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Friday is the Last Day to reserve your cabin on Peoria Public Radio's October Riverboat Cruise.

There are a few cabins left for our October Riverboat Cruise on Germany's Saar, Mosel, Rhine and Neckar Rivers. The eservation deadline is this Friday, July 11.

Nothing beats the easy pace of a riverboat tour of some of the most beautiful and historic sites of Germany's rivers. The fall colors will be in full bloom to complement incredible food, beverages and scenery.

EXCLUSIVE TOUR FEATURES:

  •     Round trip motor coach transportation from Peoria to O’Hare Airport.
  •     Round trip air transportation from Chicago to Frankfurt on United Airlines non-stop flights
  •     2 nights of hotel accommodations in Germany, 1 in Mainz and 1 in Worms.
  •     6 nights of accommodations aboard MS Leonardo Da Vinci, cruising the Four Rivers in an outside cabin on the Lower Deck.
  •     Breakfast and dinner at the hotels.
  •     Three meals daily while on the cruise.
  •     Wine, beer and juices included with the lunches and dinners onboard.
  •     Guided tour of Mainz and Strasbourg
  •     Shore excursion included to Castle of Cochem, the city of Heidelberg and the charming town of Rudesheim.
  •     All transfers and luggage handling of one suitcase per person.
  •     Airline fuel surcharges subject to change.

MS Leonardo da Vinci

October 13 – Chicago en route
Depart Chicago this afternoon on a non-stop flight to Frankfurt. Dinner and breakfast will be served onboard.

October 14 – Frankfurt/Mainz
Upon arrival in Frankfurt and clearing Customs, your awaiting motor coach and guide will take you to the town of Mainz.  Without doubt Mainz has an impressive past. The Roman relics bear witness to its 2,000 year old heritage, and the magnificent baroque buildings remind one of the times of the Electors.  The best architects and the most talented sculptors created the general character of the city. Mainz's Old Town, its inner city, is the pride and joy of the city-scene.  Broad, roomy squares, lovingly-restored half-timbered houses and magnificent Baroque churches give Old Town its charming, gemütlich character.  There are also many interesting shops to discover.  The afternoon will be at leisure to rest before your welcome dinner.

Mainz

October 15 – Mainz/Saarbrücken – board the cruise
Enjoy a morning walking tour of Mainz with a local guide. Among the finest sights in Mainz are the churches, including the Romanesque St. Martin's Cathedral, the elegant gothic hall of St. Stephan with its world-famous Chagall windows, and Eduard Kreyssig's Christchurch with its huge neo-Renaissance cupola. A stroll through the city's museums is like a thrilling journey through its cultural and natural history. Go on a journey through time into the mystic spheres of antiquity in the Roman Isis and Mater Magna Temple, or experience the world of printing in the Gutenberg Museum. You will then be transferred to Saarbrucken on the Saar River,where you board the MS Leonardo da Vinci.  Departure of the cruise for Bernkastel at 2:00pm. We will travel through the city of Saarbrücken and continue through the magnificent landscapes of the Saar River, also called the “Saarschleife,” as it meanders through a wooded landscape. Presentation of the crew and welcome cocktail. Dinner on board. Sailing at night.

Saarbrücken

October 16 - Cruising  Bernkastel - Cochem
Arrival in Bernkastel around 8:00am. Breakfast on board. Free time in Bernkastel  on the Mosel River or, in the company of our hostess, a walk to explore this famous wine town, known throughout the world for its superb half-timbered houses, the finely wrought grill on the fountain in the market place, the delicately sculpted weathervanes on the rooftops; an incomparable experience. Back on board around 11:00am and departure of the cruise for Cochem. Lunch on board. As we drift along, you will discover the exceptional landscapes that the picturesque Mosel River lays out before you. Dinner during the cruise. Arrival in Cochem around 8:00pm - a small medieval town dominated by its marvellous castle. Overnight stopover.

Eberbach

October 17 - Cruising Cochem - Koblenz
Breakfast on board. Upon arrival in Cochem join your included guided tour of the castle of Cochem. On the top of a hill reaching some 100 meters over the Mosel, you will discover the Reichsburg, built in a flamboyant gothic style. Lunch on board, departure of the boat to sail to Koblenz. We will pass numerous small villages, each more picturesque than the last, and a hillside of vineyards that comes right down to the banks of the Mosel River. Dinner and free time to explore the town of Koblenz with its past steeped in history.

