{"id":15218,"date":"2015-07-20T15:02:08","date_gmt":"2015-07-20T21:02:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/?p=15218"},"modified":"2022-05-21T16:48:54","modified_gmt":"2022-05-21T20:48:54","slug":"viking-vidar-grand-european-tour-day-8-nuremberg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/2015\/07\/viking-vidar-grand-european-tour-day-8-nuremberg\/","title":{"rendered":"Viking Vidar Grand European Tour Day 8: Nuremberg"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our Ship-Swapping Adventure In Nuremberg<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"Today,<\/a>

Today, guests aboard Viking River Cruises’ Viking Vidar toured the fabulous city of Nuremberg – before swapping ships to Viking Lofn in the afternoon due to low water. Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

Monday, July 20, 2015<\/strong><\/p>\n

This morning, we sadly said goodbye to Viking River Cruises\u2019<\/strong><\/a> Viking Vidar<\/strong><\/a> on the outskirts of Nuremberg, Germany<\/strong>. Because of low water levels, we have to perform what\u2019s called a \u201cship-swap\u201d today, changing from Viking Vidar<\/em> in Nuremberg to Viking Lofn<\/em><\/strong> in order to continue our 15-day<\/strong> Grand European Tour<\/strong> to Budapest.<\/p>\n

Viking Vidar <\/em>and Viking Lofn<\/em> are both Viking Longships<\/strong>. Nearly identical in style and appearance, only the most eagle-eyed observer will be able to tell the difference between these two vessels. We\u2019ll all occupy our same staterooms onboard Viking Lofn<\/em> that we had aboard Viking Vidar<\/em>, and our Program Director Henrietta and Concierge Sandra will both make the change with us in order to ensure continuity.<\/p>\n

\"Viking<\/a>

Viking VIdar’s Hotel Manager Thomas looks over the sea of luggage that the crew brought off Viking Vidar in order to transfer us to Viking Lofn in Passau to get around a stretch of low water on the Danube. Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

The most obvious difference between the two ships: Viking Vidar<\/em> is docked in Nuremberg. Viking Lofn<\/em> is 200 kilometres away, in the city of Passau<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In order to make the switch as effortless as possible, guests were asked to place their luggage outside of their staterooms at 7:00 a.m. this morning. The luggage was then offloaded by hand by Viking Vidar<\/em>\u2019s amazing crewmembers, where it was placed onto a truck and sent out ahead of us to Passau.<\/p>\n

\"This<\/a>

This morning, we continued with our scheduled tour program with a morning in Nuremberg! Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

While we had to settle our accounts by this morning so that the crew can \u201cclose out\u201d this voyage, our touring program would continue with only minor modifications \u2013 though I think everyone would agree that saying goodbye to the fantastic crew of the Viking Vidar<\/em> was hard to do.<\/p>\n

Other than that, our morning started out as most mornings did: we grabbed our assigned group number from the Reception Desk, took our QuietVox audio systems, and boarded our numbered coaches for a morning city tour of Nuremberg that would include a walking tour of the historic city center, followed by free time and lunch. Then, at 2:30 p.m., we\u2019d reboard our coaches for the three-hour journey to Passau and Viking Lofn<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"Nuremberg's<\/a>

Nuremberg’s amazing Marktplatz is anchored by the imposing Frauenkirche – which was, like the town, meticulously built after WWII. Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

I have been to Nuremberg several times now, and I have to admit I love this city. I admire the dedication with which it was rebuilt after the war, the friendliness of its citizens, and \u2013 of course \u2013 the fabulous Nuremberger sausage that the city is famous for.<\/p>\n

Because of this, I chose to skip the walking tour and simply re-join the group at 12:45p.m. at our assigned meeting place in the city\u2019s main Hauptmarkt<\/em> square. I wanted a coffee, a bretzel<\/em>, and some free time to get a few necessities that I had run out of, and to go exploring places I hadn\u2019t been in the past.<\/p>\n

\"Koningstrasse:<\/a>

Koningstrasse: entrance to Nuremberg’s modern-day pedestrian zone and shopping district. Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

From the Hauptmarkt, I walked south along Koningstrasse, <\/em>which is part of Nuremberg\u2019s main shopping district. It\u2019s not all North American stores, either: fans of European clothing and accessories would do well to spend some time here.<\/p>\n

About two blocks up as the hill crested, I came to the Lorenzkirche<\/em>, or St. Lawrence Church. This imposing cathedral anchors the heart of Lorenzerplatz<\/em>. All you need to know about that is this: platz<\/em> refers to a city square. So, anytime you come to a clearing or an opening, that\u2019s what English speakers would call a \u201csquare.\u201d And in German, that\u2019s a \u201cplatz.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Open-air<\/a>

Open-air markets like Koningstrasse. Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

