As we settled ourselves in the huge main saloon of our jaunty ship, thinking let's go, departure was delayed, but finally our shipmates arrived, a bus load of tourists (as if we were not tourists). They crushed themselves down the gangplank and we were off from St.Goar to see the Loreley Statue, before we reached Boppard. Our shipmates, even with the temp hovering in the 50's and clouds with a slight drizzle, took themselves to the upper outside decks and we gratefully stayed in the snug warm cabin and gazed as the mighty Rhine slid by north. A pleasant waiter served us beverages and chatted as we asked questions. We told each other about our lives, worked on our German, and made new friends along with talking about the castles and the river. Another member of the crew, over the speakers, kept a running commentary in several languages of the hovering castles and Loreley legends to keep us informed.
Around us and the bar, large picture windows surrounded us and the bow while multi rows of green and brown booths( big enough to seat at least 8) lined the bulk heads below the windows. Plenty of viewing space to admire the charming villages scattered on the banks seemingly shuttered down for the coming winter, but still as charming as a Grimms fairy tale. The mighty Burg Katz on the east bank at St. Goarhausen gave us a send off and Burg Maus was close behind. Again on the east shore, the dual castles of Die feindlichen Bruder (friendly brothers) greeted us across the river from Boppard high above the Kloster Bornhofen
Before we had left the vicinity of St. Goar, we slowed as we passed the dusky Loreley Statue, just south of St. Goar, sitting on its jutting pinnacle of land beneath the craggy steep cliffs. Legend has it that the beautiful mermaid Loreley would lure sailors to their death with her siren song. As their ships approached the shoals of the cliffs she would start to sing and they would try to find her and lose attention while their ships crashed on the shoals. We left her to the cold rain as we headed for our destination of Boppard. Here you can disembark and stay for while and catch the next boat back, about an hour. We opted for the trip back as most of our shipmates rushed with their umbrellas to enjoy the sights of Boppard. Within minutes we were headed back upstream and we relaxed and let the hum of the engines and the lapping of the Rhine rock us gently home to St Goar.
The Ship has a total gift shop with brochures, maps, guide books, t-shirts, caps and cafe serves almost any hot or cold drink you can think of along with snacks and some of the best spicy goulash I have eaten.