Had a previous experience with Viking in Egypt and loved it. This cruise was as wonderful as the one we had done in Egypt. The ship is lovely! Our room was very comfortable. We were on the lower deck as we had booked late, but we spent so little time in the room that it didn't really matter. The food was excellent. I especially enjoyed the theme night. The service is wonderful. The cruise director was friendly, enthusiastic and did wonderful presentations to get us ready for our excursions. Everyone is so friendly and helpful. The excursions are awesome. One of the things that I really love about Viking is that one excursion per stop is included and so the trip is really complete without adding anything. The knowledge of the people that they hire for the excursions is outstanding. You can add excursions and they are definitely worth it. I would highly recommend Viking and will definitely take another cruise with them. Read Less

Loved the itinerary outlined in the marketing materials. Every single port proved to be as outstanding as the advertisements promised. The services on board were all first class. The staff were all gracious and so very accommodating! The standard stateroom was great for us! Enough room for sleeping, bathing and storage. We stayed upstairs most of the time taking in all the scenery or being with friends in the lounge or on top of the boat. We did not require a balcony or veranda accommodation. There was too much fun going on to stay in your room! We did fret beforehand over the cost while paying for it but we both agreed afterwards that the cruise was worth every penny we spent! We plan on going on another Viking cruise next year. We rate this cruise Excellent in all categories! Thanks Viking for making our trip UNFORGETTABLE!! Read Less

We chose this cruise because of Viking‘s attention to detail. They take care of everything and that allows us to relax and enjoy ourselves and not worry about transportation details or itineraries. One of our biggest highlights was adding on a pre-extension in Lake Como, Italy. It allowed us to meet 42 other guests before we joined the ship in Basel, Switzerland. Viking had a private boat tour planned one day that took us around the perimeter of the lake and allowed us two hours to explore Bellagio. The next day included a walking tour of Lake Como and entrance into the Duomo. We also went up the steep mountain in a funicular for a spectacular view. We enjoyed all the stops along the Rhine and the fact we could purchase additional, more specialized side trips like biking through the windmills in Kinderdijk, Holland. The local docents provide such specialized and personal tours of each stop. One of our favorite stops was Colmar, France. What an amazing and beautiful village. I can see why it has been called the most beautiful village in France! One other stop that was very memorable was in Rudesheim, Germany. We went into the town and had dinner in the Drosselgasse which was very lively and fun. The food was delicious German food and the entertainment was a blast! We have been on two Viking tours (The other was from Paris to Marseilles) and we thoroughly enjoyed both cruises. We are currently trying to find another Viking Cruise to put on our calendar! We would highly recommend them. Read Less

This was my 4th Viking Cruise and it was to areas I had never been in Europe. I try not to backtrack. As usual it was very well done. Lots of interesting excursions, beautiful scenery. Excursions were paced for all levels of participation. Longships travel at night so during the day you are able to view lots on the shore, castles, castles, castles. So much history to absorb. Staff aboard was fantastic, very friendly and accommodating. Loved the food! We were a group of 8 ladies who took the extension on both ends, which were enjoyed by all. Hotels were very nice. Lots of walking in Lake Como, if you wanted to. Amsterdam was very interesting and bustling with tourists. No glitches embarking or disembarking. On board entertainment was lots of fun. From games to films to musical entertainment, we participated in all. Will definitely book with Viking again, as long as we can find a trip we have not done! Read Less

Took Rhine River Cruise. Everything about it was fantastic—service, guides, tours, food, programs. As always, Viking has every base covered. We did a pre-cruise excursion to Lucerne. We are still talking about it. The entire trip was executed flawlessly by the Viking staff. The cruise along the middle Rhine was breathtaking; the Program Director’s narration inspiring. Every included city tour was excellent. Time management was superb. The staff on the ship was attentive, courteous, professional, knowledgeable and considerate. We came home and booked our next tour almost immediately. On this particular cruise, the ship Captain was very accessible and went out if his way to share his insights and experiences with the passengers. That added a nice touch to the experience. Likewise, the kitchen staff offered a kitchen tour which was outstanding. Given the relatively small space available to the kitchen and wait staff, it is even more amazing that meal service continues to be a major highlight of every cruise. It is almost like they perform magic tricks being able to offer world class service under such confining conditions. Again, the kitchen tour really added to the overall experience ( in a really good way)! Read Less

