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Rhine & Rhône Revealed with 2 Nights in French Riviera (Southbound) 2025
17 Day River Cruise Amsterdam to French Riviera
Tour Description:
Immerse yourself in French and German culture on this fabulous European river cruise vacation along the Rhine, Saône, and Rhône Rivers. Enjoy spectacular views and romantic splendor of this magical journey ending with a night in Marseilles. It all begins in Holland’s popular, modern capital of Amsterdam. The best way to see the treasures of this 700-year-old city is on a canal cruise along the elegant Grachten. Cologne, Germany, a 2,000-year-old city best known for its Gothic architecture and famous twin-spired cathedral, comes alive on a guided walk. Sail through the dramatic Rhine Gorge, the most beautiful view of the Rhine River where ancient castles stand on cliffs 400 feet above the water. Strasbourg, France, located on the French-German border, perfectly blends the cultures of both countries. Breisach, Germany, is the gateway to Germany’s Black Forest—an area of unrivaled natural beauty. Lyon is a showcase of medieval and Renaissance architecture. Explore the Old Town with its maze of medieval alleyways. Continue to the city of Tournon beautifully nestled among vineyards. Here, you’ll take a guided walk in this medieval treasure with Roman ruins and a fascinating 16th-century castle. In Avignon, visit the Palace of the Popes and take pictures of the bridge in the famous song “Sur le pont d’Avignon.” Enjoy your 2 last nights in the French Riviera. Relax along the remarkably blue water of the Mediterranean Sea—a perfect ending to this once-in-a-lifetime European river cruise through Germany and France!
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Dates & Pricing
| Monday 26 May 25 — Thursday 12 Jun 25 | Starting at $8,667 |  SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 23 Jun 25 — Thursday 10 Jul 25 | Starting at $9,317 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 04 Aug 25 — Thursday 21 Aug 25 | Starting at $8,817 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 18 Aug 25 — Thursday 04 Sep 25 | Starting at $9,117 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 15 Sep 25 — Thursday 02 Oct 25 | Starting at $9,917 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 29 Sep 25 — Thursday 16 Oct 25 | Starting at $9,717 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 13 Oct 25 — Thursday 30 Oct 25 | Starting at $9,197 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 27 Oct 25 — Thursday 13 Nov 25 | Starting at $8,057 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 10 Nov 25 — Thursday 27 Nov 25 | Starting at $7,757 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
Disclaimer: Prices listed are per person, based on double occupancy, and in USD. All promotions are valid for new bookings only, capacity controlled and valid on select dates and departures. Individual Terms and Conditions will apply to all promotions. Any promotion can be withdrawn at any time without notice. Please speak with your Pavlus Travel Planner for complete vendor terms and conditions, including eligible tour and cruise dates.
Destination & Sightseeing
Destination & Sightseeing| Day 1 Amsterdam (Embarkation): | Onboard welcome reception |
| Day 2 Amsterdam: | Choice of canal cruise or off-the-beaten path walking tour |
| Day 3 Cologne: | Choice of Cologne highlights walking tour, or Jewish Heritage walking tour or bike with your Adventure Host |
| Day 4 Rhine Gorge-Rüdesheim: | Cruise through the scenic Rhine Gorge with breathtaking views of ancient castles, towering cliffs, and the legendary Rock of the Lorelei; visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum in Rüdesheim or hike in the vineyards with your Adventure Host |
| Day 5 Mainz. Excursion to Heidelberg: | Choice of guided walk in Mainz with a visit to the Gutenberg Museum, or a guided tour of Heidelberg Castle, see the Great Vat, or walk the Philosophers’ Way with your Adventure Host |
| Day 6 Kehl. Excursion to Strasbourg: | Choice of guided sightseeing, visit the La Petite France district and the Gothic cathedral or bike with your Adventure Host |
| Day 7 Breisach: | Choice of excursion to Black Forest, or Freiburg sightseeing |
| Day 8 Basel (Disembarkation)-Beaune-Chalon-sur-Saône (Embarkation): | Transfer to Beaune, visit Hôtel-Dieu; onboard welcome reception |
| Day 9 Tournus: | Guided walk in Tournus; on board cheese tasting |
| Day 10 Lyon: | Choice of guided sightseeing with picture stop on Fourvière Hill or bike with your Adventure Host; on board lecture |
| Day 11 Lyon: | Culinary tour |
| Day 12 Tournon-Viviers: | Guided walk in Tournon; guided walk in Viviers, visit the Old Town and the cathedral |
| Day 13 Avignon: | Guided sightseeing, visit to the Palace of the Popes |
| Day 14 Arles: | Choice of guided sightseeing in Arles, visit the Roman Amphitheater, or painting workshop or walk with your Adventure Host |
| Day 15 Arles (Disembarkation)-French Riviera: | Transfer to French Riviera |
| Day 16 French Riviera: | Guided tour |
| Day 17 French Riviera: | Your vacation ends this morning |
Notes:
- In the event of technical or water level issues, it may be necessary to operate the itinerary by motorcoach or alter the program, including hotel overnight when necessary.
