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Elegance On The Elbe

An Adventure With Viking Cruises

By CHRIS OWEN

July 29^th, 2015

a sailing with no ship

Days before we were to embark on our Viking River Cruise, sailing an Elegant Elbe itinerary, we got the notice: Due to low water levels, our ship would not be able to sail. All hope was not lost though as a modified itinerary was offered, using two strategically positioned Viking Longships as bases to launch daily adventures. When it was all said and done, we would see the same places and actually have a far more engaging experience than we bargained for.

prague

One of the unique parts of our Viking Elegant Elbe adventure is that it includes a pre- and post-cruise hotel stay, stretching what would otherwise be an eight day trip into ten. On our first full day, we hit the ground running, covering a lot of territory.

Our Prague City Tour was a combination bus and walking tour that began with a general overview of the city while on the motorcoach.

the astronomical clock

First stopping at the historic city centre, we stopped by Old Town Square which features the Astronomical Clock. A bit ahead of schedule, we watched the clock chime along with hundreds of other travelers then paused at a cafe for cappuccino and espresso.

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time for coffee

One of our favorite parts of traveling in Europe: Stopping at a sidewalk cafe for coffee

the castle district

Back on the bus we made our way to the Castle District for an hour-long guided walk that featured a changing of the castle guard and repositioning of troops that protect what is the Czech equivalent of the White House.

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litomerice

Now loaded back on the motorcoach, we enjoyed a scenic drive through the Czech countryside, stopping in Litomerice where we had a choice of tours from which to choose. Some went to the Terezin Memorial which I can’t tell you anything about because we chose the Walking Tour and Beer Tasting option. I think we made the right choice.

Visiting on a Sunday, it was as though we had the place to ourselves and the tour went rather quickly. This is one of those quaint little places one might want to come back to see some day. Lisa and I stopped for coffee at a lovely little hotel that we added to our list of places to return to one day.

beer tasting

Beer tasting at the city’s 300 year-old brewery was probably one of the best ideas ever and really helped our little group come together. Tasting three different kinds of beer brewed there probably helped that effort along too. We bought (dirt cheap) beer some to take back with us since we were on the way to the ship, our next stop.

seen from the bus

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viking astrild

Arriving at Viking Astrild, it was immediately clear: this is a much smaller ship than the other Viking Longships we have sailed. Less than 100 guests and less than 40 crew brought an instantly intimate feel to the vessel and we felt right at home. Staterooms are about the same as other Viking ships: nicely appointed with plenty of places to plug things in, store belongings and move about freely. More on those later. For now, a quick tour of the ship in photos gathered early this morning while everyone else was sleeping.

bastei rock formation

Part of a German national park, the Bastei Rock Formation is just one part of a marvelous viewpoint of the surrounding area. Overlooking the Elbe river, the trip began to come into perspective as we saw a lazy little river that wound through the cliffs and farmland.

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lunch in the saxon switzerland

Stopping for lunch at a restaurant there with a marvelous view of the area was where we spent our free time of the day, choosing to break off from the tour group as some travelers do. German potato soup and crusty bread with a local beer followed by hot Apple Strudel was a nice way to spend an hour or so, just taking in the scene.

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meanwhile, back at the ship

Going back to Dresden and Viking Astrild, we received more good news at the nightly briefing: tomorrow’s tour would be a morning walk of the city, done one of two ways. Walking the entire way through the old city of Dresden was an option for those who wanted that tour to last about four hours. By motorcoach, the tour would be a bit briefer but would cover the city on both sides of the Elbe River. Reminiscent of the Buda and Pest sides of Budapest, we chose that option.

seen walking in dresden

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a comfortable ship

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dresden, Germany

Resigned to the fact that Viking Astrild is resting on the Elbe River bed and going no where, we were rapidly settling in to a relaxed daily pace. We were good with that, like most other well-traveled Viking guests on board. While parked within walking distance of Dresden’s city center, today would bring a tour by motorcoach and on foot to some of the area landmarks. That was the plan we began the day with but one that would very quickly change. At the end of the day we were left with one of the most memorable experiences of the trip. We also got a first hand look into what Viking is all about.

the florence of the elbe

Known as the Florence of the Elbe, Dresden was a wonderful place to park your cruise ship for a few days, offering a number of places to visit within walking distance. That’s just how I started my day too, with a self-guided tour that took me up and down the river bank and into the city center for a total of 4,221 (Fitbit) steps; for me about 2 miles.

on tour in dresden

Driving around town in the Viking motorcoach, we passed through upper end neighborhoods, past the Volkswagen factory and then spent time on foot exploring the Old Masters Picture Gallery at Zwinger Palace.

local guides make a difference

Significant here was the amount of time we spent with an uber-informative guide through the gallery. No photos allowed but our unrestricted access to magnificent works of art was not just a simple walk through with a museum guide. Ours was a qualified historian who provided accurate detail and analysis of a number of works from artists around the world

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scenic cruising

It was about half-way through this tour that we were interrupted by Viking Astrild Hotel Manager Michael who had some news for us. While our original schedule called for the entire afternoon to be free time, he and the Captain had arranged for us to enjoy scenic cruising on the Elbe River, courtesy of a ferry company that runs back and forth between Dresden and Meissen all day.

