We had much fun with ocean cruises and a river cruise in the past, but cruising with Viking Tir on Main, Danube, and Rhine Rivers this July was a brand new experience! After waiting for more than two years for the COVID pandemic to pass, we finally decided to adventure the Viking Grand European tour ignoring the multitude of cases of virus variants. It was a 15-day tour, but owing to the past regrets of not being able to see much of the starting and terminating cities of those cruises, we decided to use most of the Viking onboard bonus for a two-day extension in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and three-day extension in Progue, Czech which made our trip 20 days covering five countries and fifteen cities. It turned out really worthwhile. Everything from flights to hotels was pre-arranged by the Viking; we just packed and went.

With good food and plenty of sleep at the Regency Hotel, we soon revitalized our fatigue from the flights and accomplished a great deal during our stay in Amsterdam. We took a city tour, a canal tour, and, most hard to come by, we visited Van Gogh Museum. Face to face with the genuine van Gogh’s paintings such as “The Bedroom”, “Sunflowers”, and “Self-portrait with Felt Hat” let us share his passions and emotions. The museum listening devices helped us, even more, to understand Van Gogh’s closeness with the struggling peasants by observing his coarse and rough portrayals of “The Potato Eaters” and “Women on the Peat Moor.” Surprisingly there was an enthralling moment standing so close to “Wheatfield with Crows;” the ominous crows seemed cawing in your ears while they dashed between the stormy sky and yellow fields as if forecasting the artist’s death.

On the 14th of July, we boarded Viking Tir and started the voyage that would take us along the inland waterways of Netherlands, Germany, Austria, and Hungary. Unlike an ocean liner which is huge and carries up to 4000 people, Viking Tir was much smaller and carried only 190 guests. It takes us about 5 minutes to go from the stateroom to the lounge, dining hall, or deck area. There is also an elevator running 24/7 for those who needed it. All meals were always delicious. It was even better when lunch and dinner were based on two sets of menus, one stayed the same, and the other changed according to local table delicacies. The service was fantastic because the waiters or waitresses always greeted us with our names and served us the drinks we were accustomed to ordering; they would bring lemon hot water for me and wine for my husband with our meals. From embarkation to disembarkation, our tour director, Kane, organized every event seamlessly by making sure that we received all the information and accommodation needed for our onboard entertainments and excursions. He really impressed us with his leadership qualities, decent personality, and many talents. He would assist your needs even at the last minute; he is knowledgeable about the UNESCO world heritage sites; he sings like Frank Sinatra and he always engaged his audience with humor and captivating stories. All the crew from the manager and head chef to the housekeeping staff really made us very comfortable. All the guides for excursions were knowledgeable and professional and provided an unprecedented river cruise experience. Read more