The organisation and staff on the Viking cruises are very good. The only thing that mars it a bit is the food, good quality but a bit boring and really not much choice. Salmon was a little overdone on the evenings(said by quite a few people) chicken had very little sauce, so mainly plain food but perhaps this is what the American palette likes and the client was mainly American. Just not so suitable for an "English foodie". We have done two river cruises with Viking now, the second one you had to pay compulsory considerable tips ( a change from the first time we went) we will be trying another cruise line to see if the food is better next time. I don't normally do reviews but this is now the fourth time I have been asked to do it by Viking so a warts and all review, Nicola Read Less

Everything on this cruise was top notch. The food was amazing, excursions so informative, staff took care of our every need. Great deal on airfare through viking. We plan to take another river cruise in the next few years! Our cruise director was so welcoming, and encouraged interaction between passengers. The cabins were VERY small--wr had just come from a celebrity ocean cruise, and cabins were much more "liveable". We would probably get a veranda cabin next time--felt like we needed to be in bed when we were in there! We loved sitting outside on the top deck, especially when we were cruising castles. But often times there weren't enough places to sit. We erre, unfortunately, on our cruise during the hottest days ever recorded there, so we absolutely had to sit underneath a shade canopy. It's probably not typically an issue. All in all, we had a great time, and plan to take another cruise with Viking. Read Less

This was our (my husband and I) second Viking River Cruise, The first one was on the Seine - from Paris to Normandy in 2015. That was a wonderful cruise; exceptional from beginning to end; inclusive of all transfers and extensions. The Viking Alruna - Rhine Gateway cruise was anticipated to be equally wonderful. This time, we encouraged another two couples, friends and family, to join us on the cruise. Coordination was tricky but completed with help from Viking's booking staff. The parties across 5 time zones (Arkansas, California and Hawaii) had to be coordinated. Our accommodations went well; on cruise our cabins were adjacent to one another. Each couple also chose to extend our European vacation on the front end to take in Belgium and Amsterdam. The Rhine cruise was enjoyable and inclusive, all activities were orchestrated well. It would have been another outstanding vacation that was marred by the return trip home. Not just for my husband and I but for all (6) in our party. After disembarking at Basel Switzerland, ground transport to airport was quixotic There was no clear handoff at the airport. Checkin was delayed and seat assignments were randomly assigned. Security was a messy, multi-layered cattle-call in Munich which almost resulted missing our flight. Husbands and wives were not assigned seats together for the long flight from MUC to LAX. Additionally some personal carryon items were lost. There was little help from Viking or its airline partners to make right the horrendous situation. Needless to say, this sullied a wonderful vacation. Read Less

We decided that 5 siblings, spouses, and a few more relatives needed to go the Germany since our ancestors originated there. The age range was 59- 81 years old. We thought a small boat river cruise would be fitting for all our physical abilities. We had a fabulous time on the Alruna. The staff was fabulous from Elisabeth, the tour director and staff made each and everyone one of us to feel so special. The staff were so friendly and we loved hearing stories and their families and events in their lives. We never had to ask for anything- they anticipated what we needed and brought it to us in minutes. It made me feel like a VIP the entire trip. The sights along the river was so beautiful . It was great to be able to see beautiful country side from the top deck, the lounge or your cabin. The excursions were fun and they were able to accommodate many different physical abilities. we had a fabulous time Read Less

We had a wonderful time the crew was exceptional, always going out of their way to provide us a wonderful experience. For us the Dining staff was what made the experience over the top. Our breakfast cook had a great personality, and at dinner where ever we sat they were very helpful. The stops were fun with lots of culture and things to do. The guides, ah we talked a lot about how much fun they were; they made the experience fun as well as providing a historical background. I would do this cruise again as it was fun. Really enjoyed the day sailing with all the castles, vineyards, made this a day to remember. Cologne was my favorite stop. City was close and accessible with lots of dining sites to see. Our Cabin was great, didn't have time to turn on the TV, there was always something to do, and for down time just going up on deck was our choice. Nothing was left out of the experience, and leaving, though regretful was handled so there was little though required. Read Less

