My Rhine Getaway Experience and What to Expect on a Viking River Cruise

I’m not sure what I expected on my Viking River cruise, or how my Rhine Getaway experience would turn out. I had heard amazing things but nothing really specific beyond a high level of enjoyment. “You will love it” from those that have been lucky enough to go and, “I’ve heard it’s amazing!” from those that haven’t.

Me too.

After cruising with Viking I thought I would help lift the fog by sharing my Rhine Getaway experience. More specifically, what to expect on a Viking River cruise.

Prepare to Smile…A Lot

The very first thing I noticed with my Rhine Getaway experience was the high level of customer service the crew puts forth. Stepping onboard in Amsterdam I was met with warm smiles and a heartfelt greeting. This was instrumental in setting the tone for the rest of my week – one that was friendly, and beyond courteous. This high level of service continued into my stateroom where I found a modern and comfortable room complete with a welcome note, fresh fruit, and a bottle of bubbly.

Off to a great start.

Prepare to Eat…A Lot

The high-level service on my Rhine Getaway experience flowed from my welcome to the stateroom, to the dining hall. Smiles continued with the staff and new friends made at each meal. Viking River Cruises encourages sitting with other guests which made for some fun nights over some incredible meals. It was shocking the quality of food put out on this river cruise ship – even more so after touring the kitchen. Although there was always a set menu to pick from, my Viking Rhine Getaway experience highlights included local dishes pulled from the port towns we visited. Then there was one of the most amazing Thanksgiving dinners I have ever had.

Another thing to note on what to expect on Viking River Cruises is the included wine and beer with your meals. This was something I later found is not common in the cruising world. On top of that, the staff in the dining hall does a great job keeping you lubricated. My wine glass never went dry at dinner service. “Thank you, Linus.”

Prepare to Tour…or Not

Another anomaly on the Rhine Getaway experience is the inclusion of excursions. This added value feature is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing in that Viking River Cruises does an amazing job in keeping you busy and seeing the highlights of each stop. It is a curse in that it can leave you with little downtime to unwind. The excursions, of course, are optional. That said, my FOMO kicked in and had me out every day.

The tours are wonderful but definitely not how I am used to travelling as they are very handheld, leaving little time to explore on your own. This is great for first-time travellers and the travelling retirees, but not so much for my Rhine getaway experience. I did have a great time though, with plenty of highlights including a UNESCO World Heritage visit to the windmills in Kinderdijk, strolling Strasbourg – a French town that thinks it’s German, and a short beer tour in Cologne. Note, the latter was optional and at an additional charge.

Then there were the Castles. SO. MANY. CASTLES. This is a Rhine Getaway experience after all.

And of course, churches. This is Europe. Church highlights on my Rine Getaway experience included the Strasbourg Cathedral and the Cologne Cathedral. The latter being Germany’s most visited landmark.

Then there was eating Black Forest Cake in the Black Forest!

Prepare to Relax

As I mentioned, the excursions on Viking River Cruises are included and optional. If you choose to enjoy a day or two on board the ship you have plenty of time to do just that. Keep in mind, it is a river cruise and not a massive ship with endless entertainment. That said, weather permitting you can enjoy the sundeck or the view from your stateroom balcony if you have one. Also, in your room, there’s a flat-screen TV with on-demand movies. There is a small library as well as a 24-hour espresso machine and snacks. I made good use of this and caught up on work while using Viking River Cruises complimentary Wi-Fi – yet another cruise ship anomaly.

Prepare to Party…or Not

One thing I didn’t expect with my Rhine getaway experience was to be out partied by the vacationing seniors on board. After a day of bus tours and walking, I was exhausted. Add an amazing but heavy meal and I wanted nothing more than a movie in my stateroom. Not my new dinner friends. Each night there is some form of entertainment in the lounge area. From dancing to singing along with musicians, the seniors took full advantage – which somehow made me that much more tired.

Prepare for the Unexpected

Lastly on my takeaway from my Rhine Getaway experience is to expect the unexpected. Water levels on the Rhine vary drastically which can often mean your Viking River Cruise can only go so far. Note: the water has to be shockingly low as my visit to the bridge made me realize. The average death on the Rhine is only 9 feet. Even more shockingly is the fact that these boats only require inches of water to operate. Inches! For my Rhine getaway experience, this meant a ship swap, bypassing the low section of water. Viking made the transition as seamless as possible.

We left on a tour one day and instead of returning to our ship we continued on to the next one. Erin’s parents had experienced low waters while on a Danube river cruise weeks before. This cruise line (a competitor) did not swap ships but docked and shuttled guests by bus for the remaining couple of days. Again, these conditions are out of the company’s control. How they handle it or not. Still, something to keep in mind as we missed out on some riverside Castles along the Rhine, something that other guests we talked to had specifically taken the cruise to see.

Expect More

In the end, my Viking River Cruises Rhine getaway experience is one I can glow about. At the time I had nothing to compare it to but after taking a Caribbean cruise I realized that you can expect more on a Viking River Cruise. 

More specifically:

• The smaller ships allow for more personalized experiences
• Alcoholic beverages are included with meals
• Excursions are included and optional
• Wi-Fi is included as there is a computer station for all to use
• You can bring your own beer on board and not be charged an arm and a leg for it
• Tips are not included!

What say you?
Thoughts on my Rhine Getaway Experience?
Let’s hear it!

For more reviews from Europe and beyond see HERE.

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Although I was provided a complimentary Rhine Getaway experience thanks to Viking River Cruises, the experience, opinions, and failure to keep up with the seniors is my own.