From Berlin to Strasbourg (port-to-port cruise)

Departure from Nijmegen by coach in the company of your hostess for the Dutch Open Air Museum in Arnhem, which is located in a beautiful wooded park (44 ha). Some 80 authentic farms, windmills, workshops, houses, barns, a church and a school provide an insight on the everyday life and architecture of yesteryear.
Upon arrival, our hostess will hand you a ticket so you can visit the museum on your own. Inside every building, you'll be intrigued by the typical furniture and the displays of various trades and crafts. Some of the buildings are grouped together, such as the beautiful Limburg timber-framed buildings or the Gelderland farms, but the most charming spot is without a doubt the area dedicated to the Zaan region, with its green painted wooden houses and tastefully decorated gables. Our visit will start with the renovated entrance pavilion and its good vantage point over the park and its many windmills. There are farming implements on display in many areas, like the collections center. The lower level gives access to the spectacular panoramic theater HollandRama. In this mobile capsule, films, sounds, lights, smells and temperatures evoke different scenes, from cityscapes to the confines of houses. Return on board by coach.

PLEASE NOTE

• This is an unguided tour.
• Bags can be let to the left luggage office.
• Information in the museum (notice board) is given in Dutch, in English and in German.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

Departure for a tour of Amsterdam by riverboat. With your guide, we'll glide further into this "Venice of the North” along the renowned Amsterdam canals, providing an ideal vantage point on the city's wonderful architecture. Our tour will take us through the four large canals surrounding the center - the Prinsengracht, Keizersgracht, Herengracht and Singel canals. The Singel river was transformed into a canal in the 14th century to become part of the city's defensive belt, while the other three were conceived at the beginning of the Golden Age as a means to expand the city. Construction started in 1560 and lasted for more than a hundred years. The historical center is now surrounded by those four canals, parallel to one another. Shaped in half-moons, they follow the sun rays making sure that each and every house gets direct sunlight at some point during the day. When looking at a city map, Amsterdam resembles a half-bicycle wheel. Enjoy some free time in the city. Return on board.

PLEASE NOTE

• Times are approximate.
• Depending on the docking location in the port of Amsterdam, the duration of the excursion may vary.

We'll leave by coach from Berlin-Spandau with a local guide who will help us discover the history, monuments and fascinating facets of this particularly historic city. We'll travel up the 17th of June Street to see the famous Victory Column, the Bismarck Memorial, the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag building with its steel and glass cupola. We'll then arrive at the renowned Unter den Linden and head to Museum Island—a complex of five internationally significant museums that occupy the island's northern part—including the Pergamon Museum, and the Alte Nationalgalerie. Beyond Museum Island are the modern Alexanderplatz and its famous Fernsehturm (Berlin TV Tower). You'll be able to go through Checkpoint Charlie, the symbol of the Cold War and passage between the American and Soviet zones during this time. This might seem like just a glance, but you'll be able to discover the monuments that make Berlin one of the most cultural cities in Europe.

PLEASE NOTE

• The tour primarily takes place in a coach with stops for photos.
• Depending on the tour guide, there can be small steps to climb, and the order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

Departure with your guide to visit the historic center of this Hanseatic city.
One of the oldest German maritime cities, Bremen was granted the right to hold market as early as 965 and joined the Hanseatic League in 1358. It became a Free Imperial City in 1646 and established a direct commercial relationship with the USA in 1783. Traditionally, the city is known for its cotton and coffee trade and forms, together with its Bremerhaven fore-port, an incredibly unified Land.
Our visit will start with the working-class district of Schnoor, located on the banks of the Weser River. This is the oldest district in Bremen and its narrow streets filled with small half-timbered houses and a big Church form a charming ensemble. The neighborhood owes its name to old handicrafts associated with shipping, and the alleys between the houses were often associated with occupations or objects. There was an area in which ropes and cables were produced, giving the district its name (string = Schnoor).
We'll continue towards Marktplatz where you'll get to see St Peter's Cathedral and the wonderful City Hall in Weser Renaissance style. Also standing on Marktplatz is the 1404 statue of Roland, protector of the city, the oldest in Germany. Bremen is also famous for another statue located right behind the City Hall - the Town Musicians of Bremen. The statue depicts a donkey, a dog, a cat and a rooster with respect to the Brothers Grimm's fairy tale. Don't forget to make a wish!
Our visit ends after a walk down the Böttcherstrasse, a street famous for its unusual architectural ensemble belonging to a variant of the expressionist style. We'll pass the entrance gate with its impressive golden fresco depicting the Lichtbringer, Bringer of Light.
Free time and return on board.

