Grand Cruise of the Moselle, Rhine, Luxembourg & Switzerland - MS Oscar Wilde

From Switzerland's regal cities to sleepy little towns, where tales of yore seep from every crooked timber, this classic river escapade has the perfect balance of time spent in natural beauty and a good dose of culture.   It might be the pristine landscapes of the Alps and Rhine Gorge that catch your eye, or the historic cities that pique your curiosity, or perhaps it’s the thought of getting wonderfully lost in time-stood-still villages. An adventurer’s hat and a dash of curiosity are your best companions, as we steer along two of Europe’s greatest rivers - the Rhine and Moselle.    A definite highlight of the trip is the Rhine Gorge, a natural wonder, where gravity-defying valley sides tower over 400 metres above. And if all that wasn’t enough, this Grand Cruise of the Moselle, Rhine, Luxembourg and Switzerland also includes a mountain rail journey into the Alpine wonderland of the Bernese Oberland.  Whether you’re a first-time river cruiser or a certified expert, this cruise is sure to impress. 

Leaving from: Basel

Cruise ship: MS Oscar Wilde

Visiting: Basel • Lucerne • Breisach • Speyer •

Riviera Travel

Riviera Travel is one of the oldest and most reliable river cruise operators in the world, with 40 years of experience running guided and escorted tours, a land and water all around the world, including river cruises.

Riviera Travel operates a unique cruising experience, partnering with local guides and experts to create a programme of guided tours and river cruises, bringing like-minded travellers together and offering a selection of authentic and bespoke travel experiences.

The operator runs river cruises on European waterways like the Danube, Rhine and Douro, but also the Nile, Mekong and Yangtze. Championing escorted tours and guided holidays, Riviera Travel line also specialises in solo travel, providing a safe, friendly and social environment for travellers going it alone.

167

Passengers

Crew

2017

Launched

135m

Length

12m

Width

13kts

Speed

Decks

EUR

Currency

Cruise Itinerary

Day 1

Basel, Switzerland

Day 2

Lucerne, Switzerland

Day 3

Breisach, Germany

Days 4 - 5

Speyer, Germany

Day 6

Rüdesheim, Germany

Days 7 - 8

Cologne, Germany

Day 9

Andernach, Germany

Day 10

Bernkastel-Kues, Germany

Day 11

Luxembourg, Luxembourg

Day 12

Cochem, Germany

Day 13

River travel

Day 14

Worms, Germany

Day 15

Heidelberg, Germany

Days 16 - 18

Bonn, Germany

Day 1

Basel, Switzerland

Basel is a city in northwestern Switzerland on the Swiss, French and German borders. It is located on the bend of the River Rhine and benefits from a Mediterranean climate. It is the third most populated city in Switzerland and has been the commercial hub for Swiss arts and culture since the Renaissance. In 1967 the people of Basel voted to acquire two paintings by Picasso, who was so moved by the Basel people that he donated 3 paintings and a study to the city's Kunstmuseum (Museum of Fine Arts). Visit the Augusta Raurica, one of the largest Roman archaeology parks in Switzerland, and enjoy a river crossings over the River Rhine by non-motorised ferries. During the summer months, time is spent outdoors, either swimming in the River Rhine, dining al fresco, enjoying open air concerts, cinema, street parties and festivals. Basel is home to over 20 restaurants that have won GaultMillau or Michelin awards, and boasts Switzerland's largest collection of theatre shows, including modern contemporary dance, touring and puppetry theatre.

Day 2

Lucerne, Switzerland

Day 3

Breisach, Germany

Breisach is a town located in Southwest Germany on the French border. The town is situated in the Rhine Valley on the banks of the river Rhine and dates back over four thousand years. Breisach and its history can be experienced through the City History Museum, which houses a permanent exhibition taking you from Stone Age through the Celtic, to the Romans and Middle Ages, right up to modern day. St Stephen's Cathedral is home to the city’s famous art treasures, the wheel wells, which are housed in the neighbouring Radbrunnenturm with the forty one metre deep water well. The cathedral is also home to many other treasures including the High Altar of Master HL and wall paintings by Martin Schongauer as well as High Gothic and Roman architecture. A visit to the Blue House, the former Jewish Community Centre, is highly recommended. Now owned by the Friends of Former Jewish Community House Breisach it exhibits memorials to Breisach’s Jewish heritage.

Days 4 - 5

Speyer, Germany

Speyer is a town located in southwest Germany situated beside the river Rhine. Originally founded by the Romans, it is one of the oldest settlements in Germany and is situated in the popular wine growing region of the Palatinate. A key attraction of Speyer is the Historical Museum of the Palatinate, which is one of the most celebrated culture-history museums in Germany. It features five permanent collections including Prehistory, Roman Times, Cathedral Treasury, Modern Era and Wine Museum. Not far from the museum, visitors will find the Imperial Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is considered the largest preserved Romanesque church in Europe. Originally constructed by Konrad II, this magnificent and looming building was intended to demonstrate the Lord’s religio-political claim to power against the papacy. Speyer has been producing wine since its Roman beginnings and wine tasting, festivals and events are popular all year round. The town is popular for outdoor activities such as hiking and cycling as well as guided walking tours of the town.

Day 6

Rüdesheim, Germany

Days 7 - 8

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.

Day 9

Andernach, Germany

Day 10

Bernkastel-Kues, Germany

Day 11

Luxembourg, Luxembourg

Day 12

Cochem, Germany

Day 13

River travel

Day 14

Worms, Germany

Day 15

Heidelberg, Germany

Days 16 - 18

Bonn, Germany

Ship Details

Riviera Travel

MS Oscar Wilde

It is extremely difficult to convey just how extraordinary this outstanding ship really is and exactly what distinguishes it from similar vessels. It would be very easy to just say ‘luxurious’ but it’s much more than that; we have deliberately avoided the current trend for a minimalist style where you could be anywhere in the world, creating instead a unique yet exquisite blend of understated taste, style and elegance at the highest level. Immediately striking is just how exceptionally spacious this new vessel is as you enter a gleaming, richly coloured marble-floored lobby flooded with natural light from a stunning atrium above. Moving inside, exceptional creativity from Europe’s finest design studio has produced a superbly balanced masterpiece of onboard style, utilising sustainable rich hardwoods, gleaming brass and polished copper, sparkling glass and intricate wrought iron. The ship is beautifully illuminated throughout – including the exterior and imaginatively furnished with harmonious colour schemes, all designed to create the serene atmosphere reflective of the golden age of cruising which time after time you tell us you adore.

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