email
phone 800.866.1623

7-night Christmas Markets Along The Rhine Southbound Cruise

Dusseldorf/Basel
7-night Christmas Markets Along The Rhine Southbound Cruise
November 30, 2025
Tauck - Cruise Division: ms Inspire for Tauck
Dusseldorf/Basel
Vacation Offer ID 1543051
Reference this number when contacting our travel specialist.
From $4,190
Request a Quote View Details
Overview
|
Ship Info
|
Activities & Services
|
Staterooms
|
Deckplans

Cruise Inclusions

EXPERIENCE WITH TAUCK

Visits to Christmas Markets in Rüdesheim, Heidelberg, Baden-Baden and Strasbourg*

TAUCK VALUE INCLUDES

  • All gratuities to ship staff, drivers, local guides, Tauck Directors & Tauck Cruise Director
  • All private Tauck shore excursions – $1,536 Value!
  • Walking tours of market cities and towns with local guides
  • Visits to Old Town Heidelberg and historic Heidelberger Schlöss (Heidelberg Castle)
  • Sightseeing in Lucerne and ascent of Mt. Pilatus by gondola
  • Storytelling in Strasbourg
  • Rüdesheimer Coffee & a visit to Siegfried's Mechanisches Musikkabinett in Rüdesheim
  • Lunch at a local beer house in Heidelberg 
  • Traditional European Christmas dinner & holiday events aboard the riverboat
  • Unlimited complimentary beverages aboard ship include regional wine, beer and premium spirits in addition to specialty coffee, water and soft drinks
  • All meals included – 20 total; Service charges, taxes, porterage, airport transfers and applicable fuel surcharges

*Please note: Operating dates for the Christmas Markets could be subject to change; every effort will be made to visit as scheduled.

Available Add-Ons

Optional roundtrip airfare from your city
Pre or post cruise hotel stay
  • Destination Guide
  • Suggested Shore Excursions
Destination Arrival Departure
Tauck - Cruise Division: ms Inspire for Tauck
When you make your way onto ms Inspire, climb to the top deck and take a moment to look over the rails and glance out as the riverbanks pass you by. Then, turn around and join back into the festivities, grabbing a cool drink and enjoying the company of loved ones and new friends, ready for the adventures that await...
Ship Highlights
  • Al fresco dining on Sun Deck, weather permitting
  • Amenities such as Fitness center, massages and putting green on Sun Deck etc
  • Onboard entertainment includes enrichment lectures, piano music nightly, in-room movies
  • Relax with your fellow passengers on Sun deck
Ship Statistics
Registry
Swiss
Built Year
2013
Ship Length
443 ft (135 m)
Passenger Capacity
130
Number of Crew
39
Staterooms / Suites
67
Internet
Service levels may vary

Dining

Main Dining Room
Open seating in main dining room, flexible dining times, vegetarian meals always available.

Bars & Lounges

Bars & Lounges
The Panoramic lounge and bar is the sole lounge. Sporting an extensive cocktail menu, grab a drink and join fellow passengers and sit on one of the many plush chairs and couches, taking in the breathtaking views of the river as it passes by. During cocktail hour, enjoy the soft and relaxing sounds of the piano as a pianist plays live music, radiating throughout the lounge as a perfect compliment to the days events that preceded.

Onboard Activities

Lobby
Aboard ms Joy, explore all that the ship has to offer including a large variety of onboard entertainment options such as enrichment lectures, nightly piano music, in-room movies, culinary demos, local entertainment and “themed” fun.

Outdoor Activities

Putting Green & Jacuzzi
A riverboat's comfortable public spaces are ideal spots for socializing practice your putt on the on board putting green, kick back in the Jacuzzi with new friends or enjoy a cocktail as you glide past the remarkable scenery along Europe's rivers.

Wellness

Wellness
Fitness center and massages available.
Shipboard Policies
  • Wheelchair Access & Special Needs
    Tauck regrets that it cannot provide individual assistance to a guest for walking, dining, or other personal needs. Guests needing such assistance must be accompanied by an able companion who will assist them. They cannot accommodate wheelchairs or motorized scooters; ask at time of booking.
Public Rooms
  • Bar(s)/Lounge(s)
Stateroom Amenities
  • Bath Amenities/Toiletries
  • Complimentary Bottled Water (and/or Other Beverages)
  • In-Stateroom Movies
  • Minibar and/or Refrigerator
  • Pillow-Top Mattresses
  • Showers and/or Bath Tubs
  • Suites
  • Spacious Closet(s)
  • Goose-Down Pillows
  • Luxury Bedding
  • Bath Robes
  • Hair Dryer
Entertainment
  • Classes and Workshops
  • Educational/Enrichment Programs
  • Guest Lecturers
  • Internet Access
    Complimentary basic internet is included on riverboats and where available in hotel rooms. Service levels are not guaranteed.

