

Offer is only applicable for new guests to Tauck. New bookings only-must be booked & deposited during the booking window (07 May - 07 June 2023). Deposit & hotel request must be made at time of booking. Offer is not combinable with the Gift of Time or other Tauck offers. Offer is not combinable with any advisor travel benefits or rewards points travel. Subject to availability. If either pre or post-night at Tauck hotel is not available, offer does not apply. Valid for travel from January 1, 2023– December 31, 2023. Certain other restrictions may apply.
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.
Traveling with Peace of Mind
Our commitment never wavers – to earn your trust by always doing the right thing. As we explore the world together again, this will be more important than ever as we adapt to living and traveling in the presence of COVID-19.
Tauck is 97-years young this year, and our ability to weather many storms over the decades is a result of our values and beliefs – as a family and as a family-owned and led company. In addition to the guiding light of these values, our extensive experience, local knowledge and global support network help to ensure your safety on every Tauck journey. Building upon our bedrock of award-winning guest care, we have worked tirelessly to prepare for your return following the COVID-19 hiatus in travel. With guidance from leading experts, including the CDC and WHO, together with our internal Global Response Team and, most importantly, with feedback from thousands of our guests, we have redefined how we will conduct our experiences as we resume travel.
Tauck is Prepared for the Unexpected
For decades, Tauck has operated in over 70 countries in all 7 continents. Over this time, our staff and network of supplier partners have always been there to support our guests and team on the road. Our guests travel with a comprehensive, built-in support system that starts with the care and local knowledge of our Tauck Directors and extends to our network of partners around the world, including hoteliers and transportation companies.
At the core of our ability to quickly and effectively respond to the unexpected is our Global Response Team - a group of over 50 employees across all departments who stand ready to spring into action around the world. This team has plenty of experience, from weather events, high and low water on rivers, earthquakes, volcanic ash, civil unrest and work stoppages. They have also dealt with past virus outbreaks including the SARS and Zika viruses.
The Tauck Travel Well Pledge
Before we operate tours and cruises, all Tauck employees, our supplier partners and our guests will take Tauck’s Travel Well Pledge.
As a company, we will follow our enhanced protocols with diligence and rigor; review them frequently as the landscape changes and always make common-sense decisions grounded in purpose and pride. We embrace these new and necessary measures to combat COVID-19 and will do our very best to provide the Tauck care we have been honored to deliver for 97 years.
OUR NEW HEALTH & SAFETY PROTOCOLS
Consistent with our commitment to the well-being of our guests, we are implementing enhanced health and safety protocols. These protocols may vary by geographic regions and will certainly evolve over time, as science and society respond to new realities:
Tauck Staff
Prior to interacting with guests, each member of Tauck’s field staff is trained in enhanced protocols and participates in a personal health screening.
Once on tour, our Tauck Directors and supporting staff are responsible for maintaining these protocols with a special focus on cleanliness and physical distancing. They will relay critical information regarding requirements, advise when protocols are mandatory – such as wearing a face covering in group settings – and help facilitate guest care through communication with appropriate parties should a guest become ill on tour. All Tauck staff will adhere to the same requirements.
Guest Responsibility
When joining a Tauck journey, every guest is responsible for their own health and, in turn, the protection of their fellow travelers, the Tauck staff, our suppliers and the places we visit. Guests will pledge to follow the direction of the Tauck staff and adhere to health and safety protocols.
Guests are expected to wear face coverings in all group settings, to wash their hands frequently and to adhere to supplier and government regulations. While supplies of face coverings, gloves, and hand sanitizer will be available, guests are asked to bring such personal items for their own comfort.
Small is BIG
For many years, Tauck has emphasized and invested in more choices of activities, resulting in smaller groups for activities like sightseeing and events. This is consistent with our mantra that “Small is Big” – small groups and smaller ships with fewer guests.
We initially focused on these elements to improve the guest experience. Yet today they take on an additional dimension; small group experiences and more personal space are critical in providing the peace of mind our guests expect. Accordingly, we are offering even more small group experiences and limiting guest numbers across all of our journeys.
We have been working diligently with our partners to be prepared to welcome you back when the time is right.
Tauck has worked meticulously with our global supplier partners to plan for every itinerary following the hiatus in travel. All partners, whether they be a hotel, museum, small ship/riverboat, restaurant or other partner, have been thoughtful about how to provide a Tauck experience in this environment.
And while it's impossible to list all of the enhanced health and safety protocols for the hundreds of Tauck partners across the globe, we would like to share a representative sample of what you can expect:
Hotels
Our hotel partners all have world-class health and safety protocols. However, these guidelines may vary depending on local situations and regulations. Here are some typical examples:
Ships and Riverboats
We have worked closely with our cruise partners to ensure the best possible health and safety protocols and to ensure the care and service you expect from Tauck:
Sightseeing and Local Activities
Many of our experiences are exclusive and/or private and that’s important in taking care of you. Whether it be a guided tour, a visit to an iconic museum or private home, a musical performance, or any other special Tauck activities, we are applying the same rigor to health and safety protocols:
Dining
Tauck has always been known for a la carte dining; having more freedom to decide when and with whom to dine now has more value than ever. Additionally, our partners whether they be hotels, ships, special venues or restaurants, are raising their already rigorous hygienic standards. Here are some examples:
On-Tour Transportation
Keeping on-tour transportation safe is a major focus of our team who has worked with hundreds of partners to ensure continuity in health and safety protocols:
Our Supplier Partners are ready for you
Tauck is proud to have worked closely with our partners around the world, many of them for decades, to deliver the quality, comfort and safety you expect. Whether it be hotels and resorts, riverboats and small ships, restaurants, event venues or transportation companies, their meticulous health and safety protocols reflect their leadership and well-earned respect in the travel industry. The following are some select health and safety protocols. We will update these on a regular basis.
In addition to our supplier partners, we have also been actively engaged with global travel organizations to standardize health and safety protocols throughout the travel industry. TourCare is one example:
TourCare are health and sanitation guidelines developed by the tour industry's major global associations: the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA), The Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO) and the European Tourism Association (ETOA). Tauck, and our supplier partners, meet and exceed these guidelines that require members to adhere to the highest standards in the industry.
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!!