The move by Viking to add this scenic cruising experience at a time when none was expected was more that just good thinking, it speaks to their commitment to those who travel with them. Even better, this decision was made at ground level, by the front line people on the ship, unencumbered by a process that might prohibit such a move with another company. Impressive.

the elegant elbe river

Not a big surprise to us as we have seen Viking in action before and know their heart is in enabling us to see the world in the comfort of their Viking Longships. It’s more than a slogan and we really like it when documentable evidence of that mission comes into play. Smart move.

viking astrild in dresden

I was glad that those who had not sailed before did get more than a taste of scenic cruising even though it is really not as much of the overall experience as one might expect. As detailed in Sailing Viking: Free Time Jackpot, as a rule, most sailing is done while we are ashore on a tour or at night.

onboard, plenty going on

Just before saying goodbye to Viking Astrild, a German culinary event that invited guests into the kitchen

meissen porcelain factory

This was the day of our ship swap when we said goodbye to Viking Astrild, driving off on the road to Meissen, on the way to Wittenberg where we would check in on twin sister ship, Viking Beyla. While we did not have a lot of time on Viking Astrild, the crew went far out of their way to make us feel at home, complete with a clever send off message.

behind the scenes

Arriving in Meissen we began with a tour of the Meissen Porcelain factory, dating back to 1710. Taking us through the process of porcelain making from beginning to end, an interactive demonstration workshop was quite interesting.

fine porcelian, on display

On display, pieces of Meissen porcelain from throughout its long history as well as a shop selling some of their wares directly.

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and another cup of coffee

This time served in Meissen porcelain

touring meissen

Staying right on track with our particular interest anywhere we go, Lisa and I enjoyed a nice cappuccino served in Meissen porcelain before a walking tour from high above the town. That tour ended in the city market where abundant shopping opportunities took us to a local grocery where we found some German spices to bring back home.

Locally-sourced spices are quickly becoming a favorite souvenir that brings back destinations later when we are cooking back home in Orlando. Spices don’t take up much space in luggage either and are pretty hard to break in transit.

local connections

We also spent a bit of free time at a tiny restaurant recommended by our Viking guide where we found a good bratwurst and local beer…something to tide us over until lunch at local eatery Ratskeller, provided by Viking.

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meissen lunch

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viking beyla

Conveniently parked next to a biergarten

the elegant elbe

A calm and serene river

wittenberg, germany

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onboard viking beyla

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history comes to life

We throw around the apt description of travelers for whom the Viking river cruise experience resonates as “culturally curious”, and rightfully so. Viking Longships satisfy that curiosity by taking them along rivers that have seen so much throughout time. Wars have been won and lost. The borders of countries have changed. On our Elegant Elbe itinerary, German history comes to life in a way not possible through books, films or classroom instruction. Being here, seeing these historic places will no doubt be the enduring memory of our adventure.

torgau, Germany

Once in Torgau, the relationship of that city to the history of Germany and the rest of the world became quite clear as we walked cobblestone streets.

hartenfels castle

Hard to miss, Hartenfels Castle dates back to the early Renaissance and dominates the town.

The chapel was built in 1544, combines late Gothic with early Renaissance elements and was consecrated by Martin Luther on October 5, 1544.

our program director

A defining factor in our experience, Program Director Emma was with us all the way

a wonderful crew made the trip

I thought I recognized the Captain. I did. He was at the 2015 Viking Longships Christening in Amsterdam (right)

martin luther tour

For a number of us on Viking River Cruises Elegant Elbe trip, the stop in Wittenberg was the main attraction. Home to Martin Luther, father of the Protestant Reformation who planted the seeds that would eventually become modern day Lutheranism. Lisa and I were married in the Lutheran church, in spite of my Jewish grandmother’s spirit which still haunts me today over that decision. Sydney and Whitney were baptised in the Lutheran church and we attended regular church services there for a number of years. Martin Luther is to the Lutheran church of today as Walt Disney is to the Disney company of today in a way. Both men had interesting and revolutionary ideas and both succeeded in changing the world.

