Tour begins: 4:00 PM, Amsterdam. A transfer is included from Amsterdam's Schipol Airport or Centraal Station to your riverboat for the beginning of your cruise along the Rhine. Meet your riverboat crew for a welcome briefing, then we invite you to join us for a sea shanty performance followed by a welcome reception and dinner aboard the riverboat this evening.

Amsterdam, the remarkable capital of The Netherlands, is all about water; like Venice in Italy, it's dominated by a series of canals that link its many tiny islands. Known to the Dutch as grachten, the city's 17th-century canals fan out in crescent-shaped rings from the northern waterfront. Start your day with a unique view of the city on a canal boat cruise through these historic waterways with a local guide – the city's heart feels more like a village than the compact center of a cosmopolitan city. Aboard the canal boat, you'll glide beneath curved bridges carrying walkers and cyclists – as well as trams and cars – and past the narrow former homes of merchants who stored their goods on the upper floors. Along the way, see a host of 17th- and 18th-century structures, the 19th-century Centraal Station, the city flower market and more. Following the canal cruise, you'll make a visit to STRAAT—an inspiring museum showcasing vibrant street art and graffiti from talented artists around the world, offering a unique glimpse into urban creativity and contemporary expression. Rejoin your riverboat in Utrecht as she sets off along the Rhine, bound for Köln (Cologne), Germany; this afternoon, you'll have an opportunity to attend an ice cream social followed by Dutch clog-painting workshop.

Germany's fourth-largest city, historic Köln (also known as Cologne) was founded by the Romans in the 1st century AD; nearly destroyed by Allied bombing during World War II, modern Köln's unique mix of rebuilt, restored and new structures sprawls across both sides of the Rhine. After a full morning of cruising, arrive in Köln and begin your exploration with a guided walking tour of the city, dominated by the immense, twin-spired Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral), whose construction only took six hundred years! Completed in 1880, this Gothic "Dom" was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. Throughout your tour, your family will have the opportunity to partake in a virtual reality historical experience, transporting you back in time to see what life was like here during in the 1920s! This evening, head to Burg Satzvey, a moated castle in Germany's Rhineland region dating back to the 12th-century, for a rustic dinner in the castle's banquet hall that transports your family back to the Middle Ages for some medieval fun! Later, return to the ship and continue your cruise to Koblenz.

Awaken this morning in Koblenz, a beautiful city set at Deutsches Eck – the "German Corner" – where the Rhine and Moselle rivers meet. The city's roots go way back to the Middle Ages, when its prime location made it a powerful controller of trade along these important waterways. Today you can choose to join your local guide on an orientation tour and scavenger hunt through Koblenz's Altstadt (Old Town), a delightful mix of medieval town squares, tucked-away corners, medieval churches, baroque residences and wine taverns and a gondola ride. Or set off on a bicycling tour* up hills and through fields, forests and vineyards along the Rhine-Moselle (Rheinradweg) bicycle route. Bicycling is a countrywide passion in Germany, and the route's riverside trails take you through woods, meadows and Riesling winelands, offering views of passing pleasure boats and freighters on the river. Rejoin the riverboat for lunch and cruise the Middle Rhine – the historic legacy is rich and the scenery stunning, with castles and vineyards around many bends.

Arrive late morning in Mannheim before traveling to Heidelberg, Germany's oldest university town. As a major transport link across the heart of central Europe for centuries, the mighty Rhine River was a source of great riches for those who controlled the trade that plied its waters... and today, the cities, towns and castles along its banks remind us of that wealth and the power it created. You'll have a choice of excursion today. Visit the romantic ruins of Heidelberg Castle, perched high above the city of Heidelberg; you'll be awed by the castle's imposing ensemble of buildings from different centuries and architectural periods, radiating out from a central courtyard. Within its walls, you can feel the sweep of hundreds of years of history that was made here – and enjoy the sweeping views of the riverscapes from its terrace and gardens. Alternatively, visit Speyer, home to the largest Romanesque cathedral in the world, for a visit to the Technik Museum, introducing technological innovation from the underwater world to space. Cruise overnight to Strasbourg.

Today your riverboat calls on the historic city of Strasbourg, France, surrounded by the hills of southern Alsace. Renowned for its fairy-tale charm – and as the "Crossroads of Europe" for its role as home to the European Union – Strasbourg is the cultural capital of the French region of Alsace. Have some Franco-styled fun as your family becomes "French for a Day" in Strasbourg during a morning filled with learning French phrases and a chocolate tasting! You can return to the riverboat for lunch, or stay in Strasbourg and spend the afternoon exploring as you please. Among the treasures you'll see here are the medieval canals, watchtowers and half-timbered houses of La Petite France, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; stately city residences; the modern buildings of the European Parliament' and the 11th-century Gothic Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg. Tonight, join us for a farewell reception followed by dinner as your ships charts a course for your final destination - Basel.

Depart your riverboat this morning for Switzerland's Lake Lucerne region, where alpine meadows, forested slopes, and jagged peaks create a storybook backdrop. Local lore adds another layer to the day: some say Mt. Pilatus was named because the Roman governor Pontius Pilate was buried there, others because its silhouette resembles a reclining giant. Either way, the mountain has inspired legends for centuries. Ascend by gondola to its summit, where, weather permitting, sweeping views extend across lakes and snow-dusted ranges. Your descent follows a different path – aboard the world's steepest cogwheel railway, winding past wildflower meadows and tumbling streams. Returning to Lucerne, experience a Swiss folklore performance paired with a taste of cheese fondue before rejoining your riverboat in the historic city of Basel late afternoon. Lying at the center of the "Three Corners," where France, Germany and Switzerland meet at the Rhine, Basel's city skyline is dominated by Münster Cathedral. Join us this evening for a farewell reception and dinner – the end of a special family river cruise along the Rhine.

Tour ends: Basel. Fly home anytime. Upon disembarking the riverboat (no later than 9:00 AM), transfers are included to EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg or Basel's SBB train station; guests can also transfer to Zürich Airport or Zurich Hauptbahnhof (train station). Please allow 3 hours for flight check-in.