I can't think of anything Viking could have done to make this cruise any better. I have cruised many times but this was my first Viking cruise and first river cruise. The food was outstanding in every way. Quality and presentation every meal. We had a Veranda A cabin. Yes it is quite small but well designed for storage. Quality bath products are used. All tours went out on time and every guide we had was very knowledgeable and personable. The entertainment was exceptional as well. Excellent piano player who played at lunch as well as in the evening. One night there was a husband and wife singer and piano player as well as a night of classical music. Of course it is not like the entertainment on a larger luxury liner but I didn't expect that so I wasn't disappointed. We did the Rhine river from Basel to Amsterdam. Wonderful little towns and cities. Great docking location. The cruise director Renee was superb at his job as was the staff. We had a great waiter Ivan. He made suggestions on what to order and took good care of us. I would highly recommend Viking and would like to go on the Danube next. Read Less

Amsterdam to Basal-what’s not to love?! We started with a precruise stay in Amsterdam. What a wonderful city. There is so much to do and see: the sobering Anne Frank house, the relaxing canal boat ride, the fabulous Rijks Museum. It is a very walkable city or use the public transportation. The residents of the city are welcoming, friendly and very helpful. Our home for the next 8 days was lovely. As you board the ship, you are greeted by a member of the staff and escorted to your cabin. The cabins are nicely laid out and appointed. Love the heated bathroom floor! The staff on the Herja were attentive without being intrusive. It is so nice to have staff remember you want honey with your coffee, or prefer a glass of Rosé. The cabin steward was so kind and accommodating to our needs. Time spent relaxing on the aquavit terrace watching the world float by was time well spent. During the float down the middle Rhine we sat up top as our program director pointed out castle after castle. Renè always had such interesting facts to share. The included excursions were well guided with local residents. As the guide pointed out sights of interest, we noted where they were so we could come back and explore them in more detail during our free time. The evening were spent in the lounge area. Some evenings there are guest speakers on local customs or musical guests. The Herja also has a wonderful entertainer on board playing music to listen to, sing along with, or dance the night away. The food on the Herja was delightful. The omelet station at breakfast was very popular as omelets were made to your specifications. Lunch was relaxing with several selections. Dinner was a wonderful affair. Business casual dress and no assigned seating. The entrees were varied and highlighted fresh ingredients and local specialties. Traveling with Viking is educational, relaxing, and lovely. Would we go again? Absolutely! Read Less

We were treated to a fun time by all the staff and was surprised at the things we got to experience. The passengers were very friendly and soon became like Family. The scenery was beautiful. The food was delicious and the Staff was awesome. The excursions were very interesting and loaded with history about the places we visited. The Captain was very visible to the guest and very friendly. He would come around and socialize with the guest a lot. We had great weather and the River was very inviting. When it came time to leave, no one wanted it to end. Leaving such great people and a Super Staff made debarking a difficult thing to do. If we could have gathered up everyone, Staff and all, we would have just continued to great times back home. We are so pleased to have experienced this great River Cruise. Looking forward to getting to go on another River Cruise with Viking. Highly recommend Viking. They give you First Class service all the time. Thank you Staff of the Viking Herja. Happy times! Read Less

We've never wanted to do an ocean cruise but were intrigued by river cruises. We chose Amsterdam to Basel because we have family in Basel and wanted to visit at the end. The ship itself was clean and easy to find our way around. The cabin was comfortable and spacious with plenty of storage. The water in the mini-fridge was nice and the room was always welcoming. Dining was great fun and the food was very good. It was nice to meet up with people at the end of the day and talk about what we'd seen and done. We didn't participate much in the entertainment or activities, choosing to rest in between excursions. Though we'd heard good things from our cruise mates. Service was incredible and the entire staff and crew were kind and helpful. I even left a bag on the ship and it was mailed to me right away. Embarkation and disembarkation went very smoothly, especially given this was our first cruise. Viking made it very easy. Transfers were amazing. My husband and I are currently trying to plan another cruise and hope it will be soon. I recommend Viking River Cruises to everyone I can. Read Less

