Rhine, Strasbourg and Heidelberg River Cruise - MS Oscar Wilde

7 nights from £2,169pp departing Tuesday 20th Sep 2022

A spectacularly scenic cruise of wonderful contrasts, from refined and historic Heidelberg to delightfully quaint Boppard and the old world charm of medieval Strasbourg plus the enduring allure of the glorious Rhine Gorge. Stepping aboard you will appreciate the superb surroundings of your floating luxury hotel for the next seven nights with spacious and well-appointed cabins or suites, private bathrooms and meticulously prepared fine cuisine. From Cologne, we slip our moorings and head on our journey south to Koblenz spending a morning exploring this historic town sitting at the confluence o...

Itinerary

Map

					Arrive	Depart
	20th20	SepSep	202222	Cologne, Germany, embark on the MS Oscar Wilde
Cologne is a city in western Germany located across the Rhine river. It is the oldest in Germany, dating back 2000 years and is considered the region’s cultural hub. The city is known for its iconic landmark of the twin-spired Cologne Cathedral set against the reconstructed Old Town buildings. When in Old Town, visit the historic Old Town Hall and the Roman Church Great St Martin, or take time out and sit at one of the traditional breweries and enjoy the scenery around you. Historical sites such as the Roman Dionysus mosaic and the medieval Overstolzenhaus are worth a visit too. Another iconic sight in Cologne is at Hohenzollern Bridge. Here, local and tourist couples affix padlocks to the railings of the bridge and swear their loyalty to each other, they then throw the key into the Rhein to ensure everlasting love. Cologne is home to over 30 stages providing cabaret, free ensembles, theatre and dance and also celebrates its openly gay culture. 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.
	21st21	SepSep	202222	Koblenz, Germany
Located in the West of the country, Koblenz is one of the oldest cities in Germany. It is situated on both banks of the river Rhine, at its confluence with the Moselle River. The beginnings of Koblenz can be traced back to its military beginnings around 8 BC. The city is rich in its history and heritage and is easily explored on foot. Take the cable car crossing over the river Rhine for spectacular aerial views or enjoy the city from the one thousand year old fortress, Ehrenbreitstein. The upper middle Rhine Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its unique landscape can be enjoyed and discovered through the interactive multimedia journey at the Romanticum. Historical and architectural sites of interest include Stolzenfels Castle, the Electoral Palace of Koblenz and Old Town. From the romantic winding streets and small squares of Old Town, stroll through the alleyways from the Church of the Holy Virgin to the St Kastor Basilica and enjoy the picturesque buildings and squares along the way. Koblenz is also very popular for its Riesling and strong Spatburgunder wines since the Romans introduced it two thousand years ago. 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.
	22nd22	SepSep	202222	Mainz, Germany
Slipping our moorings in Boppard we cruise through the Rhine Gorge, where the waters narrow to one-fifth their normal width and flow more swiftly. Sheer valley walls soar 600 feet and magnificent birds of prey glide on the thermals above. Teutonic knights built the numerous redoubtable castles as symbols of their power and to extract tolls from ships, but the fortresses now stand as silent ruins on forested hillsides as reminders of how fortunes change with the passage of history. This really is the magical Rhine of our imagination, so find a comfortable spot on the Sun Deck or in the forward observation lounge and enjoy the experience of cruising this famous stretch of water. Your next port of call is historic Mainz for an unmissable guided tour. The city is renowned today as Germany’s wine capital but whose most famous son was Johannes Gutenberg, inventor of the movable type printing press. You can visit the excellent museum housing a reconstruction of his workshop and, outstandingly, two original 1455 Gutenberg Bibles. The museum is in a beautifully restored 17th-century building in the heart of Mainz’s Old Town, opposite the impressive Romanesque cathedral.
	23rd23	SepSep	202222	Heidelberg, Germany
Overnight we cruise further downstream and, after breakfast, we take a short drive to Heidelberg, undoubtedly one of Germany’s most perfect architectural treasures and all the more remarkable because it escaped bombing during the Second World War. Set in an almost idealised German landscape, this jewel sits on the banks of the River Neckar, surrounded by forests and with an imposing castle dominating the church spires and terracotta gabled roofs of the compact Aldstadt – the romantic Old Town. Its 14th-century university, one of the most prestigious in Europe, lends Heidelberg a genteel atmosphere rather similar to its ‘twin’ town – Cambridge. During the 19th century it was the centre of Germany’s Romantic Movement, on the route of the ‘Grand Tour’ and visited by many artists including JMW Turner, who captured its splendours for eternity. There are few more delightful places to explore, as you’ll discover on our guided walking tour, which reveals its principal attractions – including the magical stone bridge with its twin white towers – and local secrets. Afterwards, you’ll have time to explore on your own before returning to the ship to enjoy the gorgeous views as the sun sets.
	24th24	SepSep	202222	Strasbourg, France
