Rivers and Castles, 2022

From the meandering Main to the UNESCO-designated Upper Middle Rhine Valley with its multitude of castles dotting its shores to the vineyard-clad hills of the Moselle, enjoy Europe at its most picturesque. Let the storybook villages—Bernkastel, Cochem, and Wertheim—captivate you, and Rothenburg, located on the Romantic Road, enchant you. Marvel at the world's largest ceiling fresco in the Würzburg Residenz, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the beautiful Chagall windows while in Mainz. Savor the many flavors of Germany with a chance to sample the world-famous wines of the Rheingau, the hearty smoked beer of Bamberg, and Rüdesheim's famed coffee. All along the way, gain an intimate understanding of the history and culture of the places you visit.

COUNTRIES: GERMANY, LUXEMBOURG, FRANCE

RIVERS: RHINE, DANUBE, MOSELLE, MAIN

What's not included:

1. Travel insurance (please accept or decline below)
2. Pre or post-stay, but you may add those; please see the pricing page for details and costs.
3. Airfare isn't included but may be purchased through AMA Waterways or on your own.

DAY 1

EMBARKATION – LUXEMBOURG CITY, LUXEMBOURG

Board your ship in Luxembourg for your Europe's Rivers & Castles cruise. (B, D)

DAY 2

SCHWEICH, GERMANY – TRIER – BERNKASTEL, GERMANY

Trier is Germany's oldest city, renowned for its rich ancient Roman past and referred to as the "Rome of the North" or "Second Rome" as it has impressive Roman relics and nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Join a guided tour of the city, including the old Roman amphitheater, Roman Baths, and Basilica of Constantine. Alternatively, go in search of the secrets of the Porta Nigra Gate, dating back to 180 A.D., on a tour that takes you back to a time when Rome ruled the world from the Emperor's seat in Trier. You also have the choice of a hike high above Trier to Petrisberg. Later in the day, sail to Bernkastel. Walk through its colorful Old Town center and past many medieval and Renaissance buildings on a guided tour, including a winery visit and tasting. Those seeking an active adventure can opt to trek up to the ruins of Landshut Castle, which dates back to the 9th century. (B,L,D)

 DAY 3

ALKEN, GERMANY – COCHEM – RÜDESHEIM, GERMANY

Head to fairytale Cochem and visit the Reichsburg Castle, followed by a walking tour. As an alternative, visit one of Europe's oldest working mustard mills, where you will sample Cochem's famous mustard. Or, enjoy a guided walking tour of Koblenz, a historic town located at the northern end of the Rhine Gorge, where you will find the town's famous Clock Tower. Later in the day, set sail for Rüdesheim, where you can visit Siegfried's Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum, or enjoy the town's iconic Rüdesheimer coffee, served ceremoniously with whipped cream and brandy. (B,L,D)

DAY 4

RÜDESHEIM

Drink up the stunning views by soaring high above the vineyards with a gondola ride to the Niederwalddenkmal Statue, or allow yourself to be treated to a wine tasting. For a more active adventure, hike through the town's beautiful vineyards above the Rhine River. As an alternative, head to the confluence of the Rhine and Main Rivers to Mainz, where you'll enjoy a walking tour of its Old Town, brimming with quaint narrow streets, Baroque churches, and half-timbered houses. You'll also have a chance to visit the Collegiate Church of St. Stephan, best known for its blue Chagall windows. (B,L,D) 

DAY 5

WERTHEIM, GERMANY

Wertheim's old town center still features half-timbered houses and the Gothic architecture of the Stiftskirche, its oldest Protestant church. You may either join a guided walking tour through the historic city center or learn the art of pretzel making with a visit to a local bakery. For those seeking a more active adventure, take a scenic bike ride through the Main River Valley or hike high above the town to visit the castle, one of the most picturesque ruins in Germany. (B,L,D)

DAY 6

WÜRZBURG, GERMANY

Enjoy a city tour of Würzburg, bursting with Baroque splendor. Or visit Würzburg's Baroque Residenz Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that features an opulent interior, including a grand fresco by Tiepolo. Or stretch your legs while hiking to Würzburg Castle. Alternately, go on a full-day excursion to Rothenburg, Germany's best-preserved walled town located on the Romantic Road. (B,L,D)

DAY 7

ELTMANN, GERMANY

Head to Bamberg, which has been referred to as "Franconian Rome" as, like Rome, was built on seven hills—but in Bamberg, a church graces each one. Bamberg's medieval and Baroque architecture has withstood the test of time and, as such, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Join a guided walking tour of this medieval gem where you'll see its cathedral, Old Town Hall, and elegant old mansions, and afterward, indulge in the town's famous smoked beer, Rauchbier. Or, indulge in the culinary specialties of Bamberg, including licorice root, Hornla pastries, traditional German sausage, and smoked beer. As a more stimulating alternative, pedal from Eltmann to Bamberg, meeting the ship later in the day. (B,L,D)

DAY 8

NUREMBERG – DISEMBARKATION

Cancellation policy:

Deposit:

Each person traveling requires a deposit of $400 at the time of booking. The deposit is refundable within six days of a booking; after seven days, you will receive half the deposit back. 

