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7 Night Christmas on the Rhine Cruise

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Viking Alruna

Category SSF - Seven Seas Suite Forward
Seven Seas Suite (Forward)

Photos are examples only. Actual cabin colors and features may vary.

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7 Night Christmas on the Rhine Cruise from Basel (Saxon)

Ship: Viking Alruna

Cruise Line: Viking River Cruises

Sailed: Saturday, Dec 10, 2022 from Basel (Saxon), Switzerland

Ended: Saturday, Dec 17, 2022

The itinerary information below reflects the original day-by-day port of call schedule for the Saturday, Dec 10, 2022 departure of the Viking Alruna. If Viking River Cruises modified this itinerary for weather or operational reasons after departing , the modified schedule would not be reflected here.

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Itinerary

Day by Day Summary and Map

Day 1 - Saturday - Dec 10, 2022

Basel (Saxon), Switzerland

Embark your ship and settle into your stateroom. A delightful blend of old and new, Basel is Switzerland's best-kept secret. During the holiday season, the medieval Old Town is transformed into a magical yuletide affair. Cobblestone streets are lined with wooden chalet-style huts selling all manner of festive treats and gifts. Visitors to the Christmas market can enjoy a warming cup of aromatic gluhwein in a decorated boot-shaped mug. Hand-carved tree decorations, cheerfully painted ceramics, and delicious food are sold from stalls throughout the city.

Day 2 - Sunday - Dec 11, 2022

Breisach, Germany

Breisach is built on a basalt rock outcropping in the Rhine plain, opposite its French sister city, Neuf-Brisach. It is located in one of the warmest parts of Germany, across the river from French Alsace, famous for its wine growing. But Breisach, too, can boast about its wine: it is home to Europe's largest cellars, with a storage capacity of more than 160 million liters. The most prominent landmark of Breisach is the Romanesque-Gothic St. Stephen's Cathedral, built between the 12th and 13th centuries. Its two towers are visible from throughout the city and from the Rhine.

Day 3 - Monday - Dec 12, 2022

Strasbourg, France

Strasbourg is said to be the capital of Christmas in France, with the city's cathedral square taking center stage as it is transformed into a winter wonderland. The city's Christkindelsmarik is the oldest in France, dating back to 1570. Hundreds of stalls are brimming with colorful wares, fine food, and mulled wine, bringing festive cheer in abundance. Alsatian specialties feature an array of hearty classics, from bretzels (soft, bread-like pretzels) to bredele (star-shaped spiced cookies), and knacks (sausages) to pain d'epices (gingerbread).

Day 4 - Tuesday - Dec 13, 2022

Mannheim, Germany

Rudesheim, Germany

Mannheim's Christmas market is a holiday season shopping extravaganza, centered around the city's iconic water tower. One of Germany's oldest and largest markets, more than 160 booths host vendors from around the world, offering handicrafts and handmade items. Beautiful glassware, and carved wooden toys and games, sit alongside Christmas lanterns, colorful baubles, and ornaments, all of which are presented in quaint wooden houses. Luxurious cashmere scarves, sheepskin mittens, and felt hats are the ideal purchase to take home as gifts for friends and family. Located in the picturesque Rhine Valley, Rudesheim is brimming with festive cheer. The vibrant Drosselgasse, a narrow alleyway lined with decorated restaurants and bars, is the perfect place to explore and immerse in the spirit of the holiday season. Traditional Rhineland music provides the backdrop to a warming mug of gluhwein or a tankard of Christmas beer. Market stalls offer an array of tasty morsels from various nations, and local artisans demonstrate their talents with displays of unique, handcrafted gifts.

Day 5 - Wednesday - Dec 14, 2022

Rhine Gorge, Germany

Koblenz, Germany

Middle Rhine & Koblenz, Germany: The Rhine River flows through one of Germany's most scenic regions. As you sail its most picturesque stretch, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Middle Rhine, you will pass vineyard-blanketed hills whose steep slopes require vintners to pick grapes by hand, keeping a centuries-old tradition alive. Admire splendid castles and dramatic rocks along the banks, all of which have stories to share. Perhaps you will marvel most at the Lorelei Rock at a dramatic curve in the river. Its eponymous river maiden mesmerized sailors with her song and lured them to their demise at her feet. Koblenz is a traditional German city with a wine heritage that spans centuries; a key ingredient for the warming gluhwein that is served from taverns and market stalls during the holiday season. The scent of cinnamon, cloves, and spices waft from steaming mugs as the sounds of festivities fill the air from one of the many musical performances, creating a toe-tapping atmosphere. Centered around the Schangel Fountain, the Koblenz Christmas market offers all the flavors of the yuletide season from its famous Christmas bakery.