By breakfast we’ve arrived in France and the charming city of Strasbourg, capital of the Alsace region. The city is a complete delight – its centre a mosaic of winding alleys and lanes lined with quirkily crooked, half-timbered houses largely unchanged since the 14th century. During its history Strasbourg has been both German and French, and you see influences of both in its language, cuisine and appearance, creating a truly individual ambience. This morning, we explore this delightful city on a walking tour with a local guide leading us to its enchanting centre – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – taking in the Petite France quarter of pretty canals lined with classic pastel-coloured houses crisscrossed with timbers and with flower-filled window boxes, the famous multi-towered Ponts Couverts, or covered bridges, and, of course, the stunning Gothic Notre-Dame Cathedral, which Victor Hugo memorably described as a ‘veritable tiara of stone’. Just south of Strasbourg lies a picturesque wine route, virtually an open-air museum of romantic medieval villages, cobbled streets and Renaissance chateaux strung like pearls on a necklace against a sweeping backdrop of rolling hills. We enjoy all this on a splendidly scenic drive, soon arriving in the medieval town of Colmar, the best-preserved in Alsace. Little known outside the area, it’s a magical concoction of canals, former merchants’ houses, ancient religious buildings and antique shops. The cathedral quarter is surrounded by pastel-coloured half-timbered houses displaying the intricate wrought-iron hanging signs so typical of this area of Europe. We’ve plenty of time here to sit, enjoy a coffee and watch the world go by or just wander. We return to the ship in Strasbourg for dinner.
	25th25	SepSep	202222	Rüdesheim, Germany
After a relaxing morning cruise, we arrive in Rüdesheim by late afternoon for a wonderful walking tour – if you imagine a typical Rhine town, then this would be it! Narrow crooked streets lead down to the sweeping river with a backdrop of wooded and vine-covered slopes. Riesling is the speciality grape here and Rüdesheim has many atmospheric Weinstuben where you can sample local wines produced from the surrounding vineyards. On board tonight, we enjoy a culinary spectacular – the Captain’s Dinner – featuring a range of irresistible specialities from the countries and regions we visit during our cruise. This special occasion is hosted, of course, by the Captain himself.
	26th26	SepSep	202222	Cologne, Germany
Cologne is a city in western Germany located across the Rhine river. It is the oldest in Germany, dating back 2000 years and is considered the region’s cultural hub. The city is known for its iconic landmark of the twin-spired Cologne Cathedral set against the reconstructed Old Town buildings. When in Old Town, visit the historic Old Town Hall and the Roman Church Great St Martin, or take time out and sit at one of the traditional breweries and enjoy the scenery around you. Historical sites such as the Roman Dionysus mosaic and the medieval Overstolzenhaus are worth a visit too. Another iconic sight in Cologne is at Hohenzollern Bridge. Here, local and tourist couples affix padlocks to the railings of the bridge and swear their loyalty to each other, they then throw the key into the Rhein to ensure everlasting love. Cologne is home to over 30 stages providing cabaret, free ensembles, theatre and dance and also celebrates its openly gay culture. This morning, early risers can enjoy phenomenal views as once again we pass through the Rhine Gorge where, in Wagner’s Ring Cycle, the Rhine Maidens guard lost treasure, the ‘Rheingold’. What better way to spend the morning than relaxing on the Sun Deck beneath dramatic rocky, vineyard-topped valley sides dotted with romantic ruined castles. The valley sides dissolve and hills give way to plains as we progress majestically to Cologne. This afternoon you can discover this fascinating city on our tour led by a local guide who’ll help you get the most out of your visit, which of course takes in the twin-spired cathedral, the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe, miraculous survivor of Second World War bombing and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It took six centuries to complete, and among its many treasures are the magnificent stained glass windows and gilded sarcophagus said to contain the remains of the three kings from the Nativity story. We also see the vibrant Old Town, beautifully restored and boasting an abundance of excellent shopping and cosy bars, some of which still brew their own beer. As night falls, a sumptuous dinner provides the perfect finale to this memorable cruise through the romantic River Rhine.
	27th27	SepSep	202222	Cologne, Germany, disembark the MS Oscar Wilde
Cologne is a city in western Germany located across the Rhine river. It is the oldest in Germany, dating back 2000 years and is considered the region’s cultural hub. The city is known for its iconic landmark of the twin-spired Cologne Cathedral set against the reconstructed Old Town buildings. When in Old Town, visit the historic Old Town Hall and the Roman Church Great St Martin, or take time out and sit at one of the traditional breweries and enjoy the scenery around you. Historical sites such as the Roman Dionysus mosaic and the medieval Overstolzenhaus are worth a visit too. Another iconic sight in Cologne is at Hohenzollern Bridge. Here, local and tourist couples affix padlocks to the railings of the bridge and swear their loyalty to each other, they then throw the key into the Rhein to ensure everlasting love. Cologne is home to over 30 stages providing cabaret, free ensembles, theatre and dance and also celebrates its openly gay culture. Say farewell to your newly made friends and the crew before transferring to the airport for your return flight or to Brussels to connect with the Eurostar service to London St Pancras International.

