Golf Cruise on the Rhine

Your journey begins in Basel, the third-largest city in Switzerland. After embarking, you can explore your AMADEUS ship and meet the cruise director on board at a Welcome Cocktail. After a carefully prepared Welcome Dinner on board, you will be briefed on all onshore excursions, golf clubs and starting times. In the meantime, your floating hotel will have departed for Strasbourg.

During the night, your ship left Switzerland and followed the Rhine into the Alsace region in the south of France. During breakfast, you arrive in Strasbourg – a city known not only for its romantic old town, but also for the numerous important European institutions housed here. In the morning, you are transferred to one of France’s best golf clubs - Le Kempferhof. The club is located 15 minutes from Strasbourg in the beautiful Alsace region of France and stretches over 85 hectares of tranquil, natural woodland. Late tonight, your ship departs for Germany.

Le Kempferhof Golf

Le Kempferhof Golf et Château-Hôtel is located 15 minutes from Strasbourg in the beautiful Alsace region of France and stretches across 85 hectares of tranquil, natural woodland. The Kempferhof golf course is listed as one of the top 5 golf courses in France, as well as one of the 15 best courses in continental Europe by the Rolex World’s Top 1000 Golf Courses guide. The 18-hole course was designed by the American architect Robert von Hagge and opened in 1990. Hundred-year-old oaks, poplars and beech trees line the beautiful and challenging course, which features 13 water hazards, undulating fairways, large bunkers and immaculate greens. As you reach the 18th hole, you will see enchanting views of the Château-Hôtel, which was built in 1865 by Jean de Dartein, who was inspired by Gaudi’s style, as well as the 19th century hunting lodge, which now serves as the clubhouse. Test every aspect of your game with this top-quality golf course, while enjoying the peace of nature!

Before breakfast, you arrive in the Rhineland-Palatinate town of Speyer, which played an important role in the Holy Roman Empire during the Middle Ages. In the morning, you will be transferred to the St. Leon-Rot Golf Club near Heidelberg. The St. Leon-Rot Golf Club is one of the “Leading Golf Courses in Germany” as well as, since 2012, one of the “European Tour Destinations”. In the meantime, your ship continues for roughly 25 kilometres towards Mannheim, where you rejoin it in the afternoon. The ship will remain in this picturesque spot on the Rhine for the remainder of the day. Late at night, your ship continues in the direction of Rüdesheim.

Golf Club St. Leon-Rot

The Golf Club St. Leon-Rot, which opened in 1997, is situated near Heidelberg and sets a benchmark for golf clubs. The complex, masterminded by the founder Dietmar Hopp, boasts two 18-hole championship courses, a 9-hole executive course and a children’s course. The English golf course architect Dave Thomas designed the St. Leon course as a links-style course, reminiscent of Scottish or Irish golf courses. The course became famous in 2002 when the world’s number one player Tiger Woods won his third Deutsche Bank SAP Open there. The Rot course was designed by architect Hannes Schreiner, who retained much of the original river wetland, ensuring that the course offers not only charming scenery but also presents special challenges. The island green of the Rot course and the island fairway of the St. Leon course are the signature holes of the club. The St. Leon-Rot Golf Club is one of the “Leading Golf Courses in Germany” as well as one of the “European Tour Destinations” (since 2012).

Two charming stops await you today. In the morning, you arrive in Rüdesheim, a town well known for its winemaking, especially of Riesling wines. In the morning, you will be transferred to the Jakobsberg Golf Club, where you can enjoy a round of golf and breathtaking views of the UNESCO Natural World Heritage Middle Rhine Valley. You will rejoin your AMADEUS ship in the afternoon in Koblenz, one of Germany’s oldest and most beautiful towns, where you can end the day with a walking tour through this charming location.

Jakobsberg Golf Resort

Set high above the Lorelei valley in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley between Koblenz and Mainz, deservedly a UNESCO World Heritage Region, the Jakobsberg Golf Resort boasts a truly majestic setting. The golf course is nestled between forests and vineyards, situated on the Jakobsberg in Boppard. The 18-hole golf course was established in 1990 and opened in 1994. It was built by Wolfgang Jarsombek, who based his design on a model by the renowned American golf course architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. The course serves as a 3rd level tour venue and has hosted several German PGA events. The strongly modelled fairways each feature four different teeing grounds, as well as large bunkers, a good number of water hazards and undulating greens. The course is sporting but fair and you may find that your greatest golfing challenge at the Jakobsberg Golf Resort will be not to get distracted by the spectacular natural surroundings and the panoramic views of the legendary Lorelei valley, Marksburg castle and the Westerwald and Hunsrück hills.

The vessel departs from Koblenz in the early hours, and makes a detour along the Moselle River to the most romantic part of the valley and the little town of Cochem. The magnificent Reichsburg Castle which overlooks the town, dominates the landscape. Down below, the town, with its narrow streets, half-timbered houses, and numerous restaurants, is an ideal setting to taste the wines of the region. Back on board, dinner is served as the journey continues to Cologne.

The morning is dedicated to visit the Golf Club Gut Velderhof. In the evening, the captain invites you to a festive Gala Dinner, full of wonderful regional dishes.

Golf & Country Club Gut Velderhof

The Velderhof Golf Club extends over an idyllic and tranquil lowland surrounded by extensive forests. It is conveniently and centrally situated about thirty minutes from both the historic city of Cologne and Düsseldorf. The main feature of the club is the championship course, designed by golf architect Dieter R. Sziedat, which provides suitable challenges for players of all handicap levels. The 27 holes stretch over 3 courses, with 9-hole and 18-hole options. The golf course follows the ancient lines originally carved into the landscape by the legendary Rhine River. It features fast greens, wide fairways, well-placed fairway bunkers and exciting water hazards, all surrounded by picturesque streams and biotopes. The Velderhof Golf Club is generously laid out and all facilities are kept in peak condition. The driving range features brand-new grass tees which extend over 2,500m² in front of the range. Combining modernity with history, the range retains the charm of the original architecture of the former barn and fits harmoniously with the historic ambience of Velderhof.

By lunchtime you will have crossed yet another country border to arrive in the Dutch town of Hoorn. This picturesque village is the starting point for the optional overland trip to the north of Holland and an Amsterdam canal trip. Those remaining on board will discover the beauty of the Dutch waterways as the ship glides toward the capital city of the Netherlands, where it will remain docked for the evening. Enjoy the Champions-Cocktail in the evening together with your captain.

After breakfast we bid you farewell. We hope to welcome you again soon!