I wish we would have spent more time in the departure city along with more time in the debark city, these are 2 cities that we really wanted to explore, next time we would book the the excursion before and after the cruise, this is something we learned after we booked our cruise. The service was great, we had the best bartenders ever, they remember everything we drank, we would recommend getting the drink package it is worth the money. The dining was great, different menus every night for dinner and for lunch. Great food and service. I really liked that the servers and chefs remembered our names and what we like to eat for breakfast. Made us feel at home. Cabin was a bit small, but very nice, you really don't spend a lot of time in your cabin so being small was really not an issue. Loved the Ports that we stopped at, loved all the history that is what we really enjoyed the most, we are history buffs and love to see all the old cities and churches, We wish the excursions would have been a bit more geared to active people like us, we enjoy the walking, biking, and just a fast pace adventure. We are planning on going again maybe even in 2020 bur for sure 2021. Read Less

I've had a dream to go on a river cruise and see castles since I was a little girl. This was the fulfillment of a dream! Every part of this cruise was fantastic! Every member of the crew treated us well. They were available, helpful and cheerful. They accommodated the large groups with efficiency and care. The food was fantastic and the maître d was attentive to my food allergy, coming by the table and showing me what I could have as well as checking on the ingredients of some dishes. My husband and I loved every meal as well as the coffee and pastries available 24 hours! We really enjoyed the other passengers. Everyone seemed open to new friendships and experiences. The excursions were interesting and informative. We did not enjoy the trip to the Black Forest to see the cuckoo clocks and glass blower, but did enjoy the beauty of the waterfalls as the optional hike. There was a heat wave which made some excursions challenging but we were thankful for the ships air conditioning! All in all, this was a life changing experience. We enjoyed our cruise so much that we are going on the Danube this spring! Read Less

We saw the combination river and ocean cruise in the Viking catalog. The river cruise was from Basel Switzerland to Amsterdam and the connecting ocean cruise was from Amsterdam to the fjords of Norway. One of the many things that made the river cruise so special was the cruise director Elisabeth. She is very friendly and personable. Her port lectures were informative and fun. Every evening she had a different program to keep us entertained. The food was great as well as the service. The crew made you feel like you were part of the family. The excursions were well thought out and very interesting. The ship was spotless and very attractive. All of the crew members were great. I would travel on Viking again in a minute. Viking is far superior to the other cruise lines that I have used. The ocean cruise was also great. The ship was beautiful. I really like sailing on a smaller ship rather than the giant ones that you have to stand in line for everything. Read Less

We chose it to celebrate and anniversary. We had a wonderful time and met some great people with whom we have stayed in touch. All the connections went as planned and we enjoyed a longer stay at the end in Amsterdam. The food was great as well with a really good variety at every meal. We enjoyed the size of the ship because you got to see some of the same people at meals and on various tours. You really looked forward to meeting people you met again and again because you could really get to know them. The tour director was very knowledgeable and she also had a great sense of humor. Everyone that worked on the ship seem pleased with their jobs as well. The tours we did in various ports were also very informative and interesting. We seemed to be able to pick just enough free time to explore on our own as well. Our cabin was gorgeous and since we were upgraded we'll plan on reserving one of the end cabins again. We definitely will cruise again and have already recommended it to various friends. We had an absolutely wonderful time and really look forward to another trip, Read Less

Well organised efficient interesting and educational. Viking staff are the most dedicated and sincere personnel we have encountered in our cruise experience. The excursions were well planned and executed and the hotels chosen were appopriate. On board entertainment was excellent and not over the top. Food was well prepared and presented .The cabin was well designed and daily maintainence was perfect. In fact we did not meet the cabin staff the whole trip and yet everything was taken care off. The trip director and managers were always welcoming and informative and highly professional. The ship’s captain and crew were confident and accommodating. The daily mooring berths were near to the cultural sites or the transport was waiting for us . This format for cruising provides and excellent relaxing and peaceful experience and attracts like minded passengers that are enthusiastic and adventurous. All in all a great experience and Viking will be our future travel choice. We are booked on Ocean SE Asia and Antartica Polaris. Need I say more? Read Less

