| Day |
Schedules and Accommodations |
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Depart Home / Zurich, Switzerland / Transfer to Basel / Embark Ship
Get ready for the royal treatment on your ultra-deluxe President’s
River Cruise! When you arrive in Zurich after an overnight flight,
you’ll be met and transferred to Basel. If you like, begin your trip by adding our 3-night Montreux optional extension before your cruise.
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Basel
At the meeting point of three nations (France, Germany, and
Switzerland) and split by the Rhine, Basel is both genteel and
imaginative. On your walking tour of the Old Town you’ll see the city’s
medieval gates, picturesque bridges, unusual gondola-like boats, and
the 12th-century, red stone Münster. Then see the city like a native on
a tour by street car! In the evening, join us at the Captain’s Welcome
Party & Dinner, followed by local entertainment.
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Basel (Full-day excursion to Lucerne), Switzerland
On an unforgettable full-day excursion you’ll travel to Lucerne, the
famous resort town set among the snow-capped Swiss Alps and a
shimmering lake. Get acquainted with Lucerne on
an included walking tour along the city’s cobbled streets and beneath
covered wooden bridges.
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Breisach, Germany
Venture today to the scenic rolling hills of Kaiserstuhl (“Emperor’s
Chair”) in the Upper Rhine Valley. This region boasts one of Germany’s
mildest climates, and the soil is ideal for growing many varieties of
grapes and orchids. The scenery will be even more spectacular this
evening as you dine on fine Alsatian cuisine at the Château Isenbourg,
located at the southern end of the Alsatian Wine Route. Built over
ancient vaulted wine cellars and perched in the Vosges mountains, the
château offers incredible views across the Rhine Valley to the Black
Forest.
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Breisach (Black Forest)
Enter the storybook world of the Black Forest on a full-day excursion.
Begin in the lively university city of Freiburg with a walking tour, a
German-style restaurant lunch, and a cuckoo clock making demonstration.
Then continue back through the pages of history as you pass through
enchanting towns of half-timbered houses that recall legends of
gingerbread and Hansel and Gretel. Crown the day with a boat ride on
gorgeous Lake Titisee. Later, there’s entertainment aboard ship.
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Strasbourg, France
Bon jour! Halfway between Paris and Prague, picturesque Strasbourg is
a true crossroads, a beguiling mix of French and German. On an included
walking and canal boat tour along Strasbourg’s enchanting canals you’ll
see the elegant Palais Rohan, Cathedral Notre Dame, the ultra-modern
European Union Parliament, the quaint shops and parks of “La Petite
France,” and the Tanner’s Quarter.
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Scenic Cruising / Greffern (Baden-Baden), Germany
Enjoy a leisurely day of cruising to rest up for tonight’s spectacular
President’s Gala! You’ll set out from Greffern to the historic
spa-town of Baden-Baden. First discovered by the Romans 2,000 years
ago, this idyllic enclave at the edge of the Black Forest boasts
curative mineral waters that have drawn people of privilege, from
Brahms to the Vanderbilts, for centuries. In this storied setting
you’ll celebrate your river cruise at Vantage’s famous President’s Gala
Dinner Dance — an elegant meal complete with fine wine and live musical
entertainment.
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Speyer
Arriving in Speyer, you’ll first tour the spectacularly
romanesque Speyer Cathedral, honored as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Return
to the ship for lunch, then you’re off again to the town of Schwetzingen where a
moated castle is almost as big as the town itself! You’ll tour the
castle’s courtly baroque gardens, famed for their geometrical
inventiveness. The grounds include a Temple of Apollo, a bathhouse, a
large mosque, a ruined Roman aquaduct, and a Temple of Mercury.
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Worms
Worms, your next port of call, was once the capital of an ancient
kingdom. Part of the Rheinhessen wine-growing region, Worms is also
known as the birthplace of Liebfraumilch, a sweet white wine. Since the
name could not be trademarked, many overly sweet wines of lesser
quality, often made from “leftover” grapes, claim to be
“Liebfraumilch,” thus giving the genre a bad reputation. For the real
thing, order Liebfrauenstift Kirchenstück while you’re in Worms. This
is the perfect starting point for your full-day tour along the German Wine
Route, where grapevines dominate the landscape.
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Mainz
From Mainz you’ll head to Eberbach Monastery, a Cistercian Abbey
founded in the 12th century and altered over the centuries by both
changing styles and the whims of history. Today the Abbey remains a
magnificent example of romanesque and gothic architecture, as you’ll
witness on your tour. It’s easy to picture scenes from The Name of the
Rose, starring Sean Connery, which was partially filmed here. Then
you’ll proceed to the impressive Cabinet-Keller, former “work room” of
the monks and an example of an ideal 18th-century wine cellar. The
Abbey is considered the birthplace of the “Kabinett” wine category. And
here, among historic wine barrels and valuable “antique” wines, you’ll
sample three Kabinett wines and learn about the legendary wine triad of
Eberbach Abbey, Riesling, and the Rheingau.
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Koblenz
Get ready for some spectacular scenery! Koblenz marks the beginning of
a 40-mile stretch of river, Germany’s Upper Middle Rhine Valley, that
is cherished as a UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Landscape. Here
mile-after-mile of terraced vineyards produce some of Germany’s
greatest Rieslings and other white wines. As you cruise into Koblenz, fortress walls and towers, castles and palaces, exquisite medieval
architecture and riverbank promenades paint a vivid picture of the city's 2,000-year history. You’ll visit the legendary fortress,
Ehrenbreitstein, immortilized in both the poetry of Lord Byron and the
prose of Herman Melville in his novel Moby Dick. Originally built
around 1100, the fortress served as residence for the archbishops of
Trier and as a Rhine toll collection post. After its destruction in
1801 by the French, the Prussians rebuilt it into one of the strongest
fortresses in the world, rivaled only by Gibraltar. Today the building
houses the Koblenz Museum, the Rhine Museum, and a Youth Hostel. Back aboard ship you’re
invited to the Captain’s Farewell Dinner. You’ll also be treated to a
performance of seafaring tunes by the Cologne Shanty Choir — feel free
to sing along!
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Cologne, Germany
This afternoon
you’ll arrive in Cologne, the chocolate capital of Germany. This was
once the base for the enormous Stollwerck Chocolate Factory, the
second-largest supplier of chocolate to the U.S., and almost every
resident of Cologne knows someone who worked there! Today you’ll board
a mini-train bound for the delights of the Chocolate Museum — a
marvelous ship-shaped building on the shore of the Rhine. The always
welcome aroma of chocolate greets you as soon as you walk in the door
of this magical place that would wow even Willy Wonka. You’ll learn
about the different qualities and varieties of chocolate as you peruse
exhibits that illustrate the chocolate-making process from bean to bar.
Then indulge in the chocolate fountain and shop for delicious
souvenirs.
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Amsterdam, The Netherlands / Disembark Ship / Return Home
Or add our 3-night optional Amsterdam extension.
(B) |
| Please Note: Port times and itineraries are subject to change. Fluctuating water levels may affect itinerary. |
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