This 8-day voyage aboard the River Empress is an ideal holiday for castle lovers. Sail along the Rhine river and marvel at castles that were once mighty fortresses and get an insider’s look at one of the only castles on the Rhine that has never been destroyed, Marksburg Castle. Visit historic cities, including ancient Cologne and picturesque Strasbourg; stroll through the fairytale town of Rüdesheim; and taste delightful white wines in the villages where the grapes are grown. The spires of medieval churches and castles appear around each bend in the river, and vineyards climb the verdant hillsides.
Select departures operate in reverse (Amsterdam to Basel)
Highlights
Explore the the capital of Alsatian wines, Breisach on a guided tour
Enjoy a visit the Romanesque cathedral, a UNESCO world heritage site in Speyer
Experience Koblenz, a historic town with a colorful past and eclectic architecture
Walk through Strasbourg and experience its historic core as the locals do
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Breisach is your gateway to the Alsatian wine road and your launching point for one of two excursions along the celebrated Route des Vins, which hugs the foothills of the Vosges mountain range. You can visit Kaysersberg and Riquewihr, two of the most picturesque villages in the region, or take a tour of the larger town of Colmar, the capital of Alsatian wines.
Choice of Alsatian “Village Day” or Colmar city tour
This morning, enjoy leisure time as you sail the scenic Upper Rhine to Breisach. A special Captain’s Welcome Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you this evening.
Today you will see Strasbourg on foot with an insightful local expert, where this historic town with its cobbled lanes, half-timbered homes, giant stork nests and impossible-to-resist pastry shops will win your heart. Kehl, directly across the river from Strasbourg, will be your ship’s base while you explore the Alsatian capital.
Choice of “Do as the Locals Do” Strasbourg walking tour or Strasbourg panoramic tour with cathedral and Old Town walk
You have the entire afternoon to see more of Strasbourg on your own.
Speyer—“spire” in English—is well named, since the four red towers of the Romanesque cathedral dominate the Old Town. You can wander through this beautiful city with an expert guide.
Choice of Speyer walking tour or Private Doktorenhof vinegar estate visit and tasting.
A perfect day for you to experience Germany’s fabled Rhine River in one of two ways—an exclusive tasting of estate-grown Rieslings at Castle Vollrads or take the long way shoreward from the Germania monument with a vineyard hike.
Featured Excursion: Boppard village stroll
Choice of Castle Vollrads wine tasting or “Let's Go” hike from Rüdesheim to Assmanshausen
This morning, you’ll cruise out of Rüdesheim and into the sublimely beautiful and romantic Upper Middle Rhine Valley.
Get to know Koblenz, a historic town with a colorful past and eclectic architecture, and enjoy a visit to the stunningly medieval Marksburg Castle. As you come upon picture-perfect Koblenz, you’ll sail past Deutsches Eck (German Corner) with its historic monument to Kaiser Wilhelm I.
Featured Excursion: “Let's Go” bike the castles
Choice of Koblenz walking tour or Marksburg Castle visit
History buffs will enjoy an expertly led tour through Cologne’s Old Town, where three medieval gates remain standing, as does the old city hall with its Renaissance façade. Wander through the city’s historical center and take in its charming atmosphere, narrow alleyways flanked by old houses and countless breweries. No matter how you choose to explore Old Town, you’ll also have ample free time to explore on your own.
Featured Excursion: Cologne walking tour with Old Town visit
In the evening, a special Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you.
Day 8: Amsterdam | Disembark
1 Breakfast
This morning, you will disembark the ship, and transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
$3,9992-3 travelers
Rates are dynamic and fluctuate based on capacity. Contact us for a specific quote.
Please confirm embark/disembark locations before reserving flights, as this itinerary operates in reverse on alternating departures.
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Classic
Magnificently appointed riverview stateroom located on the Moselle Deck (151 sq ft - 14 sq m) . Handcrafted Savoir Beds of England, built-in closet, safe, hairdryer, individual thermostat, flat TV screen, and bottled water. Marble bathroom with Asprey bath and body products, plush towels, backlit magnifying mirror, cozy bathrobes, and slippers.
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Deluxe
Sumptuously appointed riverview stateroom located on the Danube and Main Deck (151 sq ft - 14 sq m) . Handcrafted Savoir Beds of England, built-in closet, safe, hairdryer, individual thermostat, flat TV screen, and bottled water. Marble bathroom with Asprey bath and body products, plush towels, backlit magnifying mirror, cozy bathrobes, and slippers.
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French Balcony
Luxuriant appointed riverview stateroom located on the Rhine Deck (151 sq ft - 14 sq m) with a French balcony. Handcrafted Savoir Beds of England, built-in closet, safe, hairdryer, individual thermostat, flat TV screen, and bottled water. Marble bathroom with Asprey bath and body products, plush towels, backlit magnifying mirror, cozy bathrobes, and slippers.
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Suite
Lavishly appointed riverview suite located on the Rhine Deck (214 sq ft - 20 sq m) with a French balcony. Handcrafted Savoir Beds of England, built-in closet, safe, hairdryer, individual thermostat, flat TV screen, and bottled water. Marble bathroom with Hermès bath and body products, plush towels, towel warmer, waffle bathrobes, and slippers. Additional special amenities and services.
Notes
Please Note: Fares are capacity controlled and are subject to change at any time without notice.
- All fares are per guest in US Dollars based on double occupancy unless otherwise noted.
- Single Supplement applies for single accommodation. Solo occupancy pricing is dependent on cabin type, contact us for details.
Initial deposit is 15% of cruise fare plus any additional port charges, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 130 days prior to departure by Check or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge
Everything was amazing! The planning with Adventure Life went smoothly. The actual trip was fantastic! One of the best trips I have experienced. The cruise staff members were knowledgeable and attentive. I will be writing more about this on the blog!
Justin Chappelle
TrustScore 4.8 | 176 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 176 reviews on
9 hours ago
Adventure Life is always an excellent choice when planning complicated, extreme, or exotic vacations or expeditions. They provide friendly professional services and advice and are enthusiastic and encouraging in helping us to prepare and thoroughly enjoy our trip. They handle all the details which greatly reduces the stress of planning a difficult trip. I'm very impressed with Adventure Life and definitely recommend them to friends and family.
Scott Trochim
2 days ago
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
4 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
5 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.