Nov 13

Written by: chris
11/13/2015 

Rhine River Cruising with Avalon        

I was fortunate to be aboard the Avalon Tranquility II on its inaugural voyage on the Rhine. Avalon's Tranquility II is a magnificent vessel. Brand new in 2015, it is 361 foot in length, four decks, 128 maximum passengers with 37 crew. It has 50 Panorama Suites like the one I enjoyed, two Royal Suites and 12 Deluxe Staterooms.

Acting as the ship’s godmother, famed Canadian singer and broadcaster Jann Arden led the christening ceremony on the cruise. After giving her blessing, Jann cut the rope tethered to a bottle of Moët & Chandon champagne - the highlight of any ship’s christening. With Jann were the ship's Captain, Avalon Waterways managing director Patrick Clark and managing director for Canada, Stéphanie Bishop.

This new Suite Ship from Avalon features two full decks of Panorama Suites with Wall-to-Wall Panoramic Windows that transform the living space into a unique Open-Air Balcony. Onboard amenities include a Fitness Centre with state-of-the-art equipment and a spacious Sky Deck with shade system, whirlpool, deck games, and the delightful Sky Bistro for alfresco lunches.

After a long transatlantic flight, it was a magical moment to board the ship and collapse on my super comfy bed and look up to see an 11 foot wide, floor-to-ceiling view of Weisbaden's glories. Even better: the windows slid open a full 7 feet. There is no more civilized way of seeing Europe than watching it slide by your open-air balcony of your Avalon stateroom, glass in hand...

The Sky Deck of the Avalon Tranquility II is the perfect place to view a 360 degree panorama of the Rhine Valley. There is a Bistro, a hot tub, games, shade system and plenty of lounge chairs to relax with a glass of wine from the vineyards lining the river.

Cuisine is an important part of any cruise...and particularly so on a Rhine Cruise when you pass through so many great gastronomic regions of Europe. Avalon take Haute Cuisine so seriously that they have literally written the book on it! Chef Michael is one of the most important people aboard Tranquility II. The standard of cuisine that Chef and his team conjured up each day was remarkable and he took great care to reflect the local specialties in the day's menus.

As we cruised southwards past banks of vineyards, Avalon laid on a tutored wine tasting event. Herr Breuer gave us a true appreciation of the wines from the Rhinegau Region as watched the featured vineyards glide by the lounge windows.

Middle Rhine

The Rhine Gorge is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a highlight of any Rhine cruise. The strategic location of the dramatic 65km stretch of the Middle Rhine Valley between Bingen, Rüdesheim and Koblenz is a transport artery which gave rise to its sixty small towns, the extensive terraced vineyards and the ruins of castles that once defended its trade.

This is a typical scene on the Middle Rhine:  Castle Pfalzgrafenstein in the foreground of the photo is a toll castle on the Falkenau Island in the middle of the Rhine River. There are many folk tales of romance and tragedy attached to this island, as there are with many of the castles on this stretch of the river.

Just a short trip from our river cruise ship where the Rhine meets the Moselle, Burg Eltz is a medieval castle nestled in the hills between Koblenz and Trier, Germany. It is still owned by a branch of the same family (the Eltz family) that lived there in the 12th century, 33 generations ago. It's one of just three castles on the left bank of the Rhine in Rhineland-Palatinate which have never been destroyed. The castle is surrounded on three sides by the Elzbach River, a tributary on the north side of the Moselle. It is situated on a 70 m rock spur, on an important Roman trade route between rich farmlands and their markets. The Eltz Forest all around has been declared a nature reserve. When we left, a ray of sunshine slid between the clouds and illuminated the castle magnificently.

Strasbourg       

Strasbourg, on the French side of the Rhine, was a highlight of the cruise. This lovely city is the capital of the Alsace region of France and is most widely known for hosting a number of important European institutions. It is also famous for its beautiful historical centre - the Grande Île - which was the first city centre to be classified entirely as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO

Cathédrale Notre Dame was built between 1176 and 1439 and with a 142 metre tower (the highest cathedral tower in France), the cathedral is simply breathtaking. Nearby on place du Château is the Musée de l'Oeuvre Notre Dame - a museum of medieval religious art related to the cathedral. The views to the exterior of the cathedral along the narrow medieval streets are from another age. The interior of the cathedral, like the city of Strasbourg itself, connects German and French cultural influences, while the eastern structures, such as the choir and south portal, still have very Romanesque features, with more emphasis placed on walls than on windows. It was the world's tallest building from 1647 to 1874 - that's 227 years.

Petite France is the name given to the small area of Strasbourg between the rivers, just south of the Grande Île. It is home to some of Strasbourg's prettiest and most photogenic streets and buildings, with half-timbered townhouses (maison a colombages) leaning out over the narrow cobbled streets and the canals.

A good way to get a first impression of the city is on a water-bus tour. These are available near the Palais des Rohans (south of the cathedral). The tours take you around the town centre and the European district and last around 45 minutes to an hour. I had a hearty Alsace meal at "A l'ancienne douane" ('At the old customs house') on rue de la Douane, near the cathedral, next to the Ill river. The sauerkraut and sausages were excellent...and was the local beer!

Alsace

Further south on the French side of the Rhine from Strasbourg is the region of Alsace. The foothills of the Vosges Mountains are overlooked by Haut-Koenigsbourg fortress on the hilltop in the distance and the Alsace vineyards all around. The conical hills here are called 'Balloons"

Riquewihr in Alsace was perhaps my favourite place on my Rhine cruise. Situated between the peaks of the Vosges Mountains and the Plain of Alsace, Riquewihr is a medieval town right in the heart of the Alsatian vineyards. It is regarded by many as among the most beautiful village in France. For centuries this magnificent town has managed to combine the quality of its architecture with the quality of its world-famous wines, from where it gets its nickname "The Gem of the Alsace Vineyards". It’s a delightfully rambling old town, made up of half-timbered houses dating back to the 15th to 18th centuries, built very closely together. The Dolder is its 13th century defensive gate. The Alsatian houses feature sculpted half-timbering, oriel windows, inner courtyards embellished by old wells and fountains.

La place forte de Neuf-Brisach is part of another UNESCO World Heritage Site close to the Rhine. The Fortifications of Vauban are fortified buildings and sites built by Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban (1633-1707), a military engineer of King Louis XIV.

Thanks

The cruise ended in Basel, Switzerland, and our last night aboard was a bitter sweet farewell to fellow passengers whom we had got to know well on this intimate small ship experience. We were sad, too, to say good bye to the crew and the Avalon team who had played such an important part in the cruise experience. I recommend Avalon whole-heartedly for aspiring European river cruisers. Check out their website at www.Avalonwaterways.com. 

Copyright ©2015 Chris Robinson