Contact one of our Tour Specialists for more information. Offer valid on new bookings only. Savings vary per cabin category on select river cruises. Cannot be combined with any other offer, promotion or discount. Capacity controlled and may be removed at any time without notice. Certain restrictions may apply; ask at time of booking.
Along the river Rhine… where mountains rise abruptly from the water's edge, ancient castles perch aloft, keeping watch over comings and goings, gentle valleys and ancient winelands lure, spas give respite, cathedrals speak to powerful times, plains and woods catch the eye, and a river travels, connecting centuries of history, cities of the arts and crossroads of thought.Discover the heritage and beauty of the River Rhine on our 7-night Basel – Amsterdam river cruise aboard one of Tauck's intimate riverboats. Visit the Netherlands, Germany, France and Switzerland, exploring regional delights in the historic cities, towns and countryside linked by the Rhine. Set your own pace with choices along the way: castle visits, bicycling, mountain heights, a spa resort and more.
Tour begins: 5:30 PM, Amsterdam. A transfer is included from Schiphol International Airport or Amsterdam Centraal Station to your riverboat; check-in time aboard ship is 4:00 PM for all guests. After a discovery briefing where you'll hear about your travels ahead, join us for a welcome reception followed by dinner aboard your riverboat.
Enjoy a private guided cruise aboard a canal boat along Amsterdam's 17th-century canals, the heart of the old city. Take in the houseboats along the waterways, the curving bridges, the historic houses that line the banks – and watch Amsterdam's many bicyclists zipping through the streets bordering the canals. Afterward, have lunch at the historic 1.Klas Café Restaurant located in Amsterdam's Centraal Station – the restaurant dates back to 1885 and was designed by Pierre Cuypers (who also designed the Rijksmuseum); it is housed in the architecturally beautiful old first-class waiting area of the station. You'll reboard your riverboat later this afternoon in Nijmegan.
Spend the morning sailing to Düsseldorf, enjoying a talk by your Tauck Director. After lunch, dock in Düsseldorf, a city with a thriving fashion and art scene, and disembark for a walking tour of Old Town, stopping to sample local craft beers. You'll also have free time in town; possibilities include checking out the modern buildings designed by some of the world's leading architects in the revitalized district along the Rhine, visiting Museum Kunstpalast, or strolling the city's high-end shopping street, Königsallee. Return to your ship for dinner.
Spend the day cruising along the Middle Rhine – "the Romantic Rhine" – passing countless castles and fortresses standing watch over the river. Your riverboat is surrounded by splendid scenery; lush vineyards cover the hillsides and historic towns line the riverbanks, seemingly unchanged by time. Enjoy entertainment onboard your ship this evening.
Dock in Mannheim this morning for a drive to Heidelberg on the Neckar River. A guided tour of Heidelberg Castle introduces you to the picturesque ruins of a pink sandstone edifice centuries old, sprawling high on a hill with breathtaking views of the river. Take a funicular down the hill to Old Town Heidelberg for a Tauck Exclusive beer-pairing lunch of local dishes at an award-winning brewery where you'll meet the brew master. Return to your ship and sail on this evening.
Your riverboat arrives in Strasbourg, a jumping off point for exploration of the Alsatian countryside. Blanketed with vineyards and dotted with historic wine villages, the Alsace has a unique personality – a blend of German and French influences – because for centuries the region has gone back and forth between the two countries. Since World War II, Alsace has been part of France, but the locals think of themselves as "Alsatian" first and foremost. Discovering this beautiful area for yourself, sip white wines, taste regional specialties, and stroll along cobbled streets, soaking up the history.
Dock in Basel this morning for a day in Switzerland. A drive brings you to the base of Mt. Pilatus for a gondola ride to the summit. Prepare to go from autumn to winter in less than half an hour! Take the world's steepest cogwheel train ride down the mountain, a thrilling experience through stunning scenery. Then it's on to the lakeside city of Lucerne for an orientation tour that reveals the Renaissance paintings inside the iconic covered Chapel Bridge and the poignant Lion Monument. You'll have some free time – a perfect opportunity for sampling Swiss chocolate. Back onboard ship, enjoy your captain's farewell reception followed by dinner this evening.
