Tour Type:River Cruise Tour Duration:13 Days (12 Nights) From:Amsterdam toBasel Tour Code:UNILRM Operator:Uniworld
from AU $4,300 pp
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River Cruise Description
Starting off in vibrant, canal-lined Amsterdam, you will stroll south on the path of historic legends, sailing the fabled Rhine River Valley and the Rhine's breathtaking tributary, the meandering, romantic Moselle. Be enchanted by scenery of sylvan woods, ancient Roman ruins, and vineyards where vines cling bravely to spectacularly steep slopes. Step into the pages of fairytales as you visit postcard-perfect towns such as Koblenz, Cochem, Trier, Bernkastel, Rüdesheim, Strasbourg, and Colmar. Travel to five amazing countries - the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, France, and Switzerland - all rich in UNESCO World Heritage sites. And all along the way, savour excellent wines and distinctive local cuisine, sampling the best these regions have to offer. Who will enjoy this cruise: Connoisseurs of food and wine will enjoy hearty meals, delicate pastries, fine chocolates, and full-bodied Rieslings. Art aficionados and nature lovers will treasure an abundance of distinctive architecture and spectacular natural scenery.
Included Features
12-night cruise in a riverview stateroom on the regal River Queen
All meals onboard, prepared using the finest and freshest ingredients
12 breakfasts, 11 lunches, 12 dinners
Captain’s Welcome Gala and Farewell Dinners
Complimentary fine wines, choice of beer and soft drinks during lunch and dinner onboard; replenished bottled water in your stateroom; and 24-hour specialty coffee and tea bar
15 excursions, including 2 “Choice Is Yours” options, fully hosted by English-speaking local guides
An experienced Cruise Manager and attentive, all English-speaking staff
State-of-the-art Quietvox portable audio headset system on all shore excursions
Use of bicycles and Nordic walking sticks throughout your cruise
Captivating onboard local entertainment
Signature Lecture: “The Roman Empire along the Rhine and Moselle”
Amsterdam
Arrive at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport where you will be transferred to the ship. (D)
Day 2
Amsterdam Featured Excursions: Amsterdam city tour, including canal cruise, with choice of Rijksmuseum OR Van Gogh Museum visit.
Experience the highlights of Amsterdam on a city tour and canal cruise, and then visit the world-famous Rijksmuseum or the Van Gogh Museum, the latter of which houses not only the largest collection of this modern Dutch master’s work, but also works by an impressive selection of artists who influenced or were influenced by him. (BB/L/Captain’s Welcome Gala)
Day 3
Cologne Featured Excursions: Cologne walking tour and Roman- Germanic Museum visit.
Stroll through Old Town’s streets to the fascinating Roman- Germanic Museum. Note: On Mondays, the Roman-Germanic Museum is closed; it will be replaced with a visit to UNESCO-designated Cologne Cathedral instead. (BB/L/D)
Day 4
Koblenz Featured Excursion: Koblenz walking tour.
Amble through picturesque Koblenz, learning from your guide this town’s history and importance to the region. (BB/L/D)
Day 5
Cochem (Ediger-Eller) Featured Excursions: Cochem walking tour, Reichsburg Castle, and Ediger-Eller wine tasting.
History comes to life in Cochem’s half-timbered houses and Gothic Reichsburg Castle. Enjoy a guided tour of the castle followed by a walking tour through Old Town. Later in the day, you will take a motorcoach to Ediger-Eller, where you will be greeted by the town Mayor, who will act as your host for the duration of your visit. Stroll with the Mayor through the cobblestone streets towards the church for a short organ recital. Join the Mayor in savouring three wines indigenous to this region along with a special snack prepared just for you at a local inn. (BB/L/D)
Day 6
Konz/Trier (Luxembourg) Featured Excursion: Luxembourg and WWII cemetery.
Your guided tour of the independent sovereign state of Luxembourg includes viewing Our Lady Cathedral, the Grand Ducal Palace, and a WWII cemetery that is the resting place of General Patton. (BB/L/D)
Day 7
Trier / Konz, cruising the Moselle River Featured Excursion: Trier city tour.
No German city has more monuments from Roman times than UNESCO-designated Trier. Follow your guide to the Roman Imperial Baths, the Porta Nigra, and Emperor Constantine’s Throne Room. In the afternoon, sail the Moselle River, origin of some of the world’s most delicious Riesling wines. (BB/L/D)
Day 8
Bernkastel Featured Excursions: Bernkastel walking tour and wine tasting.
