Cruise itinerary
12-Night Europe Cruise from Amsterdam
12 nights · Europe · 15 ports of call
12-night Europe cruise aboard Avalon Imagery II, departing Amsterdam and calling at Cologne, Cochem, Trier, Bernkastel-Kues, Koblenz and Rhine Gorge, Germany and 8 more.
- Free advisor
- No booking fees
- 10,000+ sailings
At a glance
- Cruise line
- Avalon Waterways
- Duration
- 12 nights
- Region
- Europe · Western Europe · Rhine · Moselle
- Departs
- Amsterdam
- Returns
- Lucerne
How NestCruise works:we're advisor-led, not a booking engine. No fares are listed and there are no booking fees — tell an advisor your dates and party and they price your exact Avalon Imagery II sailing, typically within 24 hours.
Where this voyage takes you
- History & Culture
Day-by-day itinerary
- Day1
Amsterdam
The Dutch capital, laced with concentric canals and gabled merchant houses from its 17th-century golden age. Most river sailings depart from here, leaving time for the Rijksmuseum, the Anne Frank House or a stroll through the Jordaan before lines cast off.
- Rijksmuseum
- Anne Frank House
- Jordaan canals
- Day2
Amsterdam
The Dutch capital, laced with concentric canals and gabled merchant houses from its 17th-century golden age. Most river sailings depart from here, leaving time for the Rijksmuseum, the Anne Frank House or a stroll through the Jordaan before lines cast off.
- Rijksmuseum
- Anne Frank House
- Jordaan canals
- Day3
Cologne
A Rhineland city dominated by its twin-spired Gothic cathedral, the tallest in Germany when built. River cruises call beside the old town, where the cathedral, riverside promenade and 12 Romanesque churches sit within easy walking distance.
- Cologne Cathedral
- Old town
- Rhine promenade
- Day4
Cochem
A small wine town on a horseshoe bend of the Moselle in western Germany. Half-timbered houses surround its market square, terraced Riesling vineyards rise on the slopes, and the Reichsburg castle looks down from the hill above.
- Reichsburg castle
- Riesling vineyards
- Market square
- Day5
Trier
- Day6
Bernkastel-Kues
A picturesque wine town on the Moselle in Germany, famous among Riesling growers. Half-timbered houses crowd the sloping market square, the ruined Landshut castle stands above, and steep vineyards line the river on either bank.
- Marktplatz houses
- Landshut castle
- Moselle Riesling
- Day7
Koblenz
A German city at the meeting of the Rhine and Moselle rivers, the point known as the Deutsches Eck or 'German Corner'. A cable car climbs from the headland to the Ehrenbreitstein fortress, and the town marks the northern end of the Rhine Gorge.
- Deutsches Eck
- Ehrenbreitstein Fortress
- Rhine cable car
Rhine Gorge, Germany
A scenic stretch of the Rhine in western Germany, where the river cuts a steep gorge between vine-clad slopes. Castle after castle crowns the heights above the water, including the legendary Lorelei rock on a sharp bend.
- Clifftop castles
- Lorelei rock
- Riverside vineyards
Rüdesheim
A small wine town on the Rhine, set where the river enters its dramatic gorge. River ships call here for the half-timbered lanes of the Drosselgasse, the vineyards of the Rheingau and the cable car up to the Niederwald monument above.
- Drosselgasse
- Rheingau vineyards
- Niederwald monument
- Day8
Ludwigshafen
An industrial city on the Rhine in southwest Germany, facing Mannheim across the river. It is chiefly a river-cruise and rail gateway, within easy reach of Heidelberg, Speyer's cathedral, and the vineyards of the Palatinate wine country.
- Heidelberg gateway
- Speyer Cathedral
- Palatinate wines
Speyer
A cathedral city on the upper Rhine in southwestern Germany, one of the oldest in the country. Its great Romanesque imperial cathedral is a UNESCO site, with a medieval Jewish heritage, a technical museum of vintage aircraft and the river quays nearby.
- Speyer Cathedral
- Technik Museum
- Jewish heritage site
- Day9
Strasbourg
The capital of France's Alsace, set on the Rhine close to the German border. Its Grande Île old town centres on a soaring pink-sandstone cathedral and the canal-laced lanes of Petite France, while the modern European Parliament sits across the city.
- Strasbourg Cathedral
- Petite France
- European Parliament
- Day10
Breisach
A small town on the Rhine at the edge of Germany's Kaiserstuhl wine country, just across the river from France's Alsace. It is crowned by the St. Stephan minster on its hilltop and serves as the river gateway to Freiburg and the southern Black Forest.
- St. Stephan minster
- Kaiserstuhl vineyards
- Black Forest gateway
- Day11
Basel
A Swiss city on the Rhine where Switzerland, France and Germany meet, and a common starting point for Rhine cruises. Its old town climbs from the river to a red sandstone cathedral and a medieval market square ringed by guild houses.
- Basel Münster
- Old town
- Rhine starting point
Swiss Alps
Lucerne
A Swiss city on the lake of the same name, ringed by the peaks of Pilatus and Rigi. The wooden Chapel Bridge with its painted gables crosses the river Reuss in the medieval old town, and cogwheel railways and boats reach the surrounding mountains.
- Chapel Bridge
- Mount Pilatus
- Old town squares
- Day12
Lucerne
A Swiss city on the lake of the same name, ringed by the peaks of Pilatus and Rigi. The wooden Chapel Bridge with its painted gables crosses the river Reuss in the medieval old town, and cogwheel railways and boats reach the surrounding mountains.
- Chapel Bridge
- Mount Pilatus
- Old town squares
- Day13
Lucerne
A Swiss city on the lake of the same name, ringed by the peaks of Pilatus and Rigi. The wooden Chapel Bridge with its painted gables crosses the river Reuss in the medieval old town, and cogwheel railways and boats reach the surrounding mountains.
- Chapel Bridge
- Mount Pilatus
- Old town squares
Upcoming departures
- 12 Sep 2026
Upcoming sailings of this itinerary — a NestCruise advisor confirms current availability and your fare.
12-Night Europe Cruise from Amsterdam FAQ
Which ports does this cruise visit?
This 12-night Europe cruise calls at Amsterdam, Cologne, Cochem, Trier, Bernkastel-Kues, Koblenz, Rhine Gorge, Germany, Rüdesheim, Ludwigshafen, Speyer, Strasbourg, Breisach, Basel, Swiss Alps and Lucerne.
How many days are spent at sea?
This is a port-intensive itinerary with no full days at sea.
Where does this cruise depart from?
It departs from Amsterdam and ends in Lucerne.
How long is this cruise?
12 nights aboard Avalon Imagery II.
When does this itinerary sail?
Upcoming departures include 12 Sep 2026. A NestCruise advisor can confirm current availability.