Musical Magic along the Blue Danube – May 2, 2011

Guests who sailed with us on our inaugural departures of Musical Magic Along the Danube cruises in September came home singing the praises of the talent and knowledge of Tauck's two "maestros" and memorable musical experiences like chatting with a former director at the Bratislava Opera House... an interactive Folk Wedding with dinner and entertainment at a 15th-century Slovakian winery... seeing Beethoven's original scores as his works were performed at a gala private dinner and concert at Lobkowicz Palace... sitting in as an orchestra rehearsed Viennese waltzes for a concert... seeing where Mozart, Beethoven, Bartók and Schubert lived and worked... having lunch at a restaurant where Mozart himself may have dined... onboard performances, opera "karaoke" and the Tauck guest vacation choir...

Amsterdam to Budapest by Riverboat – April 20 or 30, 2011
Budapest to Amsterdam by Riverboat - May 18, 2011

Spring is definitely in the air – and along the riverbanks – as Tauck's fleet of premium riverboats cruises along the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers between the Netherlands and Hungary in April. Along the way, our guests discover Nürnberg, with its ties to both medieval times and World War II... how the Habsburgs lived, and probably partied, at Schönbrunn Palace and during a private Imperial Evening in a traditional Vienna palace with a gala dinner and Viennese musicians... the charm of Amsterdam's canals during a luncheon cruise... Germany's beautiful Romantic Road on an excursion to Rothenberg... the majesty of 900-year-old Melk Abbey... all sorts of marvelous musical machines...

Prague to Strasbourg Serenade – May 19, 2011
Strasbourg to Prague Serenade – May 26, 2011

In May, ms Swiss Jewel calls at towns like Würzburg, Miltenberg and Nürnberg along the Rhine and Main rivers between stately Prague and medieval / modern Strasbourg. One of the joys of river cruising is the opportunity to walk off the riverboat and into the midst of local people going about their daily lives in villages, towns and cities along the river, each of which has its own history and character to explore. Our guests experience lunch in a former manor house in the Alsace accompanied by fine local wines... a private tour of the beautiful Baroque libraries at Strahov Monastery... an amazing private evening in the wine cellar at the famous Residenz in Würzburg with more wine tasting, dinner and entertainment... insights from a local expert during a transit of the Main-Danube Canal... all they could ever want to know about German beer during a tour and tasting at a historic Bamberg brewery... and more.

Holland & Belgium in Spring – April 1, 2011

There's no better time to cruise through Holland and Belgium on one of Tauck's premium riverboats than when spring arrives! While in Amsterdam, visit famous Keukenhof Gardens, where millions of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths are blooming in stages during spring. The Alkmaar region has stories to tell about life along the sea past and present in the Netherlands, its renowned windmills and its fabulous cheeses. De Hoge Veluwe National Park, the largest nature reserve in Holland, is also home to the Kröller-Müller Museum with over 275 works by Vincent van Gogh. Nijmegen and Maastricht beckon with centuries of history to explore. Enjoy a special, Tauck Exclusive lunch in the Roman grottoes at Château Neercanne, the only terraced castle in the Netherlands. After transiting the Albert Canal, discover Antwerp, including a visit to the Peter Paul Rubens House and a chocolate-making demonstration and a tasting. Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bruges, famous for its extraordinary Gothic architecture and pretty canals, before continuing on to Brussels.