Compare The Enchanting Rhine by AMA Waterways vs From Amsterdam to Basel: The Treasures of the Celebrated Rhine River by CroisiEurope
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3.5 | Average
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4.5 | Great
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| Duration | 12 days | 8 days |
| Price From | $ 2,799 | $ 1,613 |
| Price Per Day | $ 233 | $ 202 |
| Highlights |
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CRUISE HIGHLIGHTS
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| Trip Style | River cruise | River cruise |
| Lodging Level | Premium | Premium |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Internal airfare and ground transport included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included |
11 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches and 7 Dinners |
N/A |
| Description |
Enjoy a tour of Amsterdam’s legendary canals, lined with narrow buildings, cafes, and the house where Anne Frank once lived in hiding. Visit Cologne and its majestic Gothic cathedral, then relax on board as you cruise the stunning Rhine River Gorge, lined with ruins of medieval castles and fortresses. Next you’ll experience the university town of Heidelberg before wandering the streets of Strasbourg in Alsace. Conclude your journey amid Switzerland’s snow-capped vistas and cosmopolitan cities with a boat ride across the tranquil waters of Lake Lucerne. |
From Amsterdam to Basel, embark on a cruise rich in history and authenticity. Discover historic monuments through cities such as Haarlem or Colmar and its Unterlinden museum. You can take a stroll to the Arnhem Open Air Museum, which reveals a 100-year-old story.
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Day 1: Arrive In Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Embarkation
Meals: Dinner
Arrive in Amsterdam and board your luxurious river cruise ship. Meet your fellow travelers tonight at the Welcome Dinner.
Day 2: Amsterdam
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
The famous canals of Amsterdam await discovery on your city tour. Begin with a scenic canal cruise and see the tall narrow homes lining the water, the Skinny Bridge, and the house where Anne Frank and her family lived in hiding during WWII. Next, you’ll walk to Begijnhof, known for its historic buildings dating back to the Middle Ages and have some free time to explore. Later, enjoy a panoramic city tour on which you’ll see the Royal Palace, Westerkerk and stop for photos at a Dutch windmill before returning to the ship. This afternoon depart for Germany.
Day 3: Cologne, Germany – Koblenz
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Your guided tour of Cologne this morning includes the Old Town, Cathedral Square, and the city’s majestic Gothic cathedral. Afterwards, you’ll have free time to visit some of the local shops or have a coffee at a quaint café. This afternoon the ship cruises to Koblenz and moors overnight.
Day 4: Rüdesheim
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
This morning, cruise through the picturesque Rhine Gorge, admiring its many castles and fortress ruins and the legendary Lorelei Rock. This afternoon you will arrive in the winemaking town of Rüdesheim where you will have the option to take one of three excursions: wine tasting with a local vintner, a gondola ride above the town to see the Niederwalddenkmal Statue, or a guided bike tour along the Rhine River to one of Germany's best wine regions. Later you’ll have free time to explore the Drosselgasse, the town’s most famous and charming street, a narrow passage lined with shops and taverns. This evening, visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Museum, home to a remarkable collection of old robotic and self-playing musical instruments, or join us for some Rüdesheimer Coffee. The ship sails overnight. (B,L,D)
Day 5: Mannheim – Heidelberg
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Arrive in Mannheim, where you have a choice of one of three excursions this afternoon. Your first option is a half-day excursion to the historic university town of Heidelberg, where you will visit the red-walled castle with its Great Vat (a 49,000-gallon wine cask) and enjoy beautiful views of the Neckar Valley and city below. Or, for your second option, enjoy a hike up the Philosopher's Path to a panoramic view point of Heidelberg. Your third option is a city tour of Speyer one of Germany’s oldest cities, is known for its cathedral, numerous churches and the medieval Altpörtel (Old Gate). This evening, the ship continues onward to Strasbourg, France.
Day 6: Strasbourg, France
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Capital city of France’s Alsace region, Strasbourg is situated on the Rhine at the German border. After arriving this morning, enjoy either a panoramic bus tour or guided bike tour that will take you past the Orangery, the town’s oldest park, the European Parliament and the Place de la Republique. Afterwards, explore on foot with a walking tour of the lovely “La Petite France” neighborhood, where you will see the Gothic cathedral with its famous astronomical clock. You also have the option of exploring Strasbourg on a guided hike that begins at the Orangery and makes its way to the cathedral. The remainder of the day is yours to spend as you wish before the ship departs tonight.
