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If scenery, history, food or wine are on your must-see list, look no further than the Rhine. And chances are high that you'll get a taste of the Rhine River's coolest destinations whether you opt for a short Christmas market cruise or a one- or two-week itinerary. To help you plan your cruise vacation, take a look at some of the best Rhine River cruise destinations and some lesser-known gems you can visit along the way. Christmas markets are the highlight of Europe's winter calendar and Germany forms the heartland of the festive market scene. A Viking river cruise provides the perfect way to soak up history and culture combined with a wonderful yuletide atmosphere. The seasonal celebrations continue back onboard your beautifully decorated Viking Longship where menus showcase seasonal specialties.
Rhine River Cruise Itineraries Vary in Style, Length and Location
On an Adventures by Disney river cruise, families are the only passengers onboard. Programming and excursions are geared toward kids, with a focus on stories rather than history, and activities designed to burn off energy and keep children engaged, such as tobogganing in the Black Forest. The ships also have small pools onboard, so kids can take a break from touring and just have fun (while their parents relax). For starters, all of the major river cruise lines sail the Rhine, from Viking to Uniworld and AmaWaterways. However, the differences between each can make or break your Rhine River cruise experience.
Holiday Magic: Danube Family River Cruise
If you're taking your first vacation on the Rhine take a look at Viking's selection of eight day sailings. They're a great introduction to the region and will leave you wanting to come back for more. Cruises include Viking's Rhine Getaway, which runs between Amsterdam and Basel and sails through captivating landscapes where Dutch windmills and tulip fields make way for German castles and vines. With Tauck, you'll visit this imposing cathedral, along with the nearby Roman Germanic Museum, housing extraordinary exhibits of archaelogical finds from the Köln region.
Where Is the Rhine River? And Other Basics You Should Know - Cruise Critic
Where Is the Rhine River? And Other Basics You Should Know.
Posted: Mon, 02 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Post-Extension: Oslo & Scenic Train
In Amsterdam, dozens of museums beckon, from the Rijksmuseum to the Van Gogh Museum. It’s a romantic route marked by the region’s legendary castles and half-timbered houses, hillside vineyards, and fairy-tale Black Forest landscapes—along with a pass through the dramatic Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Scenic Cruise’s “Christmas on the Rhine” takes the best parts of a typical Rhine river cruise and sprinkles in a little holiday magic. Taking place just once a year from December 21 to 28, this cruise sails during Christmas—a memorable way to observe the holiday. The journey begins in Amsterdam, where guests are invited to take a river canal tour or visit the nearby towns of Alkmaar and Schermerhorn, home to windmills that date back to the 16th century.
Tauck's Rhine River cruises follow this romantic river on its winding journey through medieval towns, cathedrals, castles, and museums, with enchanting river landscapes along the way. European river cruises are especially popular around the holiday season when Christmas markets are in business. Viking's eight-day Christmas on the Rhine cruise between Amsterdam and Basel includes time in Cologne which has seven Christmas markets. A giant twinkling Christmas tree forms the centrepiece of the most famous one held in front of the city’s landmark cathedral.
Viking: Paris to the Swiss Alps
With its fairy-tale castles and picture-perfect scenery, the Rhine is arguably Europe's most romantic river. You can harness that dreamy atmosphere on Uniworld's one-of-a-kind boutique vessels, like the River Queen. Uncork new discoveries as you raise a glass of Riesling on our acclaimed Rhine River cruises through Switzerland, Germany and The Netherlands. See how the Rhine, Main and Moselle river systems unfold to create a spellbinding display of storybook villages, Dutch windmills, German vineyards and splendid UNESCO Sites.
Embrace and celebrate European flair
We wanted them to travel Europe's rivers in the same beyond-the-ordinary Tauck style they experienced on our land trips. With that in mind, we searched to find a company to partner with that would share our values and our commitment to "do the right thing" by our guests... Together, we crafted a river cruise experience that was ahead of its time and inspired by the destinations we explore. We call them Ocean & River Voyages, an innovative marriage of our award-winning river and ocean cruises. Tour highlights of the legendary Rhine River and discover Scandinavian wonders by sea.
Savor the culinary traditions of Alsace and explore Amsterdam, Basel and Cologne. The winter season is an ideal time to visit, with fewer travelers and easier access to landmarks. From cruising rivers in Germany to rivers through France, the Rhine River is the ultimate river cruise experience simply because of the ability to explore multiple countries along one scenic passage. There's almost an embarrassment of riches on the Rhine, where one day offers a chance to explore a Gothic cathedral and the next has you tasting wine in a beautiful vineyard.
Embark in historic Bergen, a city with deep Viking roots, and set off for Norway’s dramatic fjord landscapes, cruising to scenic Flåm, cosmopolitan Stavanger, history-rich Kristiansand and vibrant Oslo. Experience France’s multicultural Strasbourg and Germany’s storied Black Forest before disembarking in cultured Basel. More days means more to discover, with extension packages you can add before or after your Viking cruise or cruisetour.
Return to Breisach or choose an optional excursion to the quaint Alsatian town of Colmar. Arrive in Mannheim and disembark for a tour of Heidelberg to see Germany’s oldest university, founded in 1386. Then, visit the beautiful sandstone ruins of imposing Heidelberg Castle and take in the scenery of the Neckar River Valley and the city’s many red rooftops from this hilltop post. Breisach is the gateway to Germany's dense and mountainous Black Forest -- the fabled setting for the Grimm brothers fairy tale "Hansel and Gretel." Typical shore excursions in this Rhine River destination are equally fantastical.
Approximately 800 miles long, the Rhine River is one of the most important rivers of Europe, as well as one of its most popular rivers to cruise. With its fairytale scenery, complete with beautiful castles, medieval villages, lush vineyards and notable Christmas markets, cruisers have plenty to enjoy on the Rhine River. In Germany, sail past castles commanding the riverbanks, and tour both Marksburg Castle and the ruins of Heidelberg Castle.
The castle is an imposing ensemble of buildings, from different architectural periods, surrounding a central courtyard; from its terrace and gardens, the sweeping views impress along with the feel of more than 600 years of history. Excursions on Emerald's Rhine sailings feature EmeraldACTIVE options, like a hike from Mount Konigstuhl to Heidelberg plus guided bike tours around destinations like the pretty town of Breisach or to the windmills outside Amsterdam. Avalon Waterways was one of the first lines to recognize that not all river cruise passengers want to do the same thing. With that in mind, Avalon offers Active & Discovery itineraries on the Rhine with options to suit both active travelers and those who prefer to explore in a more laid back manner.
Riviera Travel isn't the most widely known cruise provider, but those looking to cruise the Rhine River solo are in luck. On every Riviera sailing a number of double cabins on the lower deck are set aside for single travelers with no single supplement (which is generally charged by cruise lines if you're traveling alone). Additionally, Riviera offers a number of solo-traveler-only itineraries on the Rhine where there is no single supplement on any cabin, including suites. New itineraries for 2024 include an extended 10-night Cologne, the Rhine Gorge & Medieval Germany River Cruise from Cologne to Nuremberg.
Many springtime Rhine sailings around Amsterdam feature bulb sailings past acres of tulips that only enhance the beauty of this destination. You'll want to be out on deck when you cruise into the Rhine River's most picturesque destination, the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. The 40-mile stretch of river between Bingen and Koblenz in Germany is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the banks are lined with more than 40 castles and fortresses. The Rhine River is one of the longest in Europe and the amount of amazing destinations along its banks is extensive.
For about $1,000 less than the closet competitor, Gate 1 Travel manages to be one of the best Rhine River cruises for those watching there budget.
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