MS Oscar Wilde

Launch Year

2017

Capacity

167

Cabins

Accessible

Diamond Deck (Upper Deck)

Ruby Deck (Middle)

Emerald Deck (Lower)

The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of what you find on the ship.

Deluxe Balcony Suites

If you’re looking to really spoil yourself, at a staggering 25 square metres (269 square feet), the world-class Diamond (upper) Deck Deluxe Balcony Suites are for you. Fifty percent larger than standard suites, they allow for an even more generous living area for the ultimate in space and comfort. In addition you will enjoy a private exterior balcony complete with table and chairs - perfect for an ‘al fresco’ breakfast should you wish or just a quiet morning coffee or a pre-dinner ‘sundowner’ whilst watching the world drift by. With the same fittings as standard suites, exquisitely and lavishly appointed to the very highest standard, plus complimentary soft cotton bathrobes and slippers adding the final little touch, this really is the epitome of river cruise luxury!

Indulge in the luxury of Riviera Plus when you stay in an upper deck cabin or suite. In your well-appointed cabin, you’ll find a smart handset* with maps, translator and currency converter, unlimited internet use, L’Occitane en Provence toiletries, a bottle of chilled Prosecco on arrival, a platter of fresh seasonal fruits during the cruise and an aperitif each evening, with our compliments.

*Smart handsets will be available on 2022 holiday departures onwards.

Suites

Price guides

Grade Code		From	To
E	Emerald Deck Suite (Lower)	£2,169	£2,249
R	Ruby Deck Suite (Middle)	£2,569	£2,649
D	Diamond Deck Suite (Upper)	£2,769	£2,849
RS	Ruby Deck (Middle) - Superior Suite	£2,869	£2,949

A gleaming wood door opens revealing your exceptionally appointed suite. At 17 square metres (183 square feet), its generous dimensions are amongst the largest you will find on a cruiser gracing any European river. Imaginatively designed and appointed to the highest specification, with all the luxury you would expect to find in a smart ‘boutique style’ hotel, your comfort definitely won’t be compromised on any level!

Suites on the Emerald Deck are slightly smaller, measuring approximately 16 square metres (172 square feet) and have smaller fixed windows. Some are available for sole occupancy with no supplement and are subject to availability.

The marble bathroom features a powerful fully glazed shower with a large ‘rain shower’ head, superbly refreshing after a hard day’s sightseeing. Clever design allows for ample space, and contemporary lighting, complimentary cosmetics by ‘Crabtree and Evelyn’ and fluffy towels, makes preparing for the day ahead an absolute pleasure.

