Viking Rhine Getaway - Our photo intensive review on the Viking Ingvi, Summer 2014

[cruisinskier]

Here is the website for Breisach: http://www.breisach.de/html/seiten/startseite.phtml?nav=1&lang=en

 

The Strasbourg tourist office: http://www.otstrasbourg.fr/en/

 

And various Strasbourg downloads are here (the "whole town in your pocket" was useful for us): http://www.otstrasbourg.fr/en/brochures-to-download.html

 

And a PDF Strasbourg map: http://images.france-for-visitors.com/images/pdf/strasbourg-map.pdf

 

The main website for Basel: https://www.basel.com/en

 

And lots of Basel downloads here:

https://www.basel.com/en/guide-basel

 

Hope this info helps with your planning.

Jerry

[bobpatj]

Many thanks for your wonderful review of your cruise. Your pictures are stunning! We took the cruise from Basel to Amsterdam, last September - different ship and cruise line. It was so interesting to learn so much about your ship experience as well as your itinerary. It was fun to read about your ports and remember our experiences all over again. Soon we will be taking our second river cruise which begins with 4 night in Paris! Thank you for giving us a tour there as well. :)

[cruisinskier]

Many thanks for your wonderful review of your cruise. Your pictures are stunning! We took the cruise from Basel to Amsterdam, last September - different ship and cruise line. It was so interesting to learn so much about your ship experience as well as your itinerary. It was fun to read about your ports and remember our experiences all over again. Soon we will be taking our second river cruise which begins with 4 night in Paris! Thank you for giving us a tour there as well. :)

 

Hi Pat. Thanks for your comments and glad you enjoyed the review. It is always fun to re-live past cruise experiences! Enjoy your upcoming cruise and have a great time in Paris!!

Bon voyage!

Jerry

[Prdancer]

Jerry,

 

I want to thank you for the excellent photos and dialog on your Viking Longboat cruise. We are taking Viking cruise in Oct '15 so the information and pictures shown on this thread are very interesting and appropriate even though we will on a different cruise (Frances Finest) and vessel (Viking Heimbal). I have only started to read through the thread and am anxious to follow along with your interesting and thorough presentation. Well done!

[mvcountess]

Where can I see the photos of your trip Amsterdam - Basel? We leave at the end of the month. Thanks

[cruisinskier]

Jerry,

 

I want to thank you for the excellent photos and dialog on your Viking Longboat cruise. We are taking Viking cruise in Oct '15 so the information and pictures shown on this thread are very interesting and appropriate even though we will on a different cruise (Frances Finest) and vessel (Viking Heimbal). I have only started to read through the thread and am anxious to follow along with your interesting and thorough presentation. Well done!

 

Paul & Carol, thanks for your comments and glad the review is proving useful. Have a great trip and I look forward to reading your review! Safe travels!

Jerry

[cruisinskier]

Where can I see the photos of your trip Amsterdam - Basel? We leave at the end of the month. Thanks

 

mvcountess, the Amsterdam photos start in post 72 on page 4 and continue throughout my review. Enjoy and have a great trip!

Jerry

[BSinPNS]

Jerry, Thanks for the great journal and photos. We leave for Switzerland in seven days doing the reverse tour. THANK YOU. Bob

[cruisinskier]

Jerry, Thanks for the great journal and photos. We leave for Switzerland in seven days doing the reverse tour. THANK YOU. Bob

 

Hi Bob. Glad you enjoyed the review and hope you found it useful. Have a great trip! Safe travels!

Jerry

[bruflu]

Jerry,

 

Thank you for the cruise review and pictures. We took the same Viking Ingvi "Rhine Getaway" cruise from Amsterdam to Basel exactly one week after you did. Unfortunately we didn't get to see or do 10% of what you did. We had a cabin on the lowest level and didn't get any sleep the entire week because of the noise.

 

How did you manage to get any dinner service? Tip the server 50 euros before each meal? We had several meals where we literally received no food or beverages for two hours and then had our dinnerware snatched away.

 

I wrote a cruise review three weeks ago but it looks like it is not going to be published.

Just returned from this cruise on the Ingvi, and the dining experience was superb. There is no way you could have had several dinners with no service for 2 hours.

[cruisinskier]

Welcome back bruflu. Yes there appeared to be many gaps in kling-klang's comments. There was a separate thread where he posted his "report" but then never came back to answer any of the questions. Not saying everything is always perfect on a cruise but I do believe the truth may have been stretched a little in that feedback.....