Enjoyed Viking prior and this had an excellent price and timing for us. We stayed in Amsterdam on our own for 4 days and loved it. Joined the ship and the welcome was professional and embarkation was very smooth. The ship was very clean and well organized. We had a standard French Balcony SR and it met all our needs. Compact, good storage, and excellent BR. Heated BR floor! Excellent room steward and all the amenities we need. Good chargers near the bed and desk. Dining was fun. Good choices and varied. Loved seating with new people each time and trying different foods. Fun. The lounge was fine - good room to meet and listen to the talks and entertainment. Loved the local groups coming on. Well done. Loved the ports. Tons of castles (really lots of ‘river pirate’ types controlling the river commerce) and interesting cities. Most were excellent tours. Only one that I didn’t enjoy was the Black Forest - bus trip into the edge of a forest with minimal trees - most was cut down and recently re-planted. Not what I was expecting. After the cruise, we went to Munich and did some tours, and we saw fantastic forests - this one was poor. Viking needs to rethink that tour.Loved Alsace and others. Beautiful tours. Overall, loved it. Recommend staying in Amsterdam an extended time; many places to visit in Switzerland, I’d not take any time in Basel. Not very friendly or interesting. Many other places to go to. We spent 2 days there and wouldn’t do it again. Trained to Munich and loved it for 7 days. There are many other Swiss cities to visit. The Rhine is very interesting and one I”d recommend for an initial Euro River cruise experience because it is so packed with great cities and castles. Would probably not go again just because there is so much to try - trying the Bucharest to Budapest cruise next. But the Rhine is fantastic and should be done for sure. Read Less

Food - breakfast, lunch and dinner were excellent. There was was something for every requirement. The local dishes are an excellent idea for those not eating ashore. Drinks - we took advantage of a drinks package and tried the beers, wines and cocktails. An extensive list and were of a good quality. Couldn't try them all unfortunately. Excursions - well organised. The places visited were well chosen and the guides knowledgeable about the subject matter. Their English was extremely good for those of us who are English can just about speak english. Staff - all very professional and extremely pleasant. Accommodation - all areas aboard the boat were well designed for all ages and abilities. A gym would have been nice to help burn off the extra calories consumed due to the delicious food and drink. All in all the entire cruise from flights to and flights from we had an excellent and very relaxing time. Read Less

It being their 40th wedding anniversary, my parents decided to go big —then graciously brought my brother and I along to explore the Rhine River and the culture surrounding it. What a whirlwind of incredible food and drink, sights, fun, and new friends! From the moment we saw the Viking representatives at the Basil airport, we knew we were in good hands. Everyone was so personable, welcoming us to the city, packing us into the spacious van, and bringing us down the gangplank to our new home-away-from-home, the Alruna. From that moment on I tried not to blink too long for fear of missing something. First, the food...oh my, what food! Every selection at every meal, be it entree, baked item, or dessert, was absolutely scrumptious. I think about several dishes, such as the asparagus soup and schnitzel, QUITE often. The wine choices were incredible, and the servers were warm, friendly, and often very funny. Despite the language barriers and cultural differences, I loved how easy it was to talk to them; as Victor Borge said, “laughter is the shortest distance between two people.” Our cabin was so well-designed, the size itself made no difference. There were plenty of places for everything, and the beds were comfortable. As a designer myself, I appreciated the clever use of space in the bathroom especially. I never once felt crowded or cramped, and the provided toiletries smell amazing. Every included excursion was fun and informative, and our selected excursions were also pleasant. Janet, our tour host, was amazing; so knowledgeable, friendly, and open! She was 100% approachable and spoke to each guest as though she had known us for years and wanted nothing more than our comfort and happiness, all with a sense of humor and fun. There was always so much do to onboard and on shore this Viking journey — just remembering it now, months later, brings floods of color, smells, and joy to my mind. If I could have done ONE thing differently, I would have arrived earlier in Basil. It took my body and brain about a day to adjust to the sleeping schedule on board, and I know there were amazing things to see and do in that city! I’d also have loved to explore Amsterdam some at the end of the journey, as well — though we did get included airfare, so I am absolutely NOT complaining! Just making a note of what I shall do on my NEXT Viking cruise. It was everything I’d hoped for and beyond! Read Less