Day 6 - Thursday - Dec 15, 2022

Cologne, Germany

Themed winter markets feature across Cologne during the holiday season, inviting visitors to browse colorful market stalls for handmade gifts, beautiful artwork, and colorful crafts. The towering Gothic Cologne Cathedral provides a stunning backdrop to the city's festivities and array of offerings from its red wooden stalls. Beneath the pointed roofs of Cologne harbor's tented market, unique crafted goods are displayed amid the twinkling lights of boats bobbing in the marina. The yuletide season in Dusseldorf is a feast for the senses. The air carries the scent of candied roasted almonds, a mouthwatering sweet snack, popular over the festive season. There are several Christmas markets located throughout the city. In the Old Town, burgher-style huts, modeled on the city's traditional architecture, offer a range of tasty treats, from bratwurst to stollen, a cake-like bread filled with fruits, spices, and nuts. In front of City Hall, the Handwerkermarkt offers crafts by local artists, while the Schadowmarkt lines the main shopping street amid festive store window displays.

Day 7 - Friday - Dec 16, 2022

Dordrecht, Netherlands

Waal & Merwede & Dordrecht, Netherlands: Sail the bucolic waters of the Rhine, deep into the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt Delta, while classic Dutch landscapes unfurl all around. Flat farmland, charming windmills, and svelte poplar trees line the shores, and vast tracts of land stretch in all directions, growing all manner of bounty, from tomatoes to tulips. Gaze upon Friesian cows and tidy villages with their neatly laid farmhouses and marvel at how much of this land was reclaimed from the sea, saved by the stirrings of traditional windmills and the building of dikes. Dordrecht is the oldest city in Holland. Throughout the city, there are hundreds of historic monuments and landmarks, including the Grote Kerk and the 13th-century Augustinian monastery known as Het Hof. The picturesque waterways and decorative bridges of Dordrecht exude a bygone era and are best explored on foot. The inner-city harbors are centuries old and lined with grand warehouses that have now been transformed into elegant homes. With a relaxed atmosphere and a plethora of quaint cafes and shops, Dordrecht oozes old-world charm.

Day 8 - Saturday - Dec 17, 2022

Amsterdam, Netherlands

A city of charming canals, elegant gabled houses, splendid museums, and abundant bicycles, the Dutch capital of Amsterdam is a delight to explore. Its patchwork of waterways forms about 90 islands connected by 1,500 bridges. The legacy of the Dutch Golden Age lives on in gilded manses and in the lush paintings of Rembrandt and other Dutch masters that adorn the Rijksmuseum, the nation's grand repository of art and cultural history. Discovering Amsterdam is a pleasure best pursued on foot; visitors line the tranquil canals and linger over Dutch pancakes, or take a stroopwafel to go. After breakfast, disembark your ship and journey home.

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Other Sail Dates and Itineraries on Viking Alruna

Sail Date	Itinerary Name	Interior From	Oceanview From	Balcony From	Suite From	Details
Aug 31, 2024(Saturday)	7 Night Rhine Getaway Departing from Basel (Saxon), Switzerland	Call For Price	Call For Price	Call For Price	Call For Price	View
Aug 31, 2024(Saturday)	7 Night Rhine Getaway Departing from Basel (Saxon), Switzerland	Call For Price	Call For Price	Call For Price	Call For Price	View
Sep 7, 2024(Saturday)	7 Night Rhine Getaway Departing from Amsterdam, Netherlands	Call For Price	Call For Price	Call For Price	Call For Price	View
Sep 7, 2024(Saturday)	7 Night Rhine Getaway Departing from Amsterdam, Netherlands	Call For Price	Call For Price	Call For Price	Call For Price	View
Sep 14, 2024(Saturday)	7 Night Rhine Getaway Departing from Basel (Saxon), Switzerland	Call For Price	Call For Price	Call For Price	Call For Price	View

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