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I’m lucky to have an extended family of fellow travel enthusiasts, and we’ve all been looking forward to a reunion vacation in Western Europe for a while now! A Viking River cruise seemed like the perfect offering for a group of eight people spanning three generations. This post is a review of my time on the Viking Hermod as it sailed down the Rhine. We spent our morning above deck watching the gorgeous small German towns and castles along both sides of the Rhine River.
A Viking Rhine River Cruise in Winter - Cruise Critic
A Viking Rhine River Cruise in Winter.
Posted: Thu, 01 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Pre-Extension: Oslo & Scenic Train
Recently, I sailed on my first Viking River Cruise up the Rhine River to explore Switzerland, Germany, France and The Netherlands on their classic ‘Rhine Getaway’ river cruise. However, it is a shame not to try some food and drink ashore to get a real flavor of the destination. Also consider adding a pre- or post-cruise extension to your sailing to make the most of your time in Europe. If you are flying in from North America a pre-cruise stay will also help you get over any jet lag and board the riverboat in the best possible shape for the vacation ahead. If you're taking your first vacation on the Rhine take a look at Viking's selection of eight day sailings. They're a great introduction to the region and will leave you wanting to come back for more.
Review: What It’s REALLY Like Aboard Viking River Cruises
If you are flying in from the U.S. on a first time river cruise it is well worth getting Viking to book the air and advise you of the best flight timings. Spanning the best of Europe, Viking's 15-day Grand European Tour covers all of the highlights on the Rhine and more. Discover the enchanting landscapes and rich cultures of the Middle Rhine, a UNESCO Site boasting turreted fortresses, grand cathedrals, medieval towns and stunning scenery. Admire terraced vineyards dating back to the Romans and taste the region’s renowned red and white wines.
DAY 6 Strasbourg, France
With calls in Amsterdam, Cologne and Basel, this journey reveals a rich landscape of beauty and culture. Having sailed on a couple other river cruises, I loved how distinctively luxurious the Viking ship and rooms were. At every port of call, Viking offered one included (free) tour. These tended to be walking tours that lasted about two hours and introduced guests to the various cities. However, if you’d rather explore one of the stops on your own (or even stay on the ship), you are more than welcome to skip any of the tours.
If you want to climb a church tower, I suggest going up to the top of the Notre-Dame in Strasbourg instead. The other main activity in Koblenz is taking the cable car to the other side of the river. Here you’ll find Festung Ehrenbreitstein, a sprawling nineteenth century fortress that overlooks the town.
Viking will operate Rhine cruises through the winter - Travel Weekly
Viking will operate Rhine cruises through the winter.
Posted: Wed, 24 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Due to its location on the Rhine, Strasbourg has a unique mix of French and German cultural elements. It’s also home to a number of European Union institutions, although the Viking itinerary doesn’t include any tours to these government offices. If you have extra time and want to walk around the town, feel free to. But if you don’t have time or want to rest on the ship instead, you probably won’t miss out on too much. 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.
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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. Viking offers many excursions on its Rhineland Discovery cruise, many of which are at no additional cost for participants. The free Viking tours are good – mostly slow-paced walking/bus tours with lots of information and minimal pressure. 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.
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Stay current with special offers, news and destination-focused content. The upper deck of the ship has a clear overhang making it perfect for being able to take in the sights while staying dry. Viking handed out a map of the castles and Sara, our Program Director, gave commentary over the loud speaker.
There’s also a flat screen TV to listen to the daily on-boarding speech (if you don’t want to leave the comfort of your room) or to check the weather, watch TV, etc. Our Rhine Getaway hit a couple towns throughout Switzerland, France, Germany and the Netherlands in one convenient week. Everyone still has to be back on board at the same time, so for certain port stops, you would get much less time in town if you were part of the last disembarkation group.
Cologne is known for its gothic cathedral and its unique Kölsch beer. It’s also the birthplace of the world’s first eau de cologne and home to some of the best shopping in the country. 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. Learn about these sites and more things to do in Heidelberg, Germany today. The Rhine is Germany's largest wine producing area and Viking shore excursions provide plenty of opportunities for tastings in between sailing through glorious landscapes. Continue along the Rhine this morning; arrive in Cologne and disembark for a walking tour.
Clearly, we loved a lot more about the Rhine cruise than we didn’t love. Well, we wouldn’t go that far, but we’re very open to taking another cruise to help us with that transition. Sometimes, when traveling in Europe, we just like to slow down, plant ourselves at an outdoor cafe and soak in the atmosphere. Some people like this quicker style of travel, but it’s not our preferred approach. Seriously, the castles just kept coming as we lounged on the wide-open sundeck of our longship.
Find out what made this castle so intriguing in this story, Marksburg Castle with Viking River Cruises. Sail through southern Germany and explore neighboring regions in Switzerland and France. Visit Basel, considered the Swiss capital of culture with its charming old town steeped in tradition.
You’ll have to make this decision for yourself, but beer and wine are included with each meal even if you don’t purchase the unlimited drink package. I did the math, and you’d basically have to drink two additional cocktails each day (outside of lunch and dinner) to make the package worthwhile. I enjoy drinking to be sure, but I would typically have wine with my meals and limit myself to one cocktail per day. My total bar tab came out to be about 90 euro for the entire trip. Cologne is the largest city this cruise stops in, so there wasn’t enough time to explore all that I wanted to.
Itinerary and shore excursions are subject to change and may vary by departure. Uncork new discoveries as you raise a glass of Riesling on our acclaimed Rhine River cruises through Switzerland, Germany and The Netherlands. See how the Rhine, Main and Moselle river systems unfold to create a spellbinding display of storybook villages, Dutch windmills, German vineyards and splendid UNESCO Sites.
From Speyer to Cologne (Day 4 to Day 6), the Rhine River is incredibly scenic. Viking did a great job of scheduling so that passengers could enjoy the view from the boat during the day on this portion of the trip. The vineyards, villages, and castles of the Middle Rhine are undoubtedly the river’s most unique offerings. The Hermod pulled into its first port of call very early in the morning, which meant we had a full day to explore Breisach, a small village in Germany. I actually decided to skip the included tour (a bus trip to the Black Forest) in the morning and walk across the French border to the village of Neuf-Brisach.
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