LOOK OVER 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. From Amsterdam and Cologne to Basel, this journey reveals a rich landscape of beauty and culture.

Unlike other river cruise lines, Viking River Cruises provides this money-back guarantee:
"We hope you love your cruise from the very beginning; however, should you be dissatisfied with our service upon first check-in (hotel or aboard ship) including food, personnel or shore excursions — just notify us within 24 hours of the start of your cruise (if your first check-in is aboard ship, notify your Program Director; at a hotel, contact your Viking Host). We then have 24 hours to correct the situation, and in the unlikely event a solution isn’t possible, you can then depart as soon as possible and we’ll refund 100% of your cruise price. We can assist with any departure reservations, but your return trip/alternate travel plan costs are your sole responsibility. This Service Guarantee cannot be activated or applied due to Acts of God, Strike or Other as indicated in the Terms and Conditions."

Four Countries: Netherlands • Amsterdam • Kinderdijk; Germany • Cologne • Koblenz • Heidelberg • Breisach (Black Forest); France • Strasbourg; Switzerland • Basel

Cruise-tour operated by Viking River Cruises. Click here for Print-Friendly Flier.

Because of the special air fare, balance due earlier than our normal terms: March 22, 2019.

All prices are per person, based on occupancy. • Document required for US Citizens is Passport valid for at least 6 months AFTER your return date; no visa or shots at this time. Other citizens should consult their consulate. • Insurance coverage included is the Deluxe Group Plan from Travel Guard and for coverage details see web steviejaytravel.com/insurance covering cancellation charges; other terms at steviejaytravel.com/terms which are incorporated by reference. • Price and details are subject to change each month. Option for Oktoberfest extension will be released in late fall. Paying your balance (due by March 22) by “e-check” saves you at least $107 or more depending on category chosen. Specialty optional tours are provided as an extra-cost alternative to the included shore excursions. Note that the stateroom category availability we show is subject to confirmation after you book. If we cannot get what you want and the alternatives are unacceptable, you will be given a full refund of your initial payment. Acct#190925s 31Jul18 00:44 

VIKING RIVER CRUISES INCLUDES MORE FEATURES & SERVICES THAN OTHERS

• One complimentary shore excursion in every port of call
• Free Wi-Fi (connection speed may vary)
• Visits to UNESCO Sites
• Enrichment lectures & Destination Performances
• Beer, wine & soft drinks with onboard lunch & dinner
• 24-hour specialty coffees, teas & bottled water
• Port taxes & fees
• Ground transfers with Viking Air purchase

YOUR STATEROOM INCLUDES

• River-view stateroom
• Hotel-style bed with optional twin-bed configuration; luxury linens & pillows
• 40" flat-screen LCD TV with complimentary Movies On Demand
• 110/220 volt outlets & USB ports
• Refrigerator; security safe; hair dryer
• Spacious glass-enclosed shower
• Heated bathroom floor & anti-fog mirror
• Premium Freyja® toiletries; plush robes & slippers
• Stateroom steward & twice-daily housekeeping

STEVIE JAY TRAVEL INCLUDES

• Local departure from Central Illinois
• Travel insurance from AIG/Travel Guard
• Tour host, Stevie Jay, travels with you throughout to assure all goes well and have more fun, from Central Illinois and back home—we're with you all the way
• Baggage handling at airports
• All tips — drivers, guides, and cruise staff!
• Surprise extras!

Cruising (7) Viking Longship Lofn

Join us from • Bloomington • Champaign • Chicago O'Hare • Decatur • Springfield • Plus airports around the USA!

If you want a room to yourself, then when you book a single supplement will apply. You need to choose the option that matches the category letter of the stateroom you want.

If you want to room with another single, please mention their name or that you will have someone booking later.

If you want us to watch for another single to room with, make your deposit but we cannot hold a room yet or Viking will charge a cancellation fee. We will instead hold your funds and make a full refund if we cannot find you a roommate before March (when the balance is due) or sooner if you don't to wait that long.

Please note that the above 3 possibilities are to be chosen under the booking question "Occupancy" so we know what you intend. Feel free to call us if you have questions.

It's important to book this Rhine cruise earlier than most tours and cruises for two reasons:
1. The riverboat only has 95 staterooms and so a tiny fraction of a typical ocean cruise holding 3000-6000 people, and.. Some categories have just 2-5 staterooms before selling out.

