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Join Vantage aboard the deluxe River Splendor and discover why our river cruises are award-winners. You’ll journey the entire length of the Rhine between Holland and Switzerland, also venturing up the breathtakingly scenic Moselle to take in its steep-sloped banks cloaked in vines.
Our 27 included excursions and Cultural Connections open your eyes to some of Europe’s most breathtaking landmarks, including six UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Admire the magnificent half-timbered houses of Bernkastel — the Moselle’s wine-growing town — and Colmar and Riquewihr, France’s delightful villages along the Alsatian Wine Route. Cruise the Upper Middle Rhine, a showstopper for its storybook hamlets and looming hillside castles. Tour the charming canals of Amsterdam and Strasbourg. And so much more.
Exclusive events and activities connect you to life and history along these storied rivers. Scholarly lectures, an engaging painting class, and fun and flavorful cooking classes round out your enrichment throughout your journey. Plus, you can explore even close — and get some exercise! — when you head out on one of the ship’s bicycles or on an active walk, either with a guide or on your own.
Come along with Vantage and immerse yourself in the many pleasures along the Rhine and Moselle!
Board your flight to Basel
Board an overnight flight to Basel, Switzerland. Or begin your trip early with a pre-trip extension in Montreux, a resort haven on the shores of Lake Geneva.
Arrive in Basel, embark your ship, and enjoy free time to explore the city
If you purchased your airfare from Vantage, a representative will meet you at the airport and assist with the transfer to your ship. This evening, attend a Welcome Briefing and Drink, followed by your first dinner on board. Vantage Onboard Enrichment:
Included meals:
Set off on a half-day tour of Basel
Dock in Basel, Switzerland — near the borders of Germany and France — early this morning. Located on the Rhine River, Basel traces its history as far back as the early Celts and Roman Empire. Today, its Old Town is a delight to browse and its many galleries draw art lovers from all over Europe. You’ll get acquainted during a walking tour, then enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. We will have shuttles to the city center available for those who are interested. This evening, savor a Swiss-themed dinner in the elegant dining room. Then it’s Move Night as we screen Fassbinder’s The Marriage of Maria Braun, chronicling the life of a woman during and after the war in Germany. Included Feature:
Immerse yourself in the Alsatian Wine Route on a full-day tour
Today you’ll enjoy a full-day Alsatian Wine Route tour, stopping first to stroll through the charming colorful streets of Colmar, renowned as the capital of Alsatian wine. Visit its famous Unterlinden Museum, a 13th-century Dominican convent housing the beloved Isenheim Altarpiece, a lush and moving polyptych. We provide some euros so you can find a place for lunch while in town. Continue to another beautiful French town steeped in charm, Riquewihr, renowned for its Riesling wine. A walking tour leads you to a wine tasting with a sommelier who provides invaluable guidance on several vintages. Later, learn more about the European Union during a fascinating lecture. And enjoy an evening of music as your spirit soars with selections from operetta to Broadway. Also this evening, you can head to the Captain’s Club for a fun interactive cooking lesson, perhaps seeing what goes into making the perfect Käsespätzle. Solo travelers may mingle during a solo get-together, too. Included Feature:
Discover Strasbourg on a walking and canal tour
Today in Strasbourg, an included walking and canal boat tour take you to the UNESCO-listed Grande-Île, where you will see the elegant Palais Rohan, the quaint shops and parks of “La Petite France,” and the Tanners’ Quarter. You will also step inside the glorious Cathedral Notre Dame and see the ultra-modern European Union Parliament. Later, you can also explore more of Strasbourg on your own; a shuttle bus from our pier makes it easy. On board tonight, savor more of this delightful region of France with a special French Alsatian dinner. Included Feature:
Marvel at the Speyer Cathedral and savor the warmth of a home-hosted dinner
This morning you arrive in Speyer, a pretty town of church towers and red-roof houses, for some leisure time. After lunch on board, pay a visit to a local Speyer household to share coffee, cake, and conversation. Later, you’ll set off on a tour of Speyer and its eponymous 11th-century cathedral, a wonder of Romanesque architecture. Once one of the largest cathedrals in the world, this UNESCO World Heritage Site remains the final resting place for many emperors and heads of state. Back on the ship, get ready to celebrate German-style during a festive party! Vantage Exclusive:
