Cruise Line: Viking River
Cruise Ship: Viking Clara Schuman
Departure Port: Magdeburg

Ports of Call: Berlin, Potsdam, Magdeburg, Dessau, Wittenberg, Torgau, Meissen, Dresden, Bad Schandau,

This was our first cruise of any kind, and we are river cruising again this year. Everything we were concerned about in cruising turned out to be no problem. The room was small, which apparently is standard for cruises, but it was nicely furnished and comfortable. I especially liked the beds that converted into couches during the day, since that provided a more comfortable seat than did the lounges. There was a small closet, a small TV that showed English-language movies and CNN, a very compact bathroom, and a storage space for luggage above the bathroom, or luggage could be sent to storage.

There was a bit of a problem one day when the plumbing stopped working for a few hours.

We were surprised by how quiet it was, even when underway. There was no sense of motion on the placid river while traveling at 9-14mph.

The lounge held all the passengers--about 120--as did the one seating for lunch and dinner in the separate dining room. The lounge had a small library, and when available at the overnight stop, daily papers–-Financial Times, Intentional Herald-Tribune, and USA Today. Both the lounge and dining room were located in the front of the ship, with 270-degree views of the passing scene.

Our favorite place was the roof, or sun deck, with a choice of two styles of deck chairs and either shade or sunny locations. We had exceptionally nice weather, which made the sun deck very popular and most enjoyable for watching the European scenery and wildlife slowly pass.

There was no nighttime cruising, so we didn’t miss any scenery along the river.

Fitness and Recreational Facilities:

Staff was on hand every morning to lead exercises, but nobody showed up. There were no other fitness or excessive facilities, but they were not missed because every day included considerable walking, especially by taking advantage of free time at dock to explore. I don’t sleep well at night unless I get a pretty good dose of exercise during the day, and I slept well every night of the trip.

That, along with gaining no weight on the full meals served, including an all-you-can-eat breakfast, indicated that we got plenty of exercise just by going on the included tours. There were one or two fairly long walking tours each day, plus free time in port for more walking on our own.

Dining:

We were pleasantly surprised by how good the food was. Every couple of days, fresh produce was brought on board. As it was spargle season in Germany, so a number of meals featured fresh asparagus.

Breakfast was a classic Dutch-English-German buffet, with daily changes in the offerings--yogurt, cheeses, eggs, ham, sausages, fresh fruit, breads, cereal, and occasionally champagne.

Lunch (three courses) and dinner (three or four courses) offered a choice of appetizer, entree, and dessert. All were in the range of 8-9 out of 10. Nothing radical, but nothing objectionable either. It was nouvelle continental, somewhat tamed down for American tastes.

Entertainment, Bars, and Lounges:

Drinks were expensive, but we solved that by buying great German dark beer ashore. Lack of refrigeration was no problem, as most European beers are best drunk at room temperature, but if that’s a problem, get a bottle of red wine.

A one-man band preformed every evening after dinner in the lounge, where the bar was, which I avoided, being a fan of classical music or silence. One evening, the crew did some mildly amusing skits, which is, I gather, a standard of cruising. Another evening, a Czech folk ensemble came onboard to perform for a couple hours–-they got on at one stop and left when we reached the evening tie-up.

Highlights:

Torgau, which is so far off the map that it doesn’t have an English website, nor was it in any tour book I could find, is a gem, a well-preserved 15th-century city with an impressive castle guarding the river, a musty old Gothic cathedral, and no tourists except from the ship. We docked during dinner and had an after-dinner nighttime tour of the old city.

Berlin is sprawling for a European city, and not much given to walking to see the far flung sights. Our included day and a half bus tour of Potsdam and Berlin was the perfect way to see the great city.

Wittenberg, pretty much where the modern world was born, was a fascinating stop. Our 2-3 hour walking tour hit all the high points. The local tour guide was especially informative.

Three days in Prague only whetted our appetite for more of the greatest of Europe’s great cites.

The de rigueur porcelain factory visit in Meissen was more interesting than the brochures make it sound. Instead of visiting the factory, there is a detailed demonstration in small theater of how the famed knick-knacks are made. A factory store offered plenty of ways to spend money. Then we bussed uphill to the castle. After the castle visit, we ride back to the ship or walk back. The walk through the old city was delightful. The ship was docked close enough to walk back to, so I soon wandered away from the tour to explore on my own, leading me into an incredibly quaint restaurant in a half-timbered house with a vine-covered garden in back where a wine tasting was underway. Friendly natives, recognizing a wandering tourist, invited me to join. The wines tasted were superb.

Family Activities:



Cruise Passengers:

Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah!!! No kids!!! No squalling brats, no insolent teenagers, no jock dunces, no prom queens--just civilized adults.

Viking’s Berlin-Prague trip operates in English only. Short, unobtrusive, informative recorded messages called attention to the various attractions we passed along the river. Prague-Berlin is multi-lingual. Our group was mostly middle-aged to elderly Americans, with a few Brits on hand, and all experienced travelers. One handicapped person with a motorized scooter that folded up and fit in the bus luggage compartment seemed to be accommodated without too much trouble. With only 120 passengers, we quickly got to know, or at least recognize everybody, and transfers on and off the bus trips were pretty quickly done.

Tips and Suggestions:

Most European river ships have two or three decks. The bottom deck is cheapest, with marginally more engine noise and cabin window views that are a bit restricted by being so close to the water.

Once we reached the river, it was a very relaxing, stressless vacation. Staff took care of everything--all we had to do was arrive on time.

The tour guide said that he had never taken a group to Prague without someone being the victim of theft. In our group, it was two passports. When in Prague, be careful with your valuables. Never set anything down or let it out of your sight. Oddly, everyone, even single women, is absolutely safe on the streets anytime, almost everywhere in the city.

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