DEILMANN’S CLASSIC RHINE AND MOSELLE RIVER CRUISES SAIL ABOARD FIVE-STAR SHIPS MV HEIDELBERG AND MV CASANOVA


Varied Itineraries Also Explore Old World Towns along the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal and Scenic Neckar River Valley

NEW YORK, April 10, 2007 – Cruising the legendary Rhine River between Amsterdam and Basel aboard Peter Deilmann five-star river ships provides an opportunity to discover the beauty of Germany’s castle gorge region between Koblenz and Mainz, one of the highlights of European river sailings. The two ships, MV Heidelberg and MV Casanova are small floating hotels that dock in the center of towns from which passengers can explore by foot as well as on sightseeing excursions.

Seven-night cruises on the smaller Moselle River, which meets the Rhine at the pretty town of Koblenz, reveal delightful wine villages with hilltop castle ruins, half-timbered houses and old market squares - here village houses are clustered together in the narrow space between the river and the vineyard-covered hills.

Among the Heidelberg’s itineraries are seven-night cruises roundtrip from the capital city of Amsterdam to large and small Dutch cities – Rotterdam, Dordrecht and Middleberg and the historic Flemish cities of Ghent, Antwerp and Volendam in Belgium. Amsterdam to Mainz (Frankfurt) sailings combine the Rhine and Moselle rivers calling at the modern port city of Rotterdam, historic and art-filled Cologne with its grand cathedral, Koblenz at the confluence of the two rivers, the Rhine wine town of Rüdesheim, the Moselle villages of Cochem and Bernkastel and town of Trier, Germany's oldest, with 2000 years of history evident in its Roman town gate.

Classic Rhine itineraries sail from Amsterdam to Strasbourg in the Alsace region of France, known for its lovely medieval quarter of well-preserved half-timbered houses and Gothic cathedral, and the centuries-old Swiss city of Basel. The Heidelberg offers two longer July cruises – one 10-night sailing from Mainz to Amsterdam that visits the Moselle towns, Cologne and Düsseldorf and an 11-night itinerary from Amsterdam to Basel that covers the classic Rhine route.

The five-star Casanova sails a variety of itineraries on the Rhine, Moselle and the Rhine-Main Danube Canal with most cruises seven nights in length. Rhine-Main Canal sailings in August call at the “Student Prince” city of Heidelberg on the Neckar River. The 96-passenger Casanova has a 14-night sailing from Amsterdam to Budapest, Sept. 29, that cruises the Rhine, the Rhine-Main Danube Canal and the Danube River to Vienna and Budapest. Cities on the Canal with old quarters dating from medieval and Renaissance times are Bamberg, Nuremberg and Regensburg in eastern Bavaria. Rhine towns on the route include Cologne, Koblenz, Rüdesheim, Aschaffenburg and Würzburg. In addition, there is a nine-night sailing from Budapest to Düsseldorf, Oct. 13.

The MV Casanova also has several cruises just on the Danube. These include seven-night itineraries roundtrip from Passau (Munich) to Vienna, Budapest and Bratislava and 10- and 11-night sailings from Passau to these three capital cities and the Black Sea in July and August.

The MV Heidelberg, built in 2004, is a four-deck vessel that accommodates 110 passengers in 54 spacious cabins. Staterooms on the two upper decks are 190 sq. feet in size and feature full-length French doors that open into the cabins. Flagship of the river fleet, the Heidelberg, Deilmann’s newest ship, has beautifully appointed cabins, a panoramic restaurant and lounge, fitness center and new Wellness Spa. The ship is offering a Wellness theme cruise from Cologne to Basel, Aug. 11-18. The cruise line also has golf and garden theme cruises on the Heidelberg.

The five-star Casanova, newly built in 2001, has 48 cabins distinguished by full-length French doors on the upper deck that open into the cabin, while lower deck cabins have large windows. The elegantly designed public rooms include a spacious lounge with full-length windows, Panoramic Restaurant and bar. The attractively decorated cabins offer both twin and queen beds and there are two junior suites of 160 square feet.

Deilmann river vessels are deluxe boutique hotels that offer six meals daily and a very high level of service with one crew member for every 2.5 passengers. Both ships have sun decks with ample numbers of deck chairs and blankets and an infirmary with a qualified doctor on board. Like all Deilmann river ships, no smoking is allowed in the dining room, cabins or corridors. Seven of the eight river vessels in the Deilmann fleet are five-star.

Spring and fall value seasons on the Heidelberg start at $1,595 per person in an outside twin cabin. Main season rates start at $2,050 per person twin; 10-night cruises start at $2,930 per person twin. Casanova rates start at $1,540 in the value season and $1,990 in the main season, per person in an outside twin cabin. The 14-night cruise is priced from $3,530 per person double.

Deilmann arranges air transportation for its river cruise passengers as well as pre- and post-cruise city packages, pre-purchased reduced rate shore excursion packages, meet-and-greet services and transfers between airports and ships. For information on the sailings, contact a travel agent or Peter Deilmann Cruises at 1-800-348-8287 or pdcmail@deilmann-cruises.com. Travelers can view and download the cruise details online at www.deilmann-cruises.com.