European River Cruises, Rhine River Cruises

Seven nights deluxe cruise from Basel to Amsterdam in outside cabin with hotel style beds
Nightly piano music on board
Included excursions
* Amsterdam Canal cruise
* Cologne Guided sightseeing, free time
* Coblenz Guided sightseeing
* Rüdesheim "Winzerexpress" mini train & Siegfried's Mechanical
* Musical Instrument Museum
* Thu. Worms Guided sightseeing,
* Heidelberg Excursion
* Strasbourg Guided sightseeing
* Breisach Black Forest excursion

Itinerary

Day 1 Basel, Switzerland. (Embarkation) (Sun.) Flights into Zurich must arrive before 4 p.m. Basel is situated on the Rhine where France, Switzerland and Germany meet. This afternoon the crew of your vessel waits to welcome you on board. (D)

Day 2 Strasbourg, France. (Mon.) Situated on the border of France and Germany, Strasbourg is influenced by the culture of both countries and is the capital of the Alsace region. It is the seat of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament. Noteworthy sights are the GOTHIC CATHEDRAL, the lovely LA PETITE FRANCE district, Place Kleber and Place Gutenberg with the statue of the inventor of the printing press. Strasbourg is also home to the Kronenbourg Beer Brewery. An optional excursion into the Alsace wine region is available. (FB,L,D)

Day 3 Speyer, Germany. Excursion to Heidelberg. (Tue.) Located on the left bank of the Rhine, the old imperial city of Speyer was a bishopric and boasts a Romanesque cathedral with six imposing towers and the finest and largest crypt in Germany. Four Holy Roman Emperors and four German Kings are buried in the impressive Royal Vault. Heidelberg is Germany's oldest university town of Student Prince fame. The ruins of the imposing HEIDELBERG CASTLE, built of red sandstone, tower above the city. Of particular interest is the GIANT VAT, an 18th-century wine cask holding 49,000 gallons! (FB,L,D)

Day 4 Mainz-Rüdesheim. (Wed.) Situated on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite the mouth of the Main River, Mainz is Germany's largest and most important wine market. The Old Town has many interesting shops, tea rooms and restaurants, and a fountain on the Schillerplatz is decorated with scenes of the famous carnival held here every year. Gutenberg, the father of modern printing, was born here and the Gutenberg Museum is well worth a visit. The pretty little town of Rüdesheim is the perfect example of a Rhine Valley wine town. SIEGFRIED'S MECHANICAL MUSIC MUSEUM is a real surprise! Explore the Drosselgasse, pick up some souvenirs, and be sure to try one of the vintages in any of the little wine taverns! (FB,L,D)

Day 5 Coblenz. (Thu.) Downstream from Rüdesheim is the dramatic Rhine Gorge, the most beautiful stretch of river dotted every mile with castles. Pass the legendary rock of the Lorelei where sweet songs of local beauties lured enchanted sailors to their doom. Situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers, 2,000 year old Coblenz is the cultural and business center of the Middle Rhine region. (FB,L,D)

Day 6 Cologne. (Fri.) Cologne is the capital of the Rhineland and one of Germany's largest cities. The soaring twin steeples of Cologne's magnificent Gothic cathedral — which took more than 600 years to build — dominate the river skyline. The Germano-Roman Museum, located next to the cathedral, is a must for history buffs! The Old Town abounds with taverns, cafés and shops. The favorite local beer here is Koelsch. (FB,L,D)

Day 7 Amsterdam, Holland. (Sat.) Holland's capital is sophisticated and modern, with a rich and fascinating history. This delightful 700-year-old city with its elegant and classic architecture, cafés and restaurants, and lively marketplace has a distinct ambience. The works of famous Dutch masters can be seen in world-renowned museums such as the Rijksmuseum or the Van Gogh. There is no better way to see Amsterdam than by CANAL BOAT, cruising through the elegant grachten, lined with stately homes dating back to Amsterdam’s "Golden Age." (FB,L,D)

Day 8 Amsterdam. (Disembarkation) (Sun.)

Reverse Itinerary

Day 1 - Sun. Arrive Amsterdam Embark ship

Day 2 - Mon. Amsterdam Canal cruise

Day 3 - Tue. Cologne Guided sightseeing, free time

Day 4 - Wed. Coblenz Guided sightseeing
Rüdesheim "Winzerexpress" mini train & Siegfried's Mechanical
Musical Instrument Museum

Day 5 -Thu. Worms Guided sightseeing,
Heidelberg Excursion
Speyer Rejoin ship in Speyer

Day 6 - Fri. Strasbourg Guided sightseeing

Day 7 - Sat. Breisach Black Forest excursion

Day 8 - Sun Basel Disembark

2006 Per Person Cruise Only Fares*

Contact us for special pricing


	Departure Date	Tour Start Date	Return Date	Land Price

Tapestry	4/22/2006	4/23/2006	4/30/2006	$1,799.00

Tapestry	5/13/2006	5/14/2006	5/21/2006	$1,899.00

Tapestry	5/27/2006	5/28/2006	6/4/2006	$1,999.00

Tapestry	6/10/2006	6/11/2006	6/18/2006	$1,999.00

Tapestry	7/1/2006	7/2/2006	7/9/2006	$1,949.00

Tapestry	7/22/2006	7/23/2006	7/30/2006	$1,899.00

Tapestry	8/5/2006	8/6/2006	8/13/2006	$1,899.00

Tapestry	8/26/2006	8/27/2006	9/3/2006	$1,949.00

Tapestry	9/9/2006	9/10/2006	9/17/2006	$1,999.00

Tapestry	9/30/2006	10/1/2006	10/8/2006	$1,949.00

Port charges: $67 per person.
Please call for single accommodation price. Triples are not available.
Avalon Tapestry for all departures.
Prices shown above include cruise in Category E in a deluxe outside cabin on Indigo Deck. To upgrade to a higher category (all cabins Twin/Double), add per person:

Category	Decks	Price
B	Sapphire Deck	$399
A	Sapphire Deck	$449
P	Royal Deck	$499
Jr. Suite	Royal Deck	$999

Guaranteed Departures

Prices Do Not Include: Drinks or insurance .

For reasons of navigation and passenger safety, Avalon River Cruises and the Captain of the ship reserve the right to modify the itinerary of the cruise.