Stitch & Sail: Paris to Prague

A 12-Day Knit & Crochet River Cruise

Paris to Prague · May 24–June 4th, 2028

Three iconic rivers. Four countries. Twelve days of yarn, wine, and making things with your hands. From $4,174 per person.

Pack your needles. We're going Back to Europe.

Picture this: you're sitting on the sun deck of a Viking Longship. Your current project is in your lap, your hooks or needles are moving without you even thinking about it, the Moselle Valley is rolling past in shades of green and gold, and there's a glass of Riesling within easy reach.

Then the ship docks, you wander into a medieval German town, and — surprise — there's a yarn shop. A real one. The kind with hand-dyed local wools in colors the internet can't do justice to. You spend an hour in there. You buy more than you planned. You regret nothing.

That evening, you gather around a table with your new favorite people, projects spread out between the wine glasses, and stitch until someone finally calls it a night.

This is Stitch & Sail: Paris to Prague — a 12-day group river cruise designed for knitters and crocheters who want to see Europe and make things the whole time they're doing it. Local yarn store visits at nearly every port. Nightly stitch circles. A stash haul that will absolutely require creative packing on the way home. And the kind of trip you'll be telling people about for years.

The cities are stunning. The rivers are beautiful. The yarn is exceptional.

THE FIBER ARTS EXPERIENCE

Every evening after dinner, we'll gather in a great spot on the ship with scenic views and room to spread out.

Hooks come out. Needles click. Projects get passed around the table. Someone asks what yarn that is and produces a skein from their bag like they've been waiting all day for someone to notice. A conversation starts. Laughter happens. Someone finishes a row, declares victory, and pours another glass. It goes until midnight, minimum.

This is the stitch circle — the beating heart of this cruise, and the reason the knitting and crochet community does group travel so well. There is nothing quite like stitching in good company while a medieval riverside town glows through the window behind you.

During the day, we've arranged local yarn store visits at nearly every port on the itinerary. These aren't gift shops with a yarn section. They're the places that local fiber lovers actually go — stocked with hand-dyed regional wools, indie dyers you've never heard of but are about to love, and tactile inventory that simply cannot be replicated online. Each visit is planned in advance, the shop knows we're coming, and the time is built into the day so you're never rushed between the tour and the ship.

And during the long, gorgeous stretches of scenic sailing — especially the Rhine gorge and the Moselle valley — the deck is yours. Uninterrupted hours on the water with nothing competing for your attention except the passing landscape and whatever you're working on. This is the kind of crafting time that's genuinely hard to find in ordinary life.

Bring your current project. Bring a few queued ones. Bring an extra bag — you will fill it.

WHERE YOU'LL GO

Great cities, beautiful rivers, medieval towns, castle ruins — and a yarn shop at nearly every stop.

  • Prague, Czech Republic — Your grand starting point, the "City of a Hundred Spires." Hradčany Castle, Charles Bridge, the Astronomical Clock — and a Czech yarn shop stocked with European fibers you won't find at home.

  • Nuremberg, Germany — History in layers: the medieval Imperial Castle, Market Square, the sobering former Nazi Rally Grounds. Plus a beloved local fiber shop before we sail.

  • Bamberg, Germany — A UNESCO-listed medieval gem built around a river island Town Hall. Famous for its smoky rauchbier — and a Franconian yarn shop worth the detour.

  • Würzburg, Germany — Baroque Residenz palace, rolling wine country, and a local fiber stop in the heart of Franconia.

  • Heidelberg, Germany — Germany's most romantic city. A dramatic castle ruin above the Neckar, cobblestone old town, and a yarn shop tucked in where the locals go.

  • Mainz, Germany — Gutenberg's city. A fitting stop for people who love making things by hand — and a fiber shop in a city that's been creating beautiful things since the 1400s.

  • Rüdesheim, Germany — A fairytale Rhine wine village in the heart of the Rheingau, with a local shop stocked in hand-dyed wools worth every euro.

