Tour begins: 5:30 PM, Amsterdam. A transfer is included from Schiphol International Airport or Amsterdam Centraal Station to your riverboat; check-in time aboard ship is 4 PM for all guests. After a discovery briefing where you'll hear about your river travels ahead, please join a welcome reception followed by dinner aboard your riverboat to celebrate the start of a fantastic journey. ... Read More
In a city indelibly linked to water, it's fitting that your day begins with a cruise on its 17th-century grachten (canals) which fan out in crescent-shaped rings from the northern waterfront. On the drive to board your canal boat, you'll get an orientation to the city, which at its heart feels more like a village than the compact center of a cosmopolitan city. Landmarks include Centraal Station, built at the end of the 19th century and still a place in constant motion - with people, bicycles, trams, and buses; De Waag (Weigh House), once a fortified gate that today houses a popular outdoor cafe; and the Mint Tower, a gate in the city wall (circa 1400) that marks the intersection of two canals, tram paths, a pedestrian-only shopping street, and the city flower market - an ever busy, ever interesting crossroads. Aboard the canal boat, you'll glide beneath curved bridges carrying walkers and cyclists - sometimes trams and cars - and by narrow merchant homes, whose goods were once pragmatically stored on the upper floors. After a guided visit to the famed Rijksmuseum - home to many works by Rembrandt and other old Dutch Masters - a drive to the old university town of Utrecht brings you back to your riverboat, and cruising through the idyllic Dutch countryside begins! ... Read More
Friday - Aug 23, 2024
Day 3
Cologne, Germany
Bus Travel
Ehreshoven Castle, Germany
Bus Travel
Cologne, Germany
Overnight your riverboat crosses into Germany; after a full morning of cruising and brunch onboard, you'll arrive in Koln (Cologne), a city made a capital of a Roman province in 50 AD. Sightseeing begins with a guided tour of the immense twin-towered Kolner Dom (Cologne Cathedral), whose construction took a mere six centuries. Completed in 1880, UNESCO declared this Gothic "Dom" a World Heritage Site in 1995, recognizing its cultural value as "a testament to the longevity of faith". You'll explore this intimately scaled city by motorcoach and on a walking tour. Following a bit of free time, travel to a Tauck Exclusive private evening featuring a cocktail reception, dinner, and entertainment at Schloss Ehreshoven, a German castle dating back to the 15th century. Built in the 14th century and later expanded in the style of a grand Baroque manor house, the estate is surrounded by a moat, landscaped gardens, and a castle park. Schloss Ehreshoven is frequently used as a film location, but this evening it's the elegant setting for a Tauck guests. Rejoin the riverboat tonight in Koln to continue your cruise. ... Read More
Saturday - Aug 24, 2024
Day 4
Koblenz, Germany
Rhine Gorge, Germany
Your riverboat arrives this morning in Koblenz. The city's roots go back to the Middle Ages, when its location made it a powerful one as the controller of trade along these major waterways. You may choose a morning of a scavenger hunt in Koblenz, or a bicycling excursion along the Rhine-Lahn cycle path. If you choose to the scavenger hunt, explore a mix of delightful town squares, tucked-away corners, medieval churches, Baroque residences, and cozy wine taverns complemented with tastings at local shops throughout. Should you choose to go bicycling (a countrywide passion in Germany), you'll follow easy riverside trails through forest, meadows, and Riesling winelands, taking in views of the passing pleasure boats and freighters. After lunch aboard the riverboat, the entire afternoon is spent cruising through the quiet Rhine River Valley, past small cities, churches, ancient walls, and castles; enjoy dinner and other activities aboard the ship tonight. ... Read More
Sunday - Aug 25, 2024
Day 5
Speyer, Germany
Bus Travel
Heidelberg, Germany
Bus Travel
Speyer, Germany
Following a morning's cruise, arrive in Mannheim. Nicknamed the "city of inventions", Mannheim is known for its inventions, many of which are used in our day to day lives including the automobile, the tractor, and the bicycle. Your adventures today offer you a choice of exploring either Speyer or Germany's oldest university town, Heidelberg. If you choose Speyer, begin at the impressive Technik Museum - dedicated to every form of technology that moves, from vintage cars to the Russian BURAN space shuttle. Then walk to Speyer Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its natural glass windows and roof made entirely of stone. Or choose an excursion to Heidelberg, where narrow lanes, shops, and pubs housed in 17th-century structures in the Altstadt are kept lively by the cadence of student life. Visit the romantic ruins of Heidelberg Castle, of which Mark Twain wrote in A Tramp Abroad; the Schloss is an imposing ensemble of buildings from different architectural periods; from its terrace and gardens, the sweeping views impress along with the feel of 600 years of history. Tonight, your ship charts a course for Strasbourg. ... Read More
