Relaxing On The Rhine

Gemma Hopkins, Senior Sales Consultant at our Felixstowe travel agents, sailed on board Brabant to experience a river cruise with Fred. Olsen River Cruises. Stops along the Rhine included Cologne, Cochem and Königswinter.

Destination: Rhine and Moselle River Cruise
Operator/Host: Fred. Olsen River Cruises
Airline: BA/Lufthansa
Accommodation
(Hotel names/Ship name): Brabant
Duration: 3 nights

Flights

I flew out of Heathrow with BA from Terminal 5 to Dusseldorf and the flight was very smooth and comfortable.

We flew home from Frankfurt with Lufthansa. Again, this was very comfortable and a light snack and drink were provided.

Accommodation

I was very surprised by Brabant. The ship is lovely and not as old as I imagined. She’s very comfortable and spacious, yet smaller than ships on the rivers, which allows her into small ports and cities.

My room was lovely and very spacious with tea and coffee facilities. There was lots of cupboard space and a lovely, large Juliette balcony.

All the communal areas were very tastefully decorated and spacious, too. The main restaurant accommodated all guests at once and was bright and airy with huge windows to take in the stunning views.

What Was Included?

We arrived in Cologne and had a guided tour of Cologne Cathedral. We also had some free time to visit the Lindt Chocolate factory and taste the local beer in a lovely, little bar overlooking the river.

In Königswinter, we ventured up a hillside by funicular train to Drachenfels to witness the stunning views of the River. Königswinter is a quaint, little town with lots of character.

In Cochem, we visited a local winery and tasted the wines; this was a lovely experience. Also, the day we were in Cochem, there was a local food and beer festival, which was great to experience.

We also stopped and tasted the local beer in a bar with stunning views of the town and river.

Trip Highlights

The whole experience was great; I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the trip. I enjoyed visiting the local towns along the river, tasting local wines and beers and watching the stunning scenery from the top deck of Brabant.

Recommendations

If you like a city break, river cruising is the perfect holiday. Waking up in a new city or town after a lovely night’s sleep and amazing food is fantastic. The whole trip was very relaxing, especially being able to watch the world go by from the comfort of a river cruise ship.

Must see? Cologne Cathedral
Must do? Train up to Drachenfels in Königswinter
Must try? Fresh pretzels

If you would like to learn more about our range of river cruises, speak to the team at your nearest branch. We have travel agents in Christchurch, Westbourne, Bournemouth, Lymington, Dorchester and throughout East Anglia.