Viking Basel to Amsterdam

[tctravelgirl]

We are traveling from Basel to Amsterdam in May on Viking. I am interested in information about the optional tours on this trip. Also is the boat docked within walking distance of the towns. We have never traveled with Viking so I really appreciate any info. Thanks

[bigpaluka]

did this a few years back

Black Forest excursion was quite a drive, others were fairly short drives. Cologne and Koblenz docked right in town, Kinderdijk was right next to the windmills.

we didn't do any optional tours, quite busy with the free ones.

if you have time do a few pre days in Lucerne-you won't regret it.

[Bailey Swedishfish]

We did the Black Forest trip--it was ok, a little touristy but scenic. We also did the add-on Winery trip in Alsace. Really enjoyed that and it was also very scenic and the winery was in town and pretty and tasty. My adult sons went to the Mercedes factory and enjoyed that trip.(Mercedes? Might have been BMW, I can't remember)

 

I enjoyed both Cologne (and the ship docks right along the Chocolate Museum and an easy walk to the Dom) and Strasbourg. I seem to recall we had to take a bus into Strasbourg.

 

My family walked around Basel when we arrived (we did Basel to AMS as well) but I was a little under the weather and opted to stay on our ship and unpack and nap. The dock in Basel is a bit of a hike to the scenic old town area.

[mimmy52]

I was on a Viking trip Basel to Amsterdam in August 2014. The water was high at that time so we had to embark in Breisach instead of Basel. In Breisach, we were right at the town. In the morning there was an included Black Forest tour on a bus, but we had the afternoon to explore the town or go on an optional tour.

 

Strasbourg was definitely a bus and even then it was about 15 minutes to get to the old part of the city. We had a bus tour of the city first, then were dropped off near Petit France. Viking ran shuttles every couple of hours so you could stay all day if you wanted. Or you could go back to the ship for lunch, then take a shuttle back to Strasbourg.

 

Heidelberg was by bus. The ship moved to Gernsheim while we were touring and we got back on the ship there.

 

In Rudesheim, it was a short walk to the town.

 

In Koblenz we were right in the town. We had a tour of Marksburg Castle first (a bus brought us there), but there was time after to walk around Koblenz.

 

We weren't docked near the Chocolate Museum when we were in Cologne. It was a farther walk and they offered shuttles all day on the same schedule as they did in Strasbourg. It was about a 20 minute walk back to the ship if you wanted to walk, so doable if you preferred. Cologne was the only city where I took an optional tour, and that was the beer culture tour in the evening. It was great fun.

 

In Kinderdijk, we were right by the windmills, and there was only time to take the included tour and a quick stop in a gift store before we were off again.

 

We arrived in Amsterdam overnight and my flight left in the morning, and I really don't know how close to anything we were docked. I remember the program director announcing she'd arranged a canal tour for those who flights were leaving in the evening, but that was optional.

 

Hope that helps.

[MNPlease]

tctravelgirl my family and I are going to be going from Basel to Amsterdam on an Avalon Waterways river cruise in the middle of April. I have done a lot of research and have compiled it on my website https://mnplease.shutterfly.com/rhine2016daysitinerary the info in the itinerary is built around my family and Avalon but a lot of my resources were reviews, dailies (newsletters are given out daily on the ship) and more from Viking Basel to Amsterdam guests. Maybe you will find some info that will help you...check under Favorite Links. :)

 

Wishing you fun and safe travels!

[wandb]

Hi tctravelgirl! I can't get the "quote" function to work, so hope you see this. I'd like to invite you to join us on the 2016 Rhine Getaway Roll Call. We would love to have you be a part of our discussions and search for info as we all research our 2016 cruises.

 

On the River Cruising Roll Calls board we are "All Viking Rhine Getaway Cruises for 2016". Hope to meet you there!