The Avid Cruiser

Our cruise ended in Trier, Germany’s oldest city and an outpost of the Roman Empire as early as the 3rd century BC. Roman ruins are found throughout the city, including an ancient Roman gate.

Dark clouds rolled in on the last day of our seven-night cruise, but spirits remained high on board. As passengers head into Trier, Germany’s oldest city, we conduct a series of exit interviews on our final full day before disembarking.

Heidelberg’s pilot house, where the captain navigated the river vessel, raised and lowered to pass under low-lying bridges. In this scene, you can see the pilot house rising after passing under a low bridge on the Moselle River.

One of the more charming ports of call during our seven-night cruise was on the Moselle River. Heidelberg docked within a 5-minute walk from the city center of Bernkastel and within a 20-minute walk (with a moderate grade) to the castle ruin of Burg-Landshut that overlooks the city. The community’s wine-growers tend Germany’s largest continuous expanse of vineyards. Needless to say, the wines here are heavenly.

The reserved section in Heidelberg’s lounge was for a woman affectionately known as Tanta Hedwig (or Aunt Hedwig). Our cruise marked her 90th river cruise with Peter Deilmann. She began traveling when her husband passed away in 1981. She is considered family by the crew, and thus they call her Tanta Hedwig. We interview Heidelberg Hotel Manager Wilhelm Bahrs and speak briefly to Tanta Hedwig in this video.

Heinhold from Hamburg attempts to teach me a German beer drinking song.