Rolling on the river
most expensive properties in
Europe, with houses starting at £5million. Tennis legend Steffi Graf and former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl used to own villas on the banks of the River Neckar.
Heidelberg was virtually unscathed during the war, which means its magnificent castle and half-timbered buildings remain a delight.
Back down the Rhine we stopped at the great European city of Strasbourg.
Our mooring was in the main Rhine port and it was fascinating to see the huge industrial cranes working. The city centre is lovely and the Petite France area is fascinating.
Our final stop on the way to Basel was the German town of Breisach.
We decided to forgo the excursion to a museum in the Black Forest and just strolled around the town.
It was lovely to have some time to ourselves and take in a place that’s not well known as a tourist hotspot.
When our fellow guests returned they raved about the beautiful Black Forest scenery on the three-hour round trip.
Luna, whose cabins are five-starhotel quality, the food was superb.
There was an omelette station at breakfast, and a pasta station at lunch, plus the chance to order steaks, fish and local specialised delicacies from the a la carte menu.
There were different wines each evening with a team of eager waiters topping you up at regular intervals.
All tips and
gratuities were included so there were none of those awkward and embarrassing situations you can find on other cruises.
Tea and coffee were free and there were three drink packages on offer: £8.50 a day for soft drinks and mocktails; £12.50 for wine, draft beer and soft drinks; and £24.50 for everything including cocktails such as Bloody Marys, Moscow Mules and Harvey Wallbangers.
There was also the usual standard cruise fare of quizzes, recitals and films.
The swimming pool is small but there is a jet you could turn on to allow a proper
swim against the
current, and the roof can open in fine weather. At night, at another flick of a switch, it’s covered with a wooden floor and becomes a mini cinema.
On the top deck the “lawned” sun deck reaches from the bow to the stern, with a walking track round it.
The ship has several bikes on board which are available for use at no extra cost. It was great in some of the smaller ports to be able to grab a bike and cycle off for a look round.
Health-wise, cleanliness levels were second to none. All staff wore masks at all times and there were sanitation gels available everywhere.
Any complaints? Not really. Meal times were a little rigid and at times there was almost too much to do. But overall we loved it.