Tour Overview
Trace the dramatic final months of World War II in Europe with The National WWII Museum on an all-new, immersive nine-night voyage from Amsterdam to Strasbourg aboard Transcend Connect. WWII History for the Holidays Rhine River Cruise offers an expertly curated itinerary that blends powerful battlefield exploration with the festive charm of Europe’s vibrant Christmas markets.
Accompanied by renowned military historians and authors John McManus, PhD, and James Fenelon, guests gain insight into pivotal campaigns such as Operation Market Garden, the airborne crossings at Nijmegen, and the Allied push across the Rhine into Germany. An actor from Band of Brothers also joins the cruise to connect the acclaimed series to the very landscapes where these events unfolded.
Each port offers a choice of thoughtfully designed excursions allowing a tailored experience for each traveler. The exclusively chartered Transcend Connect is the perfect venue for lectures, film screenings, and taking in the panoramic views of the Rhine’s castles, vineyards, and historic towns. Holiday markets in cities like Cologne, Bonn, and Mainz add a festive component to this December voyage.
Dates
Optional three-night post-tour extension program:
Occupation and Resistance in Amsterdam featuring Alexandra Richie, DPhil
November 28 – December 1, 2027 | Starting at $3,899 | ⇩
Optional three-night post-tour extension program:
Dunkerque – Across Two Wars featuring James Holland
November 28 – December 1, 2027 | Starting at $3,899 | ⇩
Optional six-night post-tour extension program:
Patton’s Third Army featuring James Fenelon
December 9 – 15, 2027 | Starting at $6,499 | ⇩
Program Pricing
1-Bedroom Suite
$17,999 $16,999 per person based on double occupancy
Deluxe Stateroom
$14,999 $13,999 per person based on double occupancy, $15,999 $14,999 single occupancy
*$399 taxes and fees are additional. Flights are not included in the price of the tour.
We impose a surcharge of 3% on the total transaction amount on credit card products, which is not greater than our cost of acceptance. We do not surcharge debit cards or e-checks.
Download the Digital Flyer
Download the official digital flyer for a full listing of inclusions, accommodations, and other useful information.
Full Tour Itinerary
Wednesday, December 1, 2027
Embark in Amsterdam
Independent flight arrivals into Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) / Embark Transcend Connect / Welcome Reception with featured historians and cruise staff / After-dinner viewing of Band of Brothers Episode 4, “Replacements” / Conversation with Band of Brothers actor and featured historians
Accommodations: Transcend Connect (R, D)
Thursday, December 2, 2027
Nijmegen
Excursion Option 1 (Historical): British 1st Airborne
Airborne Museum Hartenstein / Arnhem Oosterbeek Airborne War Cemetery / John Frost Bridge / Lunch on own in Arnhem / Nijmegen Bridge walking tour / Waal River crossing / Sunset March Touring can be half day (return to the ship for lunch) or full day (return to the ship for dinner.
Excursion Option 2 (Historical): American 101st Airborne
Nuenen / Zon Bridge / Lunch at Hotel Erica / Schoonderlogt Farm / Easy Company’s “Crossroads”
Evening Activities for All Guests: Evening lecture onboard / After-dinner viewing of Band of Brothers Episode 5, “Crossroads” / Conversation with Band of Brothers actor and featured historians
Accommodations: Transcend Connect (B, L, D)
Friday, December 3, 2027
Wesel
Operation Varsity / 17th Airborne sites, including Diersfordt Castle, “Burp Gun Corner”, and Haus Duden / Bombing of Wesel and British 1st Commando Brigade / Lunch at Hotel Wacht am Rhein / Memorial to the POW Enclosure Büderich / Driving tour of the crossing sites of US 30th Infantry Division
Accommodations: Transcend Connect (B, L, D)
Saturday, December 4, 2027
Cologne
NS Documentation Center / Walking tour of Old Town Cologne and the cathedral / Lunch and free time in center city to enjoy Christmas Markets / Evening lecture onboard Touring can be half day (return to the ship for lunch) or full day (return to the ship for dinner).
