Cameras clicked as we sailed past the legendary, lofty, Lorelei Rock, supposedly home to a swirling-haired nymph whose hobby it was to lure smitten sailors to their deaths. The legend, immortalised as a poem, was later set to music and is the region’s unofficial anthem. I was on board AmaSonata sailing through the Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famed for its ancient fortresses, lush, fragrant vineyards and picturesque villages.  Cruises take in almost the entire navigable length of the river, offering an interesting contrast between its romantic side, inspiration for countless fairy tales and legends and the commercial traffic ferrying everything from containers to coal.