Rhine River Cruise to Switzerland with Travel – 8 Days
Cologne to Basel by first-class river ship, with the Rhine Gorge, Strasbourg and Lucerne, travel from the UK and drinks included.
Tour overview
This 8-day river cruise sails up the Rhine from Cologne to Basel, through the romantic Rhine Gorge and into the Alps, with travel from the UK and almost everything included. The price covers return flights, or Eurostar and TGV with a transfer guide to help with your connection, plus coach transfers to and from the ship. You spend seven nights on board a first-class river ship with well-equipped cabins and English-speaking crew, with full board from dinner on arrival to breakfast on the last day, except one lunch, a free drinks package, tea and coffee and Wi-Fi. Excursions are led by expert local guides, and a cruise director looks after you throughout.
After boarding in Cologne, you wake to the forested hills of the Siebengebirge as the ship heads upstream to Koblenz, where the Rhine meets the Moselle. The next day brings the most famous stretch of the river: past the 13th-century Marksburg Castle, around the great loop of the Rhine Gorge and the Lorelei rock, to the wine town of Rüdesheim.
Read more
Sailing on through wider, flatter country of vineyards and oxbow lakes, you reach Speyer, with its great Romanesque cathedral. In Strasbourg you explore the old town and its Gothic cathedral, and from Breisach, set in the rift valley between the Vosges and the Black Forest, you choose between a trip into the Black Forest and a drive along the Alsace wine route.
On the final full day you choose between a full-day excursion to Lucerne and the Bernese Oberland, with lake and mountain scenery, or a more leisurely guided tour of Lucerne and a free afternoon in Basel. The ship's Chef's Dinner is one of the highlights on board, with lounges and a Sun Deck for watching the scenery go by between ports.
The physical rating is low. This cruise suits travellers who want to see four countries' worth of Rhine scenery from one comfortable cabin, with travel, meals, drinks and excursions all taken care of. Because your floating hotel moves with you, you unpack once and wake up somewhere new almost every morning, with the river scenery changing from castles to vineyards to mountains.
Trip highlights
-
Koblenz, where the Rhine meets the Moselle (Day 2)
-
The Rhine Gorge and Rüdesheim (Day 3)
-
Speyer's cathedral (Day 4)
-
Strasbourg's old town (Day 5)
-
The Black Forest or Alsace wine route (Day 6)
-
Lucerne or the Bernese Oberland (Day 7)
Your route
8 stops from Cologne to Lucerne
- Cologne Day 1
- Koblenz Day 2
- Rüdesheim Day 3
- Speyer Day 4
- Strasbourg Day 5
- Breisach Day 6
- Basel Days 7–8
- Lucerne Day 7
Why choose this tour
Travel, full board, drinks and excursions included in one price. The Rhine Gorge, Alsace and the Swiss Alps in a single week.
Best suited to
- First-time river cruisers
- Couples and friends wanting a relaxed holiday
- Travellers who dislike packing and unpacking
- Food and wine lovers
Day-by-day itinerary
8 days from Cologne, Germany to Basel, Switzerland
-
Day 1 · Cologne Arrive in Cologne
Transfer to the ship and settle in.
- Hotel
- First-class river cruise ship, full board
- Meals
- Dinner
-
Day 2 · Siebengebirge, Koblenz Koblenz
Sail past the Seven Mountains to Koblenz.
- Hotel
- First-class river cruise ship, full board
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 3 · Marksburg Castle, Rhine Gorge, Rüdesheim Rhine Gorge and Rüdesheim
Cruise the Rhine Gorge to Rüdesheim.
- Hotel
- First-class river cruise ship, full board
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 4 · Speyer Speyer
Sail through vineyard country to Speyer.
- Hotel
- First-class river cruise ship, full board
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 5 · Strasbourg Strasbourg
Pass through great locks and explore Strasbourg.
- Hotel
- First-class river cruise ship, full board
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 6 · Breisach, Black Forest, Alsace Breisach
Choose the Black Forest or the Alsace wine route.
- Hotel
- First-class river cruise ship, full board
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 7 · Basel, Lucerne, Bernese Oberland Lucerne or Basel
A day in Lucerne and the Bernese Oberland, or Lucerne and Basel.
- Hotel
- First-class river cruise ship, full board
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
-
Day 8 · Basel Return home
Transfer for your journey home.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Where you stay
- Rhine (7 nights) First-class river cruise ship, full board
Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.
What's included
Included
- Return flights, or Eurostar and TGV, with transfers to and from the ship
- Accommodation 7 nights on a first-class river ship
- Full board on board, except one lunch, with a free drinks package
- Tea, coffee and Wi-Fi on board
- All listed visits and excursions with English-speaking guides
- Cruise director throughout
Not included
- One lunch
- Tips, travel insurance and personal spending
This trip might not be for you if…
Honest disclaimer — please read
- You want an active holiday — this is a relaxed cruise
- You want to spend long in each place — some stops are short
- You want to arrange your own travel — travel is part of the price
- You want an ocean cruise — this is a river ship
Good to know
In pictures
Departures & prices
From £1,999 per person, including flights. 48 upcoming departures.
Flights from UK airports.
Frequently asked questions
How do I book this tour?
Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.
What financial protection do I get?
Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.
Is travel from the UK included?
Yes. Return flights, or Eurostar and TGV, plus transfers to and from the ship.
Are drinks included?
Yes. A free drinks package is included, along with tea, coffee and Wi-Fi.
Which meals are included?
Full board from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 8, except one lunch.
Are excursions included?
Yes. All listed visits and excursions are included, with choices on Days 6 and 7.
What is the minimum age?
The minimum age is 18.
Which countries do we visit?
Germany, France and Switzerland.
Can you tailor the trip?
Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.
What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?
If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.
Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.
If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.
Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary