Basel, Switzerland: Where the Rhine Begins

Basel sits at the elbow of Europe, where Switzerland, Germany, and France press against one another like old neighbors over a shared fence. The red sandstone Rathaus, or Town Hall, watches over Market Square with six centuries of patience. It is, by any measure, the perfect starting point for a Basel Switzerland river cruise. It is a city that has been watching the Rhine carry travelers northward for centuries. The Rhine here is still young – swift, green-brown, purposeful – not yet the wide, castle-lined waterway it will become further north.

We arrived into overcast skies and cooler air than the forecast had initially promised – a dip following the heatwave that had baked the region the week before. It was, if I was being honest, a little grey. But grey light has its own beauty on a river city: it softens the colors, quietens the reflections, makes the old buildings look exactly as old as they are.

The Viking Einar: A Name Rooted in History

In the late 9th century, Einar’s brother Hallad lost control of the Orkney and Shetland islands to Danish warlords. Einar sailed from Norway to the archipelago and defeated them. A strong warrior, he later captured Halfdan, one of the sons of Norwegian king Harald Finehair, who came to the islands to displace him. Einar proclaimed himself Earl of Orkney and the dynasty that he founded ruled the archipelago until 1470.

Viking Einar – The Ship

It is a name worth knowing. On our Viking Rhine Getaway cruise, the ship proved every bit as formidable as its namesake – in comfort, if not in conquest.

By early afternoon, we were aboard the Viking Einar and settling into our staterooms. The Frankfurt contingent, with the proprietary satisfaction of those who arrived earlier, had already set off into the Old Town. The rest of us chose the gentler introduction: lunch, the sun deck, the sound of the river moving under the hull.

By early evening, the group came together at the Welcome Greeting. There was a particular pleasure in watching our friends see the ship for the first time – the clean Scandinavian lines, the attentive staff, the sense of a world made quietly elegant and comfortable. River cruising, once experienced, is difficult to explain to those who haven’t tried it. The scale is intimate. The pace is human. The landscape moves past at the speed of a thought.

Then came the announcement. A lock. Repairs. A queue of ships. Our morning excursion most likely delayed. The river, it turns out, has its own schedule, and it is not particularly interested in ours.

There was a pause in the Lounge.

The group absorbed this with the grace of people who had not, after all, come almost four thousand miles to argue with infrastructure.

First Evening Aboard the Viking Einar

Later that evening, we headed to dinner. I must confess to a small personal ambition here. Over the preceding weeks, I had hoped to arrange for Indian vegetarian meals for the group. A word with the Maître D’, I imagined, would get the kitchen to rise to the occasion. The Maître D’ was charming. She was sympathetic. She was, ultimately, unmoved. Viking’s vegetarian options, she explained warmly, were varied and thoughtfully prepared. A bespoke Indian menu, however, fell outside the established program. She had clearly delivered this news before.

We ate very well anyway. The Rhine moved past the windows in the dark, purposeful and unhurried, already carrying us toward whatever the morning would bring – lock or no lock.

On-board and excited!

The Viking Einar had us from the moment we stepped aboard. Here is the proof.

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