Castles Villages & Vineyards Oh My

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Sailing The Romantic

 Rhine Gorge 

Downstream from Rüdesheim is the dramatic RHINE GORGE, the most beautiful stretch of river. Here, ancient castles stand sentry on lofty cliffs rising 400 feet above the waters.

Our afternoon was spent cruising past castles, villages, and vineyards.  One highlight included sailing past the legendary rock of the Lorelei, where echoes of enchanted siren song lured unwitting sailors to their doom. We enjoyed the afternoon relaxing on board on the Sky Deck as Mark, our Cruise Director, provided narrative.

 

Rhine & Moselle

Confluence

The confluence of the Moselle and Rhine is at Koblenz and here we entered the Moselle River, some 312-miles long, which rises in the Vosges Mountains of northeastern France and enters Germany at Trier.


Watch this video for an example of the scenery along the Rhine River.  The highlight of this video is Pfalzgrafenstein (the Pfalz), a mid-river toll castle near Kaub, erected in 1328. We have lots more video footage to process. We'll be posting additional videos to our YouTube Channel, so be sure to subscribe to that as well.

   

Rhine & Moselle River Cruise (Play all videos)

Video Diary of Avalon Rhine & Moselle River Cruise on Artistry II. This was a 13 day river cruise that started in Zurich, Switzerland and concluded in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Additional photos can be found on our Rhine & Moselle Shutterfly page:

Romantic Rhine Cruising

Click on the image to the left for more Blog posts about this trip.

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc
 

 

Cable Car in Rüdesheim

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Seilbahn  Rüdesheim 

A highlight of any visit to Rüdesheim is the ride in a cable car up to the Germania (Niederwald) Monument. The awe-inspiring panoramic views over Rüdesheim's oldtown and the shimmering waters of the Rhine dotted with green isles make the smooth glide over the vineyards a very special experience.

Experience what the ride is like in this short video segment:




The entire visit took about an hour - 15 minutes each way by cable car and 30 minutes on top to go to the monument and take photos of the surrounding area.   The cost was not included in our excursion, it was 7,00 euro round-trip per person.

Niederwald Monument


The monument was constructed to commemorate the foundation of the German Empire (Unification of Germany) after the end of the Franco-Prussian War. It overlooks the valley of the Rhine and was built in the 1870/80s.

The central figure is the 10.5 metres (34 ft) tall Germania figure. In the sculptured impression, Germania holds the recovered crown of the emperor in the right hand and in the left the Imperial Sword.

Rhine & Moselle River Cruise (Play all videos)

Video Diary of Avalon Rhine & Moselle River Cruise on Artistry II. This was a 13 day river cruise that started in Zurich, Switzerland and concluded in Amsterdam, Netherlands. 

Additional photos can be found on our Rhine & Moselle Shutterfly page:

Rüdesheim - Cable Car

Click on the image to the left for more Blog posts about this trip.

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc
 

See The World From Your Stateroom Bed

 

You take in sweeping views of the leafy shoreline, dotted with castles and centuries-old farm houses, as the cruise ship slowly carries you along the river. You hear horses in the distance. You feel the mellow breeze off the water and breathe in the sweet scent of fresh wildflowers. And then the cabin darkens as the ship moves through a lock. The stone walls so close you can almost reach out and touch them. And yet, you’re not on a balcony. Or sitting on the promenade.

You’ve been simply relaxing in bed the entire time -- watching the scenery through a wall-sized window.

 

They include an 11-foot-wide, seven-foot-tall wall of glass that gives you an unobstructed view of whatever you’re cruising past. Slide it open and your entire stateroom is transformed into a spacious balcony. Avalon also turned the bed so it faces this massive window, so you can drift asleep watching the star-speckled sky in the evening and then wake to a brilliant sunrise in the morning. 

And on top of the spellbinding views, Panorama Suites come with plenty of other perks… 

We recommend getting a Panorama Suite on your next cruise. These suites are often booked well in advance because they're so popular. So if you're thinking about a vacation, contact us now to ensure you won't miss a chance to stay in these one-of-a-kind cabins.