- Guided Tours, Optional Excursions, activities, sailing and docking schedules may be contingent on weather conditions or other issues outside of our control and could therefore be subject to change at any time.
- Please check visa requirements with your local consulate(s); responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveler.
- Due to “Sail Amsterdam” departure August 19th will start in Rotterdam instead of Amsterdam with modifications to the itinerary.
ITINERARY
ITINERARYDay 1
AMSTERDAM*, HOLLAND (EMBARKATION) Welcome to Holland. Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding.
Flights into Amsterdam must arrive by 3:30 pm.
Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm.
Your day in Amsterdam is free to explore at your leisure.
During tulip season, you may take a Guided Optional Excursion to Keukenhof gardens—with more than seven million tulips, daffodils and hyacinths, as well as other bulbs, planted each year. Outside of tulip season, join a Guided Optional Excursion to Zaanse Schans to see historic windmills and charming Dutch houses.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM
*Due to increased harbor traffic expected for the 2025 “SAIL Amsterdam” event, departure August 19 will embark in Rotterdam with slight modifications to the itinerary.
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Day 2
AMSTERDAM* Canals of Colorful Amsterdam
Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.
DISCOVERY Discover the true beauty of Amsterdam with an off-the-beaten-path Guided Walking Tour through its cobblestone streets for a captivating look at this legendary city, OR:
CLASSIC Explore the iconic waterways of Amsterdam on a Guided Canal Cruise past stately homes of Amsterdam’s “Golden Age.”
This afternoon choose among the Guided Optional Excursions available or take some free time to explore Amsterdam’s colorful streets and canal houses, galleries, and shops.
AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO COLOGNE
* Due to the “SAIL Amsterdam” event coinciding with August 19 departure, Amsterdam excursions commence from ship docking location in Rotterdam.
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch
DinnerDay 3
COLOGNE, GERMANY Prost! Celebrate in the Rhineland
ACTIVE Enjoy a bike ride like the locals in Cologne with your Adventure Host, OR:
DISCOVERY Choose a Guided Walking Tour of Cologne’s important Jewish heritage sites, OR:
CLASSIC Take a Guided City Walk of Cologne—with its soaring twin-steepled gothic cathedral.
Spend free time over a glass of Kölsch pale lager—locally brewed for over 100 years!
Later, local musicians will join us on board for live entertainment.
OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO RÜDESHEIM
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 4
RHINE GORGE–RÜDESHEIM Eat, Drink, and Be Merry in Wine Country
En route to Rüdesheim, sail through the Rhine Gorge (a UNESCO World Heritage site). Take in the breathtaking views of ancient castles perched on cliffs 400 feet above the water, and pass the legendary Rock of the Lorelei—where the mythological siren’s songs lured ill-fated sailors.
