Services
Our price includes
- Cruise in the booked cabin-category (only outside cabins, cabins for single use only bookable on request)
- Fuel surcharge ship 28 €
- Full board with three main meals (from dinner on embarkation day to breakfast on the last morning)
- Coffee / tea and midnight snack in line with the itinerary
- Welcome and Farewell Cocktail
- Captain’s Dinner
- Services of the nicko tours Cruise Team
- Participation in the on-board events programme
- Resident musician
- Free use of the ship’s swimming pool
- Detailed cruise documents (only available in German)
- All harbour dues
- Luggage transfer from the quayside to your cabin and v.v.
Our price does not include
Individual travel to and from Cologne, excursions, travel insurance, beverages
gratuities (we recommend a sum of EUR 5-7 per person and day), personal spending.
Excursions
Excursion to the Keukenhof Gardens (Package) (31.03.-12.05.12)
Where once Countess Jacoba of Bavaria used to collect fresh ingredients for the kitchen of her castle, we have today the splendor of her garden, which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year: the kitchen garden of the countess is called Keukenhof in Dutch.
Every spring, the Keukenhof becomes a feast for the eyes. You can find tulips, hyacinths, daffodils and other plants in full bloom. Our guided walk gives you an overwhelming display of colors, embedded against a wonderful background of modern and traditional garden architecture.
Coach tour to North Holland (Package) (from 19.05.12)
Our coach excursion this afternoon takes you through the Dutch province of North Holland, which is located on a peninsula between the North Sea and the Ijsselmeer. Everywhere we find reminders of Holland’s rich history. Picturesque small towns such as Volendam or Edam reflect an age when the Ijsselmeer was called the Zuidersee and had open access to the North Sea.
We start in Zaanse Schans, an open air museum, which re-creates a typical village from the 17th and 18th Century. It lies on the small River Zaan and houses a variety of green painted wooden houses and windmills. The site contains a workshop making clogs, a cheese maker, a bakery, some typical gardens and windmills used to grind oil and dyes. Our excursion then continues to Edam on the banks of the Ijsselmeer, for a one hour tour of this small town with a picturesque centre and famous for its round cheeses.
City tour in Amsterdam with the Rijksmuseum (Package)
This tour introduces you to this feisty and pulsating city with its canals and its historic villas and merchants’ houses, a constant reminder that we are in the centre of a sea-faring and trading nation. The atmosphere here has the aura of the Golden Age, combined with a modern lifestyle.
Nowhere else in the world will you find as many historic buildings as in Amsterdam, which has always been home to artists. The most famous of these is Rembrandt. The huge number of museums demonstrates the variety of experience here. Our tour includes the Rijksmuseum with its numerous paintings by famous artists such as Rembrandt’s “The Night Watch” and works by Frans Hals, Gerard Dour and Jan Vermeer.
Canal cruise in Amsterdam (optional)
Did you know that you can find 165 canals, 1281 bridges, 8 wooden drawbridges, 70 cruise boats, 2500 house boats and 120 pedal boats in Amsterdam?
The so-called “Grachten” are small waterways, which flow in concentric circles through the city center of Amsterdam. Most of the canals were built in the 17th century in order to transport products directly from or to the warehouses on their banks, as well as for drainage and defence.
A 60 minute canal cruise past the impressive merchant homes of the “Golden Age” should not be missed as it lets you see the city from another perspective. There is a coach transfer from the ship to the boarding point.
Excursion to Den Haag and Delft (Package)
This coach tour starts in Rotterdam and takes you to Den Haag and Delft. Den Haag has always had close ties to international politics. For example the peace conferences, leading to the Hague Convention, were a milestone in the progress of international justice. Inside the ring of now largely filled-in canals many colonial landowners had settled in the 17th Century and still today we can see their imposing villas. The area around the Grote Kerk and the Binnenhof became the focal point of the administration, whilst the so-called Burgerstad saw the rise of a smart residential area, which extended in stages out towards the coast. After a drive through Den Haag we travel on to Delft.
