Romantic German Sites and the Charming Neckar Valley (port-to-port cruise)

STRASBOURG - MANNHEIM - HEIDELBERG - EBERBACH - HEILBRONN - LAUFFEN - STUTTGART

Passengers are welcome to board our ship at 6 p.m. in Strasbourg. We will begin to cruise to Mannheim. After you’ve comfortably settled into your cabins, we’ll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail. Tonight, we’ll enjoy dinner and an evening of entertainment on board. Our ship will cruise to Mannheim through the night.

This morning, we offer two optional excursions:
- CLASSIC: Tour of Heidelberg. This cosmopolitan, friendly, and vibrant city is made up of 15 distinct neighborhoods and is particularly attractive to families, students, business people, and researchers. The castle has a history that is almost as old as the city itself. From either the Great Terrace or the gardens, enjoy an amazing view over Heidelberg, the Neckar River, and the valley. Don't miss seeing the Heidelberg Tun. We'll then head for the Neckarmünzplatz, on the banks of the Necker River, and continue with a guided tour of the old city. We'll pass by the Church of the Holy Spirit, the most famous church in Heidelberg, whose steeple dominates the town. And then you can take advantage of some free time to wander through the streets and shops before returning on board.
- DISCOVERY: A unique visit to the Technik Museum Sinsheim (only on pre-booking before departure). There is something for everyone to discover in the exhibition halls of the Technik Museum, including supersonic jets, hundreds of classic cars and motorcycles from all eras, huge steam engines, Formula 1 and classy sports cars, record-breaking vehicles like the Blue Flame and Brutus, farming machines, giant engines, a military history exhibition, and much, much more.

During the excursions, the ship will sail to Heidelberg where we will join it. Back on board for lunch and continued sailing to Eberbach. We’ll pass by four of the most charming cities along the Neckar: Neckargemünd, with its traditional half-timbered homes; the four-castle town of Neckasteinach; the adorable village of Hirschhorn; and the lovely medieval city of Eberbach.

Enjoy some free time on your own this evening to stroll through this lovely medieval city. The Old Town is a great place to take in the ambiance and shop for souvenirs.

We’ll cruise to Heilbronn in the early morning. Join us for an optional excursion: A tour of Maulbronn and its monastery complex (only on pre-booking before departure). This former Cistercian abbey was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. The architectural styles include impressive medieval walls and towers, a Romanesque church, and the Gothic cloister.

Optional excursions proposed:
- CLASSIC: The Ludwigsburg Residential Palace (only on pre-booking before departure). We'll visit the Ludwigsburg Residential Palace. As soon as you see it, you'll understand why it is nicknamed the Versailles of Swabia. The complex contains 452 rooms spread across 18 buildings and is the largest palatial estate in Germany. Our tour will take you through the castle's extraordinary interiors with architecture and decor spanning four centuries.
- DISCOVERY: the Porsche Museum (audio tour).(2 - only on pre-booking before departure) Get up-close and personal with the famous sports car brand in the city where it all began. In addition to its emblematic models, such as the 356, 550, 911, and 917, you'll discover some of the unfinished technical designs from Ferdinand Porsche.

During this time the ship will sail to Pleidelsheim or Benningen where we will join it for lunch. Afternoon sailing to Stuttgart. We'll return on board in Stuttgart. Tonight is our gala evening.

Enjoy breakfast on board this morning before disembarking at 9:00 a.m. End of our services.