Rhine River Cruise – Exploring Castles, Cathedrals and Mercedes Benzes
Our autumn 2016 Rhine River Cruise was the dream-come-true holiday we excitedly anticipated. More than five years before, we took our very first Mediterranean cruise on Celebrity lines. So intoxicating were our first dalliances with France, Italy, Croatia and Spain, that upon our return to regular life, and while we still basked in the romantic afterglow of our new found loves, we vowed to each other to begin planning our next rendezvous right away!
Then…daily life got in the way, job changes, college tuition, grandbabies, and a few lengthy house projects consumed our time, funds and mental bandwidth. From time-to-time, one of us would broach the topic of a return visit but it was never quite the right moment. Eventually, the stars aligned one mundane Saturday morning in May as we huddled over our respective computers. One of us said aloud “if we don’t put it on the calendar, we’ll never go.” The other of us agreed, and within the hour, we were booked for a seven-night Rhine River Cruise Getaway on Viking River Cruises traveling north from Basel Switzerland to Amsterdam Netherlands in early November just ahead of the Christmas markets.
Planning Our Cruise
Since we booked our cruise about six months in advance and Viking does not finalize your air travel until 75 days before your cruise departure, we had nearly three months to plan the details of our cruise. We already knew from our Mediterranean cruise that booking a few days on ground in Barcelona before and after the cruise was money and time well spent. Not only did we have time to get our circadian rhythms back in order after flying across nine time zones, we had the time to explore Barcelona in more slowly and deeply after the fast travel pace of the cruise. After three days, we learned the Barcelona underground system, found some eateries in our neighborhood and began to have a sense of “fitting in.”
Reflecting on that prior experience, and the very long flight from California, we wanted to extend our Rhine River cruise with a few days in Lake Luzern Switzerland before the cruise on our own. Viking offers two day pre- and post-cruise extension options, but we opted to do our own planning in order to stay longer than two days and have a bit more control over the planning. We believe extending your Rhine River cruise by adding a few days on ground before and after will enhance your entire trip experience. We have placed a link at the bottom that will share more details about our pre- and post-cruise adventures.
Day One – Basel Switzerland
We took the train from Lake Luzern to Basel on Wednesday morning to meet up with our longship, the Viking Kvasir, namesake of the Norse god whose name means “Keeper of the Knowledge.”
The location where we would board the boat was not available until the morning of embarkation. This detail had been a small point of concern having us fearing we might have difficulty locating the boat. However, we connected easily with a Viking agent the morning of our embarkation, got our pier number and relayed it to our taxi driver who expertly delivered us to the right place. Nina, The cruise Program Director meet us curbside and had our luggage whisked away and invited us aboard the ship for lunch. We made our way down the gangplank and into the dining room where we experienced our first taste of the warm and friendly staff and a mouth-watering buffet of soups, salad makings, and sandwiches.
Our First Walking Tour – Basel
After that yummy lunch, we took a walking tour of Basel. Viking does an excellent job of proving knowledgeable local guides in each city during the cruise. This high standard lives up to our ship’s name, Kvasir – Keeper of Knowledge.
The walking tour of Old Town Basel with our shipmates was fun and interesting and was the start of what would become a familiar process over the coming week. First, ten minutes prior to the appointed time, Nina, would announce the excursion and our meeting place and second, she would say to us in her delightful German accented English “remember to bring your audiovoxes” The audiovox quickly becomes your best friend on the tours. A lightweight device you wear around your neck on a lanyard, the audiovox, allows the tour guide to speak in a normal conversational level, which you can hear clearly, even if you linger behind or stray short distances. You know you have lingered too long when the guides voice begins to crackle and fade out.
Swiss, German and French Influence
Basel, a small town of 175,000 sits at the intersection of Switzerland, Germany and France. The included walking tour began with a short ride by motor coach to Tinguely Fountain. This fountain, the work of Swiss artist Jean Tinguely, features a number of kinetic sculptures in a style reminiscent of steam punk. The sculptures, formed from metal parts from an old theatre, are humorous and whimsical representations of artists, actors and dancers that performed at the Old City Theater that once sat on this site. Winding through the Basel’s narrow streets, we saw our first examples of finely maintained historic Swiss style buildings dating back to the 1500’s buildings.
