Depart the USA on an overnight flight to Europe to Amsterdam.

Join your guide for a scenic walk to the canal boat boarding point, then enjoy a relaxing canal cruise through Amsterdam with informative commentary. After the tour, the guide accompanies you back to the ship, completing this charming exploration of the city.

Enjoy a scenic coach ride to Königswinter, then take the Drachenfelsbahn rack railway up to Drachenburg Palace. Explore the stunning castle at your leisure, taking in its architecture, gardens, and panoramic views of the Rhine Valley before returning to Cologne.

Explore the charming town of Rudesheim, with its cobbled Drosselgasse, scenic vineyards, and panoramic views from the Niederwald Monument. In Coblenz, admire the iconic Deutsches Eck, visit the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, and enjoy a stroll along the elegant Rhine Promenade, taking in the city’s historic charm.

Welcome to Spyer, a city in Germany known for the regal Cathedral, the burial place for many German emperors and kings. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the impressive Romanesque architecture and sacred artworks. Explore the City Hall, located right across from the notable Jewish Bath and learn about Speyer's rich Jewish heritage. Wander through the Police Courtyard framed by Renaissance and Baroque buildings. Finish the tour in front of Speyer's Baroque Gem, the Holy Trinity Church. It's a city landmark that houses a grand pipe organ, still in use for concerts and religious services. Return to Century Star and sail to the charming city of Mannheim, known as “City of Squares” because of its grid layout, unlike the meandering streets seen across Germany. Its birthplace is the famous Karl Benz, the father of the automobile. Stop at Mannheim’s cultural hub, the Rosengarten, a central meeting point for art, music, and global events. Admire daily life as you pass through the heart of Mannheim: the bustling Marktplatz, the beloved Konditorei & Café Herrdegen with its tempting displays. Gaze at the renowned Reiss-Engelhorn Museum and the vibrant Paradeplatz. Explore the Jesuitenkirche (Jesuit Church), built in the 18th century and part of a former Jesuit college. Stroll across a charming Schiller Square. Discover the historic Lanz House (Lanzhaus). Return to the Century Star vessel.

Explore the civic heart of Europe, Strasbourg. Having been switched between French and German control ten times, today it's home to the European Parliament. Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Strasbourg Cathedral (Notre-Dame), which was once the world's tallest building from 1647 to 1874. Its astronomical clock is an engineering marvel even today. It shows the solar time, lunar phases, planetary positions, and even the ecclesiastical calendar. Check the mechanical procession at 12.30 pm when figures of the apostles parade before Christ. Soak up the local atmosphere of Strasbourg at the Place de l’étoile, named for its star-shaped layout. The square features elegant buildings dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. Here is a perfect place for a cup of coffee and a piece of Kougelhopf, a yeasted cake from the Austro-Hungarian Empire that is still available today.

Welcome to the city of Basilia, as it was known during the Roman Empire. Or Basel as it's known today. It's a modern and dynamic city twined with zestful Shanghai. Both cities blend iconic architecture with contemporary, cutting-edge design. While Basel is known for world-class landmarks, Shanghai is famous for its futuristic skyline. Both cities are shaped by major rivers: Basel by the Rhine, a key European trade and cruise route. And Shanghai is by the Yangtze River, a cradle of Chinese history. Basel and Shanghai sister-city partnership is both fated and telling. It's only fitting to start an 8-day Rhine Cruise from Basel aboard the Century Star, whose ancestry comes from Shanghai on the banks of the Yangtze River.

Enjoy an elegant introduction to Basel, a city where history, culture and contemporary life blend effortlessly. This guided tour takes you through the beautifully preserved Old Town, with its cobbled streets, refined architecture and picturesque squares. Admire iconic landmarks including Basel Minster, the richly decorated Town Hall and the serene Rhine River. Along the way, discover Basel’s role as a cultural crossroads at the meeting point of Switzerland, France and Germany, and its long-standing reputation as a centre of art and intellectual life.