Embarkation from 4:00pm
Welcome to the south of France! In the afternoon, you board your festively decorated AMADEUS ship and you have plenty of time to familiarize yourself with your floating hotel before the Welcome Cocktail with the on-board cruise management. Thereafter, allow yourself to be spoilt at the Welcome Dinner with selected specialties prepared by our chef, which will put you in an appropriately festive mood for your advent cruise. During the night, the ship will remain anchored in Strasbourg.
Winterly Alsace
Today you can enjoy the Alsace river city of Strasbourg. The surroundings are also well worth a visit: Those who wish to do so can take a morning expedition into the wintery Alsace and Obernai, and can admire the landscape of southern France. In the afternoon, you have the opportunity to explore Strasbourg, where the festively decorated facades and shops invite you for a stroll, while enjoying the pre-Christmas atmosphere. You will, of course, also be able to experience the romantic ambience of the Christmas market before returning to the ship. After dinner, your ship will set sail for Germany.
Visit the Christmas market in Speyer
Early in the morning you arrive in Speyer, which was once one of the most important cities of the German Holy Roman Empire. From here, you can take a trip to the old imperial town of Heidelberg, which looks particularly charming at this time of year. Apart from the other tourist attractions, don't miss the Heidelberg Christmas market, in order to enjoy its enchanting advent atmosphere.
After lunch, the festive mood continues and you will have the opportunity to enjoy Speyer during the course of a relaxed stroll. Here, too, a beautiful Christmas market awaits you, which you should not miss! At dinner time, your ship continues downriver to Rüdesheim.
Passage of the Lorelei
You reach Rüdesheim early in the morning and, after a generous breakfast, you can start exploring this fascinating wine town which, together with Bingen on the opposite side, forms the southern gateway to the Middle Rhine Valley. The picturesque little town is best discovered on a leisurely walk, after which you will continue to Koblenz for lunch.
On the way, you pass what is probably the most beautiful section of your trip – the dreamy, wintery Middle Rhine Valley and the mysterious Lorelei rock, which is associated with countless legends. In the afternoon you will reach Koblenz. This romantic town in the northern Rhineland-Palatinate is best discovered during an extended walk. In the evening, the festive Captain's Gala Dinner awaits you. Your ship leaves Koblenz in the evening.
Disembarkation after breakfast
Early in the morning, you reach the Rhine metropolis of Cologne, where your trip ends. Enjoy a relaxed and generous breakfast before disembarkation, with which the crew will gladly assist you. The entire AMADEUS team wishes you a safe journey home and a joyous festive season with your loved ones!
Enjoy a package of these pre-selected excursions for a discounted rate when purchased in advance. Additional shore excursions can be purchased onboard. View Excursions
Enjoy a package of these pre-selected excursions for a discounted rate when purchased in advance. Additional shore excursions can be purchased onboard. View Excursions
You can also pre-purchase individual excursions or prchase them onboard during your river cruise. View Excursions