Munich / Oberammergau → Amsterdam
8 Days
Every ten years ending in zero, history takes place in the small town of Oberammergau, Germany. Surrounded by the majestic peaks of the Bavarian Alps, people from all over the world gather in the charming village for one purpose: to witness the town’s residents fulfill a promise made to God almost four centuries ago.
On a stage set against a backdrop of the breathtaking vistas, the villagers perform one of the most unique Passion Plays in the world by incorporating the Life, Death and Resurrection of
Jesus Christ with their own tragic story. Discover for yourself how this memorable dramatic experience inspires passion, a renewed faith and hope in all who encounter the production of the Oberammergau Passion Play.
Shortly after arrival at Munich International Airport, you’ll proceed through customs and immigration before departing the secure area. An airport travel staff will greet you and direct you to your deluxe motorcoach for transportation to your hotel in the vicinity of Oberammergau. For your convenience, the motorcoach you board at the airport will be your designated form of transportation; this allows you to safely store larger luggage pieces you may wish to keep separate from your pre-cruise extension. An English-speaking travel director will accompany you over the next three days of your pre-cruise excursion.
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at your hotel before boarding your shuttle to the Village of Oberammergau. The twenty-minute ride through the scenic Bavarian Alps gives you a glimpse of the captivating mountains surrounding you during your pre-cruise extension. In the distance, set amid the spectacular vistas, you might get a peek at the Zugspitze, Germany’s tallest range, standing at 2,962 meters above sea level. The countryside awards you with sloping hillsides dotted with the centuries old church steeples, farm houses and villages that have survived through the generations. After arriving at the drop-off point near the Passion Play Theatre, your travel director will guide you on a short walk through the town and assist with the check-in process as well all other details surrounding the performance. At the conclusion of the sixth act the performance will break for dinner, allowing plenty of time to dine and refresh before the second half of the play resumes. Your travel director will meet you at the conclusion of the performance to escort you to the shuttle for the short drive back to your hotel.
After breakfast, prepare to board your deluxe motorcoach for a memorable ride to Basel, Switzerland. Along the journey from the Bavarian Alps to your final destination at the AMADEUS river ship port, you will be treated to a diversity of landscape and culture. With every turn of the road, expect enchanting sights and stunning discoveries. Lofty peaks tower over gentle mountain
passes, revealing natural alpine forests and valleys populated with charming villages and towns. Travel past the stunning lakes of the Alpine Uplands, where castles generously cover the emerald slopes of the hilly terrain.
During the drive, your driver will make two-to-three strategic stops in scenic destinations, giving you the opportunity to stretch your legs, take a moment to refresh and purchase food and/or beverage items, and maybe take a photo or two of the stunning panoramas surrounding you. Throughout Northern Switzerland the countryside transforms from charming villages bursting with baroque architecture to sprawling metropolises and urban streets brimming with contemporary buildings and thriving industry before once again fading back to the romanticism of the small villages dotting the Rhine valley. Your arrival into Switzerland’s third largest city delivers you to the city of Basel in time for your scheduled embarkation at 16:00 hours. As you travel through the city streets enjoy glimpses of a civilization that embraces history, art and architecture. In the historic old town, centuries old buildings line narrow streets and hidden squares, and the bright red sandstone façade of the City Hall Tower draws your attention and captivates your interest. As your motorcoach approaches the Rhine River, you will pass contemporary buildings considered to be masterpieces of the modern world, designed by world-renown architects that have that created award-winning structures.
After embarking, you can explore your AMADEUS ship and meet the cruise director on board at the Welcome Cocktail event. Your floating hotel departs for Strasbourg shortly before the Welcome Dinner on board.
During the night, your ship left Switzerland and followed the Rhine into the Alsace region in the south of France. During breakfast, arrive in Strasbourg — a city known not only for its romantic old town, but also for the numerous important European institutions housed there.
In the morning, explore the city independently, or as part of an organized tour. A detour to the countryside is highly recommended, particularly along the famous wine route, where the quaint wine-growing villages will delight wine-lovers and the general public alike. Late tonight, your ship departs for Germany.
Before breakfast, arrive in the Rhineland-Palatinate town of Speyer, which played an important role in the Holy Roman Empire during the Middle Ages. Your ship remains here until lunchtime, offering time to explore this historic destination.
Your trip continues for roughly 25 kilometers towards Mannheim, our next stop along the picturesque Rhine for the remainder of the day. This young city is best explored with an extended walk, or alternatively you can take a trip to the nearby city of Heidelberg, which boasts a beautiful Baroque old town. Late at night, your ship continues in the direction of Rüdesheim.
Two charming stops await you today. In the morning, arrive in Rüdesheim, a town well known for its winemaking, especially Riesling wines. Nearby, Siegfried‘s Mechanical Music Cabinet with its historic automated musical instruments is a delight.
