Cruise itinerary
23-Night Europe Cruise from Lucerne
23 nights · Europe · 26 ports of call
23-night Europe cruise aboard Avalon View, departing Lucerne and calling at Swiss Alps, Basel, Breisach, Kehl, Mainz and Rüdesheim and 19 more.
- Free advisor
- No booking fees
- 10,000+ sailings
At a glance
- Ship
- Avalon View
- Cruise line
- Avalon Waterways
- Duration
- 23 nights
- Region
- Europe · Western Europe · Rhine · Rhone · Seine
- Departs
- Lucerne
- Returns
- Arles
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 View sailing, typically within 24 hours.
Where this voyage takes you
- History & Culture
Day-by-day itinerary
- Day1
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
- Day2
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
- Day3
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
Swiss Alps
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
- Day4
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
- Day5
Kehl
A German town on the right bank of the Rhine, directly across the river from Strasbourg in France. A bridge and garden link the two banks, and the riverside park makes it a crossing point for cruises between Germany and Alsace.
- Two Banks Garden
- Rhine bridge
- Strasbourg nearby
- Day6
Mainz
A city on the Rhine in western Germany, where the river meets the Main. It is the birthplace of Gutenberg and movable-type printing, with a Romanesque red sandstone cathedral and a market square at the heart of the old town.
- Mainz Cathedral
- Gutenberg Museum
- Old town market
- Day7
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
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
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
- Day8
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
- Day9
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
- Day10
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
Paris
The French capital on the Seine, the start or finish of many river cruises through northern France. Ships moor near the centre, putting the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Notre-Dame within easy reach across a city built for walking.
- Eiffel Tower
- The Louvre
- Notre-Dame
- Day11
Vernon
A town on the Seine in Normandy, France, best known as the home of the painter Claude Monet. His house and the famous water-lily gardens at nearby Giverny draw most visitors, set in the gentle river country between Paris and Rouen.
- Monet's Giverny garden
- Monet's house
- Seine valley
Les Andelys
A small town on a loop of the Seine in Normandy, France, overlooked by the ruined Château Gaillard. Richard the Lionheart's clifftop fortress dominates the river bend, and the surrounding valley of chalk cliffs and orchards is classic Norman countryside.
- Château Gaillard
- Seine valley
- Norman countryside
- Day12
Caudebec-en-Caux
A riverside town on the Seine in Normandy, set on a wide bend of the valley between Rouen and the coast. River ships moor here for the orchards, abbeys and white-cliffed meanders of the surrounding countryside in northern France.
- Seine valley
- Normandy orchards
- Riverside abbeys
- Day13
Caudebec-en-Caux
A riverside town on the Seine in Normandy, set on a wide bend of the valley between Rouen and the coast. River ships moor here for the orchards, abbeys and white-cliffed meanders of the surrounding countryside in northern France.
- Seine valley
- Normandy orchards
- Riverside abbeys
- Day14
Rouen
A historic city on the Seine in Normandy, where river ships moor within walking distance of the centre. Its medieval old town keeps half-timbered houses and a soaring Gothic cathedral, and it is the place where Joan of Arc was put to death in 1431.
- Rouen Cathedral
- Old town
- Joan of Arc
- Day15
Conflans-Sainte-Honorine
A riverside town where the Oise joins the Seine northwest of Paris, in France's Île-de-France region. A historic bargemen's town and centre of French river navigation, it sits among the wooded loops of the Seine valley within reach of the capital.
- Seine-Oise confluence
- river navigation heritage
- Île-de-France
- Day16
Paris
The French capital on the Seine, the start or finish of many river cruises through northern France. Ships moor near the centre, putting the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Notre-Dame within easy reach across a city built for walking.
- Eiffel Tower
- The Louvre
- Notre-Dame
- Day17
Paris
The French capital on the Seine, the start or finish of many river cruises through northern France. Ships moor near the centre, putting the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Notre-Dame within easy reach across a city built for walking.