Accommodations: Transcend Connect (B, D)
Sunday, December 5, 2027
Bonn
Excursion Option 1 (Full-Day Touring, Historical):
Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery / Hürtgen Forest / Included group lunch / Remagen
Excursion Option 2 (Half-Day Touring, Historical):
Vogelsang International Place guided tour / Lunch onboard
Excursion Option 3 (Full-Day Touring, Cultural):
Guided tour of Drachenburg Castle / Beethoven House and Museum / Free time in city center to enjoy Christmas Markets
Evening Activities for All Guests:
Evening lecture onboard / After-dinner Beethoven concert
Accommodations: Transcend Connect (B, L, D)
Monday, December 6, 2027
Koblenz
Scenic Cruising Day
Relax onboard while sailing along the Rhine and take in the spectacular landscapes of Germany / Midday reception on the top deck to view castles, vineyards, and other notable landmarks / Additional activities include presentations by the featured historians and a viewing of the 1970 film Patton
Accommodations: Transcend Connect (B, L, D)
Tuesday, December 7, 2027
Mainz
Excursion Option 1 (Historical):
Mainz Underground tour OR Mainz Citadel / Nierstein / Oppenheim, where Patton crossed the Rhine / Lunch and wine tasting at a vineyard
Morning at Leisure or Excursion Option 2 (Cultural):
Morning at leisure on the ship OR morning at the Christmas Markets / Lunch and wine tasting at a vineyard
Accommodations: Transcend Connect (B, L, D)
Wednesday, December 8, 2027
Heidelberg
Campbell Barracks “Mark Twain Village” / Heiligenberg Thingstätte / German War Cemetery / Documentation and Cultural Center of German Sinti and Roma / Lunch onboard / Guided tour of Heidelberg Castle / Final conversations onboard with featured historians and speakers
Accommodations: Transcend Connect (B, L, D)
Thursday, December 9: Disembarkation
Strasbourg
Disembark Transcend Connect and transfer to Strasbourg Airport (SXB) OR join the post-tour
(B)
Inclusive Value
- Nine-night cruise aboard the exclusively chartered Transcend Connect
- Daily touring and nightly conversations with featured cruise historians and Band of Brothers actor
- A custom collection of “design your own journey” included shore excursions
- Full-time logistical tour managers
- Expert local battlefield guides
- All meals aboard Transcend Connect
- Beer, wine, spirits, coffee, water, tea, and soft drinks throughout the cruise
- Personal listening devices on all included excursions
- Entrance fees to all sites, museums, and attractions on included excursions
- Video oral history presentations from the Museum’s collection
- Private, air-conditioned motor coach transportation on all shore excursions
- Roundtrip airport transfers (when arriving and departing on scheduled group tour dates)*
- Gratuities to shipboard crew, guides, drivers, and porters
- Informative specially curated keepsake guidebook including useful battlefield maps and archival images to be used throughout your journey
- Personalized luggage tags and customized name badge
*Airport transfers are included with additional hotel nights if booked through the Educational Travel Department
Reading List
WWII History for the Holidays Rhine River Cruise reading list coming soon.
Destination Map
For tour questions or for more information,
the Travel Sales Team is available:
Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Central.
Call: 1-877-813-3329 x 257
Email: travel@nationalww2museum.org
Occupation and Resistance in Amsterdam featuring Alexandra Richie, DPhil
Optional three-night post-tour extension program:
November 28 – December 1, 2027
$3,899 per person based on double occupancy,
$4,299 single occupancy
Join Alexandra Richie for a compelling exploration of wartime courage and tragedy in the Netherlands. Begin your journey in Haarlem, a picturesque Dutch city renowned for its vibrant flower markets and rich cultural heritage, and step into one of the city’s most powerful historic sites: the Corrie ten Boom House. This humble home once served as a secret refuge for Jews fleeing Nazi persecution. Today, it stands as a moving testament to the bravery of ordinary citizens who risked everything to save their neighbors—offering a deeply personal counterpoint to the story of Anne Frank.
Confront the grim machinery of deportation that swept across the Netherlands during the Holocaust at Camp Westerbork, once a refugee center that was transformed into a transit camp—the ominous “gateway to hell”—from which over 100,000 Jews, Roma, and resistance members were sent east to death camps like Auschwitz and Sobibor.
