National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions has announced the launch of its first-ever European river expeditions. Beginning April 2026, the brand will debut two new eight-day itineraries sailing along the Rhine, including sailings from Amsterdam to Brussels and Cologne to Basel, aboard the newly built 120-guest Connect. The two new river expeditions are open to past guests for early access reservations; bookings open to the public starting May 20, 2025.
On the eight-day “2026 Rhine River: Castles, Culture and Culinary Delights” itinerary, guests will sail along the Rhine River and pass through the Rhine Gorge with its rolling hills and vineyards. Ports of call include Mainz, Frankfurt, Heidelberg, Strasbourg and Colmar. Along the way, they will explore castles, stroll cobblestoned streets and indulge in private wine tastings and traditional feasts. Highlights include:
- Sailing through the Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and home to the Rheinstein Castle, where guests will enjoy an exclusive reception
- Private tastings throughout the voyage, from Riesling tastings served by the resident nuns at St. Hildegard Abbey to a variety of wines at the Cave Historique des Hospices de Strasbourg, home to one of the world’s oldest wines
- Touring the home of famed German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe on a private visit in Frankfurt
- Dining with university students in Heidelberg, discovering what daily life is like at one of Germany’s oldest academic institutions
On the eight-day “2026 Holland and Belgium: Medieval History and Scenic Waterways” itinerary, guests will journey along the Rhine and other waterways of Holland and Belgium. They will travel down Amsterdam’s scenic canals, call on historic cities such as Antwerp and Delft and take in the Dutch countryside while delving into the region’s artistic legacy, Jewish history and culinary delights. Highlights include:
- Spring-time strolls through more than seven million tulips, daffodils and hyacinths at Keukenhof, known as the “Garden of Europe”
- Witnessing the works of masters like Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Rubens, Vermeer and more with after-hours tours at the Kröller-Müller and Mauritshuis Museums
- Culinary experiences throughout the voyage, from a progressive food tour of Belgian specialties in Antwerp to curated dinners onboard
Each voyage will be staffed by one of the brand’s veteran Expedition Leaders, several knowledgeable field staff and at least one National Geographic expert. Field staff will guide guests on private tours, exclusive tastings and expertly curated experiences.
For more than 50 years, Lindblad Expeditions has explored such waterways as the Peruvian Amazon, the Nile in Egypt, and the Columbia and Snake Rivers in the United States’ Pacific Northwest; however, this launch will mark a historic first for the company, which has never offered river expeditions in Europe before. With the addition of Connect, the Lindblad Expeditions fleet now consists of 23 owned and chartered mission-built expedition ships that it operates on behalf of the National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions co-brand.
For more details, visit www.expeditions.com.
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