  • Live Music
  • Local Entertainment
Dining
  • Al Fresco Dining
    Weather permitting
  • Dining Style: Flexible Dining Options
  • Dining Style: Open Seating
  • Casual Dining Venue(s)
  • Dining Style: Anytime Dining
  • In-Room Breakfast Tray
  • Room Service
  • Unlimited Complimentary Beverages
    Includes regional wine, beer and premium spirits, in addition to specialty coffee, water and soft drinks.
Other Facilities
  • Beauty Salon
  • Boutique(s) (duty-free)
  • Laundry Service (nominal fee)
Sports, Health and Fitness
  • Massage Room
  • Putting Greens
  • Fitness Center
  • Spa
  • Whirlpool(s)
  • Bicycles (for use ashore)

Oceanview

Cat 1 Emerald Deck (1) $4,190
Cat 1 Emerald Deck
  • Category: 1
  • Square Feet: 150
Size: 150 sq. ft. Private Balcony: No. Features: Built-in closet with drawers, 2 chairs, 400 thread count cotton, linens\white duvets and pillows of mako cotton with 90% down filling. Private Bathroom with shower. Amenities: Two 2’ by 3’ fixed windows, Minibar stocked with complimentary water and soft drinks replenished daily, 32” LED TV, 220v and 110v outlets in cabin and bathroom, Easy under-bed luggage storage, Telephone, safe and individual climate control, Onboard wi-fi available.
Cat 2 Ruby Deck (2) $4,440
Cat 2 Ruby Deck
  • Category: 2
  • Square Feet: 150
Size: 150 sq. ft. Private Balcony: No. Features: Built-in closet with drawers, 2 chairs, 400 thread count cotton, linens\white duvets and pillows of mako cotton with 90% down filling. Private Bathroom with shower. Amenities: Two 2’ by 3’ fixed windows, Minibar stocked with complimentary water and soft drinks replenished daily, 32” LED TV, 220v and 110v outlets in cabin and bathroom, Easy under-bed luggage storage, Telephone, safe and individual climate control, Onboard wi-fi available.
Cat 3 Emerald Deck (3) $4,760
Cat 3 Emerald Deck
  • Category: 3
  • Square Feet: 225
Size: 225 sq. ft. Private Balcony: No. Features: Padded headboard with reading lamps, Closets, Storage/drawers, 4 steps up to loft area, Railing, Built-in closet with drawers, 400 thread count cotton linens / white duvets and pillows of mako cotton with 90% down filling. Private Bathroom with shower. Stateroom Amenities: Innovatively designed 225 sq. ft. “split-level” loft cabins, One-and-a-half deck window that opens at the top, electronically controlled, Safe, Minibar stocked with complimentary water and soft drinks, replenished daily, 32” LED TV , Window (98 inches x 114 inches) can be partially opened, 220v and 110v outlets in cabin and bathroom, Easy under-bed luggage storage, Telephone and individual climate control, Onboard wi-fi available.
Cat 4 Ruby Deck (4) $4,960
Cat 4 Ruby Deck
  • Category: 4
  • Square Feet: 190
Size: 190 sq. ft. Private Balcony: Yes. Stateroom Amenities: One floor-to-ceiling French Balcony (98 inches wide x 75 inches high) with one sliding door that opens, Minibar stocked with complimentary water and soft drinks replenished daily, 32” LED TV, 220v and 110v outlets in cabin and bathroom, Easy under-bed, luggage storage, Telephone, safe and individual climate control, Onboard wi-fi available.
Cat 5 Ruby / Diamond Deck (5) $5,280
Cat 5 Ruby / Diamond Deck
  • Category: 5
  • Square Feet: 190-225
Size: 190 sq. ft. Private Balcony: Yes. Stateroom Amenities: One floor-to-ceiling French balcony (98 inches x 75 inches) with one sliding door that opens, 32” LED TV, Safe, Minibar stocked with complimentary water and soft drinks, replenished daily, 220v and 110v outlets in cabin and bathroom, Easy under-bed luggage storage, Telephone and individual climate control, Onboard wi-fi available.
Cat 6 Ruby Deck (6) $5,400
Cat 6 Ruby Deck
  • Category: 6
  • Square Feet: 225
Size: 225 sq. ft. Private Balcony: Yes. Stateroom Amenities: One floor-to-ceiling French balcony (98 inches x 75 inches) with one sliding door that opens, 32” LED TV, Full-sized window (98 inches x 37.5 inches), Minibar stocked with complimentary water and soft drinks, replenished daily , Safe, 220v and 110v outlets in cabin and bathroom, Easy under-bed luggage storage, Telephone and individual climate control, Onboard wi-fi available.

