Christmas Markets Along the Rhine - Southbound 2019

8 days
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USTOA

River Cruise
Exclusive Tauck extras, special holiday events aboard and ashore, much yuletide cheer... and of course, the Tauck Difference... set the tone for your cruise through Germany and France on Tauck's December Rhine River Christmas market trip between Köln and Basel aboard ms Grace or ms Inspire!

Overview

Trip type
River Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

    • Guided visits to most Christmas markets
    • traditional European Christmas dinner & holiday events aboard the riverboat
    • walking tours with local guides

What's this trip about?

    Exclusive Tauck extras, special holiday events aboard and ashore, much yuletide cheer... and of course, the Tauck Difference... set the tone for your cruise through Germany and France on Tauck's December Rhine River Christmas market trip between Köln and Basel aboard ms Grace or ms Inspire!

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Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeStandard Group - 25 + people
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportN/A
Start CityKöln (Cologne), Germany
End CityBasel, Switzerland

Travel Themes

  • 50 plus
  • Small Ship Cruise

Destinations

Activities

  • Culture

Trip includes

    • All private Tauck shore excursions - $1,712 Value Gratuities to ship staff, drivers, local guides, Tauck Directors & Tauck Cruise Director Visits to Christmas Markets in Aachen, Rüdesheim, Heidelberg, Baden-Baden and Strasbourg Walking tours of market cities and towns with local guides Visits to Old Town Heidelberg and historic Heidelberger Schlöss (Heidelberg Castle) Sightseeing in Lucerne and ascent of Mt. Pilatus by gondola Storytelling lecture in Strasbourg Cookie baking demonstration & Siegfried's Musikkabinett visit in Rüdesheim Special lunch ashore in Heidelberg Traditional European Christmas dinner & holiday events aboard the riverboat Unlimited complimentary beverages aboard ship include regional wine, beer and premium spirits in addition to specialty coffee, water and soft drinks All meals included (7 breakfasts, 6 lunches & 7 dinners) Service charges, taxes, porterage, airport transfers and applicable fuel surcharges

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Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Köln
Your Christmas market tour begins 5:30 PM in Köln (Cologne). Transfers are included from the Köln / Bonn Airport to the riverboat, where embarkation begins at 4:00 PM. Guests enjoying a pre-stay in Köln will receive a transfer from the hotel to the riverboat. If you arri...
Day 2 Spend time in cosmopolitan Köln or Aachen
Aachen Smell that cinnamon... oh, and is that coriander? The exact ingredients are a well-kept secret of each local bakery that produces it, but Aacheners have been making Aachener Printen - their own engraved take on traditional lebkuchen - for 600 years! Its seductive ...
Day 3 Music, sweet treats & more in Rüdesheim
Rüdesheim - Holiday carols, children's laughter, carousels... the season's joyful noises reverberate across this little town on the Rhine as you browse the shops and stalls of its Weihnachtsmarkt, another Christmas Market tour standout, winding their way through its quai...
Day 4 Discover the spirit of the holiday season in Heidelberg
Heidelberg - With thousands of stars twinkling in the trees... hundreds of booths sprawling across five city squares... and an ice rink glistening in the shadow of Heidelberger Schlöss... you'll think you've stepped inside a snowglobe at this shining Weihnachtsmarkt! Fes...
Day 5 Travels through the Black Forest and Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden - The Black Forest's special magic casts its spell over the Christmas Market of this famous spa town, set adjacent to its sumptuous Belle Èpoque casino complex - the Kurhaus - which screen icon Marlene Dietrich called "the most beautiful casino in the world."...
Day 6 A walking tour of Strasbourg and its Christmas Markets
Strasbourg - Steaming mulled wine... gingerbread... Advent wreaths... a towering Christmas tree, dwarfed by soaring Strasbourg Cathedral... nearly every street and building aglow with lights and decorations... bredle, the tiny, traditional holiday cakes of Alsace... the ...
Day 7 Lucerne & Mt. Pilatus at Christmastime
From the riverboat this morning, set off on a shore excursion to Switzerland's lakeside "city of lights," Lucerne. On an orientation tour with your Tauck Director, highlights include the Kappelbrucke, a covered wooden footbridge crossing the Reuss River that dates back t...
Day 8 Journey home
Your river cruise ends in Basel, Switzerland. Transfers are provided from the riverboat to EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, or to Zürich Airport or Zürich Hauptbahnof (Zürich Central Train Station); guests enjoying a post-stay in Basel will receive a transfer from the hotel to the airport. Please allow three hours for airport check-in. MEALS : B PORTOFCALL : Basel, Switzerland

