Land and Cruise Itinerary

The cruise-only itinerary begins on arrival in Amsterdam on day 7.

Key: IF = In Flight Meals, B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner 

Day 1: Monday, May 9, 2022: Depart
We will depart from the USA today and Reformation Tours can assist with group (10+) or individual bookings.  Pre-tour nights are also available in Berlin and are recommended for anyone traveling from the West Coast. Early arrivals are invited to a group dinner this evening. (IF)

Day 2: Tuesday, May 10, 2022: Arrival in Berlin, Wittenberg
On arrival in Berlin, we will have group or individual transfers to the pre-tour hotel in central Berlin, where we will meet our tour director. Tour members are requested to arrive by 10:00 AM. Our afternoon bus orientation tour will include a stop at the famous Brandenburg Gate for photos. We’ll then go back to the time of Luther as we visit Lutherstadt-Wittenberg, the birthplace of the Reformation. This evening we’ll enjoy a welcome dinner in Wittenberg. (IF/D)

Day 3: Wednesday, May 11, 2022: Wittenberg
This morning our local guide will take us on a tour of Lutherstadt Wittenberg. It was here in 1517 that Martin Luther nailed his famous 95 Theses to the door of Castle Church (Schlosskirche). Although the original doors were destroyed in the Seven Years War, we can see Luther’s texts cast in bronze on the new doors.  We will visit St. Mary’s Church where Luther regularly preached and visit the Old Latin School next door. Luther’s former home, the Lutherhalle, is now a Reformation Museum and we will see where he lived with his family, as well as some of Luther’s very own personal library, rare manuscripts, and early Bibles. The afternoon will be at leisure. In the evening we will have a special service with the Wittenberg English Ministry. (B)

Day 4: Thursday, May 12, 2022: Erfurt, Eisenach
We will visit Erfurt today and our guide will take us on a tour including viewing St. Mary’s Cathedral, the Church of St. Severus, and the famous Merchant’s Bridge. We will end our tour at the Augustinian Monastery where Luther became a monk on May 17, 1505. We will be able to see his monastic quarters, including one cell furnished to look as it would have looked during Luther’s time. At the end of the tour we will have a group worship service in the chapel. We will continue on to Eisenach for dinner and overnight. (B/D)

Day 5: Friday, May 13, 2022: Eisenach, Frankfurt
We will begin our day in the Luther House museum, housed in one of the oldest and loveliest half-timbered houses in Thuringia. Luther is believed to have lived here as a child from 1498 to 1501 while attending a local school. An exhibit called “Luther and the Bible” features objects and multimedia presentations about Luther’s translation and the impact of his work on language, literature, and music. We will then visit Wartburg castle, where he took refuge in 1521, while fleeing from the wrath of the Pope, aided by his friend and protector, Frederick the Wise. We will tour the Wartburg and see where Luther finished translating the New Testament into German in just eleven weeks. This evening we will drive down to Frankfurt and dine in our hotel. (B/D)

Day 6: Saturday, May 14, 2022: Frankfurt, Amsterdam
We will have a private guided tour of the Frankfurt Bible Museum this morning and see their special exhibits. After free time for lunch we will drive through the Netherlands to Leiden. This is about a 5 hour drive, so we’ll have stops along the way. We’ll dine in our hotel in Leiden, a delightful Dutch city. The Separatists fled persecution in England and lived in Leiden for 12 years before they sailed to England and boarded the Mayflower in 1621. Leiden was also a center for Bible publishing. (B/D)

Day 7: Sunday, May 15, 2022: Amsterdam
This is the arrival day for those who are just doing the cruise portion, and transfers are included from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. We will have the opportunity to attend an English-speaking church service in Amsterdam and meet local believers. In the afternoon we can explore Amsterdam,  take a walking tour of Leiden, or visit Corrie Ten Boom’s home in Haarlem (subject to availability). Corrie and her family assisted hundreds of Jews during the Holocaust. After surviving Ravensbrück Concentration Camp, she preached in more than 60 countries about the Lord’s faithfulness. We will have a group meal at our hotel this evening. (B/D)