Your AMADEUS ship will depart punctually at lunchtime to cruise the most beautiful section of the river — the legendary Upper Middle Rhine Valley. The view from the Sun Deck of the myth-enshrouded Lorelei Rock is sure to be a highlight of your cruise. Shortly thereafter, we arrive in Koblenz, one of Germany’s oldest and most beautiful towns, where you can end the day with a leisurely stroll through the city. In the evening, the captain invites you to a festive Gala Dinner, full of wonderful regional dishes.
The vessel departs Koblenz in the early hours, and makes a detour along the Mosel River to the most romantic part of the valley and the little town of Cochem.
The magnificent Reichsburg castle is situated high above the town, dominating the landscape. Down below, the village with its narrow streets, half timbered houses, and numerous restaurants are an ideal setting to taste the wines of the region. Back on board dinner is served as the journey continues to Cologne.
The morning is dedicated to the fascinating city of Cologne, which has over a million inhabitants. You can expect a young, vibrant metropolis with a rich cultural history and many world-famous sights, in particular the Cologne Cathedral.
A city tour here is a must for everyone with a cultural bent. After lunch, your floating hotel departs from Cologne.
By breakfast time you will have crossed yet another country border to arrive in the capital city of the Netherlands.
Explore the city with a guided tour or visit the nearby city of Haarlem. In the afternoon you can decide between two optional excursions: Discover the picturesque village of Volendam by an overland trip to the north of Holland or visit the Floriade, an international exhibition and garden festival, held every 10 years in the Netherlands.
After breakfast we bid you farewell. We hope to welcome you again soon!
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Services included during your cruise:
Services included in your two-night Pre-Cruise Package:
Cruise your way and choose from a carefully curated selection of immersive and inspiring excursions and adventures! Select one of our packages offered at a discounted rate when purchased in advance or book individual shore excursions at regular rates on board your cruise.
Enjoy the flexibility to choose any shore excursion of the ones listed below for a discounted rate when purchased in advance.
When booking our new ALL-IN excursion package prior to departure we offer you maximum flexibility at a great value. Create your personalized shore excursion program by choosing your favorite tours from our list of exciting options in each port.
Enjoy a package of 6 pre-selected excursions for a discounted rate when purchased in advance:
Additional shore excursions can be purchased onboard at the below rate.
Cruise Munich / Oberammergau - Amsterdam | Unit Price |
---|---|
Strasbourg with canal boat tour | $ 72.00 |
The romantic landscape of the Alsace & its wines | $ 75.00 |
Speyer walking tour with visit to the Imperial Dome | $ 28.00 |
Heidelberg with visit to the castle | $ 62.00 |
Rüdesheim walking tour with Music Cabinet Museum | $ 32.00 |
OR Visit to a vineyard with tasting & Drosselgasse in Rüdesheim | $ 47.00 |
Koblenz walking tour with Ehrenbreitschein Fortress | $ 50.00 |
Cochem walking tour with visit to the Reichsburg | $ 42.00 |
Cologne – historic capital of the Rhineland with Kölsch tasting | $ 41.00 |
Visit to the Chocolate Museum (Cologne) | $ 32.00 |
Amsterdam with canal trip and flower market | $ 64.00 |
OR Haarlem - art, history and Dutch lifestyle | $ 43.00 |
Holland waterland with Volendam, Edam and cheese tasting | $ 54.00 |
OR Visit to the Floriade Garden show | $ 103.00 |
Prices per person if excursions are purchased on board.
The small village of Oberammergau is one of the most scenic destinations in the Ammergau area of the Bavarian Alps. Located approximately ninety minutes from Munich, Oberammergau is easy to get to but a world away from the bustle of big-city-life. With slightly over 5,200 inhabitants the town is dedicated to its history and tradition, and while Passion Plays are performed throughout several other Christian parts of the world, Oberammergau is unique for its Thanksgiving to God. Every ten years the humble little town transforms itself to accept over a half-million visitors from all over the world, just as the performers endeavor to transform the lives of their audience by inspiring hope, love, and faith.
Mix together the passion of the people set against the dramatic setting of some of Germany’s highest peaks and it creates an atmosphere unlike any event in the world. From your assigned seat watch the production take place on the open-air stage of the Passion Play Theatre. The five-hour performance is broken down into twelve different acts, with a break for dinner between scenes six and seven. The story portrays the final days of Jesus of Nazareth, from His arrival in Jerusalem on a donkey to His death on the cross and His miraculous resurrection, all while weaving in the tragic tale of how the plague was brought to Oberammergau throughout the acts. A hundred-person choir and a fifty-five instrumentalist orchestra accompany the dedicated ensemble to create a once-in-a- lifetime experience. The Passion Play is performed in the German Language however textbooks are provided in English to follow along easily.
You're in good hands with us from the start: Let us book you a transfer from the airport or train station to the ship port and back. The following prices apply per person per transfer.
AMSTERDAM (NL)
Airport – Port $ 57
Airport - City Center $ 57
Train station – Port $ 48