France

Voyage to

SS Catherine · 7 Nights · Lyon to Arles

June 21st - 28th, 2026

Cruise the Rhône and Saône rivers while savoring world-class wine and cuisine, guided by Co-founder & General Manager Prema Kerollis and Director of Winemaking Ryan Prichard. Stroll through historic Arles, visit Avignon's Palace of the Popes, and explore charming Viviers. For active adventurers, hike Rhône vineyards or bike through Lyon’s scenic streets. Discover “Burgundy & Provence,” where traditions run as deep as the vines, and enjoy Three Sticks Wines paired with onboard culinary events for an unforgettable, exclusive experience.
Special Pricing if you book by September 30, 2025!
For inquiries about booking, itinerary, and general cruise information, please contact Expedia Cruises directly at 877 651 7447 or via email at wineclub@expediacruises.com.
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The Itinerary

DAY 1 | EMBARKATION - LYON:

Arrive at Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport. If your cruise package includes a group arrival transfer or if you have purchased a private arrival transfer, you will be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to the ship.
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DAY 2 | LYON:

Ancient Lyon is a city of tantalizing contrasts, from Roman roots to stunning modern architecture and plenty of Renaissance flair. There's much to explore here, from the city's bike paths to the silk weavers' secret passageways. While you're in, you might like to have lunch at one of the many traditional bouchons that proliferate in the epicenter of French gastronomy. A special Captain’s reception and Dinner will be prepared for you this evening on the SS Catherine.
Featured Excursion Choices:

Lyon Panoramic Tour with Traboules Visit

You'll fall in love with Lyon today as you take in the view from the top of Fourvière Hill, where a magnificent cathedral rises above the city. Take in the view below, noting the splendid façades of Renaissance houses. You'll get a sense of how the city developed, growing from Roman roots to encompass the peninsula and the eastern bank of the Rhône, before you ride through the streets to the riverbanks and discover les traboules, the city's old passageways in Lyon's historic quarter.

You may want to stroll along the quays back to the ship or opt for lunch in one of the traditional bouchons. They serve hearty meat-based dishes, but quenelles—luscious dumplings—and a seasoned cream cheese called cervelle de canut are longtime local favorites too.

Silk Weavers Walking Tour

Lyon’s history is entwined with silk, which dominated the city’s economy for centuries—at one time, almost a third of the city’s population were silk weavers. Jump on a tram and head into the historic Saint-Jean Quarter, part of the UNESCO-honored Old Town, where we’ll visit a shop keeping Lyon’s long tradition of weaving alive. Observe up-close as expert weavers thread strands of silk and gold into gorgeous patterns, designed to adorn couturiers and castle walls—the shop has even been commissioned to join the Versailles restoration project! The creation of such beautiful fabrics by hand is an incredibly strenuous task—in the past, a weaver could spend as much as 30 years of their life to decorate a single palace room. If it weren’t for this workshop in Lyon, the tradition may have been long forgotten, replaced completely by modern techniques.

Next, we’ll walk through the historic quarter to some of the traboules, the old passageways that snake between and through buildings, secret shortcuts that silk weavers took to keep their delicate fabrics out of the rain.

Let's Go: Lyon Peninsula Bike Tour

Get out and about with a bike ride along the river. Lyon boasts a thriving bike-rental scene, which tells you just how popular this mode of transportation is—you will definitely have two-wheeled company as you pedal along the banks of the Rhône on a sunny day. Your route takes you over the new Raymond Barre Bridge, past the spectacular new Museum of Confluences (so named because it sits at the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône) and along the peninsula, a strip of land with the Saône on one side and the Rhône on the other.

Here, houseboats tie up along the banks, swans float on the water, and locals take advantage of the lovely park like setting. You’ll also have a great view of the Old Town on the other side of the river. This outing gives you a little taste of what it is like to live in Lyon, as well as a little exercise.

DAY 3 | MÂCON (BEAUNE):

Burgundy's pace of life is decidedly more relaxed. Endless rows of grapes hang heavy on the vine. The region’s wine tregion'sital, Beaune, is renowned for its history, beauty, and highly prized wine. It also has a medieval-era hospital, the Hospices de Beaune.
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Featured Excursion:

Burgundy Landscapes, Beaune, and the Hospices. Beaune may not be a large town, but it has history, a wealth of splendid regional architecture, and incredible food. Nestled inside medieval ramparts, Beaune was the seat of the warlike dukes of Burgundy until the 16th century. It is best known for two magnificent sights: the Hospices de Beaune and the open-air market.