PLEASE NOTE

• Good walking shoes are recommended.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

Departure by coach from Berlin Spandau in the company of your guides.
We'll start off with a stroll in the gardens before a tour of Charlottenburg Palace with headset. A walk through the wonders enclosed in its various rooms will take you back to the era of the Prussian Kings. We'll first discover the white room, which used to be the throne room and the sovereign's dining room, as well as the Golden Gallery in flamboyant Rococo style. We'll continue on to the Winter Chambers and sumptuous bedroom of Queen Luise, where you'll catch a glimpse of the furniture partly designed by Schinkel. The library, a collection of snuffboxes belonging to Frederick the Great along with even more surprising features will await you further in the palace. Return on board by coach.

PLEASE NOTE

• The palace opens at 10 a.m. Hence, passengers will visit the gardens first. The visit of the palace is done freely with a headset.
• Bags can be left in the luggage office.
• Passengers will visit one part of the palace: the New Wing or the Knobbelsdorf Wing.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

Departure on foot for downtown Cologne. You will discover the city in the company of your guide. Crossroads of Europe since the Middle Ages, Cologne has kept its importance as a vibrant commercial and industrial city as well as a cultural and religious center. You will be able to admire the exterior façades of the huge Gothic Cologne Cathedral which took five centuries to complete. Indeed, although construction started in 1247, it was interrupted due to a lack of financing in 1560 and only started again in 1842 upon request of Emperor Frederick Wilhelm IV, who had fallen in love with the building. Construction was finally completed in 1863 and the Gothic Cathedral was the highest building in the world from 1880 to 1884. Around the Cathedral, 12 other Romanesque style churches are set in a circle, representing the 12 holy apostles. We'll then move on to the Old Town and stop to admire the outside of the neo-Gothic building, home of the famous "Eau de Cologne".
Before returning on board, we will have some free time to stroll through the streets of Cologne or try the famous local beer, the Kölsch(1). You will be able to make your way back to the boat on foot at your own pace.

PLEASE NOTE

• (1) not included.
• Alcohol can be harmful to your health. Please drink in moderation.
• Good walking shoes are recommended.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.
• These excursions are not proposed for all the cruises and depend on the itinerary.
• If the minimum of 25 participants is not reached, the excursion may be either cancelled or proposed at another rate, depending on the number of participants (to be paid for on board).
• The excursions on the first evening and the morning following boarding are only guaranteed for the passengers who have booked the excursion before the cruise.

Departure by coach from the northern port of Hanover in the company of local guides to discover the capital of the Land of Lower Saxony. From the 17th century onwards, Hanover played a major role in politics. In 1714, the son of Ernst-August of Hanover became King of Great Britain under the name of George I, a personal union which was a considerable source of prestige for the principality of Hanover.
First of all you will pass alongside the famous Baroque Gardens of Herrenhausen before heading for the 18th century New City Hall, where your guides will explain Hanover's history with the help of four models showing the city at different times (1875, 1939, 1945 and today). You will continue with a panoramic city tour to see the main sights such as Niki de Saint Phalle's Nana statues on the banks of the Leine, the Maschsee - an artificial lake dug by unemployed workers on a job creation scheme in the 1930s - the Opera House, the Grand Theater, the ruins of the Aegidien Church bombed during the war and where the Peace Bell now hangs, and many more. You will stop for a stroll through the Old Town, to see the Market Church and its curiosities, the 15th century Old City Hall and Leibniz's House.
The visit ends at the bus station where our coach will drop you off and you'll bid your guide goodbye. Free time in the central station area and the modern city center.
Departure from Hanover to return on board at Hanover Anderten or Minden.

