From

US $4,599 per person

Christmastime on the Romantic Rhine (Northbound) 2027

8 days

•

From Basel to Frankfurt-am-Main

4.6

234 traveler reviews

View all
View all

From

US $4,599 per person

+ $252 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
Basel
Meals
Dinner
Optional Activities
- Stroll through Basel city center
- Browse Christmas markets and festive illuminations
- Enjoy Christmas delicacies including waffles, gingerbread, sweets, and Swiss raclette
Day 2
Breisach
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided Tour of Freiburg's medieval city center and Black Forest region (choice of two options)
- Guided Tour exploring Black Forest traditions and Christmas mood (choice of two options)
Optional Activities
- Guided Optional Excursion to Colmar
- Browse Breisach Christmas markets
Landmarks
Freiburg Medieval City Center
Black Forest
Colmar
Day 3
Kehl to Strasbourg
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- City Sightseeing tour including Strasbourg Cathedral (gothic with stained glass and astronomical clock) and La Petite France District
Optional Activities
- Browse French winter Christmas markets of Strasbourg
Landmarks
Strasbourg Cathedral
La Petite France District
Day 4
Ludwigshafen
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided Tour including Heidelberg Castle and the Great Vat with German Christmas markets (choice of two options)
- Guided Tour of Speyer and its imperial Cathedral with Christmas markets (choice of two options)
- Christmas carols with live entertainment onboard
Landmarks
Heidelberg Castle
The Great Vat
Speyer Cathedral
Day 5
Rüdesheim - Rhine Gorge
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided Tour of Mechanical Music Museum with Rüdesheimer coffee tasting
- Sailing through the Rhine Gorge (UNESCO World Heritage site) with views of ancient castles and Rock of the Lorelei
- Christmas concert at Engers Castle in baroque venue
Optional Activities
- Browse winter markets and seasonal handiwork in Rüdesheim
Landmarks
Mechanical Music Museum
Rhine Gorge
Rock of the Lorelei
Engers Castle
Day 6
Cologne
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided Tour and Tasting at Cologne Chocolate Museum (choice of two options)
- Guided City Walk of Cologne Cathedral (choice of two options)
- Onboard workshop about European Christmas decorations
- Christmas concert at Engers Castle
Optional Activities
- Browse Cologne Christmas markets
Landmarks
Cologne Chocolate Museum
Cologne Cathedral
Engers Castle
Day 7
Mainz
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Onboard workshop about European Christmas decorations
- Guided City Walk including visit to Gutenberg Museum
Optional Activities
- Browse Mainz Christmas markets
Landmarks
Gutenberg Museum
Day 8
Frankfurt
Meals
Breakfast

Landmarks
Freiburg Medieval City Center
Black Forest
Colmar

Landmarks
Strasbourg Cathedral
La Petite France District

Landmarks
Heidelberg Castle
The Great Vat
Speyer Cathedral

Landmarks
Mechanical Music Museum
Rhine Gorge
Rock of the Lorelei
Engers Castle

Landmarks
Cologne Chocolate Museum
Cologne Cathedral
Engers Castle

Landmarks
Gutenberg Museum

What's Included

Expand All

Accommodation
Guide
Meals
Additional Services
Transport

What's Not Included

Flights
Insurance
Optional
Additional Services

Operated by

Avalon Waterways

4.6

(234 reviews)

Number of tours

571

Age Range

8 to 99 years old

Response time

within 1 day

Response rate

86%

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
5.0
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
Julie
August 7th, 2025
5.0
Unforgettable, stress-free trip.
Klaus
July 28th, 2024
5.0
ship was excellent, food and drinks were great, adventures perfectly organized,all crew members were extremely...
Show more

Dates & Availability

Select departure month and travellers

Select Date

1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Upcoming departures

Hurry, deals only available for a limited time!

Ends on 22 Apr, 2026

From Tuesday
23 Nov, 2027
To Tuesday
30 Nov, 2027
English
This departure date is available and will 100% depart
Guaranteed departure
Avalon View
From:
US $4,599 per person
Multiple Room Types
Taxes
$252
From Tuesday
30 Nov, 2027
To Tuesday
7 Dec, 2027
English
This departure date is available and will 100% depart
Guaranteed departure
Avalon Envision
From:
US $4,699 per person
Multiple Room Types
Taxes
$252
From Tuesday
7 Dec, 2027
To Tuesday
14 Dec, 2027
English
This departure date is available and will 100% depart
Guaranteed departure
Avalon View
From:
US $4,699 per person
Multiple Room Types
Taxes
$252
From Tuesday
14 Dec, 2027
To Tuesday
21 Dec, 2027
English
This departure date is available and will 100% depart
Guaranteed departure
Avalon Envision
From:
US $4,699 per person
Multiple Room Types
Taxes
$252

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From

US $4,599 per person

+ $252 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: 338420

Currencies
€
Euro
France and Germany
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 July 19th, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after July 19th, 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 (Northbound) 2027

Itinerary

Basel

Optional Activities

Breisach

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Kehl to Strasbourg

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Ludwigshafen

Included Activities

Rüdesheim - Rhine Gorge

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Cologne

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Mainz

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Frankfurt

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What's Included