River levels meant that having joined our ship in Boppard we would have missed the most scenic part of the Rhine. We loaded onto buses and enjoyed the view as we worked our way back up the Rhine to the KD dock at Rudesheim. Here the passengers from our ship (63) joined the scheduled run downriver to St Goar. We enjoyed seeing the scenic vistas, vineyards, towns, and castles. The bus picked us up and took us to Koblenz where we rejoined the ship for lunch and an afternoon/evening of exploration. A walking tour was offered and some passengers chose to go to Marksburg Castle instead. I went on the walking tour and then rode the gondolas up to the fort for the view.
We sailed on after dinner and woke up in Cologne. Another walking tour with a local guide was extremely well done and we explored the old town and Cathedral area of Cologne. There was a few hours of free time for independent exploration as well. The ship then set sail for our longest and final cruise from Cologne to Amsterdam. We left around two in the afternoon and then continued to cruise through the night and through the next day as well.
I loved sitting up on the sun deck and watching the scenery glide by. It is amazingly relaxing. When I woke up this morning we were about an hour from Amsterdam and the scenery unfolded as a tamed river was framed by rows of tress and bike paths.
One plus of a river cruise is docking at the center area of a city. Koblenz was just a few moments walk from the German Corner. Cologne was 10 minutes to the Cathedral and Amsterdam was 4 minutes from the Centraal Station.
In Amsterdam the day started with a drizzle and gray. I even had to wear a light jacket. Such a contrast to the first few scorching days of our trip. The bus tour through Amsterdam to a windmill and then a one hour canal cruise made for a perfect way to start in this weather. I grabbed lunch and then walked over to Centraal Station to catch a tram to the Rijksmuseum. I enjoyed exploring the museum at a pretty relaxed pace and then came back to the ship for a rest.
Tomorrow morning our cruise ends. Some of our group (including myself) have a three night extension tour to Bremen and Hamburg. Others have a 4 night extension tour Bruges and Paris. A final group will either be going home or continuing their travels independently.
I’ve enjoyed my trip, particularly the 4 nights we were actually able to cruise. That said, I think the company did their best to provide a quality alternative experience due to low water. It is just that one really doesn’t substitute on an equal basis for the other.