{"id":27610,"date":"2017-05-29T10:09:49","date_gmt":"2017-05-29T16:09:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/?p=27610"},"modified":"2022-05-21T16:42:11","modified_gmt":"2022-05-21T20:42:11","slug":"reviewed-paris-swiss-alps-viking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/2017\/05\/reviewed-paris-swiss-alps-viking\/","title":{"rendered":"Reviewed: Paris To The Swiss Alps With Viking"},"content":{"rendered":"

You know a river cruise is good when the temperature dips below zero and central Europe is plunged into an unusual springtime cold snap, and you\u2019re still having fun.<\/p>\n

That was the case for me last month, when I travelled with Viking River Cruises<\/strong> on one of its newest itineraries: a 12-day journey from Paris to the Swiss Alps<\/strong>. Beginning with unseasonably warm temperatures in Paris that rocketed to 26\u00b0C (86\u00b0F) before ending in Zurich with snow and temperatures that barely crept above the freezing mark, the itinerary was as diverse as the weather \u2013 and a river cruise\u00a0that warrants a repeat journey.<\/p>\n

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Viking Hild docked in Bernkastel-Kues, Germany, in April. Photo \u00a9 2017 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

This is one of Viking\u2019s new \u201ccruisetour\u201d itineraries. As part of the overall itinerary, guests are treated to two nights in a Paris hotel (in my case, the beautifully-located Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel<\/strong>), followed by a weeklong river cruise that traverses the Moselle <\/strong>and Rhine Rivers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Following the cruise, guests once again enjoy a two-night stay, this time in Zurich, Switzerland. The hotel property here, the Renaissance Zurich<\/strong>, isn\u2019t quite as centrally located and resides in a rather industrial location known as Technopark<\/strong>. However, the tram line is a two-minute walk from the hotel, and an inexpensive 10-minute direct ride into town using Tram Line 4.<\/p>\n

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Paris in the Springtime. The Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel Hotel is on the right. Photo \u00a9 2017 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

I\u2019ve been on a number of different river cruises with Viking before, and the one thing I have come to expect from the line is consistency. Viking isn\u2019t the most all-inclusive river operator, or the most luxurious \u2013 nor does it claim to be. Instead, guests are treated to a consistent, polished product that has evolved subtly over many seasons in Europe (Viking celebrates its 20th<\/sup> year in business this summer).<\/p>\n

In this respect, Viking succeeded on every level. Our ship \u2013 Viking Hild<\/strong> \u2013 was right out of the shipyard, having just entered service this spring. One of Viking\u2019s trendsetting Viking Longships<\/strong>, Viking Hild isn\u2019t so different from her predecessors, save for some minor variations in d\u00e9cor. She\u2019s bright, beautiful, and boasts the distinctive Scandinavian styling that has made Viking so popular.<\/p>\n

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Like the rest of Viking’s Longship fleet, Viking HIld feels bright, airy, and well-designed. Photo \u00a9 2017 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

Service was likewise consistently good, from the ship\u2019s Vancouverite Hotel Director David, to our Kiwi Program Director Emma, who now calls Paris home. Emma travelled with us both on and off the ship, and was there to answer any questions guests had from Paris to Zurich.<\/p>\n

Food was also a strong point, and seemed to have even improved in quality since I\u2019d last sailed with the line. The only disappointment was that on many nights, the complimentary onboard wines served in the ship\u2019s restaurant were from Argentina. Now, I like a nice Malbec, but when you\u2019re on the Moselle \u2026 well, a local wine would have been nice.<\/p>\n

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Home away from home on Viking Hild: a Category A Veranda Stateroom. Photo \u00a9 2017 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

Having said that, however, Viking does encourage guests to purchase their own wine ashore, and doesn\u2019t even charge corkage. With the average bottle of wine on our route going for less than \u20ac10 ashore, bringing wine onboard is a great option for those who would prefer something to the complimentary options onboard. Viking does still offer its premium Silver Spirits<\/strong> package, which does allow for complimentary access to a full wine list.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve done the Rhine River twice now and was a little concerned about doing it again. I shouldn\u2019t have been. This itinerary spends equal amounts of time on the Moselle, which was absolutely stunning. Cyclists ride on the paths along the river\u2019s narrow embankments during the day, and people walking along the river\u2019s edge stop to wave and say hello as Viking Hild glided past. The Germans love camping, and we passed numerous campsites each day, again eliciting plenty of smiles and hearty waves from the locals.<\/p>\n

