rhine river cruise kinderdijk

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Kinderdijk, Windmill Village of the Netherlands with Viking River

Until my visit to Kinderdijk, the closest I’d been to a windmill was a cellophane-wrapped box of windmill cookies. So when I had the chance to visit a centuries-old working windmill village with Viking River, off I went.

Our riverboat, the Viking Jarl, made an early morning approach into a chilly, fog-shrouded Kinderdijk. The sun was desperately trying to break through the mist. Apparently, an early September in Holland didn’t guarantee a warm, autumn day.

Kinderdijk was the first stop on my Viking River Cruise from Amsterdam.

There they stood; 18th century sentinels, keepers of the flood gates. Most people don’t know this but much of Holland is below sea level. Kinderdijk, in particular, is over 20′ below sea level.

History of Kinderdijk

When the Dutch finally realized that to live in this low-lying area, something had to be devised to keep the flood waters away. In 1738, the clever Dutch designed eight of the nineteen mills and a series of canals and drainage systems. A successful water management system would alleviate flooding. The remaining eleven windmills were added over the next hundred years.

A total of nineteen working windmills were constructed. Built closer together than in any other part of the Netherlands, these windmills were essential to driving the pumps that directed the waters away from the village.

Without getting too technical, the Kinderdijk windmills generated pumps that sent the overflowing water in the lowest storage basins to higher ones that could contain the overflow. The water would then be directed into the River Lek and eventually find its way to the sea.

In 1997, the windmill complex at Kinderdijk was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As part of this honor, all of the nineteen windmills must be preserved in their original state.

The windmills are numbered, 1-19 and the number 2 windmill is now the Kinderdijk Windmill Museum. The interior is a scene frozen in the 1950s, depicting what it was like to live in a windmill.

Those of us who were fairly sure-footed climbed the steep stairs to the third floor, and were treated with an exceptional view of the entire windmill field. It was the getting-down part that was tricky; the only way to the ground floor was by a narrow ladder. But I made it back down as did everyone else.

Onto the windmill workshop where a guide explained in great detail how a windmill was constructed, the “signals’ that the caretakers used to communicate with each other and how they would repair the sails and blades. We glanced at weathered-looking windmill design plans that lined the walls as the guide explained how windmills work.

It was time to leave to head back to the Viking Jarl. I lingered a bit longer, allowing myself the luxury of being the last in our group. Over the years, I’ve learned that some of the best photos happen when you look back at where you’ve been.

Of course, in Kinderdijk, you had better look in front of you, too, so as not to careen into a group of cyclists, as I almost did.

If you happen to have a few days in Amsterdam, you can reach Kinderdijk by public transportation. Your hotel or of course Google can give you up-to-date information. It’s extremely interesting, serenely beautiful and a wonderful peek into life from centuries ago.

In disclosure, I was a guest aboard Viking Jarl. However, as always, all opinions are my own. So are the photos.

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Hi Pat, It’s a wonderful itinerary. I love cruising through Holland. Thanks for your comment. Sherry

Great feature and pics! I enjoyed the windmills excursion (and all excursions) during Viking’s Tulips and Windmills river cruise in 2006. Viking hired an outstanding cruise manager who knew how to help everyone have a good time.

Dear Mr. Voorhees, I was totally surprised to receive a comment from the owner of my favorite cookie company. I’ve been enjoying Steenstra Windmill cookies for decades. I’m glad that you’re continuing the tasty tradition. I can pronounce the ingredients, the packaging is literally transparent and the cookies go great with coffee. Thank you for reading my Kinderdijk article. I hope to revisit the village soon…it’s a special place. Maybe I should bring a package of cookies to the windmill caretaker! Sherry

I bought this business in 1994. We are enjoying increasing sales every year. Thanks for your comments that the windmill cookie you like most is Steenstra Almond Windmill Cookies. I would appreciate your response.

Thanks for your comment and taking the time to read it.

Comments are closed.

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Updated on May 8, 2020 by Sherry Laskin

Amsterdam, Kinderdijk and the Dutch Bulbfields River Cruise with Amsterdam Extension

8 days from only $2,948pp

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Experience more with so much included

• Enjoy three culture-filled guided tours and visits including iconic Kinderdijk, innovative Rotterdam and he Zuiderzee Museum in Enkhuizen which recreates the 19th-century heritage of Hollands inland bay.
• Marvel at the spectacular Keukenhof, the world's largest flower garden covering nearly eighty acres.
• Experience a classic Amsterdam glass-topped canal cruise.
• Discover more of Amsterdam with a three-night stay at a conveniently situated hotel.
• Savour the taste of local cuisine with a beer tasting in a local brewery and a cheese tasting in the charming Jordaan district. 

Experience historic maritime cities, where innovation meets the traditions of the past, and take in the authenticity of iconic windmills and the floral masterpiece of the colourful Dutch bulb fields. The stunning bulbfields really are an amazing sight. In Keukenhof Park there are a staggering 7 million blooms covering 80 acres in a riot of colour whilst imaginative landscaping shows off mother-nature at her outstanding best with shimmering lakes, water-gardens and flowering shrubs of every hue.

You will also explore the Ijsselmeer, the inland lagoon created by the damming of the Zuider Zee in the 1930’s and discover the series of beautiful villages along its shore which have made their living from the sea for centuries. It was from here during the 16th century Golden Age, that the Dutch roamed the world in search of the spices, silks and luxury goods which Europe’s aristocracy craved and today they are little changed since this time. Blend this with Amsterdam, one of Europe’s most vibrant and fascinating cities and a wonderful few days are in store. This river cruise is the perfect way the see the wonders of the Netherlands for travelers who love horticulture, history and old harbour towns. 

We disembark our first-class vessel to spend our last 3 nights in Amsterdam. During our stay, we discover the historic town of Haarlem in the heart of the Netherlands' tulip-growing region and sample one of the country's most famous export, beer. Explore the highlights of Amsterdam and visit the Rijksmuseum - an art lover's paradise with an extensive collection from the Dutch Golden Age. There'll also be plenty of free time to explore as you wish - or relax in the local bars and cafes.

Your Itinerary

• DAY 1 EMBARK IN AMSTERDAM
• DAY 2 ENKHUIZEN
• DAY 3 ROTTERDAM & KINDERDIJK
• DAY 4 KEUKENHOF & AMSTERDAM
• DAY 5 HAARLEM
• DAY 6 AMSTERDAM
• DAY 7 RIJKSMUSEUM
• DAY 8 RETURN HOME

EMBARK IN AMSTERDAM

Embark the ship in Amsterdam, moored near the city centre and railway station. The friendly crew welcomes you on board, helping you settle into your spacious and exquisitely furnished accommodation – you’ll feel immediately at home.

Overnight the ship has gently steered a course north. As dawn breaks, you’re greeted by views of Enkhuizen, a picturesque port nestling at the edge of the former Zuiderzee. It is also home to the Zuiderzee Museum, which we will experience on our visit this morning. Found in the historic center of Enkhuizen, it superbly recreates the 19th-century heritage of Holland’s inland bay and combines interesting exhibits with demonstrations of the artisan skills of yesteryear, such as sailmaking, fish curing and blacksmithing. The open-air museum is particularly captivating, as the era is brought to life with a charming village atmosphere, where the likes of bakers, shopkeepers and smokehouse workers don traditional clothing and serve you their wares, just as they would have done all those years ago.

During the Dutch Golden Age of the 17th-century, the Netherlands dominated world maritime trade, becoming fabulously prosperous. Enkhuizen, as one of the country’s principal ports specializing in trade in the East Indies, flourished. Merchants keen to display their wealth created this town of gabled houses, narrow streets, bridges and waterways.

It’s a delight to explore, taking in the atmosphere of its little streets and jumble of sailing boats in the harbor. After a delicious lunch on board, we cruise along the Markermeer, the southwestern part of the IJsselmeer, the great freshwater lake created when the Zuiderzee was separated from the North Sea by a series of dams and dykes built during the 1920 and ’30s. This mammoth engineering achievement now protects low-lying areas from flooding and has allowed the reclamation of 626 square miles of fertile land. Before long, thoughts turn to tonight’s à la carte dinner, served with panache by the restaurant staff, after which why not unwind with a digestif at the bar to the soothing sound of the ship’s pianist.

ROTTERDAM & KINDERDIJK

Wake up in historic Rotterdam, the Netherlands’ second-largest metropolis, situated where the Rhine flows into the North Sea. This morning we embark on a guided tour of this captivating city, from the old harbor to the modern architecture, passing by the Witte Huis, Europe’s first skyscraper, built in the Art Nouveau style. 

Known as the ‘Gateway to Europe’, it is the largest European cargo port and has been a conduit for trade since the 14th century. Unsurprisingly, its logistical significance made it a target for bombing during the Second World War and its old town was destroyed, with only the Church of Saint Lawrence left standing. During the following decades Rotterdam was reconstructed with typical Dutch optimism and engineering expertise and now boasts an abundance of innovative and imaginative architecture. 

Other highlights of Rotterdam include Europe’s largest swing bridge, the Erasmus Bridge, arched Markthal (market hall) and Cube Houses. The Erasmus Bridge is a cable-stayed and bascule construction in the heart of Rotterdam, which is aptly dubbed ‘the Swan’ because of its striking structure. Whilst the vibrant yellow Cube Houses, known locally as Kubuswoningen, are another architectural masterpiece. Built on stilts and tilted at bizarre angles, they were designed by Dutch architect Piet Blom in the 1970s and remain an iconic part of the city to this day. 

There are also excellent museums, such as the vast Boijmans Van Beuningen, which houses a world-class collection of works by old and modern masters, from Rembrandt to Van Gogh to Dalí, and some rare and beautiful glassware.

During lunch on board you can enjoy a kaleidoscope of views through the restaurant’s panoramic windows as we leave Rotterdam’s skyline behind. A significant part of the Netherlands lies up to 22 feet below sea level, but an intricate network of dykes and polders, the Netherland’s unique drainage systems, has kept the seawater at bay and allowed land reclamation. 

At the very heart of this fascinating reclaimed region is Kinderdijk, our next port of call. Here, you can witness a truly iconic polder scene – a series of 19 authentic windmills lining the canal banks, set against a starkly beautiful backdrop of pancake-flat marshland. Windmills are symbolic of Dutch history and the never-ending battle with the sea, and visiting these beautifully preserved structures is like stepping back in time. Later we return to the cruise ship, where the chef has prepared a sumptuous dinner.

KEUKENHOF & AMSTERDAM

A long spring season and the polders’ well-drained soil create the perfect environment for growing the Netherlands’ world-famous tulips, first imported into the country from the Ottoman Empire in the late 16th century. This morning we drive through the scenic bulb fields to Keukenhof, the world’s largest flower garden, covering nearly 80 acres. Nothing prepares you for the dazzling carpet of colors created by the seven million tulips, hyacinths, daffodils and other blooms arranged in rows, swirls and every other imaginable shape. The art of flower planting reaches breathtaking heights in Keukenhof’s themed areas, and wandering among this dramatic pageant of hues set in a landscape of lakes, trees, pavilions and water features is magical – and provides gardeners with a wealth of inspiration to take home!

We return to Amsterdam to explore this beautiful city on a classic glass-topped canal cruiser. A network of 165 canals built in rings during the 17th century defines life in its center, and our ‘water’s-eye view’ is the best way to absorb Amsterdam’s history. Relax and watch this unique cityscape unfold as our guide explains the many intriguing aspects of life here. You’ll see moored houseboats, quirky bridges, cobbled streets lined with tall, narrow merchants’ houses, gabled civic buildings and homes of famous former residents such as Rembrandt, the greatest Dutch Golden Age artist, and Anne Frank, whose diaries tell a poignant tale of life under the Nazis.

Amsterdam is the ideal walking city and we remain moored dockside so you can explore its characterful streets at your leisure. Exceptional art is always close by, from small galleries to the world-class Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum, both holding huge collections. You might choose to discover the interior of Anne Frank’s house, rummage through the Waterlooplein flea market or relax at a café sipping a rich Dutch coffee and watching the locals trundle over cobbles along the canals on their high-handlebar bicycles. Wrapping up a memorable day is the lavish Captain’s Dinner in the ship’s restaurant, as evening falls and the lights of this unforgettable city sparkle in the night.

We'll say goodbye to our fellow explorers today and disembark our first-class ship to explore more of the Netherlands. Our first visit is to Haarlem, a charming, historic city at the heart of the Netherlands' tulip-growing region. With famous museums, stores, restaurants and a nearby beach, being bored here is simply not an option.

Haarlem is famous for art as the home to renowned Dutch Golden Age painters, including Frans Hals and Jacob Van Ruisdael, whose work now hang in the city's Frans Hals Museum. There are more than ten museums in the city's museum district, offering exhibits on everything from scientific treasures to contemporary art. And towering above the skyline is the medieval Gothic church, known simply as Grote Kerk, or big church. Its striking 246-foot spire rises higher than any other building in the city, but it's best known for the famous Müller organ, a giant gilded instrument designed by the renowned Amsterdam organ builder Christian Müller. Here we'll enjoy a guided walking tour of Haarlem's highlights before free time for lunch in one of the city's many restaurants.

After lunch, taste the flavours of Haarlem with one of the Netherlands' most famous exports - beer. Enter a beer-lovers heaven with a visit to a charming brewery. Here we’ll sample locally brewed craft beers so good you’ll want to take home bottles for all your friends – don’t worry, there'll be lots of delicious snacks on hand to help soak up the beer.

In the afternoon, we return to Amsterdam and check into our centrally located four-star hotel, where we stay for three nights. Spend the evening settling in and exploring the local area at leisure.

Amsterdam, once a small fishing village, grew into a bustling trade hub and became one of the wealthiest cities in the world during the Dutch Golden Age. Today, the capital of the Netherlands is a captivating city combining its rich history with a modern and progressive atmosphere.  With its vibrant, welcoming atmosphere and diverse culinary scene, Amsterdam is a must-visit destination for travelers seeking a blend of history, art, and contemporary charm.

This morning our walking tour starts with the 13th-century Dam Square, home to Koninklijk Palace, a grand 17th-century palace that is still used to hold official receptions. Other must-sees in Dam Square are Madame Tussauds, the world-famous wax works museum, the New Church (Nieuwe Kerk) - often used for art exhibitions - and Beurs van Berlage, an old stock exchange building now used as a concert hall and an exhibition space.

Next, the Amsterdam flower market, the only floating flower market in the world - and the most fragrant. Here, we explore the multitude of stalls spread across houseboats, a tradition carried over from the old days when the market was supplied by boats. We'll then journey through the UNESCO-listed canal belt, admiring the beautiful canal houses with their distinctive gabled roofs.

This afternoon, we experience a delectable cheese-tasting experience in the charming Jordaan District. Explore this fascinating country through the distinctive flavours of traditional Dutch cheeses, such as Gouda, Edam and Maasdam, complemented by perfectly paired wines to enhance the tasting journey.

The rest of the day is at leisure to explore Amsterdam as you choose.

RIJKSMUSEUM

Enjoy a captivating journey through the art and history of the Netherlands with a visit to Rijksmuseum. The museum houses an extensive collection of masterpieces from the Dutch Golden Age, including works by renowned artists such as Rembrandt, Vermeer and Frans Hals. To enhance your experience, the museum offers guided tours, audio guides, and informative displays that provide valuable insights into the artworks and historical context.

Beyond paintings, the museum also features an impressive collection of historical artefacts, including intricate Delftware ceramics, period furniture, and silverware. These objects offer a glimpse into the daily lives and craftsmanship of the past. The museum shop is also worth a visit, offering a range of art-related souvenirs, books, and unique gifts to commemorate your visit. 

Discover Amsterdam at your own pace with an afternoon at leisure. You may opt to visit any of the city's famous museums and galleries - such as the Van Gogh and Anne Frank Museum - take a leisurely bike ride or unwind in one of the cosy cafes in De Negen Straatjes (or The Nine Streets). The choice is yours.

RETURN HOME

Today we'll say goodbye to Amsterdam and prepare for our journey home.

Prices are per person, based on two people sharing a twin cabin with a limited number of Sole Occupancy cabins available on all decks, at the relevant supplement. The price includes: 

• All meals on board - from dinner on your day of arrival until breakfast on your final day - including welcome cocktails and the Captain's dinner.
• 3 nights in a centrally located hotel in Amsterdam with breakfast
• Complimentary on-board tea and coffee
• All visits and excursions as mentioned
• Coach travel as mentioned
• Travel to and from port of embarkation
• The services of a Riviera Travel cruise director

Useful Information

• Currency: Euro
• Flight time: Approx. 1 hr 15 mins to 1 hr 30 mins
• Language: Dutch
• Time zone: GMT+1
• Country: The Netherlands

Complimentary Wi-Fi is available throughout the ship for the duration of your cruise. Please note that speeds may vary.

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We are unable to accept responsibility if you are unable to travel because you have not complied with any passport/entry/immigration requirements.

We want to ensure you make the correct choice before you book your holiday with us. If you have any concerns regarding the suitability of the holiday due to reduced mobility we would encourage you to call us to discuss these concerns. General information on mobility in connection with our tours can be found here .

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Visit Kinderdijk for Dutch Windmills and Cheese

This article is for those who want to know about the best things to do in Kinderdijk Netherlands. Whether you’re on a day trip from Amsterdam or a cruise ship excursion, the experience is pretty much the same.

We hope it helps you decide what to do in Kinderdijk yourself. Travel tips are also included, so read on!

One final day on this Grand European Tour and it all ends tomorrow morning when our cruise ship docks in Amsterdam. Call the country what you will, Netherlands, Nederlands, or Holland, this morning we found ourselves in the country best known for tulips, windmills, and Dutch cheese.

Discovering the best things to do in Kinderdijk

We’d be spending the day in Kinderdijk today. This is a picturesque community with 19 historic, working windmills.

This begs the obvious question, why are these particular windmills so exceptional? After all, these ingenious machines have been around since the Middle Ages and they can be found in every corner of the country. Considering that over one-quarter of the country lies below sea level, for all intents and purposes Holland wouldn’t be on the map without them. Saying “You can see them everywhere” is not overstating it.

A number of river cruise itineraries include Kinderdijk, so for those repeat passengers (like us) who had already toured the site, Viking thoughtfully offered an alternative: touring a cheese farm to see how Dutch cheese is made.

But wait. I digress. We had one last morning aboard.

Scenic cruising

Our morning began with the typical expansive breakfast buffet, this time with Dutch pastries, breads, and other specialties. We joined the others, lingering over coffee while we watched the scenery along the Rhine. The scenery’s flavor had definitely changed, from German to Dutch.

Dutch water management

Our Program Director Dewi was scheduled to give a presentation on Dutch water management at 10:30. Just enough time to pack.

Trust me: It pays to travel light. With just a couple of carry-ons for clothing and one small backpack for electronics, it didn’t take long to pack everything up. Aside from a few toiletries, a change of clothes for tomorrow, and our electronics and charging cords, we finished long before her talk began.

Dewi’s talk was actually really interesting. Climate change is an especially important concern here, as the country lies even further below sea level than New Orleans does.

She explained more about the expansive system of dams, dykes, and dunes that Netherlands must maintain for its wellbeing. Keeping the land free from flooding requires a lot more thought and preparation than I had realized!

Noah’s Ark Holland

And speaking of epic flooding, there’s an actual ark in the Netherlands! When a Dutchman named Johan Huibers dreamed that the Netherlands was overwhelmed by a flood similar to the one in the Bible, he was inspired to rebuild the ark to the same proportions that God had given to Noah.