Delft and its blue porcelain encapsulate Holland in the same manner as its windmills or cheese. When, in the early 17th Century, ships of the Dutch East Indies Company brought home examples of Chinese porcelain, the Dutch tried to imitate it and Delft achieved the best results. In the „Golden Age“ Delft was an administrative centre and a focal point for culture and science. The Delft School achieved fame through painters like Jan Vermeer. Our visit takes in the Market Square, one of Holland’s finest – according to the local population. The square is home to a variety of outdoor cafes and souvenir shops selling Delft porcelain. The tour concludes with a drive back to Willemstadt or Hellevoetsluis, to rejoin the ship.
City tour in Antwerp (Package)
Antwerp is the provincial capital and Belgium’s major port. It lies on the River Scheldt, some 88 km from its mouth. In the 16th Century the city was the richest trading city in Europe. However, the wars between the Habsburgs and the Netherlands led to a massive decline in fortune. It was not until 1863 that the situation improved. Today the container port is one of the world’s largest and second only to Rotterdam in Europe. Over the centuries the city has produced many famous artists such Rubens, van Dyck and Jan Bruegel. Its role as a port has led to a huge variety of international cuisine. The city is home to one of the largest Jewish settlements in Europe. Orthodox Jews, of whom many are engaged in the diamond industry, play a major role in several areas of the city. Antwerp is one of the world’s major centres for trade in diamonds. The short walking tour introduces you to several aspects of Antwerp life. We visit the Church of our Lady with its majestic paintings by Rubens. We stroll through mediaeval streets and past modern buildings and have time to savour the city’s flair in one of the open-air cafes.
Excursion to Ghent und Bruges including lunch (optional)
It is not by chance that the provincial capital Ghent enjoys the titles of „historic heart of Flanders ", "a city for all times" and "one of Europe’s loveliest cities". It combines an impressive history with a lively sense of the present. The historic centre houses a range of attractions and a series of towers, which can best be seen from St. Michael’s Bridge: St. Nicholas Church with its bells and St.Bavo’s Cathedral with van Eyck’s famous altar adorned with 26 paintings. In parts the mediaeval cityscape has been elegantly preserved; the old harbour with the guild houses on the Graslei and the Korenlei quays provide some of the finest sights in Ghent.
We then continue to the Catholic see of Bruges, capital of the province of West Flanders. After lunch we explore this magical city on foot. The mediaeval centre was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 and in 2002 Bruges was a European Capital of Culture. As it once lay on a bay with direct access to the North Sea it grew into a major international trade centre in the 11th Century and was a member of the Hanseatic League. In the 15th Century Bruges was ruled by the Dukes of Burgundy and rose to a high status as a centre of culture, architecture and finance At the end of the Middle Ages Bruges was the richest city in Northern Europe. However, in the late 15th Century the port became silted up and the Burgundian Court moved out. The city became impoverished and the industrialisation of the 19th Century passed it by. Today Bruges benefits from this fact, as its mediaeval centre has remained intact. The canals, the rich history and the archaological discoveries as well as the attractive shopping areas have brought international interest into a city centre that has never been damaged by wars or fires.
The tours in Ghent and Bruges are both on foot.
Excursion to Brussels (optional)
Brussels lays claim to the title of "Eldorado of art-lovers", "Europe’s Capital" and "Cradle of Art Deco" The Belgian capital is certainly worth a visit – there are interesting sites round each corner, many of which are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Our coach tour takes you past the Atomium and the Royal Palace, Belgium being one of Europe’s newest monarchies. A gentle stroll around the city centre includes one of the world’s most famous squares – the Grand Place – with its magnificent guild houses from centuries past. We also visit one of Brussels’ best known landmarks – the Manneken Pis.
The congenial cafes on the square invite us to take a rest, whilst the surrounding narrow winding streets contain a range of chocolate shops with prized local wares.