**When you accept or decline travel insurance, we will review the cancellation terms with you; as each policy is different, we can't make a blanket statement on refunds.** See below Terms & Conditions

 

PLEASE NOTE:

There is a $100 per booking non-refundable planning fee charge; this will be invoiced separately from your deposit and must be paid before moving forward with any travel plans. This is a fee charged by DPP Travel; you can read more about our services here.

 

Terms & Conditions:

Prices are per person, U.S. dollars, based on double occupancy of a cabin, or standard hotel room unless indicated otherwise. | Single rates are available for the cruise-only, at a supplement of plus-50% for standard rooms, plus-100% for other rooms, such as deluxe rooms and suites. | Single rates for land are available at a supplement. | Please see individual itineraries for the amount of the supplement. | Pricing accuracy is assured only at the time of printing. | If any of the cost factors increases, such as airfare, port or dock charges, fuel, insurance, taxes, surcharges, or others, we reserve the right to increase cruise or cruise tour prices without notice.

 

Cancellation Policy: For any cruise/land booking, whether under deposit, partially paid, or paid in full, including air packages, the following travel agent or guest-requested situations are considered cancellations and penalties will apply as noted below: changes to departure date; substitutions of itinerary; substitution of another person for original booked guest(s); or changing to a promotional fare. All cancellations must be in writing. For all air-inclusive packages canceled after the issuance of an airline ticket, the air portion of the refund, if any, will be processed only after the return of the airline ticket. The following cancellation charges will be assessed for all written cancellations received before departure up to the scheduled departure time.

 

Cancellation received | Following charges will apply: (Broken out by days before departure) 121 days or more is $200 per person | 120-90 days is $400 per person | 89-60 days is 35% of total fare | 59-30 days is 50% of total fare | 29-7 days is 80% of total fare | six days before sailing is 100% cancellation. Full Fare is defined as the full cost of any cruise, land, or air component purchased from AmaWaterways. All air purchased through AmaWaterways has a cancellation penalty of $350 per person for Economy and $600 per person for Business class. In the event you purchase a non-refundable ticket, the full Fare is under penalty.

 

*Certain airline tickets, including all intra-Asia Flights within 90 days of departure and published price tickets, are 100% non-refundable. Penalty rates shown are for flight arrangements deposited/booked from July 1, 2014, onward. Except as otherwise provided in your Passenger Ticket Contract, there is no refund for unused services or unused portions of cruise, cruise/tour, or airfare after travel begins.

 

 

Also available:

New Travel Waiver Plus Travel With Peace of Mind

 

In light of the recent global events and uncertainties around travel, we wish to offer our guests additional flexibility and peace of mind so they may continue to safeguard the wonderful plans they have made for their much-anticipated river cruise with AmaWaterways. As a result, we will offer, for a limited time, special provisions which allow guests with new or existing reservations to purchase AmaWaterways Travel Waiver Plus*. AmaWaterways Travel Waiver Plus provides cancellation for any reason, up to 24 hours before the start of their AmaWaterways booked services (cruise, pre-cruise land extensions, air, etc.)
Should guests decide to cancel their cruise for any reason, they will have the following options based on the date of cancellation:
    Cancellation received up to 7 days before the start of AmaWaterways services:
    Future Cruise Credit** covers cancellation penalties, and the balance will be refunded based on our standard cancellation policy for services purchased through AmaWaterways.
    Cancellation received between 6 days to 24 hours before the start of AmaWaterways services:
    Future Cruise Credit** issued for 100% of AmaWaterways services to be used towards any sailings within 24 months of the cancellation date
For all new or existing reservations for Europe and Southeast Asia (deposited or paid in full), Travel Waiver Plus can be added up to 48 hours before the start of AmaWaterways purchased services. For Africa Safaris & Wildlife Cruises, Travel Waiver Plus must be purchased within 90 days before sailing and once full payment has been received.
Travel Waiver Plus price:
    $80 per person – for those who purchase AmaWaterways Cruise Protection Plan*
    $175 per person – if purchased without AmaWaterways Cruise Protection Plan* or if you have purchased travel protection independently

 

 

Ships registered in Namibia, Portugal, Switzerland, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

 

See your Virtuoso travel advisor for more details and applicable restrictions. | Virtuoso is not responsible for any errors in pricing. | The trademarks VIRTUOSO, the Globe Swirl Logo, and SPECIALISTS IN THE ART OF TRAVEL are registered trademarks of Virtuoso, Ltd. | Virtuoso, Ltd. has a U.S. copyright registration for the Globe Swirl Logo, ©2000. | All rights reserved. Virtuoso California CST# 2069091; TA# 808 - Registered Iowa Travel Agency; Washington UBI # 601 554 183. Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California.

 

The trademarks VIRTUOSO, the Globe Swirl Logo, and SPECIALISTS IN THE ART OF TRAVEL are registered trademarks of Virtuoso, Ltd. Virtuoso, Ltd. has a U.S. copyright registration for the Globe Swirl Logo, ©2000. All rights reserved. Virtuoso CST#2069091-50. California CST# 2069091; TA# 808 - Registered Iowa Travel Agency; Washington UBI # 601 554 183. Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California.