Conclude your experience in Amsterdam, where the echoes of resistance still linger in the city’s cobbled streets and quiet canals. Take part in a specially curated walking tour and visit the Dutch Resistance Museum, where stories of defiance, sabotage, and survival come to life. Through the lens of those who stood up to tyranny, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the Dutch experience under Nazi occupation.
Accommodations & Inclusions
Enjoy a three-night stay at InterContinental Amstel, ideally located for exploring the historic coastline. Your program includes:
- 3 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 welcome reception, and 1 dinner
- All touring with expert local guides and your featured historian
- Comfortable motorcoach transportation throughout
- Seamless transfers from Amsterdam to Transcend Connect
Dunkerque – Across Two Wars featuring James Holland
Optional three-night post-tour extension program:
November 28 – December 1, 2027
$3,899 per person based on double occupancy,
$4,299 single occupancy
In late May 1940, the fate of the Allied armies hung in the balance along the windswept shores of northern France. Encircled by German forces, more than 300,000 British and Allied troops faced annihilation—until an extraordinary evacuation, known as Operation Dynamo, turned impending disaster into one of history’s most stirring acts of resolve.
On this immersive, historian-led journey, stand where history unfolded on the beaches of Dunkirk and gain unparalleled insight into the decisions, improvisation, and sheer bravery that defined those nine fateful days. With acclaimed historian James Holland as featured expert, explore the terrain, stories, and legacy of this defining moment of the Second World War.
Journey Highlights
Walk the Evacuation Beaches
Trace the footsteps of soldiers who waited under constant threat of air and artillery attack, and consider the logistical miracle that brought them home.
Explore the Dynamo Museum
Housed in the original 1940 command headquarters, this remarkable museum brings Operation Dynamo vividly to life through artifacts, maps, and personal accounts.
Lunch Aboard the PS Princess Elizabeth
Step aboard one of the famed “little ships” that participated in the evacuation and enjoy a memorable lunch on this historic vessel—an evocative connection to the civilian mariners who answered the call.
Visit the Fort des Dunes
Examine this preserved coastal fortification, used by both French and German forces, and gain insight into the defensive efforts surrounding Dunkirk.
Your exploration extends beyond Dunkirk to illuminate the broader context of total war in Europe during the 20th century:
- Reflect on the tragic loss of life connected to the sinking of HMS Crested Eagle, a sobering reminder of the evacuation’s peril.
- Descend into the massive underground complex at La Coupole, where Hitler’s engineers developed the V-2 rocket—an ominous glimpse into the war’s technological escalation.
- Travel through the battle-scarred landscapes of Flanders with a visit to Ypres, where the legacy of the First World War adds powerful context to the conflict that followed.
Accommodations & Inclusions
Enjoy a three-night stay at the Radisson Blu Dunkirk, ideally located for exploring the historic coastline. Your program includes:
- 3 breakfasts, 1 lunch aboard a historic vessel, 1 welcome reception, and 1 dinner
- All touring with expert local guides and your featured historian
- Comfortable motorcoach transportation throughout
- Seamless transfers from Brussels and onward to Amsterdam and Transcend Connect
Patton’s Third Army featuring James Fenelon
Optional six-night post-tour extension program:
$6,698 per person based on double occupancy,
$8,498 single occupancy
In the late summer and fall of 1944, General George S. Patton and his United States Third Army surged across France with breathtaking speed, exploiting the Allied breakout from Normandy and driving deep into German-held territory. Yet as the campaign pressed eastward into Lorraine and Alsace, momentum met fierce resistance, supply shortages, and punishing winter conditions.
On this in-depth, historian-led journey, trace the path of Patton’s forces from triumph to tenacity. With expert interpretation from James Fenelon, explore the battlefields, fortifications, and memorials that reveal both the operational brilliance and the human cost of this decisive campaign.
Journey Highlights
Battle of the Colmar Pocket
Examine the last major German foothold in France, where Allied forces fought through snow, mud, and entrenched defenses to secure Alsace in a hard-fought winter victory.
