MS Symphonie, 3 Night Magical Christmas extravaganzas in Alsace and Switzerland along the Rhine ex Strasbourg, France to Basel, Switzerland

Alsace puts on its finest during the holiday season. You'll discover Strasbourg's Christmas market and its giant tree, the medieval village of Riquewihr, and the magic of Little Venice in Colmar. Enticing smells and delicious flavors mix perfectly with the friendly atmosphere found under the festive lights. You'll finish your vacation by learning about the longtime holiday traditions found around Basel, Switzerland. We'll visit the Läckerli Huus—home of traditional spice cookies—and the largest Christmas market in the country.

Day 1
You'll board our ship. We'll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail. You'll be transferred to the city center. Visit the Christmas market at your own pace.

Day 2
A full-day escapade to local Christmas markets (lunch included).

Day 3
We'll spend the morning cruising to Basel. Learn how to make traditional Alsatian Christmas cookies on board. Let your sweet tooth go wild with a visit to the Lackerli Huus. An evening of Christmas tales.

Day 4
Disembarkation.

The symphony, the most important musical composition, is in perfect harmony with this superb Premium ship to which it gave its name. The MS Symphonie offers cruise itineraries on the Rhine and the Danube, romantic rivers par excellence. Completely renovated in 2017, the MS Symphonie is a Premium intimate-sized ship, measuring 110 m long and 11,40 m wide. It can accommodate 106 passengers, in 55 cabins spread over two decks. All cabins offer a variety of amenities and provide guests with all the comforts they need during their stay. The blue (referring to the beautiful blue Danube by Johann Strauss Jr.) and yellow tones of the decoration provide a cheerful, lively and light atmosphere. Located on the upper deck, the restaurant offers a superb French cuisine in a refined setting, where large bay windows allow guests to take full advantage of the panorama. Also situated on the upper deck is the lounge / bar with a dance floor. On the sun deck, an ideal place to relax and admire the landscapes, guests can enjoy comfortable sun loungers, as well as a large shaded area.

CroisiEurope has a fleet of Prestige category boats with cabins, which ply the most beautiful rivers in Europe. Spacious and light, they offer a welcoming and refined setting. Accommodation capacity varies from 100 to 180 passengers depending on the boat's design. At the cutting edge of technology, their facilities offer comfort and safety.

Carefully maintained and partially renovated each year, the CroisiEurope fleet is largely made up of recently built vessels, less than five years old, all with Veritas certification. The leading European river tour operator, our company owes its international reputation to its seriousness, its dynamism, its sense of innovation and its recognised value for money of long standing.

Vessels are rated four-star and food is superb – as you’d expect on a French-owned cruise line, staffed by French chefs and with top French and German wines aboard. One cruise of the Rhone and Saone Rivers in France concentrates on gastronomy and traditional French cusine, visiting Collonges Abbey, renowned for its great French chef, Paul Bocuse.

CroisiEurope is a family-owned and operated firm, with brothers and sisters running different aspects of the company and keeping a close eye on all operations to ensure excellence.

River cruising offers much free fun. Wake in the morning and observe the passing riverside scenery through your cabin window – perhaps from your bed. Gaze upon village churches or a patchwork of fields sparkling in the morning sun.

CroisiEurope’s network traverses a phenomenal number of European rivers and waterways. They range from the Guadalquivir and Guadiana (flowing through Spain and Portugal respectively); the Douro in Portugal, the Po and Venice Lagoon in Italy; the Rhone in Provence, plus the Seine from Paris to the Normandy Coast. And there’s more: the Moselle, the Neckar, the Saar, the Oder, the Havel, the Baltic Sea, the Camarge, the Rhine, the Main and the mighty Danube; the Tisza and the Black Sea; the Belgian and Dutch waterways. Everything from tulip time in Holland to Christmas Markets in Germany.

Drinks included with on board meals: mineral water, house wine, beer, fruit juice, and tea or coffee.