We take an early train to Koblenz to board one of the K-D Line boats for a trip up the Middle Rhine. The KD Rhine Line boat pier is about a 10-minute walk from the station. It's a beautiful morning, and we enjoy looking at some of the older houses as we walk towards the river.
The K-D ticket office is staffed by a very jolly lady who is laughing as hard at my attempts to speak German as I am at her attempts to speak English. We kill the time waiting for the boat by having a Coke in a nearby garden restaurant.
The boat has an open deck with just a few umbrellas, and it is very sunny and hot. We find some seats in the shade and sit back as we roll up the Rhine. The stretch of the Rhine from Cologne to Mainz is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. It has a fascinating history and illustrates the ultimate in medieval culture with more than 20 castles and numerous villages and wineries. The commentary is in both German and English and discusses most of the places of interest.
As we cruise, I take many photos of castles and the passing scenery. I don’t believe there is anywhere in the world that has as many castles in one stretch as this. We see the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress as soon as we board, Stolzenfels Castle is next followed by the incredibly well-preserved Marksburg Castle in Braubach. After the Cat and Mouse Castles, we come to the legendary Loreley Rock! We enjoy a chuckle at the boat company's attempt at entertainment. A woman wearing a Loreley banner, in a blonde wig and a dress that most likely would never make it off a thrift shop rack, strolls around the deck, accompanied by an accordionist from central casting, and sings folk songs.
At this point, we decide to eat. The dining room is overcrowded and understaffed, but the food is good, especially the sausages. At one end of the dining area, a group of passengers are having a roaring good time, liberally lubricated with wine and beer. They don't seem to be interested in the scenery or the castles, and they seem to be enjoying themselves – there may be a lesson in there somewhere.
The next noteworthy sight is Schönburg Castle, followed by the midstream Pfalz Castle. About this time, we decide we’ve seen enough and disembark at a little town called Bacharach to switch to the train to Mainz. We wander around the town and have a glass of the local wine in a quaint restaurant.
This cruise, while slightly tacky, is actually a worthwhile activity in terms of time and money. While the adult fare can be expensive, the concession fares are good including a bargain family fare. They have all types of promotional fares, which you can access here.