Discover Bernkastel with its more than 500 years of winemaking history, beautiful vineyards, and picturesque market square. Savor the area’s fine Rieslings at the renowned wine estate of Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler. In the afternoon, take in the fascinating scenery of Europe’s steepest vineyards, which line the banks of the winding Moselle River. (BB/L/D)
Day 9
Boppard, cruising the romantic Rhine River, Rüdesheim Featured Excursion: Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Museum.
Take a guided morning stroll in Boppard before cruising the spectacular Upper Middle Rhine Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With its vine-filled slopes and its 40 or so castles strung like pearls along the river banks, this is the perfect example of the romantic Rhine. In Rüdesheim, visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Museum, which showcases a unique collection of self-playing musical instruments. (BB/L/D)
Day 10
Speyer Featured Excursion: Speyer walking tour.
Be guided through Old Town to the grand Speyer Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The first churches in the city date to the sixth century and the foundation for the cathedral was laid in 1030. (BB/L/D)
Day 11
Strasbourg Featured Excursion: Strasbourg canal cruise.
Admire picturesque Strasbourg the way it has been admired through the ages—on a canal cruise; you will feel like you are in a fairytale as you glide amongst the city’s beautiful half-timbered houses. (BB/L/Captain’s Farewell Dinner)
Day 12
Breisach (Colmar), Basel Featured Excursion: Choice of Colmar city tour OR Alsatian wine villages.
Visit enchanting Colmar with its winding old streets, Medieval city center, and St. Martin Church, which is made of pink stone. Or choose to visit the picturesque wine villages of Kayserberg and Riquewhir. (BB/L/D)
Day 13
Depart Basel
Disembark the ship and transfer to EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg for your flight home, or extend your stay in lovely Amsterdam. (CB or BB)
This itinerary is based on 2012 departures. Click on the icon if you would like to view an electronic version of the brochure online. There may be some amendments to this itinerary on 2013 departures. To view the preview 2013 brochure click here.
13 Day Legendary Rhine & Moselle Reviews
Tour reviews from past clients of Global Journeys.
1 Reviews,
Average Rating 5.0
of 5.
We had a fantastic holiday. The cruise was wonderful. The Uniworld cruise was so relaxing which was exactly what my husband and I both needed. The food was exceptional as were the people we met. If they need to improve anything then perhaps they could have some more night entertainment. They had a piano player playing every night, whereas most cruises offer much more. The piano player was very talented and kept us all entertained. However a change of entertainment would have been nice. The tour director was lovely as were the guides. All in all a great cruise.
Maureen & Michael King (Australia) Tour Date 05/09/2011
River Cruise Prices
Cruise prices are per person. Please request a quote for tour availability.
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Note:
All departures above are guaranteed to depart. Single prices available, please request.
We will check the availability of your departure in your quote along with all applicable cruise specials.
Note:
All departures above are guaranteed to depart. Single prices available, please request.
We will check the availability of your departure in your quote along with all applicable cruise specials.
The prices on our site are land only prices. If you would like to include flights with your quote, then we have some amazing specials for you to take advantage of!
Flight specials only apply for clients booking this tour from Global Journeys. Terms & Conditions apply and full details will be provided in your quote.
General Information
The information below relates to this itinerary only.
Cruise Operator: Uniworld
Uniworld presents an unrivalled river cruise program with unique itineraries and superb five-star inclusions. Travel onboard intimate, luxurious ships with a maximum of 134 guests - fewer guests than any other river cruise company in Europe. With one highly trained staff member for every three guests and expert onboard hotel management, Uniworld are able to deliver a guest satisfaction rate of 98%.
We have a dedicated section on our website providing more detailed information on Uniworld including FAQ's on what you need to know before, during and after your travel; as well fleet information, deck plans, and a comprehensive search facility to enable you to easily find more of their cruises. Read more> (Note: This link will take you away from this tour itinerary page).
It does not matter which direction you choose, as each direction contains the same included features. Timings of activities may, of course, vary a little due to cruising times up- or downstream, but you will not see or do more in one direction than in the other.
During the day, comfortable, casual attire is appropriate. The weather in Europe can be very changeable, so take a sweater or windproof jacket and an umbrella. Comfortable walking shoes are also recommended for excursions. Evenings are a little dressier. Gentlemen may wish to wear a jacket to the Captain's dinner. You'll find average temperatures listed on each of the cruises on our website.
Our ships accommodate between 100 and 138 guests. They are generally 360 feet long (110 meters), and 37.5 feet wide (11.4 meters). The draft is approximately 4 feet (1.2 meters). There are typically 34 crew members aboard. We have a dedicated section on our website providing more detailed information each ship. Read more> (Note: This link will take you away from this tour itinerary page).
Magnetic key cards have been introduced on the River Empress, River Countess and River Duchess. The magnetic card functions as your cabin key, your onboard charge card, and your ID card for boarding. Passengers swipe the cards as they disembark and embark, enabling our staff to keep track of everyone onboard. Our ships were the first - and are still the only - river cruise ships to offer this convenience. The River Empress, River Countess and River Duchess offer guests the convenience of checking and sending e-mails. On the River Princess, River Queen, River Empress, River Duchess and River Countess, each guest is provided with a terry cloth robe in their cabin. Our ships have one of the largest fitness centres aboard any river cruise ship. There is also a sauna and a steam room on the River Princess, River Queen, River Empress, River Duchess and River Countess.
Sumptuous buffets at breakfast and lunch offer an extensive array of hot and cold selections. Breakfast features crispy Belgian waffles topped with whipped cream and warm maple syrup, a dozen or more homemade breads and jams, an omelette station, and hand-cut seasonal fresh fruit.
Lunch offers a delectable feast with salads, soups, carved-to-order roasts, and more. Evenings provide exquisite ambience with relaxed open seating. Each dish is flawlessly prepared using the finest ingredients—local meats and seafood along with tasty side dishes. Always included with dinner onboard are European fine wines and a selection of beer and soft drinks served by an attentive, caring staff. Of course, every meal concludes with a wide range of freshly prepared, decadent desserts that look every bit as delicious as they taste.
Uniworld also provides a variety of dining experiences including: al fresco “under the stars” and light-lunch dining—both on the sun deck; Captain's Welcome Gala and Farewell Dinner; early-riser breakfast; and afternoon tea. Plus, Uniworld gives you the choice of dining on lighter cuisine with our Traveling Lite menu.
The ships are not handicapped or wheelchair accessible. There are elevators on the River Princess, River Queen, River Countess, River Duchess, and River Empress. On the River Queen, the elevator does not reach all decks. Additionally, most shore excursions involve some walking. Some excursions are walking cruises only, and several occur on cobblestone streets.
Tips & gratuities including the customary end-of-trip gratuity/tip for the cruise/tour manager, crew onboard and local guides for the included shore excursions are included in the price of your trip (excluding Optional Excursions). Europe & Russia cruises only.
Magnetic key cards have been introduced on the River Countess, River Duchess, and River Empress. The magnetic card functions as your cabin key, your onboard charge card, and your ID card for boarding. Passengers swipe the cards as they disembark and embark, enabling our staff to keep track of everyone onboard. Our ships were the first - and are still the only - river cruise ships to offer this convenience.
On other ships all purchases and paid services on board
are billed with a guest check and added to your shipboard account.
At the end of the cruise, you will receive a total, which can be paid
with cash or credit card. The ships do not accept payments made
by Diners Club cards. The onboard currency is the Euro. View individual ships here.
It depends; in many places you will dock within walking distance to the city center, but there are places where the river only touches the outskirts of a town (i.e. Bamberg or Nuremberg), and thus a motorcoach transfer is necessary.
Arrival & Departure Information
Transfers
Transfers to/from airports will be provided only for flights arriving/departing on the start/finish day of the cruise (and for extensions/extra nights). There may be a waiting period of up to 2 hours or more unless private car transfers have been purchased. The following time limits apply:
Arrival
Departure
Europe
7am - 3pm
7am - 5pm
Extensions
24 hours
24 hours
Extra Nights
24 hours
24 hours
Passenger flight details must be given to Global Journeys 45 days prior to departure. If your flight arrangements arrive/depart outside of the above you may purchase a private car transfer from Uniworld or make your own transfer arrangements. Uniworld will not be responsible for late arrivals or missed transfers due to delayed or cancelled flights, for missed cruise/trip days or for extra costs resulting from the foregoing.
Boarding Time
On turnaround day, the entire ship must be cleaned in preparation for your arrival. The facilities of the ship, including your cabin, will not be available before 4pm. We appreciate your understanding on this matter. Should you arrive early, you may leave your bags in the Reception area and take a walk into the city, or relax in the lounge.
Terms & Conditions:
Yep, all the boring small print! We still recommend you read it all though, as no one likes surprises. Click here to read them now - they will open in a new window, or print them off to read over later with a cup of coffee!