The Rhine & Moselle (Northbound) 2026 - 11 days from Basel to Amsterdam

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The Rhine & Moselle (Northbound) 2026

11 days from Basel to Amsterdam



Tour Description:

Your cruise on the Rhine and Moselle Rivers begins in Basel, Switzerland, to explore extraordinary cities in Germany and France, as well as Holland’s capital of Amsterdam. At the foot of Kaiserstuhl Mountain on the French-German border sits Breisach—the gateway to Germany’s beautiful Black Forest. Continue your river cruise to Strasbourg, France, where a local expert will show you the red-sandstone Gothic-style cathedral with ancient murals and its fascinating astronomical clock. Visit the ruins of Heidelberg Castle, towering magnificently over the city, then sail for the charming Rhine Valley wine town of Rüdesheim.

Cruise through the dramatic Rhine Gorge for the most beautiful view of the Rhine River and see ancient castles standing majestically on cliffs 400 feet above the water. Visit Koblenz, strategically located at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers, before coming to the charming wine village of Bernkastel! Here, you’ll go on a guided walk and taste some of the famed Moselle wines. Visit a medieval castle, then sail back into the Rhine and explore the magnificent city of Cologne, Germany, which spans both sides of the Rhine River. Your river cruise vacation ends in marvelous Amsterdam. Take in the sights on a canal cruise through the elegant Grachten lined with stately homes dating back to the city’s “Golden Age.”

Map for The Rhine & Moselle (Northbound) 2026 - 11 days from Basel to Amsterdam
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Dates & Pricing

Monday 25 May 26 — Friday 05 Jun 26Starting at $5,699 Get a Quote
Saturday 13 Jun 26 — Wednesday 24 Jun 26Starting at $5,699 Get a Quote
Thursday 16 Jul 26 — Monday 27 Jul 26Starting at $5,299 Get a Quote
Tuesday 18 Aug 26 — Saturday 29 Aug 26Starting at $4,799 Get a Quote
Monday 21 Sep 26 — Friday 02 Oct 26Starting at $5,699 Get a Quote
Saturday 10 Oct 26 — Wednesday 21 Oct 26Starting at $5,399 Get a Quote


Destination & Sightseeing

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.

ITINERARY

Day 1
BASEL, SWITZERLAND (EMBARKATION) Welcome to Basel. Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding. Flights into Zürich or Basel must arrive by 3 pm. Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm. Enjoy dinner and explore the ship on your first night on board. EVENING CRUISE TO BREISACH

