VIKING SPIRIT RHINE/DANUBE RIVER CRUISE
HENRY NOWICKI
31 JULY 2002
www.maxpages.com/cruise40
The Viking Spirit is a new river vessel built in 2001 for
Viking River Cruises. It is a typical European-style river craft in that it is long, narrow and low off the water. Restrictive bridges require the wheelhouse to be lowered at times and, for portions of the cruise in the Main-Danube Canal area, the sundeck was off limits due to low overhead obstacles. In Vienna, we moored under a bridge and I could touch my head on the bridge support just standing on the sundeck!
Furthermore, although the vessel is very comfortable, there is limited space for indoor recreation. A small library, a dime-sized dancefloor in the spacious lounge and no fitness area or even a jacuzzi make for limited activities. Fortunately, with so many ports being visited, one doesn't have too much of an opportunity to get involved in indoor activities. But before I forget, the staff and crew of the Viking Spirit were extremely hospitable and professional. It would be hard to overstate the case since they contribute so much to a cruise experience.
I had been on the Delta Queen and enjoyed it so much that it seemed a European river trip should be attempted. As it turned out, the cruise was excellent and could easily be recommended for those wanting a relaxed interior view of Europe and its small towns and river ports. Europe is blessed by a large number of navigable rivers (Map) that facilitate river cruises and the Rhine/Danube route is no doubt the most popular.
The Viking Spirit essentially voyages upstream on the Rhine River from Amsterdam to Frankfurt where it continues upstream on the Main River which then enters the Main-Danube Canal to join the Danube River which is followed downstream until Vienna. It is a remarkable trip that could not have been done before 1992 when the Main-Danube Canal
(photos) was completed.
I flew to Amsterdam a day before embarkation and stayed near the Museumplatz to take advantage of the many fine museums and galleries in the area.
Sat July 13 Amsterdam 1200. Boarded the vessel at the Passenger Terminal which was located out one-quarter mile east of the Amsterdam main railroad station. After a quick inspection of the vessel and locating the pleasant cabin with huge sliding glass windows, the next effort was to catch the ship's shuttle into Dam Square at the center of town for further exploration. Dinner was a set menu and was very appetizing as were all of the meals onboard. Open seating throughout the cruise proved to be a very desirable way to go. The ship remained in Amsterdam overnight giving the passengers a choice of getting some needed rest or going out on the town.
Sun July 14. An early 0745 bus departure for the Floriade Floral Exposition started the day on a joyful note. Located about ten miles west of the international airport which is southwest of Amsterdam, the Floriade is celebrated once every ten years and the site rotates throughout different parts of the Netherlands. It has floral displays from all parts of the world and is quite beautiful. The grounds will be turned into a watersports area after the Floriade closes in the late fall.
After the Floriade, a return was made to the city for a visit to the most important national museum of the Netherlands - the Rijksmuseum. A city tour followed and eventually the passengers were transported to Emmerich on the border with Germany where the ship was reboarded. The Viking Spirit had sailed from Amsterdam at 0800 to arrive at 1730 in Emmerich and,
as soon as everyone was boarded, the ship departed for Koblenz at 1800. It turned out to be a full day for sure.
Mon July 15. The morning started with a port talk, one of many since this is a port-intensive cruise, and an introductory course in the German language.
Koblenz is approached at 1330 after passing the Corner of Germany where the Moselle and the Rhine Rivers are joined. Immediately, a walking tour is organized to see the highlights of the city. As in so many of these river ports, the ship moors right in the center of things and not much time or effort is wasted in getting to the old quarter or the downtown area.
Of course, river cruising is quiet and seemingly motionless when inside the vessel. However, outside the river banks go endlessly by interrupted by the whizzing of canal vessels of every type. It is amazing how fast they seem to move and how close they pass by our vessel. A retractable blue signboard is used to indicate a starboard to starboard instead of the customary port to port passing of vessels moving in the opposite direction. Sometimes the deeper part of the river is desired which might require a starboard to starboard arrangement. The Rhine, Main and Danube all seemed to be at high water levels. The weather was good with just a little rain so no flooding was evident. At every town along the route, one of the first things the local guide did was to point out the high marks on the buildings which the more famous floods had achieved.
The ship sailed for Rudesheim at 1530 and arrived at 2030 to stay the night in this classic tourist center. Naturally, an evening stroll is made to the Drosselgasse, a short lane filled with restaurants and night spots, to check out the oompapa outfits and the local entertainment.
Tue July 16. An 0830 visit to the intriguing mechanical musical museum and a bit of wine tasting (although I prefer the so-called Rudesheim coffee) in the Drosselgasse takes up most of the morning hours.
From 1200 to 1430, the ship sails to Mainz where we embark on a bus tour that takes us to Frankfurt for a tour of the city. When the ship left Mainz, we were still on the bus and we waved it goodbye. This scene happened a couple of times which is quite different than the usual procedure of waving goodbye to the ship as the bus departs.
A special evening performance had the Aschaffenburg Handbell Ensemble, of about a dozen young bellringers, play local and American songs. They were delightful. After the ensemble departed, the ship sailed at 2230 for Miltenberg.
