Rhine, Strasbourg & Heidelberg River Cruise - MS Lord Tennyson
Holiday Highlights
- Seven nights on board in your choice of luxury cabin or suite, with river views
- Return scheduled flights from 11 regional airports or seat on Eurostar from London St Pancras International with regional rail connections available
- Seven guided tours including Strasbourg, Heidelberg, Cologne, Rüdesheim, Boppard, Mainz, and Koblenz, and visit to Colmar
- All meals on board from dinner on your day of arrival through to breakfast on your day of departure, including a welcome dinner and the Captain’s Dinner
- Five-star service from an English-speaking crew and knowledgeable local guides
- Complimentary on-board tea and coffee
- Complimentary on-board Wi-Fi
- Services of a Riviera Travel cruise director and concierge
- All port charges, airport taxes and overseas transfers
- Click here to see our departures exclusively for solo travellers
What's Included
- Prices are per person, based on two people sharing a twin cabin with a limited number of single cabins available on the all decks, at the relevant supplement. The price includes:
- Full board from dinner on your day of arrival until breakfast on your final day; if you choose to travel with us on any of the full day excursions by coach, a packed lunch will be provided. Anyone choosing to stay on the ship may, of course, have lunch in the restaurant
- Morning/afternoon tea and coffee
- All visits and excursions as mentioned
- Airport/station transfers
- Coach travel as mentioned
- Travel to and from port of embarkation
- The services of a Riviera Travel cruise director and concierge
Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive at the airport for your flight to Düsseldorf or Cologne, or take the Eurostar to Brussels from London St Pancras International. On arrival, transfer by coach to your five-star cruise ship moored in picturesque Cologne. The dedicated English-speaking crew welcomes you on board and helps you to your cabin. After settling into your spacious and tastefully furnished accommodation, there’s time to familiarise yourself with this splendid ship.
Day 2
When you peek out from your cabin this morning, you’ll realise the ship has slipped quietly away from Cologne; the view that greets you is of vine-covered valleys sides aglow in the morning light, bidding you a warm welcome to the charms of the Rhine. There’s nothing quite like that feeling of anticipation when gliding alongside the promenade of a river port, snatching tantalising glimpses of what lies ashore, and Koblenz – beautifully located at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers – doesn’t disappoint. The city is immersed in two millennia of history: founded by the Romans, it was successively occupied by the Franks, chosen as a residence of the German prince electors, conquered by the French and fortified by the Prussians! All have left their marks in the city’s rich array of castles, churches and historic buildings. Koblenz is a romantic’s dream – forest-covered hillsides dominate the skyline, while the lower slopes are strewn with pretty, half-timbered buildings so typical of the Rhineland. After a satisfying breakfast, we disembark to enjoy an insightful guided tour through ‘Old Koblenz’, a patchwork of narrow streets and squares, many lined with exquisitely restored traditional houses and cosy cafés. There’s time to explore on your own, maybe taking in a little shopping, before ambling back to the cruise ship. We continue upstream as we enjoy our first relaxing lunch on board and before long we arrive in Boppard, a gorgeous town on a dramatic, almost U-shaped river bend. Known as the ‘Pearl of the Rhine’, Boppard is renowned for its storybook medieval atmosphere of cobbled streets and ancient houses. Here we’ll enjoy a guided tour lead by one of our local experts, with highlights including the beautiful white stone St. Severus and Carmelite churches, the marketplace with the ruins of the fortress and the old town with its charming winding alleys and half-timbered houses. The early evening is an ideal time to wander along the town’s attractive riverside Rheinallee promenade before thoughts turn to tonight’s menu, prepared by the ship’s chef and served to your delight in the restaurant.
One of the most famous and distinguished poets of the Victorian era, Alfred, Lord Tennyson was Poet Laureate for over 40 years, with well-known works comprising 'The Charge of the Light Brigade' and ‘Ulysses'. We are honoured to announce that the MS Lord Tennyson will be joining the Riviera Travel fleet in 2021. As with all of our river cruisers, the 135-metre MS Lord Tennyson is being built to the finest specifications and strict safety regulations by Scylla AG, world-renowned builders of the most contemporary river cruise ships in Europe.
Welcome aboard through the opulent lobby with its beautifully polished marble floor and modern lighting. As you make your way through the ship, marvel at the stunning craftsmanship throughout; with sustainable hardwood furniture, shining copper and brass fixtures and intricate wrought-iron work throughout. The floating boutique hotel is finished with buttery leather and elegant Italian fabrics to lounge back in as you enjoy the convivial ambience and five-star experience.
With 44 staff serving just 169 guests, the experience is far more intimate and enjoyable. There are 88beautifully appointed cabins and suites, which all feature an en suite bathroom with shower, individually controlled air-conditioning, flat-screen TV, hairdryer, safe, minibar, telephone and facilities for making tea and coffee. Complimentary Wi-Fi is available throughout the ship. For information about life on board our European river cruise ships, click here.