Itinerary
- Day 1
Cologne
You'll arrive in Cologne with the ship leaving at 18:00, giving you the afternoon to walk around this cathedral city on your own. The main attraction here is the Cologne Cathedral, a UNESCO site that dominates the skyline right next to the train station. Beyond that, the old town has narrow streets worth wandering through, and you can grab lunch at one of the riverside restaurants along the Rhine. If you arrived a day early as suggested, you'll have more time to settle in and explore at a slower pace before boarding.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Comprehensive breakfast buffet with live-cooking stations), Lunch (Comprehensive lunch buffet with live-cooking stations), Dinner (Comprehensive dinner buffet with live-cooking stations), Snack (Embarkation snack, daily tea and coffee time)
Optional Activities
- Explore Cologne's cathedral and monuments
- Discover attractions in the cathedral city
Landmarks Cologne Cathedral 
- Day 2
Cochem
The ship pulls into Cochem at 11:00 with departure at 17:00, so you've got about 6 hours to spend here. Reichsburg castle sits high above the town and is the main thing to see, with views over the Moselle River from the top. The castle itself dates back centuries and you can tour the interior or just walk the grounds. If you're interested in something different, there's a Cold War era bunker nearby that was built as a secret shelter for West Germany's federal bank, though visiting that takes some extra time.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Comprehensive breakfast buffet with live-cooking stations), Lunch (Comprehensive lunch buffet with live-cooking stations), Dinner (Comprehensive dinner buffet with live-cooking stations), Snack (Daily tea and coffee time)
Optional Activities
- Visit Reichsburg castle
- Tour the West German government secret bunker
- Explore the Moselle region
Landmarks Reichsburg Cochem - Day 3
Bernkastel-Kues
You'll arrive at 03:00 in Bernkastel-Kues, which means you could grab a few hours of sleep on the ship before the town wakes up. With a 17:00 departure, you have most of the day to explore this old town along the Moselle. Wine is really the draw here, and the local vineyards on the steep hillsides above town produce award-winning varieties. You can pop into bars and taverns to try wines by the glass, or if you want something more structured, join a wine tasting session with a local winemaker who'll take you through the terraced vineyards.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Comprehensive breakfast buffet with live-cooking stations), Lunch (Comprehensive lunch buffet with live-cooking stations), Dinner (Comprehensive dinner buffet with live-cooking stations), Snack (Daily tea and coffee time)
Optional Activities
- Wine-tasting session with winemaker
- Tour steep vineyard slopes
- Visit wine bars and rustic wine taverns
- Explore the historic old town
Landmarks Bernkastel-Kues Historic Old Town - Day 4
Koblenz
Arriving at 07:00 and not leaving until 21:30 gives you over 14 hours in Koblenz, which is plenty of time. This city has more than 2,000 years of history packed into it, and walking through the old streets you'll find narrow lanes with small squares tucked between buildings. There are palaces and grand townhouses scattered throughout that show off different periods of the city's past. The ship passes right by Deutsches Eck, the headland where the Rhine and Moselle rivers meet, and you can see it both from the water and from the town itself.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Comprehensive breakfast buffet with live-cooking stations), Lunch (Comprehensive lunch buffet with live-cooking stations), Dinner (Comprehensive dinner buffet with live-cooking stations), Snack (Daily tea and coffee time)
Optional Activities
- Explore palaces and stately homes
- Wander historic narrow lanes and romantic corners
- View Deutsches Eck headland
Landmarks Deutsches Eck - Day 5
Frankfurt
You'll arrive in Frankfurt at 11:00. This is Germany's financial center, so you'll see modern skyscrapers mixed in with older neighborhoods. The city is known historically as the place where the first German national assembly met in 1848, and Goethe was born here in the old town district. That old section has half-timbered buildings and a central square worth checking out. Spend the afternoon walking around, grab lunch somewhere, and you can go up one of the high-rises for a view across the city before evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Comprehensive breakfast buffet with live-cooking stations), Lunch (Comprehensive lunch buffet with live-cooking stations), Dinner (Comprehensive dinner buffet with live-cooking stations), Snack (Daily tea and coffee time)
Optional Activities
- Explore Goethe's birthplace
- Discover Frankfurt's historic sites
- View futuristic high-rises and modern architecture
Landmarks Goethe House 
- Day 6
Frankfurt
A second day in Frankfurt lets you dig deeper into what the city has to offer. You can revisit the old town area more carefully, check out the museums if you're interested, and explore the banking district with all its major headquarters lining the Main River. The skyline reflected in the water is especially nice in late afternoon. Since you have the full day, you can move around at a comfortable pace without rushing from one thing to the next.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Comprehensive breakfast buffet with live-cooking stations), Lunch (Comprehensive lunch buffet with live-cooking stations), Dinner (Comprehensive dinner buffet with live-cooking stations), Snack (Daily tea and coffee time)
Optional Activities
- Further exploration of Frankfurt's historic sites
- Discover banking district and financial centers
- View Main River from different vantage points
Landmarks Goethe House - Day 7
Mainz
You'll arrive in Mainz at 6:00 AM, giving you most of the day to explore this historic German city before your 5:00 PM departure. With more than 2,000 years of history, Mainz has a lot to see, including its well-preserved old town and various cultural landmarks that reflect local heritage. After you get in, grab breakfast at a local café before heading into the medieval streets. The old town center is walkable, so you can wander through the narrow lanes and check out the historic buildings. Later in the afternoon, head back toward the riverside area and have lunch at one of the restaurants along the Main River. Before leaving, spend some time at one of the museums or just sit in one of the public squares to soak in the atmosphere of the city.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Comprehensive breakfast buffet with live-cooking stations), Lunch (Comprehensive lunch buffet with live-cooking stations), Dinner (Comprehensive dinner buffet with live-cooking stations), Snack (Embarkation snack, daily tea and coffee time)
Included Activities
- Free e-bike rental for independent exploration (subject to availability)
Landmarks Mainz - Day 8
Cologne
You're back in Cologne arriving at 06:00, where your Rhine cruise ends. If you didn't see everything on the first day, this gives you another chance to explore the cathedral or wander the neighborhoods. Otherwise, you might just head back to the ship to rest before traveling home, or grab coffee at a local café while watching the river go by one last time.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Comprehensive breakfast buffet with live-cooking stations), Lunch (Comprehensive lunch buffet with live-cooking stations), Snack (Daily tea and coffee time)
Optional Activities
- Further exploration of Cologne's monuments and attractions
- Revisit favorite sites in the cathedral city
Landmarks Cologne Cathedral