  • Cochem, Germany — Hilltop Reichsburg Castle with views across a sea of Moselle vines, and a fiber shop that carries locally inspired colorways alongside the locally made mustard.

  • Bernkastel, Germany — Cobblestone streets, world-class Rieslings, and a riverside yarn shop in one of Germany's most charming small towns.

  • Trier, Germany — Germany's oldest city, with Roman ruins still standing 2,000 years later, and a local fiber stop before we sail for France.

  • Reims, France — The great Gothic cathedral where French kings were crowned for a thousand years. A moving stop — and a French yarn shop visit to follow.

  • Paris, France — The finale. Iconic landmarks, incredible food, and one of the most famous yarn shops in the world. You've earned it.

Yarn shop visits are planned and included as part of the group experience. Individual purchases are entirely at your own discretion and absolutely not our fault.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

The Cruise

  • 7-night river cruise aboard a Viking Longship

  • 2 nights at Le Méridien Etoile Paris (or similar)

  • 2 nights at Corinthia Hotel Prague (or similar)

  • River-view stateroom with all signature Viking amenities

Viking's Included Tours & Experiences

  • 10 included guided tours — one at nearly every port

  • Visits to 6 UNESCO World Heritage Sites

  • Privileged Access tour of Prague's Lobkowicz Palace

  • Marksburg Castle, Würzburg Residenz & Walking Tour

  • Heidelberg Castle & University Lunch

  • Bamberg, Nuremberg, Trier & Cochem guided tours

  • Reims Cathedral & Luxembourg American Cemetery

  • Panoramic Paris

Fiber Arts Programming — Hidden Duck Exclusive

  • Guided local yarn store visits at nearly every port

  • Nightly stitch circles in the ship's lounge

  • Dedicated crafting time during scenic sailing on deck

  • Show-and-tell sessions throughout the cruise

  • Group knit-along option (pattern details shared with registered guests in advance)

  • Stash organization strategy for the journey home (practical, genuinely necessary)

Viking Culture Curriculum

  • Folkloric performance on board

  • Lectures on the European Union & the Main River

  • German bread pudding workshop

  • Rüdesheim Coffee demonstration

  • Meet a local glassblower and watch him work

Food & Drink

  • All onboard meals, featuring regional specialties

  • Beer, wine & soft drinks with every lunch and dinner

  • 24-hour specialty coffees, teas & bottled water

Everything Else

  • Free Wi-Fi throughout the ship (pattern downloads, Ravelry, the usual)

  • All port taxes and fees included

  • Ground transfers with Viking Air purchase

The Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1 — Friday, May 24 · Paris, France Check into your hotel and step out into the City of Light. Paris is entirely yours for the evening — and tonight, the very first stitch circle begins. Bring your current project and your best yarn-related opinions.

Evening: First stitch circle. Paris out the window. Not a bad start.

Day 2 — Saturday, May 25 · Paris, France A full day in Paris. A panoramic guided tour covers the big landmarks — Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Montmartre — before the afternoon opens up. We've arranged a visit to one of Paris's legendary yarn shops, where you will tell yourself you're only looking and then not do that at all.

Evening: Stitch circle. Show off what you found. No judgment on quantity.

Day 3 — Sunday, May 26 · Reims & Trier Transfer from Paris to Reims for a visit to the great Gothic cathedral where French kings were crowned — and a French yarn shop stop before continuing to Trier, Germany's oldest city, to embark your Viking Longship.

Evening: Sail-away stitch circle on deck as Trier disappears behind you.

Day 4 — Monday, May 27 · Trier & Bernkastel, Germany A morning guided tour of Trier's extraordinary Roman landmarks — the Porta Nigra, the Imperial Baths, the Liebfrauenkirche — and a local fiber shop stop before sailing to Bernkastel for the afternoon. Cobblestone streets, half-timbered houses, and world-class Moselle Rieslings await.

Evening: Nightly stitch circle. First show-and-tell of the cruise.

