Viking river cruise review: Christmas on the Rhine (part 1)
If you’re looking to get in the Christmas spirit while enjoying a unique European travel experience then you need to check out Viking’s ‘Christmas on the Rhine’ holiday river cruise! We just got back from the trip of a lifetime aboard the Viking Kara. Our trip took us to several Christmas markets in Germany, France, and Switzerland, and also included stops in the Netherlands. We found our Christmas market river cruise to be a unique and convenient way to explore Europe at Christmas. However we weren’t sure what to expect when we boarded our ship, so today we’re sharing our comprehensive cruise recap! Below is part one of our Viking river cruise review. We break down exactly what to expect during the first three days of our Viking river cruise.
Click this link for Part 2 and 3 of my Viking river cruise review of the Christmas on the Rhine sailing.
Our Christmas on the Rhine sailing was hosted by Viking Cruises. All thoughts, opinions, and experiences are our own.
Day 1 of our Viking river cruise- Arrival and exploring Amsterdam
Arrival and check in on day 1
We flew from Spokane, Washington to Amsterdam via Delta Airlines. After 13 hours of travel, we arrived at Schiphol (Amsterdam’s airport) around 9:30 am. One of the big perks of a Viking cruise is that same-day arrivals get free transfers from the airport to the ship. We didn’t sleep on the plane at all and were exhausted, so it was a relief not to have to figure out public transportation logistics on our own! After disembarking, getting our checked bags, and freshening up in the airport bathroom we met a Viking representative at arrivals. We then waited about 30 minutes to board a coach bus for a 30 minute drive to the ship.
The ship was docked along De Ruijterkade, which is centrally located along the IJ near Amsterdam Central Train Station. You can find a link to our Amsterdam docking location here. Upon arrival the Viking crew greeted us and took our luggage. We were then able to check in, access our room, and grab a light lunch on the ship (served 11:00 am – 3:00 pm) before heading out to explore Amsterdam.
A few things to note about Viking River Cruise check in
- Rooms are accessible on a rolling basis, with the nicest rooms available first for check in and access. We had a veranda room and were supposed to be able to access our room by 3:00 pm. However, our room was actually ready for us by 11:00 am. This experience was typical of our sailing with Viking, which I find really took a ‘under promise, over deliver’ approach. The staff really go above and beyond.
- You can arrive in Amsterdam a day or two prior to the cruise. However, you will then need to coordinate lodging and travel logistics (including travel to the ship) on your own.
- You can learn more about our room and our ship, the Viking Kara, here.
- Our cruise offered guided welcome walks at 1:30 and 3:30 pm, which took visitors into Amsterdam. However, we opted to forgo those in favor of exploring the city on our own.
Exploring Amsterdam on our own
During the afternoon we did a 7 mile self-guided stroll around Amsterdam so that we could stretch our legs and see the sights. We didn’t actually plan much beforehand, but the nice thing about Amsterdam is that the entire city is a vibe. If you don’t have the energy to visit museums or use your brain much after a long flight you can still have a good time wandering the canals.
Travel Tip: If you visit Amsterdam be very mindful of the cyclists. Make sure to look both ways before crossing a bike lane.
A few highlights from our time in Amsterdam
- We walked along many of the city’s scenic canals, which are always a treat
- We stopped by the Anne Frank House, but note that tickets have to be booked far in advance.
- We visited the Homomonument. This is a memorial for members of the LGBTQ+ community that experienced discrimination during the WWII German occupation.
Evening schedule aboard the ship
After exploring Amsterdam we headed back to the ship for dinner and some welcome festivities! The evening events kicked off at 5:00 pm with drinks and live music so people could meet their fellow passengers. Afterwards, at 6:00 pm, we had a welcome briefing and quick safety drill.
Dinner was served at 7:15 pm. Gwyn enjoyed a salad followed by a tomato-based dish with chickpeas and eggplant. Amiana ate brisket with gravy and a side of vegetables and potatoes. For dessert we had chocolate mousse and cheesecake.
After dinner, at 9:00 pm, the ship hosted live music by a local trio, which played in the ship’s lounge. Guests also had time to explore Amsterdam at night, as the “back on board” time was 11:00 pm. When you return to your room in the evening you can expect to find a full written itinerary for the next day. You will also find tickets for any excursions you will be participating in.
Day 2 of our Viking river cruise- Sailing and surprises in Dordrecht, the Netherlands
Breakfast on board a Viking river cruise
Day two of our cruise took us to the town of Dordrecht in the Netherlands!
We started our morning in the Aquavit Terrace, which is the smaller of the two dining rooms on the ship. It was also my favorite place to dine, but seating is limited and can be competitive. Click here to learn more about the dining options on board our Viking river cruise.
For breakfast, which was served 6:00 am – 10:00 pm, we enjoyed coffee, fresh berries and mascarpone, an omelet, and eggs Benedict with lox. The aquavit terrace has a smaller buffet than the restaurant, but it has the same fixed breakfast menu. Click here to read more about the breakfast options on board.
Exploring the charming town of Dordrecht
Our ship docked in Dordrecht at 8:30 am at Merwekade 12, 3311 TH Dordrecht, Netherlands, which is conveniently located near the city center. You can find a link to our Dordrecht docking location here. It was also within easy walking distance of many of the sights!
While some of our fellow passengers headed out on the optional ‘Gouda and Waffle Workshop’ excursion, we got ready for a 9:00 am complimentary tour of historic Dordrecht. Our tour guides met us outside the ship, where we were split into small groups of 10-15 people per guide. The tour guides use audio headsets and Viking provides listening devices and headphones so that it’s easy to follow along. Our guide then took us around the city’s historic district, sharing information about the history of Dordrecht, as well as interesting information about notable landmarks and buildings.
