Bacharach on the Rhine, its church spire above the old town and the river beyond

Kosher Rhine River Cruise: Jewish Heritage from Düsseldorf to Frankfurt

Düsseldorf to Frankfurt, GermanyWhere

Sailing again in 2027, dates to be announcedDates

Last sailing from $5,400 per personFrom

The cruise

Seven nights on the Rhine, through a thousand years of Jewish history

Our kosher Rhine river cruise is seven nights on the river from Düsseldorf to Frankfurt, with the Moselle, the Rhine Gorge and the three ShUM cities, Speyer, Worms and Mainz, where the Jewish communities of Ashkenaz began. You unpack once; the ship moves between the towns while you sleep. Every meal is Glatt Mehadrin, cooked on board for the group, and Shabbat is kept together in Speyer. The dates of the next sailing are to be announced.

7 nights on board: Board in Düsseldorf on a Monday and leave the ship in Frankfurt the next Monday morning. The next sailing is planned for 2027; the dates are to be announced.
Where: Koblenz and the Moselle Valley, Cochem, the Upper Middle Rhine Valley and the Lorelei, Rüdesheim, Wiesbaden, Mainz, Heidelberg, Speyer, Worms and Frankfurt.
The ShUM cities: Mainz, Worms and Speyer: Rashi's synagogue, the Judenhof of Speyer with its medieval mikveh, and the old Jewish cemetery of Worms.
Meals: Glatt Mehadrin, cooked fresh on board for the group by a kosher chef under mashgichim, and served in a dining area of our own.

Rows of vineyards running down a hillside to the wide Rhine, with an island in the river and hills beyond — Vineyards above the Rhine near Rüdesheim

An old sandstone gravestone, rounded and mossy, among violets and grass in the Jewish cemetery of Worms — Heiliger Sand, Worms

The angular, green-tiled walls of the New Synagogue in Mainz rising against the sky — The New Synagogue, Mainz

The red sandstone walls and window openings of the medieval synagogue ruins in the Judenhof, Speyer — The Judenhof, Speyer

Rheinstein Castle on a rocky crag among autumn trees in the Rhine Gorge — Rheinstein Castle

Our group standing together in front of the New Synagogue in Mainz, Hebrew letters carved into its facade — On our Rhine cruise: the group outside the New Synagogue, Mainz

The twin white towers of the Old Bridge gate in Heidelberg under a blue sky, people walking through the arch — The Old Bridge gate, Heidelberg

Guests seated in a modern lecture hall, listening to a talk — A lecture on our Rhine cruise

Rows of vines running down a hillside toward the river valley under a cloudy sky — Among the vineyards, on our Rhine cruise

A steep slope of vineyards above the roofs of a riverside village and an old stone tower — Vineyards above a riverside village

A Gothic church with a slender spire among the houses of a village, wooded hills behind — A village church below the hills

What the cruise includes

Seven nights on board the Viva Gloria, with all taxes and port charges
Full board: dinner on the first evening, then every meal to breakfast on the last morning, with sandwiches from breakfast on a full-day excursion
Soft drinks, wine, beer, cocktails, coffee and tea through the day in the restaurant and bar, afternoon coffee and cake, and a minibar refilled daily
Free Wi-Fi on board
The sightseeing on the itinerary, with entrance fees and audio headsets, led by an Israeli guide who knows the region
An operations manager and a kashrut supervisor who travel with the group
Fresh Glatt Mehadrin meals cooked on board by a kosher chef, on new dishes
Shabbat tefillot, a Sefer Torah, wine for Kiddush and electric candles for Shabbat

International flights, transfers to the ship and from it, tips, travel insurance and personal expenses are not included.

Kashrut

A kosher kitchen on the river

Every meal on the cruise is Glatt Mehadrin, prepared fresh on board for our group and served in a dining area that is ours. An executive kosher chef cooks with our own team, under mashgichim who are responsible for the kosher kitchen, and a kashrut supervisor travels with the group for the whole week.

Everything is Chalav Yisrael, Pat Yisrael and Bishul Yisrael, and the meals are served on new dishes. On the days of full excursions you can make sandwiches at breakfast to take ashore. Tell us about any allergy or dietary need when you reserve.

The village of Beilstein along the Moselle, vineyards and a ruined castle on the hill above it — Beilstein, in the Moselle Valley

The ship

Your cabin on the Viva Gloria

Every cabin offered on this sailing has a French balcony: a window that opens the full length of the wall onto the river. There are four kinds, on two decks. Prices are per person, two to a cabin.

