The Rhine River Escapade

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ITINERARY

The Gentleman.  Upon arrival, enjoy lunch onboard and your afternoon at leisure, getting settled in.  Enjoy the beautiful, mild summertime weather in Switzerland by taking a walk as we’re docked in the heart of the city. Later this evening, join your fellow travelers for a memorable sail away.

 Welcome Reception on deck, followed by an incredible culinary experience onboard.

Day 1: Embarkation Aboard The Gentleman

Friday, August 15, 2025 | Basel, Switzerland 5PM

Day 2:
Saturday, August 16, 2025 | Strasbourg, France
Upon arrival in Strasbourg, which has been controlled over the centuries by either France or Germany, the city—cross-cultural and bilingual—offers a delightful combination of old and new, and French and German characteristics.

Set off for the pier in downtown Strasbourg, where you will board a panoramic boat that will take you to the famous district of Petite France. Its canals, charming houses with colored, half-timbered walls, and narrow alleyways will enchant you. You will glide past the Tanners Quarter, the Covered Bridges (Ponts Couverts), and the Panoramic Terrace on the Vauban Dam. Our cruise will continue through the German Quarter. Following the French defeat in 1870, Germany planned to make Strasbourg the capital of the Reichsland or Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine. This district, referred to as the “new town”, represented a new form of urban planning, featuring wide roads, monumental administrative and cultural buildings, and luxurious private homes. Landscaping also played a crucial role in this impressive urban planning scheme. Then, you will get to see the European Parliament Building, completed in 1999, which was designed to host monthly sessions of the European Parliament. The architecture of the building is based on a combination of circles and ellipses, with the building laid out and organized into several identified areas. Finally, you’ll discover the Human Rights Building, which is where the European Court of Human Rights is located.

Day 3:
Sunday, August 17, 2025 | Heidelberg, Germany (Docking: Speyer)
Heidelberg is sometimes called the most romantic city in Germany. It is home to the nation’s oldest university, a charming baroque Old Town lying along the banks of the Neckar River, and extraordinarily beautiful castle ruins overlooking the town. Your tour will take you to the castle, with its views of the red-tile roofs of the town below, the handsome Old Bridge and the wooded hillsides beyond, and then into Old Town, where you will see the late-Gothic Holy Spirit Church, the Student Prison and the longest pedestrian street in Germany.

Day 4:
Monday, August 18, 2025 | Koblenz, Germany
This afternoon, we arrive at where the Rhine and Moselle rivers and three mountain ranges meet, Koblenz’s scenery is unmatched. Add to that the city’s 2,000-year-old history, hilltop fortress, and squares lined by classic Germanic architecture, and you will have a place ready-made for photos. Ambling along the town’s narrow lanes and river promenade, we’ll enjoy an afternoon “Weinstube” (wine tavern) tour for a sip (or few) of the Rhine River valley’s renowned Riesling, allowing time for independent exploration.

Day 5
Tuesday, August 19, 2025 | Bonn, Germany (Docking: Konigswinter)
Bonn, located at the heart of North Rhine-Westphalia, used to be the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany. Visit Beethoven Haus, Ludwig van Beethoven’s birthplace (December 1770), and enjoy a special performance that brings his legacy to life. 

Alternatively, we visit the UNESCO-listed Cologne Cathedral, which dominates the skyline here, its magnificent Gothic twin spires reaching toward the heavens. A visit to the cathedral this afternoon gives a glimpse of the gilded shrine, one of the largest in the world, believed to contain relics of the Three Kings, or as we commonly know them, the Three Wise Men. This evening, we prepare for our exquisite farewell reception aboard your private floating boutique hotel this evening followed by a very special farewell dinner.

Day 6: Disembarkation
Wednesday, August 20, 2025, | Dusseldorf, Germany
Following breakfast, we bid you farewell and provide airport transportation to the Dusseldorf (DUS) or Frankfurt (FRA) International Airports, with memories of a remarkable cruise. 