Johan’s ark is moored on the Rhine at Dordrecht, south of Rotterdam. Huibers kindly put life-sized animal statues on its deck to help give an idea of its proportions.

Having seen it on our prior cruise, I knew that we would pass right by it, so I made sure to tell Dewi that I’d like her to give me a “heads up” and point it out as we passed. Dewi asked the Captain to tell her when we were approaching so she could let us know.

Based on her reaction, I realized that it’s not a sight they normally mention, so I’m glad I did. The other passengers really enjoyed the sight as well.

ⓘ TIP:  If you have time while you’re in Holland, it is possible visit the ark yourself, because it has become a tourist attraction. If you want to see it the ark as you cruise by, you will need to ask your Program Director to point it out.

Welcome to Kinderdijk

Even though both the ark and Kinderdijk (Dutch for “child dike”) are located near Rotterdam, our cruise schedule allowed us enough time to enjoy a delicious lunch before we docked.

Ultimately, the ship was so close that we could see the tops of the windmills from the Sun Deck! Time to do some Dutch sightseeing.

ⓘ TIP:  Unsure which activity to join? Well, you can see cheese made worldwide, but Kinderdijk is the only site in the world with so many historic Dutch windmills. So, yeah: Faced with the choice, you should see the windmills.

Touring the Kinderdijk windmills

Kinderdijk is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it contains all the typical features associated with this technology – dikes, reservoirs, pumping stations, administrative buildings – and 19 beautifully preserved windmills.

Talk about a Kodak moment! These photogenic structures stand like soldiers in two opposite rows along a canal and form a spectacular sight.

These windmills are still inhabited year-round and those who live in them are required to maintain them to the same standards as the 1400s when they were built. That said, the country no longer relies on windmills to stay dry. These days the country uses pumping stations and here too, the main waterworks are provided by two adjacent diesel pumping stations.

Today’s included excursion offered a rare opportunity to understand how windmills work in an up-close-and-personal way, as well as to visit one of the pumping stations. Most visitors want to climb into at least one windmill to see the pumping mechanism and living quarters. Some also took the boat around (it is suitable for wheelchairs).

ⓘ TIP:  It is not a good idea to enter a windmill if you are uncomfortable in small areas.

Things to do at Kinderdijk windmills

There are a lot of things you can do when visiting the windmills. Of course, taking pictures of the stunning landscape is a given, as is the ubiquitous selfie.

Aside from that, we think the best part is exploring the inside of a windmill. Imagine what it would be like to live there!

Also, don’t miss

• a visit to the pumping station and the museum.
• Boating on the canals offers a waterfront view you won’t get on land.
• You can also spend money in the gift shop
• or just sit on the grass and enjoy the scenery.

There’s enough to do that everyone will enjoy the visit.

ⓘ TIP:  Kinderdijk is an easy day trip from Amsterdam. Check out Kinderdijk guided tours here.

Visiting a Dutch cheese farm in Giessenburg, Netherlands

If you’re a frequent cruiser, you may have seen and photographed the Kinderdijk windmills on a previous tour. In that case, you might opt to tour a cheese farm instead. Our bus took us to a dairy farm in the town of Giessenburg.

ⓘ TIP:  If you’d like to see cheese made on your own, we recommend visiting Gouda. Learn more here.

We all gawked as we drove through the sleepy little town. It was just as interesting as the farm. Certainly, it was prettier!

Gouda cheese

Best known for Gouda and Edam, Holland is the #1 cheese exporting nation in the world. Gouda is the most popular, and the farm we visited caters to the demand.

As we discovered on our tour, it is possible to produce Gouda in a ridiculous variety of flavors. The flavor gets stronger as it ages as well, and it reaches full maturity (and crumble-ability) at 2-3 years of age.

The farm has a lovely gift shop and offers samples of all their various gouda flavors. Dan and I ended up with three different types to bring back to share with our family in the U.S.

Back on board

Back aboard our ship, the lobby was crowded with passengers settling their final bills. We joined the queue and missed the afternoon’s presentation on the Dutch Golden Age. Dang.

I was disappointed, to say the least. It’s an interesting era in Holland’s history and I had wanted to learn more. But at least we got to spend a little more time with our new English friends, Pam and Fiona.

The Lounge seemed to a little more sedate after dinner because everyone had settled their bills. Once again, we were glad we had the all-inclusive drinks package. Arthur the bartender wasn’t able to accept cash payments, so only those who had purchased the package were able to enjoy his services tonight.

Here’s where it really pays to travel light: You don’t have much last-minute packing to do. Those who had already prepared for departure were exchanging contact information with their new-found friends. We tried to get as many email addresses as we could, as well.

Departure plans a big topic, because Viking does not include a tour of Amsterdam at the end of the cruise. I’m glad we had already spent time in Amsterdam , because we were able to help a few plan what they would do in town.

ⓘ TIP: If you’re on a river cruise, don’t miss the opportunity to see Amsterdam yourself before you fly home. If nothing else, you should at least take a canal cruise. After all, that’s what the city is best known for!

• Next stop: Amsterdam

Plan your Kinderdijk visit

Here are some ideas to help you plan your own trip. If this article was useful, you can thank us by using these links to make your plans. Some of these companies will pay us a referral fee, at no extra cost to you.

• Lodging: Find your ideal accommodation options here.
• Transportation: This website shows how to get anywhere by plane, train, bus, ferry and car.
• For more sightseeing, see our Kinderdijk photo gallery.
• Get a bird’s eye view on Google Maps here . Zoom, scroll around and explore!

We have a whole series of river cruise articles here on As We Saw It, both tips and individual cruise stops, such as:

• Viking Grand European Tour River Cruise Itinerary
• What Is on a Rhine River Cruise Itinerary?
• 10 Reasons to Take a River Cruise
• Is the Viking Grand European Tour for You?
• How to See the Best of Amsterdam in One Day
• Our One Day Budapest Itinerary

Related guidebooks on Amazon:

• Frommer’s EasyGuide to River Cruising

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Note: As is common in the travel industry, Dan and Linda were provided with a complimentary cruise package for the purpose of review. While it has not influenced coverage, AWSI believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see the Disclosure page.

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Written by Linda

Linda is multilingual and has been to over 50 countries. Her insatiable love of travel, cuisine, and foreign languages inspired her to create As We Saw It, where she documents her trips, shares practical itineraries, and offers insider tips. She’s passionate about helping fellow travelers save time, money, and hassle, and loves to discover new places to explore.

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20 thoughts on “visit kinderdijk for dutch windmills and cheese”.

I am going here next year and I am so excited! This was so informative!!! Thank you so much!

You’re welcome, Jane. We hope you have as good a time as we did.

I flew home just a week ago today, from the wonderful Viking Rhine River Cruise. It was so fun to come across your photos and once again see things I experienced. The farmer & his wife gave such an interesting tour of their Gouda cheese farm. I wish I had bought more of their cheese! Very fun to see your photos of the same countryside and windmills that we visited. Thank You!

You’re welcome, Margy. We’re so pleased that you enjoyed our story.

Did you take the Rhine River cruise or do the whole Grand European Tour from Budapest to Amsterdam? What was your favorite stop?

Oh wow! It’s beautiful!!! I’ve only been to Zaanse Schans to see the windmills and I have to say that I do love the very green and “watery” scenery of Netherlands. Love the ark! 🙂

Yes, the Netherlands’ watery scenery is quite special. I’m still intrigued by that ark.

Wow, that arch is amazing! I had no idea something like that actually existed! I would love to see that! I love cruises, but sometimes it’s a little hard to see everything in such a short time. Looks like you made the most of it though! Those windmills are beautiful! They reminded me a lot of the ones in Spain, in the land of Don Quijote 😀 And that cheese farm! I consider cheese it’s own food group and could never get enough, so this experience looks top notch! Free gouda samples—sign me up!

We haven’t had the opportunity to see any of the Spanish windmills, but I’ll be honest: Don Quixote has come to my mind too. I wonder if Spanish manchego cheese is made the same way as gouda?

I have always wanted to do a river cruise. Cruising down the Rhine would be classic. Your photos make it look so wonderful! It would be hard to decide between the windmills and cheese. I do understand you reasoning for the windmills and I know I would want gorgeous photos of the windmills too! But that gouda looks pretty good!! haha Thanks so much for sharing!!

Yeah, Viking made sure that the choices were pretty good, either way. Still, our family was happy we had decided to go to the cheese farm. They enjoyed sharing the gouda!

What an interesting post about Holland! I always wanted to visit the country of windmills and tulips. I love the story about Noah’s Ark replica. It must have been very interesting to visualize what it must have looked like. And that tour of the Dutch cheese farm… makes me want to run out the door and buy some cheese.

Yeah, Noah’s Ark looked a bit odd without a bow. But when you stop to think about it, Noah didn’t need one, as he wasn’t trying to go anywhere. He was just trying to stay afloat. 🙂

How cute is that cow?! All of that cheese looks delish!

Yes, she was cute. Dan got some really fun photos of cows while we were there. This was my favorite.

What an awesome day! I remember visit Volendam and going to a cheese farm too. There were so many variety of cheeses to try. It is one of those memorable experiences you never forget. Gouda has always been one of my favorite cheeses and trying it from a producer was great. That Noah’s Ark looks interesting!

Visiting a cheese farm was definitely one of the highlights because I’m such a cheese fan and like you said, it was a memorable experience. I’d have to say that my favorite type of Gouda is smoked and I was surprised that they didn’t offer it. Do you have a favorite?

I can’t believe there is actually a Noah’s Ark! It’s how I imagined it to look like too. Looks like a wonderful river cruise, I do like looking at a good windmill!

The next time we visit I really hope we can actually go inside and see how he’s decked it out. It sounds rather elaborate!

I live in the Netherlands, and it’s fun to read an outsider’s view of the place! Kinderdijk is indeed lovely, and the river cruise seems a great way to get a first impression of the Netherlands! In my experience the Dutch aren’t particularly worried about the sea level rising. They seem remarkably confident that they can deal with it, as the world’s experts on water control.

I’d like to warn your readers about something else, though: taking the cheese home on the plane. Dutch cheese has exactly the same density as plastic explosives, so you are very likely to get your carry-on bag searched going through security. It’s not a problem, because they’ll see it’s just cheese, but it’s worth being aware that it’s likely. If you put it in your checked bag, you run the same risk, so leave it at the surface so anyone opening your bag will see it right away and not mess up your careful packing!

Two very good tips about the cheese. I have heard that security doesn’t mind cheese as long as it’s been sliced, but that you may lose your food if it is in a wax-covered ball so they can’t verify what it actually is.

On a side note, we’ve also learned the hard way that it’s better to put your tripod on TOP of your clothes. The security newbies seem to get a bit nervous when they see a bunch of metal pipes…. 🙂

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Review: What It’s REALLY Like Aboard Viking River Cruises

Viking River Cruises Review

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.

The entire trip was calm and relaxing and I felt like it struck the perfect balance of sightseeing and leisure!

I’ve taken several European river cruises cruises with family before and immediately knew my mom would love the smaller atmosphere, quaint towns and relaxing vibe, so I brought her along for the trip!

I know river cruising is not for everyone so if you’re curious about Viking specifically or more generally wondering what there is to see and do along the Rhine River, I thought I’d recap our trip to show you the highlights.

I would recommend this trip if you enjoy small colorful towns, World War II history and good food.

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Keep reading below for a complete review of what cruising with Viking is like!

Or quickly jump to:

• Rhine River Itinerary
• River Cruises vs Ocean Cruises
• Best European River Cruises
• Pre-Trip Experience
• Should You Book Flights Through Viking
• On Board Experience
• Viking Ship
• Included Tours

Rhine Getaway Itinerary

We started in Basel, Switzerland (up north on the Rhine River) and ended at Amsterdam in The Netherlands.

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.

We had a wonderful time and especially loved how organized the entire Viking journey was, from pre-departure to on-board, everything was seamless.

Also unlike many other cruises or guided tours, almost everything was included , which made it feel like a truly relaxing vacation.

Here’s a snapshot of our 7-day itinerary and what we got up to each day!

Day 1: Arrive in Basel, Switzerland

We arrived in the small, quaint town of Basel after our international flight.

This was the general arrival / travel date so we expected to just check in and relax but discovered that Viking organized a guided walking tour of the town. That was a nice surprise!

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.

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.

There’s a reason Art Basel is held here!

We checked out the Romanesque cathedral, took endless pictures of the colorful medieval buildings and headed back to our ship to relax and meet everyone for cocktails and dinner. A great first day!

Day 2: Germany’s Black Forest & Colmar, France

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

In the morning, we learned how to make cuckoo-clocks, put together Black Forest cake and walked a bit throughout the Black Forest.

The wooded mountain range is the site of many local legends and populated all over with black fir trees. If you like hiking, the mountains are wonderful!

In the afternoon, we signed up for an optional tour to Colmar .

Located in the Alsace Lorraine region, the town is part of France but throughout much of history, changed hands between Germany and France.

You’ll find lots of German and French spoken as a result!

I highly recommend visiting this quaint medieval town. Every street looks perfectly preserved and it’s quite colorful. We wandered mostly on our own, ducking into gelato shops and chocolate stores while enjoying the colorful, medieval feel.

Day 3: Strasbourg, France

If you skip the optional to Colmar, no worries!

Strasbourg is its larger cousin and also located in Alsace, France .

We had a wonderful guide for this day who guided us throughout the small canals, pointing out colorful streets and letting us know about Strasbourg’s tangled history in the hands of Germany and France.

Strasbourg occupies a strategic position on the Rhine River and is the ninth largest city in France.

It’s home to many European councils and organizations, like the European Court of Human Rights (a building built like a ship) and the Council of Europe.

For the most part, we stuck to the Old Medieval Town but drove through the modern section. Highly recommend a visit to the Cathedral!

Day 4: Heidelberg, Germany

Heidelberg is a university town with a energetic, small town feel.

In the morning, we visited Heidelberg Castle, which perhaps should be called a ruined fortress, as much of it was destroyed by lightening, fires and war.

The ruins and castle are built high above the city and the observation terrace is well worth a look!

Meanwhile, the city was almost entirely spared from bomb attacks during World War II and it’s narrow streets and baroque charm remain largely intact.

We explored Heidelberg’s Old Town (Altstadt) by walking along the main shopping street Hauptstrasse. This is actually the longest shopping street in Europe!

For the most part, I spotted large chain stores & restaurants.

I actually recommend skipping this street to explore the quaint alleyways and backstreets instead. Much more picturesque!

Day 5: Rhine River Castles & Koblenz, Germany

By day 5, we had reached the middle Rhine!

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.

Many of them are situated high above local towns and we saw lots of German camper vans parked at the base.

I recommend bringing a pair of binoculars for this part, as some of the castles can be set a bit farther away and the detail through a zoom is incredible.

By afternoon, we reached Koblenz, a city set at the mouth of two rivers.

We explored Marksburg Castle and wandered a bit on our own after. This was another ruined fortress high above the river.

Interesting history, but definitely wear good shoes ! The entire castle is unpaved, rocky and entirely uneven.

Note – a couple others from the cruise did the optional dinner excursion on this day and raved about it.

Day 6: Cologne, Germany

During the Holy Roman Empire, Cologne was the largest medieval town in Europe. Naturally, it’s Gothic cathedral is the hallmark draw!

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.

We explored the Kölner Dom’s interior and were suitably awed.

If you want a great view, Viking offers an optional tour that takes you all the way to the very top! I had already been to Cologne on a previous trip so instead, we opted for a palace excursion.

I *love* an over the top, beautifully decorated mansion and have a whole series dedicated to them here .

We visited Augustusburg Castle, one of two gorgeous UNESCO World Heritage site classified as Bruhl Palaces.

The castle was once home to the prince-archbishops of Cologne and is decked out in gold, marble and all-around extravagance. I particularly liked the massive entryway staircase which was gilded and made my mouth drop open when we turned the corner.

Highly recommend this day trip if you love castles half as much as I do!

The interiors were really unique and the guided tour was excellent.

After the main palace, we did a quick tour of the hunting lodge as well, which was just as stunning. This is one stop I definitely wished we had more time in!

Day 7: Kinderdijk, The Netherlands

Kinderdijk is home to the Netherlands’ famous windmills .

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. 

Much of the Netherlands would sink, were it not for windmills to pump away water.

We even got to tour inside the home of a windmill keeper (see photos of a windmill  interior here!). What I didn’t realize was that windmill caretakers actually lived inside them with their families!

I thought the interiors were particularly interesting and our guide mentioned that some Dutch families managed to fit 13 children inside.

They’re quite small so I noticed lots of hooks for hanging, curved bunk-bed type rooms and lots of stair ladders. The Dutch windmill keepers also had a number of really unique boats which I took too many pictures of!

Fun fact: Kinderdijk is in the region of Holland in the nation of The Netherlands where the people speak Dutch .

The Rhine Getaway Cruise

One thing I liked about sailing with Viking is how leisurely the day to day pace is.

There’s generally an opportunity to sight see in the morning and afternoon, with one included tour and one optional tour.

We chose to do 2 optionals and on the other days, relaxed on board or went into town to explore on our own! It was a well-balanced pace and I truly felt “on vacation”.

Here’s a recap of our daily itinerary with Viking:

How River Cruises Differ vs. Ocean Cruises

Many of our stops were small European villages and medium sized cities, so we felt like we were able to see all the top sights without missing anything.

The best part? enjoying the comfort of a luxurious ship without worrying about transportation from town to town and only unpacking once .

Small Ships

I think most of us are familiar with large ocean liners that sail to the Caribbean.

River cruises offer a very different experience – they’re much smaller ships, typically seating only 150-200 passengers.

The Viking Hlin ship that I was on had about 150 passengers and approximately 60 crew members, for reference.

No Seasickness

In general rivers are much calmer than the open seas and you won’t have to worry about rough seasickness.

We did a fun tour of the wheelhouse and learned from the Captain that Viking ships utilize four propellers instead of a traditional rudder.

Because of this, they have the flexibility to turn each propeller a full 360 degrees for precision and smooth sailing so you shouldn’t experience any seasickness on board.

More About the Sights, Not On Board Entertainment

River cruising is a much more intimate experience, with unreserved seating at meal times so you get to mix and mingle with almost everyone on board by the end (if you want!).

There’s less on-board entertainment (no nightclubs or casinos on board) but each evening people congregated in the lounge by the bar and Viking had an on-board pianist. 

A couple nights during the week, Viking hosted either singers, dancers or local activities.

My favorite was the glass blowing demonstration by a glass master from Germany! He was quite an artist and had different glassblowing techniques than what I saw when I went to Venice .

Easier Disembarkation

T he 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.

Depending on your journey, you stop in a new town every day or so and can get on and off the ship easily and on your own pace, without queuing for hours!

When I went on my cruise to Cuba , we received a group number each evening for the next day’s stop. 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.

I’m pretty impatient and hated the long lines. 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.

Which is the Best European River Cruise?

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. The most popular are the Rhine River, the Elba and the Danube.

• The Rhine River runs from the Swiss Alps through the Franco-German border and empties into the North Sea up in the Netherlands. This is the route we took.
• The Elba River   is a major Central European river and predominantly flows through Germany and the Czech Republic. A small bit flows through Austria and Poland.
• The Danube River is quite long, flowing through 10 countries through Central and Eastern Europe. It starts in Germany and flows along the borders of Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine before emptying into the Black Sea. I did this route years ago with family and loved it because I felt like I saw so much of Eastern Europe in one go. Lots of quaint, small towns perfect for a quick afternoon visit!

Viking Cruises Review

Our Rhine Getaway hit a couple towns throughout Switzerland, France, Germany and the Netherlands in one convenient week.

Plus it had the added bonus of only unpacking once!

You can see the route we took in the Rhine River cruise map below.

Flights & Our Pre-Trip Experience

Once you book your Viking river cruise, the fun part is checking out the daily itinerary and browsing the optional excursions!

I was really impressed with Viking’s interactive website called My Viking Journey .

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.

Should You Book Airfare Through Viking?

Viking also offers airfare. 

We set a  fare alert and browsed for flights on our own, and after comparing it to the Viking customer service rep, found that they were able to get us a better deal. I was pretty amazed actually!

So I recommend booking airfare through Viking (after doing a price comparison on your own, of course).  It seems the company has relationships with partner airlines and is able to typically find flights cheaper than you can do on your own.

Another advantage to booking airfare through Viking is they also include round trip transfers.

We found this really handy after long travel days. For the arrival, our bus picked us up at the airport in Basel and left straightaway, which we really appreciated!

(Sometimes group tours will wait for the entire 50 passenger bus to fill up, which means you can get off a long trans-Atlantic flight and sit around for 90 minutes waiting for additional flights to land.)

On our departure, we had a very early flight so they arranged a cab direct to the airport – everything is totally taken care of!

Our On-board Experience on Viking’s Hlin Ship

We sailed aboard the Viking Hlin.

All of Viking’s fleet are individually named after different Nordic Gods and Goddesses and while many of the river cruise ships are similar or even identical, the small touches and art are unique.

Each ship has a giant painting of the Nordic god at the top of the main staircase, dedicated to the deity it’s named after.

Having sailed on a couple other river cruises, I loved how distinctively luxurious the Viking ship and rooms were.

Veranda Room Tour

Our Veranda stateroom was spacious, bright and airy with minimalist Nordic furniture and a cozy balcony. 

The ships are well designed to really maximize space and cabins feature a giant closet and tons of drawers to put away your clothes, should you wish to fully unpack.

Most river cruises are quite cozy and I typically keep my clothes in packing cubes … this was the first time I’ve fully unpacked!

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 cabin had plenty of outlets, both European and American, so I could easily keep all my electronics charged.

On Board Amenities

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.

Oh! I almost forgot to mention – Viking includes wifi on-board  free of charge. 

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.

If you’ve cruised before you’ll appreciate this luxury! All other cruise lines charge exorbitant internet fees and still have slow service.

The Viking Ship

Our room was kept immaculately clean and always stocked with fresh fruit and water, thanks to a diligent cleaning staff. I’m a bit of a germaphobe and really felt at home on board.

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.

Above on the sun deck, they even have a small herb garden to season meals freshly.

In contrast, I once stayed on a ship where you had to step up into the bathroom and when the door was open, half the cabin space was used up – naturally, half the time I forgot the step existed and face planted.

Viking cabins have a pocket door so that the cabins feel spacious with glass door showers and fully openable doors that tightly seal, so water doesn’t get everywhere.

I did a cabin tour on my Instagram stories during the trip ( @shershegoes ) and got tons of messages that people were surprised how spacious and luxurious the cabins were!

Viking also clearly pays attention to the small details .

They design everything with care:

• heated bathroom floors
• angling the hallways to maximize cabin space
• large-flip cap toiletries that don’t leave you struggling to open them (vs screw offs)
• high quality European fixtures
• leather staircase railings

…just some small details I noticed, but I could go on endlessly!

It’s really clear on-board that Viking don’t skimp out on customer service and they all added up to make a seamless vacation.

Meals & Dining

All three meals are included on-board.

You have the choice to take meals either in the formal dining room or upstairs in the more casual Aquavit restaurant. We have nothing but great things to say about the meals!

Outdoor or Indoor Options

If you like to socialize and want a formal 3-course menu dinner, try the formal dining room on the main floor. 

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.

Local Cuisine

Viking also makes a effort to include local cuisine.

One night we had an Austrian / German night, with local specialties like sauerkraut, sausages, pretzels, schnitzel and plenty of German beer. 

It was a themed night, where the dining room transformed into checkered tablecloths, the staff put on their lederhosen and mini kegs were emptied!

Wine Included

Wines are included during dinner times, which I personally haven’t seen on any other cruise!

There’s also the option to purchase a Silver Spirits drink package if you wish to indulge in wine, beer and/or soft drinks before or after dinner.

Viking’s Included Walking Tours

Each day, there’s an included guided walking tour.

All the local guides were quite knowledgeable and Viking provides headsets so you can clearly hear. There’s even a designated group for those who wish to tour at a slower pace.

What I really liked was that there’s no pressure to stay with the tour. You’re free to start with the tour and slip away if you find a restaurant you like or somewhere you want to linger (although it’s nice to let the guide know so they don’t wait for you).

They really encourage you to make the most of your trip.

And that’s it! Are you headed on a river cruise?

Let me know if you have any questions about our Rhine Getaway with Viking River Cruises in the comments below.

European River Cruise – Trip Planning Checklist

We opted to extend our stay in Europe after the cruise. Viking offers both pre and post extensions, which are a fun way to see more of Europe and combine the best of both worlds (guided group tours with individual trips).

For our flights, we took advantage of Viking’s flight booking service. We set fare alerts and browsed for flights on our own, and after comparing it to the Viking customer service rep, found that they were able to get us a better deal.

Be sure to get travel insurance   for your river cruise. River cruises are highly dependent on local water levels, and abnormally low water can negatively impact your trip by forcing the boat to re-route.

In recent years, the Elba river has occasionally suffered from extreme low water levels – perhaps due to global warming? In any case, don’t end up disappointed – travel insurance will help when you need it most. Get a  quote for your trip here .

Cruising Articles

Cruising on the Seine River from Paris to Normandy

Lobsters & Lighthouses: Sailing on a Maine Windjammer

Europe Travel Articles

1 Day in Basel:  Switzerland’s Most Underrated City!

Colmar, France: Is this Beauty in the Beast Town Real?

Everything to See & Do in Heidelberg, Germany

German Castles: A Photo Diary of Castles on the Rhine River

Fun Day Trips from Amsterdam: Visiting A Dutch Windmill Home

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Those photos are just perfect! They made me want to travel Europe more. Thanks for sharing such an informative post! :)

This looks so amazing. Your pictures are absolutely stunning. Such a great informative post.

Thanks Lynzy!

I have never been on a river cruise abroad. I am not sure that the tour that we did on the Ohio river would count as a cruise lol! I would like to visit here. All of your photos make me really want to plan a trip.

Wow, amazing indeed! I have to add this to my bucket list of places to visit! Your pictures are Stunning!!

The itinerary for this trip is near perfect. I think I’d enjoy every single thing planned. I especially like what’s scheduled on the third day.

Strasbourg is definitely a highlight! Supposedly the university is fantastic and has affordable tuition, i might just apply!

These photos make me want to head out on a cruise right now. I love the exotic feel of the settings in these photos and the breathtaking views. Someday I will get it together enough to visit.

Hey Melissa, glad you like the itinerary/photos! Hope you get to experience it soon :)

I was sooooooo excited to read your article! I have wanted to go on a Viking River Cruise for awhile now. Thanks so much for the helpful information.

It was my first Viking River Cruise and I totally loved it (as you can tell from the post) Let me know if you have any questions and I hope you sail with them soon!

Oh that looks amazing and your photography is beautiful. I would really love to do one of these holidays but with 6 children i worry about all the water! lol

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This sounds much better than I expected! Some family members have been trying to get me to do one of these. Thanks for sharing!

This was an excellent review! I’ve always wondered about Viking River Cruises and have strayed away from them because I just had never heard much about them. I love cruising on the big ships though, so I’m sure I would love a river cruise as well!

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Hey! Thank you so much for the detailed information about your cruise. I am actually headed on this cruise in a week and I’m very excited.

Ah you’ll love it!! Have fun :)

Im obsessed with this blog! My fiancé and I are taking our honeymoon early and heading on the Rhine Getaway in 2 weeks. Is there and particular must dos in the other places where you don’t have the more thorough blog posts? Also do you have any more pictures of the verandah room, as that is the room type we will be in, and of the ship itself? What was the weather like? Are there specific things we should be packing as far as clothes or anything else?

Hi Alyssa, ooh have fun! Hm I think Viking’s included tours do a great job of showing you the main highlights in each town, while giving you some free time to explore or have lunch in town if you wish.

I did the optional tour to Augustusberg palace which I really enjoyed, its on the Cologne day. Just a gorgeous, unique palace and hunting lodge. There’s also an optional to see the top of Cologne’s cathedral which other people on the ship liked. And then one night there’s a fancy dinner in a palace – I didn’t sign up for it but almost regretted it bc it got rave reviews from those who did! I think its the same night as the German dinner night on board so whatever you pick you’ll have a fabulous dinner. Definitely recommend the Colmar optional, which I have the post about. If you havent been to Amsterdam before you might want to stay longer after.

We went in early May and it rained a bit and was pretty cold. Viking has huge umbrellas, which was a nice touch bc I forgot to bring mine. Other than that nothing specific to pack – its pretty casual. It’s summer now so I’m sure the weather will be much better for you!

You’ll love the rooms! I was so impressed with how comfortable they were given that its a river cruise and the ship is small. My pictures of our room didn’t come out so nice because my stuff was sprawled everywhere ha.. but we had a veranda room as well! Loved the balcony. All the bathrooms have heated floors which I loved and now want to install in my bathroom. I snuck a peek at the suites which have a separate living room area and look really really nice. I’ve also never seen a more diligent cleaning staff!!

We sailed on the Hlin ship, which I think they said was 8 years old, but looked almost brand new to me. Viking takes amazing care of their river ships! I chatted to the staff one day and they spend the winter season breaking everything down, cleaning and doing engineering things to keep it in great shape.

Oh! Do the roundhouse mini tour where you get to see the caption’s… office thing on the roof. He tells you how the ship steers and has some fun facts about the mechanics. I always find that kind of stuff interesting (how things work, how they became ships captain etc). If I remember correctly its something you can sign up for on one of the slow days when we’re cruising. Only if you’re interested, its not an official tour or anything!

Oh and bring binoculars if you have them! It’ll come in handy the morning where we saw the german forts on the Rhine. I brought a gigantic zoom lens to take those photos, the castles are high up on hills while the ship sails in the middle of the Rhine. Feel tree to shoot me any more questions and I’ll do my best to answer :)

Can’t say enough great things about Viking and I’m already dreaming about doing another with them!

Thanks! Any chance you have a list or something of the times you were in and out of each port? I’d love to know how long we get to stay each place

No. You can try checking the viking journey site for more info. It was generally around a 1 hr tour and maybe an 30min – hour of free time

But like the whole day how early could you get off the ship and how late could you start in port before you had to be back on? I can’t find that information anywhere.

It depends on when the ship gets into town and if it’s departing for a different town that evening or docking overnight.

Do you remember which ports you were docked at overnight?

Don’t remember off the top of my head but check your My Viking Journey portal! Lots of helpful info there :)

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We did the Viking Paris to Normandy cruise in September of 2016. It was wonderful. We’re booking the Rhine Getaway today for September of next year. Thanks so much for all the helpful information!!

Did you fly nonstop to Basel or make a connection? I’ve bookmarked this page as I will be doing the same cruise next summer. :)

Hey Tiffany – I had a connection in Europe. I do recommend checking out flight pricing with Viking – they surprised me with cheaper airfare than I could find on my own and they also took care of the transfers. You can just ask them what the flight price will be before committing and do a little comparison check with google flights. Enjoy your trip, its a fab river cruise experience :)

Loved your post. I’m thinking of going next April. I have two questions: what are the temperatures like and is there a fitness or exercise room on board? It sound silly, but with all that eating I’ll want to do something to keep the weight off.

Hi Bonnie – I went in mid May and it was still chilly..anywhere from 40-60 degrees. This year I remember being surprised, because we had a very late spring season so it’s hard to say what 2018 will be like! It rained a couple times in the first 2 days of the trip, and I forgot to pack my umbrella, but luckily Viking has some HUGE umbrellas on board for guests to borrow. I know for me personally, even though it can be colder I prefer traveling to Europe in April/May before the crowds hit.

River cruise ships are small so there’s usually no room on board for a dedicated fitness room. That said on the roof of the ship, they have a track loop so some runners used that to their advantage. I think it was 13 laps on the roof deck equaled 1 mile and I only remember that because my mom kept up with her daily mile runs ha. On Viking’s ocean cruises, those ships are bigger and I believe Viking has both a fitness room and a pool on ocean routes.

All of the included daily tours are walking tours, so you do walk some of it off although I agree with you – it’s hard to restrict yourself on vacation and there can be some longer bus rides where you just sit and sit! Have a fabulous trip and let me know if you have any other questions

Hi, My name is Sunny Fletcher, I really enjoyed your write up and it was super inspiring! My boyfriend and I loved this particular itinerary but did not see it on the viking site when we searched for this particular 7 day cruise. Do you have any other cruise lines you could suggest? Also what is the predominate age group on these cruises. We are in our 40’s would we feel out of place? Thanks for your help.

Sunny Fletcher

Hi Sunny! So glad you liked it. I would say you would be more in place than I was on the trip ha! Im in my 20s and went with my mom. The crowd has a good mix of age groups, predominantly 40+ to retirees and I would say Viking is a more active program than other river cruises. I do a lot of tours with my family so I guess I’m maybe more used to being the odd one out, but I don’t mind as long as the itinerary is good!

Here is the cruise we took, it’s called their Rhine Getaway route. I heard that they also offer the same route during the holiday season, when Christmas markets are open so you might like that idea too.

https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/cruise-destinations/europe/rhine-getaway/2017-amsterdam-basel/index.html

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Enjoyed your piece on the Viking Rhine Getaway. We’re likely going to book it for May 2018. With both artificial hips, spine issues, etc., I don’t walk so well, or far, anymore. My wife is fine, can walk forever. With my cane I can do probably a mile before a rest. I’m wondering about the shore excursions, many of which are “walking tours”. Will I be able to do them? If not, what are the options? Many thanks, Jerry

Hi Jerry! I think you would love the cruise and will try to provide my perspective.

All the included excursions are walking tours but some cities involve a bus to get to the town first while other cities viking can dock right in town so the actual walking part is not necessarily that strenuous. Cities like Colmar and Basel have compact Old Towns so the walking is quite short, but Marksburg Castle was very uneven inside (lots of cobblestone old steps) that I even found that shaky.

Regardless i would say that Viking is very accommodating.

There was a man on our tour who was blind and used a cane and he did all of the walking tours. Sometimes the guide gave him a hand. For some towns, Viking offered bicycle tuk tuks or cabs to drive passengers right to the town center. I felt the tours were quite leisurely paced and if at any time you don’t want to continue, you can leave the group to explore at your own pace or do your own thing altogether.

Many thanks for your reassuring reply. Most likely I’ll be fine. I wonder if Uber is available along the Rhine River route?

A couple more questions. I’m trying to do a little research on flights in and out. We’ll probably book through Viking, but I’d like to see what the options are regarding connections, etc. Do you remember what the required times were to get aboard the ship, and to leave at the end? Should we plan to arrive a day before departure?

Hm not sure about Uber. Lots of European countries ban it so I wouldn’t count on it, but there are regular cabs and the bike tuk tuks. Plus viking’s bus coaches.

You can arrive early or stay later but I flew in the day of departure. If I remember right, the boat sets sail in early evening so arriving the day of in the morning is fine. If you want to explore more of town, then I would stay extra.

We did the Basel > Amsterdam route. Basel is very small and I felt like we saw enough on the day of. If you arrive in the AM, Viking is nice and provides a complimentary informal walking tour of the old town! Lots of people extended their stay in Amsterdam since you don’f actually see that city during the itinerary.

I don’t remember the exact time you should leave, because we flew to Copenhagen on a very early flight. I think maybe they ask you to leave by early afternoon? So they have time to clean the boat before the next sailing route. Hope that helps!

Sadly Viking no longer provides this walking tour of Basel on the day of arrival. I checked with them A few days ago prior to our departure today and Viking said that the walking tour was no longer available. Very disappointed!

aw that sucks. i guess a lot has changed with covid. you’ll still have a great time i hope!

Hi,I have taken two Viking trips, the Danube Waltz two years ago and the Balzel to Amsterdam last year, I can’t say enough about how wonderful the trips themselves were, however, the air fair provided was another story. I understand it is offered free, BUT, when you are stuck in the last row in the plane, get told this is the only food option that is left and sorry there is NO WATER AVAILABLE, it made for a very long ride home from France with a man in front of us who had definitely not showered in a while.

Hey Dolores – sorry to hear you had a bad flight! To be honest I hate the entire flying experience and never have a great flight! I don’t think Viking has anything to do with the airline (ours wasn’t free) and we had a couple options for flight options/ seats etc

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Nice read. Quick question what is Vikings policy to bringing your own alcohol drinks on board. It sounds like it would be nice to sit on the room balcony with a bottle of wine.

Hi Ron – sorry for the delayed response, I think I missed seeing this! Yes, you can definitely sit on your room balcony and enjoy your own bottle of wine. Just so you know, all wine is included during meal times as well. I’m not a huge drinker but spent lots of mornings enjoying my coffee on the balcony.. it was so relaxing! :)

HELLO, we are taking the Rhine River cruise in late Oct. I know no one can accurately forecast the weather,wondering what kind of jacket/coat should I pack. Also, will the christmas markets be open?

Hi Lynda, I would think it’d be pretty cold. Usually October in central Europe is ~50s during the day and as low as ~40s around night time. I would probably pack jeans/long pants, light sweaters and either a wool coat like this http://bit.ly/2vz4X6w or if you’re wearing layers, a windbreaker like this one: http://bit.ly/2wz0plj .

Unfortunately the Christmas markets don’t open until late November but I would think October would be a beautiful time to see fall folliage along the river? Autumn is my favorite season so I’m sure it will be even more magical in Europe. Have a great trip!

Thanks for the great review. I’m taking this trip in April 2018 but in reverse. This answered many of my questions. Thanks for all the great details. I can’t wait.

Lots of helpful info there! Someone just told me that she had been on 3 river cruises — I think all Viking — and that you had to leave the ship around 7:30 a.m. if you wanted to join the walking tour. I’ve never heard anyone else mention such an early start. Did you experience this on your trip?

Hm.. I think I got up by 7:30am but I don’t think we left the ship quite that early. I want to stay it was about ~7:30am breakfast, leave by 8:30-9am. There are generally 2 time slots for tours per day, one in the morning and one after lunch – you can do both or just do one. Usually everyone does the morning one and if you book an optional tour, that would be your afternoon option.

FTo be honest, every land group tour that I’ve been on and when I travel personally, I get up very early to see as much as possible so I felt like Viking was nice and a “slower pace”. One lady at dinner mentioned she thought the times were early for her, so I guess it depends on your personal travel style!

Once you book a tour, Viking has a section of their website called “my viking journey” where you can see the optional tours offered and it makes it very easy to see the tour times so that you don’t double book yourself. Hope that helps!

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If the intinerary shows a tour for morning or morning and afternoon does that mean they leave after the tour or do they stay till evening so you can mull around?

Hi Margie – it depends! If the ship is staying in town and not sailing onward, you can stay out on your own after the tour, have lunch in town instead of on the ship, wander etc. For example, I think in Strasbourg some of us did this. Also in Cologne we docked overnight so you could hang out all night until the early AM if you wanted!

If you decide you’ve seen enough when the tour ends, then you can take advantage of the included shuttle bus to take you back to the ship.

Sometimes, the ship sails onward or if it’s an optional tour it might be a town far away from the dock, so it’s expected that you’ll go with the group. For example, the Colmar optional tour which I took takes you to Colmar (which is not close to the dock) so you wouldn’t want to linger. Hope that helps!

I love the idea of a river tour, especially the unpacking bit. ;) How was the social situation on board? Were the other guests mostly much older? I think that’s what’s holding me back on trying it myself. I don’t want to be the only 30-something on a ship full of seniors. :\

Hi Melissa! Ha yes the unpacking part and luxurious room were too good to pass up. Hm.. it’s definitely an older crowd, most people in their late 40s – 50s if I had to guess their ages. Some retirees as well. But, I do lots of group tours with my family and I would say its more of the “active” older / retired crowd vs those who just like to be shuttled from place to place.

There were some 30 something couples on board and at dinner you can either eat solo or mingle, so it just depends on what you prefer. If you prefer a really social atmosphere, European hostels are the best bet or I’ve had friends who went solo and joined something like a G Adventures tour for the social atmosphere.

Would you be going solo?

Because cabins are usually meant for 2 people, river cruises in general tend to charge a single supplement fee (I think Viking does, but I’m not certain).

Sher, My husband and I are traveling next June on Viking River Cruise Paris to Swiss Alps. I was wondering if you would suggest we bring binoculars and a camera with a zoom lens to see and get good pics from the river itself. Also wondering if you know how flexible they are regarding problems clients have with food issues? I was glad to hear that if the pace of the tour was too fast or slow that you could break away from the group, however are cabs fairly easy to find if you find yourself needing to return to the boat? Do you suggest a particular app for your phone to translate? Also wondering about carrying cash or credit cards for excursions, should we have both or did you find one better than the other? Thanks I know that’s a lot of questions!

Hi Colleen,

Ooh Paris! Sounds like a good itinerary.

1) I’m a bit of a photo fanatic so I was very glad I brought my zoom lens. I think my mom would have appreciated binoculars, especially since she has poor vision. You can definitely see the castles from the naked eye on the boat, but if you want to see detail binoculars are helpful. Did you check out my German castles post? All those photos were shot with a 70-200mm lens (mostly at the 200mm mark) so as an example, you won’t see the individual castle windows or small town churches like in those photos without a zoom or binoculars. I mentioned it in the post because I didn’t bring binoculars on a safari trip to Africa and while I could see the animals just fine, a kind man lent me his for a day and it was such a better view! ha. So just personal preference.

2. Hm, I don’t personally have any dietary restrictions so I’m not sure. For dinner, there are always several options to choose from, including a vegetarian one. I *think* they have options for gluten free but I’m not 100% sure – you can try using the chat bot on the viking website or calling a customer service rep to make sure.

The waiters and all the staff are exceptionally friendly / helpful and can make menu substitutions if you don’t like anything or are allergic. I remember they had ipads during dinner service to jot notes & things. They also have excellent memories! If you wanted two appetizers or ahem, two desserts (like I sometimes did), they’re very generous with that, it’s not an issue. Or if you wanted appetizers instead of mains, that sort of thing is easy for them to accommodate.

3. I think cabs would be easy to find. I didn’t do the exact route you’re mentioning so some cities would be different, but in general I find that the stops were small European towns so it’s easy to wander and find your way back to the main square. Even Paris is not so big a city :)

Usually at the front desk, they will have maps of the city so ask for one of those before you disembark and if you want to explore on your own, then you can use the map. Also a tip is to download the offline Google Maps for each city you’ll be visiting. I always do that before I travel! I’m a big walker so with the offline map downloaded, you can navigate yourself back to the main square or the dock. And of course if you get cell service using something like Know Roaming (which I’ve reviewed on my blog briefly here ) then you can get cell service too for emergencies.

Viking uses these headphone systems which are pretty good and they split the passengers into smaller groups, so if you see yourself wanting to explore more of the city just let the guide know you’re leaving the group and you can find out about local cabs or meeting points, etc. Every evening, they leave a pamphlet in your cabin so you can get a sense of what you’ll be visiting the next day.

4. I use google translate on my phone for translation but I think you do need cell service for it to work. In general everyone in Europe speaks excellent English :)

5. I rarely bring cash to be honest, I bring a couple credit cards which carry no foreign fees and I bring my debit card for the atm / emergencies. I’m also not a shopper / I don’t buy souvenirs anymore but if you like to shop, cash is helpful for small things like street fairs, flea markets, christmas market stalls, food stalls. Do you have Chase bank? You can call ahead and ask your local branch, mine in NYC can exchange euros same day, so if you want to bring like 100 – 200 euro just to be safe, you can try that. I’m sure other banks do it too.

For the optional tours, I would recommend booking those in advance. Some of the popular ones fill up. If you login to the “My Viking Journey” website it will show you, day by day, which tours are available and also will warn you if you’re booking overlapping tours or things that conflict. I found it quite handy! So since you book those ahead, you book them all on credit card.

In general I prefer credit cards because I get points and I find carrying cash /dealing with change a pain. But that’s just me!

Hope that helps – feel free to reach out if you have more questions.

I enjoyed your account of the river cruise and I’m curious as to how dressy or casual folks were. Do you have a packing list for this trip?

Thanks, Penny

Hi Penny! Glad you liked the article.

People were pretty casual (pants, jeans, cold weather jackets etc) but I also went in May when the weather was still pretty chilly. For dinner time, I believe they ask for closed toe shoes and no shorts, but there isn’t a requirement for jackets so it’s no where near formal.

I haven’t written a packing guide yet but have gotten a couple requests so I’ll add that to my list of posts to write!

What did you do at night?

We either went back into town, had drinks in the lounge or stayed in to watch Downton Abbey (LOL).

It’s generally pretty quiet at night since it’s a small ship vs. huge ocean liners.

We also loved our river cruise! We left from Amsterdam in August and finished in Budapest with the optional trip to Prague. One word of caution, while the glassblower’s demonstration was awesome, he has yet to send us any of the items we ordered and paid for. He said it would be 3 weeks…it is now about 5 months. After multiple emails to him (unanswered) and emails and phone calls to Viking we are giving up and disputing the charges on our card. I’ve seen other complaints on trip forums about him. I’m disappointed Viking still brings him on board!

Hi Nancy – glad to hear you liked the cruise as well! Wow, I had no idea about the glassblower. I’m wondering if it’s the same glassblower since the one on our trip didn’t have large items to ship, he brought lots of little items (candle holders, ornaments, figurines, vases, etc) that you purchased right there, they packaged up for you and then you took it with you right away.

I got one of the glass ornaments and hung it on my tree this past Christmas!

I’m so shocked to hear the glassblower you had didn’t ship promptly. Have you reached out to Viking customer service to file a claim and let them know? That’s very disappointing and you should dispute the charge if it’s been 5+ months and no package. Credit card companies are usually great about resolving that in your favor.

The glassblower was Karl Ittig. His business is Glas Haus Wertheim. We bought some shot glases from him on the ship and brought them home with us. The problem is with what we ordered. We ordered 2 ornaments that were to have names etched in them along with the year. We also ordered a set of his Jagermeister shot glasses for our son with his monogram etched on them. Our friends also ordered his salad dressing bottles. They also have received nothing. We have contacted Viking several times. They said they’d look into it but nothing happened. The last time they were the ones to say to dispute the claim. It’s disappointing that Viking does not seem to care that much. It makes us wonder if they get some kind of a kickback from the glassblower.

I just google searched his name and photos of him came up. He’s not the same glassblower who was on my river cruise (Viking has so many ships I’m sure they have many, many glassblowers that they partner with).

Viking probably does get a kickback. Pretty much every travel company or tour builds in visits to local businesses and in return they get a % of commissions, just like a shoe salesman at any dept store. If you ever go on a Chinese tour – man, those take the cake for how many shopping visits they can pack in, all because they get a commission! Same with hotel concierges – they usually recommend restaurants they get a kickback from. such is life!

It’s really unfortunate that you haven’t received the items and that he essentially stole your money. If you paid via credit card, you should definitely get your money back. In my experience, American credit card companies (is yours american?) have fantastic customer service and you can file a dispute online very easily.

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My husband and I are taking this river cruise next year for our 20th anniversary and I can’t wait. I really enjoyed reading your take on it and seeing all the pictures. Can you tell me where the above picture was taken with the yellow/cream colored building with all of the decorations and red hearts? It looks like a fun place to visit. Thank you, Michelle

Hi Michelle – have fun! It’s a great cruise. The yellow building with the hearts is in Colmar, France – possibly one of the cutest towns I’ve ever been to :)

We’re considering this same cruise (from Basel to Amsterdam). Curious to know, are there better views on one side of the ship than the other? We were thinking of getting a french balcony versus the veranda. Which did you have?

Hi Dawn! We didn’t feel like there were better views on one side or the other. Hm, I can’t remember the name of our room but we had a small narrow balcony with 2 chairs and a side table where we could drink coffee outside. It was nice to get fresh air and we sat on it once or twice during sailings. We also peeked into some suites and those looked HUGE!

I think the standard rooms are fine, since you don’t spend all that much inside.

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Hi! My mom and I are thinking going on the same Vikings tour as you and your mom, but we are doing the reverse route. :) It’s nice to see that some other young people go as well! My question for you is that my mom will be 74 by the time we take this cruise. She can’t walk very long distances without needing to sit and rest for a couple of minutes. Bad knees and back. It seems like your excursions had a lot of walking involved. Do you think, in your experience, she will have issues with the walking tours that are provided by Viking?

Thank you! Sarah

Hi Sarah – sounds fun! I think she could do it. There’s 1 walking tour per day in each city / stop. The walking tours are about 1 hour, give or take, but if you get tired or want to leave, there’s no problem with ditching the tour to go stop at a cafe or go shopping. The tours are optional too, so if you and your mom would prefer you can always just leave the ship on your own and come back when you wish, instead of doing the tour. It depends on the stop (sometimes the boat isn’t docked in the center of town so it’d be difficult in those instances, it just depends on the river / boat area).

From the top of my head – the Black Forest is very doable, Colmar is a very small town so we booked the optional tour but explored on our own, the windmills are within walking distance from the boat and you can go at your own pace. Cologne we docked right in town. I wouldn’t recommend Marksburg castle because it’s very old and entirely uneven cobblestones.

The Viking staff can help you arrange a taxi or bike peddler if you want to go into town in more comfort or come back early. Overall I felt like the cruise was very relaxing. Hope that helps!

Hi Sarah – One thing I forgot to mention in my comment. Each day for the included walking tours, there is a designated group for those who want to explore at a slower pace. I didn’t join those groups so I’m not sure exactly how they work but thought that group could be great for your mom!

Considering this same cruise in 2019. Is there a bar on the ship to have a drink after dinner? Does Viking allow you to bring your own liquor on board?

Hi Diana – yes there is a nice bar and big lounge area. If you buy your own bottle of wine or spirits in the town, you can definitely bring it on board. I saw people drinking on their balcony. I’m not sure if you can bring your own liquor to the bar area though.

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Loved the article. We just booked a Danube cruise so I’m excited and this is really helpful information. I can’t wait. It all sounds wonderful.

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Sher, Great Blog, thanks. You photos are sensational. How did you compensate for the movement of the boat? Were you using a tripod? What’s your preferred camera? (We leave in 2 weeks! so excited.)

Hi Kathy – thanks so much for the kind words! Do you mean the photos of the German castles? For the most part, I shot these photos on the day excursions into each town, so we were on foot and exploring. I do have a tripod ( this one ) but the boat moves slowly enough when it sails that you can still get handheld shots. All my gear is listed on my FAQ page here :)

Thank you! Very helpful??

Thank you so much for your detailed comments from your Viking Riverboat Cruise on the Rhine. My husband and I are taking the same trip in June 2018 and were extremely impressed by your suggestions. It was wonderful reading about someone else’s experiences and recommendations. Your photography is oustanding. We are looking forward to our trip even more thanks to you!

Thanks so much for the kind words Patricia! Have a great time on your trip :)

Hi thanks for all the info in your blog….sounds like we have signed up for the right cruise.

We are taking the Rhine Getaway in July as a 70th birthday celebration for my husband. We are landing in Basel a couple days early and planned to take a train for a day trip to Lucerne (about an hour ride). Wondering if you have any thoughts about things to see/do in Lucerne?

We also extended a couple days in Amsterdam…any specific must sees (we were thinking of the hop on and off bus or canal boat give us flavor of city and an easy way to get around), and know we want to see the Ice Bar.

Thanks again for all you info!!!

Wow sounds like a great birthday celebration! Lucerne is very pretty, we just took it easy and walked around.

I have a post on day trips from Amsterdam here . The city itself is very popular, a bit crowded, so try to go early for things like the Anne Frank Museum. Try a canal cruise too! Since you have more time, I really liked visiting the Hague and Bruges. The Hague has some stunning buildings like the International Court of Justice while Bruges is more small town / medieval, very picturesque. Have a great trip!

Quite a thorough review. Many of our questions were answered. We’ve not been to Germany before so we are curious and deciding between this river cruise or a land tour. It does sound like this would be a great first-time visit to upper Europe (We have been to Rome, Athens & Crete). I really would like to see the Alps too. We’d like to also see Lucerne(Cogwheel Train, Gondola) and Munich.

Hello, Thank-You for ALL the tips on River Cruising. My 89-year-old mother and myself are planning a 2019 Paris and the heart of Normandy in Early April. any recommendations or comments on that trip?

Great summary of the trip. We’re going on the Rhine cruise in November and can’t wait. Leaving from Miami to Basel. We’ve been in many cruises in large ships but this one will be a treat. Decided to go business class with Lufthansa and that will also be a treat. Thanks!

Hi John – glad you liked my recap! Ooh, business class on Lufthansa will be such a treat. Have a great time – I think you will like the more intimate atmosphere on a river cruise!

Planning a 25th Anniversary trip for my wife in 2020.

Really enjoyed reading about your experiences. Not sure yet what trip we want to take, but you make a great argument for the trip you described in this Rhine Getaway river cruise.

Thanks for the detail.

Sounds like an amazing anniversary trip! Have a great time Marty

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Hello Sher,

Most important we do everything right on this trip in Sept Getaway Rhine. Long story, but neither myself or my companion has had a vacation in over 13 years — and I feel as if I’m planning in a vacuum. My companion is in his late eighties but wants to see the Rhine — I’m in my late seventies and just want to see something again. Would it be wise for us to just walk around the small villages rather than do the excursions? Some of them seem to take so long. My companion wants to see the war memorial in Colmar which we’ve signed up for and we have also reserved tickets to Van gogh exhibit. Am tempted to skip Heidelberg and Marksburg castle because of demanding climbs. All so confusing. Also, very important. we’ve been told many people wear jeans to dinner. True? Will appreciate your feedback — we must enjoy this trip. Thank you, Sandra

Hi Sandra – it’s up to you! Most of the guided tours take place in the morning (you’ll get a schedule the night before in your room), so you can decide what you’d like to do each day. I would suggest trying out 1 or 2 of the included free walking tours since you can always leave the group to go back to the ship or explore on your own if you no longer want to participate. Viking is very flexible and their tour guides are OK if you decide to leave mid-tour. Just let them know so they don’t include you in the headcount.

Yes, I would definitely suggest you skip Marksburg. The castle is in ruins and the footpaths are cobblestone – very uneven, very challenging for unsteady walkers. Heidelberg Castle is on a hill, but it’s much flatter and easier to walk, so it’s up to you.

You can wear whatever you want to dinner, Viking is pretty casual! Jeans are fine. Hope that helps!

Hi – great article, comprehensive & thoughtful! Wondering what time of year you went on the Viking river cruise?

Hi Kathy – I went in spring, at the beginning of the season!

Thank you for all the great information. We will be doing the same trip the first week of November and it’s so nice to hear we made a great decision!

Hi there! We’re on our final day of the Romantic Danube Viking River cruise. I agree with everything you’ve stated. Great ship, staff, food, and itinerary. Water levels are a huge deal, though. We’re presently completing a 3 hour bus transfer from Vienna to Budapest – missing one of the most scenic parts of the cruise. We are making our 2nd ship swap for the final night / our 3rd ship.

We received an email from Viking one week prior to departure telling us about the issue between Passau & Krems. Tuesday night our program director informed us of the additional issues past Vienna. We cruised the scenic Wachau valley after dark.

So we missed 2 of the 3 primary cruising segments. Spent 6-7 hours on buses – very nice buses- but buses.

We realize Viking can not control water levels, but their communication was late & misleading. They’ve been doing this for months – maybe years, yet acted like it was out of the ordinary. Passenger morale was affected. I’m not sure if they’ll offer vouchers. Some passengers were very upset.

Nothing about this on their website – apart from the fine print – but cruisers are blogging actively about this issue.

Great review, though.

-Scott S. from Boise

Hi Scott – Wow, yikes! So sorry to hear that your cruise had an issue. I hadn’t known about the water levels issue as our cruise was on the Rhine River, and to my knowledge, the Rhine River hasn’t had any critically low water levels. I’m not an expert by any means though.

I sympathize with you since it’s a terrible situation all around. Viking cant control the water, but naturally you didn’t have the full experience. It’s good that Viking had a back up plan so you could still at least experience the cities on the itinerary.

Has customer service gotten back to you about vouchers or anything else they can offer?

Also, just curious – when they emailed you a week before departure, were you able to cancel the cruise and opt for a later date?

We river cruised on emerald last year,sounds very comparable to Viking. They did include wine or beer with lunch and the 5 course dinner. You mentioned wine with dinner. Does Viking also include included wine and beer with lunch? . Viking is maybe more catered to Americans (ie: flight prices transatlantic). We are trying to find the best river cruise from Amsterdam to Basel,Switzerland, and this trip you took sounds wonderful. I do recommend you try out Emerald,they are fantastic. What would be comparable to a cabin with a “balcony” ? Ie: a window that rolls all the way down? These answers will possibly help us to decide. Thanks so much. Maria

Hi Maria – I hadn’t heard of Emerald before, thanks for bringing them to my attention! I just looked them up and they seem to have very similar luxury river cruises. It seems like they are an Australian company?

You’re right that Viking has a big American market. I believe the owner / company ethos is Scandinavian but they seem to focus on the American market as there were lots of American travelers on our journey.

I’m not sure what you mean by “what would be comparable to a cabin with a balcony”. Are you asking about accommodation on Viking? All the rooms are quite nice, the more expensive rooms get you more a bigger floorplan, higher floor and potentially a small outdoor balcony. For us, we had a small outdoor area – not too big, just enough to fit a small table and chairs and have a glass of wine or morning coffee. Hope that helps!

Or do you mean what are the rooms like without a balcony? If you go to Viking’s website here and scroll down, they have a floorplan of the Europe river ships and each room. There’s also pictures of the standard / french balcony and veranda rooms. Hope that helps!

Hi Sher – My wife and I will be going on our first cruise ever in September 2019 on the Amsterdam to Basel run, with an extra few days in Basel. I had booked a couple months ago and splurged on the two room Veranda suite. We’re very much looking forward to the trip but was curious if our suite is worth the cost. Will we find that we spend very little time there anyway? Thanks for your great website.

Hi Doug – ooh fancy! We haven’t personally stayed in the suites before, but we’ve gotten a peak into the rooms and they look super spacious and very nice.

We definitely spend a lot more time in our rooms on river cruises vs. ocean cruises, as there’s not as much on board entertainment. Also if the weather is great, it’s very nice to sit on the balcony with a glass of wine during sailings and typically September is beautiful in Europe!

I was thinking of cruising the rhine w/viking, is November OK to do this??? Thx

Hi Karen – Hm.. November might be a bit cold. I think May to October might be more comfortable weather wise!

I enjoyed this blog so much, we were thinking of doing a cruise, but now you have convinced me. Excellent writing, informative , and your photos are wonderful. One question, my husband enjoys a good cigar and drink, is there a designated smoking section with a view or just an area for smoking? Thank you again for such a great blog. PS just started following you on Instagram!!

Is their drinks package worth the price?

Hi Peter – it depends on how much you like to drink ;) Viking includes house wine with lunch and dinner. If you want other drinks, or perhaps cocktails after dinner, then I would say it’s worth getting. If you are fine with wine during meals, then don’t bother!

One of the best written river cruise reviews I’ve ever read. Sher, you have a great style in presenting activities as well as the cruise experience.

Wondering how well the cruise would be for me as I am oxygen 24 hrs….Also is there much climbing involved?

Hi Cliff – The ship has an elevator on board that you can use. For the excursions, there wasn’t any climbing but the tour of Marksburg Castle had VERY uneven paths (broken stones) so I’d probably recommend skipping that.

Hi great information, was wondering when do you think is the best time of month to do this cruise? I was thinking March or October, any thoughts?

Hi Suzanne – the European river cruise season starts in May. Usually the clean the ships in the winter and do maintenance, upkeep etc, so I don’t think March sailings for the Rhine river are available. I could be wrong! I also think it would be too cold in March to enjoy.

October would be nice! I haven’t done any fall sailings but I think it would be much less crowded and perhaps the leaves would change. Plus there’s Oktoberfest in Germany in October!

Hi, Sher We are doing our first Viking cruise in October 2019. Amsterdam to Basel. We are arriving from Philadelphia. We do not have the pre or post add on days, but do want to see the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam. Do you think we will have time? Also, I was interested in the added excursion to the top of one of the cathedrals and was under the impression there was an elevator, however, also saw where you had to climb over 300 steps! I have found your website to be very informative.

Hi Donna, thanks! Hm.. I’m not sure if you have time for the Anne Frank house. On the last day of the cruise, you’re expected to leave the ship quite early (I believe before noon), but if your flight is that evening, you may have time.

Make sure to book your tickets online before your trip, you can do that on their official website. It’s one of the THE most popular attractions in Amsterdam so expect really long lines. Or, you can take a walking tour that covers the history of Ann Frank, these are pretty popular.

Regarding the cathedral.. I assume you mean the Cologne one? It’s been a long time since I went to the top (I went before the Viking trip) so I don’t quite remember. I believe there is no lift, as it’s a very historic, old church. But you can double check with Viking before booking their excursion!

Have a great trip :)

Great info thanks

We are planning our trip on Viking River Cruises from Amsterdam to Basil in mid May, and I”m trying to figure out what and how much to pack. I see that the weather is quite changeable, rainy, cool to moderate. Are there laundry services on board the ship (Viking Einar) or facilities for guest to go their own laundry?

Hi Deborah, Yes if I remember correctly there’s laundry service on board.

Sher – my sister’s and some girlfriends of ours are planning our 1st ever international trip for our 50th bdays (gulp, can’t believe we will be 50!). As most of us have never been overseas and an international trip is a “once in a lifetime” opportunity for us, we need a trip that is easy to navigate for newbies and gets us the most bang for our buck (see all we can). I have several questions for you: Did Viking pay for you to take this trip? Do you think the Rhine Getaway would be a good choice for this group based on my description above? Is there any “night life” for the evenings (we don’t want to be in large touristy areas but do want to experience as much as possible)? We don’t want to go during peak season or the worst weather time. Would April be a good time to go? Many of us either have German and/or Irish heritage so we were wanting to fly to Ireland at the end of the cruise. Is that possible? I’m sure I will have a ton more questions so please let me know how best to communicate with you. Thank you so much for your post. It was very helpful.

Hi Tracie – ooh sounds like a fun birthday milestone! To answer your questions:

No – Viking did not pay me to take the trip (but that would be the dream). I did receive the Rhine cruise complimentary, along with several other journalists, in exchange for taking photos and showcasing the cruise on my Instagram account. I ended up loving the trip so much that I decided to write a more in-depth review on my website. They had no control or input in what I wrote – the article is entirely my own opinions.

Should you take the Rhine Getaway for your group trip? I think it depends. If you are looking to celebrate with a bang, then no Viking probably isn’t the trip. At least, not their river cruises. The river cruise ships are intimate (maybe 100+ passengers) and there isn’t much in the way of entertainment at night. No casino, no pool, no shows, dancing etc. There is a pianist on board, a roomy lounge and a great bar, but that’s about it.

The ocean cruises (which I have not been on) are much larger ships with entertainment on board.

You can go out at night off the ship if the boat is docked. It depends on the city though. Some cities have their docks right in the town center, like Cologne, so you could stay out all night until the ship leaves the next morning. Other cities, like Paris, the docks are about 30-45 min driving outside Paris proper, so it’s less convenient. Viking will organize shuttles for you to go into a nearby town, but if you wanted to go out at night into Paris, you would have to take your own taxi. For places like Rome, forget it – its like a 2 hour drive. It just depends on the city’s port logistics.

If you are ok with a more cultural, relaxing trip then Viking would be good. And then you can fly to Ireland after and party :) Dublin is a great city for that, and all over Ireland, the pubs are fantastic, the people are so friendly, it’s a great country to have a good time in!

The river cruise season kicks off in mid May, so April is a bit too early. Try late May or early June, or maybe mid September – mid October, to avoid crowds + have great weather.

Hope that helps

My husband and I are going on the Rhine Getaway this summer. I have 2 questions: 1) Strasbourg – should we take the optional Strasbourg from the Top? Or stick to the included Strasbourg Highlights? 2) Heidelberg – we are doing the 6 hr included tour in the morning. We thought it would be fun to do the Dine in City Rudesheim that evening for $158 total. Is that worth it???

Many thanks! Have enjoyed and learned so much reading your review and insights.

Hi Elizabeth,

Hm, I stuck to the included Strasbourg tour and thought it was a good half day tour. We had free time after to explore the city. If you like a good view, maybe the optional is good? I don’t think there is an elevator for the cathedral though – its stairs. Up to you!

For your second question, I just double checked the Viking website because I can’t remember the specifics. They list the Rudesheim am Rhein optional on the Koblenz Day, not the Heidelberg day. That’s the add-on dinner you’re referring to right?

But under the Heidelberg day, I wrote we went to Rudesheim that night on our own so I think you are right about it being the Heidelberg day. If I remember correctly, the boat docks in Rudesheim, so you can go into town on your own and choose a restaurant if you want. I don’t think the optional is necessary.

If you are interested because you want a good local dinner, we heard rave reviews from the people on board who did the Schloss Johannisberg castle dinner + wine tasting, the next night in Koblenz.

If you do choose that, just to let you know, the fun ‘local dinner’ night that Viking does is on the same evening. So whatever you chose, it will be a memorable dinner!

On board they decorate it like a mini Oktoberfest, with music and local cuisine, beer, pretzels, schnitzel etc. It was loads of fun, but only half the people were on board (other half chose between the optional dinners and they came back very happy too).

Hope that helps – have a great trip!

We just booked this cruise for April 2020. What a wonderful blog. Thank you so much. I will be checking back and taking notes!!

We have booked the cruise from Basel to Amsterdam for late September, our 50th anniversary. We did Avignon to Lyons last year on Viking and loved it! Your descriptions of life on ship are spot on. We are seniors and I have a knee problem (May have surgery soon, took the insurance) and found the “leisure” walking groups doable. Did not ascend the Popes’ Palace but admired from below. Question: Recommendations for hotels in Amsterdam? Fantastic blog. Thank you.

We are going on the Rhine Getaway (our first river cruise) very shortly–love your review! My question: should we get “the local money” euro or do most of the shops take American credit cards? Thanks.

Hi Linda, ooh fun! Have a great trip! Hm, for the most part the cruise is “all inclusive” so you would only need cash for souvenirs and any meals you wanted to take on your own. Most restaurants and stores will take American credit cards with chips but to be safe, you can take some euro out. Ask your bank if they will change for you? Ours offers it without fees.

We have been on Viking a few times. You really did them well with your descriptions. They are a great company and we feel they really treat you well.I would love to do a cruise like you did and write about everything. I have suggested it to them and haven’t heard back. I would love to rate their ocean ships, especially northern Norway.

We are going on Paris to the Swiss Alps in September for 12 days then followed by 4 days of post trips to Zermatt and Geneva. Since this is going to be my first trip, would you suggest to bring a medium size luggage – around 26” and personal bag, or carry-on luggage and personal bag are enough?

Hi Dina – ah, hard to say. If I can, I usually bring personal bag + carry on. But for 2 week trips sometimes I need a checked suitcase. I will say the nice thing about cruises is you can unpack once, so there’s less worry about hauling a case to and from!

Such a great blog!! Thank you so much for all the information! My husband is looking at the same itinerary for Nov 2020 as a 15th wedding anniversary trip; even the extra days in Amsterdam. I was unsure, never taken a river cruise, but I am very excited now! I am just unsure about mid-November weather. I don’t mind cool temps; how much of a difference weather wise do you think going in October would be? Thanks again!

Hi Amy! I would typically recommend October over mid November. The weather is a little better and sometimes in Europe things will close for the season by mid October. Double check opening times for any attractions you want to visit, and also see if fall foliage will take place in October or November! I think fall colors would be amazing for a river cruise!

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We are going on the same cruise on this same ship in early August. I can’t wait! Love the blog and your information! Your blog was more of an “any person’s view.” Some other blogs don’t give as much information or are clearly biased as a travel expert, and difficult to relate to.

Are soft drinks available all day? Are they included in the price? I understand beer and wine is included with dinner. If not, are there stores in town where you can soft drinks to keep in your room?

Are you able to go on and off the ship as often as you like? What do you need to carry with you in town, ie passport? I was really hoping to go for a couple of early morning jogs along the river.

Ah, thanks so much for the kind words :)

Soft drinks are available during lunch and dinner times and included. There’s a coffee machine that makes espresso, latte, etc drinks that’s available any time of day.

You can go on and off the ship anytime it’s docked (but some parts of the day, you may be sailing). Typically when the ship pulls into a town, there will be a morning or afternoon excursion – usually 1 is a free guided walking tour and 1 is an paid optional tour. You can do one, both, or none and explore on your own!

I usually leave my passport in the safe – I don’t carry it into town. I usually would just bring a wallet and day bag. Hm, I’m not sure if early morning jogs are possible, since it depends when the ship arrives but usually there is an overnight in a location and you could definitely do a morning jog then!

We are taking this cruise in September of 2020 but from Amsterdam to Basel. Although too early to get our flight information, we are NOT going two days early. If our flight gets in early enough we would like to try to see one of the museums. Does the transport from the airport take you directly to the ship even if hours before the 3 pm check in time? And, would we be able to leave our suitcase on the ship and go to the museum? And finally, would the Viking staff be able to help us get the admission ticket to the Rijksmuseum? Seeing “The Night Watch” by Rembrandt is on his bucket list. Thanks in advance!

We’re doing the Rhine as well, but Amsterdam to Basel. If our flight gets in early enough we’d love to see the Rijksmuseum, my hubby wants to see Rembrandt’s “Night Watch”. Would the Viking staff be able to help us with getting admission tickets when we arrive at the ship? Will we be able to leave our suitcase on the ship even if our room us not ready? Thanks in advance.

Hi Marylee,

Yes, if you choose to take Viking’s transport they will take you directly to the ship. Both times we’ve sailed with Viking our flights have been redeyes, so we arrived in the morning on the first day. We checked in (Viking stores your luggage) and rooms aren’t ready (until 12pm I think) but you can relax in the common areas and Viking will set up lunch.

We did started in Basel, and Viking also organized a nice extra walking tour for any passengers who arrived early the first day. I’m not sure if the same applies if you start in Amsterdam. Basel is a very small city, and the ship docks pretty much in the center of the old town, so if the docking situation is similar in Amsterdam, I would think they would offer the same (but again, I’m not sure)

Amsterdam is extremely popular with tourists, so you should see what the museum ticket policy is. Is the Night Watch a big attraction? Sometimes you can buy tickets online in advance, especially for really popular sights that hoards of people want to see.

I’m not sure if Viking can get you tickets when you arrive.. I would imagine it would be a little difficult the day of since the staff is typically busy with cleaning the ship, check outs and new arrivals, but you can ask their customer support to see? On Viking’s website they have a chat function where you can speak to customer service. Or it might be straight forward to just take a cab from the ship to the museum and buy tickets directly.

Hope that helps! Enjoy the trip :)

Hello! I really enjoyed reading this and such lovely photos … can’t wait for our river cruise to begin next weekend. We are booked on the the Eir Longboat cruising from Amsterdam to Basel and then two days in Lucerne. We have prebooked every included excursion (don’t want to miss anything!!) My question is: can you remember the time in the morning that the excursions start? Being retired, we are quite used to our lazy mornings and worried that the excursion departure times will be a bit early for us. Thank you!

Hi Patsy! Hm.. each excursion is different, but generally the programmed activities would start each day around 8am (if I remember right). So we’d get up around 7 to get ready and have breakfast. Every day was different, depending on if the ship docks right in town or if there’s driving.. but in general I’d say 7:30am-9am start times.

I usually am a night owl, but on trips I think it’s a little easier to get up early since I’m excited and with the time difference. I’m sure you guys will have a great time!

what about at night? when does the ship shut down for the night?

Not sure what you mean by shut down. You can hang out in the lounge until past midnight I think.

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Thanks for your very helpful, “real person” information & the responses you provide to all the questions ! I will be sailing the same route later this year, and have a delicate question. What is the restroom situation on the tour buses or in the various towns ? I have a sensitive stomach and never know when something may disagree with me. I will likely skip breakfasts before the included (typically morning) free tours… but can’t skip all meals ! Do ALL the tour buses have an emergency restroom on them ? Are some of the castle tours soooo long that it is impossible to use a restroom before the end of the tour ? Is it easy to find a public restroom (even in a small coffee shop and then buy something from them in return) along the walking tours or during afternoon free time ? I am very glad to see you can slip away from a tour if needed. That piece of information is priceless ! (Did anyone do that & then were they able to find their group again in a little while ?)

Hi Liz – yes the coaches all have bathrooms on board. Depending on the itinerary you pick, the driving times differ. For the Rhine cruise, most of the drives were pretty short.

We’ve also done the Paris to Normandy cruise and the day you visit Normandy is a very long day with long (2 hr) drives. Italy is similar – very long drives. It basically boils down to the distance between the port and the town.

Yes, plenty of coffee shops to pop into!

If you leave the group tour (we did a couple times), it’s pretty difficult to find them again, since the group is constantly on the move. We tried once and couldn’t rejoin the group.

Your review of the Rhine River Cruise is most helpful! We have our first cruise booked November 8th, 2019 Basel to Amsterdam…it looks like it might be cold…I hope it’s early enough in November that it wont be…:( Question…is it worth the extended 2 day in Amsterdam? Thank you!

Hi Linda, so glad it’s helpful! We didn’t book the 2 day extension, as we had visited Amsterdam before. I think if you haven’t been, it might be nice for convenience but Amsterdam is also a very easy city to see on your own.

We are going on this cruise in September 2019. We want to meet a friend in either Heidelberg or Koblenz. What time is the afternoon “on-board” for passengers, and what time in the morning can passengers generally leave the ship? Viking can’t give us even a range of times for either. Any insight is appreciated.

I don’t know offhand and I think it probably varies on each trip – depending on which route you are doing (starting in Basel vs starting in Amsterdam), the water levels, how fast you go through the locks, traffic with other ships, etc.

You can try asking the crew when you go on board. Typically they lay out a program the night before for the following day, with more specific schedule times.

Great article and pictures! We are going on the Zurich to Paris 12 day Viking Cruise on March 28th, 2020. We were assured by the Viking agent that April weather will be in the 60’s. Sounds like it will be colder than that. I spoke to two friends that went on a similar Viking cruise on the Rhine. One did not like it, the other loved it. The person that didn’t like it said the food was so so, and you were only treated well at meals if you tip. We were thinking of paying gratuities in advance. What do you think?

Hi Patrice – ooh Zurich to Paris sounds like a nice itinerary! Hm, I do think April will be quite chilly. Weather is hard to predict but I definitely find that winter seems to get longer every year. I think it’s hard to get truly nice, all day sunny weather in Europe until early June. It will most likely be jacket, sweater + scarf weather in April and even May. The upside is much less crowds :)

I’ve been on several Viking cruises now. The first I thought the food was fantastic, the second time it was only good. Maybe I have gotten more picky (ha) but I think the food quality is definitely solid (maybe it wont blow you away, but hopefully you wont feel disappointed!).

I find it a little odd that your friend mentioned that about tipping to get good service. The one thing I think Viking does an excellent job of compared to other companies, is having extremely friendly service. the dining staff especially are very very nice. If you sit in the same area frequently, some of the really attentive staff even start remembering your drink / meal preferences. I never felt any pressure to tip individually, ahead of or during the trip.

It’s up to you, but I would suggest paying gratuity at the end. I know some companies now offer that you can pay in advance of a trip, but I don’t really know that the money gets to the staff on your itinerary that way. How do they keep track of it all? And do they really divvy it out to everyone on board? Also I think it’s nice to tip at the end, so you can have discretion if you want to tip an individual staff member separately, or what have you. Sometimes certain people on board go out of their way to make your trip memorable.

If you get to the airport early and take a tour with viking do they take care of your luggage before you can board the ship?

hm in our experience you can generally board the day your cruise starts. the bus will take you from the airport to the ship and then they’ll store your luggage for you until the rooms are ready. usually they put out lunch too, and sometimes a bonus walking tour if the ship is docked near the city (depends on which itinerary you’re taking). and sometimes, if you’re lucky, rooms are ready early!

My daughter and I are getting ready to do this same itinerary. My second VRC, her first. We are both so excited to be traveling together. Thanks for the great pictures and information.

Is it really a bummer to be in the economy rooms? The river cruise we are looking at is the Rhine from Amsterdam to Basel and looking at going with friends who booked way before us. Most of the rooms are booked and only economy ones left. Just wondering if this will really be a downer?

Hi Gail! What time of year are you looking to visit?

I think it depends how much you value hotel rooms / rooms in general. Obviously the more expensive cabins are nicer, but if you like to socialize and plan to hang out in the bar and common areas, then the room is really just a place to sleep. The beds, showers, closets etc are the same across all the rooms.

The more expensive rooms are on a higher floor, have a larger square footage and have better views (larger windows, some with balconies, etc). I think honestly it is a nice to have, but the thing you remember most about a vacation is the destination and the memories, not the rooms :)

Oh and I asked what time of year, because we took a winter cruise and did not use the balcony at all, whereas in the summer the extra outdoor space was very nice and a great way to enjoy the sailing portions. So in colder or rainy months, having a balcony or extra large window is probably not very important, vs in late spring/summer.

I would like to do a river cruise. What is a cruise that has tours inside for castles and palaces? I would like to see beautiful interiors. If I do the Rhine getaway should I take post cruise to Amsterdam for any inside tours of castles or palaces and cathedrals also? Cathedrals on the Rhine getaway inside tours? Are tours expensive foe what I want to see?

The Rhine Getaway itinerary I reviewed in this article does include some cathedrals and castle ruins.

But, most of the castles on the Rhine river are ruins or old medieval castles, they’re not so much “Disney” like castles. For that, I believe you would need to rent a car and do a road trip as they’re not on the water.

You could do the Viking Rhine cruise above, and then do a post cruise trip to Copenhagen. Some of the most beautiful castles I’ve ever seen are in Copenhagen – I wrote about them in this post .

We booked our flights through Viking and then explored Copenhagen on our own, which was pretty easy as it’s a very modern city.

Just curious what your trip cost. We’re looking at $5,000-$6,000 per person in late October, including airfare from MN (about $600 per person), for this itinerary. Does that sound right?

Hi Shelley, Cost depends on so many factors (time of year, cabin, add on tours, flight pricing, etc), but Viking has a dates + pricing chart on their website that you can use to compare.

Thank you very much for sharing your experiences. I enjoyed reading your reviews and it is very helpful. I’m planning the trip in early November 2020 for my 30th anniversary. I have a few questions. Will it be a place inside the ship to sit and enjoy the view when sailing through the UNESC part of the Rhine when it is too cold outside? How much the optional excursion will be raftly around? 2020 will be marked Beethoven’s 250th birthday. I really like to go to Bonn. Is it possible that I can go our own when ship dock in Cologne?

Hi Tracy, sounds like a great birthday trip!

The best viewing point is on the roof deck, but there is also a smaller room with floor to ceiling windows, the Aquavit casual dining room, where you can enjoy the view indoors.

Each of the optionals has their own price, but they should be listed on Viking’s website. Hm, I’m not sure if you will have time to see Bonn when in Cologne. You can ask the Tour Director when you are onboard to see if there is enough time.

How comfortable are the beds .

What did you do on your amsterdam 2 day extension tour and do you know where I can find more specific info on the Viking extended tour

Hi JoAnne, we’ve been to Amsterdam on a previous trip so we didn’t opt for the 2 day extension tour with our Viking cruise. But, you can find more information about the optional extensions on Viking’s website!

We booked the Rhine Getaway for May 2020. I really appreciate your comments & suggestions. We are excited to go especially after reading this article.

Thanks, Janet

ooh have fun! May is a great time to visit :)

Love this blog. Found it today. Never been on a river cruise. I’m about to book the Basel to Amsterdam for my 60th b’day with my wife in Sept. So is the best way to book the cruise on line directly with Viking ? Any advantages going through a travel agent ? Tks Pierre

We are doing the Rhine Getaway in August 2020. Have enjoyed reading many of your reviews/suggestions. I know the currency is euros, do local vendors accept credit cards? What amount of currency do you recommend for an 8 day cruise? Most likely will do meals on the ship when possible. Thank you.

Yes most places in Europe take credit card. Just make sure you have a credit card with a chip on it, and that you let your bank company know you’ll be traveling abroad.

If you plan to eat most meals on the ship, I don’t really think you need much else, except for how much you want to spend on souvenirs.

Just found your blog and am loving reading all about this cruise! We’re taking this exact one for our honeymoon in April and it’s getting me even more excited!

I stumbled onto this blog while doing research for our up and coming River cruise. It sounds like almost the same cruise with one small stop difference (you stopped in Heidelberg and we’re stopping in Steyer. This article really helped solidify what I had already heard about Viking. I’ve been on several cruises on those big ships and cannot wait to do this river cruise. Thanks for the info.

How did you obtain your tour guide for Strausburg, was it through Viking or an independent source?

Hi Virginia, Viking provides all the tour guides. Strasbourg is part of the itinerary so the tour + guide were included with the cruise.

There are also extra tours available at an additional charge for some of the stops. For example, we paid for the Colmar day tour and on that optional tour, Viking also provided the tour guide (and transportation). Hope that helps

I also want to know about the comfort of the beds!

Hi Vicki, I thought the beds were comfy for a ship! To be honest I can fall asleep anywhere so I’m probably not the best person to ask..

Thanks so much for this post! My fiancé and I are scheduled to go on the first Viking Rhine Getaway on Aug 1 after COVID! I’m in my 20s and he’s in his 30/, so I’m assuming we will be some of the younger ones on board.. my biggest question is about attire. I pretty much live in athleisure so I’m worried we are going to be too informal compared to the rest of the crowd. What kinds of things do people wear during the day tours and dinners on board?

Ooh I’m jealous of your trip!

I would say you can wear whatever you want. There’s no dress code and Viking is pretty casual. Some people do dress up for dinner (just a nice top and jeans/pants) but it’s not required by any means. For the excursions, they’re usually walking tours so most people wear comfy clothes (good walking shoes, comfy pants, t-shirt and jacket if it’s colder).

We’ve all had about 18 months of lounging at home in sweats, so I don’t think anyone will look twice at wearing athleisure :)

Have a great time!

We depart on 9/15/21 and are so excited our rescheduled 2020 trip is happening this year! We’re doing the Lake Como extension before our cruise and staying in Amsterdam for two days on our own after the cruise. Any suggestions of things we must see or do?

Oooh that’s amazing! Yes I have a lot of posts on Lake Como and Northern Italy (under the Destinations menu tab, or you can type in the search box)

Hello. I noticed that the cruise includes 3 meals/day. My concern would be what if you’re out sightseeing and you want to experience the local cuisine by eating lunch or dinner in the town? Do you get a choice of not eating every meal on board the ship? I would want to eat at the different restaurants. Do you just pay for all the meals and if you want to skip some on the ship, you just eat the cost?

Yup, you an definitely skip the ship meals and eat at local spots if you’d like!

Sher, Thank you for sharing this very detailed and encouraging insight into the Viking Rhine River tour. Our 4 children gave us a Viking Rhine River tour for our 50th wedding anniversary (Oct. 16th) because during our 2nd year of marriage we lived in Erlangen, Germany for the year. We are in the planning phase of our trip. We hope to go in the May timeframe. Your post has given us great encouragement.

We have several questions and would appreciate your unbiased input: 1. My wife is diabetic (Type 2) and takes medicine that makes her have to use the bathroom about every 2 hours. Is that going to be a problem while touring, hanging around town, or riding on the bus? 2. We are 74 and 75 respectively, and while we are in fairly good health, long, rushed , arduous walking would not be fun or even physically welcome. Is that a problem? 3. We have heard from friends who have taken ocean cruises that sometime the evening entertainment is very risque. This would not be appealing to us, so we were wondering if that is what we might experience? 4. Since the world is not fully over COVID, what are the chances that that is going to have us in masks the whole time, or worse yet end up quarantined somewhere?

Thank you for any insights you can provide especially since you traveled with you Mom.

Hud and Susan

Hi Hud and Susan, that’s so sweet of your kids! I think you’ll really enjoy the river cruise. It’s very relaxing and you can do as much or as little as you want :) I also really loved the Rhine itinerary and the whole river cruising experience.

For the Rhine River itinerary, I don’t recall that we had any significantly long (2+ hour) bus rides. Most of the bus rides were 30 minutes to an hour and there is a bathroom on the bus for emergencies. You can check with Viking’s customer service about the bus times (just to be sure), as I’m sure it can vary slightly from year to year and on weather conditions. Basically if the ship can dock in a port that’s near town, the transportation time is very short. In some countries though, like Italy, the cruise terminals are located quite far from the city, so if you picked one of the Italy itineraries you might be subjected to long bus rides. But for the Rhine itinerary it’s not like that at all, and sometimes the ship can dock right in town and you walk off the boat and are in the city center! overall I *think* it would be ok in terms of your wife’s medicine. There are multiple bathrooms on board Viking, and in town there is always a cafe where you can get a cup of coffee and use the facilities.

There is typically a guided tour every day (usually in the morning) and Viking always has a slower paced group option. So you can join that group for the walking tour and it will be a more leisurely pace and route. Even for the regular groups, my mom didn’t find the pace to be rushed or strenuous, but pretty relaxing.

No, if anything there isn’t that much entertainment on the river cruise at night. Most people go to the lounge to socialize or get a drink, or relax in their room on the balcony.

Hm, I don’t know about the mask situation. You can probably ask Viking’s customer service for their policy on board. And you can check the country government health websites for each city on the itinerary. I would hope things would be even better in spring of next year, but you really never know!

Hope this helps x Sher

Were you aware that if you book two cruises back to back on Viking, butterfly cruises, that they won’t honor the promotions on either cruise? I booked two cruises that had free air promotions. Even though Viking was saving money by paying for one airfare instead of two, they would not agree to honor the promotions. Their solution was for me to cancel the second cruise. Strange that they would penalize me for giving them more business.

hm that is really strange! i’ve never tried back to back cruises, but good to know

Thank you for this wonderful article. I am wondering if it makes sense to save $$ and get a lower priced cabin without a balcony of any sort.

Sher, Thanks so much for this valuable information. It is much appreciated! We’ll be on the Rhine Getaway cruise this coming August. Do you know which stops where the ship docks you are able to walk off the ship right into a town or very close to it? Also, is there a way to find out how long the drive by bus is for each excursion? I read reviews on another site that particularly complained about the drive to the Black Forest and that there really wasn’t a lot of time to look around once there. It sounds like out of a 4 hour excursion, almost 3 hours are traveling by bus. Thanks for your help.

Hi Shelley, glad it was helpful! I remember Koblenz we docked right in town so you could walk off the ship and be in the middle of the historic area. That stop was overnight so you could explore all night if you wanted to!

Most of the other stops, the ship will be close to town but docked for only a couple hours. So it’s about enough time to do the tour + have some free time then time to leave.

I don’t remember any long bus rides other than Colmar, but it wasn’t bad.. maybe an hour. It could change by year though! I think Viking and all the cruise ships may change docks from season to season, as routes depend on water levels, weather conditions + town permits.

Hi, very interesting blog. We are from Canada and meeting up with friends from UK and have booked a Rhine cruise in September. I’ve been trying to find where Viking docks in Basel, can you help? Thanks in advance.

Hi Sue, I don’t know the exact name of the dock (and it may change from year to year) so best to ask Viking’s customer service!

Love your blog, Sher! Did you do the full-day Taste of Alsace tour in Strasbourg? I have signed up for it on my upcoming Rhine River tour despite its “Difficult” rating. While i can walk pretty well for longish distances (up to 2 miles at a time), I have trouble with steep inclines and with steps unless there is a rail to hold onto and I am hoping the rating is simply because it involves a full day of walking from place to place, rather than because of a lot of stairs and steep terrain, etc. Any insights you can give??? — Jackie, age 71

Ah, I didn’t do that tour sorry! Maybe viking’s customer service team can give you a more detailed breakdown of the tour.. I remember also that the staff on board are very accommodating! In general, Strasbourg is a nice big flat city – it’s not one of those tiny historic towns with uneven cobblestones. i don’t remember much stairs or steep terrain.

I want to thank you so much for this information. We are going on the Rhine cruise next week (concerned about water levels) and since we booked I’ve come across some Viking haters. This is a bucket list trip for us, so your information is much appreciated. I was wondering how much flexibility there is to get on and of the ships while at port. Can you just come and go? Thank you! And please pray for rain or do a rain dance.

yes, while the ship is docked you can come and go easily! it’s one of the things i like most about small ship cruises vs the massive cruise liners

Great article! We leave today for our 1st river cruise with Viking! A bit worried about water levels on the Rhine river. Disappointed to learn that Viking no longer offers the walking tour on the day of arrival in Basel. Was really looking forward to that!

I have been trying to get a Rhine itinerary with a more accurate detail of the time arrive and depart in each port…. even approximately would help.

I think their sailing schedules may shift so that’s likely why they don’t have detailed times published. You can try asking customer service

The best traveling experience we have ever had. Our Rhine River cruise was something we will never forget. From arrival in Amsterdam to our return after two additional nights in Lucerne, we enjoyed every minute. We are already booked on one of their ocean cruises (Mediterranean) next year.

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TravelAwaits

Our mission is to serve the 50+ traveler who's ready to cross a few items off their bucket list.

6 Fabulous Shore Excursions On A Viking Rhine River Cruise

• Cruises and Sailing
• River Cruises
• Types of Travel
• Viking Cruises

A Rhine River Cruise is on the bucket list for many. Who has seen a commercial showcasing the castles along the Rhine as guests sail by on-board a river cruise?

TravelAwaits writer Peggy Cleveland and Senior Vice President Missy Glassmaker were hosted on Viking’s new Longship, the Viking Egdir , on the 8-day Rhine Getaway itinerary. This cruise took them to four countries — Switzerland , France , Germany , and the Netherlands — and included six guided tours. 

This cruise is heavy on castles and cathedrals as you cruise along the Rhine River. It is a rich landscape renowned for vineyards producing white wines, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the culinary traditions of the Alsace region — with its influences from both Germany and France — as well as the windmills and cheeses of the Netherlands.

One of the benefits of a Viking River Cruise is that a shore excursion is included in each port. We were both pleasantly surprised at the quality of these trips. Peggy is one who tends to explore on her own because, frankly, most tours she’s taken in the past have been pretty boring. The included Viking excursions typically took place in the morning and lasted about 3 hours. 

The guides were awesome! All were well-vetted and so knowledgeable about the destination. You will either be on a walking tour or a bus tour for which Viking uses their own buses. In your room, you will find a QuietVox audio receiver to wear around your neck with an earpiece. It allows you to hear the guide while the group can spread out a bit, which is nice for social distancing and if you want to linger and look at something a bit more as the group moves ahead.

Pro Tips: Tours start as early as 8:30 a.m. so get a good night’s sleep. Also be sure to wear good walking shoes. Peggy wore Keen’s Women’s Targhee II Waterproof Hiking Shoes . A hiking shoe gives you a great tread and support without the bulk of a boot. The terrain on this trip was very uneven with cobblestones and old pavement as well as some trails. Also note if you have mobility issues. Even tours rated “easy” have a walk from the ship to the bus which can be a challenge for some. Work with the ship’s program director or guest services for options.

Here are some of the fabulous excursions Peggy enjoyed on her Viking Rhine River Cruise.

1. The Black Forest

Breisach, germany.

I thought this was a great excursion and it was included. After our ship docked along the shore in Breisach, it was a short walk to the Viking buses where we met our guide, Walter Hirsch. The trip took us on a scenic drive through the fabled Black Forest, past three quaint villages and rolling hills covered in vineyards. We stopped at the Hofgut Sternen Hotel situated at a more than 700-year-old crossroads in the heart of the Black Forest. The location has a long history of hospitality towards travelers. 

My first stop was at the restaurant to enjoy a slice of Black Forest cake before visiting the shops and looking at the amazing assortment of cuckoo clocks. I ended up having enough time to take a hike into the forest and walk along a rushing stream before heading back to the bus.

2. Flavors Of Alsace

Strasbourg, france.

This is the best tour I have ever taken and, with my travel history, that is saying a lot. This was the most expensive of the optional excursions I took at over $200, but I felt it was well worth it. This tour is rated “demanding” as total walking or standing time may exceed 3 hours. 

The tour took us through Grande-Île, UNESCO World Heritage Site in Strasbourg, France. This charming historic district is filled with darling small shops, restaurants, and food merchants. It seemed like every type of food had its own small shop. We went to a bakery for eclairs, a shop for cheese, and even one for gingerbread. 

Our guide Steve is certified by the French Government and had to pass both a written and oral test. This certification is required to give tours of French monuments and museums. Steve was so personable and knowledgeable about the culinary traditions of the Alsace region. This made all the difference when spending 7 hours with someone. 

In addition to stops for food sampling, the tour included a stop at a Winstube where we enjoyed a wine tasting of Alsace wines and nibbled on local cheese and charcuterie. We also learned about and ate Flamkuchen, a local Alsace specialty. Similar to a pizza with a thin crust, we tried a savory one with onion and bacon lardons, and a sweet one with apples then flambeed with calvados liquor. Very impressive. 

We also toured the Strasbourg Cathedral, timing it perfectly to watch the astronomical clock in action, before heading back to the ship.

3. Kinderdijk Windmills & Dutch Cheese Making

Kinderdijk, the netherlands.

I am a big foodie, so any excursion that involves a farm-to-table experience is one I will always sign up for. The ship made a brief stop in Gorinchem, the Netherlands, for guests leaving on this excursion. Alas, we just walked from the ship along the historic city walls to our bus because this was such a darling small town and so picturesque that I wished we had time to explore it. 

The bus took us to a farm in Streefkerk to see the Booij kaasmakers (cheese makers) and learn how raw milk cheeses are made. The Booij family has made cheese for over 350 years and the craftsmanship and experience shows in their superior cheeses. After tasting the cheese, I think our whole group purchased some to bring home; it was that good.

We then boarded the buses and headed to the Kinderdijk Windmills to take a tour and link back up with the ship. A nice surprise was greeted by our program director, who took all our cheese for us so we didn’t have to carry it around while exploring the windmills. I enjoyed my afternoon in this bucolic setting. The historic windmills provided a perfect backdrop to the canals with a variety of waterfowl swimming about.

Here are some of the fabulous excursions Missy enjoyed on our Viking Rhine River Cruise.

4. Medieval Village Of Colmar

This was the first taste of the adorable villages you dream about when planning a Rhine River Cruise. We took a bus to the village and then were on our way. It was the end of the Easter break in Europe and several Easter Markets, think Christmas Markets but with a spring feel, were still set up — a real treat! 

Colmar is just so picturesque. It’s like being dropped into a storybook. Our guide excellently engaged us with stories from centuries of history, unique architecture, and other small details I would have been sure to miss had I been exploring on my own. The stroll was lovely and at an easy pace. The only problem was, you want to stop and linger at the cafes and shops! 

That’s where the QuietVox audio receiver Peggy mentioned above really pays off. It’s in every room on a Viking River Cruise and allows you to linger at the store windows to take a look, but still listen in as the group moves ahead. We did have about 45 minutes to explore at the end of the tour. This was plenty of time to pick up a few goodies.

5. Cologne By Bicycle

Viking offered an included walking tour of Cologne during our stop. Many on board took part and really enjoyed it. However, if you like a smaller group setting, want to work off a few calories from all the delicious food, and of course, enjoy riding a bike, this is the perfect tour for you. 

We met our lovely guide just off the ship and we were off. We biked across the Rhine River with several stops along the way to hear about the history and take pictures, including outside of the cathedral and the store where eau de cologne was invented. Our guide, a trained opera singer, even shared her talents with us at one stop. While that can’t be guaranteed on every Cologne bicycle tour, it was magical. The tour also included a stop to relax and grab a coffee or tea, which was included. Then, we made our way along the Rhine for several miles before heading back to the ship.

This tour allowed our group to see a lot of the city in less time, and with just six of us taking part, created great opportunities for getting to know one another, even while biking along the Rhine. We became fast friends and it made the entire experience so much more enjoyable. 

I hadn’t ridden a bike for years before joining this tour and while riding through a major city was daunting, and I felt a bit rusty at the beginning, it was a great experience and the guide was very patient. Finally, the team behind the guide is prepared should any issues arise. We had one member of our party blow a tire and they met us within minutes.

Another Option: Cologne’s Beer Culture & Dinner

This excursion was a ton of fun. We learned a little and laughed a lot! If you like beer and want to try authentic German fare, which was delicious, this is a great experience. The only problem was that it had to end, but guests on the ship were dancing the night away when we returned and you only need to know one thing: there was a conga line which always signals a great time.

Pro Tip: I ended up wearing my comfortable, exercise-type clothes much more than I thought I would on this trip. There’s no need to overpack, but just don’t forget to pack a few things you would normally wear when out for a good walk or bike ride.

6. Kinderdijk Windmills By Bicycle

Viking really puts you in the middle of the action on this stop. The windmills are basically across the road from the ship just begging you to come visit. Viking offered a walking, barge, and bicycle tour of the windmills. After having such a great time on the Cologne bicycle tour, I decided to join this one as well. 

What made this unique was being able to really see the windmills from various perspectives, as well as riding along the village that adjoins them, which wasn’t accessible on the walking or barge tours. I will say, our guide was just okay. He wasn’t very engaging, nice enough, but the competition was stiff with the many other fabulous guides we experienced throughout the week.

What We Both Loved

Finally, I agree with Peggy that the Flavors of Alsace was amazing and would highly recommend it. We had an excellent guide and a really great group of people from the ship on the tour, which made it even more enjoyable. We even had time to ride the double-decker carousel — a first! I also loved the included Black Forest excursion. The drive up was a bit windy, in case tight turns on a bus can make you woozy.

Other Excursions Guests Enjoyed

I made a point of chatting with the guests, learning which excursions they were going to experience and following up to see what they thought. A few that stood out were: the Black Forest E-bike tour, Mercedes-Benz Factory visit, Wine tasting and Dinner at Eberbach Monastery, and Moselle Wine Tasting.

Castles Of The Middle Rhine

While not an excursion, seeing 21 castles in just a few hours is what draws guests to this cruise. The sailing through the Middle Rhine is an unforgettable experience. The crew shares details of each castle over the ship’s intercom while you are able to just excitedly watch each go by. I feel the top deck is the best place for this, but it can really be enjoyed from anywhere, which is pretty special. 

Pro Tip: After booking your Viking Cruise, make sure to read 5 Important Things To Do To Prepare For Your Viking Cruise . There are detailed tips on how to research shore excursions and when to book.

Missy Glassmaker is an Emmy-nominated producer and writer. She spent most of her career in broadcast television news, working in Providence, Rhode Island; Knoxville, Tennessee; and St. Louis, Missouri. Missy enjoys cooking, entertaining, and of course, traveling. Her favorite travel companions are her twin sons, who are always ready to explore.

She currently lives in the Pacific Northwest. Her work can be found in Northwest Travel & Life Magazine , 253 Lifestyle Magazine , and other regional publications. She is the author of 100 Things to Do in Tacoma Before You Die , Reedy Press, and a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA). The name of her travel blog came about from her friends constantly asking her, "Peggy, Where Should I Go?"

Remembering My Incredible Viking Rhine River Cruise

By: Author Melody Pittman

Posted on April 5, 2023

If you’re new to European river cruising, you might be drawn to the Rhine and Danube Rivers – and for good reason. A few years ago, I had the pleasure of exploring a Rhine River Cruise with Viking alongside a group of travel buddies. We were among 192 guests aboard the Viking Helvetia. Remembering my Rhine River Viking cruise just might encourage you to take the step to booking one.

Our journey took us through some of the most historically significant cities in Germany and France. From the comfort of our ship, we enjoyed breathtaking views of the countryside and snapped plenty of envy-inducing photos. If you’re eager to explore Europe by water, you won’t want to miss out on the adventure that awaits on the Rhine.

Embarking on the Rhine from Amsterdam

Amsterdam, a city of endless charm and vibrant culture , is an unmatched destination for anyone seeking a one-of-a-kind vacation experience. From strolling through beautiful flower markets to admiring the stunning architecture on walking and canal tours, there is no shortage of things to do and see.

And what’s a visit to Amsterdam without indulging in the quintessential outdoor cafe experience and savoring a delectable sweet treat or coffee?

Amsterdam is also famous for its coffee shops- with a “k”. While visiting these famous spots may have lost a bit of its luster now that marijuana is legal in the US, it is still an intriguing opportunity to experience a different culture.

Imagine school-aged kids ordering up rounds of ganja – it’s not a taboo either, just a part of life in the Netherlands.

Enjoying the laid-back atmosphere while sipping on a refreshing beverage and soaking in the local scene is a must. Amsterdam is definitely a destination for the adventurous at heart.

First Stop: Kinderdijk, Netherlands 

Welcome to the Netherlands, home of the stunning Kinderdijk in the South Holland province. This picturesque area boasts 18th-century windmills and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Join a guided tour through the serene wetlands (umbrellas provided by Viking) and witness the power of these historic structures.

Plus, don’t forget to stop by the charming village of Kinderdijk for some delicious Dutch cheeses and Juniper liquor to take home with you.

On to Koblenz and Rudesheim, Germany

Travel to Koblenz and step back in time with a visit to Marksburg Castle , a major site of the Rhine Gorge UNESCO World Heritage Site. As you walk through the castle, which was once used for protection, you’ll be transported to a world of history and beauty.

If you’re up for the challenge, climb the stairs and explore the tight spaces inside this 700-year-old fortress. Take in the stunning views of the river and hilltop homes from the castle’s commanding perch. Don’t miss out on this unforgettable experience!

After Koblenz, picture yourself gliding down the Middle Rhine , savoring the breathtaking views of ancient castles, quaint villages, and lush vineyards. Make sure to pack your binoculars, camera, and a cozy blanket (depending on the season) to snag a spot on the deck. It’s a perfect place to soak in the picturesque scenery.

Perhaps a glass of champagne will make it even more desirable.

Docking in Rudesheim that evening, my friends and I indulged in the local delicacy of apple strudel and a coffee from an inviting café in the pedestrian-only Drosgelgasse. Don’t miss out on the delectable wines produced from this region.

As the sun sets, embrace the nightlife and groove to the beat of energetic music with a chilled brew in hand at a buzzing discothèque. We found that was the only thing to get into after the sun went down in this small town.

Lovely Heidelburg, Germany

Travel back in time to Heidelburg, the historic capital of Rhineland-Palatinate, where the oldest university in Germany (1386) and the scenic Neckar River Valley await. The must-see Heidelburg Castle , a UNESCO World Heritage Site, stands tall as a Romanesque cathedral dating back to the 11th century.

We also had some free time after the Heidelburg tour, where my friends and I found a charming outdoor cafe and enjoyed tasty Italian food and drink.

Strasbourg and Colmar, France, Will Wow You

On the Viking Rhine River cruise, Colmar and Strasbourg were personal favorites, with the latter being the largest port on the Upper Rhine. Come see for yourself why these stops have pleasantly surprised and continued to capture my heart.

Our day started with a guided tour of Kehl, followed by one of Strasbourg, where we went to the famous European Parliament and the famed cathedral. An optional excursion was to do an Alsatian Wine Tasting excursion, which we passed on.

Once you’re done with the touring, explore Strasbourg on foot with your friends, as I did. Yet again, we found a cafe for a meal (quiche, salads, and onion pie), and another for sweets (macarons, chocolates, and fruit desserts).

Having Our Best Day

Embark on a journey to the charming town of Strasbourg, an enchanting city that echoes the perfect blend of French and German cultures. Walk along the winding streets while admiring the vibrant flowers and medieval architecture. If you can’t decide which culture is more apparent, don’t worry – that’s the charm of Strasbourg!

You’ll find a patchwork of quaint shops filled with antiques, textiles, knickknacks, and souvenirs. Don’t miss visiting the Strasbourg “Notre Dame” ( Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg ), where you’ll witness its soaring and intricate Gothic architecture.

Another do-not-miss is the 16th-century astronomical clock, a breathtaking representation of life from birth through death. Take a stroll along the picturesque canals of the little Ill River, and prepare to be amazed by the picturesque cobblestone streets and charming half-timbered wooden houses in Old Town.

With everything so lovely to look at, Strasbourg is a place you’ll never forget.

I was particularly drawn to the half-timbered houses and the Schwendi Fountain, sculpted by Bartholdi (State of Liberty fame). Again, we stopped for more sweets.

Breisach and the Black Forest

Breisach is the ideal starting point for a magical journey through the Black Forest of Germany. A scenic bus ride took us through the charming city and onto the mystical, lofty forest, where a light drizzle added to the enchanting atmosphere.

Our destination offered a variety of local shops, talented glassblowers, cuckoo clockmakers, a Black Forest cake tasting, and some free time to explore. The mountain air, rolling meadows, and dense forest scenery left us feeling as if we had entered a magical fairytale. I seriously felt like I stepped into a Hans Christian Andersen fairytale book!

Viking thoughtfully provided umbrellas for the rainy weather. As the day concluded, the option to visit Colmar, France, was offered.

Cologne, Germany — Unforgettable!

Experience the breathtaking architecture and beauty of Cologne, a city that promises to enchant any traveler. Get lost in the winding streets of Old Town and marvel at the stunning gothic splendor of St. Martin’s Church and Germany’s largest cathedral, the Cologne Dom.

Its soaring spires and stained glass windows are a sight to behold and will leave you speechless. Dating back to 1248, this UNESCO World Heritage Site took 632 years to complete.

After our two-hour guided tour, my friends and I had a fantastic lunch in a riverside restaurant. The colorful skinny buildings that were our backdrop were so lovely.

Cologne offers an exquisite blend of art, culture. One of the most enjoyable experiences was visiting the Museum Ludwig , which we did on our own. It features a rare collection of modern art from Pop Art to Surrealism, with special emphasis on Picasso’s masterpieces.

The diverse collection was nothing short of astounding, leaving me speechless as I wandered through its halls.

Another highlight of my trip was visiting the Cologne Chocolate Museum , where I indulged in the finest chocolate delicacies ever served. I savored the smooth, velvety taste of Lindt chocolate in the picturesque glass wing before browsing through its virtual shop for sweet mementos.

The visit was capped off with a decadent feast at the Chocolat Grand Cafe, where every bite was sheer heaven.

FYI : There was a lot of walking on this day, plus very busy skinny streets to get through.

Extended Stay in Basel, Switzerland

Welcome to Basel, the perfect destination for modern-day explorers! Here, where the borders of three European countries meet, you can wander along the banks of the mighty Rhine River, surrounded by stunning historical buildings and charming old-town vibes.

Speaking of charm, the red sandstone Rathaus – Basel’s Town Hall – is a crown jewel in the city center, flanked by architectural marvels in Baroque, Renaissance, and Gothic styles. Trust us, you’ll want to stop and take a photo (or six!).

But that’s not all! As a seasoned traveler, I loved Basel for its abundance of world-class museums, easy-to-use accordion-style buses (that are either free or very affordable), and fantastic pastry and chocolate shops offering unique Swiss treats you won’t find anywhere else.

From chocolate barks adorned with dried fruits and nuts to mouth-watering pastries, Basel has a little something for everyone.

Jungfraujoch: The Top of Europe

If you’re traveling to Switzerland , put the Swiss Alps on your to-do list! On my trip, my friends and I took a Cogwheel train to reach the “ Top of Europe ” and boy was it worth it. It does cover 70% of Switzerland; it would be a shame to miss it.

We added a little luxury to our adventure by hiring a private driver who picked us up from our Viking River Cruise ship and took us to where our journey began. As we traveled for hours through the Swiss Alps to the top of Jungfraujoch, we made stops at a few charming towns and had to switch trains a few times.

My favorite stop had to be Interlaken, it was breathtaking! However, the highlight of our journey was witnessing the Aletsch glacier between Konkordiaplatz and Riederalp. This place is a UNESCO World Heritage in 2001 site for a reason, and it was quite the spectacular sight to see. You won’t be disappointed!

What’s Included With Your Rhine River Cruise

On Viking River Cruises, your journey isn’t just about the destination, it’s about the experience. Take in the guided tours with state-of-the-art audio headsets, indulge in regional specialties and drinks (including beer and wine!) with every meal, enjoy live lectures and performances onboard, all included in the price of your trip.

And let’s not forget about the friendly, professional representatives who will make you feel like family by the end of the week. Your Rhine River Cruise will be nothing short of enchanting.

And this was my favorite photo of the whole trip! We crossed a bridge to tour a castle where the scenery and setting was absolutely marvelous.

Enjoy your Rhine River cruise!

Read more of our cruise and port posts:

A Whirlwind Visit to Paris

What to See and Do in Aruba

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The Windmills of Kinderdijk

A river cruise along the Rhine River, from Amsterdam in the Netherlands to Basel in Switzerland, passes through beautiful scenery and stops in fascinating places.   Over the next weeks I will write about some of those stops, beginning today with one of my favorites – Kinderdijk.

The Viking Baldur sailed out of Amsterdam at 11 pm on day one of the cruise and arrived in Kinderdijk the next morning just after breakfast.  It was an easy walk from the spot where the boat docked to this unique UNESCO Heritage site, famous for its 19 historic windmills.

 Any visit to Kinderdijk begins with the story related to its name which means “Children’s Dike” in Dutch.  The story goes something like this – way back in the year 1421 a huge flood brought destruction and many deaths to the area.  A little boy went to check the dike (not the famous Hans Brinker but a different boy altogether).  The boy found a cat atop a cradle floating in the flood waters.  Inside the cradle was a baby girl.  And so, we have the name Children’s Dike.   Another version of the story pre-dates the flood and is a bit more specific.  The baby was named Honigje. She had been cared for by a midwife and her cat named Dubbeltje. It was this cat who saved the baby from flood waters.  The legend was explained in the Viking Daily, an on-board newsletter provided each day with tidbits of information about the various stops along the cruise.

Viewing the windmills from a small canal boat was an optional excursion at this stop.

The local tour guide for our morning at Kinderdijk was a very tall Dutch gentleman who had grown up in the area.  If you’ve never experienced Dutch humor and frankness, then I will simply say that it is an added bonus during the visit.  We all had a laugh when he warned us about not stepping in goose droppings by saying “watch out, there’s a lot of goose sh*t around”.  Oh, those plain-spoken Dutch! We tried not to laugh, really we did, but it was impossible!

 The visit began in the gift shop where a model of the area provided an explanation of how the windmills worked together to pump water from the below-sea-level lands up to the drainage canals.  This was also made clear by the fact that our ship, which was docked on the river, sat well above the lower lands of Kinderdijk.   Attached to the gift shop building was an area with old tools along with huge mechanical equipment – pumps that later were added to make the process of moving water much more efficient that doing so with the windmills alone.  Of course there were also souvenirs to purchase.

 A small educational building provided a chance to listen as our guide demonstrated the wooden structures used in the oldest windmills.

At Kinderdijk the windmills date back to the 1700’s, among the oldest in the Netherlands.  Our guide also discussed how the windmills work and the changes that occurred over time as construction changed from wood to iron. This brief introduction made the next stop, a visit to the interior of a windmill, much more valuable.

The windmills at Kinderdijk functioned to keep the land from being submerged. They also provided a home for the keeper of the windmill and his family.

The day of our visit was quite cold and windy. Despite that, the small home inside the windmill was cozy.  The table sat beside a pretty window, the wood stove stood ready to cook a meal, and the china cabinet was full of pretty painted pieces.  The bed, tucked inside an alcove in the single main room of the home, looked warm and inviting.  There is something intriguing about the glimpse into a very different way of life that a visit to a furnished home provides.  

 The more adventurous in our group climbed the ladder into the upper workings of the windmill while some of us kept our feet on the ground exploring the big wooden wheels that drove the windmills and seeing the sails (blades) of the windmill from below.  

An interesting tidbit – the position of the sails also served to send messages, including warnings of imminent visits from Nazis during World War II. 

This early spring cruise was a bit too early to see the famous Dutch tulips of the area.  Instead, there were lovely yellow daffodils in bloom, tall graceful grasses, budding trees and some pretty dramatic skies. 

 The windmills of Kinderdijk made for a perfect first stop on this week-long cruise.  Coming up, stops along the Rhine in Germany and France.

Enchanting Experiences in Europe on a Viking River Cruise

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River cruising offers a wonderful deep dive into destinations across Europe, from Bordeaux and Provence in France to Germany and Austria's fairytale towns and cities. Viking's river voyages offer a program of finely-honed excursions that coax out novel and unique features of these enchanting destinations found strung along Europe's waterways.

Viking excursions can be as diverse as visiting an art colony in Belgrade or taking a behind the scenes tour of the Vienna Boys Choir.

By delving behind the scenes, guests can get a taste of the authentic flavors of each place they visit, safe in the knowledge that few other travelers will have enjoyed the same experiences. Viking's Privileged Access tours offer travelers a unique window into a destination and there are also several included shore excursions on a Viking river cruise that offer these unique experiences, too.

Visit Novartis's Research & Development Center in Basel

The global healthcare giant is not only a key economic powerhouse, but its campus holds an absorbing collection of cutting-edge architectural designs with feature projects from leading lights such as Frank Gehry, Tadao Ando and Basel-based Herzog & de Meuron.

A Viking tour through the campus, where organizations, institutions and start-up companies from the life sciences sector are based, takes guests through the parks and past the impressive sculptures. There's also the opportunity to visit the Wonders of Medicine exhibition in the Novartis Pavilion.

An Insider's View of Cologne's UNESCO-listed Cathedral

On a Viking Privileged Access tour, visitors head to the roof of Cologne's grand Gothic cathedral for a peak behind the scenes, while learning about ongoing excavation and restoration projects. Upon taking an elevator that ascends the outside wall, they enter the cathedral's ceiling through a rooftop door leading into the vast towers and massive iron structures inside. After visiting the restoration workshops, a highlight is venturing on to the roof for an incredible close-up of the distinctive Gothic architecture in addition to birds-eye views across the cityscape towards the Rhine. For a further thrill, guests can climb the 104-step spiral staircase to the top of the crossing tower for an even more spectacular panorama.

Sausage Making in Regensburg

Learn about this Bavarian speciality on a Viking Rhine sailing during a special sausage-making session in the German town of Regensburg where the traditional weisswurst is an institution. At the family-run Deutsch Butcher Shop, visitors are shown how to measure and cut the ingredients, before squeezing them into natural casings. Once the weisswurst is assembled and boiled, guests can sample the result of their labours along with a wheat beer, a pretzel, special Handelmaier mustard – which also originates from the city – and a dessert.

Behind the Scenes at the Vienna Boys Choir

Take a fascinating behind-the-scenes peep at the world-famous Vienna Boys' Choir, made up of approximately 100 young choristers aged between 10 and 14 and chosen for their perfectly-pitched treble and alto voices.

The choir has an illustrious past, dating back to entertaining the Viennese Court in the Middle Ages and boasting such illustrious members as composers Schubert and Haydn, while Mozart and Bruckner performed with it, too. As part of Viking's Privileged Access tour , guests visit the Wiener Sangerknaben boarding school to see the common areas and rehearsal rooms where the boys exercise their voices, followed by a 30-minute exclusive concert and a chance to meet and mingle with some of the performers.

Gustav Klimt at Belvedere Palace

Tap into the glittering life of one of Vienna's most celebrated artists, Gustav Klimt, whose distinctive images are evident throughout the Austrian capital. This tour visits the Belvedere Palace where among its artistic riches are works by Klimt, most notably "The Kiss," regarded as an icon of Viennese art nouveau. On Viking Privileged Access excursion, travelers can view the museum's Klimt collection before gathering in a private workshop to create their own work of art – a framed mirror with golden stones – as a keepsake in tribute to Klimt's "golden phase" when the artist created iconic works incorporating gold leaf.