Mid Deck Cabin: A cabin for two with a sitting area and a French balcony.
Top Deck Cabin: A cabin for two, 15 m², with a sitting area and a French balcony, on the upper deck.
Mid Deck Junior Suite: A larger cabin, 19 m², with a sitting area and a French balcony.
Top Deck Junior Suite: A junior suite, 19 m², with a sitting area and a French balcony, on the upper deck.

Vineyards on a slope above a broad stretch of the Rhine in the haze, a river ship small on the water — The Rhine near Rüdesheim

Port by port

The Rhine river cruise itinerary, day by day

This is the day plan of the June 2026 sailing. The next sailing will follow the same route unless we tell you otherwise. Times are the ship's arrival and departure.

Day 1 · MondayDüsseldorf. Board in the afternoon and settle into your cabin, then a welcome reception and a festive dinner as the ship sets off south along the Rhine.Sails 5:00 pm
Day 2 · TuesdayKoblenz, where the Moselle meets the Rhine. After breakfast, a drive through the Moselle Valley, its steep vineyards and its centuries of Jewish life, to Cochem for a walk through the old town, then back for lunch on board. In the afternoon, Koblenz itself: the German Corner and the old Rathaus.7:30 am – 6:00 pm

The brick and sandstone old town hall of Düsseldorf with its clock tower, on the Marktplatz — The old town hall, Düsseldorf

The point of land at Koblenz where the Moselle flows into the Rhine, from the air — The German Corner, Koblenz

The Reichsburg castle above Cochem, on a green hill of vineyards — The Reichsburg, Cochem

Day 3 · WednesdayThe Upper Middle Rhine Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site: a morning's sailing through the gorge past its medieval castles and the Lorelei rock. In Rüdesheim, a walk that takes in the Drosselgasse and the Music Box Museum, with its rare mechanical instruments.Rüdesheim 1:00 pm – midnight

Rheinstein Castle perched on a cliff above the river, the slope around it in autumn colors — Rheinstein Castle, in the Rhine Gorge

The Niederwald monument, a bronze figure on a tall stone pedestal at the top of wide steps, above Rüdesheim — The Niederwald monument, above Rüdesheim

Day 4 · ThursdayWiesbaden, the spa city: the Kurhausplatz, the Wilhelmstraße and the view from the Neroberg. In the afternoon, Mainz, the Magenza of the rishonim, home to Rabbeinu Gershom and a place of study for Rashi: the new synagogue, the Gutenberg Museum, the cathedral and the old town.8:00 am – 9:30 pm

The domed roof and columned sandstone front of the Kurhaus in Wiesbaden — The Kurhaus, Wiesbaden

The folded, green-glazed walls of the New Synagogue in Mainz — The New Synagogue, Mainz

The red sandstone towers of Mainz Cathedral against a deep blue sky — Mainz Cathedral

Day 5 · FridaySpeyer, and a morning in Heidelberg: the view of the castle, the site of the old synagogue, and the Holocaust memorial. Back in Speyer, a ShUM city, the story of how its community held on through the Crusade of 1096. Then Shabbat preparations and candle lighting, Kabbalat Shabbat, Kiddush and the Friday night dinner, with an Oneg Shabbat on board.Arrives 6:30 am
Day 6 · ShabbatSpeyer, in port all day. A Shabbat walk through the town: the Romanesque cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Judenhof, with the ruins of the medieval synagogue and its mikveh. In the afternoon, Shabbat rest and a lecture. Havdalah together in the evening, then the ship sails overnight for Worms.In port all day

Heidelberg Castle on the wooded hill above the old town's roofs and the Neckar — Heidelberg

Speyer Cathedral's four towers and long nave above the old town, from the air — Speyer Cathedral

The ruined walls of the medieval synagogue in the Judenhof, Speyer — The Judenhof, Speyer

Day 7 · SundayWorms, the Warmaisa of Ashkenaz: Rashi's synagogue, the eleventh-century Jewish cemetery, Heiliger Sand, and the graves of the Maharam of Rothenburg and the Maharil. Later, a drive around Frankfurt, then the farewell dinner on board.Worms from 1:00 am; overnight in Frankfurt
Day 8 · MondayFrankfurt. A last breakfast on board, then leave the ship for your flight home or a stay in the city.Leave the ship by 9:00 am

The round towers and carved sandstone east gable of Worms Cathedral against a blue sky — Worms Cathedral

A weathered gravestone among spring violets in Heiliger Sand, Worms — Heiliger Sand, Worms

The rebuilt old town of Frankfurt and the red tower of its cathedral, from the air — Frankfurt

Shabbat and heritage

Shabbat in Speyer, and the ShUM cities with a guide

An Israeli guide who knows the region leads every visit on the itinerary, and lecturers on Jewish history and the history of Europe speak on board, so each town arrives with its story: the communities of Mainz, Worms and Speyer, their scholars, and what happened to them.

