An Unforgettable Cruise through the Heart of Europe from the Rhine to the Danube (port-to-port cruise)

Passengers are welcome to board at 11:00 a.m. in Strasbourg. As we sit down to lunch, our ship will begin to cruise to Frankfurt. Enjoy the onboard activities. We’ll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail and enjoy dinner on board. Our ship will cruise through the night.

We’ll arrive in Frankfurt early in the morning. Optional excursion: Panoramic tour of Frankfurt and the top of the Main Tower. This panoramic tour will take you to the heart of the financial district and the immense skyscrapers dominating the city's skyline. We’ll head to the top of the Main Tower to get a great view of the city from above. Frankfurt's financial district has earned its nickname "Mainhatten." From over 656 feet up, you’ll be able to take in the glorious views of the city spread out below. We'll return on board for lunch while the ship continues to Karlstadt.

We'll spend the morning cruising on the Main River, arriving in Karlstadt in the early afternoon. Join us for an optional excursion: Guided tour of Würzburg. We’ll leave by coach for the center of Würzburg. The tour will begin at the Würzburg Residence, the 18th-century palace built by the Prince-Bishops of Würzburg. Discover the 40 rooms decorated sumptuously with furniture, paintings, and tapestries from 18th-century masters. Step back in time as you climb the monumental baroque-style staircase designed by Balthasar Neumann. The impressive rococo-style Imperial Hall is topped with a dome decorated with frescoes and golden stucco. Continue your tour downtown before returning to the ship by coach. We’ll return on board in Würzburg and continue cruising to Nuremberg. Our ship will cruise through the night.

Enjoy some free time in Schweinfurt. Explore this charming city with our host or hostess. Schweinfurt's center contains several interesting sites, including the beautiful Rathaus (city hall), Schrotturm (tower), the remarkable St. Johannis and St. Kilian Churches, and the statue of Friedrich Rückert in the Marktplatz. The Georg Schäfer Museum is a quick five-minute walk from our dock. The museum presents a wide range of art from the 18th to mid-20th centuries (Entry ticket not included. German and English language only). Artists include Caspar David Friedrich, Georg Ferdinand Waldmüller, Hans Thoma, Wilhelm Leibl, Max Liebermann, and Max Slevogt.
We'll return on board for lunch while the ship continues to Nuremberg. Our ship will cruise through the night.

We’ll arrive in Nuremberg early in the morning. Join us for an optional excursion: Guided tour of Nuremberg. Take off on a panoramic tour of the city to see monuments outside the medieval walls, including the Palace of Justice, Nazi Party Rally Grounds and Documentation Center, and the castle area. Fall under the spell of the charming, narrow streets and half-timbered houses before arriving at the Marktplatz for a tour on foot to see the Schöner Brunnen and the outside of the Frauenkirche. During this excursion, you'll have a taste of Lebkuchen, a well-known, local delicacy much like gingerbread. We'll return on board for lunch while the ship continues to Regensburg. Enjoy the onboard activities this afternoon and evening. Our ship will cruise through the night.

We’ll arrive in Regensburg in the morning. Enjoy some free time in the city. In the afternoon, join us for an optional guided tour of Regensburg. The first stop our coach will make before Regensburg will be at the Walhalla, an imposing, Greek-style hall of fame built between 1830 and 1842 by Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria honoring distinguished people in Germanic history. One hundred twenty-nine busts of artists and military figures adorn the interior. After, your guides will lead you on foot through Regensburg, where you'll discover the grand Porta Preatoria on the old city's northern wall, the town hall and its Imperial Hall, the Gothic-style cathedral, and Italian-style mansions built by rich merchants in the Middle Ages. The Allies spared Regensburg from intense bombardments during World War II, conserving the ancient architecture for us to enjoy today. We'll return on board for dinner while the ship continues to Passau. 

We’ll arrive in Passau during the morning. After we arrive, set off on your own or join our host/hostess for a tour of the city. Passau is known as “The City of Three Rivers” since it sits at the confluence of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz Rivers. Our tour will take you to Passau's old town, St. Stephen's Cathedral, and St. Michael's Church. We'll return on board for lunch while the ship continues to Vienna. Tonight we’ll enjoy our gala dinner on board.

This morning's optional excursion is a tour of Hofburg Palace and the Sisi Museum. The imperial Hofburg Palace is one of the largest palatial complexes in the world. Its disproportional splendor fascinates history and architecture lovers from around the world. Must-sees include the Imperial Treasury, Imperial Apartments, and the Sisi Museum.
This afternoon, the optional excursion is: Vienna, the Capuchin Church, and the Austrian National Library. Construction of this unassuming church finished in 1632. The interior has remained simple and sober throughout the years. The Imperial Crypt beneath the church is the last resting place of more than 145 members of Habsburg royalty, including Empress Maria Theresa, Emperor Franz Joseph I, and his beloved wife, Empress Sisi. The next stop will be the Austrian National Library, considered as having one of the most beautiful library halls in the world. A magnificently painted dome with frescoes by Daniel Gran covers the impressive State Hall. Four beautiful Venetian globes with a diameter of over one yard add an accent to the room's imperial flair. After our excursion, we’ll return to the ship.
Our optional excursion this evening is a concert of Viennese music (subject to availability). Enjoy the works of masters such as Mozart and Strauss within the legendary "Capital of Classical Music."

Enjoy breakfast on board this morning before disembarking at 9:00 a.m.