Navigational Itinerary:

DEPART 15-Aug-20

Day 1 - 15 -Aug Basel 5:00 PM

Day 2- 16-Aug Strasbourg 5:00 AM 7:30 PM

Day 3- 17-Aug Speyer (Heidelberg) 6:00 AM 10:00 PM

Day 4- 18-Aug Koblenz 4:30 PM Overnight

Day 5 -  19 Aug  Bonn (Konigswinter) 12:00 PM 6:00 PM 

Day 6- 20 Aug Dusseldorf 4:00 AM 

Terms & Conditions
PROGRAM COST EXCLUSIONS: Passport fees, visas, and visa photos as required; personal expenses such as full-service laundry, telephone calls, and meals other than specified; accident/sickness, trip cancellation insurance, and baggage insurance; optional sightseeing excursions; baggage charges on aircraft; local and international departure air/airport tax(es); airfare and associated local taxes, airport facility and security taxes and federal inspection fees not listed in the “Tour Cost Inclusions” section of the brochure; transfers and baggage handling to/from airport/hotel/ship on the day(s) of arrival and departure if you are arriving/ departing earlier or later than the scheduled programs dates: meals, alcoholic or other beverages, and all other services not explicitly mentioned in the “Tour Cost Inclusions” section. 

PROGRAM SIZE: The Gentleman can accommodate up to 172 passengers. 

PROGRAM COST INCLUSIONS: Five nights aboard The Gentleman; welcome and farewell receptions; all meals on board the ship as well as complimentary beverages as outlined in the INCLUSIONS section of this website; all activities as detailed in the itinerary; complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the cruise 

RESERVATIONS, DEPOSITS, & FINAL PAYMENT: When booking the cruise program, full payment is due at the time of booking. Credit cards (Mastercard, Visa, and Discover) will be accepted. Reservations are acknowledged in order of receipt until the maximum enrollment has been reached. 

CANCELLATIONS: Notification of cancellation must be received in writing (via email:Cruiseonly2@aol.com  Cancellations received from the time of booking up to and including the day of departure will result in full forfeiture of all monies paid. 

INSURANCE: We highly recommend the purchase of trip cancellation insurance to cover unexpected trip interruptions, cancellations, and lost baggage. The exclusion of pre-existing medical conditions is often waived if the insurance is purchased within 14 days of the initial deposit. Sunserve or Transcend Cruises, including their representatives, employees, and agents, will not bear responsibility for any costs, losses incurred or suffered by the guest, or guest’s dependents or traveling companions, with regards to, but not limited to, cancellation or curtailment of the tour, emergency evacuation expenses, medical expenses, repatriation expenses, damage/theft/loss of personal baggage, money, and goods. Nor do they accept liability for any airline cancellation penalty incurred by purchasing a non-refundable airline ticket or other expenses incurred by tour participants in preparing for the tour.
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AIR ARRANGEMENTS: Airfare is not included in the program’s cost. Transcend Cruises does not accept liability for any airline cancellation penalty incurred by purchasing a non-refundable airline ticket. The air ticket, when issued, shall constitute the sole contract between the passenger and the airline concerned. Your airline ticket constitutes a contract between you and the airline. 

WHAT TO EXPECT / PHYSICAL HEALTH: All participants must be generally healthy. Any condition that may require assistance or special medical attention must be reported at the time of your reservation. All programs require physical independence and mobility. Please report any physical or mental condition that requires special medical attention or physical assistance when you make your reservation. Travelers must be able to embark or disembark the ship and motor coaches alone or with minimal help from their traveling companion, climb stairs, and step over raised thresholds without assistance. Travelers requiring assistance must travel with a companion who will be responsible for handling equipment. Participants with heart or lung conditions may want to consult their physician before departure. Participants with medical issues and dietary restrictions must be made known to us well before departure, and impairments regarding mobility must be disclosed before booking. If you have any questions about this program’s activity level or your ability to participate, please email Cruiseonly2@aol.com for assistance. 

PREPARING FOR YOUR JOURNEY: You will receive comprehensive pre-departure travel information, including specific suggestions for packing. 

CHANGES IN ITINERARY, PROGRAM, STAFFING, AND COSTS: Transcend Cruises reserves the right to change the itinerary. We also reserve the right to change a program’s dates, staff, itineraries, or accommodations as conditions warrant. All prices quoted are based on prevailing fuel prices and currency exchange rates in effect as of July 2025 and are subject to change. 