Our previous experience with Viking Cruises has been exceptional. So naturally, Viking was our only consideration when we decided to take a Rhine cruise. From the beginning of booking the cruise to stepping onboard the Viking reps left no detail unattended, answered our questions and the web site is easy to navigate. All staff on board were superb, attention to detail, anticipated every need and very welcoming. My husband always wanted to see Marksburg Castle and Colmar. The tour and education exceeded his (our) expectations. The only disappoint was the Black Forest tour. The day was very foggy, rainy which could not be helped. But the stop at the village felt more touristy than Viking quality. Our guide was phenomenal and gave interesting history and facts on the drive. However, having a opportunity to walk on some trails OR meet local farmers, tour a home, etc would have made the visit more impactful. We loved,loved our pre trip in Amsterdam! Wonderful city, people, shirt bike ride and the museums (Anne Frank House, Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum). Public trams very easy to navigate the city, plus we enjoyed walking to take in local experiences. We are grateful to have experienced a wonderful visit to Germany, Rhine cruise, new friendships and life long memories. Read Less

My friend invited me and although I never imagined going on a cruise till I was old I wasn't going to turn her down. This cruise converted me to taking another and another - it was fantastic. It exceeded all my expectaions. The food was 4 or 5 stars. The side trips were free or modestly priced and worth every penny. And, we were really lucky with the weather. Additionally as I am English I delayed my flight back and spent 3 weeks in England visiting life long friends while I was so far from Marin CA where I live. We spent most days docked an off the boat on side trips to interesting places except for when we sailed the Lorellei which is where the Rhine narrows as it flows between the rocky hills. this is the area of Wagner's "The Ring" is set in this opera. The evening entertainment was also fun and we met interesting people as dinner was served at tables of 6 - small enough for conversation and we sat with different groups each evening. Read Less

We wanted to do a river cruise and Viking had a great report. All of the Staff was extremely friendly and helpful. Made us feel like Family. The desk Staff was always ready to help and answer any questions with a smile and good sense of humor. The desk Staff always greeted everyone when they came into the Atrium with a hello and a smile. We very much appreciated their kindness. Our Cruise Director was great and funny. We were always given the opportunity to do activities and have fun. Our cabin was on the bottom deck, but was nice. We don't stay in the cabin, because we are out doing activities. Our cabin Stewart was fantastic. She always spoke to us when she saw us. Always smiled. Meals were a fun time. The Staff would kid around with you and get you laughing and in such a happy mode. We miss everyone and Blessed to have had the Staff and experience that we got to have. We want to thank all of the Staff for making our Cruise down the Rhine River an experience that we will never forget. We will never forget the Wonderful Staff that we had the privilege to be with. Thank you all! Read Less

My mom wanted to do a River Cruise for her 80th birthday. We decided that we were interested in the stops that this cruise had to offer. We were not disappointed. The entire crew, everyone that we encountered, were all just amazing. Helpful, kind, happy, I mean we couldn't have hand picked a better group of people to spend our first cruise with. The daily briefings to tell us about the next day's excursions were wonderful, and informative. The excursions themselves were filled with history and information that we may not have experienced if we had done a self-guided tour. We loved learning about all of the wonderful places along the way. The wait staff were all so great. Friendly, funny, just a great group of people. The food was wonderful, and I loved that they had different meal themes based on where we were. The housekeeping staff took such good care of us, and did an awesome "towel cake" in my mom's room for her birthday. The entertainment was great, and the bartenders were top notch. By the time we left, we felt like family, and we were sad we had to say goodbye to everyone. Can't wait until our next adventure! Read Less

The trip details were quite interesting. Everything we experienced was excellent. Highly recommend this cruise and cruise line.The included excursions plus the optional excursions were truly worth the money.The weather although odd for that time period was exceptional with no rain, only lots of sunshine and extremely high temperatures. The crew was fabulous and couldn't be more accommodating, especially the cruise director and the wait staff. Meals were delicious and fulfilling. We had taken cruises on larger ships and thought we would miss the evening entertainment, but we were satisfied with the evening activities that went on with this ship (the games, piano music, classical musicians, glass blower, etc. The fact that the head chef spoke about the dinner before each meal each evening was quite informative. The choice of beverages with each lunch and dinner was great. The ship was very clean and well taken care of. If one has never taken a Viking River cruise before they don't know what they are missing. My wife and I have now become an avid river cruise fan and will surely be repeat travelers with Viking. Read Less

