RHINE RIVER CRUISE ITINERARY
(with optional land program)

DAY 1, DEPART USA
Board your overnight flight to Amsterdam, Holland.

DAY 2, ARRIVE IN AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND – EMBARKATION
Arrive in charming Amsterdam and embark your luxurious river cruise ship. Meet your fellow travelers tonight at the Welcome Cocktail Reception. (B)

DAY 3, AMSTERDAM
After breakfast, admire beautiful 17th-century homes, charming churches and 16th-century merchant houses on a guided canal boat tour. Then take a motor coach tour of Amsterdam, including a photo stop at the Rembrandt Windmill, followed by free time in Amsterdam. Enjoy an information briefing as you cruise towards Germany. Tonight you'll be a guest at the Captain's Welcome Dinner. (B,L,D)

DAY 4, COLOGNE, GERMANY
Arrive in Cologne for a guided morning walking tour through the old part of the city and a visit to the fabled 13th-century Gothic cathedral. (B,L,D)

DAY 5, KOBLENZ - RÜDESHEIM
Today, you can choose to visit the Koblenz Flower Show. This special event taking place through October features 120 acres of magnificent floral displays, exhibitions and events. Exhibit grounds include the hilltop Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, which you will visit. In the alternative, you can remain on board to sail through the fascinating Rhine Gorge, passing castle after castle and the infamous Lorelei Rock. After lunch, arrive in Rüdesheim, where you will enjoy an afternoon wine tasting with a local vintner. Explore the Drosselgasse, a narrow alley lined with wine taverns and restaurants during your free time. In the evening, visit Siegfried's Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum. The ship overnights here. (B,L,D)

DAY 6, WORMS – HEIDELBERG
This morning, arrive in one of Germany’s oldest cities, Worms, renowned for its great historical and cultural significance. Surrounded by lush vineyards, Worms is noteworthy for its famous white wine, Liebfraumilch, and as a location described in the ancient Nibelungenlied (The Song of the Nibelungs), an epic poem from the Middle Ages. The city is also known for its many excellent examples of Romanesque architecture, including the majestic 12th-century St. Peter’s Cathedral. During your tour, visit the impressive monument to Martin Luther and other leaders of the Reformation along the “Luther Trail.” You will also see the 11th-century “Heiliger Sand,” one of the largest and oldest Jewish cemeteries in Europe with some tombstones dating back nearly a millennium. As an alternative to a walking tour of Worms, experience this fascinating city on a guided bike tour. Your tour will take you through the Jewish district, past the Martin Luther Memorial, Worms Cathedral and the Jewish Cemetery. After lunch, disembark for your excursion to Heidelberg, where you will visit the red-walled Castle, with its Great Vat, a 49,000-gallon 18th-century wine cask and beautiful views of the Neckar Valley and Heidelberg below. (B,L,D)

DAY 7, STRASBOURG, FRANCE
Capital and principal city of the Alsace region in northeastern France, Strasbourg is situated on the Ill River, where it flows into the Rhine on the border with Germany. Enjoy a canal cruise, revealing the picturesque town, known for its black and white timber-framed buildings, covered bridges and medieval watchtowers. Then take a tour through this charming town lined with narrow cobbled streets. See the European Parliament and visit the “La Petite France” district, where you will see the sandstone Gothic Cathedral with its famous astronomical clock. The remainder of the day is at your leisure. Take a guided bicycle tour (capacity controlled) or stroll through Strasbourg’s historic city center, the “Grande Île” (“Grand Island”), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, or sample the local cuisine and wine that merges the best of French and German influences. A shuttle bus will run from the ship to the town during the afternoon. The ship moors overnight. (B,L,D)

DAY 8, BREISACH – COLMAR, FRANCE OR BLACK FOREST TOUR
Today, choose between a city tour of Colmar or a tour through the famous Black Forest region of Germany. On the Black Forest tour, enjoy your drive through a scenic forested area where you will encounter a number of lakes as well as charming examples of rural architecture. Your tour will include a stop at a cuckoo clock factory. As an alternative choose to travel to medieval Colmar, situated along the Alsatian Wine Route and the self-proclaimed “Capital of Alsatian Wine.” During your city tour, you will see remarkable half-timbered framed houses; the German influenced old quarter filled with streets of unexpected twists and turns; canals and the Launch River. You will also enjoy a wine cellar visit and wine tasting. Late tonight, the ship set sails for Basel, Switzerland. (B,L,D)

DAY 9, BASEL, SWITZERLAND – DISEMBARK – LUCERNE
Disembark after breakfast for a city tour of cosmopolitan Basel. Switzerland’s second largest city is ideally located at the crossroads of Switzerland, France and Germany. Long an important university, banking and trade center, Basel’s glorious past is still evident in its medieval Town Hall and exquisite 18th-century patrician homes. After free time for lunch on your own, depart for Lucerne. You will visit the Lion Monument en route and arrive mid-afternoon to check in to the hotel. (B)

DAY 10, LUCERNE
Situated on Lake Lucerne, the city is a medieval gem. After breakfast, enjoy a walking tour that will explore some of the city’s famous cobblestone streets, monuments, fountain-embellished public squares, covered bridges and colorful frescoed buildings. The afternoon offers free time to shop for watches, knives and world-famous chocolates. Or, you can join the optional tour and cable car ride to the top of Mount Pilatus, the mountain which dominates the city. The return trip from the mountain will be via a cograil train. (B)

DAY 11, LUCERNE – ZÜRICH
Enjoy a free morning in Lucerne before checking out of your hotel. Afterwards, you will cruise across the tranquil waters of Lake Lucerne to Vitznau. Upon arrival in Vitznau, you will board a motor coach for a scenic drive to Zurich, where you will check into the hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure. (B)

DAY 12, ZÜRICH
Your morning walking tour of picturesque Zürich will include Grossmünster, St.Peter, with the largest church clock face in the world, Old Town, Town Hall and Fraumünster, which was fully renovated in 2004 and now offers an exceptional 360° panoramic view of Zürich. The afternoon and evening is free for you to explore the town on your own. Perhaps, return to the Old Town, which offers engaging cafés, restaurants and a wealth of nightlife, or shop along Bahnhofstrasse and Niederdorf. (B)

DAY 13, ZÜRICH
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your return flight home. (B)

Port Charges: $147 per person

Single Supplement for Cruise: 50% of twin price; Jr. Suites 100% of twin price.

NOTE: Please select bedding configuration at the time of booking.

The choices are:
Choice A: Two twin beds
Choice B: One large bed (larger than queen size)