Arrive Amsterdam Schiphol Airport where you will be transferred to your ship. (D)
Day 2:Cologne
Featured Excursion: Cologne walking tour and Cologne Cathedral visit
Stroll through the narrow streets of Old Town with your guide, passing by tiny squares and little churches as you make your way to Cologne Cathedral, the city’s most famous landmark and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. It took 632 years for Germany’s largest cathedral to be completed, and it is one of the most important Gothic churches in Europe. A visit inside features the Shrine of the Three Magi and the beautiful stained glass windows that survived WWII. (BB, L, Captain’s Welcome Gala) Note: No inside tours of the cathedral are given on Sundays or Catholic holidays.
Day 3:Koblenz
Featured Excursion: Koblenz walking tour
Cruise along the breathtaking UNESCO World Heritage-designated Upper Middle Rhine Valley with its more than 40 castles and famous Lorelei Rock. Arrive in Koblenz, situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers. Your walking tour will highlight the appeal of Koblenz—its romantic narrow streets and historical squares, the picturesque alleyways and fountains in the old quarter, and the 12th-century churches of St. Florin and Our Lady. (BB, L, D)
Day 4:Cruising the romantic Rhine, Rüdesheim
Featured Excursion: Castle Vollrads wine tasting
Rüdesheim has a long history dating back to Roman times and is considered one of the most charming of the Rhine Valley towns. It has been a magnet for romantics ever since the 19th century. The town is famous for, among other things, the Drosselgasse, a narrow alleyway lined with wine taverns and shops. Explore Rüdesheim at your leisure. Later in the day, be our guest at a princely wine tasting at the prestigious Castle Vollrads, which is perfectly situated in the vineyard-covered hills and is one of the world’s top wine estates for Rheingau Rieslings. (BB, L, D)
Day 5:Speyer
Featured Excursion: Speyer walking tour
Your guided walking tour through Speyer reveals a Medieval town with a grand heritage and a compact historic center dominated by the largest Romanesque cathedral in Europe—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With its basilica laid out in the form of a Latin cross, including four towers and two domes, this is a marvel to behold. (BB, L, D)
Day 6:Strasbourg
Featured Excursion: Strasbourg canal cruise
Situated halfway between Paris and Prague, the Alsatian town of Strasbourg is known as the “Crossroads of Europe.” It is home to a magnificent Gothic cathedral and beautiful half-timbered houses. View Strasbourg in the way it has been seen through the centuries—on a canal cruise. In addition to viewing the town’s covered bridges, Medieval watchtowers, old tanners’ district, and the modern building that houses the European Parliament, you will see Petite France, the picturesque district that seems as if it has been lifted from the pages of a fairytale. (BB, L, D)
Day 7:Strasbourg (Colmar), Breisach
Featured Excursion: Full-day tour along the Alsatian Wine Road
Starting from Medieval Breisach, the gateway to the Alsatian Wine Road, which hugs the foothills of the Vosges Mountains. Charming villages, pastoral landscapes, and lush vineyards producing great white wines line this winding scenic route. You will also see the picturesque timber-framed houses in the romantic Medieval town of Riquewihr. You will visit enchanting Colmar with its Medieval historic center and St. Martin’s Church, which is made of pink stone. (BB, Captain’s Farewell Dinner)
Day 8:Depart Basel
Disembark the ship and transfer to EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg for your flight home, or extend your stay in Lucerne. (CB or BB)
What began as an inspiration, a dream without limitations, is about to become the ship, you’ll never forget. When you step aboard the S.S. Antoinette, you’ll immediately understand why the “S.S.” precedes “Antoinette,” as this appropriately means “Super Ship,” Uniworld’s newest addition to their collection of one-of-a-kind boutique river cruise ships.
Walking onto the S.S. Antoinette, you will immediately feel like you stepped into France’s Château de Versailles during the late 18th century with the character of the past thoughtfully blended with unusual elements creating luxurious elegance with welcoming warmth. A blue Strauss 10-foot Baccarat chandelier with huge sapphires, originally hung in New York’s famed Tavern on the Green, graces the two-story lobby. The finest Brazilian marble adorns the walls and floors and a sparkling 19th-century Venetian glass mirror rests high above the reception desk reflecting an air of grandeur.
Facilities onboard the S.S. Antoinette:
Lavishly appointed riverview staterooms have made-to-order, handcrafted Savoir of England beds draped in fine linens, a vanity, built-in closets, hair dryer, safe, individual climate-control thermostat, direct-dial telephone, flat-screen television with satellite, a safe, and bottled water.
