Rhine River
France, Normandy, Switzerland Alps, Germany, Belgium & Netherlands 16 day cruise/tour - September 26, 2024
Information
Tour Information
Countries Visited: France, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands and Belgium.
BEST Time of Year: The very best time of year for the Rhine is the middle of September to the middle of October. You are out of the heat of summer and before the cold of winter. The heavy summer crowds are gone. AmaWaterways Cruises are more expensive this time of year, but with our charter pricing you are only slightly more than traveling in the heat of summer.
Major Tour Highlights: This is a huge highlight tour. Even if you have been there before, everyone loves Paris! Paris has the Louvre Museum, the Eiffel Tower, the Palace Versailles and romantic boat rides. Add the enchanting castle island of Mont Saint Michel by high-speed train, and the Normandy Landing Beaches and you have the best of what France has to offer. From there it only gets better. You travel to Switzerland by High-Speed Train – without your large luggage, which is taken by bus to meet you in Switzerland. Every day in Switzerland is a fantastic highlight day. Here is some of what you will experience: The ancient Chillon Castle on Lake Geneva, the majestic Matterhorn, the stunning Eiger Mountains and the quaint villages of Zermatt and Grindelwald. The tour in Switzerland involves buses, trains, cogwheel trains and cable cars – bringing you experiences that you will never forget. We then head to Basel to board our 5-Star luxury river cruise ship to sail the Enchanting Rhine – at savings no other company can give you. After your 5-Star Luxury Cruise and Amsterdam, we have added Bruges, Belgium (considered to be a better canal city than Amsterdam) along with Brussels to your itinerary before you head home. This wonderful tour and cruise is a massive home run!
Pricing
Package Price Includes:
16 Day Enchanting Rhine PACKAGE PRICE INCLUDES: 8 Day 7 Night Enchanting Rhine Luxury Cruise that visits 5 Countries: France, Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium – The cruise is combined with a fantastic tour of Paris, the Normandy Landing Beaches, Mont Saint Michel, a highspeed train to Switzerland, The Matterhorn, the Eiger Mountains, clog trains and so much more in Switzerland.
Important Note regarding AmaWaterways Charter Pricing: By chartering over 50% of the boat, we receive special Discount Charter Pricing. We do not discount the ship pricing – but we are able to apply our ship Charter Savings of $1,100 PER PERSON off of our total Package Price that INCLUDES the Ship and Land Tour. When you combine an AmaWaterways ship with a Fun For Less Tours Land Tour, you are able to save $1,100 PER PERSON because of our Charter Pricing.
Our Total Package includes both the AmaWaterways Cruise and our Fun For Less Tours Land Tour
Here is what is INCULDED in our Total Package:
- AmaWaterways luxury 8 Day 7 Night Cruise between Basel Switzerland and Amsterdam Netherlands.
-
- 4,598 Cat D Cabin with two large porthole windows.
- $200 in ship taxes and port charges
- All Shore Excursions are included
- Special Guest Educator: George Dyer
- Fun For Less Tours Staff.
- Three quality meals on-board the ship every day while on the ship.
- Free internet and free movies.
- Unlimited bottled water.
- All bicycles and helmets on board are free to use.
- Option to upgrade cabin to French Balcony, Double Balcony, or Suite.
- Use of quality headset receivers.
- Our Special Land Package in France, Switzerland and Belgium. Note: This package is a little more expensive than our other River Cruise land tour packages, but well worth it – the reason is the cost of the Paris hotel along with the high-speed trains, cable cars and clog trains in France and Switzerland.
- 3 night 4-Star Deluxe Hotel Paris, France.
- 1 night 4-Star Deluxe Hotel Normandy Landing Beach Area.
- 2 nights 4-Star Deluxe hotel in Switzerland.
- 1 night 4-Star Deluxe hotel in Brussels, Belgium.
- Mt. Saint Michel Castle Island.
- Normandy Landing Beaches.
- Buses, guides, entrance fees and transfers in the in France, Switzerland and Belgium.
- The Louvre, Palace Versailles and the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
- Clog Trains, cable cars, highspeed trains.
- Guest Educator: George Dyer
- Fun For Less Tours Staff.
- Headset receivers. Land Package Price.
Total Package Price: $7,995
Charter Savings: ($1,100)
Total Package Price: $6,895*
Package Price: $6,895- Total Package*
*Per person cash discount price, based on double occupancy. Does not include airfare or tips.
Below are the prices for upgrading to balcony and suite cabins. With our combination of an AmaWaterways river cruise with our Fun For Less Tours Land Package, you are saving $1,100 Per Person off of whatever cabin category you chose. Pictures of the different balcony cabins and an example of the layout of an AmaWaterways river cruise ship can be found below. The prices below are the prices per person to upgrade from a D Cabin to Balcony Cabins.
- Cat D Large Porthole Cabins 170 sq. ft.: Included in Price
- Upgrade to a Cat C French Balcony with sliding glass door: $1,000
- Upgrade to a Cat BB Double Balcony with French and Outside Balcony: $1,600
- Upgrade to a Cat BA Double Balcony with French and Outside Balcony: $1,800
- Upgrade to a Cat AB Double Balcony with French and Outside Balcony: $2,000
- Upgrade to a Cat AA Double Balcony with French and Outside Balcony: $2,200
- Upgrade to Large Suite with Double Balcony both French & Outside: $3,500
Itinerary
This is a partial list, and subject to change as needed to accomplish everything we can in each area we visit. We will have local guides who will make sure we see the very best in the time we have.
