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Romantic Rhine (Southbound) 2027

From Amsterdam, Netherlands to Basel, Switzerland
Length: 8 Days - Departs: Sun, Apr 25, 2027
Operator
Departure
Apr 25, 2027
Arrival
May 02, 2027

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River Cruise Itinerary

One of Europe’s most legendary rivers takes you across Germany and touches in Holland, France, and Switzerland! This magnificent Rhine River cruise begins in the ever popular, modern city of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Cruise on its famous canals along the elegant grachten--the best way to see the treasures of this 700-year-old city dating back to the “Golden Age.” Visit Cologne, Germany—a 2,000-year-old city known for its Gothic-style architecture—and see its famous twin-spired cathedral and Old Town with many shops, cafés, and taverns.Sail through the dramatic Rhine Gorge—offering the most beautiful view of the Rhine River where ancient castles stand on cliffs 400 feet above the water. Cruise to the charming wine town of Rüdesheim and visit the unique Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum. Continue your Rhine River cruise to Ludwigshafen for a guided visit to Schwetzingen castle, or take an excursion to Heidelberg to visit the ruins of its red-walled castle. In Strasbourg, France, marvel at the red-sandstone Gothic-style cathedral with ancient murals and fascinating astronomical clock. Also, stroll through the lovely La Petite France district with its quaint shops, delightful bistros, and peaceful waterfront promenade. Stop in Breisach, Germany, the gateway to Germany’s Black Forest. Here, find unrivaled natural beauty in the area best known for Black Forest ham, cherry cake, and the cuckoo clock.Romantic – Any Time of YearFrom the lively energy of summer to the golden calm of fall and the fresh renewal of spring, the Rhine reveals a different kind of romance in every season. Depending on when you sail, you can enjoy spring strawberry picking and jam making, summer brewery tours and tastings or fall visits to historic vineyards. Sail when vineyard-covered hills glow with color, medieval towns feel extra special, and the river’s legendary scenery unfolds at an unhurried pace. It’s the same iconic Rhine – beautifully shaped by the season in which you experience it.

  1. Day 1
    AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS (EMBARKATION)
    Sun, Apr 25, 2027
    Welcome to Holland. Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding.

    Flights into Amsterdam must arrive by 3:30 pm.

    Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm.

    Your day in Amsterdam is free to explore at your leisure.

    During tulip season, you may take a Guided Optional Excursion to Keukenhof gardens—with more than seven million tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths, as well as other bulbs, planted each year.

    OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM

    (D)

  2. Day 2
    AMSTERDAM
    Mon, Apr 26, 2027
    Canals of Colorful Amsterdam

    Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.

    CLASSIC Discover the true beauty of Amsterdam with an off-the-beaten-path Guided Walking Tour through its cobblestone streets for a captivating look at this legendary city, OR:

    CLASSIC Explore the iconic waterways of Amsterdam on a Guided Canal Cruise past stately homes of Amsterdam’s “Golden Age."


    This afternoon, choose among the Guided Optional Excursions available or take some free time to explore Amsterdam’s colorful streets and canal houses, galleries, and shops.

    AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO COLOGNE

    (B,L,D)

  3. Day 3
    COLOGNE, GERMANY
    Tue, Apr 27, 2027
    Prost! Celebrate in the Rhineland

    ACTIVE Enjoy a bike ride like the locals in Cologne with your Adventure Host, OR:

    CLASSIC Choose a Guided Walking Tour of Cologne’s important Jewish heritage sites, OR:

    CLASSIC Take a Guided City Walk of Cologne—with its soaring twin-steepled gothic cathedral.

    Spend free time over a glass of Kölsch pale lager—locally brewed for over 100 years!

    Later, local musicians will join us on board for live entertainment.

    OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO RÜDESHEIM

    (B,L,D)

  4. Day 4
    RHINE GORGE–RÜDESHEIM
    Wed, Apr 28, 2027
    Eat, Drink, and Be Merry in Wine Country

    En route to Rüdesheim, sail through the Rhine Gorge (a UNESCO World Heritage site). Take in the breathtaking views of ancient castles perched on cliffs 400 feet above the water and pass the legendary Rock of the Lorelei—where the mythological siren’s songs lured ill-fated sailors.

    ACTIVE Enjoy a hike with your Avalon Adventure Host through the picturesque vineyards of Rüdesheim, followed by a tasting of the authentic Rüdesheimer coffee OR:

    CLASSIC Take a Guided Tour of the incredible Mechanical Music Museum for a one-of-a-kind instrumental experience; enjoy a tasting of the authentic Rüdesheimer coffee, OR:

    DISCOVERY Take a Guided Visit to the historic 18th-century wooden-barrel cellar of Johannisberg Castle and enjoy a delicious wine tasting.

    OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO LUDWIGSHAFEN


    (B,L,D)


  5. Day 5
    LUDWIGSHAFEN. EXCURSION TO HEIDELBERG
    Thu, Apr 29, 2027
    Castle Walls, and the World’s Biggest Wine Barrel

    ACTIVE Join your Avalon Adventure Host for an inspiring walk in Heidelberg, the Philosophers' way, OR:

    CLASSIC Join a Guided Visit to Schwetzingen Palace—the heart of a stunning site consisting of the palace, palace gardens, and historic palace square, OR:

    CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided Tour to Heidelberg Castle to see the ruins of the magnificent renaissance treasure towering above the city, and its famed Great Vat, the “World’s Largest Wine Barrel.”

    AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO KEHL

    (B,L,D)

  6. Day 6
    KEHL. EXCURSION TO STRASBOURG, FRANCE
    Fri, Apr 30, 2027
    A Grand Cathedral and La Petite France

    Ask about today’s energizing or relaxing Adventure Host activities.

    ACTIVE Discover Strasbourg by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:

    CLASSIC Join a City Sightseeing Tour, including Strasbourg’s Gothic, stained-glass cathedral with its celebrated ancient murals and astronomical clock, as well as the magical La Petite France District.

    Choose a Guided Optional Excursion to the historic Maginot Line—the pre-WWII fortifications designed to protect the eastern border of France, or visit Alsace’s wine country today.

    Alternatively, take some free time in Strasbourg to visit a museum, or stroll across the city center.

    EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BREISACH


    (B,L,D)


  7. Day 7
    BREISACH, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO BLACK FOREST
    Sat, May 01, 2027
    German Winemaking and the Beautiful Black Forest

    ACTIVE Take a Guided E-bike Tour to experience the magical Black Forest from a unique point of view, OR:

    CLASSIC Join a full-day Guided Tour to the magical Black Forest to experience the Vogtsbauernohf open-air-museum, visit an authentic water mill, and see a traditional butter-making demonstration, OR:

    CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour to explore Freiburg’s medieval city center, sheltered by the Black Forest amid vineyards and gardens of the Upper Rhine Valley.

    You may choose to join a Guided Optional Excursion to visit the charming village of Colmar, with half-timbered medieval and early renaissance buildings.

    EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BASEL

    (B,L,D)

  8. Day 8
    BASEL, SWITZERLAND (DISEMBARKATION)
    Sun, May 02, 2027
    Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning.

    Flights should not leave Zürich airport before 10 am or Basel airport before 8 am.

    (B)

Countries Visited

France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland

Rivers Visited

Rhine

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Inclusions

  • In the event of technical or water level issues, it may be necessary to operate the itinerary by motorcoach or alter the program, including hotel overnight when necessary.
  • Guided Tours, Optional Excursions, activities, sailing and docking schedules may be contingent on weather conditions or other issues outside of our control and could therefore be subject to change at any time.
  • Please check visa requirements with your local consulate(s); responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveler.



Accommodation Information

Gateway city for departures is Zürich.

Port charges:
$$$

Avalon offers the opportunity for solo travelers to sail with no single supplement (subject to availability).

Please call for single accommodation details and prices. Triples not available.

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Ship Information

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Cabins

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Life on Board

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Questions & Answers
  Ask A Question

Question: Will the day-by-day itinerary change?

Yes, the river cruise itineraries may change due to reasons such as inclement weather or unforeseen events. Your safety is the number one concern aboard and all precautions necessary will be taken in order to ensure passenger safety, including changing itineraries. Please note that when itineraries do change, the ship staff will do their best to substitute any missed port with an alternative destination.

Question: In what language is the river cruise conducted?

The river cruise will be conducted in English only.

Customer Reviews

Overall Rating
4.5
Accommodations
4.5
Itinerary
4.6
Professional Staff
4.7
Repeat with Operator
4.1
Value for Money
4.3

Ratings based off 35 reviews - currently showing 15 reviews with comments only

It was difficult to break larger bills on the trip, so I would recommend brings small bills for tips for excursions or staff members who are exceptional.

we all had a wonderful time. Our trip went smoothly 

It was interesting to visit with the families in Croatia & the extra income helped them,I suspect,as well as helping us learn about the true reality of their lives.

Excellent service. Once of a life time experience but wish that there extra days in smaller towns like Miltenberg etc to enjoy the culture of the place.

We were very impressed with Avalon Waterways. It was top-notch, and we plan to travel with them again in the future.

Very enjoyable, relaxing experience. The accommodations, excursions, and service were exceptionally good.

From beginning to end , all aspects of my trip was amazing. 

The entire Avalon staff were outstanding, especially our cruise director. I was very pleased to be able to book this trip with the single supplement waived.

Everything about this trip was top notch and definitely met and exceeded our expectations.

The Avalon Rhine River cruise was phenomenal - first class in all ways. The Tranquility II ship was new and immaculate, and the cruise director and crew were first rate, taking care of our every need! The excursions along the cruise were outstanding with the local guides all very pleasant and knowledgeable. Avalon, as a cruise provider, was on par with the Insight land tour provider, and I expect my wife and I will return to Avalon in the future for another cruise or two in coming years!

Was a great trip. Enjoyed every minute. We saw a lot of beautiful sites and cities.

Avalon Waterways is a great company to travel with. They are efficient and have a variety of tours that you take. Very friendly people. Would highly recommend them.

Wonderful trip, enjoyed every moment.

Despite the problem of the low water level of the Rhine in parts, Avalon went out of its way to provide us with wonderful shore accommodations and all the excursions we were looking forward to enjoying. They couldn't have been more solicitous of our situation. They are to be highly commended for the way the company handled the situation, and I would recommend this company to anyone looking to book a river cruise. They go above and beyond in caring for their passengers!

Avalon portion was wonderful! Monogram portion was less than satisfactory!

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