Viking Paris to Swiss Alps pre-cruise Zermatt and Geneva

[kcpvwill]

Hi all

We are considering this river cruise with Viking in 2020.  The extension is of particular interest.  We would appreciate any feedback on the cruise, train travel, places visited and especially the alpine section from people who have done this itinerary.  

Many thanks

 

[kcpvwill]

Hello again 

 

Still wondering if anyone has any information for me eg would March be a good month for the Alpine section of the extension?

As I have had no replies I wonder if I am on the wrong part of the site or is this extension not popular.  

Perhaps I will need to ask on board Viking Sea in September.  

[caripoo]

I would do the pre and post on your own........March might be a little colder......Late spring or the fall ideal times...We are spending 8 days in Switzerland on our own before our Rhine in the fall.

[OneSixtyToOne]

We took this cruise last June, with pre and post extensions, starting in Switzerland. We had a fabulous time.

For us, the highlight was the Swiss extension. The trip from Geneva to Zermatt was great. We stopped at a small family winery on the hills above Lake Geneva and learn about what make that region's wine unique as well as how it's made. DYK Switzerland consumes 90% of its wine domestically and the little that is exported mostly goes to Japan? So take the opportunity to buy a bottle. 

 

Zermatt is breathtaking, as is the trip up the mountain by cogwheel train to view the Matterhorn. The town is pedestrian only. Our hotel was a scene right out of Heidi, with the sheep baying and bells ringing on the hillside outside our room.

 

Being a train buff, the trip on the Glacier Express was the experience of a lifetime (I highly recommend watching some of the You Tube videos available). The amount of elevation change on the train is unbelievable. The tour group has an entire first class car and the lunch is a hot meal cooked on the train. Very tasty. The scenery was unbelievable. You cross the Continental Divide of Europe (rivers flowing either north or south) and pass the source of both the Rhine and Rhone rivers. The Rhone Gorge is truly spectacular. The trip is narrated along the way via an automated recording. You have headphones and a message board tells you the number of the location you are travelling through. Press a button and you are given a history of the region you are passing through as well as information about what you are viewing.

 

The only negative about the trip was the location of the Hotel in Zurich. It's in a business/convention area and there is very little around. The tram does stop nearby and that takes you right to the old town area. The hotel will provide you a free transit pass for the day.

 

This was our 3rd VRC and the best extension of the lot.

 

Rhone Gorge from the Glacier Express

 

Lake Geneva

 

Our tour guide made sure we would see the Matterhorn, even on a cloudy day

 

Wine tasting on the banks of Lake Geneva

Edited July 23, 2019 by OneSixtyToOne

[OneSixtyToOne]

...You can also find some helpful information by digging through this thread...

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2559856-everything-viking-france-normandy-paris-provence/

 

[lackcreativity]

6 hours ago, kcpvwill said:

Hello again 

 

Still wondering if anyone has any information for me eg would March be a good month for the Alpine section of the extension?

As I have had no replies I wonder if I am on the wrong part of the site or is this extension not popular.  

Perhaps I will need to ask on board Viking Sea in September.  

We visited Zermatt as part of a land tour several years ago. We were there in June, and the trip up to view the Matterhorn was really cold. I would be concerned about the weather for March, or else make sure you have winter type clothing for that trip.  Zermatt was terrific.

[OneSixtyToOne]

32 minutes ago, lackcreativity said:

We visited Zermatt as part of a land tour several years ago. We were there in June, and the trip up to view the Matterhorn was really cold. I would be concerned about the weather for March, or else make sure you have winter type clothing for that trip.  Zermatt was terrific.

I second that. We wore ski jackets and gloves in June.

[kcpvwill]

Thanks everyone your information is appreciated.