DAY 4 | TAIN-L’HERMITAGE (TOURNON):

If you love fine wine, you'll love the twin villages of Tournon and Tain-’Hermitage. Tournon may be a small town, but stirring events took place here: A castle was raised on the hilltop in the 10th century to protect the region, and new fortifications were added over the centuries, including two "new" towers built to defend against Protestant attacks in the 16th century. You'll see the handsome houses constructed by wealthy merchants and garrison officers when you walk through the Rue de Doux area and pass the 14th-century church and the oldest secondary school in France.
Featured Excursion Choices:

Tournon and Tain-l’Hermitage Twin Villages Stroll with Wine Tasting

Nestled on opposite sides of the river in the heart of the Côtes du Rhône, the twin cities of Tournon and Tain-l’Hermitage are an ideal destination for connoisseurs of fine wine.

Cross the pretty flower-decked Marc Seguin suspension bridge to Tain-l’Hermitage to visit local wine cellars, where you’ll taste the region’s famous Côtes du Rhône, Saint-Joseph, and Crozes-Hermitage wines. These wines are produced from the Syrah grapes that grow on the steep slopes lining the river. After your wine tasting, you’ll have time to browse through the shops; the Valrhona chocolate factory is always a popular stop.

Let's Go: Hermitage Terrace Vineyards Hike with Wine Tasting

Are you ready to explore the steepest vineyards on the Rhône? The vines producing the world-famous Hermitage wines grow on precipitous slopes above the river, so steep that terracing is essential. Hike along the paths that parallel the rough courses of stone through the vineyards, each one situated to catch the afternoon sun. After you’ve seen how the grapes—primarily Syrah—are grown, taste the fruit that has been transformed by the vintners’ craft into legendary wine.

DAY 5 | Viviers:

An enchanting village where time seems to have stopped centuries ago, Viviers has a long and storied past that goes back more than 1,600 years—and a splendid architectural heritage to match. At one time, Viviers was divided along religious lines—the clergy lived in the upper part of the town, and the laity lived in the lower part. Your exploration of the town will take you through both parts as you begin at the crest and make your way to the riverbank.
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Featured Excursion:

Village Day: Ardèches Sycamores line some of Viviers’ stone-paved streets (planted, so they say, to provide shade for Napoleon’s soldiers), and houses here bear the watermarks of floods over the years. A local expert will show you the fountain squares in the Old Town, which combine Roman and medieval influences, and cobblestone lanes so narrow you can stand in the middle and touch the medieval houses on either side. Viviers climbs a hill crowned by 12th-century St. Vincent’s Cathedral. View the smallest cathedral in France before you meet some of the local residents. You might choose to learn how a local potter makes the attractive wares sold at Poterie; step into a villager’s home; or sample the wares at a popular bar. Don’t feel that you must opt for the bar if you’d like a little refreshment; all visits include an aperitif. On your way back to the ship, stop to try your hand at a game of pétanque, which is akin to horseshoes, only it’s played with steel balls.

DAY 6 | Avignon:

The walled city of Avignon is one of the most fascinating towns in southern France, with a host of historic gems to explore, including the fortress residence of rebellious popes who broke from Rome and once lived and ruled here. You’ll see the Palace of the Popes and much more today, or have the chance to visit a 2,000-year-old Roman aqueduct. A special Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you this evening.
Featured Excursion Choices:

Avignon Walking Tour with Palace of the Popes

It’s hard to believe, looking at the charming cafés and entertaining street performers in the Clock Tower Square, that this lively scene owes its existence to a 15th-century siege. This area was the heart of medieval Avignon (and the site of the original Roman town), crowded with cottages and narrow streets—until a pope had it all demolished in order to give his troops a clearer field of fire. That is Avignon in a nutshell: It was the city of the popes. The Avignon popes built the ramparts that still surround the Old Town and the huge, nearly impregnable fortress that dominates the UNESCO-designated district; in fact, the city did not officially become part of France until 1791. Stand below the high, thick walls to get a sense of just how daunting these fortifications were, then prepare to climb many steps as you tour the Palace of the Popes itself—it’s worth it!