Shabbat is kept in port at Speyer, with nothing to rush for. Friday is a morning in Heidelberg, then candle lighting, Kabbalat Shabbat, Kiddush and dinner on board, and an Oneg Shabbat. On Shabbat there is a walk to the cathedral and the Judenhof, a lecture and a quiet afternoon, and Havdalah together before the ship sails for Worms. A Sefer Torah travels with the group. Our guide to Shabbat on a Jewish cruise covers what to expect.

Red sandstone walls of the medieval synagogue in the Judenhof, Speyer, with a stair leading down — The Judenhof, Speyer

A rounded old gravestone in the grass of the Jewish cemetery at Worms — Heiliger Sand, Worms

Who it suits

Who the cruise suits, and what the days ask of you

Seven nights is a short cruise, and an unhurried one: you unpack once, the ship moves between the towns overnight or while you sit on deck, and the gorge and its castles are seen from the ship.

It suits travelers who like history, and anyone who wants to see where Ashkenazi Jewry began
The town visits are walking tours, over old streets and some steps; Heidelberg and the Moselle Valley are reached by road
Shabbat is a full day in port, with no touring beyond a walk
Our guests are mostly English speakers from the USA, Europe and Israel
The reservation form asks for a short health declaration

The Reichsburg over Cochem, vineyards on the slope below it — Cochem

Beilstein's houses along the Moselle, terraced vineyards behind — Beilstein, on the Moselle

Price

What the Rhine cruise costs, cabin by cabin

Prices for the 2027 sailing are to follow; the last sailing was from $5,400 per person, as a guide. Per person in a double cabin, in US dollars, with taxes and port charges included.
Cabin	7 nightsDüsseldorf to Frankfurt
Mid Deck Cabin, French balcony	To be announced
Top Deck Cabin, French balcony	To be announced
Mid Deck Junior Suite, French balcony	To be announced
Top Deck Junior Suite, French balcony	To be announced

The cabins

Mid Deck Cabin, French balcony

A sitting area and a French window that opens the full length of the wall.
Top Deck Cabin, French balcony

15 sq m

A sitting area and a French window that opens the full length of the wall, one deck higher.
Mid Deck Junior Suite, French balcony

19 sq m

More room to spread out, with a sitting area and a full-length French window.
Top Deck Junior Suite, French balcony

19 sq m

More room to spread out, with a sitting area and a full-length French window, on the top deck.

Cabin sizes and features are the ship’s, and can vary by position on board.

The price covers the seven nights on board, every kosher meal, the drinks on board, the guided visits on the itinerary with their entrance fees, and the Shabbat program. Flights, transfers, tips and travel insurance are extra.

Deposit and terms

What you pay, and when

Payment

On booking$1,000 per person
Balance, by bank transfer120 days before sailing

All prices and payments are in US dollars. If the cruise is canceled because too few guests have booked, you receive a full refund.

If you need to cancel

120 days or more before$500 per person
45 to 120 days before50% of the invoice
Within 45 daysNo refund

We strongly recommend travel insurance covering cancellation, medical care and luggage.

What happens after you inquire

You send a short inquiry
Six fields, with this cruise already filled in.
A person replies, not a system
The person for your region calls or emails you, within one working day, and tells you when the next sailing is set.
Every question answered, with patience
Kashrut, cabins, Shabbat, the ports, flights and payment. Ask as many as you like.
Cabins are confirmed in order of booking
The group has a fixed number of cabins. Your reservation form and deposit confirm yours.

Your hosts

Who is looking after you

David Walles
Cruises and tours
David looks after our cruises and tours with Chana. Who from our team sails with the group is confirmed with your booking.
Chana Walles
Cruises and tours
Chana runs our cruises and tours with David.

Our guests all share a commitment to Shabbat and kosher observance, but there are no specific religious requirements to join. We won't ask about your personal religious practices. Send us your flight times into Düsseldorf and home from Frankfurt; for anything else, the simplest route is an email or a call to the line for your region, and every missed call and message is returned.