Monday - Aug 26, 2024
Day 6
Strasbourg, France
Bus Travel
Baden-Baden, Germany
Bus Travel
Strasbourg, France
You'll wake this morning cruising along on the Rhine, watching as the hills of southern Alsace, many checkered with vineyards, pass you by. Once docked, the day begins in the Alsatian cultural capital of Strasbourg, France, with a choice of excursions. Home to the charming canals and half-timbered houses of La Petite France, stately city residences, a Gothic cathedral, and plenty of winstubs, traditional Alsatian beer pubs, you'll have the option to either explore Strasbourg on foot or by bicycle. After a morning of sightseeing in Strasbourg, you may choose to stay in town to explore on your own or travel to the German spa resort town of Baden-Baden, on the edge of the Black Forest for a walking tour and free time in the town center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Return to the ship for a Chef's Signature dinner and an evening of cruising. ... Read More
A choice of excursions awaits you today upon your arrival in Switzerland, commonly referred to as "the Playground of Europe". On one, you'll head out for the heights of Mt. Pilatus aboard a gondola, climbing from Kriens to the very top (Oberhaupt) - nearly 7,000 feet high; return via Alpnachstad, at the edge of Lake Lucerne, aboard the world's steepest cogwheel train and enjoy an orientation tour of Lucerne, Switzerland's "City of Lights". Alternatively, you may prefer the pleasures of lunch and a wine tasting along the Alsatian wine route. If so, you'll head to Chateau du Haut-Koenigsbourg, originally built in the 1200s. Burned, abandoned, and restored to its former glory in 1899, the castle presents a picture of a mountain fortress of the Middle Ages; after your visit, head to the French Alsatian town of Riquewihr for lunch and a wine tasting. Regardless of your choice, your day ends in Basel - a major crossroads of travel and thought since the 15th century. An orientation tour reveals parks, museums, galleries, and restaurants; the Rhine Promenade; 14th-century Munster Cathedral; and modern buildings by architects like Frank Gehry and Yoshio Taniguchi. This evening, join the captain's farewell reception followed by dinner aboard ship. ... Read More
Tour ends: Basel. Fly home anytime. Upon disembarking the riverboat (no later than 9 AM), transfers are included to EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg or Basel's SBB train station; guests can also transfer to Zurich Airport or Zurich Hauptbahnhof (train station). Please allow three hours for flight check-in. ... Read More
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Unless otherwise indicated above, all cruise rates are per person, double occupancy, cruise-only without airfare, do not include government taxes and fees and quoted in in U.S. dollars. Ponant Cruises rates are based on foreign currencies that are converted to USD based on today's exchange rates. Rates are subject to availability, can vary by ship and sailing date, and for new bookings only. Fares are capacity controlled, and subject to change without notice. Port charges are included. Prices do not include additional service charges; Travel Insurance; and applicable government taxes & fees unless otherwise specified in the offer. Surcharges and fees implemented by a travel supplier, even after the reservation is made, will be the sole responsibility of each traveler and is due and payable in full prior to departure. Certain promotions which may include amenities like shipboard credits, pre-paid gratuities, drink packages or other packages may be available by category, room type or fare code and may not be combinable with other promotions. For any questions, please consult one of our cruise specialists for applicability and verification. All prices, inclusions & promotions listed on the web-site are current at the time they we published and are subject to change without advance notice. Arrivia, Inc., its subsidiaries, and partners are not responsible for last minute changes to price or itinerary by cruise lines, or for any errors or omissions in the content of this website.
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