We had received a booklet about the Viking River Cruises from my wife's mother, who got them in the mail, because she had been on a Viking Ocean Cruise to the Nordic countries. We were looking for a River Cruise that could end up in Amsterdam, where we have a friend that lives there. The Rhine River Cruise from Basel to Amsterdam fit our plan perfectly! The Veranda Suite that we got ( Rm. 308) was roomy and beautiful. The full balcony off of the living room was like having our own private piece of Heaven! Being greeted in the morning by groups of beautiful, white Swans was really a treat! The bathroom was surprisingly spacious, and the heated floor in the shower let us know that we were traveling in First Class accomadations! The restaurant was gorgeous, and the food was amazing...especially because of the special menus offered each evening, featuring the local cuisine of each of the places that we visited, day by day. The menu recommendations by Frank, our Hotel Manager, were outstanding! Our experiences on the land excursions were excellent also, and we took one day to explore Cologne by ourselves, opting out of the group excursion, and taking a private Rickshaw tour of the city, away from the crowded places, and getting lots of historical and cultural info from our guide, Victor. We highly recommend the Rickshaw expericence!. Our favorite night, was the special dinner excursion, Dine in Rudesheim am Rhein!! The Food, the Fun, and the People, all made it an evening to remember forever! We felt that we were treated like Royalty the entire trip...and we will certainly be doing another Viking River Cruise in the future! Thank You Viking!! Read Less

We cruised from Basel, Switzerland, to Amsterdam. We decided to go in December so that we could experience the many Christmas markets along the Rhine River. They were amazing. The cruise was better than I ever imagined! The food was better than gourmet. I get horribly motion sick, but did not have any issues on this boat. The boat was clean, the staff were ever professional and our cruise director, Sebastian, always went above and beyond. He was funny, too! The tour guides were all local to the port we were in. They were really knowledgable and great story tellers. Our best tour guide was on the Colmar World War II memorial tour. The included excursions were great and we chose to go on several optional tours. I am already planning my next Viking River Cruise. I would highly recommend going on this cruise. Even if you have limited mobility, they had tour groups that were for people who needed a slower pace. They made sure that everybody on the cruise had an enjoyable experience. Read Less

My wife and I did this cruise because we wanted to experience a different type of cruise experience. We usually cruise on sailing ships (e.g. Windjammer Barefoot Cruises, Star Clippers, Windstar) and we generally like smaller ships. We were worried about the water levels and if we would have to change ships midway - fortunately, we were able to stay on the ship through the whole cruise. The ship itself is beautiful, with great rooms. We enjoyed having a balcony where we can watch the swans when at port and also the locks when changing to different parts ofthe Rhine. The food was excellent, as were the wine choices. We generally stuck to the house wines and id not get a drink package, because we are not big drinkers. We met friendly people while on board. Had many pleasant conversations. The view while on the river were spectacular. My wife was able to get many beautiful photos. We enjoyed the off shore excursions, especially the dinner at the monastery. However, we weren't too thrilled about braving the storm to check out the windmills. In fact, my wife would not walk to the windmill, due to the large amount of rain falling. Unfortunately, she had an upper respiratory infection, that worsened. Overall, a fun trip. Read Less

We absolutely loved our Viking Cruise. This was our first river cruise and and we were told many times that river cruising is different than ocean cruising. It is indeed but it was a wonderful, relaxing experience. We cruised the Rhine River from Basel to Amsterdam. We were so impressed with every city we visited and the excursions that were included with the cruise, were quality tours that were lead by interesting tour guides. And Christmas time was such a wonderful time to explore Europe with all the Christmas markets. It was magical. Viking’s attention to detail in every facet of our cruise was impressive, from heated bathroom floors, to water provided on our tours and treats awaiting us as we got back to the boat. We also chose to extend our travel on both sides of the cruise through Viking. Once again, we were not disappointed. We stayed in beautiful hotels in Lucerne Switzerland and Amsterdam. And Viking took care of getting us to where we needed to go every time. I did not have to think about anything - they handled it all. Viking has made a life long customer of me! I can’t wait to book my next Viking Cruise! Read Less

