Germany · RHINE VALLEY CRUISES
The Upper Middle Rhine between Koblenz and Rüdesheim is a UNESCO stretch with roughly forty castles on it. These 15 boats differ mostly in where they start and how far they get before turning: an hour-and-a-half loop, a half day past the Lorelei, or a full day out of Frankfurt with the train back.
90-minute Cologne Rhine cruise with English and German commentary, Cathedral views, Rheinauhafen crane houses, and five bridges.
“Great welcome . Clean boat. Fabulous table service. Informative trip.”
One-hour Rhine cruise from Düsseldorf city center with English and German audio, panoramic views of Altstadt, plus a bar for snacks and drinks.
“Such a beautiful experience. we got there quite early and got beautiful seats on the top. the weather great so we went up the deck. staff were lovely.”
2-hour Koblenz Rhine cruise past UNESCO castles like Stolzenfels and Lahneck, with optional Marksburg visit in Braubach.
“It was a beautiful, relaxing way to see some of the lovely Rhine River and the castles and charming communities on its banks. Very enjoyable!”
See Middle Rhine castles and vineyards on a 1.5-hour Rüdesheim boat cruise with great views and cash-only drinks.
“We very much enjoyed the views of the castles. It was a relaxing experience with very accommodating services.”
UNESCO Rhine Valley day trip from Frankfurt with a steamer cruise, castle-and-vine views, included riverside lunch, and wine storytelling.
“It was a little expensive but the river cruise portion was great. The restaurant selection and wine tasting were very crowded, just with our group. Food was just Ok. Michael, our guide, was truly awesome. He was worth the price almost by himself!”
Rhine Valley day trip from Frankfurt with a Rhine River steamer cruise, castles and Loreley views, plus lunch or dinner and wine tasting.
“Great day trip from Frankfurt! Boat tour best part—spectacular views. Traditional German food for lunch, simple wine tasting gives you an idea of regional food/wines. Our tour guide Willy was excellent—funny and knowledgable. I would have liked to have had more time to explore Rüdesheim. I would have tried to make lunch and wine tasting one stop to have more time in Rüdesheim. Would not have gone back to same place as lunch for wine tasting.”
A relaxing 2-hour Rhine boat cruise from Koblenz on La Paloma, passing famous castles like Marksburg, Stolzenfels, and Lahneck.
“Really enjoyed this cruise. The commentary was in German and English. It was very clear and informative. Covered so many amazing sights. Staff onboard were great, very polite and helpful. Also loved the food we had.”
Two-hour English walking tour in Cologne with cathedral close-ups, Roman remnants, Rhine views, and funny local stories by a guide like Sascha.
“Great tour guide - good info and we could hear him! A few jokes - maybe not that funny but we laughed. He kept the group together and moving. I would definitely take the tour again.”
One-hour Rhine cruise from Cologne with recorded English and German commentary, Cologne Cathedral views, and $22 river time.
“Nice little trip over the river. Not too busy so we could choose a nice table on the deck, enjoying ourselves having some drinks while navigating in the sunshine. We did the 5.15pm boat trip and there was only music on, no tour guided”
Cologne Rhine winter cruise with festive live music, panoramic skyline views, and Glühwein. Cozy 90 minutes on a warm boat.
“Very pleasant gentle ride on the Rhine with a singer and table service for drinks. Lovely way to spend a morning away from the hustle and bustle of the markets.”
Take in Düsseldorf from the Rhine Tower, a landmark viewpoint over Media Harbour, Königsallee, and the Rhine, day or night.
“The aerial view was terrific. The restaurant not so much. I was traveling so happy the Hop On - Hop Off bus had a stop really close.”
A 4-hour Rhine boat tour from Bonn to Linz, with river views, cool drinks, and food, plus pass-by sights like Remagen’s Peace Museum.
70-minute Rhine cruise in Koblenz with onboard commentary, passing Deutsches Eck, Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, and Old Town views for $16.
“personeel was erg vriendelijk, korte vaart heen en weer op de rijn met uitleg over de historie van oude gebouwen is niet erg spannend.”
2-hour Cologne Christmas Rhine cruise with reserved seating, live festive music, seasonal treats, and St. Nicholas on board.
“An amazing trip, boat was superb along with the very attentive staff. Added bonus of seeing St Nicolas too.”
Düsseldorf 2-hour Rhine cruise with live DJ, evening city lights, panoramic views, and a bar onboard. Great value for $34.
“Vielleicht lag es am Donnerstag, den wir gebucht hatten + am schlechten Wetter, aber es war leider absolut lahm. Keinerlei Stimmung, niemand getanzt in- oder Outdoor alle saßen Spießig unter sich an ihren Tischen und haben gegessen und gesittet getrunken. Null Stimmung. Alles sehr sehr groß daher verläuft es sich auch sehr. Und wenn man indoor sitzt kann man sobald es dunkel ist nicht mehr wirklich rausgucken da sich alles von innen in den Scheiben spiegelt, man muss also raus. Aber das ist eben nur bei gutem Wetter möglich. Ich würde es nicht nochmal machen.”
Germany broken up by the kind of day it makes — pick one and the full list is underneath.