Day 2
BREISACH, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO BLACK FOREST German Winemaking and the Beautiful Black Forest Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host. ACTIVE Enjoy the view on a relaxing bike ride along the Rhine with your Adventure Host, OR: CLASSIC 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 STRASBOURG
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Day 3
STRASBOURG, FRANCE A Grand Cathedral and La Petite France ACTIVE Discover Strasbourg by bike with your Adventure Host, OR: CLASSIC Take a City Sightseeing Tour, including the city’s Gothic, stained-glass cathedral with its celebrated ancient murals and astronomical clock, as well as the magical La Petite France District. This afternoon, choose among the Guided Optional Excursions available. Alternatively, take some free time in Strasbourg to visit a museum, or stroll across the city center. OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO LUDWIGSHAFEN
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Day 4
LUDWIGSHAFEN, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO HEIDELBERG Philosophers’ Views and the World’s Biggest Wine Barrel ACTIVE Join your Avalon Adventure Host for an inspiring walk in Heidelberg, the Philosophers' way, OR: CLASSIC Discover Schwetzingen Palace—the heart of a stunning site consisting of the palace, palace gardens, and historic palace square, 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." Enjoy a leisurely evening sailing to Rüdesheim. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN RÜDESHEIM
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Day 5
RÜDESHEIM–RHINE GORGE Breathtaking Views This morning leave Rüdesheim after breakfast and enjoy the breathtaking views as you cruise through the spectacular Rhine Gorge on your way to Koblenz. KOBLENZ Fortress Walls and Manor Halls ACTIVE Explore Koblenz's Mosel side by bike with your Adventure Host, OR: CLASSIC Take a Guided City Walk amid ancient fortresses walls, towers, squares, and monuments, OR: CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided Visit to the Sayn Manor House and its Butterfly Gardens. Later, enjoy live entertainment onboard. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BERNKASTEL
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Day 6
BERNKASTEL Hillside Vines and German Wines Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities. This morning, enjoy leisurely sailing. ACTIVE Join your Adventure Host for a hike in this beautiful area, OR: CLASSIC Take a Guided Walking Tour of the charming wine village of Bernkastel—with its medieval marketplace and 17th-century gabled timber-framed houses. This afternoon, select a Guided Optional Excursion to a local winery for a wine tasting. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO TRIER
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Day 7
TRIER. EXCURSION TO LUXEMBOURG Ancient Worlds and Old-World Charm ACTIVE Get your daily dose of exercise through a Power Walk in Trier with your Adventure Host, OR: CLASSIC Take a Guided Sightseeing tour of Trier—Germany’s oldest city with ancient remnants dating from 144-152 AD. Starting from Porta Nigra, walk through the city center, OR: CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour of Luxembourg City—with its dramatic views, ancient ruins, and modern architecture along the deep gorge terrain. AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO COCHEM
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Day 8
COCHEM The Charm of the Moselle Valley Ask about today’s energizing or relaxing Adventure Host activities. ACTIVE Bike along the Moselle River with your Adventure Host, OR: DISCOVERY Visit the former bunker of Germany's Central Bank (Deutsche Bundesbank) and immerse yourself in the underground vault where millions of German Mark were kept during the Cold War, OR: CLASSIC Join a Guided Walk of Cochem to see the charming town’s half-timbered houses and winding streets. Visit the hilltop Reichsburg Castle with a bird’s-eye-view of the Moselle Valley and river bend. Enjoy free time to explore at your own pace. Alternatively, select a Guided Optional Excursion to Eltz Castle. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO COLOGNE
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Day 9
COLOGNE Prost! Celebrate in the Rhineland’s Capital City 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! AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT SAILING TO AMSTERDAM
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Day 10
AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND Canals of Colorful Amsterdam ACTIVE Start your day joining your Adventure Host on an early morning walk in Amsterdam, OR: CLASSIC 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.” You may take a Guided Optional Excursion to Zaanse Schans to see historic windmills and charming Dutch houses. Alternatively, choose an Optional Biking Tour to discover the countryside. You may choose to spend some free time this afternoon visiting one of Amsterdam’s many fascinating museums or galleries. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM
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Day 11
AMSTERDAM (DISEMBARKATION) Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning

Accommodations

ZurichAmsterdamAmsterdam
Radisson Blu Airport
Superior First-Class

Hotel as shown or similar

Zuerich Flughafen Zurich Switzerland

This modern, stylish hotel 330-room property conveniently offers direct access to the airport terminal, the perfect location for arrivals & departures. Dining options include an Italian restaurant specializing in fresh Italian dishes crafted with a modern twist and a Grill restaurant offering seafood and steaks dishes prepared in an open kitchen. The atrium bar has a 16m-high glass wine tower with over 4,000 bottles of wine and champagne and the outdoor terrace is the place for cocktails and light bites. Other amenities include two fitness centers (one on site and one at the airport), a hammam, as well as a sauna set in a plane's cockpit. Free internet access is available throughout the entire hotel.

FAQ Avalon Cruises Frequently Asked Questions FAQ

Pavlus Travel tells you there's a wide World out there just waiting to be explored on river cruises by you, and Avalon Waterways like Pavlus Travel knows there is more than a river cruise for you and your family to see it all. Why not experience local cities, villages, and countrysides your way with a wide selection of active excursions and activities brought to you by Avalon River Cruises that put you right in the middle of it all. Borrow a bike to ride through the streets of Amsterdam, grab a Nordic walking stick to capture the castle with a hike up the vineyard off the Rhine River, or paddle a canoe along Austria’s river shores. Pavlus makes it easy to turn sightseeing into doing your adventure in real time. You’ll find all the guidance and gear you from Avalon Waterways staff to embark on an expedition of your own. From a complimentary yoga class aboard your Avalon River Cruise to a jogging tour of Vienna or an optional kayaking excursion. Know that Pavlus Travel discounts Avalon River Cruises be they in Europe or the Far East. You'll enjoy every Avalon River Cruises Ship.