river cruise on Rhine, etc.

Hello Rachel, I really don't know where to start. I don't know anything about you or your party, how much you know about Europe, especially the Netherlands, Germany, France, Switzerland, or how you travel, or what sorts of things you like or would want to see. So, I may be telling you all things you already know - or not. You will sailing against the current all the way so your boat will be moving relative to the land more slowly than those with the current behind them. Because your ship is more maneuverable than those coming downstream - more water over the rudder - you will be yielding right of way to them. The countryside around will change quite a lot as you go south. The most interesting bit of the Rhine for scenery and castles is the hour or two around St Goar. Everybody who may drive your car should have an IDP as well as their normal driving license. If you may drive in Italy - with 2 weeks you could go anywhere - the IDP is a must. If you will drive in Switzerland or Austria you will require Vignettes attached to your windscreen. CHF40 for Switzerland, €7.90 for up to 10 days in Austria, more for longer. You must clearly understand the road signals and signs, and their inherent meanings. Especially critical is the yellow diamond and the yellow diamond with a black stripe across it. You need to know the different national speed limits as they vary from country to country and are only generally posted at the borders as you fly by. Also, what defines town limits as the speed limits change at the sign without speed signs - and often with a speed camera not far away. You need to understand the meanings of the painted coloured stripes along the sides of roads, they differ from country to country. What other sorts of things do you need, Rachel?

Thanks for the driving tips. We rented a car in Alsace and also in Italy a couple years ago and had no problem. I did read up on what to expect and we actually stayed in the countryside -- no heavy traffic except in Strasbourg, but got along fine. I'm thinking about driving through the countryside along the river and fly out of one of the German cities. We spent a couple weeks in Italy and loved it but we've never been to Germany. My husband loves the military TV channel and we both are interested in WWII history. We're not fond of crowds but do enjoy major cities with local transit. We also like flexibility with a blend of structured tours and being on our own. My husband is 71 and I'm 61. We have to avoid strenous walking/hiking, but enjoy a leisurely pace with a stop now and then to taste local food, wine, and beer. Now you know me much better! I'd really appreciate any suggestions as to itinerary.

We loved GCT's Romance of the Rhine and Mosel last year. Haven't driven but the cruise was phenomenal, even if it was upstream. Send PM if you'd like more info. Mike

Hi, Mike... Go Tigers! My dtr and S-I-L are Mizzou alums. I've heard nothing but good things about GCT, however, their web site states they cater "exclusively" to American travelers. We really like getting immersed in the European mix. That is the only thing that kept me from going any further with GCT. I've got info on AMA Waterways and Viking but haven't talked to anyone who has traveled them.
Thanks for the reply and I'm always open to any suggestions.

As Nigel said, it's a wide open field. Given your ages and preferences, I'd suggest skipping the hills of the Black forest, and go to Freiburg, then Trier, along the Mosel, up the Rhine to Cologne. Or drive to Weil am Rhine from Basel, then Konstanz, Munich, Eisenach, Weimar, Dresden, maybe Prague, or just to Berlin, where you could easily spend most of a week, and fly out of there.

Thanks to all for the suggestions. Any info on the river cruise lines in addition to GCT.
Thanks

We've done Viking, but in Russia and China. I'd describe river cruising (in, I mean, a neutral way) as very high end bus tours. No bags in the hall at 7AM, but highly organized and regimented. We're glad we did those, but since you plan to rent a car, I think you'll find that part of the trip a much better dollar value, if lots of work to do the planning. See if you can find out which river ports won't be right downtown-we had a 30-minute subway ride to get free time downtown in the two big Russian cities. Also notice whether you have to group-bus back to the ship for lunch. That's a time-waster, but a comfort for cabin-attached travellers. There's no reason to be afraid of a restaurant vetted by a cruise line! Indeed, those were much faster than lunching on your own.

Rachel, I'm starting a 7-day Mosel/Rhine river cruise with AMA on Saturday and will try to report back through this thread. This happened because of an invitation, so I didn't specifically research/choose AMA or this itinerary, but I'm looking forward to it. We start in Luxembourg and finish in Amsterdam, so going downstream. I thought Nigel's point was interesting. We end in Amsterdam and are staying an extra week to go to Paris and Normandy.