Day 7: Breisach, Germany
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
You have three exciting excursions to choose from today. The first is a walking tour of Riquewihr, a picturesque town renowned for its historic architecture and for its Riesling wines. A second option is a tour of the beautiful towns of Breisach and Freiburg, where you will visit the historical city center and Freiburg’s Münster, a Gothic cathedral constructed of red sandstone. Your third choice is guided bike tour of Breisach that takes you through the Rheinau woods. Tonight, the ship cruises towards Switzerland.
Day 8: Basel, Switzerland - Disembarkation – Lucerne
Meals: Breakfast
Disembark after breakfast for a city tour of cosmopolitan Basel. A longtime center for banking, commerce and trade, Basel’s glorious past is still evident in its medieval Town Hall and exquisite old homes. After free time for lunch on your own, depart for postcard-perfect lakeside city of Lucerne. You will visit the Lion Monument en route, a dramatic sculpture that honors the Swiss Guards who once protected the French kings. Arrive in Lucerne mid-afternoon and check into your hotel.
Day 9: Lucerne
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, enjoy a walking tour of this medieval gem. You will see some of the city’s lovely cobblestone streets, monuments, fountains, public squares, covered bridges and colorful frescoed buildings. The afternoon offers free time to shop for Swiss-made watches, knives and delicious chocolates.
Day 10: Lucerne – Zurich
Meals: Breakfast
This morning, take a leisurely cruise across the tranquil waters of Lake Lucerne to Vitznau, here you will board a motor coach for a scenic drive through the countryside, passing Alpine Lakes and small villages. You will stop in one, Brunnen, where you will have a chance to explore and try local cuisine. Later arrive in Zurich, check into your hotel and spend the rest of the day at your leisure. (B)
Day 11: Zurich
Meals: Breakfast
Your morning city tour of Switzerland’s largest city, Zurich, includes Grossmünster Abbey (which offers exceptional views of Zurich), St. Peter (which boasts the world’s largest church clock face), Old Town, Town Hall and Fraumünster Abbey, home to five world-famous Chagall windows. The afternoon and evening are free for you to explore the town on your own.
Day 12: Depart Zurich
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, bid farewell to Switzerland and prepare for your return flight home.
Day 1 AMSTERDAM or surroundings(3)
Passengers are welcome to board our ship at 6 p.m. After comfortably settling into your cabins, we’ll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail. We'll enjoy dinner on board.
Day 2 AMSTERDAM or surroundings(3)
This morning, we offer two excursions depending on your package.CLASSIC package: Panoramic tour of the city and a visit to a diamond merchant. Amsterdam is one of the most unique and extraordinary cities in the world. Enjoy a highlight tour of all the major sites, including the tallest windmill in the Netherlands, the De Gooyer. We’ll then heading over to the dazzling floating flower market. DISCOVERY package: An off-the-beaten-path bike tour of Amsterdam. We’ll leave on foot to head to the bike rental office. Once equipped, we'll set out on a bike tour to discover places only the locals know about. As we ride, we’ll pass in front of many famous monuments and sites, including Dam Square, the Royal Palace, the Anne Frank House, Nieuwmarkt, the Rembrandt House Museum, and much more!This afternoon, join us for an excursion for both packages: A visit to the Keukenhof Gardens.(1)(only on pre-booking before departure) Tour the beautiful spring gardens at your own pace. Don’t forget to visit the Orchid House, the Japanese Garden, and the 19th-century windmill on the edge of the tulip fields! Keukenhof also contains the works of 25 artists. To make your visit more active, you can take a boat trip through the fields or bike ride through the surrounding area.During the off-season, we’ll visit Haarlem instead.We’ll return on board in Amsterdam. Join us for an evening of dancing in the lounge. Our ship will cruise to Nijmegen overnight.
