Rhine Holiday Markets

Basel to Cologne - 9 days

CRUISE HIGHLISTS INCLUDE:

• 7-night cruise in a riverview stateroom on the regal River Queen
• All meals onboard
• Complimentary fine wine during dinner, bottled water in your stateroom, and 24-hour specialty coffee
• 7 shore excursions, fully hosted by English-speaking guides
• State-of-the-art Quietvox portable audio headset system on all shore excursions
• Captain’s Welcome & Farewell Dinners
• Exciting onboard entertainment and insightful lectures
• An experienced Cruise Manager and attentive, all English-speaking staff
• All transfers on arrival and departure days

ITINERARY

• DAY 1: Depart Home Gateway City to Basel Departing Flight
• DAY 2: Basel (embark)
  Arrive in Basel where you’ll be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to the ship. (D)
• DAY 3: Basel
  Featured Excursion: Basel walking tour and Christmas Markets Irresistible Optional Tour: Half-day tour of Lucerne Enjoy a walking tour through Basel. Delight in Basel’s Christmas Market in the heart of the historic Old Town and visit the illuminated Christmas Street, beautifully decorated with over 100 Christmas trees. And if you are looking for truly unique gifts, visit the shop of Johann Wanner with its array of elegant angels, ornaments, and glass-blown figurines. (BB, L, Captain’s Welcome Dinner)
• DAY 4: Strasbourg
  Featured Excursion: Strasbourg canal cruise and Christmas Markets Irresistible Optional Tour: Alsatian wine road and wine tasting Cruise through Strasbourg on a canal cruise, viewing Petite France, especially picturesque at this time of year. Visit the oldest Christmas Market in France, in a breathtaking setting right in front of Strasbourg’s gothic cathedral. (BB, L, D)
• DAY 5: Speyer (Heidelberg), Mainz
  Featured Excursion: Full-day in Heidelberg Your guided tour includes a visit to the romantic ruins of Heidelberg Castle and a stroll through Old Town. You’ll have ample time to explore the Heidelberg Christmas Market spanning over five squares. Marvel at the Christmas Pyramid with figures from the city’s history rotating inside the tower at the Marktplatz, or take a ride on the nostalgic carousel turning merrily around at the Universitätsplatz. (BB, D)
• DAY 6: Mainz, Rüdesheim
  Featured Excursion: Mainz walking tour, Christmas Market, Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Museum Our walking tour of downtown Mainz includes a visit to the Gutenberg Museum, dedicated to Johannes Gutenberg, inventor of the printing press. After the museum, we will walk through Old Town and end up in the historic market square in Mainz. Stroll through the 200-year-old St. Nicholas Christmas Market with the 1,000-year-old St. Marti?s Cathedral as a backdrop. During the afternoon, we cruise from Mainz to Rüdesheim, where we will visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Museum, or we’ll visit the Christmas Market of the Nations along Rüdesheim’s most popular street, the Drosselgasse. (BB, L, D)
• DAY 7: Rüdesheim, Cruising the Romantic Rhine, Koblenz
  Featured Excursion: Koblenz walking tour and Christmas Market Departing in the morning from Rüdesheim to Koblenz, yo5ll sail along one of the most beautiful sections of the Rhine River Valley, the scenic 40 miles of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Once docked in Koblenz, your walking tour will take you through romantic alleys with half-timbered houses, decorated for the season. We’ll pass by St. Castor’s Church and the Church of Our Lady, and then we’ll proceed to the market square with the Schaengel Fountain and historic City Hall. Afterwards, we’ll visit the Koblenz Christmas Market. Delight in the dozens of wooden stands with arts and crafts, spicy mulled wine, and sweet Christmas cakes. (BB, L, D)
  DAY 8: Cologne
  Featured Excursion: Walking tour, Cathedral visit and Christmas Markets Stroll through the narrow streets of Old Town as you make your way to the cathedral, the cit?s most famous landmark and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. As Cologne boasts no less than five Christmas Markets, we have planned an entire day in this city for you to discover the markets at your own pace after the tour. Gaze at the biggest Christmas tree in Rhineland in front of the impressive setting of the cathedral. (BB, L, Captai?s Farewell Dinner)
• DAY 9: Cologne (disembark), transfer to airport
  Disembark the ship in Cologne and transfer to Cologne Airport for your flight home.

2009 Cruises

Prices:Prices are per person, based on two people sharing a stateroom or hotel room. Cruise prices are based on costs, charges, tariffs, rates, taxes, levies and exchange rates as of June 15, 2008. Should the total cruise price increase by more than 10%, passengers will have the right to cancel their cruise within 7 days of notification of the surcharge without penalty. No surcharges in respect of cost or currency fluctuations will be made once payment for the deposit of your cruise is received. This does not apply to fuel surcharges and any taxes, charges or levies imposed by any government or their agencies. Air-inclusive pricing is provided from NYC, CHI, and LAX only. Other gateway cities are available at additional costs. Please ask your Reservations Consultant at the time of booking for details. Single supplements are available in select categories for an additional supplement. Reservations and Payments: A deposit of at least $200 per person is required at the time of reservation. Final payment is due at least 90 days prior to departure. Reservations will be cancelled if final payment is not received in a timely manner.