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The Majestic Rhine (Basel-Amsterdam) Rail and Cruise

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4.2 stars(54 reviews)
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Enjoy a fantastic cruise on the mighty Rhine

You are viewing the 2023 itinerary. Select your departure year
20232024
8 days From £1,995 per person
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2023 Tour code: RLR23

About the tour

Soak up the majesty of one of Europe's most celebrated waterways. See the forested valleys, half-timbered towns and remarkable cities that line its banks as we journey through Switzerland, France, Germany and the Netherlands. Uncover the Gothic splendour of Strasbourg, the fairytale beauty of the Black Forest, and heritage railway journeys.

Highlights

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - Basel

Today, meet your Tour Manager and the rest of your group at London St Pancras* before travelling on the Eurostar service to Paris. From here, we continue to the Swiss city of Basel, where you'll be escorted to the ship. This evening, we enjoy a welcome cocktail before a delicious Swiss themed first meal.

*If you would like to travel by air, view our Fly & Cruise option here.

Includes
  • Dinner
Day 2 - Strasbourg

Our vessel sails into the charming French city of Strasbourg today. Strasbourg's position on the German-French border has seen it change hands between the two nations frequently throughout history. Because of this, Strasbourg represents the best of both cultures, with colourful half-timbered houses and cobbled streets.

You have two choices here. Your first option is a city tour of Strasbourg, uncovering its charm and history. Your second choice sees you travel into the famous Black Forest, passing through stunning fairytale panoramas.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3 - Speyer and Heidelberg

We arrive in Speyer this morning, where there's free time to explore. This town is home to one of the largest privately-owned collections of vehicles in the world, the Technik Museum Speyer. Featuring an entire jumbo jet, army vehicles, emergency vehicles, a submarine and much more, this museum is a treasure trove of vehicular delights and is well worth a visit.

Later in the afternoon, we have an excursion to the delightful university town of Heidelberg where we are treated to a guided tour. Heidelberg is famous for a magnificent ruined castle that stands guard over the riverbanks, proudly looking over the town below.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4 - Rüdesheim and the Rhine Gorge

We sail into the classic German town of Rüdesheim am Rhein, known for its formidable wine production, especially of the dry Riesling variety. Perhaps walk along the river during your free time here this morning, before our ship departs for Koblenz.

This afternoon includes one of the highlights of the tour as we pass through the glorious Rhine Gorge, one of the most beautiful sections of the river and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Sheer banks rise up, towering over the river below, covered in deep forests and miles of green vineyards, lending an almost ethereal feel to the waterway.

Our lunch today sees us tuck into a wonderful themed buffet with a suckling pig as the striking centrepiece, and several smaller dishes from this part of the world. We sail this evening into the enchanting city of Koblenz; you may wish to visit one of the famous wine taverns here.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5 - The Lower Rhine and the Drachenfelsbahn

After an evening in Koblenz, we depart and discover the marvellous Lower Rhine, a stretch of river characterised by lush green meadows and postcard villages.

Our Cruise Director provides us with the history of this area, and highlights points of interest. In the afternoon, we dock in Koenigswinter, where we embark on a journey on the Drachensfelbahn railway. This rack railway rises into the mountains and high into the forests for wonderful views across the Rhine- Westphalia region of Germany.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 - Cologne

Arriving in Cologne this morning, we venture forth into this vibrant German city on a walking tour. We see the resplendent cathedral, a centuries-old building which survived 14 aerial hits during World War Two. We also wander through the many bustling squares and labyrinthine streets, seeing Romanesque town-houses. Tonight is an opportunity to dress up in our finest as we enjoy a gala dinner with the captain.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7 - Amsterdam and the Medemblik Steam Train

We arrive in Amsterdam this morning where we have a choice of two excursions, the first is a city tour of Amsterdam. One of the most popular of all the European cities, Amsterdam is as modern as it is historic, as young as it is old. From idyllic canals and large parks to contemporary art galleries and futuristic architecture, this is a city that boasts something for everyone. The second option is an excursion to Hoorn where we board the splendid Medemblik Steam Train and enjoy a nostalgic trip through enchanting Dutch scenery.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8 - Homeward bound

After a buffet breakfast, we disembark the ship and here your cruise concludes. Make your way back to the railway station with your Tour Manager to board your train back to London St Pancras.

Includes
  • Breakfast

Additional information

Info - Travel Options

We offer a Standard Class and First Class rail options for departures on this tour. You can find out which class each departure is by clicking on the information button in the pricing grid. (Look for S - Standard Class and F - First Class)

Departure times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with our dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We write to all booked customers approximately 10 weeks prior to the start of their tour to advise the exact departure and return time for their particular group.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Trains

Drachenfels Railway
Eurostar
Medemblik Steam Train
Thalys

Ships

MS Amadeus Queen
MS Amadeus Imperial
MS Amadeus Cara

Enhance your holiday

Upgrades

London Hotels
UK rail connections
Door to door luggage upgrade from £80

Reviews

4.2 stars4.2 / 5 · 54 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (23)
  2. 4 stars
    (23)
  3. 3 stars
    (5)
  4. 2 stars
    (2)
  5. 1 star
    (1)

Mr Howells

5 stars

Submitted 13 Oct 2022

An excellent rail/cruise. The Tour Guides were extremely helpful and supported the tour without a hitch, The Amadeus boat could not be faulted, and the on-board crew and staff were first rate. The tour was well thought out and it was well worth the trip.

Collected by Trustpilot

A Teague

3 stars

Submitted 11 Oct 2022

Lovely boat with comfortable cabin and excellent food and service. Disappointing scheduling meant restricted visits to some locations and repeated poor management by GRJ leader.

Collected by Trustpilot

Mrs Kay Holby

4 stars

Submitted 11 Oct 2022

The ship, accommodation, service and food were all excellent. A great journey with very interesting places to visit along the way. We preferred to do our own thing when on shore rather than in a group following/listening to a guide...a little more information (before the cruise) about the day to day situation would have been useful. Many people thoroughly enjoyed their guided tours though so it's about personal choice in our situation.

Collected by Trustpilot

N Jaggard

3 stars

Submitted 07 Oct 2022

it was our first cruise and there were some highs and some lows

Collected by Trustpilot

P Eyles

5 stars

Submitted 06 Oct 2022

Comfy cabin great crew delicious food

Collected by Trustpilot

I Cayzer

5 stars

Submitted 06 Oct 2022

Amazing experience, like being in a 5 star hotel, the cabins were larger than we expected and the food superb. Excellent value.

Collected by Trustpilot

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The Majestic Rhine (Basel-Amsterdam) Rail and Cruise

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