Koblenz- - Rüdesheim
The legendary "Rock of the Lorelei"

October 18 – Cruising Koblenz-Rüdesheim
Departure of the boat after breakfast for Rüdesheim. Cruise up the most beautiful section of the romantic Rhine. Throughout this cruise, you will see numerous castles amid the famous vineyards, and the celebrated rock of the Lorelei. Lunch. Arrival at Rüdesheim.  Join your included tour by departing in a small train stopping at a wine tasting cellar, followed by a visit to the museum of mechanical music. Dinner on board. Free evening in the famous Drosselgasse, known throughout the world for its atmosphere and its numerous restaurants and bands. The boat will depart at midnight.

Heidelberg Castle

October 19 – Cruising –Mannheim-(Heidelberg)-Eberbach
Arrival around 8:00am in Mannheim. Breakfast on board. Departure for your included tour of Heidelberg and its castle (exterior sightseeing).  On this excursion visit Heidelberg, the world-famous University City on the Neckar River. The tour begins with a visit of the castle. The formerly splendid residence made of red sandstone has been a ruin, maybe the most beautiful in all of Germany, since it has experienced destruction by the French in the 17th century. The castle tour leads into the courtyard and into the castle garden. From the Grand Terrace you have a wonderful view of the city and the Neckar River. The tour continues with a stroll through the enchanting old town to Karl-Theodor Bridge with the two-tower bridge gate, to the late Gothic Holy Ghost Church, to the town hall and the Renaissance building “Zum Ritter” which survived the fire of 1693. Meanwhile, the ship will sail to Heidelberg, where we will return on board for lunch. In the afternoon, we sail along the Neckar, throughout romantic cities and castles, such as Neckargemünd, Neckarsteinach and Hirschorn. We arrive at Eberbach around 6.00pm for time on our own in this medieval city. Located in the “Natural park Neckartal-Odenwald,” Eberbach was founded in the 13th century. Dinner and evening on board.

Mannheim

October 20 – Cruising Eberbach - Mannheim
The boat departs in the early morning for Mannheim. Breakfast and lunch will be served on board, arriving around 1:30pm in Mannheim. Afternoon at leisure in this economical and cultural capital of the so called “Rhine-Neckar-triangle.” Return on board for gala dinner and evening. Night sail towards Strasbourg, France.

October 21 -   Disembarkation in Strasbourg - Worms
Breakfast on board. Arrival in Strasbourg  around 9:00am.  A motor coach and a local guide will be awaiting your arrival. Enjoy a city tour of Strasbourg, a city classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The tour shows us the highlights of Strasbourg, such as the European institutions such as Parliament and Council of Europe, the world’s largest car museum, the Medieval Haut-Koeningsburg castle and last but not least the famous Alsacian wine Road with its picturesque villages. The Alsace is famous for its wines, such as Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir, Muscat and Sylvaner. The culinairy specialties are: Foie Gras, Sauerkraut, Kougelhoupf and Tarte Flambee. After free time for lunch, continue to the charming time of Worms.  Worms is located on the Rhine, the Nibelungen town.  Worms belongs to the select circle of towns associated with the Reformation. It was here that Martin Luther is said to have uttered the famous phrase “Here I stand.  I cannot do otherwise” in refusing to recant his writings on the scriptures. Enjoy your farewell dinner tonight with your group.

Strasbourg

October 22 – Worms/Frankfurt/Chicago
Morning drive to Frankfurt Airport where you board your non-stop flight back to Chicago with wonderful memories of your “Four Fascinating Rivers Cruise”

$4299.00 per person based on double occupancy.
$200.00 per person supplement for Upper Deck.


Not included: US and foreign departure taxes in the amount of $ 190.00 per person, optional insurance package of $ 299.00 per person

Single occupancy:  $550.00 additional and insurance for single is $ 349.00

Cabin space is limited. Please book your reservation early.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL NORMA JOSEPH AT (309) 677-4907
 

Download a brochure with reservation form below: