We each had difficulty sleeping, so the 5 am alarm was not needed. We reorganized our suitcases, tagged them, and moved them to outside the hotel room door for delivery to our day’s tour bus and ultimately to Viking’s long boat Herja.

Breakfast at the hotel buffet was preceded by long lines to be seated, at each of the four coffee machines, and at the eggs preparation counter. With an infected tooth cavity, soft foods were the order of the morning for me while Kay sampled a number of dishes. 

After boarding the bus and suffering through Monday morning’s rush hour traffic, we were transported to Reims where we toured the Reims Cathedral.

The cathedral Notre-Dame de Reims meaning “Our Lady of Reims“), known in English as Reims Cathedral, is a Catholic cathedral in the French city of Reims, the seat of the Archdiocese of Reims. The cathedral was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and was the traditional location for the coronation of the kings of France. The cathedral is considered to be one of the most important works of Gothic Architecture. A major tourist destination, it receives about a million visitors annually. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991. Reims Cathedral is renowned for its magnificent stained glass, particularly its rose windows and the modern additions by Marc Chagall.

After leaving Reims just after lunch, we were driven to Luxembourg American Cemetery to honor those Americans from WW II.

A short drive later found us boarding the Viking Herja where we would spend the next several days.

Our luggage then arrived and we met with the other passengers in Herja’s lounge for an introduction to the crew leaders, a welcoming and orientation meeting, and a champagne toast. Dinner included a bacon based appetizer, pork tenderloin medallions with fried cabbage, patty, and delightful pudding cake (similar to crème brûlée).