Up-close to UNESCO-listed Windmills in the Netherlands

Add an authentic twist to a visit to the historic UNESCO-protected Dutch Kinderdijk Windmills by sailing past them on a vintage barge on an excursion during your Rhine River cruise with Viking .

During this excursion guests will board 125-year-old restored cargo vessel Jantina to sail to the Blokker Windmill, the oldest of the Kinderdijk mills which dates from 1630, to meet the miller and his family. As part of this Privileged Access tour detailing how miller families traditionally lived and today's efforts to preserve these mighty wind machines, visitors can walk around the traditional outbuildings to get a taste of life in years gone by.

Visit Volkswagen's "Transparent Factory" in Dresden

On Viking's Elbe sailings, the city of Dresden opens the doors to one of the most famous names in motoring during this Working World of Volkswagen tour that gives guests a behind-the-scenes look at its Die Glaserne Manufaktur or "Transparent Factory."

Highlights include an exclusive look into the production area of this state-of-the-art facility and a chance to learn more about the Volkwagen ID.3 compact electric car, with its sophisticated design and use of sustainable materials. Learn about the company's environmental and conservation initiatives and explore an interactive exhibition on VW's journey into e-mobility.

Lepenski Vir Archaeological Site

Founded during the Stone Age more than 8,500 years ago on the banks of the Danube in Serbia, this is one of Continent's oldest settlements and is often dubbed the "first city in Europe." On an enriching Viking excursion , after a presentation and guided tour where guests learn about the settlement and prehistoric culture, they have time to explore on their own before moving on to the fortified medieval town of Golubac, guarded by a fortress with sweeping views of the Danube. A visit to the eco-village of Kapetan Misin Breg brings a chance to sample local specialities such as honey brandy, corn bread and fried nettles at the art gallery.

Kovacica Art Colony

Travel into the Pannonian Basin to learn about the Naïve Art movement which started in the 1950s when Kovacica residents Martin Paluska and Jan Soko picked up their paintbrushes to record images from daily life on to canvas. The style they created, noted for its childlike simplicity, became established and lives on today in the Kovacica Art Colony near Belgrade. The village is also renowned for the violins made here, which have garnered a prestigious reputation, and on a visit to the studio and home of violin-maker Jan Nemcek, visitors can watch as he demonstrate his techniques and plays one of the violins he has crafted.

On this fascinating Viking tour , travel into the Pannonian Basin from Belgrade to learn about the Naïve Art movement which started in the 1950s when Kovacica residents Martin Paluska and Jan Soko picked up their paintbrushes to record images from daily life on to canvas. The style they created, noted for its childlike simplicity, became established and lives on today in the Kovacica Art Colony near Belgrade.

The village is also renowned for the violins made here, which have garnered a prestigious reputation, and on a visit to the studio and home of violin-maker Jan Nemcek, visitors can watch as he demonstrate his techniques and plays one of the violins he has crafted.

Underground Lunch in Roman Wine Cellars

As part of Viking's Best of Belgrade tour which showcases the history and culture of the Serbian capital with visits to the ancient Kalemegdan Fortress and the Church of St Sava – one of the world's largest Orthodox churches – visitors can take a break from their explorations by going underground. Lunch takes on a subterranean feel as guests are led into a vast labyrinth of candlelit tunnels owned by the wine-making Panajotovic family, that descend into cellars dating from Roman times. Here, tables are already laid in preparation for a delicious lunch paired with a selection of wines produced by the family.

Take a Steam Train in Tournon

Soak up the scenery amid the majestic landscapes of Ardeche, renowned as one of France's most picturesque regions, on a romantic steam train ride through the Doux Valley. Guests on Viking's Lyon & Provence itinerary along the Rhone River board the historic Train des Gorges at Tournon, an included shore excursion, and embark on a journey through this pristine wilderness which boasts beautiful panoramic views at every turn. The steam locomotive follows a route that skirts along the Doux River, chugging through dramatic gorges of limestone cliffs and forested valleys, hauling a line of blue carriages that make a perfect vantage point from which to admire the breathtaking views.

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Pacific Northwest Explorer

Rhine River Cruise: Cologne and the Middle Rhine

The second and third days of our Rhine River cruise took us to Cologne , then the villages and castles of the Middle Rhine region. After leaving Kinderdijk (see my previous post ) on the afternoon of our first full day of cruising, our “longship” navigated its way to the Rhine, and then upstream to Cologne overnight.

My wife and I took two guided tours on the second day of our cruise. In the morning our guide led a tour of the old historic city center. Normally that includes a tour of the cathedral, but it was Sunday, so tour groups were not allowed in. We had the afternoon to ourselves, though, so we were able to tour it independently later that day – a very impressive structure, one of the largest cathedrals in Europe.

We also spent a good bit of time that afternoon exploring the Museum Ludwig (modern art, including a large collection of Picasso’s), and the nearby Roman-Germanic Museum, which preserves a Roman villa from the third century B.C. that was unearthed during the construction of a bomb shelter in 1941. Both are adjacent to the cathedral. If you’re an art and history buff, those are two places you do not want to miss.

Cologne ( Koln) was founded by the Romans in the fist century A.D. (The Roman name for the city, Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium, was shortened and became Cologne to the French and Koln to the Germans.) The city was heavily bombed during World War II, and 95% of the central city was destroyed. Only the cathedral, city hall, and a few other buildings survived. A lot of the rebuilding was done in a style to match the surviving buildings, so much of what you see when you visit looks old and historic, but is in fact less than 70 years old.

Cologne’s city hall is built on the site of the ancient Roman Praetorium, which was the seat of government of the Roman province of Germania Inferior until 475 A.D. The Praetorium was destroyed in an earthquake in the late eighth century. Cologne municipal government was formed around 1100, and the original city hall building was constructed in the mid-12th century. The current structures date from as early as 1330.

The next morning found us in Koblenz.  After breakfast on board, most of us boarded a bus that took us to Marksburg Castle. It’s not the prettiest castle along the Rhine (in my opinion), but it is the most intact. It is the only castle that was never attacked, so you get a better peak at what castle life was like back in the middle ages. Many of its rooms display historically accurate recreations of how they looked and functioned in medieval times. It was all very interesting, but also very crowded.

Back on the ship, we spent the afternoon cruising the Middle Rhine Valley (sometimes called the Rhine Gorge), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here the Rhine flows through a narrow valley with picturesque villages along the shore and many castles high above the river on the ridges either side.

The cruise ships travel this section of the river during the day both because it is the most scenic part of the river and because it is difficult to navigate in places. The famous Lorelei Rock is on this section of the river.

Late that afternoon we docked in Rudesheim and spent the evening exploring on our own. Rudesheim is a small, picturesque town, like many that we passed earlier in the day. It was a pleasant end to a very nice day. By this point I was fully onboard  with the idea of doing more river cruising in the future. Maybe the Danube next time, perhaps.

Our cruise continued with stops in Heidelberg, then Strasbourg and Colmar, France, and a tour of Freiberg, Germany before disembarking in Basel, Switzerland. Look for future posts on the remainder of our trip.

Posted by Alan K. Lee,  3/21/19

All photos by the author

• River Cruising

Viking Rhine Getaway Question about where boat docks

By MalibooNewYork , February 9, 2018 in River Cruising

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MalibooNewYork

Does the boat dock in towns where you can get off and stroll into the towns? Or, are you docked away and bussed into the sites. does this scenario happen frequently on this trip?

Thank you very much.

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My experience: the included excursions usually involved a bus ride, usually less than 30 minutes. It would have been difficult to see the major sites on foot, especially since the boat often moved during the course of the excursion.

However, most days, there was also an afternoon or evening opportunity to walk around towns for several hours, while the boat stayed put.

Thank you for the information. We are having such a hard time deciding.

Removing my last post, I see you are a Viking veteran :-)

TravelerThom

Stops listed for Viking Rhine Getaway cruise:

1 Amsterdam: if you are lucky you will be a short walk from Centraal; if unlucky considerably out in the boonies

2 Kinderdijk, generally a short walk to the windmills

3 Cologne: often a short walk to the cathedral, but with more and more boats no guarantee

4 Koblenz: most companies dock on the Moselle but Viking owns docks on the Rhine, so usually a short to medium walk into town

5 Heidelberg: is NOT on the Rhine; definitely a longish bus ride.

6 Strasbourg: generally about a 15 minute bus ride

7 Breisach: most commonly used to go to the Black Forest and Baden-Baden; one hour plus each way

8 Basel: maybe a 15 minute tram ride to downtown

I am truly glad that I started doing river boats in 1995 before things got so crowded. The congestion and distant docking gets worse and worse. Pretty soon, to quote Yogi Berra "No one goes there nowadays, it’s too crowded."

notamermaid

If I may just expand on what TravelerThom has told you (great info!): 3 Cologne: in addition to the central location Viking has reportedly docked in the North of town several times now or on the other side of the river at Deutz. Shuttles to the North dock location have been reported - it is walkable but a long walk, tram is available. Deutz is closer and walkable over the busy railway line bridge. A map: https://www.1avista.de/media/pdf/1AVista_Karte_Anleger_2015-185-2.pdf

5 Heidelberg: coach trip form either Speyer or Mannheim, but I have read from Gernsheim as well, not sure if it was Viking. Mannheim dock is industrial, not sure about distances to town - if you do not want the excursion to Heidelberg, that is. Speyer is supposedly relatively close to the docking location.

6 Strasbourg is a bus ride as it is again not on the Rhine. The city is not, the district is. The river that flows through town is the Ill. That is a capital i with two l. You might dock in Kehl on the other side of the river in Germany.

7 Breisach is a small town, as TravelerThom has pointed out the starting point for the Black Forest Excursion, if you wanted to stay in town: past cruises have mentioned walking into town.

Need to add Rüdesheim, there Viking is a little out of town, but at a park close to the town centre. A relatively small place, so also walkable.

TravelerThom,

I must agree with Yogi Berra about Rüdesheim... That place is not for me anymore.

@ Thom and Notamermaid: Thank you. Your information is exactly what I was looking for and will help us to decide. We might pick the Rhine trip but at least we know what we're getting into. I realize that one gets bussed to attractions but what we really like is to be able to leave the boat to putter around on our own. Our Bordeaux trip was the gold standard for us.

My pleasure. Forgot to add: 1. The ship may move town during the excursion to Heidelberg. 2. Information on this and more you may find in the Rhine Getaway roll call from 2017. It has lots of entries but the advanced search might help you out there.

IF you dock in Mannheim, you may be only a 15 minute walk from the Schloss (second largest palace in Europe) and the center of the town. It is a nice option if you do not want to do bus trips.

My last dock with Viking in Strasbourg was in Kehl AND an unacceptable 15 minute walk TO the bus to then take the ride into the city. Shame on Viking! There were lots of complaints.

3 Cologne: often a short walk to the cathedral, but with more and more boats no guarantee 4 Koblenz: most companies dock on the Moselle but Viking owns docks on the Rhine, so usually a short to medium walk into town 8 Basel: maybe a 15 minute tram ride to downtown"

Here’s where my mileage varied:

3 Cologne - our longest bus ride of the cruise, to get there for the tour. The boat caught up and we were able to walk back and forth in the afternoon.

4 Koblenz - yes, we docked close to town, but only long enough for a quick visit to Deutsches Eck before the buses left, and the boat moved on. There was not enough time to walk into town.

8 Basel - we docked in Dreilandereck, much further from downtown than the more desirable dock in Westquaistrasse.

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We Took Our 5-year-old Son on a European River Cruise — Here's Why It Was the Ultimate Family Vacation

Most river cruise lines offer few accommodations for families, but German cruise line A-Rosa is working to change that.

"Keep up, mummy," bellowed Sebastian, my fearless 5-year-old, as he and my husband, Eamonn, descended into Antwerp Cathedral's eerie crypt. This subterranean vault, accessed via a narrow coiling staircase off the church nave, is a small room with a low ceiling and crumbling hollow tombs. A shiver crept up my spine as I stood among the remains of this former burial chamber. This was my cue to return to the ground floor of Antwerp's extraordinary Gothic cathedral. 

While Sebastian and Eamonn explored the dimly lit crypt, I took the opportunity to gaze at the church's three Baroque masterpieces by Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens, before we reconvened at the cathedral's bar and bistro, De Plek, moments later. The bar, inside a chapel of the cathedral, serves the church’s own brews, including a dark and blond ale. Only in beer-loving Belgium, I thought to myself, would you find beers served inside a church. 

We were visiting Antwerp on day six of a seven-night family river cruise on the Rhine aboard A-Rosa Cruises ' A-Rosa Sena . Starting in Cologne, Germany, our voyage would take us northwest to Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Dordrecht in the Netherlands, then to Antwerp before returning to Cologne. 

River cruising and families don't — typically — go together, with most river cruise lines catering to a much older market and offering few family facilities, if any at all. German river cruise line A-Rosa Cruises has set about changing this with the launch of the family-orientated A-Rosa Sena, which debuted in June 2022. 

The hybrid ship, partially electric-powered, is the largest on the Rhine, carrying up to 280 guests, and the vessel also boasts some nifty industry firsts. There's a jaunty kids' club; 12 large family cabins measuring 301 square feet, sleeping up to five with built-in bunkbeds; and a dedicated kids' splash pool on the top deck. 

The main pool, adjacent to the splash pool, is almost 250 square feet, making it big enough to swim short laps. For grown-ups, there's a spa, a buzzy lounge, a sun deck bar, and a wine room for tasting local libations.

It's all part of A-Rosa's mission to draw more families to river cruising — and it's working, says Serkan Bilici, A-Rosa Sena's assistant hotel manager. "We currently have 32 children onboard, and all of our family cabins are occupied," Bilici told Travel + Leisure . "During summer, this was even higher, with over 40 children sailing, from babies up to teens, and guests from over 20 different countries." 

"We also offered swimming lessons aboard selected sailings in August, which were very popular," Serkan adds. Indeed, there were babies, toddlers, older children, and teens on our weeklong October sailing. 

The ship, which primarily operates in English and German, ensures that children are well taken care of. Typically, there are two hosts at the kids' club, and on our sailing, host Mai organized a "Meet the Captain" event, treasure hunts, and arts and crafts sessions. The children were given independence too, free to choose exactly how they spend their time at the club, with games, books, and plenty of space for young passengers to relax.  

The kids' club is a real treat for families. Decorated with nautical-themed artwork, the space is soft and inviting, with children reading, coloring, and building dens while we played countless rounds of Snakes and Ladders with Sebastian.  

It wasn't the family facilities alone that lured us in, though — our voyage, " Rhine Experience Amsterdam & Rotterdam ," was a big pull.

Admittedly, this northwest section of the Rhine, flat and more industrial, doesn't have the cinematic drama of the more southerly stretch, where vineyards, castles, and medieval towns flank the waterway. But with overnight stays in ludicrously pretty Amsterdam and modern and buzzy Rotterdam, our itinerary excited us. 

We explored Cologne's ravishing twin-spire cathedral on a gloriously crisp fall day. Later, we roamed Rotterdam’s famous Piet Blom-designed cube houses and the city's excellent Maritime Museum, where the entire rooftop is dedicated to children.  

Lesser-known Dordrecht, one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands, felt like wandering a real-life fairytale. Compact and walkable, its cobbled streets are jam-packed with wonky, characterful merchant houses, antique stores, artisan workshops, and quaint cafes. 

We split our day here between exploring the town's enchanting streets and De Biesbosch National Park on the edge of Dordrecht. If it hadn't been lashing down with rain, we would have cycled from Dordrecht's center to the reserve, which takes around 40 minutes. Instead, we made the breezy 10-minute journey via the local Waterbus service.  

We'd just heard of De Biesbosch a few weeks earlier, yet it's among Europe's largest freshwater tidal zones, home to some 300 dam-building beavers. Made up of around 22,000 acres of streams, rivers, willow forests, marshes, and meadows, it was a welcome discovery.

As well as beavers, the reserve is rich in birdlife, including osprey, sea eagles, kingfishers, and kestrels. Canoes and boats can be hired and are the best way to explore this vast network of swampy paths and islands. 

A-Rosa offers some excursions geared towards families, such as a trip to Antwerp Zoo or Madurodam, a miniature park in the Netherlands. We opted to do our own thing at each destination, carefully balancing time onboard with time in each river port. 

"But I don’t want to leave the boat," Sebastian would grumble each morning we left the ship. However, his reluctance was soon forgotten as we explored family-friendly museums and thrilling nature reserves, and he was treated to a warm waffle with lashings of chocolate in Antwerp.

Early on in our voyage, after a less than harmonious night's sleep that saw Sebastian climb into our king-size bed at 2 a.m., I almost wept with gratitude when I remembered the kids' club had programming start right after breakfast. So, while Sebastian happily played, we caught a blissful extra hour of rest before heading to the NEMO Science Museum in Amsterdam, a big hit with families thanks to its five floors demystifying sciences. 

Our penultimate day aboard saw us spend a whole day sailing. It was our chance to carve out time to relax. My husband joined a salmon-curing class while I visited the sauna, where I was instantly reminded that A-Rosa is a German tour operator — with mostly German passengers — meaning bathing suits are optional and rarely worn. I also indulged in a Thalgo facial, where Jelena, a former spa manager with Cunard and Celebrity Cruises, gave my dull-looking skin a blissful facial massage. 

We accompanied Sebastian to a pizza-making class with some of the other kids led by the chef in the ship's pastry galley. His jaw dropped as he experienced a real-life Willy Wonka moment; only the chocolate-filled conveyor belts were replaced with vats of colorful churning ice cream. 

As he ate his chaotic-looking pizza with his newfound friends, Eamonn and I pondered whether to choose a sliver of dressed salmon, pork goulash, or both for dinner. Another mealtime highlight was osso buco, a divine sauce-laden veal shank. 

Veal was a reoccurring theme, with juicy, seared cuts of the meat served one evening and meatballs another. A nightly children's buffet also featured popular dishes such as spaghetti bolognese and macaroni and cheese. A highlight for Sebastian: the three homemade ice creams set out each evening, complete with various toppings. In addition to the main buffet restaurant, A-Rosa Sena has a specialty steak restaurant where passengers can dine on salmon sashimi and beef entrecôte for an additional fee. 

One evening, we dined off the ship in Amsterdam and ate supper at a cozy bistro on a corner of Prinsengracht. Dining on bowls of lightly curried mussels at a sun-dappled canal-side table, we imagined milestones and romantic dinners were celebrated over the restaurant's intimate candlelit tables inside.

Later, instead of joining the quiz in the ship's lounge, we crashed out in our cabin to watch one of the family movies ("Peter Rabbit" was selected by Sebastian). Our Deck 3 room had a balcony, plenty of closet space, a sofa bed, and a flatscreen TV as big as you'd find in any luxury hotel. Some nights, we drifted to sleep with the blackout curtains slightly ajar, allowing moonlight to drift in as we lazily floated along the Rhine.

Thinking of our entire trip, traveling to five cities in three countries over eight days any other way would have been, frankly, whiplash-inducing and undoubtedly exhausting, But this way, taking in the gentle bends of the Rhine, felt unhurried, perfectly punctuated with cities that matched the energy and curiosity of our almost 6-year-old.

In the end, it wasn't just the sights that made the trip memorable, but the serene pace of the river that allowed us to truly savor each moment with our son.

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