The chic styling of a talented designer’s eye extends to the entire suite with generous use of hand-crafted tropical hardwoods blended with premium fittings, discreet thoughtful lighting and a colour scheme of calming neutral tones, creating an ambience to put you in the most relaxed frame of mind from the very first minute! A full size bed assures a good night’s rest in crisp cotton linen of the finest quality - a turndown service each evening adds the finishing touch. Please note all suites have two twin beds with individual bedding which can be moved together or separated accordingly.

You will enjoy a particularly generous seating area with two chairs and a table, enabling you to unwind in comfort in the privacy of your own suite whilst a bow camera conveys live images of the ship’s progress to your flat screen TV, ensuring you won’t miss a thing. Careful consideration has been given to the tiniest details with individually controlled air-conditioning so you set the temperature that you desire, a hairdryer, safe, minibar, telephone and the convenience of tea (our meticulous planning even extends to familiar teabags!) and coffee making facilities ensure a familiar home from home experience. Suites on the Diamond (upper) and Ruby (middle) Decks have ‘French Balconies’ – panoramic floor to ceiling sliding glass doors bringing riverside life just that little closer!

Superior Suites

Price guides

Grade Code		From	To
RS	Ruby Deck (Middle) - Superior Suite	£2,869	£2,949
SSS	Diamond Deck (Upper) - Stern Superior Suite	£2,919	£2,999

Bringing your cruise to another level, why not upgrade to a Superior Suite available on the Ruby (middle) and Diamond (upper) decks. Substantially larger at 23 square metres (247 sq. feet) and with the additional space devoted to the living area, you will immediately notice the benefit as you relax in your stylish surroundings. Of course the identical high quality furnishings and fittings as the standard suite are evident throughout, again with stunning views from the panoramic floor to ceiling sliding glass doors.

The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of what you find on the ship.

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Holiday Summary

	Return flights including luggage allowance
	Overseas Transfers
	7 nights cruising on the Rhine
	Fascinating daily tours & excursions with expert guides
	Exceptional dining from breakfast to midnight snacks
	Complimentary Wi-Fi
	Complimentary tea, coffee on-board
	Return overseas airport transfers
	Port Taxes and Fees
	ABTA and ATOL Protection*

Oceanview staterooms from		£2,269pp
E	Emerald Deck Suite (Lower)	£2,269pp

Balcony staterooms from		£2,669pp
RS	Ruby Deck (Middle) - Superior Suite	£2,969pp
R	Ruby Deck Suite (Middle)	£2,669pp
D	Diamond Deck Suite (Upper)	£2,869pp
SSS	Diamond Deck (Upper) - Stern Superior Suite	£3,019pp

Oceanview staterooms from		£2,239pp
E	Emerald Deck Suite (Lower)	£2,239pp

Balcony staterooms from		£2,639pp
RS	Ruby Deck (Middle) - Superior Suite	£2,939pp
R	Ruby Deck Suite (Middle)	£2,639pp
D	Diamond Deck Suite (Upper)	£2,839pp
SSS	Diamond Deck (Upper) - Stern Superior Suite	£2,989pp

Oceanview staterooms from		£2,239pp
E	Emerald Deck Suite (Lower)	£2,239pp

Balcony staterooms from		£2,639pp
RS	Ruby Deck (Middle) - Superior Suite	£2,939pp
R	Ruby Deck Suite (Middle)	£2,639pp
D	Diamond Deck Suite (Upper)	£2,839pp
SSS	Diamond Deck (Upper) - Stern Superior Suite	£2,989pp

Oceanview staterooms from		£2,239pp
E	Emerald Deck Suite (Lower)	£2,239pp

Balcony staterooms from		£2,639pp
RS	Ruby Deck (Middle) - Superior Suite	£2,939pp
R	Ruby Deck Suite (Middle)	£2,639pp
D	Diamond Deck Suite (Upper)	£2,839pp
SSS	Diamond Deck (Upper) - Stern Superior Suite	£2,989pp

Oceanview staterooms from		£2,259pp
E	Emerald Deck Suite (Lower)	£2,259pp

Balcony staterooms from		£2,659pp
RS	Ruby Deck (Middle) - Superior Suite	£2,959pp
R	Ruby Deck Suite (Middle)	£2,659pp
D	Diamond Deck Suite (Upper)	£2,859pp
SSS	Diamond Deck (Upper) - Stern Superior Suite	£3,009pp