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Dates & Availability

Price From $3,190
Price per day$399
Last Updated: 0/8/2019

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Tauck.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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It's easy to see the world's sights. To stand in long lines, push through the crowds, and generally have the same standard-issue vacation as everyone else. But that's not good enough for us, and it's not good enough for you. We believe that travel should be easy. It should be fun. It should be worth your time and the price you paid. It should re-energize and transform. And above all else, it should be beyond the ordinary. Because how you see the world matters.

In 1882, Herman Tauck arrived in New York City from Germany in search of the American dream. His determination and values were passed on to his son, Arthur Tauck, who would realize that dream. With ingenuity and an innovative spirit, Arthur started Tauck Motor Tours, a travel company that would give birth to a new industry. The first tour, through the back roads of New England, was created by this 27-year-old in 1925. It embodied the same successful formula used by Tauck today: do the right thing. Craft a life-enriching travel experience; provide it at a single all-inclusive price; ensure there is great value for money; and rely on recommendations of satisfied customers to build a following and grow the business.

Two elements that did change over the next 90+ years – and three generations of Taucks – were the scope of destinations served and the variety of modes of travel used. Today Tauck delivers life-enriching travel experiences to every corner of the globe, incorporating small cruise ships, premium riverboats, trains, helicopters and more. What started as a New England motor coach tour company has truly evolved into an extraordinary global travel company. The fourth generation of Taucks is now involved in the company. While remarkable in any business, this seamless continuity across generations speaks to shared vision and values.

Throughout its history, the concept of “family” at Tauck has gone far beyond those sharing the surname to include hundreds of valued employees, and hundreds of thousands of loyal guests. The story of Tauck is the story of a unique American family company celebrating a passion for travel – a story that will continue to inspire generations to come.

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Logistics

Accommodation

Ship & cabin information
MS GRACE, MS INSPIRE
MS GRACE Maintaining Tauck’s high standards for quality and comfort, ms Grace cruises exclusively for Tauck on the Rhine River as part of our Destination Fleet. With a maximum of 130 guests, the 443-foot riverboat and her sister ships continue our tradition of providing more space per guest on Europe’s inland waterways, transporting fewer passengers than most longships (135 meters). Her deck plan is innovative; with a total of 67 cabins, our most popular cabins tend to be our largest... so we have used the added ship length to offer twenty-two 300-square-foot Tauck Suites – the most of any river cruise ship on any European river. To increase the amount of natural sunlight on the lower deck, we’ve created 8 loft cabins that extend from the first to the second decks, providing guests with an additional view; all windows in these loft cabins open. MS INSPIRE Maintaining Tauck’s high standards for quality and comfort, ms Inspire cruises exclusively for Tauck on the Rhine and Moselle rivers as part of our Destination Fleet. With a maximum of 130 guests, the 443-foot riverboat and her sister ships continue our tradition of providing more space per guest on Europe’s inland waterways, transporting fewer passengers than most longships (135 meters). Her deck plan is innovative; with a total of 67 cabins, our most popular cabins tend to be our largest... so we have used the added ship length to offer twenty-two 300-square-foot Tauck Suites – the most of any river cruise ship on any European river. To increase the amount of natural sunlight on the lower deck, we’ve created 8 loft cabins that extend from the first to the second decks, providing guests with an additional view; all windows in these loft cabins open
MS GRACE MS INSPIRE
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Additional Information
Trip ID
tauck-RCY2019

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