Staterooms and suites on La Princesse deck have full open-air private balconies, which convert to enclosed conservatories; staterooms on La Duchesse deck have French balconies with floor-to-ceiling windows that can be raised or lowered with the touch of a button. Click here to view the one-of-kind balcony on the S.S. Antoinette.
Marble bathrooms with L'Occicitane en Provence bath and body products, backlit magnifying mirrors, plush towels from Christys of England, and cozy waffle bathrobes.
All suites have additional amenties with special butler service, including: packing and unpacking assistance, free laundry service, in-room breakfast, daily fruit and cookie plate, slippers, flat-screen televisions with DVD player, Nespresso coffee machine, refrigerator, shoe shine service, bottle of wine upon arrival, and a special dinner in the Bar du Leopard.
The Royal Suite offers extra benefits, including: entertainment system and flat-screen television with satellite. The bathroom has a separate rain shower and tub, a secluded toilet and bidet area, and towel warmer.
Public areas include:
Le Cinema Pigalle, a state-of-the-art movie theater, the first of its kind in the river cruise industry
Beautiful panoramic main lounge with full-service bar, Salon du Grand Trianon
Elegant Restaurant de Versailles
Comfortable Bar du Leopard or the L'Orangerie Lounge located on the sun deck
Mosaic-tiled and heated swimming pool designed with a sand-white “A” in the middle, which is created by the famous South African mosaic tile artist, Jane du Rand; and underwater music for your enjoyment
Over-sized chess and shuffleboard on the sun deck
Fitness Center
Massage Room
Gift Boutique
Guest Laundry Facility
Elevator
Additional Ship Amenities:
Complimentary 24-hour specialty coffee and tea bar
24-hour reception service
Complimentary of bicycles and Nordic walking sticks
Free Internet access and Wi-Fi in the public areas
About the Le Cinema Pigalle:
Le Cinema Pigalle is a 20-seat movie theater with state-of-the-art flat screen Dolby surround sound and plush seats for comfortable movie viewing. The Le Cinema Pigalle will be introduced on the S.S. Antoinette, Uniworld's new "Super Ship," in March of 2011. Movie lovers can enjoy a varied selection of great films including classics, comedy, adventure, and drama, along with a selection of snacks including popcorn, candy, and even hors d'oeuvres, making going to the movies an even more enjoyable experience. Uniworld Boutique River Cruises is the first river cruise line to offer a movie theater onboard their ships.
Sailing Dates from March- Nov 2012
The Single Supplement Waived offer applies to the following 2012 cruise dates: Mar 25, Apr 1, Jun 3, Jul 29, and Aug 12
*On these dates cruise operates from Amsterdam to Basel.
†Prices exclude additional port charges of $126 and are per person, cruise-only based on double occupancy. Other restrictions may apply.
A limited number of singles are available for an additional supplement.
Prices listed in US dollars.
Travel document shipping/handling fee of $5 per person applies.
Airfare is not included in prices listed above. Please inquire at time of booking for best available airfare pricing.
Prices shown above include cruise in lowest category stateroom.
A limited number of singles are available for an additional supplement.
To upgrade to a higher category, add per person the following prices below:
Category 4$200
Category 3$700
Category 2$925
Category 1$1,275
Suite$1,925
Royal Suite$3,725
Super Ship (S.S.) Antoinette—the most luxurious river cruise ship in the world
Inaugurated: 2011
Length: 443 ft (135 m)
Width: 37.5 ft (11.40 m)
Draft: 6.89 ft (2.10 m)
Number of Decks: 3 + sun deck
Number of Categories: 5
Maximum Passengers: 164
Staterooms: 53 staterooms on La Princesse and La Duchesse Deck (Categories 1 - 3); 20 staterooms on La Countesse Deck (Categories 4 & 5)
With the decrease in the value of the dollar and the high price of fuel the cost of hotels and meals have doubled in European during the last three years. Savy travelers have come to understand that a river cruise offers the best value for a European Vacation. Accommodations, all meals on board and shore excursions are included in the price and some companies even include wine with dinner. Because of this, you do not have to live in fear of the $300 per night hotel bill, the $100 not so wonderful restaurant meal and the $10 cup of coffee with no free refills.Mike Davies
Many people believe that by dealing directly with the cruise line, they cut out the expense of a middleman. But when it comes to cruising, this is never the case. The cruise lines depend on travel agents to sell their product, and so it is the cruise lines who pay the agent's commission, not the customer. The lines also offer agents various extra incentives, bonus commissions and value-added perks, giving the travel agents more pricing leverage and the ability for us to offer you lower rates: There are many superb and well-trained travel agents, but there are not many who know as much as we do about river cruising.