PLEASE NOTE

• Visit by coach with stops at the New City Hall and in the old town.
• The boat will sail during the excursion.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

Departure for the visit of Heidelberg. This cosmopolitan, friendly, and vibrant city is made up of 15 distinct neighborhoods and is particularly attractive to families, students, business people, and researchers. Its high quality of life comes through to visitors, who feel genuinely at home here. We'll begin with a visit to the outside of Heidelberg Castle, where you'll be able to see the Renaissance ruins and parts of its restoration. The castle has a history that is almost as old as the city itself. From either the Great Terrace or the gardens, enjoy an amazing view over Heidelberg, the Neckar River, and the valley. Don't miss seeing the Heidelberg Tun. Built in 1751 by Prince Elector Karl Theodor, it housed the wine paid as taxes by the wine growers in the region. Legend has it that the permanently intoxicated court jester who guarded the cask, Perkeo, died after mistakenly drinking a simple glass of water. You can also enjoy a stroll through the castle gardens, once considered a masterpiece of their time. Built upon several terraces, they were made up of many flower beds, mazes, sculptures, heated greenhouse with orange trees, large ponds, waterfalls, and a man-made grotto. We'll then head for the Neckarmünzplatz, on the banks of the Necker River, and continue with a guided tour of the old city. We'll pass by the Church of the Holy Spirit, the most famous church in Heidelberg, whose steeple dominates the town. And then you can take advantage of some free time to wander through the streets and shops before returning on board.

PLEASE NOTE

• Depending on the cruise, departure and/or return on board in Mannheim
• The access to the castle needs climbing up a 300m gradient.
• Good walking shoes are recommended.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

Departure by coach for Magdeburg where we will meet up with local guides.
Magdeburg was once the cradle of the German nation. The first Germanic Holy Roman Emperor, Otto the Great, had an imposing cathedral built here and made the town into an archbishopric. Magdeburg became a center for Western Christianity and the High Court of judicial power in the Middle Ages.
We'll begin our tour with the Magdeburg Cathedral, home to the tomb of Emperor Otto I the Great. Magdeburg is a Hanseatic city located midway on the Elbe River and the Roman Roads—in the heart of Germany rich with a multi-faceted history. Its other sacred monuments include the Magdalenekapelle, St. Petrikirche, Wallonerkirche, Monastery of Our Lady and St. John's Church. We'll continue our panoramic tour by seeing the city's main monuments, including the citadel. Once located in East Germany, the city has retained its grey, square, Soviet-style buildings which are embellished today with molding and decorations. We'll visit the marketplace to see the magnificent replica of the Magdeburger Reiter, as well as the town hall and its bronze door. You'll finish up the tour with some free time on your own.

PLEASE NOTE

• Beware! Depending on the water level of the Elbe river, the boat could stop at the lock of Rothensee instead of mooring in Magdeburg.
• Return to the boat will be on foot or by coach depending on water level.
• The boat will sail during the excursion.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

We'll leave by coach with our guide for Volendam, a charming village that has preserved its character for over six centuries thanks to the tough vitality of its fishermen. We'll then visit a cheese factory in the area to discover how the famous Gouda cheese is made. We'll enjoy tasting the different flavors and ages available of one of the most popular cheeses in the world. We'll then head for Zaanse Schans, an open air museum with wooden windmills, barns, and houses. Take a walk through the stunning buildings and the unique peat landscape or watch traditional clog making techniques. Don't miss the small but impressive clog museum that features one of the largest and most attractive collections of wooden shoes in the Netherlands: painted, carved, ice clogs with iron trimmings, horse clogs, and decorative clogs. Take advantage of some free time on this excursion to indulge in authentic Dutch traditions. We'll return to our ship in Amsterdam by coach.

PLEASE NOTE

• Good walking shoes are recommended: guided visit on foot at Volendam and Zaanse Schans.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

Departure by coach from the Papenburg lock towards Meyer Werft Shipyard. Founded in 1975, the shipyard has been owned and managed by the Meyer family for six generations. The first ships that were built there were small wooden vessels. Less than a hundred years later, the first iron ship was launched notwithstanding the other manufacturers mocking the idea, thinking that iron could not float. Meyer Werft gained international recognition through the construction of roll on/roll off ferries, passenger ferries, gasoline tankers, container ships, livestock ferries and most recently luxury cruise ships. Due to its upstream location on the river Ems, the giant ships to be delivered have to make a 36 km voyage to the Dollart.
A passionate guide will tell you all about the various stages in the construction of these floating sea monsters during your one and a half hour tour.
Return on board by coach after the Doerpen or Delfzijl locks.

