Magical Cities of the Rhine with Luxury River Cruise Departing from Ankara (DUS-CGN)

19 October 2026 – 24 October 2026 | 5 Nights, 6 Days
Tour details

➻ On our ship specially allocated for our tour, only guests from Turkey will stay, and all organization will be carried out with Turkish guide service and Turkish guest concept.

ADVANTAGEOUS EVENT PACKAGE – X LARGE 180 EUR instead of 160 Eur

  • Roermond Outlet

  • Amsterdam Tour

  • Rotterdam + Delft Tour

Participation Condition

This tour has a maximum of 30 participants. In case of possible route or date changes by the shipping company, the tour will continue with its new itinerary.

Visa

Ordinary Passport                     Visa required 

Green Passport                          Visa not required

Service Passport                   Visa not required

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the end date of the trip and not older than 10 years.

Having a valid passport and/or having obtained a visa (for destinations/passports where a visa is required) does not guarantee entry into the country. The border police have the authority to deny you entry. Gazella is not responsible for this situation; responsibility lies with the passenger. 

In destinations requiring a visa, the visa application must be made with the documents specified in the "Documents Required for Visa" list that your agency will provide to you.

To avoid issues with customs police at the border of the destination country due to torn, worn, wet, and/or similarly damaged passports; it is necessary to renew such passports and, if the country requires a visa for Turkish citizens, ensure the relevant visa is on the new passport. Otherwise, responsibility lies with the passenger. 

Since police officers at entry/exit points may request a document showing joint parental consent when guests under 18 travel alone or with only one parent, we recommend that guests under 18 and their parents pay special attention to this matter.

Health

There are no mandatory vaccinations for entry into Germany. We do not expect any health-threatening issues with meals taken at good restaurants and hotels in the region. However, when you are not with the group, we advise you to be careful about food and drink, definitely consume bottled water, avoid ice, milk, and dairy products, consume meat and fish products that you are sure are well-cooked, and eat fruits like bananas and pineapples whose peels can be removed.

Meals

We do not expect any health-threatening issues with meals taken during your ship journey. However, when you are not on the ship, we advise you to be careful about food and drink, definitely consume bottled water, avoid ice, milk, and dairy products, consume meat and fish products that you are sure are well-cooked, and eat fruits like bananas and pineapples whose peels can be removed. Current vaccination/PCR rules must be followed at country entries and returns.

Flight Durations

Istanbul              -           Brussels                                3 hrs 25 mins

Frankfurt            -           Istanbul                                3 hrs 15 mins

Optional Tours & Events

Optional tours and events are organized by the local agency providing services with a minimum participation condition of 20 people, and participation is not mandatory. If the required number is not met, tours may not take place, or optional tour/event prices, content, and vehicles used may vary according to the number of participants. Additionally, the days and times of extra tours/events may be changed by the guide depending on whether museums, historical sites, or venues are open/closed and weather conditions.

Panoramic city tours included in the tour package are tours lasting up to 2-3 hours, organized for general introduction of cities, conducted panoramically with guide narration from the vehicle, and do not include entrance to museums or historical sites. Panoramic tours, including other tours specified in the program, will not be held if local authorities do not allow visiting or entering on the scheduled day and time, or if roads are closed due to any event, or if weather conditions make it impossible to conduct the tour. In such cases, the Tour Operator is not responsible for the inability to conduct these tours. Some tours may be conducted using public transport or on foot, within available means, at locations where roads are closed or vehicle access is not permitted.

Currency

The European currency is Euro (EUR).

It is beneficial to carry Euro (EUR) with you.

Time Zone

Germany, Luxembourg, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands are 1 hour behind Turkey in summer time and 2 hours behind in winter time.

Phone Usage

If your mobile phone line is enabled for international calls (roaming), it can be used.

Clothing and Necessary Items

If traveling in summer season, we recommend bringing easily wearable t-shirts, short and long-sleeved shirts, cotton pants, shorts, comfortable walking shoes, a light jacket for evenings, and a light sweater. Additionally, you may bring hats, sunglasses, sunscreen, earplugs against possible noise, cameras, video cameras, and their chargers and spare memory cards. In winter season, we recommend clothing that allows comfortable movement and keeps you warm.