Viking River Cruise 101: Viking includes one complimentary shore excursion with every port, alongside optional paid excursions. Learn more about how the free and paid excursions work here.
Our tour lasted from 9:00 – 10:30 am, and then we broke off from the group to do a little bit of exploring on our own. We saw countless stepped gables in the Dutch Renaissance architecture style, as well as charming canals and the beautiful The Grote Kerk of Dordrech, which is a large church.
One thing to note is that we visited on a Monday, when most businesses are closed. The town also doesn’t have a Christmas market. Despite this, I was utterly charmed by Dordrecht, which has lots of beautiful architecture and charming holiday decor. This town wasn’t really on my radar as a travel destination, and I found it to be one of the biggest surprises of our trip!
Afternoon and evening abroad our Viking ship
After a morning spent exploring Dordrecht we got back on board around 1:00 pm in preparation for a 1:45 pm departure for Cologne, Germany. The rest of our day was spent on the ship, since we didn’t arrive in Cologne until 1:00 pm the next day (day 3 of our sailing).
Lunch was served starting at 12:30 pm, and we enjoyed our meal in the ship’s restaurant. Amiana had a cheeseburger; and Gwyneth had red bell pepper soup, and a vegetarian taco bowl.
After lunch there was a nautical talk and Q&A with the captain, followed by a 3:15 pm tea time featuring tea, scones, pastries, and sandwiches. Unfortunately we missed the festivities due to taking a nap – jet lag finally caught up to us!
In the evening there were drinks and live music on board, followed by a 6:30 pm toast with the captain. We then had a 6:45 pm port talk, during which details about the next day’s excursions and schedule are provided. Afterwards, we enjoyed dinner, which was served at 7:00 pm. We both had risotto, which looks boring on camera but was one of my favorite meals on the ship! We also enjoyed a dessert of regional dutch donuts (Oliebollen) and a delicious chocolate cake with a molten center.
The night ended with a Christmas tree trimming party. We decorated ornaments, watched the ship’s christmas tree be lit for the first time, listed to live piano music, and enjoyed homemade eggnog and cookies.
Day 3 of our Viking river cruise – Kölsch and Christmas markets in Cologne, Germany
A morning of cruising, meals, and a ship talk
On the third day of the cruise we continued our journey sailing along the river to Cologne, Germany.
Because we did not arrive in Cologne until 1:00 pm that day, this was probably the “chillest” morning of the cruise, and was a good day to sleep in! We enjoyed another breakfast (served 6:00 – 10:00 am) on the Aquavit Terrace, followed by a ‘Discover the World of Viking’ talk by our cruise director, which delved into Viking’s other sailings and itineraries.
After the talk we had lunch in the restaurant at noon. Our meal included an Asian-inspired salad and spring rolls (for Gwyn) with a sweet and sour pork dish (for Amiana). I also couldn’t resist the apricot tart for desert! Then, after eating, it was time to get ready to dock and explore Cologne.
Christmas markets of Cologne, Germany
At 2:00 pm we left our ship to join our tour group to explore Cologne’s famous Christmas markets! Our ship docked next to downtown Cologne, which was conveniently located close to several Christmas markets and big sightseeing attractions. You can find a link to our Cologne docking location here.
Our tour guide was fantastic, and took us to several markets while pointing out local landmarks and describing the history of the area. This was one of my favorite free tours included with our cruise, since our guide was both knowledgeable and funny. We also received bags of delicious Kölner Dom-Spekulatius cookies at the end of the tour. They tasted just like shortbread!
Our tour ended at the stunning Cologne Cathedral. Amiana and I went inside for a quick look around (this was Amiana’s first time visiting a cathedral), and then explored the Christmas markets a bit on our own. Overall, even though Cologne’s Christmas markets were definitely busy, but I still found them to be super fun and festive! There was a lot of attention to the decor of the markets, which I found to be some of the most elaborate of any of the markets we visited. I also appreciated that the market had a truly homemade/artisan feel. A few of the other markets we went to clearly sold mass produced goods made overseas, and I didn’t get that vibe in Cologne!
Optional excursion – exploring Cologne’s beer culture
After getting in the Christmas spirit we went back to our ship for a 6:30 pm optional excursion exploring Cologne’s beer culture! The tour guides met us on the boat and split us into 3 different groups of about 10-14 people before taking us to a local restaurant to enjoy a traditional German dinner.
kölsch and cabbage – Cologne’s german food scene
Our meal was served at Brauhaus FRÜH am Dom, which is a traditional German restaurant and hotel. Our dinner included an appetizer of a salad and a dense german bread with cheese, pâté, and raw pork, which are traditional German foods. Even though some of the food was outside our typical comfort zone, Amiana tried all three and enjoyed them! For dinner Amiana enjoyed a beef stew with (I believe this is called Rheinische Sauerbraten with red cabbage), and I had spaetzle, which is a delicious noodle dish topped with fried onions. And, of course, we got to enjoy some kölsch beer!
After our dinner we went to three additional breweries to sample their kölsch. The cool thing was that each brewery had a very distinctive style to their beer, so each one felt different. One thing I particularly like about German brew houses is that they serve their beer in small glasses, which means your beer stays fresh and cold while you drink it. The individual glasses are also quite cheap, and there’s not a discount for ordering a larger glass at one time. I wish American breweries would hop on this trend!
Overall it was a fun and memorable experience, and one I would recommend. We had a fantastic and personable guide who blended humor with information about the city. Overall, this tour focused less on history and information and more on just enjoying the beer culture and food of Germany. It was also a fun way to get to know some of our fellow cruisers better!
I hope you found part one of our Viking river cruise review helpful! You can find parts 2 and 3 of our Viking Christmas river cruise recap here.
