Best guides on the rivers

Specialising in unique river itineraries, small ship cruise line Tauck immerses guests in each destination with its handpicked, exclusive local excursions, writes

Tallis Boerne Marcus.

Tauck’s impressive 30-year track record in Europe has defined it as one of the region’s leading luxury river lines. Across the Rhine, Danube, Douro, Rhône, Seine, Maas and Moselle, guests can experience the best of this history- and culture-rich destination on any one of Tauck’s nine beautifully crafted riverboats. But what makes Tauck really stand out is the personal insight its staff bring to each and every voyage. The small river ship and tour company calls on its years of amassed experience across Europe to handpick knowledgeable and skilled guides. The average Tauck Director has 10 years of service, and Tauck guides come from 41 different countries and between them speak 52 different languages. This local touch allows guests to experience a closer connection to the destinations they visit.

Also key to enriching each cruise experience are Tauck’s exclusive events and excursions, ranging from a private cocktail reception at the Ice Palace in the Swiss Alps to an exclusive wine-tasting at the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum in Florence, or perhaps an evening of dining, live music and dance at the Palais Pallavicini in Vienna. All extras are included, from transfers and shore excursions to gratuities, entertainment, drinks and more. Whether it’s a painting workshop at the Royal Delft pottery factory or a cycling excursion along the Danube, the price is all-inclusive.

Onboard these custom-crafted riverboats, the Tauck design team has been inspired by the region’s European castles. Adorned with crystal chandeliers and velvet banquettes, the public spaces are stunning but they are also thoughtfully designed to be a home away from home. Some of the riverboats’ cabins feature floor-to-ceiling windows with French balconies that open for full views of the shoreline. There’s also 400-thread satin bed linen, Molton Brown bath products and an in-room minibar.

Onboard entertainment is provided by local dancers, singers and musicians, so each moment of your cruise will further steep you in the culture, onshore and offshore. Every detail of a Tauck cruise is crafted to send you home with a truly deep and intimate connection to the destinations you visit – beyond simple memories and photographs. CT tauck.com.au

From the Danube to the Douro Clockwise, from left: Budapest, Hungary; Durnstein, Austria; Royal Delft painting workshop; Vienna’s Palais Pallavicini, Austria; Porto, Portugal; Strahov Monastery, Austria.

3 blockbuster Tauck itineraries

• The Blue Danube

12 days, from $8440

This classic voyage takes cruisers across the romantic Central European cities of Prague, Vienna, Bratislava, Regensburg, Salzburg and Budapest. There are three Tauck Exclusive excursions, including an intimate dinner in the Palais Pallavicini in Vienna, a private tour of Prague’s Baroque libraries and an evening aperitif and sumptuous meal in Prague at the Lobkowicz Palace. Expect 12 days replete with sights of castles sitting proudly atop hills, towering Gothic cathedrals and homely riverside villages.

• The Romantic Rhine: Amsterdam to Basel

8 days, from $8250

One of the highlights of this voyage will be a dining and entertainment experience at Schloss Ehreshoven, a 15th-century German castle. The riverboat will also make calls at some of Europe’s most welcoming towns, such as Utrecht, Koln, Heidelberg, Strasbourg and Basel. From private family-style, farm-to-table dining at the Ecolut-Center to wine tasting in the Alsatian hills, guests can look forward to days packed with carefully curated experiences to showcase all the magic of the Rhine.

• Villages and Vintages: Cruising the Douro River Valley

8 days, from $7960

This roundtrip cruise from Porto in Portugal comes with two Tauck Exclusive activities, the highlight being a private dinner with wine pairings at Quinta do Portal, a renowned Douro Valley wine estate. Your other Tauck Exclusive is an expert-led workshop on making port-wine cocktails. There are additional shore excursions with plenty of wine-centred activities, as well as everything from visiting archaeological museums to cycling through medieval villages, visiting baroque castles and the region’s wine caves.