Castles on the Rhine: Family Riverboat Adventure - Southbound 2024

8 days
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USTOA

Small Group Tour
Create cherished memories on our unforgettable family riverboat cruise along the Rhine River between Basel and Amsterdam visiting Switzerland, France, Germany and The Netherlands.
From$5,190
See departure dates

Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate

Highlights

    • Create cherished family memories on our unforgettable Basel to Amsterdam riverboat cruise along the Rhine River between aboard ms Grace
    • visiting Switzerland
    • France
    • Germany and The Netherlands for an adventure unlike any other.Family travel experiences include a bicycle ride through forests and vineyards along the Rhine riverside; Swiss folklore and more in lakeside Lucerne; a ride aboard the world's steepest cogwheel train to the top of Mt. Pilatus in the Swiss Alps; exploring the fascinating ruins of hilltop Heidelberg Castle in the medieval university town of Heidelberg; learning about the Lorelei and other Rhine River legends while keeping an eye out for fairy tale castles; discovering the art treasures and historic canals of Amsterdam; an exclusive gala dinner for Tauck guests only at Burg Satzvey
    • a medieval moated castle in Germany; becoming 'French for a Day' with French language lessons
    • songs
    • and a chocolate tasting; and much more!

What's this trip about?

    Create cherished memories on our unforgettable family riverboat cruise along the Rhine River between Basel and Amsterdam visiting Switzerland, France, Germany and The Netherlands.

Details

Itinerary focusOperator does not provide
Group sizeSmall Group - 24 max
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportN/A
Start City Amsterdam, Netherlands
End CityBasel

Travel Themes

  • Family Friendly

Destinations

  • Europe
  • Switzerland
  • Germany
  • France
  • Netherlands

Attractions

  • Amsterdam
  • Heidelberg
  • Koblenz
  • Lucerne
  • Strasbourg

Activities

  • Kid-friendly activities

Trip includes

    • TAUCK EXCLUSIVE – Private medieval evening including tour and dinner at a historic moated castle All gratuities to Tauck Director, local guides and drivers Tauck's private shore excursions and distinctive inclusions valued at $1,991 Descending Mt. Pilatus aboard the world's highest cogwheel train with sweeping views of the Swiss Alps Tarte flambée, chocolate and French lessons – become "French for a Day" Bicycling through forests and vineyards beside the Rhine Visit to the legendary ruins of Heidelberg Castle

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Welcome to Amsterdam & embark your riverboat

Tour begins: 4:00 PM, Amsterdam.
A transfer is included from Amsterdam's Schipol Airport or Centraal Station to your riverboat for the beginning of your cruise along the Rhine. Meet your riverboat crew for a welcome briefing, then we invite you to join us for a welcome reception and dinner aboard the ri...
Day 2 A canal cruise & more in Amsterdam

Amsterdam, the remarkable capital of The Netherlands, is all about water; like Venice in Italy, it's dominated by a series of canals that link its many tiny islands. Known to the Dutch as grachten, the city's 17th-century canals fan...

Day 3 Historic Köln & dinner at a castle

Germany's fourth-largest city, historic Köln (also known as Cologne) was founded by the Romans in the 1st century AD; nearly destroyed by Allied bombing during World War II, modern Köln's unique mix of rebuilt, restored and new stru...

Day 4 Koblenz, cycling & cruise the Middle Rhine Valley

Awaken this morning in Koblenz, a beautiful city set at Deutsches Eck – the "German Corner" – where the Rhine and Moselle rivers meet. The city's roots go way back to the Middle Ages, when its prime location made it a powerful contr...

Day 5 Heidelberg & castles on the Rhine

Arrive late morning in Mannheim before traveling to Heidelberg, Germany's oldest university town. As a major transport link across the heart of central Europe for centuries, the mighty Rhine River was a source of great riches for th...

Day 6 French for a day in Strasbourg

Today your riverboat calls on the historic city of Strasbourg, France, surrounded by the hills of southern Alsace. Renowned for its fairy-tale charm – and as the "Crossroads of Europe" for its role as home to the European Union – St...

Day 7 By cogwheel train and cable car to Mt. Pilatus / explore Lucerne

Depart your riverboat this morning for an excursion to Switzerland's Lake Lucerne area and Mt. Pilatus – where mountain peaks, forests and meadows straight out of a picture book await your family. Travel to Kriens where you'll board...

Day 8 Journey home

Tour ends: Basel.
Fly home anytime. Upon disembarking the riverboat (no later than 9:00 AM), transfers are included to EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg or Basel's SBB train station; guests can also transfer to Zürich Airport or Zurich Hauptbahnhof (train station). Please allow 3 hours for flight check-in.

MEALS : B

PORTOFCALL : Basel, Switzerland, Zurich, Switzerland

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Dates & Availability

Price From $5,190
Price per day$649
Last Updated: 10/19/2023
Start Date
Finish Date
Double Standard
Single Standard
Double Luxury
Availability
19 Jun 2024
27 Jun 2024
$5,390
$5,390
$7,840
03 Jul 2024
11 Jul 2024
$5,190
$5,190
$7,640
17 Jul 2024
25 Jul 2024
$5,190
$5,190
$7,640

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.

Tauck Reviews & Ratings

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Other Tauck Reviews

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...

H

Harry

Sep 2022

Written on

Tauck/Aon terrible travel insurance

Tauck partners with Aon for travel insurance. We bought this insurance through Tauck specifically to cover us in case of a positive for test for Covid and could not ...

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Tour Operator

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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What they’re known for
Fun group tours and cruises that are culturally-focused and great for families and seniors on vacation.

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Logistics

Ship & cabin information
MS GRACE
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 GRACE
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
ALL_AGES
Trip ID
tauck-ZIY2024

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