lausanne for a Rhine River cruise. Similarly, you can book Before and After Stays in both Prague and Budapest on Danube River itineraries.
What is the difference between booking independent pre- or post-cruise packages and booking Celebrity River Cruises℠ Before and After Stays?
Before and After Stays are curated experiences using a well-vetted collection of Local Storytellers, destination insiders, and hometown hosts to not only provide lodging, but also deliver unforgettable moments which can’t be staged, only discovered.
Guests booking independently might encounter hassles during ground travel, hotel detail inconsistencies, or unexpected travel delays without the benefit of a dedicated helper to smooth any hiccups or unexpected issues that arise.
What daily excursions are included in Before and After Stays?
Before and After Stays include daily locally led experiences designed to help guests connect more deeply with each destination. These experiences may be part of the Storyteller Series℠, Keys to the City Series℠, or Skillmaster Series℠, depending on the city and itinerary.
The Storyteller Series brings guests closer to a place through the perspective of someone who knows it personally, revealing the memories, rituals, and traditions that shape local life. The Keys to the City Series gives guests more freedom to explore independently, with curated guidance, insider context, and access to meaningful local highlights. The Skillmaster Series focuses on hands-on cultural experiences, from cooking and crafting to other traditions led by local experts.
Guests can also book optional premium excursions for an additional cost, giving them even more ways to personalize their time before or after their river cruise.
Are there additional gratuities charged for guides, transportation crew, or hotel staff for Before and After Stays?
Your hotel, hotel breakfast, daily excursion, and transportation are prepaid. Additional gratuities are at your discretion.
What is the cancellation policy for Before and After Stays if my plans change?
Before and After Stays must be canceled at least 30 days prior to sailing to avoid penalties. Cancellations made after this 30-day window will result in a 100% forfeiture of the stay’s cost.
Book Before and After Stays, an Invitation to Inspiration
A smiling couple shares a sweet moment before the stone towers of Fisherman’s Bastion.
Before and After Stays give your journey a more memorable beginning, ending, or both. With carefully selected hotels, daily breakfast, seamless transfers, and locally led experiences, every detail is designed to help you experience more of Europe with ease.
Explore iconic cities like Amsterdam, Budapest, Lausanne, and Prague through the people, flavors, stories, and local perspectives that make each destination unforgettable. Before or after your time on the river, you’ll have more time to get closer to the places you came to see—and discover moments you wouldn’t find on your own.
Explore Before and After Stays for your next Celebrity River Cruise.
