Your journey begins in the picturesque city of Amsterdam. A labyrinth of narrow laneways adorned with twinkling lights, canals lined with beautifully preserved 17th century buildings and Christmas trees decorating historic squares. A wanderer’s delight, Amsterdam is steeped in history, art and an undeniable festive atmosphere.
Scenic Cruises luxury itinerary
Scenic Jewel December 15-26 2026 Cruise & Offers | Scenic Cruises
Rhine Christmas Markets with Switzerland: Amsterdam to Zurich
Review the complete official day-by-day itinerary, source-status notes, accommodation guidance, and current-offer assistance with Deluxe Cruises.

Itinerary at a Glance
December 15-26 2026Take the morning to enjoy the luxuries of your 5-star Scenic Space-Ship. Perhaps enjoy coffee in your suite, delivered by your personal butler, followed by breakfast in Crystal Dining. This afternoon you’ll arrive in Düsseldorf. The city comes alive during the Christmas season with lively markets, festive music and the scent of mulled wine sweetening the air.
Today you will arrive in Cologne before lunch. Cologne is a city known for its liberal and laidback lifestyle, its unique beer culture, thriving auto industry and the largest Christmas tree in the Rhineland. Take the time to discover Cologne on a walking tour.
Cruise into the Rhine Gorge, one of the most picturesque regions on this journey. After passing spectacular vineyards and ancient castles, you’ll disembark in Rüdesheim, a pretty town surrounded by steep vineyards that have been cultivating wine for a staggering two millennia.
You will arrive in Mannheim early this morning. Known as a ‘chessboard city’ for its methodical grid of streets, it is also home to some of the world’s most brilliant engineering minds, including Carl Benz, founder of Mercedes-Benz. Mannheim is a published destination on Rhine Christmas Markets with Switzerland: Amsterdam to Zurich aboard Scenic Jewel.
Arrive in the city of Kehl, the gateway to Strasbourg, this morning. Strasbourg, is located on the border of France and Germany, making it a unique mixture of both French and German architecture and culture. Join your local guide on a walking tour of Strasbourg.
Wake up in Breisach, a charming town on the Rhine, this morning. Breisach is a published destination on Rhine Christmas Markets with Switzerland: Amsterdam to Zurich aboard Scenic Jewel. It provides the setting for this stage of the journey; arrival, departure, berthing and excursion details are displayed only when they appear in...
Your extension begins in Basel, where a walking tour will reveal the highlights of the city. See spectacular views of the Rhine as well as the Basel Minster and City Hall. Afterwards, enjoy free time to discover the city’s famous Christmas Markets, said to be some of the prettiest and largest in Switzerland.
This morning, explore the mesmerising town of Montreux on your own or perhaps relax and enjoy the amenities of your hotel. For lunch, a quintessential Swiss experience awaits you. Montreux is a published destination on Rhine Christmas Markets with Switzerland: Amsterdam to Zurich aboard Scenic Jewel.
After departing Montreux, ascend the Swiss Alps to the charming alpine village of Gstaad. Known as a premier ski resort, enjoy a brief orientation tour of the village, followed by some free time to relax and enjoy lunch at your own pace. This afternoon you’ll arrive at Bern, the Swiss capital.
Today you’ll depart for Lucerne. With its backdrop of snow-topped mountain ranges, Lucerne encapsulates a traditional Swiss city. Your morning will start with a guided tour of the city, touching on its well-preserved medieval architecture. Later, enjoy free time to explore Lucerne’s Christmas Markets. Afterwards, you’ll travel by coach to the cosmopolitan city of Zurich.
Depart after breakfast for your onward journey, taking your memories of beautiful Switzerland with you. This itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons such as high and low water. As such, the cruise may operate altered from what is stated above. Please refer to our terms and conditions.
Schedule source status: Scenic publishes this exact dated departure and day-by-day itinerary on its official product page. Separate daily arrival and departure times are not included, so no times have been estimated. Daily port-call times and dock, anchor, or tender status were not published in the audited catalog. All available itinerary information is presented on DeluxeCruises.com.
A closer look at this sailing
Rhine Christmas Markets with Switzerland: Amsterdam to Zurich aboard Scenic Jewel
On December 15-26 2026, Scenic Jewel follows official voyage XAMW151226.1 from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Zurich, Switzerland over 12 days. Its published progression includes Amsterdam, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Rüdesheim, Mannheim.
Cruise along the legendary Rhine River, enchanted by fairytale villages dusted with snow and lively squares decorated with twinkling lights and majestic Christmas trees. Then explore the festive magic of Switzerland.
Scenic's official catalog provides 12 day-by-day entries for this departure but does not publish daily arrival and departure times. Those times remain explicitly unpublished here rather than being estimated.
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