Arrive in Amsterdam where you’ll be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to the ship. (D)
DAY 3:
Cologne
Featured Excursion: Cologne walking tour and cathedral visit
You’ll meet up with your guide on the pier and begin your walking tour. Stroll through the narrow streets of Old Town, passing by tiny squares and little churches as you make your way to the 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 glass windows that survived WWII. (BB, L, Captain’s Welcome Dinner) Note: On Sundays and Catholic holidays, guided tours inside the cathedral will not be possible.
DAY 4:
Cologne and Koblenz
Featured Excursion: Koblenz walking tour
Irresistible Optional Tour: Enjoy a visit to Marksburg Castle, the best-preserved castle on the Rhine, with wine tasting.
Arrive in Koblenz, situated on the beautiful corner at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle. Your guided 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 5:
Koblenz and Rudesheim
Featured Excursion: Castle Vollrads wine tasting
Irresistible Optional Tour: Rüdesheim dinner and entertainment
Departing in the morning from Koblenz to Rüdesheim, you’ll sail along one of the most beautiful sections of the Rhine, the scenic 40 miles of the upper Middle Rhine Valley declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. With its vine-filled slopes, its more than 40 castles strung like pearls along the riverbank’s ledges, and the famous Lorelei Rock, the gorge is the perfect embodiment of the romantic Rhine. Rüdesheim has a long history dating back to Roman times, and is considered one of the most charming of the Rhine Valley ports of call. The town is famous for, among other things, its long avenue of shops and wine bars, the Drosselgasse. Enjoy the first part of the afternoon exploring the town on your own, and then join us for a visit to the prestigious Castle Vollrads. It is perfectly situated in the vineyard-covered hills, and is ranked as one of the world’s top wine estates for its Rheingau Rieslings. Join us for a unique wine tasting at the castle. (BB, L, D)
DAY 6:
Speyer
Featured Excursion: Speyer walking tour
Irresistible Optional Tour: Heidelberg with visit to the castle and lunch at a historic restaurant
Your guided walking tour through Speyer reveals a medieval town with a grand heritage and a compact historical 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, and including four towers and two domes. (BB, L, D)
DAY 7:
Strasbourg
Featured Excursion: Strasbourg canal cruise
Irresistible Optional Tour: Haute Königsburg
See 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 and modern building that houses the European Parliament, you will see “Petite France,” a picturesque district that seems as if it has been lifted from the pages of a fairy tale. (BB, L, D)
DAY 8:
Strasbourg, Breisach (Colmar)
Featured Excursion: Full-day tour along the Alsatian Wine Road
Leaving Strasburg we head for a famous road, the Alsatian wine route, which hugs the foothills of the Vosges Mountains. Charming villages and lush vineyards, producing great white wines, line this winding scenic route. Stops in the Medieval town of Colmar and the picturesque village of Riquewihr are included. Experience the charm of medieval Colmar in its historic center and the picturesque timber-framed houses in the village of Riquewihr. (BB, Captain’s Farewell Dinner)
DAY 9:
Basel (disembark), transfer to airport
Disembark the ship and transfer to the airport in Basel for your flight home.
Inaugurated: 1997
Refurbished: 2005
Length: 110 m (360 ft)
Width: 11.40 m (37.5 ft)
Draft: 1.20 m (4 ft)
Number of Decks: 2 plus sundeck
Number of Cabins: 66 double cabins; no suites; no single, no triple
*On these dates cruise operates from Amsterdam to Basel. †Prices exclude additional port charges of $98 and a cruise fuel surcharge of $00 and are per person, cruise-only, based on double occupancy. Other restrictions may apply. A limited number of singles may be available in certain categories on certain vessels for an additional supplement. Please inquire. To upgrade to a higher category, add per person the following prices below:
Category 2 $250 Category 1 $500
Our inviting hotel-style beds are draped with the finest European-style comforters and duvets, soft 100% Egyptian combed cotton sheets, and wool/ cashmere blended throws. A choice of pillows, including down-filled, ensure a restful night’s sleep. Private bathrooms stocked with soothing aromatherapy bath amenities and a cozy robe add a touch of luxury. Soft, thick towels from Christies of Manchester – the oldest and most renowned towel maker in Europe – wrap you in warmth.
Call 800-640-4899 for early booking discounts and Free cruises for groups
*On these dates cruise operates from Amsterdam to Basel. †Prices exclude additional port charges of $98 and are per person, cruise-only based on double occupancy. Other restrictions may apply.
To upgrade to a higher category, add per person the following prices below:
Category 2
$250
Category 1
$500
A limited number of singles may be available in certain categories on certain vessels for an additional supplement. Please inquire.
SAVE $300 per couple on select 2010 Cruises
BOOK AND DEPOSIT on or before November 30, 2009 to SAVE $500 per couple ($250 per person) off select cruise itineraries.
SAVE $900 per couple on select 2010 Cruises
PAY-IN-FULL at time of booking on or before September 30, 2009 to SAVE $1,000 per couple ($500 per person) off cruise or cruise & air rates on category 1 staterooms.
SAVE $600 per couple on select 2010 Cruises
PAY-IN-FULL at time of booking on or before September 30, 2009 to SAVE $700 per couple ($350 per person) off cruise or cruise & air rates on category 2, and 3 staterooms.
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.
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.
