Christmastime on the Romantic Rhine (Southbound) 2026

8 days

•

From Amsterdam to Basel

4.6

234 traveler reviews

View all
View all

From

US $3,999 per person

+ $231 Taxes

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

Select Date

1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Best price guarantee Learn More

Plan your adventure:

Operator: Avalon Waterways
River Cruise: Scenic waterways and effortless exploration
Group Tour: Join a group and forge lifelong friendships
Fully Guided: An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Low Intensity: Travelers can expect some light physical activities
Guided in English
Group Size 30 - 160
Ages 8+

Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Itinerary

Day 1
Amsterdam
Meals
Dinner
Optional Activities
- Explore Amsterdam's Christmas traditions and festive markets
Day 2
Amsterdam
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided Canal Cruise of Amsterdam's waterways and Golden Age homes
Landmarks
Amsterdam Canals
Day 3
Cologne
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Onboard Christmas Traditions Lecture
- Guided City Walk of Cologne including the Gothic cathedral
Optional Activities
- Explore Cologne's Christmas markets
Landmarks
Cologne Cathedral
Day 4
Rhine Gorge - Rüdesheim
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Sailing through Rhine Gorge UNESCO World Heritage site
- Guided Tour of the Mechanical Music Museum
- Rüdesheimer coffee tasting
Optional Activities
- Explore Rüdesheim's Christmas markets and winter attractions
Landmarks
Rhine Gorge
Rock of the Lorelei
Mechanical Music Museum
Day 5
Mainz - Heidelberg
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Guided Tour to Heidelberg Castle with visit to the Great Vat (World's Largest Wine Barrel)
- Guided City Walk including Gutenberg Museum for printing history
Landmarks
Heidelberg Castle
Gutenberg Museum
Day 6
Kehl - Strasbourg
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- City Sightseeing Tour of Strasbourg including Gothic cathedral and La Petite France District
Optional Activities
- Guided Optional Excursion to Alsace's wine country
- Explore Strasbourg's French Christmas markets
Landmarks
Strasbourg Cathedral
La Petite France
Day 7
Breisach - Black Forest
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Full-day Guided Tour to the Black Forest
- Guided Tour of Freiburg's medieval city center
- Guided Optional Excursion to Colmar village
- Visit to a winery
Landmarks
Black Forest
Freiburg
Colmar
Day 8
Basel
Meals
Breakfast

Landmarks
Amsterdam Canals

Landmarks
Cologne Cathedral

Landmarks
Rhine Gorge
Rock of the Lorelei
Mechanical Music Museum

Landmarks
Heidelberg Castle
Gutenberg Museum

Landmarks
Strasbourg Cathedral
La Petite France

Landmarks
Black Forest
Freiburg
Colmar

What's Included

Expand All

Accommodation
Guide
Meals
Additional Services
Transport
Free eSIM
TourRadar offers the lead traveler (the person who booked) a free 1GB eSIM for the trip. The eSIM is redeemable only through the TourRadar app 72 hours before departure.

What's Not Included

Flights
Insurance
Optional
Additional Services

Operated by

Avalon Waterways

4.6

(234 reviews)

Number of tours

492

Age Range

8 to 99 years old

Response time

within 2 days

Response rate

84%

Introduced in 2003, Avalon Waterways sets the standard in river and...

Sustainability Initiatives

Reduce Carbon Emissions

Animal Welfare

Supporting Destinations

Sustainability Programs

Other

Your Peace of Mind Options

Cancellation Policy

A transparent overview of applicable fees.

Travel Insurance

Be covered for any unforseen circumstances.

Avalon Waterways Ship

Avalon View
The Avalon View is the newest addition to the 2020 Avalon Suite Ship fleet. With the youngest fleet of ships on Europe's waterways, Avalon W… Read more
Capacity
Built
2019
Guests
166
Crew
47
Length
443 ft / 135 m
Width
12m / 39 ft
Suites
67
Staterooms
16
Registry
Gross Tonnage
2775 gt
Electricity
Beam
Cruising Speed
12 kn / 22 kph / 14 mph
Generators
Engines
Draft
Staterooms / Suites Deck Plans Dining

Reviews from other tours by Avalon Waterways

Tour Operator
4.6

Charles
September 8th, 2025
5
We would like to thank our Statesman Attendee that took care of all our needs in our room 107. He was friendly and...
We would like to thank our Statesman Attendee that took care of all our needs in our room 107. He was friendly and did an amazing job, Marisio our waiter served us with the highest respect and friendliness. Over all Avalon have very good staff and always a smile- nothing too much trouble. The ship was so clean, food was spectacular. We had a surprise group of singers Gwen and Charles who brought great entertainment. The other entertainer was amazing. Loved the top deck BBQ. We met lots of new friends aboard. Thank you Avalon for a trip well executed.Show more
Klaus
July 28th, 2024
5
ship was excellent, food and drinks were great, adventures perfectly organized,all crew members were extremely...
Show more
Lisa
May 12th, 2024
5
This was our first cruise and we enjoyed it very much. The ship was immaculate, the staff was lovely, and the food...
Show more

Dates & Availability

Select departure month and travellers

Select Date

1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Upcoming departures

From Tuesday
24 Nov, 2026
To Tuesday
1 Dec, 2026
English
This departure date is available and will 100% depart
Guaranteed departure
Avalon View
From:
US $3,999 per person
Multiple Room Types
Taxes
$231
From Tuesday
15 Dec, 2026
To Tuesday
22 Dec, 2026
English
This departure date is available and will 100% depart
Guaranteed departure
Avalon Envision
From:
US $6,098 per person
Multiple Room Types
Taxes
$231

Why book with TourRadar?

Trusted and vetted operators
Rated excellent on
Best price guarantee

24/7 customer support
Earn $50 in travel credits
Free eSim with every purchase

To protect your payment and ensure your booking will be processed in United States, never transfer or communicate outside of the TourRadar website or app.

More benefits

Can’t find the answer to your question?

Reach out to the experts at Avalon Waterways with your enquiry, they usually respond within 2 days.

From

US $3,999 per person

+ $231 Taxes

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

Select Date

1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Best price guarantee Learn More

Plan your adventure:

Good to Know

Tour ID: 288026

Currencies
€
Euro
France, Germany and Netherlands
Fr.
Swiss Franc
Switzerland
Plugs & Adapters
As a traveler from USA, Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa you will need an adaptor for type J.
Type J
Switzerland
Vaccines
- These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
- Tick-borne encephalitis - Recommended for Germany.Switzerland. Ideally 6 months before travel.
Visa
- Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
- Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
Payment information
- For any tour departing before June 9th, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after June 9th, 2026, a minimum payment of $250 is required to confirm your booking with Avalon Waterways. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 95 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
- The following cards are accepted for "Avalon Waterways" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
Cancellation Policy
- TourRadar can request Avalon Waterways to hold spaces for you for up to 48 hours without any credit card details.
- TourRadar is an authorized Agent of Avalon Waterways. Please familiarize yourself with the Avalon Waterways payment, cancellation and refund conditions.
Accessibility
Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.
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Christmastime on the Romantic Rhine (Southbound) 2026

Itinerary

Amsterdam

Optional Activities

Amsterdam

Included Activities

Cologne

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Rhine Gorge - Rüdesheim

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Mainz - Heidelberg

Optional Activities

Kehl - Strasbourg

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Breisach - Black Forest

Optional Activities

Basel

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What's Included