Christmastime on the Romantic Rhine with 2 Nights in Lucerne (Southbound) 2026

10 days

•

From Amsterdam to Lucerne

4.6 (236 reviews)

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Plan your adventure:

Gold Operator: Avalon Waterways
River Cruise: Cruise scenic waterways for 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

Intro
Introduction
Day 1
Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Meals
Dinner
Optional Activities
- Explore Amsterdam and Christmas traditions during free time before embarkation
Day 2
Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided Canal Cruise past Amsterdam's Golden Age homes and iconic waterways
Day 3
Cologne
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 during free time
Landmarks
Cologne Cathedral
Day 4
Rhine Gorge - Rüdesheim
Rhine Gorge - Rüdesheim
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided Tour of the Mechanical Music Museum with Rüdesheimer coffee tasting
Optional Activities
- Explore Rüdesheim's Christmas markets and winter wonderlands during free time
Landmarks
Rhine Gorge
Rock of the Lorelei
Day 5
Mainz - Heidelberg
Mainz - Heidelberg
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided Tour to Heidelberg Castle at Christmastime with the Great Vat (World's Largest Wine Barrel)
- Guided City Walk with visit to Gutenberg Museum exploring the history of printing
Landmarks
Heidelberg Castle
Gutenberg Museum
Day 6
Kehl - Strasbourg
Kehl - Strasbourg
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- City Sightseeing Tour of Strasbourg including Gothic cathedral and La Petite France District
Optional Activities
- Explore Strasbourg's French Christmas markets during free time
- Guided Optional Excursion to Alsace wine country
Landmarks
Strasbourg Cathedral
La Petite France
Day 7
Breisach - Black Forest
Breisach - Black Forest
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Full-day Guided Tour to the Black Forest with local traditions and Christmas festivities
- Guided Tour to Freiburg's medieval city center
Optional Activities
- Guided Optional Excursion to Colmar village in the morning
Landmarks
Black Forest
Freiburg
Colmar
Day 8
Basel - Mount Pilatus - Lucerne
Basel - Mount Pilatus - Lucerne
Meals
Breakfast
Included Activities
- Special highlight excursion to Mount Pilatus for spectacular Swiss views
- Guided Walking Tour of Lucerne including Chapel Bridge
Optional Activities
- Swiss Transport Museum visit (alternative if weather prevents Mount Pilatus access)
Landmarks
Mount Pilatus
Chapel Bridge
Day 9
Lucerne
Lucerne
Meals
Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Explore Lucerne's squares and churches at leisure
- Shopping in Lucerne city center
Day 10
Lucerne
Lucerne
Meals
Breakfast

Landmarks
Cologne Cathedral

Landmarks
Rhine Gorge
Rock of the Lorelei

Landmarks
Heidelberg Castle
Gutenberg Museum

Landmarks
Strasbourg Cathedral
La Petite France

Landmarks
Black Forest
Freiburg
Colmar

Landmarks
Mount Pilatus
Chapel Bridge

What's Included

Expand All

Accommodation
Guide
Meals
Additional Services
Transport

What's Not Included

Flights
Insurance
Optional
Additional Services

Operated by

Avalon Waterways

Gold Operator

Rating: 4.6 (236 reviews)
Response time: within 1 day
Response rate: 83%
Cancellation policy: Learn more

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

Pierre-Paul4.8•October 2026
This was a very enjoyable trip despite the change that had to be done due to low water levels in the river. The...
Show more
Charles5.0•September 2025
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
Klaus5.0•July 2024
Led by Nour
ship was excellent, food and drinks were great, adventures perfectly organized,all crew members were extremely...
Show more

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Trip essentials

Good to know

Tour ID: 288152

The practical details for your trip across Netherlands, Germany, France and Switzerland: money, plugs and flexible ways to pay, all in one place.

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Deposit only
Book now with just a $250 deposit. The remaining balance is due 95 days before departure.
2 local currencies
You’ll encounter Euro in France, Germany and Netherlands, Swiss Franc in Switzerland.
Plug types C, E, F, J
You’ll need an adapter for these sockets in Netherlands, Germany, France and Switzerland.

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 types C, E, F, J.
- Type C
  Only used in France, Germany and Netherlands
- Type E
  Only used in France
- Type F
  Only used in Germany and Netherlands
- Type J
  Only used in Switzerland
Visa
Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality and how long you stay. We can’t process visas for you, but here’s a quick indication for this trip.
This is only an indication. Visa rules depend on your passport, trip length and purpose. Always confirm with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.
Payment information
Pay now
A $250 deposit
Balance due
95 days before departure
Currency
USD
Booking fee
None
Book now with just a $250 deposit and pay the rest later. The remaining balance is due 95 days before departure, charged automatically to your card. Everything is charged in USD, and TourRadar never adds a booking fee. Any trip departing before January 18th, 2027 will need to be paid in full at checkout.
Accepted for Avalon Waterways tours
Visa
Maestro
Mastercard
American Express
PayPal
TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellation terms may vary per tour. Please check for the full cancellation policy here.
Checking the cancellation terms for this tour…
Your money is protected. TourRadar is an authorized agent of Avalon Waterways, and we handle payments so you don’t have to. Payment is securely transferred to the operator based on your departure date.
Insurance
Our travel protection from our award-winning partner, XCover, means you and your travel companions can book with peace of mind knowing there’s protection available in case your trip doesn’t go to plan. At checkout you will be able to select between different options in case you or the tour are eligible for insurance. In case no option is available, you are always able to purchase travel insurance outside of TourRadar.
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Best price guarantee
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How it works
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Your quote needs
Same tour and operator
Same start and end dates
Same number of travelers
Same inclusions and destinations
Same booking and cancellation terms, in the same currency
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What doesn’t count
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Every new booking also counts toward your , which unlocks extra savings.
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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Plan your adventure:

Christmastime on the Romantic Rhine with 2 Nights in Lucerne (Southbound) 2026

No departure dates available

Itinerary

Optional Activities

Included Activities

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Included Activities

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Optional Activities

Want to read it later?

What's Included

What's Not Included

Avalon Waterways Ship

Reviews from other tours by Avalon Waterways

Deposit only

2 local currencies

Plug types C, E, F, J

Currencies

Plugs & adapters

Visa

Payment information

Accepted for Avalon Waterways tours

Cancellation Policy

Insurance

Best price guarantee

How it works

Your quote needs

What doesn’t count

Accessibility

People also viewed

No departure dates available

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