Cruise Itinerary

September 9 - 16, 2023

Day 1: Amsterdam/Embarkation

Day 2: Nijmegen, Netherlands

Day 3: Cologne, Germany

Day 4: Rhine Gorge

Day 4: Rüdesheim, Germany

Day 5: Mainz, Germany/Heidelberg

Day 6: Strasbourg, France

Day 7: Breisach, Germany/Black Forest

Day 8: Basel, Switzerland/Disembarkation

Land Excursions

Complimentary Land Excursions- Thanks to Avalon's relationship with Globus, an award-winning tour company with more than 90 years of experience and 300 support staff on the ground in 65 countries around the world, we will be privy to the best, all-inclusive land programs available. Included with your cruise fare will be one select complimentary land excursion on most days depending on our custom itinerary and entertainment schedule (additional excursion options available for additional costs). This allows you to truly experience each destination with guided sightseeing (complete with headsets), daily port lectures, VIP access into key destinations, no waiting in lines and great cultural immersion and storytelling thanks to highly skilled Cruise and Tour Directors.

Certified Local Guides- Professionals who are certified locally in each destination and selected by the Globus family of brands. These Certified Local Guides are recognized for their expertise, enthusiasm, and knowledge of the area. They will lead you on engaging sightseeing tours delivering genuine, behind-the-scenes destination experiences. You'll even benefit from the use of personal headsets for sightseeing which gives you the freedom to roam through some of Europe's most famous attractions without missing a moment of fascinating commentary.

Note- Our personal experiences (6 Avalon river cruises) with the complimentary land excursions provided onboard has been excellent. The local guides were very pleasant and knowledgeable, the pace of the tours were appropriate, and the topics were interesting and relevant. Group size was very manageable as passengers are broken down into 3-4 separate groups. You are not stuffed into overcrowded motor coaches and walking portions are comfortable to move around with.

Weather Note

Naturally the daily high and low temperatures will vary as we sail up the Rhine from the lower elevations of Netherlands to the higher elevation of Basel, Switzerland. On average one can expect daily highs in the high 60‘s °F to low 80’s °F and lows from the high 40’s °F to mid 50’s °F this time of year. Throughout the week Sunrise will vary between 7:04am and 7:07am and Sunset will occur between 7:40pm and 8:10pm depending on day and location. In longtime BHTM Cruise tradition, river water temperature will be evaluated in a confidential, up-close and personal process by Local Knowledge representative George on a daily basis and posted for passengers onboard.