Rhine river cruise: from Strasbourg, itineraries and tips

A Rhine river cruise most often leaves from Strasbourg, for 4 days in the Romantic Rhine valley (castles, vineyards, the Lorelei rock) or toward Heidelberg, Basel and Alsace. In winter, special Christmas market cruises leave from Strasbourg in late November and in December.

This is one of the easier river cruises to fit into a short break, since most itineraries last just 4 days. We did not sail on board for this guide and do not publish passenger reviews: the information comes from the official sites listed at the end of the page. To compare with the other rivers, see our river cruise guide.

Itinerary (CroisiEurope)	Length	Stops	« From » price
Strasbourg – Heidelberg – Eberbach – Mannheim	4 days	Return to Strasbourg	About €550 (promotion)
Strasbourg – Breisach – Riquewihr – Colmar – Basel	4 days	One way to Basel	About €710
Strasbourg – Breisach	4 days	Return to Strasbourg	About €1,050
Romantic Rhine: Oberwesel, Rüdesheim, Speyer, Heidelberg	4 days	Transport from your region included	About €1,080
Amsterdam – Cologne – Rüdesheim – … – Vienna – Budapest	19 days	Rhine, Main and Danube	About €4,350

CroisiEurope also links to the Rhine itineraries on its tributaries: the Neckar, the Moselle, the Main and the Saar. A « 3 rivers » cruise, for example, combines the Rhine, the Moselle and the Main.

Stop	What to see	Good to know
Strasbourg	Grande Île, cathedral, Petite France	Main embarkation port
Heidelberg (Germany)	Ruined castle above the old town, Neckar valley	Reached from Mannheim or Speyer
Rüdesheim and Oberwesel	Vineyards and villages of the Romantic Rhine valley	Heart of the castle scenery
Lorelei rock	A stretch of river surrounded by legends	Seen from the ship’s deck
Breisach, Riquewihr, Colmar	Alsace Wine Route	Excursions by coach
Basel (Switzerland)	Old town on the Rhine	End point of some itineraries

To plan the days before or after your cruise, see our guides to Alsace and Germany, or to Switzerland if you finish in Basel.

Christmas market cruises

CroisiEurope runs « Christmas Markets in Alsace » and « Christmas Markets in Alsace and the Black Forest » cruises from Strasbourg, with departures noted between 30 November and 16 December 2026, then on similar dates in 2027. It is one of the few river cruise offers of the winter; it fills up early, so book several months ahead.

A short Rhine cruise: 2 to 4 hours

For a simple outing on the river, the Alsace Rhin Brisach tourist office sells cruises of 2 h to 4 h 30 from Breisach am Rhein (Germany, opposite Neuf-Brisach), from April to December, Tuesday to Sunday: a panoramic tour, a meal cruise or a themed cruise. The office’s website gives the timetable and prices.

Who is a Rhine cruise for?

• Ideal: a short first try, a long weekend, the Christmas markets
• Less suitable: if you want long days of sailing without stops: the 4-day itineraries are packed

The ships on the Rhine

CroisiEurope groups its Rhine and Danube ships on a single page, carrying from 78 to 178 passengers. A few examples:

Ship	Decks	Cabins	Passengers
MS Beethoven	3	89	178
MS L’Europe	3	89	178
MS Gérard Schmitter	3	86	172
MS Vivaldi	3	86	172
MS Modigliani	2	78	159
MS Douce France	2	55	107
MS Lafayette	2	41	78

The planned ship is shown on each cruise’s page, often with the words « or similar »: check it before you book if a particular ship matters to you.

Preparing your Rhine cruise

Choosing your cabin and deck

River ships have two or three decks of cabins. Lower-deck cabins generally have smaller windows close to the waterline; upper-deck cabins offer more of a view, at a higher price. Compare the deck plans on the ship’s page before you book: this is often the main price difference between two cabins on the same cruise.

Excursions: package, à la carte or independent

CroisiEurope sells excursions individually or as a package, some on foot from the quay, others by coach; it says you can also explore the stops on your own. From Strasbourg, Heidelberg, Colmar and Riquewihr are visited on excursions; Strasbourg itself is explored on foot before or after the cruise. Book early for the excursions you care most about. To extend the excursion into a stay, our guide to visiting Colmar covers Little Venice, the Unterlinden Museum and the wine route.

Port-to-port or transport included

With a « port-to-port » fare, you get to the ship on your own. Some CroisiEurope cruises are also sold with transport included from certain departure cities; compare the total price by adding flights or trains, transfers and a possible hotel night.

What to pack

• Your passport; check the entry requirements for each country on your itinerary before you book (see our Germany and Switzerland guides)
• Comfortable shoes for walking visits
• A warm, waterproof layer for the sun deck, even in summer
• Your booking documents and your insurance certificate

Frequently asked questions

Our sources

• CroisiEurope, official site croisieurope.com: destination pages and cruise sheets, consulted on 14 October 2026 (itineraries and « from » prices noted that day)
• Alsace Rhin Brisach tourist office, « Rhine cruise » page, consulted on 14 October 2026
• croisieres.fr, « Rhine cruise » guide (structure and stops), consulted on 14 October 2026
• Our methodology

Updated October 2026.