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Timeless Rivers of Europe: the Rhine and Seine 2025
15 Day River Cruise Basel to Paris
Tour Description:
Immerse yourself in German and France culture on this fabulous Europe river cruise vacation along the Seine and Rhine rivers. The views will be spectacular so be sure to pack your camera so you can capture the romance and splendor of this magical journey. Your adventure begins in Breisach, Germany, the gateway to Germany’s Black Forest—an area of unrivaled natural beauty. Strasbourg, France, located on the French-German border, perfectly blends the cultures of both countries. 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. 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. Continue to Amsterdam, the modern capital of Holland. Transfer to Paris by high speed train to start your Seine river cruise. Enjoy wine, cheese, beautiful scenery along the Seine River, and stops in charming and historical parts of France, but your adventure would not be complete without some time in Paris—one of the world’s most romantic and vibrant cities! Discover the true heart of Paris on a guided walk through the sites of Paris’ rich history, or take a tour showing you the iconic sites of the Louvre Museum, Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, and more.
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Dates & Pricing
| Monday 28 Jul 25 — Tuesday 12 Aug 25 | Starting at $6,498 |  SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 11 Aug 25 — Tuesday 26 Aug 25 | Starting at $8,598 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 20 Oct 25 — Tuesday 04 Nov 25 | Starting at $7,698 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 03 Nov 25 — Tuesday 18 Nov 25 | Starting at $7,398 | 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 Any promotion can be withdrawn at any time without notice.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 Basel (Embarkation): | Onboard welcome reception |
| Day 2 Breisach: | Choice of excursion to Black Forest, or sightseeing of Freiburg or bike with your Adventure Host |
| Day 3 Kehl. Excursion to Strasbourg: | Choice of guided sightseeing, visit La Petite France district and the Gothic cathedral or bike with your Adventure Host |
| Day 4 Mainz: | Choice of guided tour of Heidelberg Castle, see the Great Vat, or walk Philosophers’ Way with your Adventure Host, or visit the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz |
| Day 5 Rüdesheim–Rhine Gorge–Koblenz: | Visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum in Rüdesheim or hike in the vineyards with your Adventure Host; cruise through the scenic Rhine Gorge with breathtaking views of ancient castles, towering cliffs, and the leg-endary Rock of the Lorelei; free time in Koblenz |
| Day 6 Cologne: | Choice of “Cologne Highlights” walking tour, or Jewish Heritage walking tour or bike with your Adventure Host |
| Day 7 Amsterdam: | Choice of canal cruise or off-the-beaten path walking tour or walk with your Adventure Host |
| Day 8 Amsterdam-Paris: | Travel from Amsterdam to Paris by high speed train; onboard welcome reception |
| Day 9 Vernon-Les Andelys: | Choice of excursions to Giverny or Bizy Castle or walk with your Adventure Host; choice of guided walk or guided hike in Les Andelys; onboard crêpe tasting and Pastry Demonstration |
| Day 10 Caudebec: | Choice of excursion along the “Normandy Abbeys Route” or bike with your Adventure Host |
| Day 11 Caudebec: | Choice of full-day excursions to Normandy landing beaches or Normandy excursion |
| Day 12 Rouen: | Choice of guided sightseeing, see the Astronomical Clock and visit the cathedral or bike tour |
| Day 13 Conflans: | Choice of excursions to Auvers-sur-Oise or Napoleon and Josephine's Château de Malmaison or bike with your Adventure Host |
| Day 14 Paris: | Choice of guided sightseeing or historic sights on 'Heart of Paris' walking tour or walk with your Adventure Host |
| Day 15 Paris (Disembarkation): | Your cruise 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 the “SAIL Amsterdam” event coinciding with August 12 departure, Amsterdam excursions commence from ship docking location in Rotterdam.
ITINERARY
ITINERARYDay 1
BASEL, SWITZERLAND (EMBARKATION) Welcome to Switzerland.
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
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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:
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 CRUISE TO KEHL
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch
DinnerDay 3
KEHL. EXCURSION TO STRASBOURG A Grand Cathedral and La Petite France
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.
You may also choose to join 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 MAINZ
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 4
MAINZ. EXCURSION TO HEIDELBERG 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 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,” OR:
CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided City Walk in Mainz, including a visit to the Gutenberg Museum to see the captivating history of printing.
This evening, enjoy live entertainment on board your ship after a short sailing to Rüdesheim.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN RÜDESHEIM
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 5
RÜDESHEIM–RHINE GORGE Eat, Drink, and Be Merry in Wine Country
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.
En route to Koblenz, 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.
KOBLENZ
Travel Through 2000 Years Of Monumental History
Enjoy free time in Koblenz before a relaxing evening on board with dinner and live entertainment.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN KOBLENZ
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 6
COLOGNE Prost! Celebrate in the Rhineland
Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.
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 CRUISE TO AMSTERDAM
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 7
AMSTERDAM*, HOLLAND Canals of Colorful Amsterdam
ACTIVE Start your day joining your Adventure Host on an early morning walk in Amsterdam, OR:
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.”