Food Culture

When German food culture is mentioned, cakes, potatoes, and of course beer come to mind first. This culture has a wide variety of meats and vegetables, and there is also a very large variety of beers and wines.

French cuisine, rooted in the Middle Ages, has a rich culture. Famous for its local drinks and various cheeses, French cuisine is known for meat dishes cooked with different sauces and famous desserts like crème brûlée, macarons, and soufflés.

Belgian cuisine combines the traditions of German and French cuisines.

Dutch cuisine is not very rich, but its cheeses are worth trying. Other flavors are generally fast-food style.

 Electricity

Electrical outlets are the same as in Turkey.

Shopping

There are opportunities to shop at shopping centers located in city centers and small stalls selling souvenirs.

Important Notes

Having a valid passport and/or having obtained a visa (for destinations/passports where a visa is required) does not guarantee entry into the country. The border police have the authority to deny you entry. Bin Rota is not responsible for this situation; responsibility lies with the passenger.

The agency acts as an intermediary between the passenger and the airline and is subject to the Hague Protocol of 28.09.1955. There may be risks of delays in scheduled and special flights, or times may change before the existing tour and flight. The agency is obliged to inform about these changes as soon as possible. Our passengers purchase the tour knowing and accepting that flight details may change. Children aged 0-2 do not pay airport tax and airport service fees.

Panoramic city tours included in the tour package are tours lasting up to 2-3 hours, organized for general introduction of cities, conducted panoramically with guide narration from the vehicle, and do not include entrance to museums or historical sites. Panoramic tours, including other tours specified in the program, will not be held if local authorities do not allow visiting or entering on the scheduled day and time, or if roads are closed due to any event, or if weather conditions make it impossible to conduct the tour. In such cases, the Tour Operator is not responsible for the inability to conduct these tours. Some tours may be conducted using public transport or on foot, within available means, at locations where roads are closed or vehicle access is not permitted.

