pontac

Sorry, I don't know. I was quoting my friend who went with VRC down the Rhone at the same time as I was on the Rhine. I don't know if anyone tested positive on out boat, or if they did, what happened to them. For ourselves, we stayed in isolation for a week before the cruise, cancelling our attendance at any gathering. We had a negative LFT and got the certificate day before the cruise and we wore the supplied FFP2 masks as required during the cruise. Knowing all the people on the boat had also tested negative before the cruise and everyday was a reassurance, and after the strangeness of spitting saliva into a plastic tube on the first morning it became routine and we didn't think anymore about it.

I was on a VRC last week in April down the Rhine, and we had to wear a mask when moving. As you say, as soon as you sit in the restaurant sharing a table for an hour or more with two other couples who are strangers you are all maskless. So it does seem a bit silly. On the walks some took off their masks. But. Plenty of FFP-2 masks were supplied free, and we didn't catch Covid and we had a great time!

The chateaubriand was excellent - I always enjoy the meals on Viking. Although this time there seems to be overuse of cheese, and as a non-eater of cheese that limited my choices. Like 3 of the four starters at this meal contained cheese, and as I didn't fancy the fourth I went without a starter. But that was probably a blessing as I ate and drank much more than when home.... @csherriff - a pleasure, Colleen. @notamermaid - I'm sure you cook those German dishes better at your place...

A pleasure - many people demand info and never respond, let alone thank posters for their reply.. This was my favourite dinner menu The Crispy Mediterranean Tart was so flavoursome and light, like a mini-ratatouille on a puff pasty disc and the Navarin of Lamb was also delicious, but I only took a photo of the starter: The second page of the dinner menu (above) had the 'always available' choices, also a reminder of the included white/red wines and a 'sommelier's' suggestion of wines from the wine list that cost as shown unless you are on the Silver Spirits offer. We were as we were given it but I never took the suggestions preferring to make my own choices from the wine list.

Basel - departed 9pm Strasbourg - the boat moored at Kehl at 04:00 am, included walking tour bus left at 08.30am - back at 12:30 Shuttle busses from 2:00-5:30pm ( don't know actual times - schedule at reception) - boat leave Kehl at 11.00pm. The restaurant holds its German Night feast from 7pm Kinderdyk - there's nothing to see there apart from the windmills, a few houses and a souvenir shop. Boat arrived there 4.:00pm departs 6:30pm Amsterdam - boat arrives at 02:00am and stays there. However this was not the centre of Amsterdam by Centraal Station as it has done in the past. I am not sure where we were, we left by Viking arranged taxi for airport. I understand mooring places in Amsterdam are decided by harbour master so you may stop elsewhere.......... Anyway, if you are moored where we were and want to make your own way to central Amsterdam you will have to arrange a taxi. Meals - apart from German night the dinner menu had local starter/main/dessert plus the international with a choice of starters, choice of mains, choice of desserts, plus the 'always available' menu, caesar salad starter, main choices of rib-eye steak, poached salmon or roasted supreme of chicken and choice of desserts. You could pick from any of them, eg have a 'main menu' starter, an 'always available' steak main and a 'local menu' dessert. Also the tiny kitchen is very open to passenger requests.

@Sun Lover Further to my earlier reply, our friend who were on the Viking Rhone tour at the same time asked me the same question, and were surprised I didn't know the answer because on their boat a daily announcement was made about the results of testing. On two occasions someone tested positive and they and their partner were transferred to 'a five star hotel'. No such announcements were made on our boat. I would prefer to be isolated in a hotel room rather than in a main deck, french window or veranda cabin.

@patrickmoran further to me previous reply to you. I don't want to mislead you, because I have just counted the passengers (by using the disembarkation info) and I see the boat had 88 passengers out of a 190 capacity, so my experience of having tables to ourselves will unlikely to be the same on a full boat.

Which ones?

I don't think Viking post the times. The Viking Daily you get the evening before tells you the time of arrival and departure. I have given the Koblenz times in my previous post and the Speyer time earlier in this thread. I am happy to give times of other stops. On my trip we invariably arrived earlier than the estimated time, but I heard the Captain telling the Hotel Manager he was worried about some lock which were supposed to be open 24 hours, were closed during part of the night, so we may have left some moorings earlier than stated.

If you want to go on Marksburg Castle tour I suggest you do so, and on your return do your own walking tour of Koblenz. There are street maps on reception for you, and a few minutes research on the web will give you enough info on the sights of Koblenz. Boat moors in Koblenz at 1pm and doesn't leave till 3am next morning so you have afternoon and evening to explore. We took optional Mosel wine tasting which also clashes with included walking tour, so walked Koblenz on our own afterwards. We have taken the Marksburg Castle tour on a previous Viking cruise, and it is well worth going to.

Rhine Getaway goes Basel (Switzerland) to Amsterdam (Netherlands) -and vice versa- in 7 days. Got back home today, Saturday 30 April. Situations change fast but currently Viking require passengers and crew to wear masks when walking around ship, and on coaches and tours. Depending on which country you are in, it's that nations law that you wear masks on public transport, and that incudes coaches. Masks not needed when sitting. Viking supply FFP2 masks in your cabin, reception and bar -- just help yourself -they are free. Every night you get a tube and envelope in your cabin and you have to supply a spit sample next morning before breakfast (spit in tube, seal it with screwcap and put in envelope) These are taken by a courier to a lab for a PCR test. People who need a negative PCR test certificate before flying can collect one at reception their last day. Netherlands require all passengers and crew in planes flying out of and into Netherlands to wear masks. Mask are required at Schipol airport; staff hand out free disposable masks.