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Porta Nigra, Trier, Germany

The Rhine and Moselle

Southbound - Example 13 Day Cruise aboard Avalon Artistry II
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Explore the beauty of Amsterdam on a canal cruise which takes you through the elegant Grachten lined with stately homes dating back to the city’s “Golden Age.” Enjoy the magnificent view as you go along the city of Cologne, Germany, which straddles both sides of the Rhine River. Take a look at the city of Cologne and visit Koblenz, located at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers, before coming to the charming wine village of Bernkastel. Feel relaxed in your European river cruise to Strasbourg and stroll through La Petite France district with its quaint shops, delightful bistros, and peaceful waterfront promenade.
Old buildings in AmsterdamExplore CologneAerial View over Luxembourg CityCochem town on the Mosel River, GermanyPorta Nigra, Trier, Germany
Highlights
  • Enjoy the view as you walk to the Cologne highlights or Jewish Heritage
  • Appreciate the beauty of Heidelberg Castle and see the Great Vat
  • Have a great time at the La Petite France district and the gothic cathedral
  • Discover Roman Trier and see the Porta Nigra
Activities
  • River Cruises
Activity Level: Relaxed
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
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Full Itinerary

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Day 1: Amsterdam | Embark

Welcome to Amsterdam. Your suite ship is ready for boarding. Flights into Amsterdam must arrive by 3:30 pm. Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm.

Your day in Amsterdam is free to explore at your leisure. During tulip season, you may take a guided optional excursion to Keukenhof gardens—with more than seven million tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths, as well as other bulbs, planted each year.

Outside of tulip season, join a guided optional excursion to Zaanse Schans to see historic windmills and charming Dutch houses.

Day 2: Amsterdam

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Classic: Explore the iconic waterways of Amsterdam on a guided canal cruise past stately homes of Amsterdam’s “Golden Age.”

You may like to join a guided optional excursion to Muiderslot Castle, or a guided optional biking excursion to the Dutch countryside.

Alternatively, spend some free time this afternoon visiting one of Amsterdam’s many fascinating museums or galleries.

Day 3: Cologne, Germany

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Classic: Take a guided city walk of Cologne—with its soaring twin-steepled gothic cathedral.

Discovery: Choose a guided walking tour of Cologne’s important Jewish heritage sites.

Don’t miss the chance to enjoy free time over a glass of Kölsch pale lager—locally brewed for over 100 years! Local musicians will join us on board for live entertainment.

Day 4: Koblenz

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Classic: Take a guided city walk amid ancient fortresses walls, towers, squares, and monuments.

Classic: Visit the Sayn Manor House on a guided tour.

Spend free time on a cable-car ride, or a hike to see the mountain-top Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. Enjoy a leisurely walk across the town to shop or sample potato pancakes and regional wine. Later, enjoy live entertainment on board.

Day 5: Bernkastel

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Classic: Take a guided walking tour of the charming wine village of Bernkastel—with its medieval marketplace and 17th-century gabled timber-framed houses.

Discovery: Join a wine tasting to experience the tradition of legendary German winemaking.

Grab Nordic walking sticks or a bike from the ship and explore the surrounding nature trails or leisurely hike up the hills for breathtaking views of the Moselle.

Day 6: Remich

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Classic: Join a guided tour of Luxembourg City—with its dramatic views, ancient ruins, and modern architecture along the deep gorge terrain.

Later, enjoy live entertainment on board your ship.

Day 7: Trier, Germany

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Classic: Take a guided sightseeing tour of Trier—Germany’s oldest city with ancient remnants dating from 144-152 AD. Starting from Porta Nigra, walk through the city center.

Classic: Join a history-focused Roman Trier guided tour to learn more about the history of Roman civilization in this Moselle River city, and visit the ruins of a 20,000-seat amphitheater and imperial baths.

Day 8: Cochem

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Classic: Join a guided walk of Cochem to see the charming town’s half-timbered houses and winding streets. Visit Cochem’s hilltop Reichsburg Castle with a birds-eye-view of the Moselle Valley and river bend.

Day 9: Boppard | Rhine Gorge | Rüdesheim

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Active: Go for a scenic walk this morning through the village of Boppard with your Avalon Adventure Host.

Alternatively, choose to explore Boppard’s beautiful views and forested surroundings on a bike ride or hike at your own pace. Spend some free time this morning visiting a local café for a cup of German coffee.

Enjoy the breathtaking views as you cruise through the spectacular Rhine Gorge on your way to Rüdesheim.

Discovery: Tour the incredible Mechanical Music Museum for a one-of-a-kind instrumental experience; based on your departure enjoy a local special treat.

Active: Take an open-air cable car ride to the Niederwald Monument. Ride or walk back down through the vineyards; based on your departure enjoy a local special treat.

Active: Enjoy a hike with your Avalon Adventure Host through the picturesque vineyards of Rüdesheim.
 

Day 10: Ludwigshafen

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Classic: Enjoy a guided tour to Heidelberg Castle to see the ruins of the magnificent renaissance treasure towering above the city, and its famed Great Vat, the “World’s Largest Wine Barrel.”

Active: Join your Avalon Adventure Host for a hike up Philosophers’ Way for an inspiring view of the city below.

You’ll have free time to stroll or shop this afternoon.

Day 11: Strasbourg, France

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Active: Join your Avalon Adventure Host for a morning walk.

