A Tale of Two Rivers

Gillian Thornton

Gillian Thornton makes a welcome return to Germany with Riviera Travel

When the world has so many beautiful rivers to explore, why would you want to cruise the same one twice? Simple. Travelling the same river doesn’t have to mean following the same itinerary, and if you have enjoyed the experience once, chances are you will do so again. Port stops, tours, and cruise length all vary according to the tour operator and time of year, so I was looking forward to revisiting the Rhine and Moselle through northern Germany.

Last time I had begun in Basel and sailed north via Strasbourg to Cologne. This time, my husband and I would start and finish in Cologne on a seven-night holiday with Riviera Travel. Having already enjoyed a number of Riviera’s excellent land tours from Sicily to Seville, St Petersburg to Petra, this was to be our first experience of the company’s impressive river cruise portfolio. For John, it was the first time on the German rivers; for me, a welcome return to some postcard-pretty villages and river views, but also visiting two destinations that were new to me.

Life on board  

After the short flight to Düsseldorf from London Heathrow – other regional airports and Eurostar options available – we travelled by coach to Cologne to join the Emily Brontë, which carries up to 176 passengers across three decks. Our suite on Diamond Deck offered high-level views of the river through full-length sliding windows plus ample storage space, a very efficient shower, coffee maker, and small fridge.

The ship’s attractive lounge and bar area offer good views from every seat, as does the main restaurant. Breakfast and lunch are a combination of self-service buffet and hot dishes to order, whilst dinner is à la carte. We also enjoyed the cosy Riverview Bistro at the back of the ship that offers a set menu of speciality burgers and other classics at lunchtime, a fixed grill-style menu in the evening for no extra charge. First come, first served at lunchtime, but dinner booking essential. Enjoy to the max by eating here when Emily Brontë is cruising rather than moored in port, as we did on the idyllic leg along the Moselle from Bernkastel-Kues.

If you are unlucky enough to suffer from food allergies, likely culprits are efficiently flagged up on every dish via a simple numerical system that includes cereals, dairy, nuts and many more. Each meal also has vegetarian and vegan options, whilst at least one dish at every meal has a local flavour. We were impressed by the consistently high standard of both presentation and flavour, and we also welcomed Riviera’s policy, introduced on all river cruises this year, of a free Premium Drinks package for every guest.

Evening entertainment proved low key and optional. A trio of German musicians with a comedy element, a couple of quiz evenings, and – best of all – a presentation and tasting in Cologne by the Lindt Chocolate Museum. But sometimes it was just nice to watch the sun go down over a drink on deck.

If you are new to river cruising – as many passengers were – remember that just as ocean cruises can be affected by wind or high seas, so river cruises occasionally fall victim to too much water, too little water, or too many boats. But we were impressed at how swiftly the Riviera team rejigged our programme to make sure nobody missed visiting beautiful Trier when we were delayed by traffic through a lock.

Meandering down the Moselle

After cruising overnight from Cologne along the Rhine, the Emily Brontë turned south at Koblenz to follow the narrower Moselle river. Most days involved a few hours of cruising, when you could relax on the sun deck or boost the daily step count with a few laps whilst taking in the ever-changing scenery. 

River cruises rarely offer high levels of activity but we were also able to enjoy pre-breakfast or post-dinner walks when the ship moored overnight. And if you are really determined to stay in peak condition, just head to the small fitness room. I can certainly recommend treating yourself to a relaxing massage afterwards with treatments competitively priced from 35 euros!

Included in Riviera’s cruise package is an optional small-group walking tour with local guides at each port – including one geared to slower-paced guests – or you can explore independently with the help of their excellent port maps. A concertina-style river map in each cabin also enabled us to identify every village and castle from the comfort of our suite or from the sun deck.   

The Moselle itinerary included stops in the wine villages of Cochem and Bernkastel, both renowned for their traditional half-timbered houses and quality wines. But for me the knock-out visit was Trier with its colourful Baroque facades, monumental Roman gateway, and the cavernous Throne Room built for Emperor Constantine around 320AD, the world’s largest undivided room still existing from Antiquity.   

Turn right at the Rhine

Anything you miss seeing on the way down the Moselle, you can catch on the return leg before rejoining the Rhine in Koblenz. Here we took the optional tour round the Old Town but also had time to ride the cable car to the lofty fortress for views over the confluence of the rivers (14 euros return).

After a morning in Koblenz, gateway to the UNESCO-listed Middle Rhine Gorge, we arrived late afternoon in Boppard, situated on a tight bend in the river. Stroll the flower-bedecked promenade, visit the Romanesque church of St Severus, and walk amongst remains of the Roman city walls.   

Next morning, we cruised through the famous gorge that boasts a castle at every turn as well as the legendary Lorelei rock, which – I have to admit – I found equally underwhelming second time round. Really just a cliff with a story attached! But the scenery is glorious and a highlight of any Rhine cruise.

Furthest point south for us was Rudesheim at the end of the Gorge, packed with places to eat, drink and buy souvenirs, in particular painted wooden Christmas decorations from Käthe Wohlfahrt. Maybe visit the museum of mechanical musical instruments or glide over the vineyards with a 45-minute round trip by chairlift to the Niederwald monument to the founding of the German Empire. I also discovered the remains of the Hindenburg Bridge, close to our mooring on the edge of town. Built in 1915, this was the second longest bridge across the Rhine at almost 1,000 metres, but destroyed in 1945 to slow the Allied advance.

Leaving Rudesheim in the early hours, we returned to Cologne in time for lunch and an afternoon visit to the Old Town and soaring Gothic cathedral, Germany’s most visited tourist attraction. It had been a great week of old favourites and new discoveries, great food and good company.  So, be honest, who wouldn’t want to do that again?

Next steps

To plan and book your Riviera Travel River cruise on the Rhine or many other rivers across Europe, call Silver Travel Advisor on 0800 412 5678.

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Gillian Thornton

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