To our surprise the narrow streets opened into a large plaza anchored by the twin-spire Basler Munster Cathedral. Even more unexpected were the brightly lit carnival rides filling the plaza. Similar carnivals were located all over the city to celebrate the beginning of All Saints Day and the coming Christmas season. After more walking and history, we enjoyed a warm drink and some window-shopping before returning to the ship. In Basel a few of our shipmates returned to the departure meeting location late and missed the bus back to the ship and had to walk back a mile or two. It was a good reminder to us that the Swiss are known for punctuality and we vowed to be early or on time to everything.
The Adventure Begins
Following the tour, there was time to freshen up before a welcome briefing and cocktails. Dinner is served in the dining room at 7:00 and is open seating. Another option onboard for dining is the Aquavit Terrace, which offers a light buffet at each mealtime.
At 9:00 pm, we cast off and our Rhine River cruise adventure begins in earnest. The first night, many of us gathered in the lounge for music and dancing, however, there was not much dancing the first night. Everyone must have been either tired or shy.
Day Two – Breisach Germany and Colmar France
The Black Forest
The crew had the ship tied up in Breisach Germany when we woke up this morning. After a bountiful cooked-to-order breakfast, we board buses for the drive through the countryside into the Black Forest. The rolling countryside unfolds before us while our guide talks about the history of the area. The countryside turns into mountains and dense forest while the stories turn to folklore about the Black Forest and fairytales like Hansel and Gretel.
We arrived at Hofgut Sternen, a traveler’s center nestled in a valley at Breitnau. Breitnau itself is very old, with some records dating back to 1148. Hofgut Sternen consists of several interesting shops, a restaurant and a Best Western Hotel. Some of the buildings feature authentic Bavarian architecture and building materials. A popular photo opportunity was the giant cuckoo clock in the village square with oversized figurines that come to life every half hour. The village caters to tourists with numerous opportunities to purchase souvenirs, cuckoo clocks, hand-blown glass, and Christmas ornaments. The chef in the restaurant holds a demonstration on how to make an authentic Black Forest cake. Returning to the ship, the scenic winding Black Forest lanes became smooth modern highways and roundabouts that gave us a sense of what life in modern Germany must be like.
Colmar France and the Alsace Region
After lunch aboard ship, the afternoon found us on the opposite side of the Rhine in the charming medieval town of Colmar located in the Alsace region of France. Marking our arrival in Colmar is a 12-meter high replica of the Statue of Liberty installed to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the death of the sculptor and Colmar native son Auguste Batholdi. Batholdi was the designer of the Statue of Liberty, a friendship gift from the people of France to the people of the United States made in the late 1800’s.
The small medieval village in the picturesque French countryside transported us back in time as we strolled the vehicle free pedestrianized zone through cobblestone streets lined with colorful half-timbered buildings. Even though we had just had lunch we were very tempted by a head-spinning variety of freshly baked croissants, breads and pastries. The centerpiece of town is the 13th-century, Eglise Saint-Martin church. This massive Gothic structure is actually the “new” church; in 1972, remains of an earlier building dating back to around 1000 were discovered! After the guided tour, we had about an hour to explore on our own. We spent our free time drinking a couple of rich hot chocolates, while sitting on a bench and people watching.
Everyone returns to the Kvasir excited, but tired after a long day of exploring and excursions. It’s good to be back home on the Kavsir.
Read more about Colmar here.
Day 3 –Strasbourg France and Kehl Germany
Strasbourg France
This morning we arrived in Kehl Germany just over the river from Strasbourg France. There is a theme here; the Rhine marks Germany and France borders. After a substantial breakfast and chatting with new friends, we grab our audiovoxes and board the waiting Motor coaches for the short ride to Strasbourg. En route, we will see empty but enormous stork’s nests high in the trees that line the streets. Strasbourg is the capital of the Grand Est region in northeastern France, the European parliament is located here in a large modern building with the EU countries’ flags flying proudly.
Walking around the old town of Strasbourg is a bit like stepping into the pages of a fairy tale. The tall narrow half-timber residences line the streets and serene canals. It is so easy to get lost walking through the cobble-stoned streets in old town winding through endless picturesque scenes of a modern town that has retained a flavor and feel of times long past.