Guided walk in Nijmegen (optional)
The Hanseatic city of Nijmegen is Holland’s oldest city. It celebrated its 2000th Anniversary in 2005. The city’s history goes back to Roman times. Anyone coming across the Waal bridge can easily see why the 157 000 inhabitants are so proud of their city, as the river promenade and the skyline of the city centre form an imosing sense of unity. The present and the past go hand in hand, historic buildings are interspersed with modern architecture. The city lies on a hill above the river and has attracted many people over the centuries. Our guided walk takes in sites away from the usual tourist trail and includes narrow, hidden streets, which still have a mediaeval aura.
The Excursion Package (139, - €) includes the following:
- Tour to the Keukenhof Gardens (on the first 6 cruises)
- A coach tour through North Holland (from the 7th cruise)
- City tour in Amsterdam with the Rijksmuseum
- Excursion to Den Haag and Delft
- Tour of Antwerp
The following optional excursions can be booked on board:
- Canal cruise in Amsterdam
- Excursion to Ghent and Bruges
- City tour in Brussels
- Guided walk in Nijmegen
The Excursion Package can be booked in advance. However, excursions can also be booked on board either as a package or individually. The optional excursions are not included in the package and can be booked only on board. Please note that on-board bookings are subject to availability and that they must be paid for in cash (Euros).
Every excursion is subject to a minimum of 30 passengers.
Bookings for excursions, which are paid for either in advance or locally and then not taken up, are not eligible for refunds – unless nicko tours are forced to cancel the tour due to river levels or where the minimum number of participants is not achieved.
We recommend you to attend the on-board briefings about the excursions and life on board. In order to ensure a prompt start to the excursions, we ask anyone who has booked but is now unable to take part to report this to the Cruise Team.
Please note that exceptional water levels or lengthy waiting times at locks can lead to alterations to the programme of excursions and to the points of embarkation / disembarkation.
We reserve the right to alter the printed itinerary and excursion schedule.
Important travel information
Important Travel Information
Dear Partner:
We are delighted that you are interested in offering one of our river cruises and you are now starting the planning for the holidays of your customers. We would like to offer some suggestions for this process, to help you on your way. Each means of travel has its own peculiarities - things that are worth knowing. We have tried here to select some of the most important items.
Travel Documents
nicko tours will not provide travel documents to you. As you are a tour operator you have to use your own documents and vouchers. You also have to provide nicko tours with a sample copy of the travel vouchers valid for the cruise. This will be forwarded to the Cruise Director to assure boarding of your group.
EU Safety Certificate
The cost of your tours includes an EU guarantee of set standards of care. This certificate will be sent with your letters of confirmation.
Passports and Visas
You are responsible for the Visa arrangements of your customers. Please ensure, that they check in good time that all necessary papers and documents needed for the cruise are valid and correct.
May we draw your attention to the fact that you as the Operator are responsible for all official travel documents for your clients and (where needed) visas and for organizing any necessary inoculations.
Failure to follow these regulations may result in a refusal to allow your clients to undertake all or parts of their journey and thus involve considerable extra expense for your clients. Should the lack of appropriate documentation lead to a refused permission to travel, there can be no refund of payments already made. It is not part of nicko tours service to obtain entry visas. This remains the responsibility of the Operator and the clients.
Insurance
May we draw your attention to the fact that you and your passengers are responsible for travel insurances. Unfortunately you cannot book insurance directly with nicko tours.
Travel to/from port
Travel to/from port of embarkation/disembarkation needs to be organized by yourself. Please note that should flight or train delays occur, the vessel cannot wait in the port of embarkation. In such cases the transfer to the next port, where embarkation is possible, must be arranged by yourself. Please contact the emergency hotline as soon as possible (0049-163 765 68 60). To book transfers between the airport or main station and the port of embarkation please contact us at sales@nicko-tours.com
Baggage Handling
If arriving by plane, please check the baggage regulations of your airline in advance.
Ship’s berth
Details of the ship’s berth you will get from our product managers.
Every vessel is officially assigned a harbour berth. Occasionally it is necessary to moor alongside another vessel. This means that the view from the cabins window may be restricted to the neighbouring vessel and that there may be a certain amount of additional noise and smell. While going ashore it might be necessary to pass through or across another vessel. Anchorages are subject to change.
