The Rhine and Moselle - Southbound 2018

13 days
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USTOA

River Cruise
Explore two of Europe's most scenic rivers on a 12-night cruise between Amsterdam and Basel aboard one of Tauck's premium riverboats. Glide along the Rhine in Holland, Germany, France and Switzerland; visit Luxembourg; and discover castles, wineries and market towns of the Moselle Valley on Tauck's popular Moselle and Rhine cruise.

Overview

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

Highlights

    • Visit to Heidelberger Schloss
    • choice of bicycle excursions
    • wine tastings in Cochem
    • Amsterdam canal cruise & choice of visit with houseboat family
    • visit to the American War cemetery
    • dinner at historic Burg Satzvey
    • visit to Kroller-Muller Art Museum; 12 night cruise
    • all inclusive

What's this trip about?

    Explore two of Europe's most scenic rivers on a 12-night cruise between Amsterdam and Basel aboard one of Tauck's premium riverboats. Glide along the Rhine in Holland, Germany, France and Switzerland; visit Luxembourg; and discover castles, wineries and market towns of the Moselle Valley on Tauck's popular Moselle and Rhine cruise.

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Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeStandard Group - 25 + people
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportN/A
Start CityAmsterdam, Netherlands
End CityBasel, Switzerland

Travel Themes

  • 50 plus
  • Small Ship Cruise

Destinations

Attractions

  • Amsterdam
  • Heidelberg
  • Lucerne
  • Luxembourg
  • Strasbourg
  • Trier

Activities

  • Culture

Trip includes

    • Gratuities to ship staff, drivers, local guides, Tauck Directors and Tauck Cruise Director Tauck's private shore excursions and distinctive inclusions valued at $2,366! Insider tour of the Gothic-Renaissance Heidelberger Schloss, a cable car ride and lunch at a popular local restaurant An exclusive dinner at historic Burg Satzvey in Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia region Choices of bicycle excursions in Boppard and Arnhem's De Hoge Veluwe National Park Wine tasting at a family-owned winery in Cochem A scenic cruise along the canals of Amsterdam A guided tour in Luxembourg and a visit to the American War Cemetery and Memorial Excursion to De Hoge Veluwe National Park and the Kröller-Müller Museum to view world-famous art Visit to the Rhine Falls in Switzerland Unlimited complimentary beverages aboard ship include regional wine, beer and premium spirits in addition to specialty coffee, water and soft drinks Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted All meals (35 - 12 breakfasts, 11 lunches, 12 dinners); select meals in local restaurants; service charges, taxes, porterage, and applicable fuel surcharges

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Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Amsterdam
Tour begins: 4:00 PM, Amsterdam. A transfer is included from Amsterdam's Schiphol International Airport or Centraal Station directly to your riverboat. Your cruise on the Moselle and Rhine rivers begins when all guests check in at 4:00 PM. After a Discovery briefing, coc...
Day 2 A canal cruise in Amsterdam and the Rijksmuseum
Indulge yourself in all the many charms of this city of canals today. Discover Amsterdam's historic architecture on a scenic canal cruise along its 17th-century canals, past centuries-old merchants' houses from its "Golden Age." Check out the Museumplein and visit the fa...
Day 3 De Hoge Veluwe National Park & the Kröller-Müller Museum
Your riverboat arrives in Nijmegen for a shore excursion to Arnhem and the 5,500-hectare De Hoge Veluwe National Park, home to many endangered plant and animal species. In the midst of this natural glory, you'll find the inspiring Kröller-Müller Museum, featuring works o...
Day 4 Historic Köln & a castle dinner
Spend the morning cruising the Rhine, and arrive this afternoon in the historic German city of Köln (Cologne), where you'll enjoy a city tour with a local guide including the Old Town before returning to the ship for lunch and free time onboard. This evening, you're off ...
Day 5 Cochem, Reichsburg Castle & Moselle cruising
Your Rhine-Moselle River cruise shifts onto the Moselle River today en route to Cochem, where stepping ashore is like stepping into the pages of a medieval fairy tale. Visit picture-perfect, 1,000-year-old Gothic Reichsburg Castle, which looks down on Cochem's quaint mar...
Day 6 A day in Luxembourg and Bernkastel
Dock, then depart for visit to the tiny Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. A walking tour of its well-preserved old town reveals the Cathedral, Parliament, the Palace of the Grand Duke, and centuries-old battlements that are today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Pay a poignant vis...
Day 7 A walking tour of Trier and time in Traben-Trarbach
A morning excursion brings you to Trier, Germany's oldest town and once a residence for several Roman emperors; reminders of that period include a 2nd-century city gate and a basilica built in 310 AD. You'll explore the town and its Marktplatz, marked by a 16th-century f...
Day 8 Boppard & the Lorelei
Tauck's Rhine-Moselle river cruise departs the Moselle today and returns to the Rhine, arriving in Boppard for an orientation tour and free time. While your riverboat glides through the Middle Rhine Valley, listen to the legend of the Lorelei and see for yourself why thi...
Day 9 Heidelberg or a family winery visit
Today you can opt for a full day in the historic college town of Heidelberg, home to one of the oldest universities in Europe as well as the setting for the famous operetta, The Student Prince, or visit a centuries-old family winery. In Heidelberg, take a walking tour fo...
Day 10 The Black Forest and Baden-Baden
Arrive in Plittersdorf for an excursion to the beautiful Black Forest spa town of Baden-Baden - proof that the elegant Belle Èpoque period is still alive and well. For many generations, wealthy folks have flocked here to see and be seen, and to take the healing thermal w...
Day 11 A taste of France, past and present, in old Strasbourg
Wake up in Strasbourg, France, a city that is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, renowned for its fairy-tale beauty. You'll see the modern buildings that are headquarters to the European Parliament, as well as La Petite France, an enchanting corner of Old Town where hist...
Day 12 Basel or Rhine Falls and a farewell dinner
The Tauck Difference in European river cruising is all about where you go, what you do, and who you meet on your shore excursions - and today, you have a choice! First choice is spending the day in Basel, a beautiful city on the banks of the Rhine River. You'll get a goo...
Day 13 Journey Home
Tour ends: Basel. Fly home anytime. Transfers to Basel-Mulhouse Int'l Airport or Basel SBB railway station, or to Zürich Airport or Zürich Hauptbahnof (Zürich Central Train Station), are included upon disembarking the riverboat - no later than 9:00 AM. Please allow a minimum of 3 hours for flight check-in and ask us about additional nights at Tauck's hotel. MEALS : B PORTOFCALL : Basel, Switzerland

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Dates & Availability

Price From $5,390
Price per day$415
Last Updated: 8/14/2018

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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Other Tauck Reviews

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Kurlyk40

May 2024

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Great Scenery but Accommodations Lacking for cost

My husband and I booked the Yellowstone tour with Tauck expecting so much more with the accommodations, food, and tour director based on the price point. We were sa...

S

Susan

Jun 2023

Written on

Nine Tours and Done

Sad to see a once good tour company stumble and fall into mediocrity. That’s Tauck post-Covid. My May 2023 tour of Normandy, Brittany and the Loire Valley was done o...

C

Cougess

Jan 2023

Written on

Skip this cruise - not worth it

My husband and I went on the Treasures of the Mediterranean Isles Trip jn October 2022. This was our third Tauck cruise with Ponnant but our first post covid and the...

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Tauck

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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
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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-RMY2018

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