Everything was wonderful, my only complaint is I think it was Strasbourg when we visited on June 9 was a waste, everything was closed because it was Sunday. And when we got to Colmar everything was closed but gradually began to open as we were about to leave, we were there too early and very little to do as most things were closed. These 2 experiences were my reason for a four star rating and not a five star. Also I think soda should be available more often than meal times. Other than what is mentioned I feel the Cruise was very enjoyable and relaxing. I believe the cruise director of entertainment did a fantastic job. Looking forward to taking another a Viking Cruise in the future. Service and food was outstanding. In fact so good I gained too much weight from the wonderful meals. The crew could not be more pleasant or helpful. Read Less

We had previously taken 3 European river cruises with Vantage Travel, a much smaller cruise line, and loved the experience. Our friends suggested that they would rather have a boat with verandas so that they could enjoy time in their room even when they weren't up to taking the excursions, so we agreed to go with them on this Viking "Rhine Getaway" cruise. We started with a 3-day pre-cruise extension to Lake Como which was delightful, and the Viking Program Manager accompanied us all the way from Italy to where the Herja was docked in Basel, Switzerland. The stateroom was smaller than what we had become accustomed to on prior cruises, but with good storage options, we soon stowed all of our belongings and acquainted ourselves with the ship. The Herja is just a few years old, and is maintained in perfect condition. Crew members are always polishing, cleaning, vacuuming, tidying up and keeping everything ship shape. We met Renee, our cruise director, at a Welcome Aboard event that evening, and were ready for cruising. He was very professional and knowledgeable and funny too. When we went on the very first excursion to the Black Forest the next morning, we marveled at the efficiency of the Viking organization. We were assigned to one of the 4 Viking buses that awaited us just outside the boat and were whisked away to our first excursion right on time. The guide was knowledgeable and entertaining, and the excursion proceeded with the efficiency of a German clock. This experience continued throughout the tour. Buses and guides were always waiting when we arrived in the port, and the guides gave us clear instructions as to when and where to meet at the end of the tour. There were a few opportunities to wander into some of the towns on our own, and we enjoyed touring in a less structured way and sitting down at a cafe for a local beer. All of the ports and excursions were interesting and worthwhile, but my favorite part of the tour was the morning that we spent cruising the Rhine Gorge with Renee narrating the history of the castles we saw along the way. Meals were interesting and varied, with local dishes featured based on the port we were in. Breakfast was always a buffet, with an omelette station. Lunch had some buffet choices and some plated meals, and dinners offered a choice of 2 or 3 salads/appetizers and 3 entrees. Steak, chicken and salmon are always available if you don't like what's on the menu. Service from every crew member we met throughout our cruise was friendly and exemplary. The weather was perfect for our entire cruise, and no alterations had to be made to the itinerary due to river conditions, which can sometimes happen later in the summer when the river is low. It's best to do these tours in spring for best weather and river conditions. The others who have given low ratings to this ship and itinerary traveled in late summer when the river was low. All cruise lines have a Plan B for when the river cooperates and you may not get to experience the ports that were advertised. Read Less

This was one of the best vacations I have been on. All the work was done for us - just get on the ship and have fun! Everything went smoothly from arriving at the airport and boarding the ship, and the same coming home. The staff on board couldn't have been more helpful or courteous. We thoroughly enjoyed the excursions. The guides were very knowledgeable and helpful. My husband is unable to walk far without having to sit down, but the guides always made sure there was a seat or rock or something to sit on when he needed it! The food was wonderful, and we made many friends at the dining table. I particularly liked the 24 hour coffee machines, and cookies! We enjoyed sitting on the deck and watching the activity on the river, and seeing the castles and other interesting buildings on the shore. Great value for the money! Read Less

My husband & I have been on large ocean cruise ships in the past. As we researched a more relaxing, refined cruise vacation the Viking Cruise Line was suggested to us repeatedly. We booked the Rhine River Cruise and LOVED it! Since it was our first experience with Viking River Cruises we didn’t extend our trip before/after our cruise. However, we will definite books with this cruise line again & will plan to extend. Many people on our ship chose this option and really enjoyed their accommodations & the buffer time on either end of the cruise itself. The accommodations onboard were superb; we booked a Veranda Stateroom & enjoyed having the private outdoor deck with 2 chairs & a table. The housekeeping staff was amazing as our room was always clean when we returned from breakfast and turndown was always done when we returned from dinner. Food was plentiful & delicious, tours were well thought out and extremely interesting & informative. Our experience was truly absolutely perfect in every way - everything went smoothly and as planned thanks to the expertise of all Viking staff....Thank you!!! Can’t wait to cruise with you again in the future. Read Less