ACTIVE Enjoy a hike with your Avalon Adventure Host through the picturesque vineyards of Rüdesheim, OR:
DISCOVERY Take a Guided Tour of the incredible Mechanical Music Museum for a one-of-a-kind instrumental experience; enjoy a tasting of the authentic Rüdesheimer coffee.
Enjoy live entertainment on board your ship this evening.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN RÜDESHEIM
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 5
MAINZ. HEIDELBERG EXCURSION Printing Halls, Castle Walls, and the World’s Biggest Wine Barrel
ACTIVE Join your Avalon Adventure Host for an inspiring walk in Heidelberg, the Philosophers' way, OR:
CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided City Walk including a visit to the Gutenberg Museum to see the captivating history of printing, OR:
CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided Tour to Heidelberg Castle to see the ruins of the magnificent renaissance treasure towering above the city, and its famed Great Vat, the “World’s Largest Wine Barrel."
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO STRASBOURG
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 6
KEHL. EXCURSION TO STRASBOURG A Grand Cathedral and La Petite France
Ask about today’s energizing or relaxing Adventure Host activities.
ACTIVE Discover Strasbourg by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:
CLASSIC Join a City Sightseeing Tour, including Strasbourg’s Gothic, stained-glass cathedral with its celebrated ancient murals and astronomical clock, as well as the magical La Petite France District.
Choose a Guided Optional Excursion to the historic Maginot Line—the pre-WWII fortifications designed to protect the eastern border of France, or visit Alsace’s wine country today.
Alternatively, take some free time in Strasbourg to visit a museum, or stroll across the city center.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BREISACH
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 7
BREISACH. EXCURSION TO BLACK FOREST German Winemaking and the Beautiful Black Forest
DISCOVERY Join a full-day Guided Tour to the magical Black Forest to experience the Vogtsbauernohf open-air-museum, visit an authentic water mill, and see a traditional butter-making demonstration, OR:
CLASSIC Join A Guided Tour to explore Freiburg’s medieval city center, sheltered by the Black Forest amid vineyards and gardens of the Upper Rhine Valley.
You may choose to join a Guided Optional Excursion to visit the charming village of Colmar in the morning, with its half-timbered medieval and early renaissance buildings.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BASEL
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 8
BASEL, SWITZERLAND (DISEMBARKATION)–BEAUNE–CHALON-SUR-SAÔNE (EMBARKATION) Disembark your ship and drive on to Beaune.
CLASSIC Visit the Hôtel-Dieu Charity Hospital in Beaune, built in 1443, today home of the Van der Weyden’s painting of the Last Judgement.
This afternoon, travel to Chalon-sur-Saône to board your Suite Ship®.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN TOURNUS
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Day 9
TOURNUS Pearl of Southern Burgundy
Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.
CLASSIC Tucked away in the southeast corner of Burgundy, Tournus is one of the oldest and most important monastic centers in the region, Our Local Guide will show the highlights of this delightful town.
Consider a Guided Optional Excursion to a Chardonnay wine cellar or to the Castle of Cormatin.
DISCOVERY Later, enjoy a delicious Cheese Tasting on board your ship.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN TRÉVOUX
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 10
LYON La Vie En Rose in Lyon Sail for lovely Lyon this morning.
ACTIVE Discover Lyon's architectural district by bike with your Adventure Host, over bridges, and along the banks where the Rhône and Saône rivers meet, OR:
CLASSIC Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour to survey Lyon from Fourvière Hill with its numerous churches. You’ll also explore the Old Town with its maze of medieval alleyways, and the lively cafés, monuments, and famed fountain of Place des Terreaux.
DISCOVERY Be our guest for a WWII & French Resistance Lecture on board your ship.
Later enjoy live entertainment after dinner.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN LYON
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 11
LYON Adventures in Food and Wine
CLASSIC Join a Culinary Walk through the city to discover why it is known as the gastronomic capital of France.
