In mid-October, my journey buddy, Judy, and I flew to Zurich to embark on a Basel to Cologne Rhine Cruise provided by Riviera Cruises. Our transportation was not included, so we flew to Zurich after which took a prepare to Basel, the place we boarded the ship.
Evaluating the Cruise
Scoring is completed for every class with a most of 10 factors every.
10/10 Boarding and Disembarkation: Upon touchdown, visitors with airline packages from Riviera are transferred to a coach and introduced on to the ship docked in Basel, Switzerland. Others arrive on their very own by taxi. On the ultimate morning of the cruise, all visitors disembark in Cologne., Germany. Their baggage will get picked up exterior staterooms, transferred to a holding space, and rechecked with every visitor earlier than departing. Seamless!
Why select Riviera: I’ve taken two Riviera cruises, and so they efficiently present a high-end cruising expertise at a worth worth. They provide very related amenities and locations when in comparison with luxurious manufacturers. I’d not hesitate to suggest and would like to take one other Riviera River Cruise.
10/10 Ship Design: The Geoffrey Chaucer, Riviera’s latest boat, is an ‘all suite’ ship, Swiss-operated, and genuinely world-class. The ship carries a crew of 44 who serve 169 visitors. The general public areas embody surrounding glass home windows, so that you at all times preserve sight of what’s exterior. The higher Solar Deck presents a splash pool, placing inexperienced, and 360-degree views. The ship additionally has a health heart, sauna, steam room, and an elevator between flooring.
10/10 Staterooms: Cabins measure 183 sq. ft, among the many largest on any cruiser gracing any European river. Rooms have been designed to supply a spot for every part. The ground-to-ceiling home windows slide open, so you’re feeling like you might be standing outside even with no balcony. Marble bogs are compact however purposeful.
10/10 Drinks: Complementary wine, beer, and gentle drinks are served with lunch and dinner. Friends on the Diamond Deck (higher) obtain a coupon for a complimentary cocktail every day. Bartenders are very educated.
5/10 Purchasing: River cruise itineraries spotlight historic and cultural websites, making procuring much less vital. The ship comprises a small present store. Friends obtain restricted time to purchase objects within the Black Forest, Strasbourg, Rudesheim, and Lucerne when ashore.
5/10 Leisure: Night leisure on this river cruise is restricted. Often, an area musician or dancer performs. The resident piano participant was good, however his voice may have been higher. Most visitors retire after dinner to organize for the subsequent day’s actions.
10/10 Employees Perspective: All of the employees and crew have been very pleasant and useful. Servers within the eating room shortly discovered particular person preferences. Housekeeping employees cleaned cabins twice a day. The cruise director provides every day informative shows about upcoming excursions within the lounge. FYI: Employees ideas are usually not included, so envelopes are distributed on the finish of the cruise.
10/10 Communication: Riviera’s on-line communication was simple and environment friendly. A packet of journey paperwork was despatched forward of time that answered each query. Emergency numbers have been offered if a visitor encountered delays in arrival. Wi-Fi onboard was free and surprisingly good.
9/10 Eating Aboard the Geoffrey Chaucer:
The Predominant Eating Room can accommodate everybody in a single sitting. Riviera’s coverage is open seating, so whenever you enter the eating room, you could find your individual desk or be a part of others.
The central space serves a breakfast and lunch buffet. Within the morning, the buffet presents nearly each breakfast meals you possibly can think about. There’s an omelet station at one finish, or you possibly can order breakfast off the menu.
Lunch brings a full salad bar, quite a lot of bread and chilly cuts, a pasta of the day station, and a alternative of different every day menu options (at all times together with a hamburger). In fact, chances are you’ll select amongst many scrumptious desserts.
Dinners are extra gourmand four-course meals (appetizer, soup, entrée, and dessert) and wine (included within the drinks package deal.) Chances are you’ll select from three entrees of the day (one is vegetarian) or decide from the always-available salmon and beef dinners. Anybody nonetheless hungry could ask for seconds. The eating room employees are pleasant and most useful.
A smaller eating room choice on the Diamond Deck is the Chef’s Restaurant. Friends can reserve a spot for dinner, however lunch right here is first come, first served. Diners can watch the chef put together entrées from the open kitchen. I felt this intimate restaurant provided the next high quality meal. Early risers will discover pastries out there earlier than the principle restaurant opens.
10/10 Ports of Name: The most effective advantages of a Riviera cruise is that each one shore excursions are included. Usually, they contain a strolling or a bus tour a minimum of as soon as a day. Knowledgeable native guides lead the excursions in every metropolis. Passengers board the ship in Basel. Switzerland. They spend the next day within the Bernese Alps. Half-day excursions embody the Black Forest, Strasbourg, Speyer, Rüdesheim, Koblenz, and Cologne, Germany.