Suite

Cat 7 Diamond Deck Suite (7) $5,690
Cat 7 Diamond Deck Suite
  • Category: 7
  • Square Feet: 300
Size: 300 sq. ft. Private Balcony: Yes. Stateroom Amenities: Two floor-to-ceiling French balconies, each 98 inches x 75 inches with one sliding door that opens, 32" LED TV, Safe, Minibar stocked with complimentary water and soft drinks, replenished daily, Coffee maker, Breakfast room service, Iron plus ironing board, 220v and 110v outlets in cabin and bathroom, Easy under-bed luggage storage, Telephone and individual climate control, Onboard wi-fi available, a $100 shipboard credit (per stateroom) is provided to be used onboard for spa services, gift shop purchases, etc.
Price includes all private Tauck shore excursions, cruise fare, port charges, applicable fuel surcharges, entertainment, and gratuities to Tauck Director and ship staff.

Single price in Category 1 is the same as the double price – no single supplement, which means savings of up to 50% for solo travelers!

 

Shipboard Credit for Category 7 Staterooms – a €100 shipboard credit (one per stateroom) is provided to guests booked in a Category 7 stateroom to be used for onboard purchases or services (spa, laundry, gift shop, etc.)

 

Land / cruise price per person, based on double occupancy, includes cruise fare, most meals, port charges, applicable fuel surcharges, and gratuities to Tauck Directors, Tauck Cruise Director, ship staff, local guides & drivers, as well as on all included meals; unlimited complimentary beverages aboard ship include regional wine, beer and premium spirits, in addition to specialty coffee, water and soft drinks.

 

Itinerary Changes – Although not expected, Tauck reserves the right to alter the sequence of ports or omit or substitute scheduled ports or attractions at any time without prior notice. Museums and attractions may be subject to closure due to state, local or religious holidays.

 

Note: This cruise includes a fair amount of walking in each city. There is no organized Christmas Market program in Düsseldorf; visits to the markets will be possible during a pre-stay or prior to sailing on Day 1. December 22 departure – the Christmas markets will be closed on days 5 and 6, and some markets closed in Köln on day7; alternative activities will be arranged.

 

All nights are spent cruising aboard your Tauck riverboat.

 

Please Note: Operating dates for the Christmas Markets could be subject to change; every effort will be made to visit as scheduled.

All fares are quoted in US Dollars.

Sun Deck

Deckplan Key

Stateroom Key

  • Cat 7 Diamond Deck Suite (7)
  • Cat 6 Ruby Deck (6)
  • Cat 5 Ruby / Diamond Deck (5)
  • Cat 4 Ruby Deck (4)
  • Cat 3 Emerald Deck (3)
  • Cat 2 Ruby Deck (2)
  • Cat 1 Emerald Deck (1)
Diamond Deck

Deckplan Key

Stateroom Key

  • Cat 7 Diamond Deck Suite (7)
  • Cat 6 Ruby Deck (6)
  • Cat 5 Ruby / Diamond Deck (5)
  • Cat 4 Ruby Deck (4)
  • Cat 3 Emerald Deck (3)
  • Cat 2 Ruby Deck (2)
  • Cat 1 Emerald Deck (1)
Ruby Deck

Deckplan Key

Stateroom Key

  • Cat 7 Diamond Deck Suite (7)
  • Cat 6 Ruby Deck (6)
  • Cat 5 Ruby / Diamond Deck (5)
  • Cat 4 Ruby Deck (4)
  • Cat 3 Emerald Deck (3)
  • Cat 2 Ruby Deck (2)
  • Cat 1 Emerald Deck (1)
Emerald Deck

Deckplan Key

Stateroom Key

  • Cat 7 Diamond Deck Suite (7)
  • Cat 6 Ruby Deck (6)
  • Cat 5 Ruby / Diamond Deck (5)
  • Cat 4 Ruby Deck (4)
  • Cat 3 Emerald Deck (3)
  • Cat 2 Ruby Deck (2)
  • Cat 1 Emerald Deck (1)