What a revelation and cruise experience to discover, by river, the cultural, historical and gastronomic delights of the magnificent Rhine through the heart of northern Europe and its hinterland aboard the Viking Sun. This is the largest river cruise ship in the Viking fleet and sailed in September for a 12 night cruise from Basel in Switzerland, through France, Germany, Holland and ending in Antwerp in Belgium .

There were some 176 passengers on this 423 foot long, four deck ship on which one could not have had a more rewarding experience. . The ship is very comfortable, well equipped and designed to provide magnificent vistas through the large panoramic windows in the restaurant , lounge and from the two upper decks. There is also a magnificent sun deck from prow to stern , which gives you a mile long walk four times round, should you feel the need after the daily excursions! Most of the docking points
along the Rhine were owned or dedicated for Viking so there was no kerfuffle on boarding the ship.

The mighty Rhine starts its course upstream in the Swiss Alps and becomes a wide fast flowing river by the time it has reached Basel. The river certainly inspires awe and admiration for its power and changing beauty along its 900 mile course to the delta area of the Netherlands and thence into the North Sea, through some 12 locks, which handle an average of 100 ships per day and take an average time of 14 minutes per ship.

The English speaking Viking Sun crew were uniformly helpful, courteous and efficient without being obtrusive, under the able French captain. Meals provided by Executive Chef, Rheiner, were excellent , with varied menus reflecting the areas visited. Wines from the local regions were recommended by Sven, the Maitre d’. The efficient and personable cruise manager, Jochen from Bavaria, gave enlivening talks each evening, including information on the next day’s journey and excursions. His practical tips, anecdotes and visual aids were invaluable and entertaining ! There were some interesting local entertainments on board plus a ship tour of the galley / bridge and demonstrations of local skills ( such as clog making by a young Dutch girl in national costume !) In the afternoons and evenings piano music was provided by the gifted melodic Mike from Hungary.

Overall there were 14 shore excursions (all inclusive, except one), and free time to explore the towns if preferred. The excursions were faultless, with excellent enthusiastic local guides. Among the highlights were the visits to the Black Forest , the stunning Gothic marvel of Strasbourg Cathedral ,the EU Parliament complex and Heidelberg Castle steeped in history.

Before reaching Cologne the ship sailed through one of the most beautiful reaches of the Rhine, passing the legendary Lorelei formation, with some 20 castles dominating the hills on both sides. One of the castles visited, the Marksburg, has survived the region’s turbulent history and retained its essential medieval character.

Forward into Holland with an outing to the Dutch palace of Het Loo, a former residence of the House of Orange, with its beautiful garden . On the same day there was the opportunity to see the famous bridge at Arnhem and a visit to the WWII battlefields nearby. Onwards to Amsterdam and the Rijksmuseum to sample the masterpieces of Vermeer and Rembrandt and enjoy a boat trip on the canals. The cruise proceeded to Gouda and Delft, two towns full of character and modern art, with a visit to a cheese farm with samples and then to the famous town of Delft to witness the delicate painting and hand crafted skills of pottery .

The last day of the cruise into Belgium offered the alternatives of a visit to Bruges or Antwerp with its truly magnificent square, fine churches , medieval buildings and the fabulous house where Rubens lived.

Our wonderful experience was over and we were sorry to take the short flight back to London. However, some passengers were so impressed by the cruise , that they made the return journey via Viking Sun from Antwerp to Basel !