RESPONSIBILITY: Transcend Cruises acts only as agents for the passenger concerning travel services. All passengers acknowledge that participation in the trip and its activities involves the risk of injury to their person and property. They voluntarily accept all risks of personal injury and property damage arising from their participation in the trip. As lawful consideration for being permitted to attend the trip and participate in these activities, the passengers at this moment release and discharge Transcend Cruises, their respective officers, directors, trustees, employees, governing board members, agents, and related entities from all claims and demands whatsoever that the passengers may hereafter have for injuries or part by the negligence or other wrongdoing of such organizations for their officers, directors, trustees, employees, governing board members, agents or related entities. Transcend Cruises and its employees, shareholders, subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, directors or trustees, successors, and assigns (collectively “Transcend”) are not liable for any negligent or willful act or failure to act of any such person or entity or any other third party. In addition and without limitation, Transcend Cruises is not responsible for any injury, loss, death, inconvenience, delay, or damage to person or property in connection with the provision of any goods or services whether resulting from, but not limited to, acts of God or force majeure, acts of government, acts of war or civil unrest, insurrection or revolt, bites from or attacks by animals, insects or pests, strikes or other labor activities, criminal or terrorist activities of any kind or the threat thereof, sickness, illness, epidemics or the threat thereof, the lack of availability of or access to medical attention or the quality thereof, overbooking or downgrading of accommodations, mechanical or other failures of airplanes, vessels, or other means of transportation, or for any failure of any transportation mechanism to arrive or depart timely or safely. If, due to weather, flight schedules, or other uncontrollable factors, you are required to spend an additional night(s), you will be responsible for your hotel, transfers, and meal costs. Baggage is entirely at the owner’s risk. The right is reserved to decline to accept as a trip participant, or remove from a trip, without refund, any person Transcend Cruises judges to be incapable of meeting the rigors and requirements of participating in the activities or who is abusive to other trip participants, leaders or third parties, or who Transcend Cruises determines to detract from the enjoyment of the trip by others. Transcend Cruises reserves the right to change the itinerary or trip features at any time and for any reason, with or without notice. Transcend Cruises shall not be liable for any loss because of such changes. Ship schedules, port calls, hours of arrival and departure, sightseeing events, special programs, and guest lecture series (if applicable) are subject to change or cancellation. Transcend Cruises reserves the right to substitute motor coach transportation using hotels, inns, or lodges for cruise accommodations if necessary due to weather, water conditions or levels, other events of force majeure, mechanical, or other conditions beyond the control of Transcend Cruises. Therefore, Transcend Cruises is not responsible and is not required to compensate passengers under these circumstances. Transcend Cruises may cancel a trip (or an option) for any reason whatsoever; if so, its sole responsibility is to refund monies paid by the participant to it. Transcend Cruises, however, is not required under these circumstances to refund the cost of any purchased travel insurance. Transcend Cruises is not necessary to cancel any trip for any reason, including, without limitation, the United States Department of State, World Health Organization, or other Warnings or Advisories. Transcend Cruises is not responsible for penalties assessed by air carriers resulting from operational and itinerary changes. Transcend Cruises reserves the right to substitute vessels, hotels, or attractions of a similar category for those listed in this brochure. Occasionally, issues arise in various regions of the world that lead some groups and individuals to call for travel boycotts or other political action. 
PERSONAL INFORMATION: All personally identifiable information tour participants provide is strictly confidential. Personal information is not shared with third parties or made publicly available except under the following circumstances: Name, home city, and email address be included in the tour participant list that is distributed to tour staff and participants before departure; relevant information provided by tour participants to Transcend Cruises and is shared with the agents providing tour services in the destination. Per the contractual agreement, the tour operator and its agents are prohibited from sharing or selling this information to other parties. *Please let us know if you would like to opt out of sharing your email address on the tour participant list. 

APPEARING IN PHOTOS: Photos taken while traveling with Transcend Cruises may be posted on photo-sharing websites or social networking sites. Your likeness may appear in photos or videos posted by Transcend Cruises or other travelers, and the materials could be circulated worldwide. You may also choose a trip photo to appear in future promotions; we will try to notify the traveler in advance, but no compensation is available for appearing in a trip photo used for promotional purposes. 

DISCLAIMER: Every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information presented in this publication. Transcend Cruises is not responsible for errors or damages resulting from using the information contained herein. Information contained in this brochure is subject to change. Take a break from your regular routine and indulge in a luxury cruise experience with Gay Vacation Travel. Our cruises offer a perfect blend of relaxation, adventure, and entertainment. We offer exclusive packages that cater to your preferences, whether you want to explore exotic destinations or enjoy the ultimate pampering experience on board. Our team of experts takes care of every detail, so you can have a hassle-free journey. Book now and embark on an unforgettable adventure with us!