The rest of your day is free to explore, relax, or shop in France’s third largest city. Take a bike from the ship and explore local produce markets and parks, or take a leisurely tour of the city’s more than 100 murals.
EVENING CRUISE TO TOURNON
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 12
TOURNON A Rendezvous with Castle Views and Vineyards
CLASSIC Take a morning Guided Walking Tour to explore Tournon—one of France’s oldest medieval cities with its 16th-century castle.
Enjoy a leisurely sail to Viviers after lunch.
VIVIERS
World History in a Charming French Country Village
CLASSIC Explore the pale-stone buildings of Viviers on a late afternoon Guided Walking Tour of this charming village. You’ll see its Romanesque cathedral and Old Town with a mix of historical Christian, Roman, and medieval influences.
Later, enjoy live entertainment onboard.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO AVIGNON
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 13
AVIGNON The City of Popes in Picturesque Provence
Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.
CLASSIC Take a Guided Sightseeing Tour of the fortress city of Avignon—with its ramparts encircling the city—and a visit to the amazing Palace of the Popes.
Guided Optional Excursions include a visit to the ancient Roman aqueduct of Pont du Gard, or a trip to the famed wine cellars of Châteauneuf-du-Pape for a true taste of the Rhône wine region.
Explore Avignon on your own for the city’s art and culture, theatre, and museums. Be sure to snap photos of the captivating countryside, historic monuments, and the medieval Pont Saint-Bénézet.
Later, enjoy onboard live entertainment.
EVENING CRUISE TO ARLES
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 14
ARLES A Brush with Genius
ACTIVE Get your daily dose of exercise through a Power Walk in Arles with your Adventure Host, OR:
DISCOVERY Attend a Painting Workshop to learn techniques of Vincent van Gogh. Create your own painting in the style of legendary artist, OR:
CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided Walking Tour of Arles—the captivating city of the Provence region. You’ll visit the Roman Amphitheater in this visually stunning city.
Take free time to stop in Café Van Gogh for a glass of wine.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN ARLES
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 15
ARLES (DISEMBARKATION)–FRENCH RIVIERA Spectacular Seascapes of the Mediterranean Coast
After breakfast this morning, you’ll drive to French Riviera, which stretches along France’s Mediterranean coast from Toulon to the border of Italy.
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Day 16
FRENCH RIVIERA The “Queen of the French Riviera”
CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided Sightseeing in Nice. Discover the narrow, winding streets and baroque churches of Vieux Nice, the old city—an area which has changed little since the 1700s.
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Breakfast
BreakfastDay 17
FRENCH RIVIERA Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
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Breakfast
Breakfast Accommodations
Accommodations| Amsterdam | Amsterdam | French Riviera |
Westcord Jakarta
Superior First-Class
Hotel as shown or similar
Javakade 766 Amsterdam Netherlands
A unique sustainable hotel in Amsterdam, where two worlds connect. At the former location where ships left for Jakarta, lies a green oasis in the centre of the city. Hotel offers 200 luxurious rooms with a Indonesian influenced style. Enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner at Café Jakarta or get a drink at the Malabar. Be pampered in luxury and relax in our wellness and swimming pool with views towards the river IJ.
Superior First-Class
Hotel as shown or similar
Javakade 766 Amsterdam Netherlands
A unique sustainable hotel in Amsterdam, where two worlds connect. At the former location where ships left for Jakarta, lies a green oasis in the centre of the city. Hotel offers 200 luxurious rooms with a Indonesian influenced style. Enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner at Café Jakarta or get a drink at the Malabar. Be pampered in luxury and relax in our wellness and swimming pool with views towards the river IJ.
Disclaimer: Prices listed are per person, based on double occupancy, and in USD. All promotions are valid for new bookings only, capacity controlled and valid on select dates and departures. Individual Terms and Conditions will apply to all promotions. Any promotion can be withdrawn at any time without notice. Please speak with your Pavlus Travel Planner for complete vendor terms and conditions, including eligible tour and cruise dates.