We notice early signs of holiday decorations beginning to transform the shopping district into one of the famed Christmas markets. The Gothic Cathédrale Notre-Dame majestically commands the large plaza and seems to invite all to gather here. The Cathédrale is the highest medieval building in Europe soaring 426 feet. Housed inside is an astonishing astronomical clock dating back to 1842 and depicting the beginning of life through man’s death. Even though we just ate breakfast, there is still room for a mid-morning croissant to hold us until lunch. The croissant is so delicious, I think to myself I could live on nothing but these.
Rastatt Germany – Mercedes Benz Factory Tour
The afternoon finds us in Rastatt for the Mercedes Benz factory tour. Thinking of a car factory conjures images of dark and dirty buildings and loud sounds of pounding and clanging. Nothing could be further from the truth. The interior of the Mercedes Benz factory resembles a sleek art gallery more than a factory. The guest center features a wall of glass, classic and prototype Mercedes vehicles, robotic displays, a gift shop, restaurant, and auditorium. It is clearly a significant event to take delivery of your new Mercedes directly from the factory. Behind a wall of glass are proud new Mercedes owners receiving their new car keys.
The factory building itself is beyond description. From our viewpoint high up on a catwalk, the large, modern, well-lit factory floor held a silent symphony of workers and robots each working in harmony assembling a variety of cars. Anyone familiar with total quality management systems will find the production areas fascinating. It was apparent to us that the assembly workers took remarkable pride in their work and we thought the work factory looked like a pleasant place to work. Bearing that out, our tour guide told us that Mercedes employees tend to stay with the company for a very long time. The final stop of the tour displays a newly made car undergoing an extensive quality assurance tests.
Day 4 – Mannheim, Heidelberg and Rudesheim Germany
As I woke up this morning, I was filled with a feeling of relaxation I have not had in years. The pace of time seems to have lengthened. It has only been about seven days since we left home but it feels much longer than that, At the same time I know that the trip will be over in another seven days, and too soon it will be time to get back to reality.
Heidelberg Castle
I am excited today as we are heading to Heidelberg Castle. This will be our first taste of a castle. Moreover, for a first taste, Heidelberg promises the opportunity to jump in with both feet. The castle is perched on a hill 300 feet above the Altstadt (old town) of Heidelberg. The weather was lightly raining and foggy which added to my excitement somehow making the castle all that more mysterious.
Our tour guide today is a young American student from Heidelberg University. We unfortunately did not make a note of his name, but he had fantastic knowledge of the castle and the town and we truly appreciated his American sense of humor. The castle consists of a number of buildings each representing various eras of German architecture. The oldest structure dates back to around 1214. Construction and building over the next few hundred years expanded the castle’s size. In 1537, lightening destroyed the upper portions of the castle. Building continued over the next hundred or so years until a series of fires and wars destroyed parts of the castle. Finally, in 1764 another lightning bolt destroyed much of the newly constructed castle. They say lightning never strikes twice; tell that to Heidelberg Castle! Today the castle is pretty much in ruins and much of the interior is off limits.
Following the castle tour, we explored the town of Heidelberg and landed in the wonderful little Bier Bretzel for lunch. Established in 1752, Bier Bretzel was a warm, inviting respite from the foggy drizzle and served great pizza from the stone oven and frost German bier.
Dinner in Rüdesheim am Rhein
We were taken from the boat to the tiny town of Rüdesheim in a little motorized tram. We walked down a narrow lane towards the restaurant. Surprisingly, though it is November, there are geraniums spilling out of the flower boxes that line the lane. Approaching the restaurant, the warm light, aromas, music and people chattering alert us there is a celebration happening. Dinner tonight was a fun interesting experience.
We enter a traditional looking establishment featuring lots of warm woods, and stained glass windows. A live band is playing and there are some local couples encouraging everyone to join the fun on the dance floor. We sit at large tables with many other couples from the cruise. Dinner is a belly busting multi-course meal with the main course being sauerkraut and schnitzel. After dinner there are some fun games to play, beginning with ‘volunteers’ forming a band to play Edelweiss with cow bells, and even a German version of a conga line winding through the restaurant.
That evening the Kvasir hosted a live glassblowing demonstration on board the ship. We missed the demonstration but the finished products were still on display and available for sale in the lounge when we got back to the ship.
Read more about Heidelberg here.
