Day 8 — Boarding the Longship: Viking’s Rhine River Getaway Begins

Today, we left Lauterbrunnen by train and traveled to Basel, Switzerland, where we embarked on a Viking river cruise down the Rhine—soon to pass medieval towns and storybook castles—all the way to Amsterdam.

Of all our travels, Switzerland has etched a very special place in our hearts. We hope to return someday.

Here’s a video I took of a cow parade of sorts. Aren’t those bells enormous? They help owners locate their cows and also deter predators. These are the very bells I mentioned in Day 7’s post—the ones hanging on the sides of buildings that I’d wondered about. This group seemed to be a family—adults and children together—guiding their herd down the street. I wondered where they were headed.

Seeing cows led through the streets from where I stood felt like watching tradition and modern life merge into one—old rhythms still pulsing beneath the surface of everyday Switzerland.

We were getting ready to leave when this unfolded right outside our balcony—a wonderful happenstance and a wonderful farewell to Switzerland.

It felt meant to be.

Farewell, Switzerland.

Train Travel

We’ll never tire of train travel—at least in Europe. It’s hands down the most relaxing, beautiful, and comfortable way to experience new places.

Lauterbrunnen train station on a misty morning—ready to board our train to Basel.

Here are a few photos of Ron and me traveling from Lauterbrunnen to Basel, Switzerland.

Click (or tap) any photo to open the gallery, see the full image, captions, and scroll through the set.

After three trains and a bus, we finally found our longship! We had to walk an extra 1.2 miles because the ship couldn’t dock at its scheduled spot— and for some reason, we did not receive the notification. I talk all about it in the video below.

Oh well—walking lets us see more of a place, and it really wasn’t a big deal. This is why having luggage we can both pull and wear backpack-style is essential. This is the backpack I used, and I stand behind it.

Viking Cruise: Rhine Getaway

When planning our Europe excursion, we included Switzerland in our itinerary thanks to Rick Steves’ gushing praise—and, honestly, a lifelong curiosity. I needed to find a way from Switzerland to Amsterdam. Traveling by bus would have taken too long, and to explore the Rhine’s castles and medieval towns properly would have meant endless driving and hotel swaps—too scattered to savor, and far more than our itinerary could hold. It would have been an entire trip unto itself. That region wasn’t our destination—but it offered a fairytale kind of opportunity. We just couldn’t pass it up.

Then, as if by magic, a Viking Cruise pamphlet landed in my mailbox, and the solution became clear: we’d cruise to Amsterdam! I chose Viking’s Rhine Getaway and lucked upon the fact that it’s best to travel downriver. This cruise happens to be Viking’s most popular. All we had to do was board the ship and spend our time touring castles, medieval towns, and historic WWII sites—a dream in itself—before gliding into Amsterdam. You may remember from my first post in this series, My Red Pillow Method: How I Planned a 33-Day Europe Trip, that Amsterdam was the seed destination for this journey. The cruise not only carried us there but also elevated the entire experience beyond my most fervent dreams.

Boarding the Longship

I’ve included this short video to show getting on the ship when it’s double docked. It’s not particularly exciting, but it lends to the whole experience.

This video shows us boarding the ship. We’ve never been on any cruise—much less a Viking Cruise (rated #1) or a river cruise (rated #1). I might as well have landed on the Star Trek Enterprise: foreign, mesmerizing, and bound for adventure.

Swan Room

We stayed in a Swan Room—so called because the room is in the portion of the ship that sits just below the waterline, and your window view is at the level of the swans gliding by. You’re literally eye to eye with them if you’re lucky.

I know several of you, dear readers, are thinking, “No way! I just can’t stay in a room beneath the water!”

But hear me out.

I happened to get the very last room on this ship—at a slight discount. Instinctively, you might assume it’s the “worst” room. But there are no “worst rooms” on a Viking ship. Every stateroom is equally and beautifully designed so that each guest has a view and a space that feels welcoming. Of course, there are more expensive rooms and suites with verandas, but as many cruisers will tell you, you’re hardly ever in your room. And that’s true!

Also worth noting: ships often dock side by side, which means your “view” from a veranda can sometimes be just a handshake away from someone else’s balcony. I now understand what many seasoned travelers mean when they say, “Stay in the least expensive rooms so you can go on more cruises!”

This was only our first cruise, and maybe once I experience the higher-end versions I’ll change my tune (just like flying above economy class—once you do, there’s no going back). But I’m here to declare that our room was fantastic—better than some hotel rooms we’ve stayed in. There was ample space for our things, and we didn’t even use all of it.

The Swan Rooms on Viking ships also have a bit more space than some other non-veranda staterooms and include a wide window ledge that doubles as handy storage. Many passengers use it for their purchases and souvenirs. We shopped a bit and never had need to store any items there.

Viking Cruise—Well Worth It

At night, the staff close the drapes, fold down the bed, and leave your next day’s itinerary—both printed for takeaway and displayed on the television.

The food is excellent. The service is outstanding. And with Viking, there’s no upselling—ever. You choose your package when you book, and that’s it. Each day includes guided tours, with optional add-on excursions if you like. You simply board, eat, drink, and enjoy. There’s no need to reach for your wallet.

We cruise for the next seven days of our 33 Days in Europe adventure, and I have so much to share with you. Stay tuned.

Here’s the video of our room—small luxury, I’d say. And with plenty of outlets and charging areas for all our electronics, it outshines most hotel rooms I’ve stayed in.

River Cruises: A Different Kind of Voyage

We’ve never been on any cruise before—this was our first ever. I was amazed that a floating vessel could be so luxurious. Of course, I took photos of just about everything. These are only a few of the zillion pictures I snapped.

My friend Sue turned me on to Viking Cruises—she’s a world traveler and the best of people, so her word is golden. To date, Viking Cruises are rated #1 for both ocean and river voyages. They’ve won so many awards I can’t keep count. I only know this one cruise experience, and I can say wholeheartedly—it ranks exquisite.

That said, this isn’t a party cruise. It’s elegant and easy-going—some might even say delightfully unhurried. If you’re looking for shows, crowds, games, and all that, this isn’t it. It’s simply smooth sailing, excellent food, and excellent tours (they amazed me), some led by guides with Ph.D.s in history—truly unforgettable experiences.

Say “cruise,” and most people picture an ocean liner—massive floating cities carrying anywhere from 2,000 to over 7,000 passengers, plus a few thousand crew members to keep it all running. The largest ships can hold close to 10,000 people in total.

Viking’s river longships, by contrast, carry just 190 guests and around 50 crew. It’s an entirely different kind of travel—intimate, calm, and personal. There are no crowds or lines, and you quickly find yourself making friends with fellow travelers.