From Lorenzerplatz, I hung a left\u2026and stopped at a Starbucks for a coffee Frappuccino to beat the heat and humidity. I know: I\u2019m going to travel hell. But they have cold drinks, free Wi-Fi and free bathrooms \u2013 and I\u2019m not made of stone.<\/p>\n

The cool thing about my little Starbucks Stop-off is that I found myself in a district of Nuremberg that was entirely new to me \u2013 and this is my point: it\u2019s good<\/em> to lose yourself in a city sometimes. Maybe it\u2019s not as touristic as the major sights \u2013 which you should definitely do if you\u2019re a first-time visitor \u2013 but if this is your repeat visit, do something different.<\/p>\n

\"Ludwigsplatz.<\/a>

Ludwigsplatz. The Weisser Turm is visible on the left, with the Marriage Merry-Go-Round fountain below it. Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

From Starbucks, I walked west along Karolinenstrasse<\/em> to Hefnersplatz<\/em>, with its cute little cafes and sidewalk seating areas that were already filling up at ten in the morning. Don\u2019t assume Nurembergers are having coffee at this hour; this is, after all, Bavaria, and beer is king here.<\/p>\n

Going west still, I came to the magnificent Weisser Turm<\/em>, which is actually a U-Bahn (or subway) stop now. In front of the U-Bahn station is a curious fountain, though. Set up in a circular fashion, it is called the Marriage Merry-Go-Round Fountain<\/strong> \u2013 and it\u2019s very tongue-in-cheek. Who says the Germans don\u2019t have a sense of humour!<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The Marriage Merry-Go-Round Fountain. Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

\"The<\/a>

The fountain is full of subtext. Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Jacobsplatz.<\/a>

Jacobsplatz. Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

I then looped back and took a series of side-streets back towards the Hauptmarkt. How did I find my way, you ask? Viking always places maps of the city at the front Reception desk, and I always grab one when I get off. Having a map is invaluable. It lets you explore with confidence, and allows you to properly see where you\u2019re going \u2013 and what is around you.<\/p>\n

I grabbed a bretzel<\/em> on my way to the square to meet for lunch. A bretzel<\/em> is really just a pretzel made of dough. They\u2019re also incredibly delicious. Make sure to get the salted ones; they\u2019ve got a distinctive taste all their own.<\/p>\n

Once 12:45 rolled around, we met for lunch, and Henrietta and Sandra both walked us to the restaurant, just a block and a half from the Hauptmarkt.<\/p>\n

\"Time<\/a>

Time for lunch! Tuns out the beer would be the best part. Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

Now, I have to say this: lunch was never originally on the menu in Nuremberg until our ship-swap forced it on us. I\u2019m impressed as all heck that Viking was able to make a reservation for nearly 200 people in one large brewhouse-style restaurant, and it was provided complimentary. So well done to Viking on that end.<\/p>\n

The experience, unfortunately, was pretty disappointing. I found myself crammed into the back of a small, stuffy room with about 20 other guests while the vast majority were sat in the main dining area. Entire swaths of the main dining area were free, but we were told by restaurant staff we couldn\u2019t sit there.<\/p>\n

The German feeling of Gem\u00fclichkeit <\/em><\/strong>\u2013 or coziness \u2013 apparently got left off the menu here. One waiter came around and barked orders at people. His rudeness was absolutely unbridled in its intensity. He was as rude as possible, as frequently as possible.<\/p>\n

\"Back<\/a>

Back in the fresh air, a positive sign: another wedding party, this time in front of the Frauenkirche. Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

He\u2019d come around with a gigantic tray of beers, wine and Coke. He\u2019d bark orders in English, and pretend you spoke some rural variant of Swahili when you responded. Want a beer? Tough schnitzel<\/em>: he\u2019d pretend he didn\u2019t hear you. When you raised your voice, he\u2019d slam the beer down on the table so hard the liquid inside would slosh out over the top.<\/p>\n

The crux of this madcap performance art occurred when he smashed into one of our seated guests, knocking over an entire pint of beer which landed on this guest\u2019s head and spilled down his back, his arm, and all over his pants.<\/p>\n

And what does Herr Manners do? He huffs off without apologizing. It almost didn\u2019t seem real. It looked like a Fawlty Towers<\/em> caricature brought to life; like someone you\u2019d want to smack upside the head if they weren\u2019t so damn convincing that this kind of behaviour was acceptable.<\/p>\n

\"MAN<\/a>

MAN – short for Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-N\u00fcrnberg – can trace its heritage to Nuremberg, despite the fact it is headquartered in Munich now. Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

The experience was, without exception, absolutely disgusting – and I\u2019m not even naming the restaurant in the blog. They\u2019re not worth the time of day. They accommodated Viking, sure, but I think in this instance Viking might have been better off giving each guest \u20ac10 and sending them off on their own. The service we experienced does not reflect typical German service<\/em>, which is normally kind and prompt. I can\u2019t emphasize that enough: this was an atypical experience!<\/p>\n

