Table Of Content
We wandered mostly on our own, ducking into gelato shops and chocolate stores while enjoying the colorful, medieval feel. Excursions will take you to Trier, with its Roman history, and Germany's oldest university town of Heidelberg with its imposing red sandstone castle. In Bamberg you can try the curious smoked beer and other stops include Nuremberg which, despite almost being destroyed in the war, has three miles of medieval walls. Spend free time in the pedestrian-only Drosselgasse and sample a glass of locally produced wine at one of the restaurants or wine bars.
Wine Included
With daily included shore tours, and the option to book some additional for-fee tours, you can expect the very best excursions on Viking Rhine River cruise. As previously mentioned, river cruises are much more active than ocean voyages especially as there are no days at sea. Rather than feel overscheduled or tired, it is far better to study the itinerary in advance and decide what really interests you. Just because a walking tour is included it doesn't mean you have to take it. Starting in the Alps and meandering 820 miles through Switzerland, France, Germany and Holland, Viking's extensive offerings of Rhine cruises take in every aspect of this beautiful waterway. There are week-long sailings -- ideal for first-time visitors -- through longer itineraries which are ideal for seasoned Rhine cruisers looking to discover more.
Pre-Extension: Oslo & Scenic Train
Plus there are only 90 staterooms which means it’s easy to get to know the crew and passengers. I love that you only have to unpack once instead of changing hotels every couple of days. As internet junkies, it was a bit stressful to have spotty internet during our Viking Rhine getaway. Though out of the ship’s control and likely common on river cruises on the Rhine, the internet (or lack thereof) was a bit of a bummer.
Kinderdijk Windmills in Holland (with Viking Cruises)
Savor the culinary traditions of Alsace and explore Amsterdam, Basel and Cologne. The winter season is an ideal time to visit, with fewer travelers and easier access to landmarks. Tour highlights of the legendary Rhine River and discover Scandinavian wonders by sea. See the charming canals of Strasbourg’s Petite France, admire Cologne’s famous cathedral and explore Holland’s iconic windmills. Sail the North Sea, visit Denmark and witness Norway’s dramatic fjord landscapes and scenic cities.
Rhine River Cruises
Our Viking program director gave a guided audio tour along the way, pointing out castles left and right. Also unlike many other cruises or guided tours, almost everything was included, which made it feel like a truly relaxing vacation. If you are going to pass on some of the shore tours and spend more time on the ship then a veranda cabin is a good choice. If you have mobility issues book a cabin closest to the elevators to avoid having to go up and down corridors to reach the lounge or restaurant. A Viking agent or specialist cruise adviser can help select the right cabin for you.
In other words, we eat and drink everything at all price points. Check out our comprehensive food travel guides loaded with real-life photos and insightful pro tips. While you're here, why not try one of our easy recipes filled with eclectic ingredients? You should check out Viking Cruises when you're ready to try a river cruise. They really do a nice job with all the details and the overall experience. In addition to drinking beer, we also enjoyed soaking up Cologne’s history through this walking tour of the town’s narrow, lively, rebuilt North German streets.
Pre: Amsterdam Premium
Minimize risks by only taking small amounts of Euros -- which you can easily obtain from ATMs on arrival if need be -- when you are out on shore excursions or walking around by yourself. Colleen Lanin, MBA, is the founder and editor Travel Mamas and Grownup Getaways. She is an expert in family travel and travel for adults aged 18 to 88. As the author of the book, "The Travel Mamas' Guide," she teaches parents how to make the most of traveling with babies and children.
Cruise Review
This river cruise gives you all the highlights of the legendary Rhine in just 8 days. Take a scenic excursion through the area’s renowned mountain landscape, rolling meadows and dense forests. Once there, visit a local workshop and see a cuckoo clock-making demonstration. Return to Breisach or choose an optional excursion to the quaint Alsatian town of Colmar. Proceed along the Rhine, disembarking to tour the 700-year-old Marksburg Castle and its museum. Enjoy an onboard lunch as you marvel at this scenic passage, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where castles overlook the river from their hilltop posts.
All other cruise lines charge exorbitant internet fees and still have slow service. I thought that was such a nice touch given that I’m addicted to my phone. Internet service is a slower than usual, as it’s satellite service on the river and therefore inherently slower. My favorite part of our floor was the coffee & espresso bar to grab pastries and java any time of day. I helped myself to endless madeleines and double dark chocolate muffins.
Despite this, the Viking Hermod had a beautifully designed interior. The lounge and front terraces were comfortable places to sit, relax, or sip a drink. The ship’s common spaces never felt cramped, even when all the passengers were gathered together (e.g. during dinnertime). I really looked forward to coming back on board after each excursion or tour to enjoy whatever was being served that day. After visiting the cathedral, I walked across the Hohenzollernbrücke, which is one of the most notable “love lock” bridges in Europe.
Viking Is Adding 10 New Ships to Its European River Cruise Fleet - TravelPulse
Viking Is Adding 10 New Ships to Its European River Cruise Fleet.
Posted: Wed, 06 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Basel is an underrated tourist attraction and the third largest city in Switzerland. The town has a gorgeous Medieval center and plenty of world-class art museums. Viking also offers the same route in reverse, from Amsterdam to Basel so you can pick either option. For a couple stops on the journey, boats running in opposite cities are docked together. Rather than purchasing the Viking Post-Cruise Extension, we opted to explore on our own. We were lucky to sail during spring when the tulips are in full bloom at the renowned Keukenhof Gardens outside Amsterdam in Holland.
That being said, we were thrilled when we received an unexpected offer from Viking River Cruise. This was our chance to try a certain ease of travel and to see what it’s like to experience a trip with guides and planned meals. If I could offer one suggestion to Viking, I’d say either choose Speyer or Rüdesheim am Rhein, and spend the entire day there. However, cruising through the Rhine Gorge the next day made up for it. Sailing past all those castles was the highlight of this cruise.
Yes, I know this is a trend that’s swept almost the entire world, but the number of locks on the Hohenzollern Bridge is still a sight to behold. You truly pass one castle every few minutes once you enter the Rhine Gorge. Our cruise Program Director also provided a running commentary on all of the things we were seeing as we sailed by. There’s something incredible about seeing these archaic stone structures from various angles as you move along the water.
If you are thinking of this, here’s a quick guide to the best hotels in Basel to help with accommodation. We had a wonderful time and especially loved how organized the entire Viking journey was, from pre-departure to on-board, everything was seamless. Unfortunately, there are pickpockets in every big town and city.
Admire Cologne, the jewel of the Rhine, with its awe-inspiring Dom, and witness the lush landscape of the Black Forest region. Explore Holland’s famous windmills and waterworks, and encounter multicultural Strasbourg in France. We chose to tour Marksburg Castle (there are many tour options to choose from every day) which is one of the few remaining castles on the Rhine that has remained intact. We took a short bus drive up a winding road to the top of a hill and were met with this spectacular view!
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