2. Because we apply all current special offers from Viking River Cruises: "Two For One", Reduced Air Fare etc. These discount offers from Viking typically expire or discount reduced at the end of each month. This causes urgency that could save you hundreds of dollars if you act now.

Following are discounts for part(s) of our package that you do not want:

• If you do not want the included insurance, then when booking apply the following discount code NO-INSURANCE and your price will be reduced by $309 per person.

• If you do not want the included air fare from Chicago to Amsterdam & returning from Basel (nor the transfers from airport-riverboat-airport), then when booking apply the following discount code CRUISE-ONLY and your price will be reduced by $599 per person.

• If you want neither insurance nor air fare/transfers, when booking apply the following discount code NO-AIR-INSUR and your price will be reduced by $906 per person.

Our group rate includes round trip, economy class air fare and transfers at a special promotion rate that is subject to change each month.
If you want to fly in the Business Class section, Viking River offers the following option depending on the category of Stateroom or Suite you have chosen. When adding these amounts to our group price, it includes the insurance to cover this upgrade. 

Following rates are per person & vary by category:
• Business Class Air Upgrade - Stateroom categories A-F +$3215

• Business Class Air Upgrade-Suite categories AA or ES +$2573

If you want this, click the option that matches the category you have chosen.
Note: if you were to buy business class air fare from the airline directly typically the round trip price range is about $4400-7000/person. Viking River gives you great savings and includes transportation from the airport to riverboat, round trip, also.

As of July 5, our cruise riverboat is nearly sold out. Here are the remaining number of staterooms in each category:  
ES 0

AA 0

A 0

B 0

C 0

D 0

E 0

F 3

Your booking can only be made once we receive your deposit. If it is not available when we call Viking River, we will offer you alternatives. If none are acceptable, we will make a full refund.

Click here for a 3 minute video about the features of Viking River Cruises.

Or click here for 45-seconds on the Rhine Cruise itineraries.

Stevie Jay welcomes us aboard our private motor coach to Chicago O'Hare. He hires skycaps to help with luggage for check-in for our flight to Amsterdam.

Arrive in Amsterdam this morning, then we are taken by motor coach to our riverboat. After boarding, the afternoon is yours to relax or explore the city on your own. Perhaps visit the Rijksmuseum, or the Van Gogh Museum next door. We enjoy our first wonderful dinner aboard as we cruise from the city. (D)

This morning 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. We cruise through the night. (B, L, D)

Begin your day with a morning tour of Cologne, Germany’s fourth largest city. Stroll through Old Town past St. Martin’s Church and visit 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. (B, L, D)

Proceed along the Rhine, disembarking to tour the 700-year-old Marksburg Castle. Alternately, choose an optional excursion that offers a lively and informative tour of Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, or enjoy an optional guided exploration of Koblenz on foot. After, enjoy an onboard lunch as you cruise the scenic Middle Rhine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where turreted castles and fortresses overlook the river from their hilltop posts. Arrive in Rüdesheim in the late afternoon. Spend free time in the pedestrian-only Drosselgasse and sample a glass of locally produced wine at one of the restaurants or wine bars. Dine on board your ship, or in town if you prefer. You may also choose to experience one of our optional dinners on shore tonight. We depart after midnight. (B, L, D)

Cruise into midmorning as you enjoy the passing scenery. After breakfast, disembark for a tour of Heidelberg, the home of Germany’s oldest university, founded in 1386. Visit the beautiful sandstone ruins of imposing Heidelberg Castle and take in the scenery of the Neckar River Valley and the city’s many red rooftops from this hilltop post. Continue with a walking tour through Old Town to Heidelberg’s renowned gates. On your way back to your ship, visit the historic town of Speyer and take in views of the imposing Romanesque 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. Its soaring interior features graceful rows of sandstone columns and a large stained-glass window that was installed in the western facade during a later Gothic period. (B, L, D)

We dock this morning in Kehl and disembark for a guided tour of Strasbourg. See the European Parliament and tour the interior of the city’s famed cathedral. The afternoon is free 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. On board this evening, enjoy a Taste of Germany dinner event. (B, L, D)

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. (B, L, D)

After breakfast, disembark and proceed to the airport for our same day flight home. Our chartered coach returns to Central Illinois with a new appreciation of Europe and its charms. (B)

Included meals are noted each day with the initials of Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.