Day 5 – Rhine Gorge, Koblenz Germany & Marksburg Castle France
Rhine River Gorge
Today was one of the most anticipated days of the trip, as we would cruise the lovely middle Rhine. After breakfast, many passengers bundled up and moved to positions on the upper observation deck for the cruise through the Middle-Rhine, also known as the Rhine Gorge. In a stroke of good fortune, we have a bright blue sky today. Perfect weather for viewing the scenic Rhine Gorge. This stretch of river has 40 castles lining the Gorge’s hills. Around nearly every bend in the river, is a strategically positioned castle built there to protect its stretch of river and gorge. Hundreds of years ago these castle owners exacted payment from those traveling the river by threatening them with canon fire if they did not pay up.
As the river unwinds, tiny villages appear near the castles. Originally, these towns housed the people who performed work for the castles, and in return, the castles provided protection to the people. Green and gold vineyards climb the hillside’s steep terraces in tidy rows. We learned the grapes are harvested by hand, as they have been for the past 2000 years. We pass the Lorelei Rock at St. Goar. Lorelei is a 433 ft tall rock protruding into a fast-flowing and narrow bend of the Rhine and has been the scene of shipwrecks through the centuries. Local folklore places the blame for the shipwrecks on Lorelei, a heartbroken beauty who sits at the base of the rock combing her hair and murmuring to passing ships and luring them to destruction. Luckily, our captain navigated us cleanly through this treacherous area and we made it through with no mishaps.
The Best Crew Ever !
To top off this experience, the crew appeared with carafes of hot chocolate to take the chill off. Those of us feeling extra celebratory took cocoa with a splash of peppermint schnapps! Wow, our crew is the best!
Koblenz &Marksburg Castle
After lunch on board the Kvasir, we docked in Koblenz at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers. A short bus ride up the steep and windy mountainside delivered us to Marksburg Castle. Where the Heidelberg castle was a ruin that has been uninhabited for 250 years, Marksburg Castle looks move in ready. Perfectly preserved, the 800-year-old fortress on a hilltop has incredible views of the Rhine Valley below. From this vantage point, the inhabitants of the castle could spot advancing marauders from any directions.
This 12th century castle is a great example of castle construction, castle purpose, and daily life. I was surprised to learn only about 10 people lived inside the walls of the massive fortress. Typically, the castle was the living place of the royal family and a few knights for security. The rest of the servants lived outside only entering to do their jobs of cooking, blacksmithing, and waiting on the royal family.
A fascinating feature of Marksburg Castle is its stunning display of suits of armor through the ages beginning with a roman spearman (c.600 bc), up to the modern Musketeer of the 1700s. The armor room is very impressive. The guide describes in detail the concept of a castle keep and the many layers of progressive protection to fight off attackers. This was very cool and a definite highlight of the entire cruise!
The highlight of the evening program on-board was the Taste of Germany dinner. The crew members dressed up in traditional Oktoberfest costume, frau in dirndl dresses and herr in lederhosen. There was plentiful music and laughter and an abundance of German specialties.
Read more about Marksburg here.
Day 6 – Cologne
Cologne – A Day on Our Own
This morning we arrived in Cologne. After five days of organized tours, we are ready for a little self-guided exploration. We left the audiovoxes in our room. An amazing part of a Rhine River cruise is the direct access you have to the sites you are visiting. Unlike ocean cruises that anchor offshore or dock in an industrialized port area, river longships tie up in a town. With only 200 passengers, there are no long lines making leaving and returning to the boat a snap.
Often there is a walking/running path and benches along the riverfront and restaurants and other attractions within a short walk. In Cologne, the Kvasir is docked just steps from both the downtown and old town. As we come ashore, we stroll along the wide river front promenade and pass a number of trendy looking restaurants that line the riverfront square. As we approach, a member of each restaurant’s staff appears and politely attempts to entice us to eat there. We smile, shake our heads no and keep moving. We see above the rooflines the twin spires of Cologne Cathedral a short distance ahead. Meandering through the narrow cobblestone streets suddenly the vast plaza and looming Cathedral reveal themselves to us. The size, scale and beauty of the Cathedral are breathtaking. After taking the obligatory pictures, we continue to explore.