This was the second German December Christmas Markets cruise on Viking with a girlfriend. We had a great time again! We were on the Rhine River and were lucky enough to be able to stick to our itinerary since it had started to rain enough so that we didn't have to change ships mid cruise. The food on the Alruna was some of the best I have ever had on any ship! The cabins were clean and spacious enough for us and all of our treasures we bought at the Christmas markets. The staff was superlative! Everyone was extremely professional and friendly and knowledgeable of the area. We had a great time and look forward to another Viking trip. We loved the itinerary which started in Switzerland and ended in Amsterdam. Each town had a Christmas market and they were each different due to the locale. Strasbourg was the best! Overall excellent experience! Read Less

This trip was with 8 of our closest friends and THAT made it very special to us. We generally travel alone, but this time we took along friends. We all spent 2 extra days in our arrival city, Basel, Switzerland. Most of us took a side trip to the Swiss Alps which were covered in snow and the sights were fantastic. I highly recommend you ask your Viking rep about this trip to Lucerne if you have the time.Our embarkation and debarkation went very well. No complaints about that part and they took care of all the luggage from the hotel to the ship, and since most of us also extended for 2 more days at our ending city - Amsterdam - all our luggage was taken from the ship to that hotel as well. Very nice. The ship is very nice. Smaller than the regular cruise liners, but that makes it special. I believe there were only about 190 folks on our ship. We got the balcony cabin even though it was December, but that extra room was nice. Some of the did not get this room type and said their room was much smaller. As for the dining, fantastic. The food is very good and lots of it. Breakfast was either buffet or order from the menu. Dinners were multi-course and always several options to choose from. Wine or soda if you didn't drink wine was always included with all meals. Many of the lunches we were out on an excursion or in town enjoying the local cuisine and visiting the Christmas Market. My only complaint about the dining was that they didn't do reservations. There were two large groups on the ship, but only one table setup that would hold 10 folks. There was some "territory" issues the first couple days, but in the end, our group did get the larger table. I can't say that I was a fan of the entertainment on board the ship in the evenings. Usually it was a gentleman playing piano and singing. We did not usually stay to listen to him. Dinners were late - started at 7PM, and with our larger group lasted a while, so usually we just went back to our cabin after dinner. I can say that the included excursions for each port city were very nice. They were mostly walking tours so if you have difficulty walking, some of them may have been a little hard to do. What I really liked was that they were all early in the morning and were usually done by the time the markets opened, so we had plenty of time to walk through them. This gave my husband the opportunity to hear the history and me the time to spend in the markets, nice! We did do a couple extra excursions at an extra cost and they were also very nice. The service on board was also very good. The room stewards had the rooms cleaned up most days before you got back from breakfast and turned down by the time you were done with dinner. The waiters were exceptional and stayed with one area, so by the time the cruise was done, we all knew each other quite well. Our weather was not the best - very rainy. However, due to this rain, our cruise was the first one this year that was able to sail all the way up the Rhine River and NOT have to switch boats as we thought we might have at the start of the trip. THAT was VERY nice!! Of course after we made it through the lower part of the river, would have been nice to have a couple sunny days. We made out though. The only bad thing about the rain was the day we were at Kinderdijk. This was were the windmills were, but it was raining so bad and very windy that most of our group opt'd not to venture out and those that did came back early. Only one couple in our group was brave enough to stay the whole time and they were completely soaked by the time they returned to the ship. Would I go again? I would defiantly do a Viking cruise again if I were to take another river cruise. We have done the Danube (different cruise vendor) and now the Rhine, so if I decide to do another area that Viking cruises to, definitely. The break on the airfare was nice too. Most of us upgraded to Economy Plus which helped with the long flight from the states to Switzerland. Read Less

Cruise from Amsterdam to Basil. Chose this trip primarily for the Christmas Markets which were fabulous! Each one slightly different and unique but lots of fun and did most of my Christmas shopping. Love the souvenir mugs from each market. Best excursion was the Colmar WWII - guide was amazing and I learned so much about the area and the war. Other local guides were also very knowledgeable and made history come alive as well as providing information on each area visited. Food was totally incredible. Liked both the restaurant and the more informal atmosphere of eating in the lounge with smaller group of friends. For a person who is really not one for desserts, I had some of all of them --- luscious. Staff were all attentive and helped to make the experience great overall. Even though we had to switch ships due to low water levels, all was handled professionally. Already booked my next Viking Cruise for this fall! Read Less