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. You may also choose an Optional Biking Tour to discover the countryside.
Take some free time to explore Amsterdam’s colorful streets and canal houses, galleries, and shops.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM
*Due to the “SAIL Amsterdam” event from August 15 to 19, Amsterdam excursions commence from ship docking location in Rotterdam.
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 8
AMSTERDAM* (DISEMBARKATION)–PARIS, FRANCE (EMBARKATION) This morning, board a high-speed train for Paris to embark on your Avalon Suite Ship® and enjoy dinner onboard this evening.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO VERNON
*Due to increased harbor traffic expected for the 2025 “SAIL Amsterdam” event, departure August 12 will disembark in Rotterdam.
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Day 9
VERNON Monet’s Muses, Castle Courtyards, and Crêpes du Jour
Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.
ACTIVE Explore Vernon's Chateau des Tourelles by foot with your Adventure Host, OR:
CLASSIC Take a Guided Tour of Giverny, home and inspiration of the master impressionist painter Claude Monet. Walk the grounds and see Monet’s charming residence, and the flower and water gardens captured in his masterpieces*, OR:
CLASSIC Join a Guided Visit to Bizy Castle—called “Normandy’s Versailles” for its magnificent courtyard, water garden, and stables.
DISCOVERY While sailing, enjoy a traditional French luncheon of authentic French crêpes, followed by a Pastry Demonstration.
This afternoon, enjoy a beautiful cruise to the picturesque town of Les Andelys.
LES ANDELYS
Serenity on the Seine
ACTIVE Join a Guided Hike up to the castle ruins of Château Gaillard—historic home of King Richard the Lionheart, OR:
CLASSIC Take a Guided Walking Tour of Les Andelys—one of France’s most picturesque spots on the Seine.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO CAUDEBEC
*Monet’s House is closed in March and November. During this period this excursion will be replaced with a Guided Tour of La Roche-Guyon and its castle
VERNON.jpg
BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 10
CAUDEBEC Ancient Abbeys Along the Seine
ACTIVE Enjoy a relaxing bike ride along the river with your Adventure Host, OR:
CLASSIC Take a Guided Trip along the Normandy Abbeys Route—where more than 100 medieval Benedictine and Augustine abbeys and churches were built along the Seine.
This afternoon, you may choose a Guided Optional Excursion to the old seaside town of Honfleur.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN CAUDEBEC
CAUDEBEC.jpg
BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 11
CAUDEBEC. EXCURSION TO NORMANDY Heroic Bravery on Normandy Beaches and French Farming Traditions
CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour of Normandy’s WWII landing beaches, visit significant U.S. sites, including Omaha Beach, the Pointe du Hoc monument, and the American Cemetery, OR:
CLASSIC Take a full-day Guided Tour of the British and Canadian commemorative sites, including the British cemetery, Pegasus Memorial, the seaside town of Arromanches, the Juno Beach Center, and the Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, OR:
CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour to get a taste of authentic tradition in the beautiful region of Normandy. Toast the day with a brandy tasting in Calvados.
Later, enjoy live entertainment on board your ship.
EVENING CRUISE TO ROUEN
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 12
ROUEN The Cathedral of Our Lady and a Heroine for France
ACTIVE Take a Guided Bike Tour to discover and explore the most famous monuments and the lesser known hidden gems of Rouen on two wheels, OR:
CLASSIC Take a Guided Walking Tour of Rouen—site of Saint Joan of Arc’s martyrdom—and see the medieval quarter with its 16th-century Astronomical Clock, and Notre-Dame Cathedral.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO CONFLANS
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 13
CONFLANS The Footsteps of Van Gogh, Bonaparte, and Louis XIV
ACTIVE Enjoy a relaxing bike ride along the Seine with your Adventure Host, OR:
CLASSIC Join a Guided Visit to Auvers-sur-Oise, home and resting place of Vincent van Gogh, OR:
CLASSIC Take a Guided tour of the opulent Château de Malmaison*—home of Napoléon Bonaparte and his wife Josephine.
Perhaps, join a Guided Optional Excursion to the Palace of Versailles—home to a succession of French kings.
EVENING CRUISE TO PARIS
*Château de Malmaison is closed the 1st Monday of each month and on 22nd September. On these dates, this excursion will be replaced by a visit to Château de Chantilly
CONFLANS.jpg
BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 14
PARIS Cafés, Cathedrals and Canvases in the city of Light
Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.
ACTIVE Experience the Seine river by foot with your Adventure Host, OR:
CLASSIC Discover the ancient heart of Paris on a captivating Guided Walk featuring the Palais-Royal, Louvre pyramid, ancient sites on Île de la Cité, the Left Bank, bustling Latin Quarter, and more, OR:
CLASSIC Join a Guided City Tour, that shows you the iconic sites of Paris, such as the Louvre Museum, the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, Opéra Garnier, and the famous Champs-Élysées.
Stroll through Paris on your own or linger over wine in a literary café on the Left Bank.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN PARIS
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 15
PARIS (DISEMBARKATION) Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning.
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Accommodations
Accommodations| Zurich | Paris |
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.
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.
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.
