†The†

The entire ship, chartered for a single shared passion.

One order of the day, kept seven times over.

The routine is printed here so that nobody need carry it about. Nothing on it is compulsory and nothing on it collides; that is what taking the whole ship buys us. A timetable drawn up by knitters, for knitters.

1. Ashore

   at 08:30

   The morning belongs to whichever town the ship has brought you to. Small parties, a walking pace, a guide who knows the lanes, and everyone back aboard in good time for lunch.

2. Lunch aboard

   at 13:00

   Lines are cast off as the soup arrives. Long tables, one conversation running the length of them, and the valley going past the windows at the speed of a river.

3. Knit & learn

   at 15:00

   Margit in the lounge for those who wish to be taught; a chair by the window and your own work for those who do not. Both are entirely in order.

4. Evening

   at 20:30

   Dinner, and then the needles come out again until somebody looks at the clock. The friendships of the week are chiefly made at this hour.

A river has no sea days. The ship is never more than an hour from a town, and no member is ever required to go into one.

Six towns, seven days, one direction.

The itinerary runs against the current, which is the slow way up the Danube and therefore the right one. You unpack once, in Budapest; the ship carries everything else to Passau.

1. I.

   Budapest

   Days 1–2

   Embarkation on the Pest bank. The Parliament seen from the water, the Chain Bridge crossed on foot, and an unhurried afternoon at the Széchenyi baths.

2. II.

   Bratislava

   Day 3

   A capital small enough to walk before lunch: the castle on its hill, the crooked streets of the old town, and coffee beneath the arcades.

3. III.

   Vienna

   Day 4

   The Ringstrasse at whatever pace you choose, the Hofburg for those who want it, and an hour in a coffeehouse with the project bag open on the table.

4. IV.

   Dürnstein

   Day 5

   Here the Wachau begins. A blue abbey tower above the river, vineyards in terraces, and apricot orchards the whole length of the valley.

5. V.

   Melk

   Day 6

   The Benedictine abbey on its rock, its painted library, and the long green prospect back down the water you have just come up.

6. VI.

   Passau

   Day 7

   Three rivers meet here: the Danube, the Inn and the Ilz. Baroque lanes, the old town standing above the water, and the last evening aboard.

Ports and mooring times are given as planned. The river reserves the final word, as it always has.

A small ship, and every foot of her ours.

MS Aurelia carries 150 guests, which makes her small enough to moor in the middle of a town and large enough for a lounge to spread out in. For this one week she carries no other party, keeps no other programme, and gives no one any other reason to be in the lounge at four o’clock.

• 135 metres
• 150 guests, every one a knitter
• Three decks
• Lounge, dining room and sun deck

1. Plate I

   Riverside Stateroom

   Emerald Deck · 16 m²

   A picture window set level with the river. Two beds, made up as a queen if you prefer.

   from$4,950per knitter

2. Plate II

   French Balcony

   Ruby Deck · 18 m²

   Doors from floor to ceiling that open onto the water, and the best light aboard for fine work.

   from$5,650per knitter

3. Plate III

   Panorama Suite

   Diamond Deck · 24 m²

   A sitting area worth the name, a balcony to step out on, and floor enough to block a shawl.

   from$7,200per knitter

4. Plate IV

   Single Cabin

   Emerald Deck · 13 m²

   Twelve of them, and no supplement asked. Aboard this ship, travelling alone is the ordinary case.

   from$5,200per knitter

Margit Sørensen

• Knitwear designer
• Twenty years a teacher
• Aboard all seven days

• Four collections published, and a fifth under way
• Teaches at Shetland Wool Week and at Bergen Strikkefest
• A Danube colourwork pattern, drawn for this edition alone, for every member

Margit teaches. The committee sees to everything else.

Passage Club is kept small on purpose. Members will meet all three of us at the pier in Budapest, and will certainly know us by Wednesday.

• Jonas Reeve

  Founder

  Twenty years of chartering ships for people with something in common. He chooses the vessels, and is particular about them.

• Amira Haddad

  Voyage Director

  Sails every edition. When a mooring changes at six in the morning, the day has been rewritten by seven.

• Pia Nordström

  Guest Host

  Cabins, diets, members travelling alone, and the seating plan that no one is meant to notice.

A whole boat of people who understand.

For the member travelling alone

Come by yourself, or bring your own. Twelve single cabins carry no supplement, and nobody on this ship dines alone unless they mean to.

For the member giving this as a present

It gives well. We send a printed Edition No. 01 card to be put into their hands, and settle the arrangements with you rather than with them.

For the member bringing a party

Eight or more, and we keep your cabins together, hold you a table, and give the party a workshop hour of its own.

Everything, save the yarn.

One fare, settled before sailing. We would rather set out here what it does not cover than present anyone with an account on the last morning.

Arrive at Budapest; depart from Munich.

The river runs one way, and so does the journey. An open-jaw ticket, into Budapest and home from Munich, is generally cheaper than two returns and always less bother.

BudapestPassauMunich

Transfers on both days are in the fare. Give us your flight numbers when you book, and we shall keep an eye on them.

Questions members have put to us.

Ask us anything, the awkward questions included.

Whether the walking will suit you, whether your party can sit together, whether November on the Danube is truly as good as we claim. A person replies, usually the same day.