January 11, 2026 — 5:00am

The private sundecks in the balcony suites on the Scenic Pearl promise gentle views of vineyards, castles, swans – maybe even some ducks – but not long after departure from Basel, my tranquil view of the Rhine is swapped for a brick wall. The wall belongs to a lock, and the chamber is so narrow, the ship’s bumpers keep juddering into it. Until the gates open, the Pearl will be surrounded. It’s like being trapped in a massive brick box without a lid: the space is so tight, I only have to stretch out a hand to touch the side.

Reflections on the river.

On board the Scenic Pearl.

For anyone with an interest in how things work, the ancient process of moving ships from high to low water (or vice versa) is fascinating, and not just for engineering reasons. The experience immediately puts you in touch with the true purpose of the river — a waterway that has been transporting troops, people and produce for aeons.

That purpose is even more evident up on the viewing deck, where the flat roof of the ship offers 360-degree views of the river. Three days into our cruise, it’s the perfect place to admire the spectacular UNESCO-listed Rhine Gorge.

Like the royals, we offer gentle waves to working barges and other vessels, slowly sail past ruined and restored castles, steep cliffs planted with grapevines, picturesque villages and the Lorelei, the massive cliff face marking an infamous spot for shipwrecks. As if fluvial geology wasn’t a good enough explanation for the disasters, a legend popularised through poetry and music lays the blame on a mythical siren named Lorelei, who bewitched passing sailors then led them to their deaths.

It’s the right place for such a tale. Close to the Black Forest and dotted with the small villages and towns whose intact half-timbered houses and cobbled streets inspired many a Disney movie, the setting is pure brothers Grimm.

I’m on Scenic’s 15-day Romantic Rhine and Moselle river cruise and the itinerary has delivered: The focus on nature, folklore, nostalgia and landscape reflected in the work of the artists, composers and writers of Germany’s late 18th and 19th century romantic age is perfectly expressed in towns such as Colmar, the inspiration for the setting of the Disney animation of Beauty and the Beast, based on the 18th century tale by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve. It is part of France now, but Colmar, like many parts of the Rhine within the French border, also has deep Germanic roots.

The “Enrich experience” for guests, with music from Bach, Vivaldi and Schubert and then a choir.

The Moselle river’s scenery is perhaps even more spectacular than the Rhine’s.iStock

The Rhine is spectacular, but when we turn left at Koblenz and enter the Moselle River, the scenery is possibly even more beautiful. There’s less water traffic and the narrower river allows us to get closer to the riverbanks. We know we’re lucky to have this experience. Some years there isn’t enough water to allow ships into the Moselle, and earlier in the season a damaged lock meant itineraries were abruptly changed. We spend a few days exploring the river including Cochem and Trier, Germany’s oldest city and the site of a UNESCO-listed intact Roman gate in the heart of the city’s old town.