Table Of Content
Originating in the Swiss Alps and zigzagging through (or next to) five countries on its way to the North Sea, the Rhine is one of Europe's major rivers. Some itineraries include excursions along other waterways in the Netherlands and Belgium, visiting the Dutch ports of Edam, Dordrecht and Hoorn, which are especially picturesque during tulip season. Some cruises continue to the Danube River and sail to ports like Vienna and Budapest or all the way to the Black Sea. Vienna is one of Europe's cultural capitals, with a rich ancestry of classical music composers, fine artists and a powerful aristocracy. Budapest boasts beautiful architecture, historic bathhouses and is often called the "Paris of Eastern Europe." Other itineraries follow the Rhine's southerly course and cruise to ports like Strasbourg, France, and Basel, Switzerland. Basel is a historic, culturally rich city located at the elbow of the river on the borders of France and Germany and is home to Switzerland's oldest university, first music theater and many museums.
Low Water Levels Disrupt European River Cruises, a Favorite of U.S. Tourists (Published 2022) - The New York Times
Low Water Levels Disrupt European River Cruises, a Favorite of U.S. Tourists (Published .
Posted: Mon, 29 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT [source]
More on the Rhine River in Germany
Your flexible Rhine Pass is valid on all scheduled KD day cruises between Cologne and Mainz, as well as the Moselle between Koblenz and Cochem except special themed cruises. Viking, which bills itself as “the thinking person’s cruise,” is a major player on the Rhine, where it operates more than 40 riverboats—nearly identical sister ships with a capacity for 190 guests. Of particular interest to history buffs is its “Paris to the Swiss Alps” cruise tour, a four-nation trip that bookends a seven-night sailing on the Moselle (a Rhine tributary) and Rhine with a two-night, hotel-based stay in both Paris and Zurich. After taking a coach from Paris, guests visit Luxembourg en route to Trier, Germany, the embarkation point for a voyage that stops in Bernkastel, Cochem, Koblenz, Mainz, and Speyer in Germany, as well as Strasbourg, France. The cruise ends in Basel before continuing on by ground transfer to Zurich.
Best Rhine River Cruise on a Budget: Gate 1 Travel
Köln-Düsseldorfer (KD) is the best Rhine River day trip cruise line with excursions from Cologne (Köln), Koblenz, Rüdesheim, and the Loreley Valley. A standout feature on the ships is the glass-enclosed swimming pool which converts to a movie theater at night (complete with popcorn). Emerald Cruises also has activity managers that coordinate the shore tours and arrange daytime and evening programs.
What to know about the 5 top waterways, from Oregon to Florida
All eyes and cameras turned towards the rock to try and capture the image of this beautiful maiden, but you had to be quick as she soon disappeared from view. The Rhine River is a very popular day-trip destination from cities such as Cologne (Köln) and Frankfurt am Main. Trains run on both banks of the Rhein but nothing beats a cruise on the river itself. Köln-Düsseldorfer (KD) has the largest number of boats on the Rhine River and has many cruises through the lovely Loreley Valley that could be as short as an hour or all day. Several further companies operate cruises on the Rhine and past the Lorelei (Loreley). AmaWaterways offers themed wine itineraries on the Rhine with enhanced epicurean experiences included in the fare.
With that in mind, Avalon offers Active & Discovery itineraries on the Rhine with options to suit both active travelers and those who prefer to explore in a more laid back manner. Often overlooked by tourists who travel to Germany for Oktoberfest, castles, beer, and WWII history, the Middle Rhine River Valley is a gem worth exploring. Germany has some of the best white wine in the world, rarely exporting the good stuff to the U.S. so you have to get it while you’re here. Scenic Cruise’s “Christmas on the Rhine” takes the best parts of a typical Rhine river cruise and sprinkles in a little holiday magic.
Popular
No trip to Germany is complete without a Rhine River cruise and no matter how many times we’ve cruised the Rhine River previously, the pleasure of a cruise on the romantic Rhine does not diminish. Henk Bekker is a freelance travel writer with over 20 years of experience writing online. In addition to European-Traveler.com, he also owns a travel website on the Lake Geneva region of Switzerland and maintains statistical websites on car sales and classic car auction prices. Henk holds an MBA from Edinburgh Business School and an MSc in Development Finance from the University of London. Loreley-Linie Weinand operates from Kamp Bornhofen with cruises to the Loreley Valley with stops mostly in Boppard, Kamp Bornhofen, Kestert, St Goar, and St Goarhausen. The Rhine River can be a food-and-wine paradise and AmaWaterways is the best choice if you're a foodie or oenophile.
Traveler Reviews
All clock in at around 300 square feet, so there's plenty of space to spread out. In the evening, kids gather together to have their own supervised meal -- teens have their own gathering -- while parents unwind on their own. It's all a great mix of together time as a family, paired with opportunities for parents to reconnect -- the extra Disney-level service is just a bonus. This particular castle ruin is a good one with lots of nooks and crannies for kids to wander through and climb around. There is a small museum with information in both German and English (always appreciated). And the view from the top of the tower is perfect for all the Instagramers.
KD Rhine has a large fleet of river boats that provide day trips up and down the Rhine between Koblenz and Mainz. With one of their KD Rhine Passes, you can hop-on and hop-off at any of the stops along their route. This offers holidaymakers the opportunity to see the sights and visit the towns along the Rhine without having to commit to a longer and more expensive river cruise.
Gate 1 cruises also have more onboard activities than your typical river cruise, such as bingo, trivia and early morning exercise classes. When you plan your river cruise with AAA Travel, we put you at the center of exploration, taking you directly to the vibrant heart of unique locations and organizing immersive cultural experiences at every port. While these cruises are not meant to be a hop on/hop off type of tour, start early enough and one short stop along the way is possible. Our river boat, the Stolzenfels, was a little late arriving at Oberwesel, but the scenery and activity on the river are pleasant distractions. When we got on board, the river boat was quite packed and being a sunny day, the upper deck was full of sightseers who have installed themselves in prime viewing seats at the front of the boat.
While there is an indoor part of the boat, the allure of this cruise is to check out the spectacular views. If you have bad weather, taking the train which follows the same route, might be a better option since you still get the views but at a faster pace between towns. With more than 40 departure points, you don't have to plan out your route in advance. Just hop-on and hop-off all scheduled KD day and panorama cruises for one day. But at least we have time in Boppard to explore this town on the River Rhine.
Or set out on your own in ports with loaner bikes and Nordic walking sticks on hand. The river cruise operator also offers a series of “discovery” excursions, hands-on, interactive experiences that often focus on culture and cuisine. In 2022, the Rhine River experienced one of the worst droughts in recent history—some parts of the river in Germany dropped to below 16 inches of water in key navigational areas. While ships are still sailing, keep in mind that low water levels may affect river cruise itineraries by shortening the amount of time that passengers have in port when ships are forced to sail at a slower pace.
For about $1,000 less than the closet competitor, Gate 1 Travel manages to be one of the best Rhine River cruises for those watching there budget.
This way you can arrange your own individual sightseeing tour, and enjoy the diversity of Cologne from very different angles. The Rhine Pass is valid on all scheduled KD day cruises between Cologne to Linz and Koblenz to Mainz (except special theme cruises and cruises including gastronomic service). Rössler has mostly shorter Rhine cruises in the Rüdesheim vicinity but Rössler occasionally cruises down the Loreley Valley past Die Lorelei to St Goar / St Goarhausen.
No comments:
Post a Comment