Glide along the legendary Rhine on a festive winter voyage from Basel to Düsseldorf. Discover charming riverside towns, glittering Christmas markets and cherished local traditions along the way. Guided strolls, seasonal delicacies and optional excursions create a delightful blend of cultural discovery and holiday cheer.
Includes
8 Day Trafalgar River Cruise
7 Nights in a classic cabin onboard Trafalgar Verity
7 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches, 7 Dinners
Experience Director, Experience Manager and ship crew
Buffet-style breakfast and lunches, à la carte dinners
Wine, beer, soft drinks included with lunch and dinner
Teatime during afternoon sailings
Onboard games room, gym, lounges, sundeck and bar
Onboard entertainment
Be My Guest and MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences
Many locally guided tours, Included and Optional Experiences
Audio headsets for guided tours
Bicycles for use on land
Excludes
Flights
Arrival/ departure transfers
Visas
Travel Insurance
Spending money and items of a personal nature
Highlights
7 Nights onboard Trafalgar Verity
20 Meals
Must-see sightseeing
Itinerary
Day 1: Welcome to Basel
Join your ship in Basel and settle in as your festive journey begins. Meet your Experience Director and Experience Manager, then relax and get to know your surroundings. Enjoy dinner on board and start soaking up the seasonal atmosphere of your Christmas market cruise.
Included Meals: Dinner
Day 2: Get to know Basel
Explore the Swiss city of Basel with a Local Specialist, discovering a mix of medieval architecture, riverside elegance and seasonal spirit. Wander through the Christmas market in the historic old town, filled with Swiss crafts, warming drinks and festive stalls beneath the spires of Barfüsserkirche. For those keen to see more, an Optional Experience to Lucerne reveals one of Switzerland’s most picturesque cities. See the Chapel Bridge and Lion Monument, stroll through the old town’s painted facades, and browse for classic Swiss souvenirs – from fine chocolate to precision watches.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Sail to Strasbourg
Get to know Strasbourg on a walking tour with a Local Specialist. From half-timbered houses to the city’s soaring cathedral, the old town blends history with festive cheer. Explore the Strasbourg Christmas market, one of the oldest in Europe, known for its handcrafted ornaments and regional delicacies. If you’d like to venture further, choose an Optional Experience to sample wines at a local winery before exploring the Christmas markets of Obernai.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Discover Speyer & Mannheim
Spend the day your way in Speyer. Join a Local Specialist for a walking tour through one of Germany’s oldest cities, known for its Romanesque cathedral and charming Christmas market. Or choose a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience with a visit to Doktorenhof, a private vinegar estate where centuries-old methods meet local passion. Taste artisan vinegars in candlelit cellars and learn how this family-run operation supports biodiversity and tradition. In the afternoon, you can opt to visit Mannheim. A city where grand 18th-century architecture meets a modern cultural scene. Join a guided walk through the city’s Baroque squares and see the impressive palace complex before exploring local shops and festive market stalls at your own pace.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Explore Mainz and Rüdesheim
Enjoy a guided stroll through Mainz Christmas market with your Experience Manager and Experience Director – a chance to explore traditional stalls set against the backdrop of the city’s grand cathedral. Then join the Breuer family at their traditional weingasthaus for a Be My Guest experience featuring a lunch with seasonal dishes, local wine and live music. Climb aboard the Winzerexpress, a miniature train that winds through the vineyards and cobbled lanes of Rüdesheim. Travel past timber-framed houses dressed for the season as you ride from the old town to panoramic hilltop views. At the Rüdesheim Christmas Market, stalls showcase local crafts and festive treats from across Europe.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Scenic sailing Middle Rhine-Koblenz
Leave Rüdesheim behind this morning as the ship sails through the scenic Middle Rhine, passing castles and vineyard-covered hills. Get to know Koblenz with a Local Specialist who’ll guide you through the city’s old town and landmarks, including the Deutsches Eck, where the Rhine and Moselle meet. The Christmas market fills the streets with colour and tradition, perfect for browsing local treats and gifts.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Discover cultural Cologne
Explore Cologne’s old town on a walking tour with your Experience Director and Experience Manager. You’ll see the city’s famous cathedral and visit its Christmas markets, known for their regional crafts, hearty food and local traditions. There’s time to discover more on your own or join an optional visit to the Michael Schumacher Private Collection. Another option takes you behind the scenes of Cologne’s Kölsch beer culture. Back in the heart of the city, the markets offer plenty to experience – from seasonal snacks to local music and handmade gifts.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8: Tschüss Düsseldorf
Your Christmas market cruise ends in Düsseldorf, where it’s time to say goodbye to your ship crew, Experience Director, Experience Manager and fellow guests. Disembark with festive memories, new friendships and a true taste of Europe’s holiday traditions.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Ship info
Trafalgar Verity
Welcome to the Trafalgar Verity, where the golden age of travel is reimagined with the elegance of a boutique hotel and the soul of a 1930s steamship. This distinctive river cruiser invites you into a world of Art Deco sophistication, where every detail—from the rich blue-and-white textiles to the marble-accented bathrooms and hand-selected artwork—has been curated to evoke a sense of timeless refinement. With just 128 guests, the Verity offers an intimate, serene atmosphere, allowing for personalized service and a deeper connection to the journey.
Prices are per person twin share, include discounts, and are subject to availability and rate of exchange changes. Offers above are a guide only and will vary depending on departure date. Our guide price is based on the cheapest departure within the stipulated season, availability is correct at time of loading and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Visas may be necessary and insurance is essential. Pentravel and Tour Operator terms and conditions apply, and may be found on our website.
Package excludes extra nights’ accommodation, optional extensions, airfares, taxes and fees, flight supplements, surcharges and airport transfers. You can do optional free-time add-on experiences in your free time and pay for them as you travel (additional costs apply).
R5000 per person deposit required at time of booking to hold space; some trips require payment in full at time of booking. If you need to cancel your booking after deposit, we'll give you a Future Travel Credit to use when you rebook with us. High season supplements and block out dates may apply. Supplier and tour operator is not responsible for technical or system errors that may interfere with or otherwise prohibit the use of promotion or sale.
Tour operator reserves the right to withdraw promotional offers and adjust savings anytime without notice. At time of loading this may not be a definite departure, please contact a travel consultant for more info. Other conditions may apply. These packages are based on CASH price. E&OE;.
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