Details
✨ Tour Highlights
🎄 Explore Christmas markets along the Rhine
⛪ Start and finish beneath Cologne's famous cathedral
🍷 Wander Rüdesheim's half-timbered Drosselgasse
🏛️ Explore historic Mainz along the Rhine
🏙️ See Frankfurt's mix of old-town architecture and skyscrapers
🏰 Cruise through the scenic Loreley Valley
🌊 Spend an afternoon and evening exploring Koblenz
🚲 Borrow onboard e-bikes for independent exploring, subject to availability
🍺 Enjoy beer, wine, sparkling wine, soft drinks, tea, and coffee included during specified service hours
To see all available tours offered by Tour Radar:
🎄 Why This Tour Works So Well
Christmas market trips can involve a surprising amount of train planning, hotel switching, and dragging luggage through cobblestone streets. Here, your cabin travels with you.
The itinerary combines bigger cities like Cologne and Frankfurt with smaller Rhine destinations including Rüdesheim and Koblenz, plus scenic cruising through the Loreley Valley. Most ports can also be explored independently, and Destination Scouts provide local tips if you'd rather skip organized excursions.
TourRadar lists the trip as easy intensity, and the ship carries up to 202 travelers. The cruise operates in both English and German.
🗺️ Itinerary at a Glance
Day 1: Cologne
Board in Cologne before the ship departs at approximately 5 PM. If you arrive early enough, explore the city and see Cologne Cathedral before setting sail.
Day 2: Rüdesheim & Mainz
Arrive in Rüdesheim around 10 AM and spend the day exploring this wine-producing Rhine town. Walk through Drosselgasse, lined with half-timbered buildings and wine taverns, before sailing on to Mainz.
Day 3: Frankfurt
Wake up in Frankfurt and spend the day exploring Germany's financial capital, where futuristic skyscrapers sit surprisingly close to historic squares and buildings.
Day 4: Loreley Valley & Koblenz
Cruise through the Loreley Valley before arriving in Koblenz around 3 PM. You'll have the afternoon and evening to explore before the ship departs around 9:30 PM.
Day 5: Cologne
Arrive back in Cologne early in the morning, where the cruise ends.
✅ What's Included
Cabin accommodation aboard an A-ROSA river ship
Breakfast buffet with live-cooking stations
Lunch buffet
Dinner buffet
Daily tea and coffee time
Select beer and wine
Sparkling wine
Soft drinks and water
E-bikes for independent exploration, subject to availability
Destination Scout tips for exploring ports independently
Use of onboard sauna and gym
Room service in every cabin category
Port charges
Depending on the ship and cabin category, balcony cabins and junior suites may also be available.
❌ What's Not Included
Flights Not Included
Travel Insurance Not Included
Optional Shore Excursions & Activities Not Included
Some Spa & Wellness Treatments Not Included
Gratuities Not Listed as Included
Personal Expenses Not Included
📅 2026 and 2027 Departure Dates
2026 departures:
Nov 24 – Nov 28, 2026
Nov 28 – Dec 2, 2026
Dec 2 – Dec 6, 2026
Dec 6 – Dec 10, 2026
Dec 10 – Dec 14, 2026
Dec 14 – Dec 18, 2026
Dec 18 – Dec 22, 2026
2027 departures:
Nov 23 – Nov 27, 2027
Dec 6 – Dec 10, 2027
Dec 10 – Dec 14, 2027
Availability and prices vary by departure and cabin category.
