Viking Sun Rhine Getaway review August 2014

I hope to create a review much like Cruisinskier's except for the Viking Sun, Basel to Amsterdam, with photos not quite as good as his. Our cruise was August 17-24, 2014 with a two night pre-trip extension in Lucerne.

First I want to say what a wonderful experience the cruise and the pre-trip extension were. We paid extra for the airfare so we wouldn't have more than one connection or a flight that left at six in the morning. I'd previously checked airfares, and the fare we paid to Viking, even with the addition, was the same as we would have had to pay if we'd made the reservations through the airline.

On the ship, I can't imagine a harder working crew and staff. I think they had many late nights. The tours were great, the local guides always good, the new busses are nice. There were 189 passengers (there would have been 190 if my sister hadn't had to cancel), the youngest 32, the oldest 95, but most seemed to be 60s and 70s. At 71, I fit right in.

So if I learned correctly how to insert photos, I will start with the Lucerne extension.

We landed at 8:35 am in Zurich in the rain. The transfer from the airport to the Radisson Blu in Lucerne went smoothly and took about 45 minutes.

Since check-in wasn't until 3:00, I went out in search of lunch. The train station is right around the corner from the hotel, and I stopped at a cafeteria-style place on the lower level.

Huh, the picture actually came through! I walked around the city a little, not going far.

All that is left standing from the old train station is the entrance.

Did I mention the rain?

When it started pouring buckets, I went back to the hotel and joined all the other Viking people sitting in the lobby.

The lobby

Reception

The Viking rep's desk

Hi Mimmy. I am looking forward to your review, and to seeing the differences of a Rhine cruise in the opposite direction from ours. And you figured out the photos!!

Great start!! Looking forward to more and I know these reviews take a lot of time and commitment so thanks for that!!

Jerry

The only real irritation was waiting for our rooms to be ready. The lobby was filling up as people came in from the rain. We'd take turns asking reception if our rooms were ready. Then another big tour group came in, the guide went to reception and got all their keys, and passed them out. They went to their rooms! It would have been nice if Viking could have arranged something like that, although by then it was close to 3:00. That started our stampede to reception, though, and soon we were in our rooms.

Thanks, Jerry. You were the inspiration.

The view from my room

This was in the bathroom. A volume control for what? I didn't hear music. I had the hair dryer plugged in next to it and wished it could create volume for my hair.

The sun was out, so it was time for another walk around the city. I could see the twin steeples of a church across the lake, so I set out to see it.

St. Leodegar (Hofkirche)

This sculpture seemed built right into the side of the church

He looks so despairing

The color gold grabbed my attention inside the church

I started searching for a place to eat.

But first I saw a chocolatier and had to buy some Swiss chocolate.

Then I found a restaurant. Café de Ville on the 2nd floor of this building.

The best and most reasonably priced food I had in Switzerland, but I didn't think to take a picture of the food.

After I ate, sleep was calling me. I hardly slept on that 9 hour overnight flight, St. Louis to Atlanta to Zurich.

Looking forward to reading your review Mimmy and especially the pictures. Thanks.

This is great Mimmy! I just finished reading Jerry's review and now can follow along on yours and save myself the let down of the 'virtual' trip being over! Will eagerly await more. Thanks!:D

Thanks for continuing our virtual cruise Mimmy! Looking forward to your review. Jerry dod a great job and I'm sure you will, too!

Thanks Cornmike, Banditoo, and Rothbury. Jerry's a tough act to follow.

DW is looking forward to your review from a woman's POV!! She's excited to keep reading! No offence Jerry but she isn't a beer drinker :) You've already got her hooked Mimmy when you went to the chocolate first!

Saturday morning started with a great breakfast in the Radisson Blu dining room (included), then time for an included walking tour of Lucerne. KKL Lucerne was right around the corner from the hotel and in front is this fountain. The lighted structure changes color, but this morning it looked as though someone drowned in it.

First stop Chapel Bridge and the Water Tower.

Above us on the bridge were a series of paintings depicting scenes from Lucerne's history.

Saturday there was a flower and produce market along the Reuss River so we made our way past to the onion-dome topped Jesuit church.

The Jesuit church

Inside the Jesuit church

Lucerne doesn't have a castle. Gutsch is as close as it comes

We passed a very crowded flea market and came to a second covered bridge, Spreuer Bridge. Overhead is a series of 17th century plague paintings titled Dance of Death.

We crossed the bridge into Old Town and visited plazas (platzs?) such as Weinmarkt and Kornmarkt, places where particular products such as wine and grain would have been sold. Many of the houses had beautifully painted facades.

I think our guide told us this had been a goldsmith's house

But look at that creepy ring the cherub on the far left is holding

Instead of "Washington slept here" it's Goethe slept here.

The walking tour ended about noon, and I stopped to eat at a place recommended by the guide. "Best pizza and pasta in town." I had soup (grandmother's recipe and salad). The sun was peeking out and it seemed a good time to walk the old city wall. I'd left my map at the hotel, but I thought I could find the way.

I could see a tower. Just needed to figure how to get to it.

There was a helpful sign.

And some residents must want to be sure you don't think their property leads to the wall.

The path I followed took me to the Clock Tower.

I had to enter the clock tower and climb some stairs to get to the wall. The view was worth it.

The towers. The two are the left are currently being repaired and were covered with scaffolding.

I walked down by a different path and saw this guy who seemed be keeping an eye on the tourists.

It was as steep going down as it was going up.

Back to the hotel. I crossed on the Spreuer Bridge. It has a chapel built into its side.

Checking my emails, I saw I had one from Viking. Due to high water levels, our cruise would not begin in Basel. Instead we would have a longer bus transfer to Breibach. Disappointing, but I don't think I would have gotten to Basel in time to see anything anyway. And as long as the whole cruise didn't become a bus tour, I was fine with it.

It was raining when I walked back to the hotel. An hour later, the sun was out again. I didn't want to leave Lucerne without taking a cruise around the lake, so I headed for the ticket office. I hadn't gone one block before it started to rain again, but I decided to take a chance on a one hour cruise on the Saphir. I got on the boat in bright sunshine.

There was seating outside and inside. You could buy snacks or a drink.

The Saphir

The trip ended on the opposite side of the lake, right where I wanted to be--closer to the Lion Monument that commemorates the hundreds of Swiss guards/mercenaries who were massacred in the French Revolution. It was awesome. I don't think a photo does it justice.

Ack! It started raining yet again. I stopped at Restaurant Caravelle near the Lion Monument for dinner.

Some nice sunset reflections on the way back.

And I sure would like to know what this was all about. A guy was carrying this flag and he seemed to need to get signatures from women.