Table Of Content
At this point in the cruise, the Rhine starts to become much more scenic. Beautiful villages and vineyards can be seen in all directions. Rüdesheim is a touristy town known for its wineries and historic center, called the Drosselgasse. Viking doesn’t offer an included tour here, so I explored on my own. However, since we docked in the late afternoon, time felt even more limited here than in Speyer.
Day 1: Arrive in Basel, Switzerland
One thing I liked about sailing with Viking is how leisurely the day to day pace is. I’ll admit I didn’t know too much about the country outside of Amsterdam and our guide was quite helpful to explain the history of the nation and the purpose of its many windmills. The castle was once home to the prince-archbishops of Cologne and is decked out in gold, marble and all-around extravagance.
Pre-Extension: Oslo & Scenic Train
Having sailed on a couple other river cruises, I loved how distinctively luxurious the Viking ship and rooms were. The number one reason why I like river cruises so much is because you get to see many small towns and sights in a leisurely fashion. The cruise also takes in ports along the lesser-known Moselle, which joins the Rhine at Koblenz.
Destinations
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.
Many of them are situated high above local towns and we saw lots of German camper vans parked at the base. Located in the Alsace Lorraine region, the town is part of France but throughout much of history, changed hands between Germany and France. There’s also the option to arrive a couple days early and/or stay a couple days late. 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. Viking also offers the same route in reverse, from Amsterdam to Basel so you can pick either option.
DAY 6 Strasbourg, France
Viking Gersemi Itineraries: 2024 & 2025 Schedule (with Prices) on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic
Viking Gersemi Itineraries: 2024 & 2025 Schedule (with Prices) on Cruise Critic.
Posted: Sun, 21 Apr 2024 01:37:14 GMT [source]
If you’re wondering how we made it to Basel, we flew from Chicago into Zürich and then booked a private car transfer. Zürich Airport is the nearest major international airport to Basel, and the drive is about an hour. There are also frequent trains that run between Switzerland’s largest city and its gateway to the Rhine. Viking allowed us to board the Hermod in the early afternoon, which gave us plenty of time to get acquainted with the layout of the ship. Our first dinner was served, and finally we were off in the early evening.
That was a medium sized ship (roughly 500-1,000 passengers) and disembarking into town took about 2 hours, so depending on which group you were in. Enjoying the comfort of a luxurious ship without worrying about transportation from town to town and only unpacking once. The nice thing about this stop is the ship can dock right into town, so you can join the tour or explore on your own. 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.
After looking back on the incredible memories made with Viking, I’m tempted to go book another river cruise right now! You can save money and get perks when you book with CruiseDirect. Rich with history, Heidelberg is home to Germany’s oldest university, the ruins of a romantic Renaissance castle, and the world’s largest wine barrel.
German Lesson
See the European Parliament and tour the interior of the city’s famed cathedral. Dine aboard and enjoy free time this evening in the amiable little city of Kehl. Experience the highlights of the legendary Rhine in just 8 days.
This cruise began in Basel, a quaint little town in Switzerland right on the border of both Germany and France. If you can spend a day or two in Basel before your cruise, I highly recommend it. We booked a walking tour with a local guide (independent of Viking), and I’m really glad we did. Cruise Critic is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. When you book with one of our partners, please be sure to check their site for a full disclosure of all applicable fees as required by the U.S. To avoid unnecessary stress from flight delays or cancellations plan to arrive at least one day before your cruise departs.
Learn about these sites and more things to do in Heidelberg, Germany today. Stroll through Cologne’s Old Town and see the city’s famed Gothic cathedral, a UNESCO Site. Of course, you could always eat at local restaurants while you’re exploring the cities along the Rhine. We did that once or twice, but the food on the ship was so delicious that I rarely wanted to pass it up.
Admire Cologne’s famous cathedral, and tour Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. In Kinderdijk and Amsterdam, explore Holland’s famous windmills and waterworks. Then, sail the North Sea to the seaside village of Skagen, Denmark. Set off for Norway’s dramatic fjord landscapes, journeying from vibrant Oslo and history-rich Kristiansand to cosmopolitan Stavanger and spectacularly scenic Flåm. 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.
The first half of this post is a review of the Rhine Getaway ports of call. I liked all of the cities we stopped in, but some were more impressive than others. To skip down to the second half of this post (a review of the ship and its amenities), click here. Unfortunately, there are pickpockets in every big town and city.
We were lucky to sail during spring when the tulips are in full bloom at the renowned Keukenhof Gardens outside Amsterdam in Holland. This sprawling botanic garden is filled with every varietal of tulips you could imagine among many other lovely flowers and things to do. Strasbourg, France captured my heart and has left me daydreaming of moving to this beautiful French town with a German accent. Discover what’s so enchanting about Strasbourg, France before you go. Land of cuckoo clocks, fruit elixirs, and its namesake hams and cakes — the Black Forest seems like a place dreamed up by the Brothers Grimm for their fairy tales. Read more about what to expect when visiting Germany’s Black Forest with Viking River Cruises.
I’ll cherish the memory of going down the Rhine with my extended family for the rest of my life. One thing I really loved about this cruise was that there were lots of fun optional activities onboard the ship in the afternoons and evenings. Our family group enjoyed game nights and musical performances, but you could also attend things like a glassblowing demonstration or a Q&A session with the captains of the ship.
A lesser-known stop on the Rhine on this Viking river cruise is Speyer. A former Roman settlement, it's one of Germany's oldest towns and noted for is large Romanesque-style cathedral and rich Jewish heritage with a traditional bathhouse dating back to 1128. You will sail along the Rhine to Marksburg, where the remarkable 13th century castle is the only one on the river never to have been damaged or destroyed. From here your epic Viking river cruise continues along the Main before joining the Danube and ending in the Hungarian capital of Budapest.
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