Frankfurt's rebuilt old town, the cathedral tower and the roofs around it, from the air — Frankfurt, where the cruise ends

What our guests have to say

What guests said

“The organization, catering and religious atmosphere are amazing!”

Ruth and Nathan Grunbaum · Their third cruise with us

“You are real pros! The choice of local guides and locations was exceptional.”

Marvin and Teme · Jerusalem · Jewish Spain and Gibraltar

“Menachem and I truly enjoyed our cruise and all that went along with it and will be sure to recommend you to our friends.”

Dorothy and Menachem Khoen · Melbourne · Cruise

Questions

Asked before booking the Rhine river cruise

When is the next kosher Rhine river cruise?

The last sailing was in June 2026. The next one is planned for 2027; the dates are to be announced. Send an inquiry and we will tell you as soon as it is set.

Where does the cruise start and finish?

It starts in Düsseldorf, on a Monday afternoon, and ends in Frankfurt the next Monday, off the ship by 9:00 am. You book your own flights into Düsseldorf and home from Frankfurt.

Which towns does the cruise visit?

Koblenz, with a drive into the Moselle Valley and Cochem; the Upper Middle Rhine Valley and the Lorelei; Rüdesheim; Wiesbaden and Mainz; Heidelberg; Speyer, for Shabbat; Worms; and Frankfurt.

What are the ShUM cities?

Speyer, Worms and Mainz, whose Hebrew initials spell ShUM. In the Middle Ages their communities were the center of Ashkenazi Jewry: Rabbeinu Gershom taught in Mainz, and Rashi studied there and in Worms. The cruise visits all three, with Rashi's synagogue and the old cemetery in Worms and the Judenhof in Speyer.

Is every meal kosher on the ship?

Yes. Every meal is Glatt Mehadrin, Chalav Yisrael, Pat Yisrael and Bishul Yisrael, cooked fresh on board for the group by a kosher chef under mashgichim, and served in a dining area of our own. A kashrut supervisor travels with the group.

How is Shabbat kept on the cruise?

On board, in port at Speyer, with the group: candle lighting, Kabbalat Shabbat, Kiddush and dinner on Friday night, tefillot with a Sefer Torah, a walk to the Judenhof on Shabbat, and Havdalah together before the ship sails on.

Are the excursions included?

Yes. The sightseeing on the itinerary is included, with an Israeli guide, entrance fees and audio headsets.

Do I need travel insurance?

We strongly recommend insurance covering cancellation, medical care and luggage, bought as soon as you book so the cover is complete.

Also on the cruise calendar

Our other kosher cruises

Every cruise we run, with its dates, is on the kosher cruises page.

Discover

The world beyond the ordinary.

Connect

Shared journeys. Lasting friendships.

Enrich

Memories that touch the soul.

FromLast sailing from $5,400 per person

Jerusalem at dusk, seen from the Inbal Hotel

Inquire

Speak to someone about your trip

Call the line for your region, or send an inquiry and we will come back to you.

info@koshertravelers.com

Speak to Shelley in reservations. Every missed call and message is returned.

Since 1991 · Glatt Mehadrin

Photo credits

The German Corner at Koblenz, where the Moselle meets the Rhine: Carsten Steger, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Reichsburg above Cochem, on the Moselle: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0
Speyer Cathedral from the air: Carsten Steger, CC BY-SA 4.0
Heidelberg Castle above the old town, from the Old Bridge: Eugene Alvin Villar, CC BY-SA 4.0
Vineyards above the Rhine near Rüdesheim, Upper Middle Rhine Valley: MarianaSenkiv, CC BY-SA 4.0
Heiliger Sand, the old Jewish cemetery of Worms: Marcin Szala, CC BY-SA 3.0
The New Synagogue, Mainz: Linus Wolf, CC BY-SA 3.0
The Judenhof, Speyer: the medieval synagogue and mikveh: Manuae, CC BY-SA 4.0
Beilstein and its vineyards, in the Moselle Valley: Michal Osmenda, CC BY-SA 2.0
The old town hall on the Marktplatz, Düsseldorf: Christian A. Schröder, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Niederwald monument above Rüdesheim: Philipp35466, public domain
The Kurhaus, Wiesbaden: Fred Romero, CC BY 2.0
The east gable of Worms Cathedral: Hubert Berberich, CC BY-SA 3.0
The new old town of Frankfurt and its cathedral, from the air: Thomas Liptak, CC BY-SA 4.0