Day-By-Day Cruise Itinerary
Romantic Rhine River Cruise from Amsterdam to Basel with option land extension in Zurich
31 May (Fri) – DEPARTURE FROM USA TO AMSTERDAM
Day 1 – 1 JUN (Sat) – ARRIVE IN AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND (EMBARKATION)
Welcome to Amsterdam, Holland’s sophisticated, modern capital. This delightful 700-year-old city with its elegant and classic architecture, cafés, and restaurants has a distinct ambiance. The streets, squares, canals, and bike paths throughout the city make for a vibrant atmosphere, and with over 60 museums.
Amsterdam has the highest museum density in the world. Perhaps you would like to take an optional excursion to Zaanse Schans with its traditional houses and Dutch craft workshops. This afternoon, board your river cruise vessel and meet your crew at an evening welcome reception. Note: Flights into Amsterdam must arrive by 3:30 pm. Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM
Day 2 –2 JUN (Sun) – AMSTERDAM
There is no better way to see Amsterdam than by CANAL BOAT, cruising through the elegant grachten lined with stately homes dating back to Amsterdam’s “Golden Age.” There’s free time in the city this afternoon to explore on your own.
Join a guided optional culinary walk through Amsterdam to sample savory and sweet Dutch specialties, or a guided optional excursion to Muiderslot Castle—Holland’s most beautiful, best-kept medieval castle. You may choose to spend some free time visiting one of Amsterdam’s many fascinating museums or galleries. Later, bid farewell to Holland and set sail for Germany.
AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO COLOGNE
Day 3 – 3 JUN (Mon) – COLOGNE, GERMANY
Today, enjoy a peaceful morning of cruising before reaching Cologne in the afternoon. One of Germany’s largest cities and capital of the Rhineland, Cologne straddles both sides of the Rhine and is known for its soaring, twin-steepled Gothic cathedral. Choose between an included guided city walk or a Jewish heritage walk.
OVERNIGHT SAILING TO KOBLENZ
Day 4 – 4 JUN (Tues) – KOBLENZ—RHINE GORGE—RÜDESHEIM
Situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers, 2,000-year-old Koblenz is the cultural and business center of the Middle Rhine region. Here, join a Local Guide for a walking tour of the city that reveals an eventful past through its castles, fortress walls, towers, squares, and monuments. Relax on the Sky Deck for an afternoon cruise through the Rhine Gorge, the most beautiful stretch of the river. Here, ancient castles stand sentry on lofty cliffs rising 400 feet above the waters. Cruise past the legendary rock of the Lorelei. In Rüdesheim, the quintessential Rhine Valley town, visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum to see and hear a large collection of self-playing calliopes and music boxes from the 18th to the early 20th centuries.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN RÜDESHEIM
Day 5 – 5 JUN (Wed) – MAINZ—EXCURSION TO HEIDELBERG
Strategically located at the confluence of the Rhine and Main Rivers is Mainz. Join your local guide for a guided walk through the Altstadt (Old Town) with its many intriguing shops and the whimsical Fastnachtsbrunnen (Carnival Fountain) on the Schillerplatz, a tribute to the jesters at the city’s annual Carnival celebration. Gutenberg, father of modern printing, was born here—and you’ll visit the captivating Gutenberg Museum. After lunch, travel to Heidelberg, home to the oldest university in Germany. With a local guide, visit the imposing ruins of HEIDELBERG CASTLE, towering magnificently over the city and among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO STRASBOURG
Day 6 – 6 JUN (Thurs) – STRASBOURG, FRANCE
Situated on the border of France and Germany, Strasbourg blends the cultures of both countries in a delightful way. As capital of the Alsace region and seat of the Council of Europe and European Parliament, it is without a doubt an important city that manages to retain its historic charm. On your guided sightseeing tour, visit the monumental red-sandstone Gothic cathedral with its ancient murals, stained-glass windows, and fascinating astronomical clock, as well as the magical La Petite France district, home to half-timber houses, quaint shops, inviting bistros, and a waterfront promenade. Also spend time exploring Place Kléber, a large historic square in the heart of the city, and Place Gutenberg in the heart of medieval Strasbourg, which features a statue of the inventor of the printing press. After dinner, enjoy an onboard woodcarving demonstration.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BREISACH
Day 7 – 7 JUN (Fri) – BREISACH, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO THE BLACK FOREST
Located at the foot of Kaiserstuhl Mountain on the French-German border, Breisach is the gateway to Germany’s Black Forest region, an area of unrivaled natural beauty with its forests of thick pine trees. The area got its name because the forests are so dense that local residents described them as black. Surely the most well-known products from this region are Black Forest ham, Black Forest cherry cake, and cuckoo clocks. You may opt for a visit to the workshop of a local woodcarver who produces clocks and other carvings, or to the open-air Museum of Vogtsbauernhof to see how life was lived in this area centuries ago.
EVENING CRUISE TO BASEL
Day 8 – 8 JUN (Sat) – BASEL, SWITZERLAND (DISEMBARKATION)
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
NOTE:
Departure flights should not leave Zürich Airport before 10:00 a.m.
Optional Post-Cruise Land Extension
You can extend your stay with one or two overnights in Zurich, Switzerland’s largest metropolis and a key city in the history of the Reformation. In 1523, Ulrich Zwingli established the Reformation in Switzerland and made Zurich one of the great cities of the Reformation. Enjoy walking through the old city—the city by the lake—and take in its history, culture, and scenic beauty.
Day 9 – 9 JUN (Sun) – ZURICH –OPTIONAL ONE-DAY EXTENSION
Day 10 –10 JUN (Mon) –ZURICH—OPTIONAL TWO-DAY EXTENSION