PLEASE NOTE

• The boat will sail during the excursion.
• Visit entirely on foot in the shipyard buildings. Passengers will only see the shipyard from behind bay windows.
• Beware! Information is sometimes given in German (introduction film, notice boards etc.).
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

Departure by coach in the company of your hostess towards downtown Nienburg.
You'll be free to discover this beautiful little Lower Saxony town at your own pace. Nienburg is famous for its asparagus.
Charming little Nienburg was nicknamed "red town” after the red bricks most of the houses in the city center, St Martin Church and the streets were built and paved with, a style typical of northern Germany. You'll get to follow in the "bear's footsteps” down an educational pathway that was created by the tourist office, a chance for you to discover some of the town's monuments such as the Town Hall from Weser Renaissance, St Martin Church with a statue of Charlemagne standing before it as a reminder of his fight against the Celts in the region, the Kleine Nienburgerin, the bronze statue of a young child from a beloved folk song, and the former Post Office which ensured communication between the Kingdoms of Hanover and England.
Return on board in Stolzenau or Hoja.

PLEASE NOTE

• The boat will sail during the excursion.
• Passengers will visit the town on their own.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

We'll leave by coach with local guides who will help you discover the history of Former Prussia and its illustrious monarchs. In Potsdam, the visit will begin with a walk through the gardens at the Sanssouci Palace. You'll walk the flower-lined pathways and staircases leading through the terraced garden to the residence of Frederick the Great, built between 1745 and 1747. The personal tastes of the king had such an influence on the design and the decoration of the palace that its style is often referred to as "Frederician Rococo”. Then, you will take a tour around the Sans Souci park by coach to admire its many and astonishing buildings.
We'll head back to downtown Potsdam for some free time in the Dutch district.

PLEASE NOTE

• Good walking shoes are recommended: walk in the Sanssouci gardens with stairs to climb.
• The boat is sailing during the excursion (only in the Amsterdam-Berlin cruise).
• Beware! We'll only visit the gardens of the Sanssouci palace, with no further visit inside the palace.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

You will start the visit with a tour and commentary of the Rüdesheim vineyards by mini-train, during which you will discover the famous vineyards already cultivated in the Roman period. During this tour, the history of winemaking in the region will be explained and you can enjoy a breathtaking view of Rüdesheim and the Rhine. The train will then stop right before the historical Bassenheimer Hof cellar, a seigneurial residence from the 16th century, where we'll indulge in a wine-tasting*. A winemaker from the Störzel family cellar will guide you through a tasting of three different wines, from the driest to the sweetest, all the while telling you about the history of the cellar and winemaking in the Rüdesheim region, complete with local stories. Afterwards, our visit will continue on to the Museum of Mechanical Musical Instruments located 100m away from the cellar in an old building from the 15th century. The "Siegfrieds Mechanisches Musikkabinett" is the first German museum dedicated to self-playing musical instruments, which holds an impressive collection of no less than 350 mechanical musical instruments dating back to the 18th century to the 20th, all spread out on more than 4000 ft². This is a vast collection, dating back three centuries, of fascinating musical instruments that function like computers, ranging from tiny, delicate music boxes to an enormous orchestrion. Tools and machines for the production of organ pipes, cardboard sheet music, rolls of sheet music and perforated disks are also on display in the collection. Whatever their age, museum visitors always take great pleasure in discovering this special music, the techniques from the past and how these instruments work. After visiting the Museum, you will have some free time to stroll through the streets of Rüdesheim ambling down the famous Drosselgasse, before making your own way back to the boat.

PLEASE NOTE

• Warm clothes are recommended for the visit of the cellar.
• After the visits, passengers will have free time in Rudesheim until they go back to the boat on foot on their own.
• Good walking shoes are recommended.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.
• *Alcohol can be harmful to your health. Please drink in moderation.

We will reach the Autostadt either on foot - a 5 min walk crossing a bridge over the Mittelandkanal - or by coach, depending on mooring and sailing conditions. The visit will begin with the Forum, an area dedicated to road safety and new energies. We'll then move on to the "ZeitHaus", the automobile museum with educational areas. Our tour will end with a visit to the Customer Center located right next to the Car Towers where customers who have ordered Volkswagens are welcome to collect them. We'll still have some free time to visit the Brand Pavilions carrying such names as Audi, Lamborghini, Skoda and more. Why not try your hand on some driving simulators or a Volkswagen SUV on rough terrain?
Return on board by coach in Sülfeld/Fallersleben or on foot in Wolfsburg.

PLEASE NOTE

• The tour does not include a visit of the production line. Passengers would have to plan their visit during their free time.
• Commentaries on the tourist train are provided in German.
• Depending on sailing, departure is either from Wolfsburg with return to the boat by coach, or by coach with return to the boat in Wolfsburg.
• The boat sails during the excursion.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.