Thanks again to all for the tips. I'll definitely look a bit more into shore activities as to convenience and structure (we're more flexible so might ditch the group at times). Also, Rick, please report back as I'd love to get a recent experience in the area you're traveling. Still planning so please send any and all suggestions, including any additional travel tips in Germany -- esp, must see and must avoid.... Rachel

We did the Basel-Amsterdam river cruise on AMA last December. Although great Christmas markets, it was unusually cold and not real good for tourist activities. I enjoyed the ship, but only 3-7 hours on land in most spots and hard to really immerse yourself. We drove into Basel from Munich with much time in the Black Forest section (just an hour drive north of Basel). We found Switz. expensive likely much cheaper to go into Germany from Basel and get a car and return to pick up bags or just take a cab there. One way rentals in Germany are not much extra, so can go to Frankfut or Munich with time to drive the countryside in Baveria. If leaving from Munich, you could drive to Austria as well - but as noted above, get a vingette at any gas station for Austria unless not going on the autobahns.

FWIW, when we were in Belgium and Germany in Summer, 2011, I found that the mainline car rental companies were much more expensive for pickup, say, in Frankfurt airport, return at Brussels airport. On the other hand, on a later trip, it was almost a given at Zurich airport that rental cars came with a vignette. When I asked in Zurich/Hertz about the "Green" sticker needed in a few dozen hipper small German cities, the agent didn't seem familiar with it, but he was adamant that "this car is ready to go anywhere in Germany." Note that the CDWs are absolutely punishing in Europe. I went with my "Primary" Continental Airlines Mastercard coverage, but took all-around photos before I turned the car in-and always parked at the far end of every lot! I also learned that even for a big rental company, the location-hours on the website are for outgoing rental counters. They are NOT for attended return queues. So my 8:30 PM return in Zurich was unattended, and I'm still waiting to see if they try to stick me with a phony damage/loss of use claim.

Here is link for one River cruise line but we haven't taken taken a cruise with them so can't vouch for how good they are. http://www.uniworld.com/

We did Avalon Rhine River Cruise in September, Amsterdam to Basel. It was incredible and would highly recommend it! We then took train from Basel to Germany where we picked up a rental car. Driving the countryside was an experience, specially with the fall colours and lush green countrysides - Although those country roads can at times be quite slow, between zig zags, small villages and farm traffic. So we would also use the autobahn for a share of "giddy up, gotta get going". Amazing trip, each and every day, hope all the best for your travels!

I finished my cruise with AMA and am on the train from Amsterdam to Paris, so just a quick reply... I thought AMA did a great job and would recommend them. Two separate travel agents we met on the cruise said AMA is the best line on the river. It is very organized and you're in towns for only a few hours at a time, but the ship docks in the heart of town. You can go on their local walking tours or do your own thing. You'll have more freedom for the driving part of the trip, but a 7-day cruise would be a great introduction and get you set for the rest of your trip.

We did a Viking river cruise last summer and were very happy. The food is good and the cabins were more spacious than anticipated. Good land tours included in the price and optional tours available as well. I think another time we do more of the optional tours, since all seemed to be well-done. Groups are broken into about 25 people. The staff was attentive but predominently eastern European and German. Of course, their language skills were above par. All meals were served on the ship, but there were two dining options for breakfast and lunch. Ship was usually close to town. Our travel style is still closer to Rick Steve's than river cruise as we like more interaction with the townspeople, eating in local restaurants and enough walking to account for our lack of willpower.

We did Amsterdam - Basel, plus the Mosel to Trier. Went with Jarry van Dyke (Google them). It is a Canadian company and most tourists are Canadian, not European, so may not be what you want. However, some points in their favour: 1. They cruise during the day - you can get off after dinner and stroll through the towns you stop at. 2. They take 14 days to do what some others do in 7, so you stop at more towns. 3. EVERYTHING is included - tips on board and on shore tours. Our bill when we disembarked was about 8 Euros for postage on post cards. We spent time after the cruise, but used the railway, not a car. We went on the William Tell Express from Lucerne to Lugano, then came back to Mainz where we spent the weekend befor flying home from Frankfurt. Hope this helps. PM me if I can give you more info