Day 8: Monday, May 16, 2022: Amsterdam
In the morning we will have an orientation tour of Amsterdam, including a boat ride on the canals. The afternoon is at leisure to explore independently. The next few days will be spent on the MS Symphonie and we have a full-ship charter, so it will be a wonderful opportunity to get to know the hosts and other travelers. We will board our ship at 6:00 PM. After comfortably settling into our cabins, we’ll meet the tour hosts and crew at the welcome event. (B/D)

Day 9: Tuesday, May 17, 2022: Arnhem, Dusseldorf
The ship will dock at Emmerich-am-Rhine this morning (8:30 AM) and we will tour the open-air living history museum in Arnhem. We’ll rejoin the ship in Xanten (12:00 PM) and the afternoon will be spent cruising towards Dusseldorf (7:00 PM). During the afternoon we will have some presentations and events about Bible translation around the world. The evening is at leisure to explore Dusseldorf. (B/L/D)

Day 10: Wednesday, May 18, 2022: Cologne, Koblenz
We will arrive in Cologne at 8:00 AM. We’ll have a tour of the city including the magnificent cathedral. The buses will take us to Königswinter to board the ship, and we’ll sail to Koblenz, arriving at 6:30 PM. (B/L/D)

Day 11: Thursday, May 19, 2022: Mainz, Worms
This morning will be spent cruising towards Mainz and we will dock at 2:30 PM. In the afternoon we will have a guided tour of the Gutenberg Museum.  Johann Gutenberg’s development of movable type enabled the work of Luther, Zwingli, Calvin and other reformers to spread quickly. The museum houses three extremely rare and valuable Gutenberg original 42-line Bibles. We will continue on to Worms, where we will board the ship for dinner.  (B/L/D)

Day 12: Friday, May 20, 2022: Worms, Speyer
This morning we will visit Holy Trinity Church, Worms. This Evangelical Lutheran Church is supposedly built on the site of the Diet of Worms. It was damaged in the war and rebuilt in 1959 and has magnificent stained-glass windows. We will also view St. Peter’s Cathedral, the Reformation Monument, and the commemorative plaques in Heylshof Garden. We will then drive to Speyer, where the term “Protestant” originated. We will have free time to explore the town and cathedral before the ship sails at 5:30 PM. (B/D)

Day 13: Saturday, May 21, 2022: Strasbourg
We will then travel into France to visit Strasbourg, referred to as the “City of Hope” and “Refuge of the Righteous” by the Anabaptists. This is where John Calvin wrote his famous books on systematic theology and where Martin Bucer, another Reformation leader, helped bring in the Reformation. We will arrive in the early morning, and our walking tour will include La Petite France and the cathedral. We will depart at 1:00 PM and the rest of the day will be spent on the ship. Tonight is our gala dinner and evening. (B/L/D)

Day 14: Sunday, May 22, 2022: Basel
After breakfast we will have a guided tour of Basel with a focus on the Christian heritage of the city. John Calvin found refuge here while fleeing from France and he published his first edition of the Institutes of the Christian Religion in Latin. The humanist Erasmus is buried in the cathedral. In the afternoon we can visit the Rhine Falls with an optional hike. We will have evening entertainment on the ship. (B/L/D)

Day 15: Monday, May 23, 2022: Geneva
We will disembark (by 9 AM) and drive through Switzerland to Geneva. In the afternoon we will tour Reformation sites, including the Reformation Wall, St. Peter’s Cathedral and a private tour of the Reformation Museum. We will end the tour with a Swiss meal. For convenience, the hotel will be close to the airport. (B/D)

Day 16: Tuesday, May 24, 2022: Return
We will return home today from Geneva. (B)

Please note this itinerary is copyrighted

What are accommodations like?

Our hotels are chosen for their quality, amenities and proximity to areas of interest. Whenever possible, we choose hotels in town centers, so that you are able to go off and explore in your free time. It may be necessary for us to substitute hotels for others of equal quality. You will be fully informed of any changes that affect you. Enjoy your stay!