- Eiffel Tower
- The Louvre
- Notre-Dame
Dijon
Beaune
Chalon-sur-Saône
A town on the Saône in the Burgundy region of eastern France, birthplace of the photographic pioneer Nicéphore Niépce. Its riverside quays and old town sit at the southern gateway to the Côte Chalonnaise vineyards and the wider Burgundy wine country.
- Niépce Museum
- Saône quays
- Burgundy vineyards
- Day18
Tournus
A medieval town on the Saône river in southern Burgundy, built around the great Romanesque abbey of St. Philibert. Its honey-stone streets and riverside setting sit at the edge of the Mâconnais vineyards, an easy reach from Cluny.
- St. Philibert Abbey
- Saône riverfront
- Mâconnais wines
- Day19
Lyon
A French city at the meeting of the Rhône and Saône rivers, long regarded as the country's gastronomic capital. Its Renaissance old town hides covered passages called traboules, while the Fourvière basilica crowns the hill above the two rivers.
- Vieux Lyon traboules
- Fourvière Basilica
- Bouchon dining
- Day20
Lyon
A French city at the meeting of the Rhône and Saône rivers, long regarded as the country's gastronomic capital. Its Renaissance old town hides covered passages called traboules, while the Fourvière basilica crowns the hill above the two rivers.
- Vieux Lyon traboules
- Fourvière Basilica
- Bouchon dining
- Day21
Tournon-sur-Rhône
A small town on the Rhône in southern France, facing the steep Hermitage vineyards across the river at Tain. A medieval castle overlooks the water, and the surrounding northern Rhône slopes are known for their Syrah wines.
- Hermitage vineyards
- Hilltop château
- Rhône wines
Viviers
A small town on the Rhône in southern France, set below a rocky bluff in the Ardèche. River ships moor here within reach of the lavender fields, vineyards and stone villages of Provence, with the cathedral town of Viviers itself just ashore.
- Rhône river
- Provence villages
- Ardèche country
- Day22
Avignon
A walled city on the Rhône in Provence, southern France, once the seat of medieval popes. The vast Palais des Papes dominates the centre, and the broken Pont d'Avignon reaches partway across the river below the ramparts.
- Palais des Papes
- Pont d'Avignon
- City ramparts
- Day23
Arles
A Provençal town on the Rhône River in southern France, ringed by Roman monuments. Its great amphitheatre still hosts events, and the surrounding light and streets inspired the painter Van Gogh during his year in the town.
- Roman amphitheatre
- Van Gogh sites
- Place du Forum
- Day24
Arles
A Provençal town on the Rhône River in southern France, ringed by Roman monuments. Its great amphitheatre still hosts events, and the surrounding light and streets inspired the painter Van Gogh during his year in the town.
- Roman amphitheatre
- Van Gogh sites
- Place du Forum
Upcoming departures
- 28 Jun 2026
- 12 Jul 2026
- 26 Jul 2026
- 9 Aug 2026
- 23 Aug 2026
- 20 Jun 2027
Upcoming sailings of this itinerary — a NestCruise advisor confirms current availability and your fare.
23-Night Europe Cruise from Lucerne FAQ
Which ports does this cruise visit?
This 23-night Europe cruise calls at Lucerne, Swiss Alps, Basel, Breisach, Kehl, Mainz, Rüdesheim, Rhine Gorge, Germany, Koblenz, Cologne, Amsterdam, Paris, Vernon, Les Andelys, Caudebec-en-Caux, Rouen, Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, Dijon, Beaune, Chalon-sur-Saône, Tournus, Lyon, Tournon-sur-Rhône, Viviers, Avignon and Arles.
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 Lucerne and ends in Arles.
How long is this cruise?
23 nights aboard Avalon View.
When does this itinerary sail?
Upcoming departures include 28 Jun 2026, 12 Jul 2026, 26 Jul 2026 and 9 Aug 2026. A NestCruise advisor can confirm current availability.