The ship follows the classic Rhine route and brings us closer to all the wonderful treasures that have been collected along this mighty European river throughout history and which have been preserved to this day. Whether enchanting half-timbered houses in Strasbourg and Colmar or German romance in Cologne, this river has something for everyone.
Itinerary
Day 1
Embarkation in Amsterdam.
Day 2
The morning in Amsterdam is reserved for a *city and canal cruise. In the early afternoon the ship leaves the city and begins the river journey on the Rhine upstream. The afternoon is spent on board
.
Day 3
The whole day the ship is moored in Arnhem. The morning is used for a *city tour of Arnhem, whose turbulent past is reflected in some monuments to this day. In the afternoon you will visit the *Kröller-Müller-Museum with its impressive collection of Vincent van Gogh paintings.
Day 4
In the morning the ship glides upstream on the Rhine until it reaches Cologne at noon. You will explore the lively Rhine town on a tour that includes the Gothic Cologne Cathedral, which is listed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List and is considered the third highest church in the world. It is also the most visited monument in Germany. The ship remains in Cologne until around midnight.
Day 5
In the morning a *tour through the charming old town awaits you in Koblenz. Then it‘s time to „Cast off“ to the ship passage on the romantic Middle Rhine, passing the legendary Loreley rock. On the same day the ship reaches the charming wine growing town of Rüdesheim, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The *shore excursion includes the ride on the Winzer express to the centre of the town to „Siegfried‘s Mechanisches Musikkabinett“ and a walk through the famous Drosselgasse
Day 6
Early morning arrival in Mannheim. Here starts the *bus excursion to one of the most beautiful cities in Germany, Heidelberg. Idyllically situated on the Neckar river, the old town is the epitome of “German Romanticism“. The reembarkation takes place in Speyer. After the board lunch the *visit of Speyer, one of the oldest German cities stands at the program. The Imperial Cathedral of Speyer, St. Marien, is the largest Romanesque church in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Day 7
Arrival in Strasbourg in the morning. Full-day *Alsace excursion begins with a visit to the Alsatian capital. Via the lovely Alsatian Wine Route we take a bus to Colmar. The city fascinates by its numerous half-timbered houses and the quarter Petite Venise. This excursion also includes a restaurant lunch and ends with the reembarkation in Breisach, Germany.
Day 8
Disembarkation in Basel after breakfast.
Inclusions:
- Cruise on board MS Johann Strauss in the booked category
- Full board on board the ship (buffetbreakfast, lunch, afternoon tea/coffee, dinner,midnight snack), starting with dinner on the 1st day, ending with breakfast on the last day, 1x as Captain‘s Dinner
- Entertainment programme in the bar with the ship‘s musician
- Luggage service on board
- Embarking, disembarking and lock fees and harbour dues
- English-speaking tour guide on board
Excursions Included:
- City tour of Amsterdam incl. canal cruise
- City tour of Arnheim
- Visit Kröller-Müller-Museum
- City tour of Cologne
- Walking tour of Koblenz
- Shore leave in Rüdesheim
- Coach excursion to Heidelberg incl. castle
- City tour of Speyer
- Full day coach excursion Alsace including Strasbourg, Colmar & lunch in a restaurant
Exclusions:
Flights – Flights you will have to source yourself or discuss with Costless Travel at the time of booking. Unfortunately airlines change their pricing on a daily basis so we are unable to include the flights. We also note that some prefer to leave from different airports, some like economy and some like business class, some like to meet with family before or after the trip.
Available Dates – subject to availability at time of booking
- 10th of August 2020 – 17th of August 2020