The Maginot Line
Descend into the massive underground bunkers of France’s prewar defensive network. Consider the strategic assumptions behind this engineering marvel—and how German forces ultimately bypassed it in 1940.
Liberation of Strasbourg
Stand before the soaring Strasbourg Cathedral, liberated in November 1944. Its survival and symbolic importance made it a powerful objective for French and American forces alike.
Lorraine American Cemetery
Walk among the graves of more than 10,000 American service members who fell during the Lorraine campaign, a solemn reminder of the cost of liberation.
Arnaville and the Moselle Crossing
Visit Arnaville, where U.S. forces established a critical bridgehead across the Moselle River under intense fire—an essential step in continuing the advance east.
Verdun: Legacy of Total War
At Verdun, reflect on the devastating battles of the First World War and their lasting imprint on the landscape later contested again in World War II.
Reims and the Meaning of Victory
Explore the grandeur of Reims Cathedral before visiting the Compiègne Armistice Museum, where the end of World War I—and its deliberate echo in 1940—reveals the deep historical currents that shaped Europe’s wartime experience.
Accommodations & Inclusions
Enjoy a thoughtfully paced program with stays in three historic regions of eastern France:
- 2 nights in Strasbourg at Sofitel Strasbourg Grande Île
- 2 nights in Metz
- 2 nights in Reims at La Caserne Chanzy Hotel & Spa, Autograph Collection
Your journey includes:
- 6 nights’ accommodations in well-appointed hotels
- Daily breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 welcome reception, and 1 dinner
- All touring with expert local guides and featured historian
- Private motorcoach transportation throughout
Exclusively chartered by The National WWII Museum’s Educational Travel program, Transcend Connect is a brand-new luxury vessel that will launch on the Rhine River in summer 2026. We have configured the ship to offer six one-bedroom suites and 37 oversized staterooms.
We invite you to explore the renderings online for the best viewing experience and the most up-to-date information.
John C. McManus, PhD
John McManus is the Curators’ Distinguished Professor of US military history at Missouri University of Science and Technology, and one of the world’s leading historians of World War II. He has written over a dozen books, most of which cover some aspect of the American combat experience in World War II, including The Americans at D-Day; The Americans at Normandy; September Hope: The American Side of a Bridge Too Far; Alamo in the Ardennes; and The Dead and Those About to Die: D-Day: The Big Red One at Omaha Beach. McManus has made hundreds of appearances as an expert commentator for radio and television outlets as well as in numerous major documentaries for PBS, the History Channel, Netflix, the Smithsonian Network, Discovery Channel, National Geographic, and others.
James M. Fenelon
James M. Fenelon is the US Army paratrooper-turned-author of Four Hours of Fury, the untold story of the American 17th Airborne Division’s combat jump over Germany’s Rhine River in March 1945. His second book, Angels Against the Sun, chronicles the 11th Airborne Division’s battle through the Philippines and their eventual landing in Japan as the vanguard of the occupation forces. Fenelon’s Angels Against the Sun was a finalist in consideration for the Association of the US Army’s 2023 Distinguished Writer’s Award and is required reading for officers of the 101st Airborne Division attending staff studies at the J. Craig Institute for the Study of War and Democracy. Fenelon's next book is about the 101st Airborne’s battle for Carentan and the vital role it played in the successful Normandy invasion.
As an author, Fenelon draws on his experience as a U.S. Army paratrooper, pathfinder, and jumpmaster to write immersive accounts of average GIs swept up by events beyond their control. His desire to give readers a “boots on the ground” perspective is reflected in his narrative-driven writing style. His avid interest and dedication to the study of WWII combat has taken him to numerous battlefields and historically-related sites, including those in France, Italy, Britain, Holland, Belgium, Egypt, Greece, Germany, Okinawa and Crete. He has been previously published in FlyPast, Britain’s largest selling aviation magazine as well as other publications such as, World War II, ARMY and Military History. With his expertise in military history, Fenelon has consulted as a technical advisor for video games, screenplays, and documentaries. He recently served as a Featured Historian on a tour of Japan with the National WWII Museum in New Orleans.