Pont du Gard Roman Aqueduct Visit

In the middle of the first century, Roman engineers responded to Nîmes’s need for water to fill its baths, fountains, and pools by building a 30-mile-long aqueduct from Uzès to Nîmes—which required transporting Uzès springwater over the River Gardon. A thousand workers quarried 50,000 tons of soft golden limestone and used it to construct—without mortar—the magnificent tri-level bridge that still spans the river. An expert guide will explain the techniques used to build this engineering marvel, which has withstood 2,000 years of floods and storms that swept away much newer bridges. You can see notations those ancient Romans made in the stones as they cut and fitted them into place when you view the bridge itself, and you can learn about the entire project at the museum. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is as beautiful as it is fascinating.

DAY 7 | ARLES:

Explore a sun-drenched Provençal town today with an allure all its own. Known for its remarkable Roman ruins, Arles so inspired Van Gogh that he painted some 200 paintings there. Arles has existed since the sixth century BC, when the ancient Greeks founded it and named it Theline. It was here that the Romans built their first bridge across the Rhône River, creating a vital overland route between Italy and Spain
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Featured Excursion:

Arles Walking Tour: Van Gogh paid tribute to Arles’ atmospheric beauty in some 200 paintings, including Starry Night Over the Rhône. It’s an ancient city boasting a remarkable collection of Roman ruins; among them are a theater where the famous Venus of Arles—on display in the Louvre—was discovered in 1651 and an amphitheater that is still used for sporting events. Join a local expert for a stroll through this district, where medieval houses crowd in among the ancient structures and the city gates date to the 13th century. Pause before the town hall, built with stone quarried from the Roman theater, and the Romanesque St. Trophime Church, which was erected in the 12th century. It replaced the church where St. Augustine, the man who converted the inhabitants of England to Christianity, was consecrated by the first archbishop of Canterbury. Walk in Van Gogh’s footsteps past the cheery yellow Café de Nuit—still open and still the same shade of yellow it was when he painted it—and across Forum Square before visiting the town’s bountiful farmers’ market, which displays seasonal fruits and vegetables, medicinal herbs and many more specialties of Southern France.

During your free time after the tour, you can peruse the local shops, go olive tasting or delve further into Arles’ stunning collection of architectural treasures.

Note: The open-air farmers’ market visit will take place in Beaune on the reverse direction cruise (Arles to Lyon).

DAY 8 | ARLES (DISEMBARK):

Disembark the ship. If your cruise package includes a group departure transfer or if you have purchased a private departure transfer, you will be transferred to the Marseille Airport for your flight home.
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Note: The itineraries presented are subject to modification due to water levels, closures because of public holidays, or other uncontrollable factors. Every effort will be made to operate programs as planned, but changes may still be necessary throughout the cruise. This day-to-day schedule is subject to change. Your final day-to-day schedule will be provided onboard on the first day of your cruise.

Room Details

*Prices are per person, based on double occupancy, and include a port tax of $240 per person for all categories. While we do our best to keep pricing current, we recommend visiting Expedia Wine Club Cruise for the most accurate and up-to-date specials and availability.

Grand Suite | 400 sq. ft. | $14,599 $13,478/pp*

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Suite | 305 sq. ft. | $10,999 $10,238/pp*

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Deluxe Balcony | 194 sq. ft. | $6,999 $6,638/pp*

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French Balcony | 194 sq. ft. | $6,499 $6,188/pp*

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Classic | 162 sq. ft. | $5,199 $5,018/pp*

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Booked Exclusively Through
(877) 651-7447 | wineclub@expediacruises.com

Terms & Conditions: All rates are per person in USD, cruise only inclusive of port charges, based on double occupancy in a Classic stateroom unless stated otherwise. Offer is not combinable with any other promotions/ discounts, is limited to availability and subject to termination without notice. Minimum of 40 guests required for the wine cruise to operate. By placing a deposit, you agree to the special terms of the wine cruise. Your fare includes an exclusive wine program operated independently from the cruise line. Penalties up to 100% apply. We recommend travel insurance to protect your vacation. Other restrictions may apply. Expedia Cruises reserves the right to revise any errors on the flyer; itinerary subject to change. For full terms and conditions contact Expedia Cruises – Wine Club Cruises. CST#2101270-40; Fla. Seller of Travel Ref. No. ST42527.