Cruise the Main and Rhine Rivers
Aboard River Cloud II
Launched by the owners
of the legendary Sea Cloud,
the five-star River Cloud II is regarded as one of the finest
river vessels in Europe, combining nostalgic luxury with
state-of-the-art marine technology to create an elegant
and intimate cruising experience. The river yacht is meticulously
designed with a 1930s Mediterranean ambience,
light woods and warm colors.
The 44 outside cabins
each feature a large double or two twin beds, individually
adjustable air-conditioning, mini-bar, TV/video, personal
safe, cozy robes, fresh flowers, and private bathroom (with
shower), appointed in marble with brass and gold fixtures.
Cabin Deck staterooms feature brass-rimmed portholes,
and Promenade Deck staterooms feature panoramic
arched windows.
The public areas include a spacious
lounge, paneled mahogany library, a large sun deck with
teak deck chairs and bar, a sauna/fitness area, hair salon,
and a dining room that accommodates all guests in a
single, unassigned seating. Refined Italian-influenced cuisine
is prepared by outstanding European chefs, with local
ingredients fresh from the market, and a fine selection of
wines from regional vintages is included with lunches and
dinners on board.
Our Experts
William Whobrey
An expert in
Medieval Studies,
William Whobrey
earned his PhD at
Stanford University
in 1991 and joined
the Yale faculty in
1994. He has done extensive research
in Germany and other parts
of Europe, with special emphasis
on medieval German literature and
the history of monastic libraries
and their manuscripts. He has
taught numerous courses at Yale
on the history of Germanic languages,
Old Norse sagas, and
various medieval German texts
such as the Nibelungenlied. He is
a popular teacher with a reputation
for vigorous classroom discussions
and challenging seminar topics.
Along with his teaching and departmental
role as Director of
Undergraduate Studies, he is also
an Assistant Dean of Yale College
and Dean of Yale’s Summer
Session and Special Programs.
G. Robert Hamrdla
G. Robert Hamrdla
has been teaching
German and Central
European history
at Stanford since
1972, first in
German Studies,
International Relations and now
in Continuing Studies. Fluent in
German and a specialist on Central
Europe and Nazi Germany, as well
as the former German Democratic
Republic, Bob has introduced
thousands of Stanford students
and alumni to Central and Eastern
Europe. He has visited these areas
—in particular eastern Germany—
virtually every year for the past 50
years, and his unfettered enthusiasm
for the region is infectious.
A former assistant to the president
of Stanford and secretary to the
board of trustees, Bob also served
as the director of Stanford’s
Overseas Study Centers in
Beutelsbach, Berlin and Kraków.
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A Journey for the Ages
Escape to some of the most romantic and historically significant locales in Europe, including a relaxing cruise aboard the elegant River Cloud II. Spend days taking in breathtaking scenery along the banks of the Main and Rhine rivers, stopping en route to sample excellent local wines, enjoy a private concert, feast your eyes upon an original Gutenberg bible, and much, much more. Finish in the City of Light, and tally six UNESCO World Heritage Sites along the way.
Highlights
- Experience the elegant atmosphere
of the 88-passenger River Cloud II.
Enjoy its impeccable service and
excellent cuisine as you glide past
grand cathedrals, medieval
monasteries, castles and vineyards.
- Delight in specially arranged
private concerts and events,
including a welcome evening at an
ancestral palace near Prague.
- Sample the diverse foods and
wines of Bohemia, Bavaria, Alsace,
and Paris during meals and private
tastings ashore.
- Explore the more recent past
with visits to the courthouse in
Nuremberg, site of the war crimes
trials, and the European
Parliament in Strasbourg.
Itinerary
U.S. / Prague, Czech Republic — September 27-28
Depart the U.S. on overnight flights to
Prague, capital of the Czech Republic.
Transfers to the hotel are included for
all participants arriving on Wednesday.
(meals aloft)
Prague — September 29
The Velvet Revolution of 1989 brought new
life to Prague, emerging from almost fifty
years behind the Iron Curtain to dazzle
the world with its beautifully preserved
historic center. After a morning orientation,
discover the fairytale setting of
Prague’s Old Town, a UNESCO World
Heritage Site, during a guided walking
tour. Spared the ravages of war,
this historic quarter showcases
six centuries of architectural
styles lining its cobbled streets.
Continue to the former Jewish
quarter, which preserves
the oldest synagogue
in Europe and the
evocative Old Jewish
Cemetery. Enjoy time at leisure for lunch on your
own and further independent explorations.
Gather this evening for a private
welcome gala at Nelahozeves Castle, a
lovely ancestral palace just north of the
city.
Marriott Hotel (B,D)
Prague — September 30
This morning explore the ancient Prague
Castle complex, which dominates a
hilltop on the left bank of the Vltava River
and offers lovely views over the “City
of a Hundred Spires.” Prague Castle
emerged as the royal residence in the
ninth century, and today comprises a
rich variety of churches, gates, chapels,
palace halls and towers from every
period of its history, including the
Gothic St. Vitus Cathedral, built over
a 600-year period, and the Old Royal
Palace, with its beautiful late-Gothic
Vladislav Hall. After lunch, stop for a
private briefing at the U.S. Embassy
before the remainder of the afternoon
and evening at leisure, with dinner
on your own. You may wish to take
advantage of the rich classical music
offerings and world-class art
museums and galleries, or
stroll more of the city’s
lovely historic streets.
