Departing friday may 27 for 9 days / 8 nights

Join us for this delightful European River Cruise Getaway. From Amsterdam to Cologne to Basel, this enchanting 8-day journey takes you past hillside vineyards and rolling meadows. Overlook the Rhine from Germany’s best preserved medieval castle. Discover the various culinary traditions of Alsace. Explore the Black Forest and visit a local workshop to see a cuckoo clock-making demonstration. Turreted fortresses, grand cathedrals, historic cities, medieval towns and spectacular scenery of the Middle Rhine - little wonder that the Rhine is one of Europe’s best-loved rivers. Journey from Basel to Amsterdam on this amazing luxurious adventure. which reveals a rich landscape of beauty and culture.

Ship Highlights

Sailing the most popular itineraries, the award-winning Viking Longships showcase innovative engineering, streamlined design and understated elegance for the most comfortable river cruise experience available.

Longship Features:

• 95 comfortable outside staterooms (2 Explorer Suites, 7 Veranda Suites, 39 Veranda Staterooms, French Balcony Staterooms, 25 Standard Staterooms)
• Sun deck with 360-degree views and shaded sitting area; organic herb garden and solar panels; putting green, and walking track
• Aquavit Terrace with a revolutionary indoor/outdoor viewing area at the bow of the ship and grills for al fresco dining
• Observation Lounge and bar with floor-to-ceiling glass doors
• Restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows for panoramic views
• Library corner and onboard boutique
• Elevator from Middle to Upper Deck only; no elevator access for categories F and E
• Free shipwide wireless Internet service
• Laundry service
• Ecologically friendly hybrid engines producing less vibrations for a smoother ride

Itinerary:

Day 1: Travel by road from Spearfish, Sturgis or Rapid City to Sioux Falls and then fly from Sioux Falls to Basel, Switzerland.
Overnight Transatlantic Flight
Aircraft Meals included

Day 2: Basel, Switzerland
Arrive in Basel and then transfer to your ship and board Viking Longship Alruna for the next 7 nights. After boarding, the afternoon is yours to relax or explore the city on your own.
Dinner included

Day 3: Breisach, Germany
Arrive in Breisach this morning, gateway to the Black Forest. Take a scenic excursion through the area’s renowned mountain landscape, rolling meadows and dense forests. Once there, visit a local workshop to see a cuckoo clock-making demonstration, and learn how Black Forest Cake is made. Return to your ship for lunch. This afternoon, perhaps join an optional excursion to the quaint Alsatian town of Colmar to discover the storybook charm of its streets lined with medieval, Gothic and Renaissance buildings, and visit a fine arts museum. Alternately, choose an optional excursion that explores Colmar’s World War II history. Dine on board this evening and cruise on through the night.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included

Day 4: Strasbourg, France
Disembark this morning for your guided tour of Strasbourg. See the European Parliament and tour the interior of the city’s famed cathedral. Free time allows you to further explore this Alsatian city’s blend of French and German cultures, resplendent churches, medieval covered bridges, verdant parks and handsome art nouveau and modernist architecture. Alternately, join our optional excursion into Alsatian wine country for an informative winery tour and tasting. Or, spend your full day exploring culinary Strasbourg on an optional excursion; as you explore the city and take in its sights, savor samples of the renowned Alsatian cuisine, from regional dessert specialties and meats to wine pairings with local foods. Return to your ship for dinner and departure.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included

Day 5: Speyer, Germany / Rüdesheim, Germany
This morning, disembark for an included tour to visit the historic the historic town of Speyer and take in views of the imposing Speyer Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in the 11th century on the site of a former basilica, the building’s design influenced Romanesque architecture for centuries to come, and is the final resting place of eight German monarchs. Alternatively, after breakfast, you may choose to disembark for a full day tour of Heidelberg, the home of Germany’s oldest university, founded in 1386. Visit the beautiful sandstone ruins of imposing Heidelberg Castle and admire the Neckar River Valley. Continue with a walking tour through Old Town to Heidelberg’s renowned gates and after lunch, rejoin your ship in Rüdesheim. This evening, you can dine on board your ship or choose to experience one of our optional dinners on shore tonight.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included

Day 6: Koblenz, Germany
This morning, sail along the most scenic stretch of the Rhine, where turreted castles and fortresses overlook the river from their hilltop posts. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this part of the Middle Rhine Valley is so beautiful. Arrive in Koblenz this afternoon and disembark for a tour of 700-year-old Marksburg Castle. You may also join an optional excursion that offers a lively and informative tour of Ehrenbreitstein Fortress; or, choose to journey into Moselle wine country on an optional excursion, stopping for a tour and tasting at a local winery. Return to your ship for lunch. Later, enjoy some time in this charming town at the confluence of the Moselle and Rhine Rivers.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included