After our lunch-and-a-show, it was time to board the coaches for the three-hour drive down to Passau. Consider again: Viking had to secure these coaches at an additional cost. This \u201cship swap\u201d is costing the company plenty of money, and yet they\u2019re doing it because it\u2019s an alternative that is open to them \u2013 and a great one at that.<\/p>\n

\"Guests<\/a>

Guests disembark our coaches at a rest-stop about 90 minutes south of Nuremberg. We had 30 minutes to grab a coffee, snack, or use the toilets. Perfect! Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

When Viking can\u2019t secure their own branded coaches, they hire very high-quality ones. Ours were brand-new coaches manufactured by MAN and Setra. Plenty of space to spread out, and no coach was totally packed. To me, that\u2019s a detail worth appreciating.<\/p>\n

As an interesting sidenote: you may have seen the letters MAN on busses and heavy-duty trucks here in Germany before. MAN is an abbreviation for M<\/u>aschinenfabrik A<\/u>ugsburg-N<\/u>\u00fcrnberg<\/em>. It is now partially owned by Volkswagen and is based in Munich, though it still maintains several large production facilities in Nuremberg.<\/p>\n

\"Zipping<\/a>

Zipping along the German Autobahn…Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

\"...we<\/a>

…we find ourselves in Passau. Well, passing Passau. Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

After a short pit stop, we arrived in Passau shortly before 6:00 p.m. Except that we weren\u2019t docked in Passau; we were docked three kilometres east in a small area called Passau-Lindau<\/strong>. I sort of figured this would happen; berthing schedules are arranged a year in advance, if not more, so the likelihood of us being accommodated in Passau center was unlikely.<\/p>\n

Still, if it wasn\u2019t so damn hot out you could walk into town, and tomorrow, we\u2019ll be exploring Passau instead of Regensburg, <\/strong>which we are told we\u2019ll visit on Wednesday in order to cut down on the time we\u2019re spending in motorcoaches.<\/p>\n

Tonight, the crew of the Viking Lofn<\/em> welcomed us onboard in exactly the style I was hoping for. We were treated to a welcome cocktail reception with the department heads who all introduced themselves and who are all clearly trying every bit as hard as the crew on Viking Vidar<\/em> to make this change an easy and effortless one.<\/p>\n

\"Embarking<\/a>

Embarking the Viking Lofn at her Passau-Lindau berth. Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

\"My<\/a>

My luggage was waiting for me in my stateroom – which was identical to the one I just left. This is the Viking advantage. Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

\"My<\/a>

My Category A Veranda stateorom: absolutely identical in every way to the one I had on Viking Vidar. Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

\"One<\/a>

One of the major differences between the two vessels is their artwork, like this Moia Heads photograph of Easter Island that adorns the area above the two computer workstations. Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Viking<\/a>

Viking Lofn’s atrium painting is also different. Each Viking Longship’s atrium artwork honours that particular Norse god. Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

The biggest applause, though, were reserved for Program Director Henrietta and Concierge Sandra, who made the trek with us here. People whistled and stood up and applauded, and it\u2019s nice to see that the average guest \u2013 even the average first-time river cruiser \u2013 understands the pressure they\u2019ve been under to deliver.<\/p>\n

They\u2019ve done that, and more. It\u2019s exactly what I expected from Viking \u2013 and once again, they\u2019ve proven to be up to the challenge. Despite their rampant (one might say \u2018runaway\u2019) growth, they\u2019re still as focused on their guests as they were five years ago, when they had but a handful of ships to their name.<\/p>\n

That, to me, makes all the difference. It\u2019s why I keep coming back to Viking \u2013 and why you should, too.<\/p>\n

\"Viking<\/a>

Viking Lofn’s crew wait to greet us for our first cocktail reception aboard the ship. Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Cheers!<\/a>

Cheers! Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

Our Live Voyage Report <\/em><\/strong>from onboard <\/em>Viking River Cruises\u2019 Viking Lofn\u2019s Grand European Tour<\/em><\/strong><\/a> continues tomorrow from Passau <\/strong>and Regensburg! <\/strong>Be sure to follow along with our adventures on Twitter <\/em>@deckchairblog<\/em><\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Our Ship-Swapping Adventure In Nuremberg Monday, July 20, 2015 This morning, we sadly said goodbye to Viking River Cruises\u2019 Viking Vidar on the outskirts of Nuremberg, Germany. Because of low water levels, we have to perform what\u2019s called a \u201cship-swap\u201d today, changing from Viking Vidar in Nuremberg to Viking Lofn in order to continue our […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":17777,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"full-width-content","footnotes":""},"categories":[87],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15218"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15218"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15218\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17777"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15218"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15218"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15218"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}