Shopping, Food and Secrets
The plaza leads to Hohe Strasse, which is a major shopping area with street vendors, major retailers and of course, a bakery with amazing smells and treats on display. Poking in and out of the stores has us finding replacements for missing gloves needed to warm our hands. We really enjoyed this late fall trip to Europe, but it does get chilly! Exploring a little off the beaten path we discover streets and squares with local restaurants, pubs and other businesses that cater to locals, not tourists. We discover a small street stand that only sells french fries prepared 100 different ways – Yum !
Eventually we come across an interesting looking little courtyard, which we decide to enter. In the courtyard is a curious looking fountain that features sculptures of people with humorous expressions or behaving humorously. We tried to figure out what the fountain was about, but since we do not read German, we were at a complete loss. Upon arriving home, we learned this fountain honors a local composer named Willi Ostermann. This is one of the joys of just wandering around and getting lost (not really) in a new place.
After a few hours of exploring, we returned to the ship for lunch. W realize after lunch how tired we are from a week of constant activities and decide to spend some quiet time around the ship just relaxing. We find a couple of cozy overstuffed chairs in the lounge and relax happily watching the river flow by.
Classical Cologne
After dinner, we listen to an excellent piano and cello performance of classical music in the lounge. The musical selections are compositions of composers who lived, worked or had ties to the Cologne area. The excellent musicianship in comfortable surroundings was soothing to these traveler’s souls. Thank you Viking!
After the concert concludes, Chris, the on-board musician gets the party started with some lively music. Accompanied by various staff members and guests taking turns singing duets the atmosphere become very lively. There is a sense that the cruise is nearing the end and everyone throws off his or her shyness. A crowd pleaser is the Neil Diamond song, Sweet Caroline…with everyone signing along… “Sweet Caroline…Bom…Bom…Bom”. Then the dance floor explodes into an all-out party with nearly everyone up and dancing. The music, dancing, laughter, and stories continue into the wee hours of the morning. Glad we got that extra rest.
Day 7 – Kinderdijk Netherlands
Kinderdijk Windmills
Ahhh. It’s a new day and a new country! Today we visit yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site, the windmills at Kinderdijk. A short walk from the ship, over the levee and across a small but busy road and we arrive at the visitor center. We learn that this entire area sits below sea level and therefore constantly flooded. The guide explains the resourcefulness and complex systems created to manage the water using a network of wind-powered mills, pumping stations, dikes and reservoirs. These systems move and keep the water out of the low-lying areas. We are from the low-lying Sacramento Valley where modern engineering techniques and heavy machinery created a system of levees and weirs to manage the Sacramento and American Rivers flows. We are blown away to learn the Dutch were controlling the sea, without a lot of technology, hundreds of years ago.
The first windmill at Kinderdijk was constructed in 1527. The 19 additional mills representing different construction designs came online during the 1700s. Our guide explained that the wooden gears make a deafening sound as the sails turn them. A keeper tends each mill and lives in the mill with his or her family. How a family could live inside with the sound is hard to imagine. Tiny rooms create the living spaces inside the small cramped mill. I have trouble reconciling modern day sensitivities of keeping children safe and the idea of raising them in what looks like it could be a very dangerous environment.
Captain’s Cocktail Party
Our last night aboard the Kvasir will be festive and a little sad. The order of events begins with the Captain’s cocktail party, followed by our farewell dinner and topped off with open mic entertainment in the lounge. Just one week with our shipmates and we are all chatting and reminiscing like old friends. No one seems to be ready to end this cruise. We keep singing, dancing, and chatting and the young crewmembers are beginning to look a little weary. Finally, we say our goodnights.
Day 8 – Amsterdam Netherlands
Rhine River Cruise Ends
The morning starts early with breakfast being served beginning at 4:00 a.m. for those with early connections. It’s clear that the crew is on a tight and precise schedule to get us off the ship and safely to our next destination. We are staying in Amsterdam; we vacate our cabin by 9 am and congregate with others in the ships lobby area waiting for our taxi to arrive. The Rhine River cruise has officially ended.
Amsterdam Post-Cruise
We are so glad that we decided to stay a few days in Amsterdam. We do not know what to expect beyond what we have seen in a Rick Steve’s video or a guidebook. It will be exciting to learn all about this fascinating town known for canals, bicycles, museums, and legalized vice. Be sure to read all about our adventures in Amsterdam.
More Rhine River Cruise Resources
Read about pre-cruise Lake Luzern here.
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