Day 7: Cologne, Germany
Begin your day with a morning tour of Cologne, Germany’s fourth largest city. Stroll through Old Town past St. Martin’s Church and see the Dom, Germany’s largest cathedral and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Spend your free time enjoying Cologne’s atmospheric waterfront, or perhaps join an optional excursion on which you ascend to the Dom’s roof for up-close views of the cathedral’s architecture and bird’s-eye vistas of Cologne. Afterward, return on board for dinner. Alternately, you may set off on an optional excursion to explore Cologne’s spirited beer culture, sampling Kölsch, a light, crisp beer brewed only in Cologne, and enjoying a brauhaus dinner. After, return to your ship for a late-evening departure.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included

Day 8: Kinderdijk, The Netherlands
Today we sail to Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for a tour of this ingenious network of windmills and other flood management devices. You learn why the windmills were built and see how they work, plus you enter a working windmill for a tour of its mechanisms and living quarters. Return on board for lunch and an enjoyable afternoon of Dutch diversions: sample handcrafted Dutch cheeses and jenever, a distilled juniper liquor, and take in a culturally enriching presentation on the Dutch Golden Age.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included

Day 9: Amsterdam, Netherlands – transfers & return flights from Amsterdam to Sioux Falls, SD
Alas, after breakfast this morning it’s time to disembark and travel to the airport for your return flights to Sioux Falls, SD.- Dependant on flight arrival time in Sioux Falls we may overnight before returning to the Black Hills.
Breakfast Included plus meals aboard aircraft

Staterooms & Pricing:

Viking Longships offer you a choice of stateroom category. From spacious Veranda Staterooms and French Balcony Staterooms with a sliding glass door, to two-room Veranda Suites, each offering understated elegance and sweeping river views

All Staterooms offer:

• Hotel-style beds 79 inches x 63 inches (with optional twin-bed configuration)
• Voltage: 220V and 110V in stateroom & roomy wardrobe with wooden hangers
• Individual climate control & space under bed for storing suitcases
• Bathrobe and slippers available upon request
• Telephone, refrigerator, safe, hair dryer & bottled water replenished daily
• Private bathroom with shower and premium bath products
• Sony 40-inch flat-panel TV with premium entertainment package including: BBC News, CNBC, CNN,
• National Geographic, TNT Series, Sky Sports, videos on demand and “View From the Bridge”

Different Stateroom Types:

Standard Stateroom (Category E) is a 150 sq. ft. Stateroom with a half-height picture window:



Category E is $4,599 per person based on Double Occupancy

French Balcony Stateroom (Category C & D) is a 135 sq. ft. Stateroom with floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors that open to create a French balcony:



Category D is $5,299 per person based on Double Occupancy
Category C is $5,499 per person based on Double Occupancy

Veranda Stateroom (Category A & B) is a 205 sq. ft. Stateroom with floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors that open to a full-size veranda:



Category B is $5,799 per person based on Double Occupancy
Category A is $5,999 per person based on Double Occupancy (one deck higher than Category B)

Weather averages

Itinerary at a Glance

Starts: Friday May 27th 2022
Ends: Saturday June 4th 2022

What's Included

• Road transfer to and from Sioux Falls from Spearfish, Sturgis & Rapid City
• Round trip coach class air from Sioux Falls to Basel and return from Amsterdam
• Overnight Transatlantic Flight then 7 nights aboard Viking Longship Alruna & all transfers
• All meals once on board with complimentary Beer and House Wines served with lunch and Dinner
• Visits to UNESCO Sites plus Enrichment lectures & Destination Performances
• 24-hour specialty coffees, teas & bottled water & unlimited free WI-FI
• All on board Gratuities plus all taxes and fees & one complimentary shore excursion in each port
• Depending on final numbers, a round trip transportation & pre departure overnight package may be offered from the Black Hills to Sioux Falls at an additional cost.

Pricing

• Price: from $4,499pp (double occupancy)
• Single Supplement: Call for pricing

** TRAVEL INSURANCE IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED - PLEASE CONTACT US FOR A QUOTE - WE OFFER MEDICAL CANCELLATION PLANS PLUS CANCEL FOR ANY REASON POLICIES FROM A RANGE OF PROVIDERS **

Tour Brochure

• Itinerary (PDF)

How to Book

• Deposit of $1,500pp due at time of booking
• June 30th 2021 - Final Balance due
• Booking Form

What You'll Need

• A camera is a must
• Binoculars would be a great idea
• Passports are required for this tour
• The currency in Europe is the Euro - you may wish to buy currency or carry travelers checks
• Providing you have a major credit or debit card (VISA or MasterCard) you will be able to use local ATMs. Remember to check the charges with your bank prior to departure