Switzerland – The journey by means of the Bernese Alps, a few of Switzerland’s most iconic countryside, is completely excellent. The cogwheel prepare to the summit at Schynige Platte introduced breathtaking sights. It’s not possible to explain the image and emotion of standing earlier than the legendary triumvirate of Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. As a bonus, members have been greeted by two males wearing conventional costumes taking part in Alphorns, these prolonged musical devices.
Black Forest – This tour begins with an early afternoon drive by means of the picturesque Black Forest to the crystal clear Titisee Lake. We stopped within the city of Titisee, the place we noticed an illustration about cuckoo clocks. Some stopped for a slice of iconic Black Forest cake. Sadly, Titisee doesn’t provide rather more than memento retailers, so I used to be disillusioned.
Strasbourg, France – We have been extraordinarily fortunate in Strasbourg as a result of our information moved our group into the empty cathedral instantly in entrance of the well-known astronomical clock. We have been the one folks there! The group was lucky to see the clock in all its glory and watch the motion when it chimed on the hour. We additionally walked previous the town’s canals and across the space known as Le Petite France. Afterward, the outing included free time to discover and store. Strasbourg presents fascinating historical past, detailed structure, a superb cathedral, and enjoyable retailers.
Speyer – The boat traveled in a single day, and the next morning, we visited Speyer. Sadly, it was Sunday, so many locations have been closed. We took a guided tour of the picturesque medieval city, highlighted by the town’s beautiful Romanesque cathedral, based in 1030. It comprises a novel crypt and the tombs of eight German emperors, kings, and three empresses. Nevertheless, mass was underway on the cathedral, so we couldn’t go in. In 1981, Speyer’s cathedral was designated a UNESCO World Heritage web site, one of many largest and most vital Romanesque constructions.
Rüdesheim – This cease introduced a guided tour of the charming wine metropolis of Rüdesheim, together with the Drosselgasse, the guts of the outdated city, and Brömserburg Citadel, relationship again to 1275. Those that paid a bit further have been delighted by a tour by means of ‘Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cupboard.’ Earlier than returning to the ship, we loved a particular Rudesheim espresso made with Asbach brandy over three sugar cubes, sizzling espresso, and whipped cream with chocolate shavings. Yummy!
Koblenz – Rain was falling once we arrived in Koblenz, the place Rhine and Moselle’s rivers meet. However, I took a wonderful guided tour of the historic heart. I want we’d had an opportunity to go as much as the fortress, however we sailed onward towards Cologne within the early morning.
Rhine Gorge: – The afternoon introduced one of many cruise highlights: castles. We handed by means of the well-known Rhine Gorge, seeing picturesque riverside views of many castles. It’s no surprise the area is a delegated UNESCO World Heritage Web site.
Cologne – We docked within the late afternoon, and lots of rode the coach so far as permitted after which walked to the cathedral. Cologne’s Gothic Cathedral stands a whopping 515 ft tall. The inspiration was laid in 1248 and regularly added on till 1520. However, the church remained unfinished till the nineteenth century. The outside suffers from air pollution and wishes cleansing. The inside can be slightly darkish.
Areas for Potential Enchancment
The brief time allotted in Lucerne is just not lengthy sufficient to permit members to soak up the memorable metropolis highlights. The field lunch for this full-day Switzerland tour may have been extra hardy. Riviera provided no guided excursions of Cologne’s cathedral, which might have been welcomed.
About Riviera River Cruises:
Riviera River Cruises presents river journeys by means of Europe on the Danube, Douro, Predominant, Moselle, Rhine, Rhone and Seine rivers. The corporate additionally presents small ship ocean cruises within the Adriatic.
Riviera attracts practically all their visitors from the UK, sometimes 50+ year-old {couples}. Nevertheless, you’ll discover some People and different English-speaking people aboard. The cruises give attention to visits to historic and cultural websites. Friends are prepped for excursions by skilled cruise administrators. The excursions are led by native guides who’re caring, skilled, and extremely educated. They’re enthusiastic about sharing what they know.
Why select Riviera
I’ve taken two Riviera cruises, and so they efficiently present a high-end cruising expertise at a worth worth. They provide very related amenities and locations when in comparison with luxurious manufacturers. I’d not hesitate to suggest and would like to take one other Riviera River Cruise.
Pictures credit score Debi Lander
Cowl picture: Castles on the Rhine
Thanks to Riviera River Cruises and All Issues Cruise.
See Riviera River Cruises (cruisecompete.com)