See the Gutenberg Bible in Mainz and learn how to paint
Located where the Rhine and Main Rivers meet, Mainz was once the seat of the Holy Roman Empire. It was also the city where Johannes Gutenberg invented the movable-type printing press, changing communication forever. Learn more about his revolutionary creation during a guided visit to the Johannes Gutenberg Museum, home to one of the original Gutenberg Bibles. Choose from an array of options this afternoon. Later, our cooking lesson shows you how to make German sour cabbage, sampling some local Riesling with your creation. Or, join a local artist to gain insight into capturing riverside vistas on canvas during a painting lesson. After enjoying the evening’s onboard entertainment head into town with your Cruise Director for a pub crawl, perhaps sampling one of Germany’s popular wheat, pale, or dark beers. Included Feature:
A Taste of Rüdesheim
Begin your day with breakfast on board and a morning of scenic sailing as you head into UNESCO-listed Rüdesheim, known for its winemaking and culinary delights. You’ll savor this town’s delectable delights for yourself with lunch at a local restaurant, accompanied by wine tasting.
Following lunch, you’ll enjoy a deeper look into this delightful destination with a choice of tours. Board a cable car up to the Niederwald Monument and enjoy panoramic vistas of rolling vineyards and the glittering Rhine as far as the eye can see. You’ll arrive at the top of the hill and be greeted by this incredible 34-foot tall monument, constructed in 1871 to commemorate the founding of the German empire following the Franco-Prussian War of 1870.
Or, you can choose to board a mini-train from Rüdesheim to Brömserhof for a guided visit of Siegfried's Musikkabinett, the first German museum dedicated to the preservation and display of mechanical musical instruments. Located in a former noble court dating back to the 16th-century, this unique museum houses over 350 exhibits and musical instruments, from delicate musical boxes to a full-size piano-orchestrion.
Whichever tour you choose, you’ll have some free time to explore on your own before heading back to the ship. We’ll overnight in port, so you’ll be able to enjoy dinner on board or enjoy an evening ashore on your own.
Included Feature:
Discover the baroque gem of Koblenz
You’ll enjoy scenic sailing as you set off from Rüdesheim and make your way to historic Koblenz. Following lunch on board the ship, you’ll debark for a walking tour of Koblenz, the scenic baroque gem where the Rhine and Moselle meet. Its dramatic German Corner juts into the rivers’ meeting point like the prow of a proud ship, with a giant equestrian statue of William I its figurehead. After seeing the main sights of the Old Town, you will have the rest of the afternoon at your leisure.
Back on board the ship, you can take part in an interactive cooking lesson highlighting the pleasures of a Swabian delicacy. This evening, you’ll enjoy live entertainment following dinner in the shipboard restaurant.
Cultural Discovery:
Enjoy a walking exploration of Bernkastel and sample some local wines
Set out on a walking tour of Bernkastel to admire this “International Town of Vines and Wine.” The surrounding landscape boasts massive fortresses and fairy-tale castles, and the town’s half-timbered houses lining the banks of the Moselle will enchant you. You’ll enjoy learning about the viticulture of Germany during a wine tasting at a local cellar. You’ll have free time in the afternoon to explore on your own before heading back to the ship.
Following cocktail hour and dinner onboard, you can close out the evening while enjoying a live onboard musical performance Included Feature:
Culinary Feature:
Enjoy an afternoon in beautiful Boppard
You’ll spend a relaxing morning on board, enjoying the beautiful scenery of the Rhine Valley as you sail into the charming Rhine Valley town of Boppard. After lunch, you’ll have time to explore this quaint German village on your own. Beyond the quintessentially German architecture and lovely river views are expansive rolling vineyards and popular hiking trails waiting to be discovered. For the history buff, Boppard’s Old town is home to dreamy castles and 4th-century Roman structures. Enjoy a stroll along the beautiful waterfront promenade, pop into one of the many boutiques for a bit of shopping, or stop for a bite of spätzle and wurst at a traditional café.