Day 1: September 26: Fly to Paris
Fly from the US to Paris.
Day 2: September 27: Paris
Early afternoon arrival into Paris. After clearing customs, we will do a short city tour of Paris before going to our hotel.
Day 3: September 28: Mount Saint Michel – Normandy Landing Beaches
This will be a highlight day. Today we will leave our large bags in Paris and take only an overnight bag with us by a highspeed train to Mount Saint Michel where we will be met by our buses. This fortified monastery which looks like a castle, is located on an island just off the coast of France. It was built approximately 700 years ago and today, it looks and feels the same as it did then. After our tour, we will go by bus to the Normandy Landing Beach Area to overnight.
Day 4: September 29: Normandy Beaches – Versailles – Paris
Today our tour will include a visit to the Omaha Beach site where the American troops landed on D-day. We will also visit The American Cemetery, which is situated above Omaha Beach. We will then drive to Paris to visit Versailles the prestigious royal palace which was built by Louis XIV more than three centuries ago. If time permits we will stop at the Paris LDS Temple for a picture stop before returning to our hotel in Paris Later we will continue back to our hotel in Paris.
Day 5: September 30: Paris
Today will be a tour of Paris that will include the Louvre Museum, the home of the Mona Lisa and the Eiffel Tower.
Day 6: October 1: Paris – Switzerland
This morning we will take a high-speed train to Switzerland. Our large luggage will be shipped by Bus and will join you later in Switzerland. Upon arrival we will visit the Chillon Castle. We will overnight in Switzerland.
Day 7: October 2: Zermatt– Grindelwald
We will depart our hotel early morning and drive to Zermatt. Upon arrival, we will have free time to enjoy this picturesque town and views of the Matterhorn. You will have the option to add a cog-wheel mountain ride up to the Gornergrat Ridge at over 10,000 feet, for an additional cost. From there, you have the opportunity to see the highest mountains of your trip, including a majestic view of the Matterhorn. After our visit to Zermatt, we will take the train back to our buses and continue on to the village of Grindelwald to overnight.
Day 8: October 3: Grindelwald
Today is a big highlight day!! We will drive into a beautiful glacier-cut valley where you will see jaw-dropping rock formations and waterfalls. A little bit further, in this same valley, you visit the Trümmelbachfälle, a series of ten waterfalls “inside” the mountain!! It is truly one of the natural wonders of the world. Then we will drive to the Lauterbrunnen train station, where we take a cog-wheel train to Kleine Schediegg. You will enjoy the majestic panorama of the Jungfrau Group from the train. After our tour, we will drive approximately 2 hours to Basel, where we will board our AmaWaterways ship.
Important Note: Amawaterways includes premium shore excursions at no additional cost. In many of the ports of call, the ship may offer different shore excursions, often including a bicycle tour. Our owners have selected what they felt to be the best shore excursion for each port. After you arrive at the ship, if you decide that you would like to make a change to a different tour, you can make that change onboard. Please note that the shore excursions we recommend in the day-to-day itinerary below could be different from what the ship offers in 2023. This is the best of what they are currently offering.
Day 9: October 4: Breisach
Breisach serves as a gateway to the lovely Alsatin town of Riquewihr. Riquewihr has been classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France. You will feel as if you’ve stepped back into the 16th century as you walk along the medieval streets. You will admire the half-timber houses that date back to the 15th century, as well as the historic Dolder Gate (Dolder translates to “highest point in the Alsatian dialect), which was an integral part of the cities defenses in the 13th century. The original wooden doors still stand in protection of the village today.
Day 10: October 5: Strasbourg, France – stunning beauty
Today we will do the AmaWaterways Strasbourg City Tour with free time in Strasbourg.
Day 11: October 6: Speyer
During the day we take the Heidelberg Castle Tour, which includes free time in Heidelberg. In the evening, we will visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet – well worth the visit!
Day 12: October 7: Rudesheim – Along with Rhine Gorge sailing. World Heritage section of the Rhine.
There are approximately 40 castles and fortresses along the Rhine Gorge. This part of the Rhine is a major highlight. In Rudesheim, you will also enjoy a Gondola Ride with some free time in the Village.
Day 13: October 8: Cologne
With a 2,000-year history of continuous habitation, Cologne is known for its charming Old Town and its fabled 13th-century Gothic Cathedral. The guided tour will take you on a stroll through the Old Town where you will see such sites as the Cologne Rathaus, Germany’s oldest town hall; the Fishmarkt, which dates back to the 12th century and the Great St. Martin Church. With the tour ending at the Cathedral Square, you’ll have a chance to admire the cathedral, which was the tallest building in the world at the time of its completion. Spend your free time visiting some of the old-fashioned shops lining the streets, experiencing the Cologne way of life.
Day 14: October 9: Amsterdam
Today we will do an Amsterdam City Tour & Canal Cruise: A combination of bus, walking, canal cruise, plus a visit to see a windmill.
Day 15: October 10: Bruges – Brussels
This morning we will travel to Bruges – often consider a more beautiful and impressive than Amsterdam. After we will visit Brussels before overnighting near the Brussels Airport.
Day 16: October 11: Fly Home
