Jewels of the Rhine

Upon arrival, an Emerald Cruises representative will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your ship, where the welcoming captain and crew will be ready to receive you. This evening, enjoy dinner on board with your fellow guests.

Please book your flight to arrive into Zurich prior to 01:00 PM.

As part of your enriching EmeraldPLUS program today, visit Freiburg, often called the ‘Capital of the Black Forest’. Explore its charming landmarks and enjoy a tasting of traditional Black Forest specialties. Alternatively, if you prefer a more active experience, opt for a guided bike tour through Breisach.

EmeraldPLUS
Guided tour of Freiburg with tasting
(Please note that the markets are closed on Sundays; therefore, the tasting will be held at Brauereiausschank Ganter.)

EmeraldACTIVE
Guided bike tour in Breisach 

This morning, your ship will dock in Kehl, where you be transferred across the river to Strasbourg, the capital of France’s Alsace Region. Cobbled squares surrounded by half-timbered houses make Strasbourg appear as if it has been effortlessly suspended in time, and you can get the opportunity to explore the past during your included walking tour of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town. Witness the ornate beauty of many of Strasbourg’s highlights, including the Maison Kammerzell and the canal network that weaves through Petite France, before enjoying free time to explore at leisure. And tonight, EmeraldPLUS invites you to join a magical private evening concert.

Included Excursion
Guided tour of Strasbourg

EmeraldPLUS
Evening concert at Bruchsal Palace

Relax on board this morning as you sail towards Ludwigshafen, following the meandering Rhine River and passing the confluence of the Rhine and Neckar. Travel by coach to Heidelberg, where you can have the opportunity to learn about how it became a UNESCO City of Literature, having inspired the likes of Mark Twain and William Turner with its historical setting.

Your guided tour of the town will allow you to find your own inspiration among its delightful landmarks, including Heidelberg Castle, one of the most impressive Renaissance ruins in all of Europe. Alternatively, revel in a hike from Mount Königstuhl to Heidelberg. 

Included Excursion
Guided tour of Heidelberg

EmeraldACTIVE
Active hike from Mount Königstuhl to Heidelberg

This morning enjoy sailing through the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Rhine Gorge. Here, romantic castles sit atop tree-covered canyons and half-timbered medieval villages appear suspended in time.

The team will take you into the heart of Koblenz, an ancient city pulled from the pages of a German fairy tale. Enjoy the picturesque backdrop of vineyards and snow-topped mountain ranges as your local guide takes you through open cobbled squares and down narrow streets, passing facades adorned with boxes of spring-blooming flowers. You can also have the chance to see the point at which two of Europe’s great rivers meet at the German Corner and Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, one of the largest preserved fortresses in Europe.

Included Excursion
Walking tour of Koblenz

Effortlessly steeped in history and tales of the past, Cologne is one of the oldest cities in Germany, encapsulating a timeline that spans more than two millennia. Your included city tour will take you to the heart of its Old Town. 

Included Excursion
Guided tour of Cologne's Old Town

This morning, you can choose to embark on a guided bike tour to Waterland, learning about how the water is reclaiming Holland as you pass through quintessential Dutch surrounds and witness traditional villages and windmills. Alternatively, take to Amsterdam’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed canal network during a glass-top canal cruise, passing Roman patrician houses and ornate merchant houses that tell tales of the prosperous Dutch Golden Age.  

Included Excursion
Canal cruise

EmeraldACTIVE
Guided bike tour to Waterland

After breakfast, it's time to say farewell to your ship and fellow guests and disembark for your transfer to the airport, taking memories of the Black Forest and charming Strasbourg with you.  

This itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons such as high and low water. As such, the cruise may operate altered from that stated above. Please refer to the terms and conditions for further information.