Day 2 AMSTERDAM or surroundings(3)
This morning, join us for the excursions proposed:CLASSIC: Guided panoramic tour of Amsterdam.DISCOVERY: Bike tour of Amsterdam in search of its most secret and unique locations.In the afternoon, join us on an excursion for both packages: Visit the Keukenhof Gardens(1)(only on pre-booking before departure). Outside the opening dates of the park, guided tour of Haarlem.We'll return on board in Amsterdam for an evening of dancing. Our ship will cruise to Nijmegen through the night.
Day 3 NIJMEGEN
Join us on an excursion for both packages: A visit to the Netherlands Open-Air Museum in Arnhem. This national museum focuses on the everyday life of Dutch people throughout the country’s history and includes old homes, farms, and factories from different regions. You can stroll through the attraction at your own pace or take the authentic trams.Our ship will cruise to Cologne overnight. Enjoy an evening of entertainment on board.
Day 3 NIJMEGEN
This morning, join us on an excursion for both packages: Guided tour of the open-air museum in Arnhem.Our ship will cruise to Cologne overnight. Enjoy an evening of entertainment.
Day 4 COLOGNE - KOBLENZ
Join us on an excursion for both packages: Guided tour of Cologne, the crossroads of Europe since the Middle Ages. We’ll see the immense, Gothic cathedral—the tallest twin-spire church in the world and the most visited landmark in Germany. We'll then head over to the Old Town to stroll the streets and pass in front of the famous Farina Fragrance Museum. Our ship will start to cruise up the Rhine to Koblenz early this morning. Enjoy a stroll to see the famous Deutsches Eck.
Day 4 COLOGNE - KOBLENZ
Join us on an excursion for both packages: Guided tour of Cologne. Our cruise will then continue along the Rhine to Koblenz. In the evening, enjoy a stroll to see the famous Deutsches Eck.
Day 5 KOBLENZ - MAINZ
We’ll cruise to Mainz in the early morning, traveling through the magnificent Rhine Valley.Excursion for both packages: Tour of Mainz and the Gutenberg Museum. This tour on foot will take us to the city’s magnificent cathedral. We’ll then stroll down the picturesque streets of the Old City to the Gutenberg Museum.Join us for an evening of dancing in the lounge. Our ship will begin to cruise to Strasbourg.
Day 5 KOBLENZ - MAINZ
We'll cruise up the most beautiful part of the Rhine River all the way to Mainz. Join us for the excursion for both packages: Guided tour of Mainz and the Gutenberg Museum.Enjoy an evening of dancing after dinner. Our ship will cruise to Strasbourg through the night.
Day 6 STRASBOURG - BREISACH
We’ll arrive in Strasbourg in the afternoon.Excursion for both packages: Boat tour of Strasbourg and a visit to its cathedral (only on pre-booking before departure). Like many European cities, Strasbourg has a striking mix of architecture that includes a broad range of traditional structures next to bold modern designs.After our excursion, we’ll return on board the ship. Our ship will begin to cruise to Breisach. Tonight is our festive gala evening.
Day 6 STRASBOURG - BREISACH
We'll arrive in Strasbourg in the afternoon. Excursion for both packages: Boat tour of Strasbourg and a visit to its cathedral (only on pre-booking before departure).We'll return on board after our tour and cruise to Breisach. Tonight's our gala dinner and evening.
Day 7 BREISACH - BASEL
This afternoon, join us for an excursion for both packages: A guided tour of Colmar and the Unterlinden Museum.(2) Colmar is a colorful city bursting with Alsatian charm. We’ll spend time in the romantic Little Venice neighborhood before visiting the Unterlinden Museum. The museum exhibits span 7,000 years—from prehistoric times to modern art. The most regarded masterpiece in its collection is the polyptych by artists Niclaus of Haguenau and Grünewald.We’ll begin to cruise to Basel. Join us for dinner and an evening of entertainment.
Day 7 BREISACH - BASEL
This afternoon, join us on an excursion for both packages: Guided tour of Colmar and the Unterlinden Museum(2).Afterwards, we'll cruise to Basel. Enjoy an evening of entertainment.
Day 8 BASEL
Enjoy one last buffet breakfast on board before disembarking at 9:00 a.m. End of our services.