What's included
  • Round-trip economy class air tickets on Turkish Airlines routes Istanbul (IST) - Düsseldorf (DUS) / Cologne (CGN) - Istanbul (IST)
  • Round-trip economy class air tickets on Turkish Airlines routes Ankara – Istanbul / Istanbul – Ankara
  • Airport taxes
  • 4 nights full board accommodation on the Swiss Crown river cruise ship (Full board service begins with dinner on the day of boarding the ship and ends with breakfast on the day of disembarkation)
  • All-day tea & coffee station and 5 afternoon tea refreshments on board
  • Welcome cocktail
  • Captain's Gala Cocktail, Special Gala Menu
  • Luggage transfer service on the first and last days of the cruise
  • Transfers between airport and hotel
  • Düsseldorf city tour
  • Nijmegen walking tour
  • Professional Turkish guiding and assistance services
  • TURSAB mandatory professional liability insurance
Not included
  • Mandatory city and port taxes - Ship and driver tips - A total per person fee of 140 EUR applies for the onboard beverage package (covering soda, fruit juice, water, and selected local beer and wine varieties). This amount is not included in the tour price and will be collected in cash by our guide on the first day of the tour.
  • Visa fee and service charge
  • Foreign departure tax fee
  • All personal expenses and hotel extras
  • Optional tours/activities
  • All services not specified as included in the price
Tour Program
Ankara - Istanbul - Düsseldorf
After completing our baggage and ticket procedures at Ankara Esenboğa Airport, we will proceed to our flight to Istanbul. Upon arrival at Istanbul Airport's International Terminal, we will meet with your guide, complete the necessary check-in and baggage procedures at the Turkish Airlines counter, and then depart for Düsseldorf on a scheduled Turkish Airlines flight. Following our entry into Germany, we will make our way to the ship docked at the Port of Düsseldorf. After arrival, we will carry out check-in and luggage placement procedures. The ship is scheduled to depart from this port at 21:00. Dinner and overnight accommodation will be aboard the ship.
Nijmegen
Our ship will dock at Nijmegen Port today at 04:00. After enjoying breakfast on board, we will have free time in Nijmegen. Guests who wish may join our guide's optional tour to Roermond Outlet (70 EUR). We are heading to Roermond Designer Outlet, one of the most popular shopping centers in the Netherlands. You can relax and enjoy your time at the cafes and restaurants within the outlet. After shopping and leisure time, we will gather at the designated time and head back to the ship for lunch. Following lunch, we will embark on a walking tour of Nijmegen. Our ship will depart from the port at 17:00. Dinner will be served on board, and afterward, we will enjoy an evening with live Turkish music.
Huizen - Amsterdam
Our ship will dock at Huizen Port at 04:00. After breakfast on board, we will have free time in Huizen. Guests who wish may join the optional guided tour of Amsterdam (50 EUR) organized by our guide. During the panoramic city tour of Amsterdam following our arrival, we will see Dam Square, the Royal Palace, the National Monument, and Central Station. After the tour, we will have free time again. Those interested can visit the Flower Market and the Red Light District during their free time. Later, we will gather at the meeting point and time set by our guide and return to the ship. Today's lunch will be served as boxed meals on board. Our ship will depart from this port at 20:00. Dinner and overnight accommodation will be on the ship.
Gornıchem – Rotterdam - Delft
Our ship will dock at Gornichem Port at 08:30. After enjoying our breakfast on board, we will have free time. Following this, we will embark on the optional Rotterdam + Delft tour organized by our guide (60 EUR). Our tour begins in Rotterdam, the second-largest city and a major commercial hub in the Netherlands after Amsterdam. Through our guide's commentary, we will learn how this city, which was on the brink of total destruction during World War II, transformed into such a beautiful urban center over the two-decade period between 1950 and 1970. In the city, we will see the Erasmus Bridge, named after Desiderius Erasmus, one of the most prominent figures of the Humanism movement, which connects the northern and southern banks of the Nieuwe Maas River; the Euromast Tower; Hotel New York; Markthal; and the Cube Houses. Next, we will head to Delft, one of the most beautiful and best-preserved historic cities in the Netherlands. We will take a short walking tour through this charming town, renowned for its canals, historic buildings, and traditional Dutch architecture. During the tour, we will view panoramic sights including Markt Square, the heart of the city; the New Church (Nieuwe Kerk); the Old Church (Oude Kerk); and the historic town hall. We will also enjoy a leisurely stroll through the narrow streets famous worldwide for their blue-and-white Delft porcelain. After the tour, there will be some free time in the city center before we return to the ship. Upon arrival, we will promptly enjoy lunch on board. The ship will depart from this port at 15:00. For the remainder of the day, we will have the opportunity to savor the river cruise experience. Later, following dinner, we will enjoy an evening accompanied by a Turkish music group.
Düsseldorf – Cologne – Istanbul – Ankara
Our ship will dock at the Port of Düsseldorf at 09:00. After enjoying breakfast on board, we will complete our check-out procedures and begin our panoramic city tour of Düsseldorf. Known as one of Germany's most important cities, Düsseldorf is situated along the Rhine River and is celebrated for its modern architecture, vibrant arts scene, and dynamic urban atmosphere. During the tour, we will visit Königsallee (often referred to as "Kö"), the city's most prestigious boulevard, famous for its elegant boutiques and tree-lined canal. Next, we will pass through MedienHafen, one of Europe's most striking urban regeneration projects, where we will admire the iconic buildings designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry. Along the Rhine promenade, Rheinuferpromenade, we will learn about key landmarks including the historic Old Town (Altstadt), the City Hall (Rathaus), St. Lambertus Church, and other sites that reflect the city's cultural identity. The Altstadt district, home to the world's longest bar, serves as the heart of Düsseldorf's social life, offering hundreds of cafes and restaurants. Throughout the tour, our guide will share insights into Düsseldorf's rich history, its significance in trade, fashion, and exhibitions. Following the tour, there will be free time in the city center. At the conclusion of the tour, we will transfer to Cologne Bonn Airport. After completing check-in and passport control, we will depart on a scheduled Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul Airport. Upon arrival in Istanbul, we will proceed with our connecting flight to Ankara. Our journey concludes upon arrival in Ankara.