Marriott Hotel (B,L)
Prague / Nuremberg, Germany
(Embark) — October 1
Depart Prague this morning, and drive
through scenic countryside and across
the German border to Nuremberg. After
a typical Bavarian lunch, visit the Third
Reich parade grounds, and, by special
arrangement, tour the courthouse, site of
the Nuremberg trials. Embark on River
Cloud II and depart Nuremberg this
evening, transiting the Main-Danube
Canal, an engineering triumph originally
conceived by Charlemagne in the 8th
century and completed in 1992, allowing
river traffic all the way from the North
Sea to the Black Sea.
River Cloud II (B,L,D)
Bamberg — October 2
Arrive this morning in Bamberg, founded
in 902 and featuring a beautifully preserved
Old Town. Bamberg is also the
site of the only papal grave north of the
Alps, and is situated on seven hills, with
a network of canals winding their way
around splendid baroque buildings. Enjoy
a walking tour and private string quartet
concert, then return to the River Cloud II
for an afternoon cruising the Main River.
River Cloud II (B,L,D)
Würzburg — October 3
One of the most magnificent Baroque
buildings in southern Germany rises high
above the Main—the Würzburg Residenz
Palace. It was fully renovated in the 16th
century, when the medieval castle was
converted into a magnificent palace with
Baroque gardens, five grand halls, 300
bedrooms, a mirrored gallery, and an
enormous (and recently restored) ceiling
painting by Tiepolo. After lunch on board, enjoy a children’s choir concert and
visit the hilltop fortress of Marienberg,
surrounded by vineyards. Return to the
Residenz for a private tasting of
Franconian wines in its historic cellar.
River Cloud II (B,L,D)
Miltenberg — October 4
The River Cloud II calls this morning at
Miltenberg, along Bavaria’s famous
Romantic Road which runs through the
medieval heart of Germany. Miltenberg’s
strategic location on the Main River
allowed it to develop into an important
trading center. The Romans defended
their border walls, the Limes, here. Enjoy
a walking tour among the picturesque
timberwork houses of this Bavarian
village, then continue to Amorbach for a
concert on the famous Baroque organ,
which takes up the whole width of the
nave. Return to the vessel for lunch,
then enjoy a full afternoon at leisure in
Miltenberg. Cruise overnight to Mainz,
at the confluence of the Main and Rhine
rivers.
River Cloud II (B,L,D)
Mainz / Rüdesheim — October 5
Arriving in Mainz, visit the Gutenberg
Museum, honoring the inventor of the
printing press. The museum is housed in
a reconstruction of his 15th century workshop,
and features a number of priceless
early books, including the Gutenberg
Bible. At the gothic St. Stephen’s Church,
view the evocative stained-glass windows
by Marc Chagall, made to replace the
originals which were destroyed in World
War II. After lunch at a local restaurant,
drive through the Rheingau wine-growing
region and enjoy a private tasting of
Rhine Valley wines in the grand rooms of
the Eberbach Monastery, where scenes
from The Name of the Rose were filmed.
Return to the River Cloud II in Rüdesheim
late this afternoon.
River Cloud II (B,L,D)
Heidelberg / Speyer— October 6
Heidelberg conjures up images of the
world-famous castle ruins and Germany’s
oldest university. The city has been home
to a number of great poets and academics.
Learn about the city’s heritage on a guided
walking tour. Continuing this afternoon
to Speyer, visit the world-famous Romanesque
cathedral, with the largest crypt
in Germany. Built in the 11th century as
a tomb, a Christmas sermon here led to
the Second Crusade, and it was in Speyer
that Richard the Lionheart was handed
over to Henry VI.
River Cloud II (B,L,D)
Strasbourg, France — October 7
In the heart of Alsace, Strasbourg was
built at the intersection of various Roman
roads, and today features an atmospheric
old town, protected by UNESCO, with
16th-century half-timbered houses and
a gothic cathedral built of red sandstone.
Explore the city by coach and on foot,
then journey by boat through the canals
of “Petite France,” as the former tanners’
and fishmongers’ districts are known.
After an Alsatian lunch ashore, enjoy a
behind-the-scenes visit to the European
Parliament and a lively panel discussion
on European affairs with local leaders.
River Cloud II (B,L,D)
Strasbourg / Paris — October 8
Bid farewell to Strasbourg and board the
TGV (high-speed train) for Paris. After a
light lunch at a local bistro, enjoy a brief
coach tour of the city, followed by a
walking tour around the Île de la Cité and
Île St-Louis, including visits inside the
glorious Notre Dame Cathedral and the
exquisite Ste-Chapelle. Then check into
the comfortable, centrally located Hotel
du Louvre and take advantage of an
evening at leisure to explore the City of
Light on your own.
Hôtel du Louvre (B,L)
Paris — October 9
This morning choose between guided
tours of the highlights of the Louvre
Museum, built and enlarged over
centuries and housing one of the most
important art collections in the world,
or the Museé d’Orsay, a magnificently
restored train station with a superb
collection of Impressionist art from the
19th and 20th centuries. The afternoon is
at leisure to relax and explore Paris on
your own. Join your fellow travelers for a
festive farewell reception and dinner this
evening.
Hôtel du Louvre (B,D)
Paris / U.S. — October 10
Transfers to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle
airport are provided for all participants
departing today.
(B)
Optional Post-Trip Extension to Normandy
Continue your journey with a 4-day extension
to Normandy, site of some of the
most decisive and fiercely contested
battles of World War II. From a chateau
hotel near Bayeux, visit the D-Day beaches
and pay your respects at the deeply
moving Peace Memorial and American
Cemetery. Stanford Study Leader Bob
Hamrdla will lecture on the extension.
$2,790/person sharing; $950 single supplement.
Details available upon request.
For more information call 1.888.328.2089.
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