The areas we wanted to see. We were treated like kings and queens. We enjoyed it so much that we bought vouchers for another. This was our first Viking cruise and won't be our last. Meals and service were excellent. Cabin was cleaned daily by a very great staff. The evening lectures by the tour director were informative and well researched. Evening entertainment was fun and enjoyable Truly enjoyed meeting all the other guests. Daily tours were very good and informative. I can't think of anything that Viking could have done to make it more enjoyable. One of the things we liked was not being asked to pay for extras. I have heard from friends that used other lines and they felt nickel and dimed. We hope that our next cruise is the Romantic Danube. Looking forward to seeing you in the future. On our tour we plan to book the pre-tour option. Read Less

I love how Viking treated the guests, our staff even put a bookmark in my husband’s books he brought along. The food was excellent and the service fantastic. The tours and scenery in each port of call was fantastic with a preview discussion the evening before. I love tulips and the tours of several locations were incredible. I will bring more tennis shoes because of the many walks on the cobblestone streets. I really liked the decor of the ship, so crisp and clean. The heated floor in the bathroom and the shower were lovely. The balcony was enjoyed several times. I even woke in the middle of the night and sat outside and watched the world go by. During the afternoon when returning g from excursions it was lovely. I enjoyed a red tea that was floral and excellent on so many occasions and there were always cookies to be had. I do look forward to my next Viking cruise. Read Less

We enjoyed everything...... well, almost everything. The ship, the cabin, the trip itinerary, the tours, the tour guides, and especially the ship-board staff were all excellent. That is what we have come to expect from Viking. Kudos. The food, however, was not excellent. At best, I would call it sub-standard. To be fair, I would rate the breakfasts as adequate. Lunches were also adequate although the food choices were unexciting. Dinners, however, were truly disappointing. The dinner process itself was pleasant. The menus appeared to be well thought out, offering attractive options. Each and every night, there was at least one item on the menu that sparked our attention and gave us something to look forward to. However, every single main course that was delivered to our table was overcooked and dry. We have been on Viking tours before. We certainly expected much more from the kitchen. I am curious. Our four travel companions appeared to agree on this matter. Did other guest on this particular cruise share our assessment? Read Less

We recently returned from our Viking trip down the Rhine River disappointed and exhausted. The trip was chaotic and disjointed due to River levels on the Rhine. Instead of advising us of the extent of the disruption to be expected so we could cancel Viking emailed us several days before departure that we may have changed ships due to low. Water levels but accommodations would be made for our comfort. What was left out of the message was that we would be spending countless hours on busses instead of the river, we would miss several cities on our itinerary and the experience would make us sick. My husband arrived home with pneumonia and a distinct distaste for any more Viking trips. I arrived home thinking thankfully this trip is over. Not a memorable experience for the thousands of dollars we spent and the expectations we had for this trip. Read Less

My wife and I enjoyed our first river cruise -- a 7 night "Rhine Getaway" cruise from Amsterdam to Basel 08/21/2018 to 08/28/2018 on the Viking Herja. We paid $5,636 including airfare. There were 188 other passengers on the cruise. Despite drought conditions and low water levels on the Rhine river (necessitating unplanned delays and a missed port), the Captain and crew did a wonderful job of addressing challenges and keeping us on track. We loved touring the windmills, castles and cathedrals, and the included shore excursions were fun and informative. The Captain was very skilled and experienced, and we enjoyed his wheelhouse tour. Meals were wonderful, service was excellent, and we met many new friends on board. The 24-hour coffee machines made great coffee drinks, and the snacks were plentiful. The sun deck was spacious and comfortable, although we longed for a bit more shaded area refuge. We were a bit disappointed that, due to unforeseen itinerary changes, we were unable to see all the ports and castles anticipated. For example, we were delayed for more than 6 hours by the Rhine River Traffic Control authorities in Germany until higher water levels from upstream rains reached our position, resulting in passing many castles in the middle of the night. However, our ship was one of the few that made it through the entire journey without transfer to an alternate vessel. Our only minor complaint was in the airfare routing (too many segments)… we'll likely handle that ourselves next time. Overall, a very enjoyable vacation... highly recommended. Read Less