Embark on a 15-day luxury river cruise with Cameron and Jules!

March 28, 2025

We are very excited to invite you on a special, once in a lifetime trip.

As part of a new partnership with Cruising Wine Tours, we invite our Loyalty and Wine Club members and friends to join Cameron and Jules on an exciting “Rhine and Rhone Revealed Wine Lovers” voyage, sailing from Amsterdam to Arles on a 15-day/14-night luxury river cruise, departing 13 October 2026, aboard an Avalon Cruises Luxury Suite Ship.

The cruise operators, Avalon Cruises, have created an extraordinary European river cruise holiday. Enjoy wine, food, beautiful views, and stop in some of the most iconic parts of Netherlands, Germany and France.

Cruise the Rhine, Saône and Rhône rivers

You will cruise on three beautiful rivers - the Rhine, Saône and Rhône Rivers – and this holiday will carry on in your favourite travel memories for a long time to come.

The promoter of this tour, Melbourne-based Cruising Wine Tours, has enormous experience in managing European wine experiences and have asked Cameron and Jules to host two onboard, ‘by invitation only’, private wine tastings over the duration of the 15-day cruise.

For these private wine tastings, wines selected from the regions that you will visit will be matched with similar varieties from our Elderton cellars. Cameron and Jules will showcase our Riesling and Shiraz against the best of the Rhine and Rhone regions, and lots more.

This is just the tip of the adventure!

Immerse yourself in French and German culture on this fabulous European river cruise along the Rhine, Saône, and Rhône Rivers. A Certified Sommelier will accompany you on the cruise, with presentations, tastings and wine pairings along the way.

Spectacular views begin in Amsterdam. The best way to see the treasures of this 700-year-old city is on a canal cruise along the elegant Grachten. Sail to Cologne, Germany - a 2,000-year-old city best known for its Gothic architecture and famous twin-spired cathedral - for a fascinating guided walk. Sail through the dramatic Rhine Gorge, the most beautiful view of the Rhine River where ancient castles stand on cliffs 400 feet above the water.

Continue your Rhine River cruise to Speyer for a guided walk and visit to the Wine Museum, or take an excursion to Heidelberg to visit the ruins of its red-walled castle. You’ll find that Strasbourg, France - located on the French-German border - perfectly blends the cultures of both countries. In Breisach, enjoy an excursion to Black Forest or take an excursion to the charming village of Colmar, followed by a visit to a chateau wine cellar.

Cruise to Tournus for an excursion to a Chardonnay wine cellar. Continue to Lyon - a showcase of medieval and renaissance architecture - to explore a maze of medieval alleyways in the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Take a culinary walk and enjoy a tour of the famous wine region of Beaujolais. Continue to the city of Tournon beautifully nestled among vineyards. Here, enjoy a guided walk with a wine-and-chocolate tasting or a walk in the vineyards. In Avignon, visit the Palace of the Popes and take a guided tour to Châteauneuf du Pape.

This remarkable river cruise will also take you to Arles, the capital of the Provence region and famous for its 1st-century Roman amphitheatre.

Cameron and Jules hope that you can join them on this most exciting adventure.

What's included?

Included in the standard Avalon Cruises 15-day “Rhine and Rhone Revealed Wine Lovers” cruise:

All inclusive boutique river cruise sailing in a lavishly appointed room with exclusive Comfort Collection Beds and pillows, the plushest of towels and L’Occitane® bath products.
All meals on board are prepared using the finest and freshest ingredients. Be treated to world-class cuisine made from fresh local produce, locally sourced from the regions you visit.
Enjoy the finest wines Europe has to offer - celebrate every meal. Complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks are served with lunch and dinner, as well as sparkling wine with breakfast. Wine menus are expertly curated by onboard Sommeliers to reflect the local destination. From the Rieslings of the Moselle to the robust vintages of Germany’s Rhine Valley, to the sparkling bubbles on the Seine, happiness flows from vine to table on an Avalon cruise. At daily complimentary Happy Hour, enjoy a selection of beer, wine, spirits and cocktails and toast a glass with new friends as you reflect on an amazing day.
Your choice of daily carefully curated excursions including Active Excursion, Classic Excursion and Discovery Excursion all fully hosted by English-speaking local experts.
Relax in Style - enjoy a convenient fitness centre, free bicycles for use in select ports and a bubbling whirlpool on the Sky Deck. The Adventure Centre in your ship’s lobby has everything you need to make very day count, including FitBit trackers, stretch band, yoga mats and more. For those who believe the world is a gym, your Adventure Host is ready to help you cruise down a road, up a mountain, or along a riverbank with complimentary bicycles, Nordic walking sticks and kayaks.

Pricing starts $14,190 per person. For further information about the cruise visit Avalon Cruises.

Plus exclusive to Elderton Wines members and friends:

Two ‘by invitation only’ private onboard wine tastings hosted by Cameron and Jules Ashmead
All bookings will receive a gift boxed 750mL bottle of 2016 Command Shiraz, valued at $200

Germany and France in the late European summer is relatively cool and uncrowded. All meals, wine and sightseeing tours are included aboard with Avalon Cruises.

Book now, don’t wait as demand is already heavy for this departure.

Sounds great, how do I book?

To be included in the Elderton members and friends cruise, all bookings must be made directly with our accredited travel agent.

Our travel agent’s details are: David Hull – Travel Managers, Ph: 0409 545 664, email: david.hull@travelmanagers.com.au website: www.travelmanagers.com.au/DavidHull

Persons booking through another travel agent or direct with the cruise operator do not count as part of Elderton’s members and friends group on this cruise, and as such are not eligible for the wine offer upon booking or to participate in the exclusive Elderton tastings and any other Elderton organised group activity during the cruise. It is important to note that Elderton is not responsible or liable for operating the cruise. Avalon Cruises are responsible for operating the cruise.

Please feel free to forward this to your family and friends – as long as they mention this offer, they can also book and be part of this exclusive offer.

Cheers,
Cameron Ashmead – Co-Managing Director