PAST CRUISES 2018 Jewels of the Rhine

Welcome to Amsterdam! Your Royal European Cruise begins here in the Netherlands’ capital. This modern city with old world charm and historic significance provides the perfect starting place for your Teeming River Cruises European tour. After settling in your cabin, which will be your floating hotel room for the duration of the cruise, please join us to raise a glass to toast our voyage at the Captain’s Welcome Reception.

Like countless tourist before you, pose by or even climb on the iconic I Amsterdam letters. Explore the 700-year-old city of Amsterdam with its maze of canals and teetering, gable-topped buildings dating back to the city’s 17^th century “Golden Age”. The centuries-old Canal Ring Area of Amsterdam is not only iconic of this bustling city but also a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. At your leisure, stroll the cobbled streets, soak up some culture at one of the world-class museums (such as the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum or the Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art), visit the Anne Frank House, take a canal cruise, experience a lively outdoor market or shop along the Nine Streets with their charming boutiques. Enjoy the remainder of your day cruising the Rhine River on route to Cologne. After settling in your cabin, which will be your floating hotel room for the duration of the cruise, please join us to raise a glass to toast our voyage at the Captain’s Welcome Reception.

Meals: 5-Course Welcome Aboard Dinner 7 pm
Lodging: Aboard Royal Crown

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Today you will have a full day to explore the history-rich city of Arnhem. Admire Arnhem’s famous bridge over the Rhine, immortalized in the film A Bridge Too Far, where British paratroopers held fast for four days against overwhelming odds. In honor of the commander of the paratroopers, the bridge was renamed the John Frost Bridge. Arnhem features numerous museums and cultural attractions. Top of the list would be the incredible Netherlands Open Air Museum – the Netherlands’ first and best open-air folk museum spread across 82 wonderful wooded acres. You’ll relish this huge park of windmills, old farmhouses and other traditional buildings (gathered from throughout the Netherlands then reassembled here), time-honored craft demonstrations, and a pleasant education-by-immersion in Dutch culture. Alternatively, you might opt to step back in time by traveling to nearby (less than 15 minutes by train) Nijmegen, widely regarded as the oldest city in the Netherlands with a settlement as early as the first century B.C.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Aboard Royal Crown

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Awaken your senses in the 2,000 year-old city of Cologne. One of Germany’s largest cities and the capital of the Rhineland, Cologne straddles both sides of the Rhine and is Gothic cathedral. Peer up at the soaring twin spires of the Cologne Cathedral (Germany’s largest cathedral and a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and to really get your blood pumping climb the 533 steps of the south tower for a panoramic view of the city and the Rhine. Tantalize your taste buds at the Cologne’s most popular museum, Imhoff Chocolate Museum. Follow your nose to the quirky Farina Fragrance Museum (advance reservations recommended), smelling the scent that put Cologne on the map. You might also choose to spend your afternoon & evening exploring the Roman ruins and the Old Town abounding with shops, cafes & taverns (try a Kölsch pale lager, locally brewed for over a hundred years).

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Aboard Royal Crown

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Koblenz truly is a feast for the eyes with its backdrop of vineyards, forests, and mountains. Snap a photo as you lean on the giant bronze thumb sculpture at Koblenz’s famous German Corner (Deutsches Eck), where the Rhine meets the Moselle River.  After leaning on the “thumb”, lean into history as you wind your way through the Old Town. Explore the French influence and ancient remnants of Roman walls. Stroll along the river promenade and roam the town’s romantic narrow streets, where you might encounter flower-filled parks, sidewalk cafes or possibly a weinstube (wine tavern). Sample a Moselle Riesling while drinking in the amazing atmosphere of the oldest wine region in Germany.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Aboard Royal Crown

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Delight in the romantic ancient town of Rüdesheim famous for its wine and half-timbered buildings. It sits at the foot of the unexpected grand work of art, the Niederwald Monument, which commemorates the establishment of the German Empire after the Franco-Prussian War in 1870. Spend the morning sauntering down the renowned Drosselglasse, the narrow cobblestone lane in the heart of the Old Town. This pedestrian street is lined with charming shops, cozy wine taverns and inviting restaurants. Rüdesheim is covered in vineyards, earning its reputation for the best wine growing region on the Rhine, and some experts would argue the best in the world. It is especially well known for its Riesling wines. Visit the eclectic Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet, a museum of automated musical instruments. Spend the rest of the day relaxing and cruising along the picturesque river.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Aboard Royal Crown

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Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Aboard Royal Crown

Speyer is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the history of Speyer begins with the establishment of a Roman camp in 10 B.C. making it one of Germany’s oldest cities. The imperial cathedral in Speyer, officially known as the Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Stephen, is the town’s most prominent landmark. Laid out in the form of a Latin cross, it is one of Germany’s largest and most important Romanesque buildings and was intended to be no less than the largest church in the western world when building work began in 1030. Visit the popular Technik Museum with exhibits of aircrafts, railroads, fire engines, and ships or enjoy the beer gardens near the river.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Aboard Royal Crown

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The capital city of the Grand Est region, Strasbourg is located in northeastern France. The town has a beautiful blend of German and French architecture. The cities historical center, the Grande Ile, was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988, the first time such an honor was placed on an entire city center. Its Gothic Cathedral Notre Dame also known as The Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg stands high above the skyline at 142 meters making it the 6^th tallest church in the world. It features daily shows from its astronomical clock and sweeping views of the Rhine River from partway up its spire. As our Jewels of the Rhine Tour winds down, join the crew for good-byes and a final farewell toast at the Captain’s Farewell Reception, then dine like royalty at the Farewell Dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, 5-Course Farewell Dinner
Lodging: Aboard Royal Crown

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Your cruise comes to an end back in the incredible city of Basel. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, the city is known for its many internationally renowned museums, ranging from the Kunstmuseum, the first collection of art accessible to the public in Europe (1661) and the largest museum of art in the whole of Switzerland, to the Fondation Beyeler (located in Riehen). In the medieval old town known for its internationally renowned museums explore the collection of arts or tour Switzerland’s oldest university. Built between 1019 and 1500 the Basler Munster is a famous landmark of Basel. The Romantic and Gothic styles combined with the twin towers stretches across the skyline drawing visitors from across the world. At the Pfalz, sit and relax as you admire the views of the Old Town. For these and many other sites, Basel calls itself the Cultural Capital of Switzerland.

Depart after breakfast, with the freedom to explore this world-class city on your own.

While this is the end of your cruise, your memories will live on from your Jewels of the Rhine Tour. Thank you for cruising with Teeming River Cruises, where vacations come first and memories last.

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