Cruise Destinations Overview

Table Of Content

• Viking’s Included Walking Tours
• RHINE & VIKING SHORES & FJORDS (Basel-Bergen)
• Day 5: Cruise through the Rhine Gorge; Stop in Koblenz 🇩🇪
• Pre-Extension: Basel
• Don't Miss the Opportunity to Try Local Food and Drink on Your Viking Rhine River Cruise
• Stateroom Pricing - Rhine & Viking Shores & Fjords (Bergen-Basel)

To avoid unnecessary stress from flight delays or cancellations plan to arrive at least one day before your cruise departs. You should also allow plenty of time for airport transfers at the end of your voyage, especially if you're going to be traveling during the morning rush hour. 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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Viking’s Included Walking Tours

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.

RHINE & VIKING SHORES & FJORDS (Basel-Bergen)

With calls in Amsterdam, Cologne and Basel, this journey reveals a rich landscape of beauty and culture. For your best first time river cruise experience, don't be tempted to miss the daily pre-dinner port talk about the next day's port of call and activities. More days means more to discover, with extension packages you can add before or after your Viking cruise or cruisetour. 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 5: Cruise through the Rhine Gorge; Stop in Koblenz 🇩🇪

Viking introduces the definitive way to explore the world in comfort. We call them Ocean & River Voyages, an innovative marriage of our award-winning river and ocean cruises. 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. Spanning the best of Europe, Viking's 15-day Grand European Tour covers all of the highlights on the Rhine and more. Like you, we sometimes like to be able to stay put a little longer, relax, sightsee and take in the vibe of a town or city.

Stateroom Pricing - Rhine & Viking Shores & Fjords (Basel-Bergen)

Strasbourg is a fascinating city that’s much larger than Breisach. 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.

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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. Likewise, the optional tours -- with a clue in the name -- are there for anyone who has a special interest, such as wine tasting, or is looking for an extra level of immersion.

Don't Miss the Opportunity to Try Local Food and Drink on Your Viking Rhine River Cruise

River ships are cashless and any onboard spending, including gratuities if they are not covered as part of your fare, will be added to your final account to be settled by credit card. Even in summertime the weather on the Rhine can be changeable and you will be spending more time outside than you do on an ocean cruise. Bring plenty of layers, including a waterproof jacket, sweater and something warm to sit outside in the evening, along with a hat. You'll also visit Breisach, the gateway to the fabled Black Forest region which is particularly magical in wintertime. Buy an authentic cuckoo clock to take home as a souvenir and treat yourself to a slice of the region's namesake gateau made with rich chocolate and dark cherries.

Then, visit the beautiful sandstone ruins of imposing Heidelberg Castle and take in the scenery of the Neckar River Valley and the city’s many red rooftops from this hilltop post. Continue with a walking tour through Old Town to Heidelberg’s renowned gates. 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. 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.

Review my round-up of all the Viking River Rhine Cruise destinations below. Join us on a richly rewarding 8-day journey to some of Scandinavia’s most scenic and historic ports. 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. Now that you’ve seen the itinerary for the Rhine Getaway, the second half of this post will include some information about the actual cruising experience on Viking.

If you want more relaxed, casual food with perhaps a table for just 2, the Aquavit upstairs is a great alternative. We had lunch a couple times there and it’s quite nice to see the river views and sit outside. The entire ship is airy and light-filled and despite it being a small river ship, it feels more spacious and open than some large cruise ships. We wandered mostly on our own, ducking into gelato shops and chocolate stores while enjoying the colorful, medieval feel. We had a wonderful time and especially loved how organized the entire Viking journey was, from pre-departure to on-board, everything was seamless.

Some updates are major while others are minor link changes and spelling corrections. For us, it was the picnic-style lunch at Oenosphère where we sampled excellent local wines from nearby vineyards along with an assortment of amazing French cheeses and charcuterie. We even learned how to toast like a local during this fun pub crawl. As we learned over dinner at a brauhaus that dates back to 1858, Cologne locals never eat while drinking. What a treat it was to not have to worry about luggage for twelve straight days!

On our second day, we sailed northward to dock at Breisach, Germany. 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.

We share our thoughts in the following Viking River Cruise review. This is common on river cruises no matter which company you choose but it’s definitely something I want you to know before you go. What I love about the Viking Longships is that they are just the right size to float down the river and get up close and personal to all of the little towns.

They have a handy map to show the journey along the Rhine River and make it easy to see what your options are each day. If you happen to pick an optional that conflicts with an included tour or a different optional tour, the website lets you know immediately. I wouldn’t say there’s a “best” European cruise per se, but there are a couple main rivers in Europe that offer river cruise experiences. We spent our morning above deck watching the gorgeous small German towns and castles along both sides of the Rhine River. Our Viking program director gave a guided audio tour along the way, pointing out castles left and right.

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. We passed through our first of many river locks on this night, which is one of the most noteworthy aspects of a Rhine River cruise.

These walls were designed by French architect Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban to help protect border outposts from invasion. You can’t make out the geometry of the walled city from the ground level, but you can explore the city streets and get some sense of their architecture. Itinerary and shore excursions are subject to change and may vary by departure. Explore Germany’s fabled Black Forest region and admire verdant hills amid stunning scenery. Clearly, we loved a lot more about the Rhine cruise than we didn’t love.