Changes to the itinerary and to the programme
Cruise itineraries are weather-dependent – for example a long period of rain or drought could have a detrimental effect on water levels. It may on occasions be necessary to change the itinerary, as a result of abnormal water levels or delays at locks or bridges. On the rare occasion that a section of the river is closed, we will transfer passengers to alternative means of transport, which may result in cancellation of, or changes to planned visits. We also reserve the right to alter the order in which we visit the planned destinations.
Joining and leaving the vessel
You will get embarkation details from our product manager. However, since there are occasional changes to the ships’ berth, we ask your customers to check the information boards on the quayside, to find the exact location of the vessel. Please take special note of the embarkation times. Even though the vessel may already be at its berth, the crew need the available time to prepare the ship for its next cruise. Please understand that it is not possible to embark before the time specified, nor can we accept your luggage until this time.
Excursions / Going ashore
Excursions ashore organised by nicko tours offer a general view of the most important sights in the various ports of call. Your clients may also wish to explore the area on their own.
We ask your clients to wait for an announcement of official clearance of the vessel, before going ashore. Return times on board are published in the daily journal. Since our berths and our passage through locks have to be arranged in advance, we are not able to wait for passengers who return late.
Excursions
For each cruise we offer a package including interesting excursions, which we specially recommend.
Excursion packages for international groups are operated with English speaking guide. Therefore a minimum of 10 persons is required. nicko tours can also arrange excursion packages for other languafe groups. Please let us know.
It is, of course, possible to book these excursions on board as well, usually at a higher price and subject to availability, especially because of the language. Usually these optional excursions are subject to a minimum number of participants. Theatre performances depend on local schedules, which are sometimes subject to last minute alterations. Should your clients not take part in a pre-booked excursion (either as part of a package or booked individually on board), we are not able to issue a refund. Also please note that abnormal water levels or extended waiting times at locks may lead to delays and alterations to the planned excursion schedule or to a change of disembarkation or embarkation point.
On-board facilities
On board our ships your customers will find a Panorama Lounge offering excellent views of the passing scenery. Live music is played during the evening for dancing, whilst during the day the Lounge is used for lectures. Some ships have, in addition, smaller lounges for reading or board games or for small group meetings. On most of our ships there are fitness facilities, which you clients may use free of charge. On the Sun Deck they will find sunshades, chairs, tables and, in many cases, deck-chairs.
The on board language for all nicko tours vessels is German. However, if you are a inernational tour operator and arranging a closed group and an accompanying tour guide, we will provide all announcements, menus, daily programs etc. also in English (other languages on request).
Payment on board
The on-board currency depends on our route (Central Europe = Euro). Drinks taken and excursions booked on board can be paid for at the end of the cruise, either by credit card (see the cruise description for details) or in cash. Cash payments must be made in the on-board currency, as exchange is not permitted or not possible on board (except in China). Please be aware that your bank or Credit Card Company may impose fees for credit card payments.
Cabins
Normally you receive the cabin numbers with the booking confirmation. We will try our best to assign you the cabin you have specified with your booking, but this is not a contractual requirement on our part. A certain amount of noise from the ship’s engines, air-conditioning plant or ventilation systems is noticeable in some parts of the vessel. Those cabins marked “aft” are in the rear section of the vessel and here the noise may be noticeable when the vessel is underway. Occasionally there is noise from the bow propellers when manoeuvring or moving through locks. This mainly affects the forward cabins. On our Russian and Ukrainian ships the bathroom is rather more basic. The shower is drained through a drain in the bathroom floor and the shower head is extendable from the wash basin.
Multi-berth cabins
Some twin-berth cabins can be arranged to accommodate three or four occupants, but please note that these cabins are usually the same size. The third and fourth bed in these cabins is usually a fold away upper berth.
Drinking water
Because the fresh water supply comes from an on-board tank, we recommend drinking bottled water obtainable from the ship’s bar or restaurant. The water from the ship’s taps is perfectly safe for cleaning teeth etc.