Arrival and Departure Transfers

Transfers are automatically included if we have booked your flights.

If you have booked your own flights, we can still provide transfers, as long as we have your flight details on file and a phone number to give to the driver. We will include your transfer information in your final packet. Transfers will be arranged for each arrival, so that you won’t have to wait for other tour members if their flight is delayed. Transfers can be arranged for the day of your choosing, but we can’t arrange transfers if you arrive or depart by train.

Please note that individual transfers are booked through a third-party and you will be responsible to communicate with the company in case of delays.

Flight Information

Flights can be arranged once this tour is a guaranteed departure. We will let you know as soon as we have reached the minimum number of participants.

Group Air: If we have a minimum of 10 traveling together, we can provide a group air booking. Payment is due with the final payment.

Individual Air: If you would like assistance with alternative flights, please visit our Book a Flight page.  Please wait until the tour is a guaranteed departure before booking non-refundable airfare and send a copy of your flight itinerary for our records as soon as you have booked it.

Arrival for main tour: Please arrange to arrive in Berlin no later than 10:00 am on Tuesday, May 10, 2022

Arrival for cruise only: Please arrange to arrive in Amsterdam on Sunday, May 15, 2022

Departure: You are welcome to depart from Geneva at any time on Tuesday, May 24, 2022

We can arrange pre-tour nights in Berlin or Amsterdam and post-tour nights in Geneva.

What’s included in the land price of *$5,499? ($3,999 for cruise only)

Cruise only dates: May 14-25, 2022
•  En-suite cabin with floor-to-ceiling windows (top deck) or large windows (main deck)
•  Transportation: via deluxe air-conditioned coaches
•  Accommodations (double-occupancy) in 3 and 4-star hotels
•  Meals as indicated in the itinerary
•  Professional Tour Director throughout the tour
•  Expert hosts and seminar speakers
•  Local step-on guides for city tours and major attractions
•  Admission to all activities indicated in the itinerary
•  Arrival and departure transfers
•  Baggage handling (1 piece of baggage per guest)
•  All taxes and tips, including the driver and guides
•  Port taxes and fees

Your Tour Does Not Include

•   Round-trip air transportation (air available from July 2021)
•   Single supplement ($400 full tour or $200 for cruise – 4 single cabins available)
•   Meals and beverages not identified in itinerary
•   Items of a personal nature, such as passports and visas. Passports must be valid for 6 months beyond return date.
•   Upgraded cancellation insurance (basic coverage included in tour cost)

Payment Schedule

There are 2 installments for this tour that can be paid by check made payable to “Reformation Tours” to 64 Fiesta Circle, St. Louis, MO 63146 or by credit card (3.5% extra).

Deposit 1 is due at the time of booking ($1,500 by check or $1,552 by credit card). Credit vouchers from postponed tours can be used.
Final invoices will be sent in October 2021.
Final payment is due by November 1, 2021.

Space is limited, so we encourage early registration.

Insurance

We will continue to assist clients who have a current policy with Roam Right Insurance, a division of Arch Insurance Company. Policies are now transferable to tours in 2021 and 2022.

If you don’t have insurance yet, we are now partnering with an award-winning company called Squaremouth, which helps travelers search, compare, and buy the best travel insurance for the lowest price. They offer excellent customer support and can help you find the best policy for your trip. Please note that pandemics aren’t usually covered by policies.

Cancellation

Regardless of reason, cancellations are costly. All cancellations must be in writing and the date of postmark will determine the amount of refund due. For flight changes or cancellations, revision fees and/or airline cancellation charges will apply. Roommates canceling can result in a single supplement charge for the roommate. The Participant who cancels will be responsible for that charge if a substitute roommate cannot be found. Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is strongly recommended.

The following cancellation penalties apply, unless otherwise noted on the tour documentation:

From time of deposit to until May 1, 2021: $500 cancellation penalty
From May 2, 2021 to April 30, 2022: $1,000 cancellation penalty plus any non-refundable deposits
From May 1, 2022 to departure: No refund

Terms and Conditions