Travelers to Europe can cruise from Potsdam, just outside of
Berlin, to Prague and explore three historic cities Berlin, Dresden
and Prague on weekly seven-night cruises on the five-star MV
Katharina von Bora and MV Frederic Chopin of Peter Deilmann Cruises
every Saturday through October 28. The two 79-passenger river ships
sail alternately from the German city of Potsdam, 45 minutes from
Berlin, and the Czech capital of Prague. The ships sail on the
Havel, Elbe and Vltava rivers and provide a view through the ages
from medieval times to the Baroque, from the religious reformation
to the industrial revolution and from a divided Germany to today’s
unified country. The route takes cruisers from Potsdam to
Magdeburg, Wittenberg, Meissen, Dresden (overnight) and Prague
(overnight). The fascinating, continually evolving capital of
Berlin, now 60 miles wide with the former eastern and western
cities combined, and the Czech capital of Prague, with its Old
World churches and spires, are departure points of the seven-night
cruises. A third five-star Deilmann vessel, the 106-passenger MV
Dresden, offers seven-night sailings weekly on the Elbe River,
alternately from Hamburg and Dresden, that also visit Luther’s town
of Wittenberg, where the Protestant Reformation movement began,
porcelain-famous Meissen, stately Pillnitz Palace, the stylish sea
port city of Hamburg and beautifully restored Dresden, returning to
its former glory. These cruises also offer an optional full-day
excursion to Berlin from Magdeburg. Deilmann offers Elbe Explorer
cruise-tours on the Katharina and Chopin with departures from the
U.S. through Oct. 26 that include five shore excursions, seven
nights abroad the ship in an outside cabin and all meals. Cruisers
from Berlin can add an optional three-night pre-cruise Discovery
package with hotel accommodations at the four-star Berlin Marriott,
daily breakfast, city tour and transfer to the ship or a
post-cruise add-on in Prague or Vienna and Budapest packages that
include first class train transportation to each city. Prague
departures offer pre-cruise add-ons in Prague, Vienna and Budapest
and a post-cruise package in Berlin. The Prague package includes
three nights at the Intercontinental Hotel, daily breakfast, city
tour and transfer to the ship. The Elbe Explorer cruise-tours are
priced from $1,895 per person. The Discovery three-night packages
are priced from $299 per person for Prague and $349 per person for
Berlin. Air fare is additional. The deluxe Frederic Chopin and the
Katharina von Bora, named after Martin Luther’s wife, are intimate
vessels of just 41 outside cabins with full-length French doors on
the upper deck and picture windows on the lower deck. The Chopin
was newly built in 2002 and last refurbished in 2006, while the
Katharina was built in 2000 and last refurbished in 2005. The ships
feature polished wood and original works of art. Cabins have
built-in closets, color TV, desks, dressing tables and
well-appointed bathrooms with bathrobes and hair dryers available.
Each has a sun deck with comfortable deck chairs and blankets,
panoramic lounge and bar, beauty salon, boutique, infirmary and
doctor on board. As on all vessels in the Deilmann river fleet,
service is of the highest standard with one English-speaking crew
member for every 2.5 passengers. Deilmann ships score high ratings
for food, service and choice of itineraries from the readers of
Condé Nast Traveler where they are ranked year after year as one of
the best small ship cruise lines. Cruise-only rates on the
Katharina and the Frederic Chopin in the value season start at
$1,705 and intermediate season prices in July and August start at
$1,950, per person in an outside twin cabin. There are single
cabins on both ships that start at $2,110 in an outside cabin.
Cruise-only rates on the Dresden start at $1,455 per person in an
outside cabin. Deilmann arranges air transportation for its river
cruise passengers, meet-and-greet services, shore excursions and
transfers between airports and ships. 800-348-8287
www.deilmann-cruises.