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The storybook town of Bernkastel is one of many out-of-the-way stops on this new itinerary. Photo \u00a9 2017 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

With the exception of Strasbourg (and, obviously, Paris and Zurich), most of our ports of call were smaller towns, nestled attractively into the rolling hills and mountains of France and Germany. It\u2019s hard to tell which place was my favorite, because it changed on a daily basis. Was it Trier<\/strong>, with its Roman monuments; or Speyer<\/strong>, with its imposing cathedral that was untouched by World War II? Most probably, it was Bernkastel<\/strong>, a small, fairytale town that looks like it is straight out of the Middle Ages. It is twinned with another city across the river, Kues<\/strong>, which is why you\u2019ll often see it referred to as Bernkastel-Kues<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Trier, with its Roman “Black Gate.” Photo \u00a9 2017 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

Viking offered a wide variety of complimentary walking tours, many of which focused on the region\u2019s castles or wine tastings \u2013 always a great thing when you\u2019re in the heart of the Moselle Valley. My particular cruise occurred during Easter \u2013 a time when many towns and cities in this part of Europe shut completely. Viking did a good job of preparing guests for the realities that they wouldn\u2019t be able to \u201cshop-till-they-drop\u201d on this run, and while some guests were still nonplussed, the vast majority recognized and appreciated that Viking offered alternatives.<\/p>\n

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Zurich, when it wasn’t snowing. Photo \u00a9 2017 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

This wonderful journey concluded with two nights in Zurich. Despite the chilly temperatures, Viking still offered a full-blown complimentary walking tour that came with a 90-minute boat cruise on Lake Zurich<\/strong>. Ample free time was given, and guests were provided with detailed instructions on how to use the city\u2019s easy and affordable tram system.<\/p>\n

A note on Zurich for any future travellers: Switzerland is expensive, and Zurich is the height of that expense. Thanks to inflation and the exchange rate of the Swiss Franc (CHF), you can expect to pay $20 for a Big Mac at McDonalds, or $18 for a basic cocktail in almost any bar or restaurant.<\/p>\n

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Getting back to the hotel in Zurich: easy when you remember to take Tram Line 4 to Technopark. Photo \u00a9 2017 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

Given that, you\u2019ll want to take what you\u2019d normally budget for food in a day \u2013 and triple it. While breakfast is included at the hotel during your stay, lunch and dinner are on your own for this part of the itinerary. Expect to spend $60 per couple for lunch with two soft drinks or bottles of water, and budget at least $120 for dinner, limiting yourself to a main course, no dessert, and a single glass of wine each. I\u2019m not kidding: Zurich the most expensive place I\u2019ve ever visited.<\/p>\n

(As a side-note \u2013 we spent two days on our own in Lucerne<\/strong> and found it to be less expensive than Zurich. But let\u2019s not mince words \u2013 it was still pricey.)<\/p>\n

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Viking offers a number of complimentary and paid touring options on this itinerary. Photo \u00a9 2017 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

But don\u2019t let that put you off: This is a magical itinerary that presents itself well for first-time river cruisers looking for a cruise that includes some of Europe\u2019s most famous cities. It is also ideal for past river cruisers looking for a new itinerary: with its collection of smaller ports and overland stays, I think I\u2019ll find it difficult to pick an itinerary that doesn\u2019t include a few nights\u2019 hotel stay from now on. Having those two days in Paris to recoup from the transatlantic jet lag was worth its weight in gold.<\/p>\n

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Cochem, Germany at sunset. Photo \u00a9 2017 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

I expect good things from Viking when I sail with them, and my Paris to the Swiss Alps<\/em> journey was no exception. Highly recommended.<\/p>\n

<\/b>Also see Ralph Grizzle’s\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n