Classic: Take a city sightseeing tour, including the city’s gothic, stained-glass cathedral with its celebrated ancient murals and astronomical clock, as well as the magical La Petite France District.

You may also choose to join a guided optional excursion to the historic Maginot Line—an impressive installation of pre-WWII defensive fortifications designed to protect the eastern border of France or visit Alsace’s wine country today.

Alternatively, take some free time in Strasbourg to visit a museum, or stroll across the city center.

Day 12: Breisach, Germany

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Discovery: Join a full-day guided tour to the magical Black Forest to experience the Vogtsbauernohf open-air-museum, visit an authentic water mill, and see a traditional butter-making demonstration.

Discovery: Visit Badische Winzerkeller, the largest German wine producer in Europe. Discover Germany’s southernmost wine country in Baden—ideally situated between the hills of the Black Forest and the Rhine River. Learn about the vintners’ process in the vineyards here, and enjoy a wine tasting.

You may choose to join a guided optional excursion to visit the charming village of Colmar in the morning, with its half-timbered medieval and early renaissance buildings.

Day 13: Basel, Switzerland | Disembark

  • 1 Breakfast
Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning.

Ship/Hotel

Avalon Artistry II

Avalon Artistry II Bar
Avalon Artistry II Panorama Lounge
Avalon Artistry II Club Lounge

Dates & Prices

My Preferred Start Date

Per person starting at
$5,399
Avalon Artistry II Deluxe Staterooms
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Cat. E
Avalon Deluxe Stateroom: 172 SQ. FT. Comfort Collection Beds, Bedside tables with reading lamps, L'Occitane bath products, Under-bed luggage storage, Complimentary bottled water, Individual climate control, Mirror in the bathroom, Full shower with glass door, Vanity, Memory foam mattress, European-style duvets, Extra blankets, Hairdryer, and Spacious 3-door closets.
Avalon Artistry II Deluxe Staterooms
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Cat. D
Avalon Deluxe Stateroom: 172 SQ. FT. Comfort Collection Beds, Bedside tables with reading lamps, L'Occitane bath products, Under-bed luggage storage, Complimentary bottled water, Individual climate control, Mirror in the bathroom, Full shower with glass door, Vanity, Luxurious mattress, European-style duvets, Extra blankets, Hairdryer, and Spacious 3-door closets.
Avalon Artistry II Panorama SuiteAvalon Artistry II Panorama Suite
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Cat. B
Panorama Suite: 200 SQ. FT. Comfort Collection Beds, Bedside tables with reading lamps, L'Occitane bath products, Under-bed luggage storage, Telephone, In-room safe, Contemporary design, Marble countertops in the bathroom, 6-person sitting area, Writing desk, Sofa, Memory foam mattress, European-style duvets.
Avalon Artistry II Panorama SuiteAvalon Artistry II Panorama Suite
Select a Date
Cat. A
Panorama Suite: 200 SQ. FT. Comfort Collection Beds, Bedside tables with reading lamps, L'Occitane bath products, Under-bed luggage storage, Telephone, In-room safe, contemporary design, Marble countertops in the bathroom, 6-person sitting area, Writing desk, Sofa, Luxurious mattress, European-style duvets
Avalon Artistry II Panorama SuiteAvalon Artistry II Panorama Suite
Select a Date
Cat. P
Panorama Suite: 200 SQ. FT. Comfort Collection Beds, Bedside tables with reading lamps, L'Occitane bath products, Under-bed luggage storage, Telephone, Well-stocked minibar, In-room safe, Contemporary design, Marble countertops in the bathroom, 6-person sitting area, Writing desk, Sofa, Memory foam mattress, European-style duvets.
Avalon Artistry II Royal Suite
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Royal Suite
Royal Suite: 300 SQ. FT. Comfort Collection Beds,Bedside tables with reading lamps, L'Occitane bath products, Under-bed luggage storage, Telephone, Well-stocked minibar, Marble countertops in bathroom, Wall-to-Wall Panoramic Window with Open-Air Balcony, Full shower with glass door, Luxurious mattress toppers, European-style duvets.
Included
  • 12 Breakfasts, 11 Lunches, 12 Dinners
  • 12 Nights Accommodations
  • Accommodations as listed
  • Ground transportation as listed
  • Activities as listed
  • Meals as listed
  • Access to a 24-7 Emergency line while traveling
  • Onboard Adventure Center with active gear, bikes, maps, canoe, kayak and jogging excursions
  • Wifi
  • Complimentary fresh fruit available daily
  • Captain’s Welcome and Farewell Receptions
  • Club Lounge with 24-hour self-serve beverage station with complimentary cappuccinos, lattes, tea, hot chocolate & premium coffees, as well as treats throughout the day
  • Panoramic windows
  • Friendly, English-speaking crew & Cruise Director
  • Sky Deck with whirlpool, shade awnings, game area and premium lounges
  • Complimentary sparkling wine with breakfast; wine, beer, or soft drinks with every lunch and dinner
Excluded
  • Gratuities
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal Expenses
  • Flight costs (please request a quote)
  • Additional excursions during free time
  • Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
  • Alcohol, beverages, and food outside of the contracted menu as presented at a hotel or restaurant or on board your vessel
  • Port Fees
  • Porterage
  • Passport or Visa fees

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