Disembark your riverboat for a drive through Switzerland and Germany en route to the legendary city of Munich; spend some time near Lake Konstanz. Upon arrival, take a sightseeing tour of the Bavarian capital that includes the celebrated Maximilianstrasse, the 17th-century Residenz, and the old town hall. Explore more of Munich at your leisure this afternoon; this evening, enjoy dinner at your leisure at your historic hotel, the Bayerischer Hof.
This morning get dressed up Bavarian style, in lederhosen or a dirndl, for a full Oktoberfest experience! There are "Oktoberfest" celebrations all over the world, but until you experience the festival in Munich, where the tradition began, you haven't really "done" Oktoberfest – a unique mix of beer consumption, Bavarian feasting, live brass bands, communal singing, and dancing. It all started in 1810 when a royal couple invited the citizens to their wedding festivities on the fields in front of the city. The event was so popular that it took on a life of its own. Today Munich's Oktoberfest is the largest festival in the world. Tauck has reserved seats for you in the center of the action, in one of the exclusive brewery tents for a three-course lunch, traditional Bavarian live music – including the Ein Prosit toasting song – and lots of fun. Word to the wise: the local breweries make an especially strong beer just for Oktoberfest, so pace yourself, or choose to drink a radler (half lemonade, half beer). A shuttle will run back to your hotel after lunch – or stay and enjoy the festival until evening. Gather with your fellow travelers for a farewell reception and casual dinner at your hotel tonight.
Along the river Rhine… where mountains rise abruptly from the water's edge, ancient castles perch aloft, keeping watch over comings and goings, gentle valleys and ancient winelands lure, spas give respite, cathedrals speak to powerful times, plains and woods catch the eye, and a river travels, connecting centuries of history, cities of the arts and crossroads of thought.Discover the heritage and beauty of the River Rhine on our 7-night Basel – Amsterdam river cruise aboard one of Tauck's intimate riverboats. Visit the Netherlands, Germany, France and Switzerland, exploring regional delights in the historic cities, towns and countryside linked by the Rhine. Set your own pace with choices along the way: castle visits, bicycling, mountain heights, a spa resort and more.
The Tauck experience was everything we expected it to be. We also appreciated the warm reception as their first cruise on the Danube since the Covid shutdown. Their professional staff navigated the travel restrictions as we moved from country to country and overall elimated those worries for us. Their were 52 (of a possible 130) passengers on board so to say we were given VIP treatment is an understatement. We loved the crew on board the MS Joy as well as the talented Cruise Director and Tour Directors. The experience that they created for us is the reason why we will continue to travel with Tauck and recommend them to others. On a negative note, I was disappointed in the hotel selection in Prague. The InterContinental where we had originally been booked was under renovation. We were shifted to the Hilton which was average at best. Additionally as a Category 7 traveler, we were put in a standard room. Other Category 7 travelers were upgraded to the premium floors which I found irritating.
Once you take a Tauck tour, you'll never go with another Operator. The Tauck experience was incredible and totally worth the money. Can't think of one thing to complain about or would change.
Enjoyed all aspects of the Tauck Cruise.
It is wonderful to have every detail taken care of with a smile on the face of the staff.
Tauck is always an outstanding experience.
While watching a video on the history of Tauck during a coach ride portion of this tour, I was surprised to find out that this company pioneered land tours in North America, and was the first to offer European river cruises. Tauck takes care of even the smallest details, from tipping local guides to providing us with coins to use restrooms during walking tours of the various cities we visited. WiFi onboard is complimentary -- something even NatGeo doesn\'t offer on their cruises. And, an open bar to boot, where I ordered the most exotic cocktails and kept the bartenders grinning and guessing as to their ingredients. Our arrivals at hotels in separate coaches on land portions of the tour were coordinated beforehand with our rooms and luggage, so that we did not have to spend any time standing in large gatherings in the hotel lobby waiting for rooms to be assigned and room keys slowly doled out as in other tours. As we off boarded our coaches, we were handed our room keys and were able to proceed immediately to our rooms, with our luggage delivered soon thereafter. Each hotel stay was fabulous and impressive -- four stars all the way. Live orchestral music gave our dining experiences a truly special touch.
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We had a marvelous trip. Tauck thinks of everything!!