As veteran travel advisors are well aware, each river cruise line features its own distinct characteristics, and Viking is no exception to that rule 每 which is something I discovered when sailing on the line＊s new 11-day ※Rhine & Main Explorer§ itinerary, operating between Basel, Switzerland, and Nuremberg, Germany.
Ships: One Size Fits All
What you see is what you get with all Viking Longships, which ply Europe＊s waterways and accommodate 190 guests and are identical in size and d谷cor 每 so which vessel you book clients on is immaterial. The Longships 每 I sailed aboard Viking Skirnir 每 are equipped with a main restaurant, which can accommodate the entire passenger complement; the al fresco Aquavit Terrace for light breakfast, lunch and dinner; a lounge; a library; and a Sun Deck.
The lounge. (Source: Claudette Covey)
In all, Longships feature 95 outside staterooms, including 25 Standard Staterooms, 22 French Balcony Staterooms, 39 Veranda Staterooms, seven Veranda Suites and two Explorer Suites.
The exception to that rule are the Longships playing Portugal＊s Douro River and France＊s Seine River, which were purpose-built for those destinations and carry between 106 to 168 guests.
Collegial Onboard Atmosphere
One of most striking attributes of the Viking itinerary was the collegial atmosphere onboard, which in my view, may in part be attributed to the way in which the main dining room is configured. There are no tables for two, but rather larger tables that accommodate four guests and more.
The larger tables encouraged me to join guests I didn＊t know 每 something I would normally shy away from. Guests looking for more intimate dining experiences will find tables of two and four in the at the al fresco Aquavit Terrace at the bow of the ship.
Intellectually Curious Guests
Viking advertises itself as the ※the thinking person＊s§ line, and from my experience, that＊s exactly what it is. The passenger complement was nothing if not diverse. During meals and excursions, I met an eclectic roster of guests, ranging from a retired psychiatrist to a pediatrician, to a high school principal to an accountant 每 all of whom were unpretentious. What they all shared was an intellectual curiosity about the world.
Warm, Efficient and Friendly Staff
Without exception, the ship＊s staff exceeded my expectations 每 from cabins stewards to bartenders to waitstaff. They were all exceptionally friendly and knew my by the end of the first day of the cruise. As soon as I vacated my stateroom in the morning, the cabin steward promptly cleaned the room 每 and ditto in the evenings.
A Veranda Stateroom. (Source: Viking)
Shore Excursions
Viking offers one complimentary shore excursion in each port, along with roster of excursions for a charge. Some of the standouts were a canal cruise and walking tour in Strasbourg, France, and in Germany a walking Bamberg walking tour and a Nuremberg Through History tour.
Colmar. (Photo Credit: Claudette Covey)
As far as optional excursion go, I highly recommend the Medieval Village of Colmar excursion ($159). The French town, dubbed Little Venice due to its picturesque canals along the Lauch River, is Colmar is one beautiful destinations I＊ve ever visited, with its with 17th century half-timbered houses and 9th century streets.
The Dining Experience
The main dining room, with floor-to-ceiling windows can accommodate all guests in one sitting, and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Those guests looking for more intimate seating arrangements and at al fresco Aquavit Terrace at the bow of the ship.
Some of the menu items reflect the destinations visited, with such main courses as Krustenbraten, crispy roast pork, beer sauce and cabbage; and appetizer like Schweizer Wurstsalat, marinated cucumbers with Emmental cheese and sausage salad.
Guests also opt for always-available dishes, which include Caesar salads, Angus rib eye steak, poached Norwegian salmon and the Roast Chicken supreme with vegetable au jus.
By far, my favorite dinner was the themed Taste of Germany dinner, which featured included a sausages, sauerkraut, pretzels, a variety roasted meats and more.
The Basel-Nuremberg Itinerary
The cruise covered a lot of ground in 11 days, calling at ports in three countries. In addition to Basel, Strasbourg, Bamburg and Nuremburg, the itinerary also called at Germany＊s Breisach, Karlsruhe, Marktheidenfeld and W邦rzburg.
All told, Viking offers Europe river cruises range from eight to 23 days, with itineraries featuring Europe＊s Rhine, Main, Danube, Seine, Rh?ne, Douro, Moselle, Elbe, Dordogne, Garonne and Gironde Rivers.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
