Viking Sun (Retired) Review

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Viking Rhine River Cruise; September 27 to October 4, 2015

Review for Europe River Cruise on Viking Sun (Retired)
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2stopsunder
10+ Cruises • Age 60s

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Sail Date: Sep 2015

Day 1 Basel: After an event filled week of everything Mercedes-Benz on a fantastic tour put together by the Mercedes-Benz Club of America and Daimler AG, it was time for the next leg of our adventure, a cruise down the Rhine River with Viking Cruise Lines. Fourteen members from our Mercedes tour group had booked the river cruise, so our tour organizer arranged for a van to drive us from Stuttgart, Germany to our first port in Basel, Switzerland.

We left the hotel at 9:30 am and reached the Viking Sun about 1:00 pm, just in time to have a quick buffet lunch on board and then hop on the tour bus for a city tour of Basel with a local guide. The City Hall had just been restored and stood gleaming in the center of town. Since it was Sunday, the shops were closed and the city was very quiet. Our guide Kim was able to take her time to explain the history of the city and to point out quirky little facts regarding artwork along the way. My favorite was the story of the two sets of statutes in front of the cathedral representing good and evil. She said that you could tell the set that represented evil by looking for the snakes and toads running up the back of the cloak. Sure enough! A vendor was roasting chestnuts just outside of the cathedral; a sure sign that fall had arrived.

There was a beautiful view of the river behind the cathedral and we could see the Rheinfahre, the ferry that takes people across the river attached to a cable from either side. Apparently it is another enjoyable way to spend an afternoon in Basel. We strolled back through town to the tour bus. Though the shops were closed, we were able to get a little taste of Switzerland when our guide offered us chocolate covered dates and Swiss chocolate bites. Delicious!

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