 

Glad to hear that you had a great trip on the Ingvi and that the staff is still actually serving food and drinks ;):rolleyes::D

 

Jerry

[HRPro]

Jerry, thanks for one of the most comprehensive reviews I've read on CC, and I've read a lot. Love all the photos and the resource links. I'm a planner too, so I really appreciate the extra helps. We have been talking about a river cruise for several years, and your excellent review finally put this to the top of our bucket list. Hoping to do Amsterdam to Basel in 2015. We have many friends who have sailed with Viking and all of them have had the highest praise for the ships, the service and the food.

 

Now a question about Amsterdam, we will have a one day port stop in Rotterdam next spring and are planning to take the cruise line provided transportation to Amsterdam so that we can visit the Rijksmuseum--we're big art lovers. We'll have about 4 1/2 hours free time and will be dropped off near the museum. I'm also hoping to do a canal cruise. Will a couple of hours be enough time to do an overview of the museum or should we skip the canal cruise and focus on the museum? Should we purchase advance tickets on line?Is there a canel boat dock near the museum as we will be walking on our own? Any other recommendations for our first quick visit to Amsterdam? One of the reasons I want to do a river cruise is to have several days pre-cruise to really explore Amsterdam. Many thanks for any advice or recommendations you can share.

[cruisinskier]

Jerry, thanks for one of the most comprehensive reviews I've read on CC, and I've read a lot. Love all the photos and the resource links. I'm a planner too, so I really appreciate the extra helps. We have been talking about a river cruise for several years, and your excellent review finally put this to the top of our bucket list. Hoping to do Amsterdam to Basel in 2015. We have many friends who have sailed with Viking and all of them have had the highest praise for the ships, the service and the food.

 

Now a question about Amsterdam, we will have a one day port stop in Rotterdam next spring and are planning to take the cruise line provided transportation to Amsterdam so that we can visit the Rijksmuseum--we're big art lovers. We'll have about 4 1/2 hours free time and will be dropped off near the museum. I'm also hoping to do a canal cruise. Will a couple of hours be enough time to do an overview of the museum or should we skip the canal cruise and focus on the museum? Should we purchase advance tickets on line?Is there a canel boat dock near the museum as we will be walking on our own? Any other recommendations for our first quick visit to Amsterdam? One of the reasons I want to do a river cruise is to have several days pre-cruise to really explore Amsterdam. Many thanks for any advice or recommendations you can share.

 

Hi HRPro. Thanks for your kind comments. First, you mention you "hope" to do a river cruise in 2015. If you have not yet booked your cruise, I suggest you look into this quickly as river cruises tend to fill up a year or so in advance due to the limited cabins on-board.

 

With regards to Amsterdam, we spent about 2 hours in the Rijks and felt we saw most of the main attractions. We did not pre-purchase tickets but given your limited time to squeeze everything in, I would suggest you purchase in advance just in case. You would hate to lose even 20 minutes in line.

 

Also, given you are art lovers, the Van Gogh Museum is right next door if that is of interest. Also across the street is this place suggested by Rick Steeves....we had hoped to get there but never did...looks like fun though

 

With regards to a river cruise, there was a tour company right in front of the Rijks but they had limited times and we did not want to wait as the next tour was about an hour away....this may work if you plan to their departure times. We walked about 15 minutes from the Rijks back just across from the Flower Market and took our river cruise from there (see post 102 for the dock, boat, etc). They were not the newest of boats, but it was clean, they left often, and our decision was somewhat impulsive. And I know you are going to ask me what company we used....but I am not sure and am having trouble finding them online. The canal tour was about an hour. I believe there are a few different canal tour companies in this area. There are also a bunch that start up by the train station.

 

Happy planning and safe travels!

Jerry

[HRPro]

Thanks Jerry--this is very helpful. we'll check out the canel cruise times before going into the Rijks museum and plan accordingly. It sounds like with 4 1/2 hours we'll have time to do both or take in the Van Gogh museum. We'll definitely book our tickets on line to avoid waiting line. Yes, got to get cracking on reservations as the ships are filling fast.

 

Susan

[cruisinskier]

Hi Susan, in my last paragraph I meant canal cruises in front of the Rijks, not river cruises. But I think you figured it out. Need to read these before I post...:rolleyes::confused:

Jerry

[HRPro]

Yes, I knew what you meant. Thanks again!

[DiTomCruisers]

Great job. Great pictures and narrative.

 

I was stationed near Heidelberg and your posts brought me right back, 35 years later.

[cruisinskier]

Great job. Great pictures and narrative.

 

I was stationed near Heidelberg and your posts brought me right back, 35 years later.

 

DiTom, thanks for your comments and glad you enjoyed the review. We really enjoyed our time in Heidelberg. And thank you for your service!!

Jerry

[Sturmin]

Thanks for pics, commentary and info. Looking forward to ours in mid Nov. Safe travels.

[Cyber Kat]

Jerry - thank you so much for your wonderful and detailed review. I am also a planner and we've been thinking about doing this exact cruise for some time. Probably won't be until 2016 as we have plans for Bermuda and a family Caribbean cruise (on a big ship :) ) in 2015.

