15 Day All Inclusive Europe River Cruise!!!

Join this meetup! --> Price reflects a 2 for 1 promo and a $800 air promo! Treasures of the Rhine (15 days) River Cruise Special!!! Oct. 30 - Nov. 14, 2010 15 DAYS ALL INCLUSIVE ONLY $3156 per person! (Must pay in full at time of booking to get this special) Includes... * ROUND TRIP AIR FROM CHICAGO (FLY IN TO BASEL, SWITZERLAND AND RETURN FROM BRUSSELS, BELGIUM) * RIVER CRUISE CABIN WITH WINDOW * ALL MEALS (WINE INCLUDED WITH DINNER) * DAILY SHORE EXCURSIONS * ALL TRANSFERS * TAXES This 15-day cruise is a leisurely celebration of five countries along the storied Rhine River. The journey's highlights are Germany's castle-studded landscapes and famous Rhine wine region, featuring stops in quaint Rüdesheim and Cologne, known for its thriving art scene. To the south, the Black Forest area, Switzerland's fascinating Basel and the Alsatian capital Strasbourg; to the north, Holland's Amsterdam and Belgium's medieval cities of Brugge and Antwerp. Whether you are familiar with this part of the world or not, our Treasures of the Rhine itinerary lets you see it from a wonderful new perspective. Day 1 Basel We meet you at the airport and transfer you to your ship.* After boarding, enjoy free time and get acquainted with the city—or join our “welcome walk” to stretch your legs & start getting oriented. Day 2 Basel See its historic Middle Bridge, cathedral and steep winding streets. Then, tour one of the city’s many art museums. Enjoy afternoon free time. Day 3 Breisach Arrive in Breisach, gateway to the Black Forest. Enjoy an excursion through the area’s mountain landscape, meadows and dense forests and see a cuckoo clock-making demonstration. Free time this afternoon. Day 4 Strasbourg Guided tour of Strasbourg. See the European Parliament & enjoy a guided visit inside the city’s famed cathedral. Free time allows you to further explore the old section of this French-German city. Day 5 Heidelberg & Rüdesheim Journey to Heidelberg, home to Germany’s oldest university founded in 1386. A guided tour features imposing Heidelberg Castle, a red sandstone ruin overlooking the Neckar River. Continue with a walking tour through the Old Town and marketplace. Return aboard for afternoon cruising, lunch and dinner. Arrive late in Rüdesheim. Enjoy free time in the Drosselgasse, a pedestrian-only street lined with restaurants, bars and shops. Day 6 Rüdesheim & Koblenz Take a mini-train to tour Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Museum. Lunch aboard as you cruise through the afternoon past legendary Lorelei Rock, then visit 700-year-old Marksburg Castle and tour its museum. Day 7 Cochem & Cologne Walking tour through this quaint village. See its medieval town gate and marketplace. Then, visit a winery and taste some local vintages. Return to your ship for lunch; cruise through the afternoon, arriving in Cologne tonight. Enjoy free time; remain docked overnight. Day 8 Cologne Walking tour takes you past St. Martin’s Church to Cologne’s Old Town and includes a visit to the magnificent Gothic cathedral. Then tour a local Brauhaus and sample the beer. Depart late tonight. Day 9 Arnhem Excursion to the site of Operation Market Garden and the Airborne Museum. After lunch aboard, explore this quaint town rich in World War II history on your own. Day 10 Amsterdam Enjoy a glass-topped canal cruise past merchant houses and the famed Skinny Bridge. Visit the Van Gogh Museum and explore works by the famed artist and others. Enjoy free time. Day 11 Gouda & Rotterdam Journey to Hoogerwaard Cheese Farm for a guided tour and cheese-making demonstration. Continue to Gouda, world-renowned for its cheese. See the Town Hall and St. John’s Church, both Gothic in style. Return to your ship in Schoonhoven for lunch aboard. Enjoy afternoon free time, then sail through dinner to Rotterdam. Day 12 Delft & Dordrecht From Rotterdam, take a journey to Delft, famous for its blue-and-white china. Stop at one of the last Delftware factories for a pottery demonstration. Then, see the Nieuwe Kerk and the Prinsenhof on a guided tour. Return aboard for lunch; sail to Dordrecht. Enjoy a free afternoon in this charming Dutch town. Day 13 Brugge Take a tour to Brugge. See the medieval Béguinage courtyard and gardens, the Church of Our Lady, Gruuthuuse Palace and Simon Stevin Square. Enjoy a Belgian meal in a local restaurant, followed by free time. After dinner aboard, you have some free time. Depart late this evening, arriving in Antwerp at midnight. Day 14 Antwerp See Our Lady Cathedral, the Town Hall and Steen Castle. Then, visit the Rubens Museum, filled with works by Peter Paul Rubens. After lunch aboard, the rest of your day is free. Stay docked overnight. Day 15 Antwerp After breakfast, disembark and we take you to the Brussels airport for your return flight.