Meals
All our cruises include full board – details are given in the brochure. We try to source the meals with local produce. On all ships we serve a buffet Breakfast. Lunch is usually served at table and Dinner is always table service. Meals on board are served at a single seating. Please refer to the tour information for further information. If one of your customers have special diet requirements, we ask you to inform us when making the booking, although this may present difficulties in Russia, Ukraine, China and Egypt.
Medical treatment and health issues
For urgent medical needs there is a doctor on board our ships in Russia, the Ukraine and China, as well as on board MS DONAUSTAR, MS DELTASTAR, MS MOLDAVIA and MS DNEPR. Otherwise it is normally easy to reach a doctor on shore. Medical treatment on board is charged for and medicines are also to be paid for locally. Please be aware that our on-board staff (eg at the Reception) are not allowed to dispense medicines. If your clients are taking prescription drugs, please ensure that they have a sufficient supply with them. We recommend international health insurance.
Dress
During the day on board and on the excursions your passengers may dress how they please, with the emphasis on comfort and practicality. We recommend wearing non-slip shoes on the outside decks and that they have warm clothes for cooler evenings and sound, comfortable footwear for trips ashore. Although there is no formal dress code, we ask to dress smartly for Dinner. Your customers should please remember to pack a hat, sun glasses and rainwear and please bear in mind that the countries to be visited have dress codes different to ours, often based on religious precepts. Churches, monasteries, temples and mosques are primarily places of contemplation and reverence. We therefore ask to dress accordingly – shorts, short skirts and sleeveless tops are not welcomed.
Mail
Your clients may hand in cards and letters for posting at Reception. Normally the mailbox is cleared at the next port of call. Postcards and stamps are available from the Reception Desk. Please be aware, though, that on-board prices are generally higher than those ashore.
Smoking
Smoking is permitted only outside and normally on the open Sun Deck. Smoking is not permitted in enclosed areas of the vessel, such as restaurants, lounges, cabins, corridors etc. The only exception is on board the MS CENTURY DIAMOND, where smoking is permitted in the Cigar Lounge.
Gratuities
Tips are not included in the tour price. They are a personal way of showing appreciation for good service. The amount is at the passenger’s discretion, but our recommendation for ships on the rivers Volga, Dnieper, Danube and on rivers in Germany is € 5-7 per passenger per night on board. As we recognise that European passengers often have difficulties with local scales of gratuity in China and Egypt, we offer a service whereby the recommended gratuities are collected at the start of the cruise by the Tour Leader, who then distributes appropriate amounts to the ship’s crew, local guides and coach drivers. Please refer to the cruise information for recommended scales of gratuities. In the case of cruises in Egypt with MS NILE EXCELLENCE the gratuities are included in the tour price.
Telephone
It is normally possible to call from cabin to cabin (except on the Russian and Ukrainian ships). On many ships your passengers can phone ashore using a satellite link. However, the charges for this service are high and we recommend your customers useing their own mobile phone. Your service provider can advise on tariffs.
TV
Those ships that offer on-board TV rely on satellite reception, which is operative over large parts of the itinerary. However, there can be unforeseen interruptions of transmission when passing under bridges or lock chambers as well as on certain stretches of the river.
Electrical appliances
For reasons of safety, electric irons and similar appliances are not allowed in the cabins. There is no hair dryer in the cabin on the Russian or Ukrainian ships. The electrical supply in the cabins is at 220 V. Please note that, as all electrical sockets on the vessels are German standard, your passengers might need to bring a suitable adaptor.
Items of Value
On board our ships there is either a deposit box at the Reception Desk (sometimes for a small fee) or a small safe in the cabins. Please use these to deposit items of value. However, we do recommend that your customers leave items of value (eg expensive jewellery) at home, if possible. Some of our tours take your clients to places where minor items are considered as wealth and where wearing expensive items can lead to covetousness or theft.
Children
For children we offer a discount of 30% up to the age of 11. Please note that this discount will be deducted at a later stage. The booking confirmation shows the full amount.
Should you have further questions please contact us on our Infoline +49 (0) 711 – 24 89 80 0
We wish your customers a splendid time on board, cruising some of the world’s most beautiful rivers.
