Discover fairytale castles, historic vineyards and the stunning remnant of a world frozen over with glaciers, Italy’s Lake Como, as part of this Rhine River cruise fantasy. Embark your ship in Italy’s haven for the rich and famous, Lake Como. Continue on to Basel before crossing the border into France’s Alsace region in enchanting Strasbourg. Then it’s off to Germany, where you’ll discover not only the grand city of Cologne but charming villages like the winemaking hamlet of Rüdesheim and the university town of Heidelberg. You’ll also enjoy cruising through the UNESCO-designated Rhine Gorge, where 40 castles are strung like pearls along the river banks. Conclude your cruise by exploring the canal-laden city of Amsterdam, with its neat rows of buildings and rich history. Encompassing the Netherlands, Germany, France, Switzerland and Italy, as well as iconic landmarks and majestic mountain landscapes, this distinctive itinerary is truly a dream come true.
Embark your ship in Basel for your Swiss Alps & Rhine Castles cruise. (D)
Enjoy getting to know Basel, Switzerland’s third largest city. Long an important university, banking and trade center, Basel’s glorious past is still evident in its medieval town hall, richly decorated market square and exquisite 18th-century patrician homes. Tour the city by foot or on a guided bike tour that takes you through three countries: Switzerland, France and Germany. Alternatively, go on a full-day excursion to Lake Lucerne, or opt for one of the morning excursions and visit Lake Lucerne in the afternoon. With either Lake Lucerne excursion, you’ll have the opportunity to see its Lion Monument – the figure of a dying lion carved into a hillside in memory of the Swiss Guards massacred during the French Revolution in 1792 – which Mark Twain described as “the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world.” You’ll also see Lake Lucerne’s spectacular medieval walls and towers, dating back to the 13th century.
Strasbourg offers flavors of both France and Germany because of its borderline location. Enjoy a panoramic tour past the stunning Parc de l’Orangerie, the European Parliament and the Place de la République before walking through its iconic “La Petite France” district, lifted straight from the pages of a fairytale. Wander through charming streets past the Cathédrale de Nôtre Dame with its famous astronomical clock. Alternatively, take a guided bike ride through the city and Parc de l’Orangerie.
Ludwigshafen is your gateway to a choice of four excursions. Visit Heidelberg, the perfectly preserved medieval city nestled in the Neckar River Valley along Germany’s Castle Road. Discover the iconic red sandstone Heidelberg Castle and Great Vat, an 18th-century, 49,000-gallon wine cask. For a more active adventure while in Heidelberg, join a guided hike up the Philosopher’s Path, aptly named during the Romantic Period, and enjoy panoramic views of the city. Alternatively, you can visit one of Germany’s oldest cities, Speyer, known for the largest Romanesque cathedral in Europe—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—and the medieval Old Gate, Altpörtel. Or pedal along the river Neckar to the picturesque medieval city center of Ladenburg and enjoy some free time to explore the shops. Later in the day, cruise to the charming village of Rüdesheim and let Siegfried’s Mechanical Instrument Cabinet charm you with its remarkable collection of self-playing musical instruments; or taste one of the town’s special delights, Rüdesheimer coffee, ceremoniously made with brandy, coffee and whipped cream.
Join a wine tasting to discover the flavors of the town’s iconic vineyards and drink up the stunning views by soaring high above the vineyards with a gondola ride to the Niederwalddenkmal. For a more active adventure, hike through the town’s beautiful vineyards or join a guided bike tour along the scenic Rhine River. Later in the day, cruise through the captivating UNESCO-designated Rhine Gorge, the most stunningly beautiful stretch of the river before reaching Lahnstein, where you will enjoy a unique evening visit at Lahneck Castle.
Enjoy cruising to Cologne, then join a guided tour through the enchanting Old Town, where you will see sites such as the Cologne Rathaus, Germany’s oldest town hall; the Fishmarkt, which dates back to the 12th century and the Great St. Martin Church. End your city tour with a visit to a local tavern to taste its famous Kölsch beer. As an alternative, examine the historic architectural styles on display throughout the Cologne Cathedral during a guided tour. This 13th-century Gothic marvel and UNESCO World Heritage Site was the tallest building in the world at the time of its completion, and the church withstood 14 hits from aerial bombs during World War II. Active guests will want to join a guided bike ride along the Rhine and through the historic Stadtgarten.
There are 165 canals in Amsterdam, and you’ll get to enjoy some of them on your canal cruise. Alternatively, get a taste of local flavor, passing iconic canals, gabled houses, narrow bridges and house boats while tasting Dutch specialties at one of Amsterdam’s grand cafes. (B,L,D)
*Depending on docking location, A Taste of Amsterdam may not operate; therefore, an alternative tour will operate instead.
Bid Farewell to Amsterdam and prepare for your homeward flight.
The excursions and local guides were excellent and AMA staff was professional and accomodative. We were disappointed by the quality of the food based on our past pre-COVID experiences with AMA. Not sure we would book another trip on AMA.
Ama did an amazing job with the cruise. The ship crew and tour director were exceptional. It was the best value cruise we have taken. We were disappointed with two of the excursions. The Paris city tour, included in the extension, was two hours of walking around and looking at buildings with no real significance. It ended with a light show in a warehouse, which gave me vertigo and I lasted five minutes. People want to see the real sights. We would have rather spent two hours riding past historical structures. We signed up for the American invasion beaches tour. We only saw Omaha Beach, at high tide, and did not see Utah Beach. Instead we were taken to a little tourist village, in the British section.
Great service on AMA
This was our sixth trip with AmaWaterways and we've already booked our seventh, so they must be doing something right!
The Cruise was very enjoyable.The itinerary, service and the staff was excellent. I would take an Amawaterways cruise again.
Fantastic trip. AMA Waterways staff was excellent! I would highly recommend this trip and this company
Cruise manager very professional and responsible. Cruise team very accommodating. Cabin, while compact on a cruise ship, had all we needed.
This company's standards are great as well as their products. There were extra entertainment in 3 of the 7 nights and each one was different and a big hit. The captains dinner was quite delightful because we saw a fun side of our captain and truly understand his job.
We are returning passengers on AmaWaterways river cruises having just completed our 9th cruise. We have thoroughly enjoyed each cruise with AmaWaterways and we will certainly cruise with them again. They are wonderful hosts and their treatment of guests is excellent from ship Captain to cabin attendants. Their performance has always exceeded our expectations. Our last cruise was marred with unfortunate strikes in France but AmaWaterways and the Cruise Manager scrambled to provide a pleasant cruise experience. The mark of a true customer-oriented high quality organization is how they perform in adversity and AmaWaterways performed brilliantly to provide a very positive and enjoyable experience!
AMAWATERWAYS is my favorite
I totally enjoyed the experience with AMA Waterways. Everyone was courteous and took care of the passengers. Even laundry was not a rip-off, and the clothes came back quickly. The room was cleaned thoroughly every day, it was amazingly clean. Food was excellent as well - sometimes I felt the portion sizes were not sufficient, and the waitstaff accommodated my request for more food, i.e. give me another main course. A minor complaint is that the wines included with lunch/dinner were average to good.
We continue to be highly satisfied with both AmaWaterways and Affordable Tours.
Every single worker was friendly, kind and helpful on the AmaStella. Highly recommend this company.
As far as I'm concerned, AMA Waterways is a very customer friendly business to deal with. They treat their customers with the utmost respect and as family. They are the only River Cruise outfit that we would consider doing another river cruise with. We have already given them a $400 deposit against a future cruise.
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This was our seventh river cruise with AmaWaterways, so we are definitely pleased with every aspect of the experience they provide.