In a rare move from the major cruise lines, ocean-going Princess Cruises and river cruising Avalon Waterways have announced a partnership to offer passengers a new 20-night ‘Timeless Cities’ ‘cruisetour’.

On July 31, 2011, passengers will board Avalon Felicity in Basel for a seven-night voyage along the castle-dotted Rhine to Amsterdam. Felicity will also sail through the UNESCO-World-Heritage-listed Rhine Gorge and passengers will have the opportunity to visit Strasbourg, Heidelberg, Mainz, Rüdesheim, Koblenz and Cologne.

Between cruises, the cruisetour includes two nights accommodation in Amsterdam and Copenhagen, followed by an 11-night ‘Scandinavia and Russia’ cruise onboard 3782-passenger Emerald Princess.

Another cruisetour on offer is a 16-night ‘Ancient Petra and Dead Sea’ exploration that includes four nights in Amman, Petra and at the Dead Sea followed by a 12-night cruise aboard Pacific Princess. There will be six departures between May and November 2011.

Would you be keen to go straight from one cruise to the other, or would this be too much time on the water for you? We’re keen to hear your opinions…