wittenberg = lutherland

Walking around Wittenberg it’s hard to miss the references to Luther on everything from souvenirs to street names. Luther’s image in Wittenberg is as present as Mozart’s in Vienna, especially when we get to places where Luther lived, worked and made history. Martin Luther Tour - 13

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beautiful wittenberg

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we're glad we came

In the world of ocean cruising, defining the experience when a ship does not sail is easy. It’s cancelled. There is no practical way to take travelers from Cozumel to Grand Cayman without the ship. Ocean cruise lines will try to modify itineraries for weather-related events and are pretty successful at it, rarely cancelling sailings. Still, if that modified itinerary causes the ship to miss a favorite port of call, it’s a negative situation that is often hard to get past.

the nature of travel

It’s right about here that when the nature of travel separates the men from the boys. Some will move past the unexpected disruption while others will allow it to define the experience. We had made detailed plans for every stop along the way, dissected the itinerary to consider photo opportunities and had an idea of what we would experience in advance. Viking helped with those efforts, providing detailed information in advance with a rich library of online resources and printed materials sent just before we began. We were ready. We were prepared. Then the music stopped.

just go with it

It was at that time when every person we traveled with made a decision to go or not to go. These are the longships of Viking, not the slaveships of Viking, and no one was forced to be here at gunpoint. Our best advice for those in a similar situation: just go with it. We know from experience: at the end of the day, Viking will deliver. We have the confidence from traveling with them in the past to know how they actually operate. This experience energized that faith.

Keep It In Perspective. Let Them Blow You Away

I am reminded of a removed but similar situation that might help put this into perspective. Last summer we also sailed with luxury land tour operator Abercrombie & Kent on what turned out to be a fabulous travel experience. Still, what ended up defining local connections possible during travel got off to a rough start. While several of those traveling with us were unraveling and about to let some negatives get the best of them, one nice couple who had traveled with A&K frequently were calm and serene. “It will all work out well. Trust them” said Joe Ford, a very well traveled man who had a high degree of confidence in the A&K product. He was right. Our A&K ‘angel’, swept in and not only fixed what was broken but added additional layers of wonder that more than compensated for any minor disruption. Similarly, our modified itinerary enabled us to see everything we bargained for and much more.

Even Under Fire, Cruising Comes Out Ahead

Throughout this storybook I have scattered photos of our experiences along the way. Many of these images would not have been collected had the actual experience been what was originally advertised. We simply would not have had the time at these destinations. That we did is an interesting concept to consider. Does that mean we are good candidates for a land vacation? Maybe, but in this case we got the best of both worlds.

On a land vacation we would have changed hotels, packed and unpacked at every turn and had more variables to consider. Where would we eat? Who would serve us? Would the bed be comfortable? Would the tour guide be good? All of the above are questions with answers provided in advance by Viking, then on the scene through Program Director Emma who stayed with us the entire way. She has been a trusted voice we could count on that provided continuity; basically the glue that held everything together.

The Viking Advantage: We Would Gladly Repeat Our Experience

That’s probably the best summary of all we experienced and how the modified plan sent to us by Viking just days before we began worked out. Lisa and I agree, without hesitation, that this was a wonderful travel experience that we would repeat in a heartbeat, exactly as we had done it. We owe a great amount of credit to the Viking organization but, frankly, a lot of that credit goes to us. We were fortunate enough to be able to keep our heads in the right place and see the beauty in what we were experiencing.

The Viking Advantage

One gigantic advantage of traveling with Viking River Cruises is the resources at their disposal. I saw that a couple summers ago, sailing with Viking just after high water floods, the opposite of our low water disruption had affected published itineraries. Ships could not pass under bridges or go through locks, causing other river cruise lines to cancel sailings. End of story. No vacation for you

This Will Be Difficult To Repeat

There is a part of me that suggests booking sailings more likely subject to modification, hope that indeed happens, and just roll with it when it does as a result of this experience. I say that with the same tone as recommending booking a Caribbean cruise late in hurricane season. Those sailings usually sail as promised but if disruption occurs, odds are in the travelers favor to walk away with a better experience in some way, head in the right place. Up front, Fall sailings are some of the best ocean cruise values too.

Looking back, I think we brought readers along all the way, accurately describing what it was like to be on a cruise that never sailed anywhere. Still, the whole notion of a cruise that does not sail but yet brings a positive travel experience is truly unique. It’s something we had never experienced before and might never again. We’re glad we came.

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