Wed July 17. The ship arrived in Miltenberg 0830 and most of the passengers boarded buses that toured the city then drove the 20 miles or so to Wertheim to explore that city. Upon rejoining the ship, we departed for Karlstadtwhere we would arrive by 2300 and spend the night.
Thur July 18. Today would be a big excursion day with an 0900 arrival in Wurzburg and a bus departure that would tour the city and eventually take us south to Rothenburg along the
Romantic Road. The ship was reboarded at
Volkach by 1830 and we were off for Bamberg and the Main-Danube Canal. An enroute technical stop was made at 2330 in Schweinfurt.
Fri July 19. Bamberg was reached at 1245 and, as usual, a walking tour to the famous cathedral was initiated. As the ship departed for Forcheim, we toured the city then bused to the ship at 1730. We had a special Bavarian folklore evening performance and we reached Nurnberg by midnight.
Sat July 20. Nurnberg, or Nuremberg, is the second largest city in Bavaria, after Munich, and is an historically important trade center. The city contains a defensive wall, 46 fortified towers and five main gates. From 0800 to 1400 we had a sightseeing tour of the city.
We have had an unforeseen delay in negotiating the Main-Danube Canal high locks. It turned out that a center section of a bridge under construction did not fit and there was some delay in opening that stretch to traffic. It was not until much later that we were able to negotiate the problem bridge and that made us late in visiting the highest part of the Main-Danube Canal. In fact, it was after midnight that a pajama party was held on the sundeck to see the highest lock and the large monument that marks the continental divide between the Rhine-Main and Danube watersheds. It was perhaps all the more dramatic because there was a big orange full moon on the horizon and the stars were easily visible in the subdued light. The Main-Danube Canal is 106 miles in length with some sixteen locks raising vessels 800ft (1,300ft above sea level) to clear the divide between the two river systems. It permits navigation over more than 2,200 miles between the North Sea and the Black Sea.
Sun July 21 The Viking Spirit arrived in Riedenburg at 0845 which was our opportunity to bus to the Weltenburg Abbey then take a small excursion boat through the Danube Gorge. The gorge area is upstream of our entrance point on the Danube so this side trip was quite nice although it lasted but a half-hour one way. We reboarded the buses and rejoined the ship in Regensburg. We enjoyed a special evening performance by four ex-members of the local boys choir who have grown up and now call themselves the Regensburger Spatzen quartet. They were outstanding in their musical renditions.
Mon July 22. The ship departed Regensburg at 0100 headed for Passau which was achieved by 1100. A walking tour up the slight hill to St. Stephen's Cathedral was highlighted by a brief concert on the world's largest cathedral organ which has over 11,000 pipes. After that, a visit to the glass museum revealed part of the world's largest collection of bohemian glass. A climb up some 400 steps brings one up to the 1499 fortress for a good view of the river and the city. At 1930, the ship sailed for Melk and Austria.
Tue July 23 0830 departure for the magnificent Benedictine monastery at Melk. Then it's back to the ship for a 1230 departure to Durnstein. Arrival at 1400 and a walking tour of the interesting city. The ship departs for Vienna at 1700 and the customary Captain's farewell party/dinner are celebrated. It has been a very worthwhile journey and it is always a bit disenchanting to think about departure from the ship. The Viking Spirit reaches Vienna at 2230 and will remain in Vienna overnight.
Wed July 24. The morning started with an 0830 city tour of Vienna which ended with arrival back at the ship for lunch. Almost every morning tour returned to the vessel for lunch or was provided with a box lunch. Incidentally, all the tours were complimentary and included in the price of the cruise. The only decision one had to make was whether to participate or not. The guides were excellent and the tours were complete and enjoyable.
The afternoon and evening were free to enjoy Vienna. Some passengers headed for the Schonbrunn Palace in the afternoon and a number opted for the concert evening at the Palais Liechtenstein.
Thur July 25. Passengers were requested to debark by 0900 but the process was simple since one can keep his luggage and put it out in the morning rather than the night before. I wanted to pay a visit to Bratislava in Slovakia which is only an hour's bus ride away so I spent the day there. A few more nights in Vienna and I felt that I had not missed too much. All in all, it was an excellent voyage and I could easily talk myself into doing the Vienna to Black Sea cruise when the line initiates it next year. A downed bridge had prevented passage until this summer but that obstacle has apparently been overcome and the sweet-smelling Danube beckons.
Viking Spirit log (miles):
Amsterdam-Koblenz 250
Koblenz-Rudesheim 40
Rudesheim-Mainz 18
Mainz-Frankfurt 22
Frankfurt-Miltenberg 54
Miltenberg-Wertheim 22
Wertheim-Karlstadt 43
Karlstadt-Wurzburg 21
Wurzburg-Schweinfurt 50
Schweinfurt-Bamberg 34
Bamberg-Nurnberg 45
Nurnberg-Kelheim 64
Kelheim-Regensburg 22
Regensburg-Passau 96
Passau-Vienna 187
Total = 968 miles
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