 

You talk about the high water - I've heard that river cruises often have issues with water levels. Do you know when the best time to go is? Did you research that before you picked yours?

 

I sent my husband the link to this review - hoping that will move us from thinking to booking! I'm sure he will enjoy the Amsterdam pics. His father came from Holland and we were there a number of years ago. Hope to spend some extra time there.

 

Thanks again - I really enjoyed all the pics and the detail - you answered most all of my questions!

[cruisinskier]

Thanks for pics, commentary and info. Looking forward to ours in mid Nov. Safe travels.

 

Sturmin, glad you enjoyed the review. Have a great river cruise!

Jerry

Edited October 4, 2014 by cruisinskier

[cruisinskier]

Jerry - thank you so much for your wonderful and detailed review. I am also a planner and we've been thinking about doing this exact cruise for some time. Probably won't be until 2016 as we have plans for Bermuda and a family Caribbean cruise (on a big ship :) ) in 2015.

 

You talk about the high water - I've heard that river cruises often have issues with water levels. Do you know when the best time to go is? Did you research that before you picked yours?

 

I sent my husband the link to this review - hoping that will move us from thinking to booking! I'm sure he will enjoy the Amsterdam pics. His father came from Holland and we were there a number of years ago. Hope to spend some extra time there.

 

Thanks again - I really enjoyed all the pics and the detail - you answered most all of my questions!

 

Hi Kath. Glad you found the review useful and that it answered some of your questions.

 

With regards to water levels, based on the threads I have seen on these boards it really is hard to forecast. There have been years when water levels are high (or low) in certain months but other years it is fine. Rainfall is really the main cause from what I have read, and that is just too hard to forecast in advance. The issue is that the bridges are only so high, so a few days of heavy rain can have a true impact on the water levels and whether the boat will fit under those bridges.

 

Last year there was excessive rains and lots of impact to river cruises. This year, there has been much fewer impacts from water levels, but still some. There are a few websites which monitor water levels but not sure that will help decide when to travel. Notamermaid, a regular on the river cruise boards, had posted this site which may help: http://www.wetteronline.de/pegelstaende?gid=SAC

 

In the end, it really comes down to when you want to go and hope for decent weather. We figured the heat of the summer would be fine but did have high water...we made all of our ports but did have to leave 3 hours early in Speyer to ensure we would fit under a lower bridge. Some ships heading the other direction were not able to start in Basel. In the end, stay positive and flexible and hope Mother Nature is in a good mood:D :D

 

By the way, it is not too early to look at 2016. Most boats fill up a year in advance so time to do your planning now. Good luck and safe travels!

Jerry

[Cyber Kat]

By the way, it is not too early to look at 2016. Most boats fill up a year in advance so time to do your planning now. Good luck and safe travels!

Jerry

 

Thanks for the info - I guess we will just have to take a chance and pick when it works for us. I'll have to check their web site. I didn't see 2016 dates in their brochure that we get in the mail.

 

Did you book directly or through a Travel Agent? I'm thinking that if I don't book air through them, I might need a TA. I'm okay with simple bookings, but flying in to one city and out of another could get complicated.

 

We're also thinking of adding on a few days before in Amsterdam. My husband's father is from Holland and we've been there before, but would love to spend time there again.

[cruisinskier]

Thanks for the info - I guess we will just have to take a chance and pick when it works for us. I'll have to check their web site. I didn't see 2016 dates in their brochure that we get in the mail.

 

Did you book directly or through a Travel Agent? I'm thinking that if I don't book air through them, I might need a TA. I'm okay with simple bookings, but flying in to one city and out of another could get complicated.

 

We're also thinking of adding on a few days before in Amsterdam. My husband's father is from Holland and we've been there before, but would love to spend time there again.

 

Hi Kath. It does look like the 2016 river cruises have not yet been released but they should be out shortly. We already have a 2016 Greek Islands cruise booked on Azamara so some cruises have been released.

 

We booked the river cruise through a TA and got some nice OBC. For flights, given we were doing extended pre and post cruise adventures, I wanted control of my dates / times so I booked myself (the control freak in me always wants to maintain that control). Most search engines will let you pick multiple destinations for your flights. Also, sometimes two one-way flights actually provide different fare options so try that as well.

 

Good luck with your planning!

Jerry

[Host Jazzbeau]

This is also a good time to search for bargains on 2015 river cruises. Many cruises sell out early, so sales are not as predictable as with ocean cruising--but there are occasional deals that can save you good money. AMA is having a sale right now on selected 2015 bookings (up $1,500 off). Note: this is not to be confused with the permanent "2-for-1" sales that some other lines are notorious for.