Back on board following your day of exploration, you can take part in an interactive cooking lesson in the Captain’s Club or sit in on a cocktail hour presentation in the ship’s lounge. Dinner this evening with be accompanied by an exclusive wine pairing.
Explore a gothic castle in Cochem
This morning, enjoy breakfast on the ship. You'll then head from Boppard to Cochem by motorcoach for a tour of the majestic Reichsburg Castle. This neo-Gothic structure — which once sat in a state of ruin for 180 years — was rebuilt in 1868 and served as the summer residence of the Ravené family. Nowadays, this fanciful structure is open to the public and you’ll enjoy a guided tour, along with a “meet and greet” with costumed performers and a complimentary glass of wine.
You’ll have some free time to explore Cochem on your own before returning to your ship for lunch and an afternoon at leisure. Dinner this evening will be served in the shipboard dining room.
Explore Cologne on a walking tour and taste some distinctive Kölsch beer
This morning, join a guided walking tour of Cologne, getting a chance to learn about this city’s rich Roman past and viewing the magnificent cathedral. One of Europe’s most stunning structures, its start-and-stop construction began in 1248 and ended in 1880. Pause at a traditional restaurant to enjoy a special tasting of Kölsch beer, a distinctive style that the New York Times once stated was like "drinking an entire culture." After, you'll also have free time to explore on your own, perhaps taking out one of the ship’s bicycles for the afternoon or joining a more active walk in the city. Following lunch on board, we provide shuttles into Cologne for those who would like to spend more time browsing its historic streets. Some evening entertainment on board — “The Best from Musicals” — offers the perfect closing to your day. Included Features:
Embark on a walking tour of Nijmegen, the oldest city in the Netherlands
This morning, step right off your ship for a walking tour of Nijmegen. This is the oldest city in the Netherlands — more than 2,000 years. You’ll stroll its compact medieval district and hear about the city’s role in World War II. Lunch is back onboard. As you sail toward Amsterdam later this afternoon, you’ll learn a bit about the local language during a Dutch lesson. As you cruise, learn to prepare another local favorite with your chef. Later, enjoy Movie Night with a presentation of a concert film featuring the Dutch violinist André Rieu. Included Feature:
A Cruise Amsterdam's UNESCO-listed Canal Ring and visit the Rijksmuseum
Awake in Amsterdam, the Netherland’s free-wheeling cultural capital. Embark on a lovely cruise along the city’s 17th-century canal ring, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will then visit the Rijksmuseum, home of Amsterdam’s premier art collection, including works by such Dutch masters as Rembrandt and Vermeer. You can enjoy an afternoon at leisure — there’s even shuttle service available to the city if you’d like. Later, gather with your fellow travelers for a festive Captain’s Farewell Dinner with a Dutch theme. A classical string quartet performs for you during your final evening on board. Included Feature:
Transfer to the Amsterdam airport for your flight home or join your optional extension in Bruges, Belgium
Depart for home today after an unforgettable journey, or explore more of the Low Countries with our optional extension to Bruges, Belgium’s remarkably preserved medieval city.
The 19th-century luminaries who once visited Montreux — Tolstoy, Nabokov, Flaubert, Dostoyevsky — were no doubt drawn by the pleasant climate, idyllic surroundings, and shimmering waters of Lake Geneva. This resort town remains an elegant escape, and you’ll experience its many charms on this extension. Enjoy a full-day tour of the Château de Chillon and Gruyère region — which includes some time at the Lavaux Vineyard Terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Witness the art of chocolate-making with a local chocolatier. And take time on your own to revel in the beauty of this lakeside gem.
Important Notice:The above day-by-day itinerary is preliminary and subject to change. If changes occur while on tour, you will be notified by your Cruise Director or regional expert. In addition, should there be an extreme change in water levels, Vantage will do everything possible to provide either the included excursion or an alternate excursion at Vantage’s discretion.
