The 2019 AAA Western and Central New York Member Appreciation Trip is titled Castles Along the Rhine and now travelers on board Uniworld’s S.S. Antoinette know why – they were treated to a scenic sailing past 40 castles in Germany.

Many of the castles date back to medieval times and every single one of them was damaged at some point during wars and conflict that usually arose between Germany and France. Trying to describe what you can see from a river cruise on the Rhine isn’t easy and pictures don’t even do it justice. Imagine relaxing on the sun deck of the ship as the cruise director explains the history as you pass beautiful castles, rolling hills and shades of green. You spot churches and quaint towns that are so picturesque you simply can’t resist snapping photo after photo.

On this trip, the weather was dry, but it was a bit cloudy and windy – that didn’t stop travelers from spending hours on the sun deck enjoying the scenery. Uniworld provided blankets to make the journey extra cozy while the staff served traditional Rudesheim coffee that is complete with brandy, sugar and a dollop of cream. The local brandy called Asbach Uralt dates back to 1892 though the coffee drink was invented in 1957.

Earlier in the day, before the castle sail, travelers had the opportunity to tour Rudesheim and visit coffee houses, shops, pubs and more. One of the morning excursions included wine tasting at Schloss Vollrads – it’s a vineyard and castle where they have been making different Rieslings for more than 800 years. Guests enjoyed touring the stunning property which is also an incredible photo opportunity.

After the ship passed all of the castles, it arrived in Boppard, Germany where travelers had many choices of excursions. AAA WCNY’s General Manager of Group Travel, Michelle Putnam, who planned the entire trip, led guests on a jaw-dropping chair lift type of ride up 2,000 feet to a mountain top to get a bird’s-eye view of the Rhine River. It was simply breathtaking to see the majestic Rhine River from above with our river cruise ship docked below.

The ship stayed docked in Boppard overnight so guests could visit the area – some chose to dine in town while others ate on the ship and took an evening stroll afterwards. On this type of a trip, you often find yourself in awe that you are actually experiencing so many overwhelming opportunities. This was a perfect “pinch me – is this really happening” type of day and travelers are clearly enjoying every single moment.

Read all about Day 6 here.
 

Read Day 6