Day 5 — Tuesday, May 28 · Cochem & Koblenz, Germany A Moselle Valley highlight. Climb to Reichsburg Castle for views across a sea of vines, wander Cochem's charming streets, and visit a fiber shop carrying locally inspired colorways alongside the town's famous mustard. Then sail on to Koblenz, where the Rhine and Moselle dramatically converge.

Evening: Stitch circle. Someone will already be deep into a new project.

Day 6 — Wednesday, May 29 · Koblenz, Germany A morning in Koblenz before heading to Marksburg Castle — the best-preserved medieval castle on the entire Rhine, perched above the river with views that stretch for miles. Back on board, the Rhine gorge begins.

Evening: Stitch circle. The Middle Rhine is outside the window.

Day 7 — Thursday, May 30 · Rüdesheim, Germany Sail through the UNESCO-listed Middle Rhine gorge — castle ruins on every hilltop, vineyards terraced down to the water's edge. Arrive in Rüdesheim for an afternoon in the Rhine wine village, including a stop at a local shop with hand-dyed Rheingau wools.

Evening: Stitch circle aboard ship in Rüdesheim.

Day 8 — Friday, May 31 · Heidelberg, Germany Germany's most romantic city. Walk the cobblestone Old Town, visit the castle ruin perched above the Neckar, share a university lunch, and spend part of the afternoon at a beloved Heidelberg yarn shop in the heart of the old quarter.

Evening: Stitch circle. Group knit-along check-in — how's everyone doing?

Day 9 — Saturday, June 1 · Würzburg, Germany Arrive in wine country. Guided tour of the Würzburg Residenz — a Baroque masterpiece with frescoed ceilings so dramatic they're almost unreasonable — followed by a walk through the old town and a stop at a local Franconian fiber shop.

Evening: Stitch circle. Franconian wine encouraged and available.

Day 10 — Sunday, June 2 · Bamberg, Germany Morning walking tour of Bamberg's extraordinary UNESCO-listed old town. See the Town Hall rising out of the river, explore the cathedral quarter, and visit a local Franconian yarn shop before raising a glass of rauchbier — the smoky local beer that tastes exactly like Bavaria smells. Disembark and transfer to Nuremberg.

Evening: Stitch circle in Nuremberg. Group project check-in and stash-haul tally.

Day 11 — Monday, June 3 · Nuremberg & Prague A guided tour of Nuremberg — Imperial Castle, Market Square, the history-layered old town — including a stop at a local fiber shop. Then continue on to Prague, the "City of a Hundred Spires," and check into your hotel.

Evening: Final stitch circle in Prague. Full stash haul show-and-tell. Tears possible.

Day 12 — Tuesday, June 4 · Prague, Czech Republic A full day in Prague — panoramic guided tour of Old Town, the Astronomical Clock, Charles Bridge, and the Jewish Quarter, plus free time to explore the city's yarn scene one last time. Then check out and journey home — slightly over your luggage weight limit, full of good food, and already scheming the next trip.

Your Stateroom Options

Every stateroom aboard the Viking Longship is a river-view retreat — with enough natural light for reading your pattern and a window that makes scenic sailing genuinely hard to ignore.

Departure: May 24, 2028 (Paris to Prague). All prices per person based on double occupancy. Full payment due February 15, 2027.

Standard Stateroom — Category F$4,174 per person (double occupancy) · $7,848.25 (solo) 150 sq ft · River view · Half-height picture window Queen-size Viking Explorer Bed (twin configuration available), private bathroom with heated floor and anti-fog mirror, flat-screen Sony TV with Movies On Demand, free Wi-Fi, individual climate control, and very good reading light for late-night pattern work.

Standard Stateroom — Category E$4,274 per person (double occupancy) · $8,023.25 (solo) 150 sq ft · River view · Half-height picture window Everything in Category F in a preferred location on the ship.

French Balcony Stateroom — Category D$6,174 per person (double occupancy) · $12,598 (solo) 135 sq ft · Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass door Slide the door open and let the river in. A French balcony gives your stateroom a direct connection to the passing Moselle and Rhine scenery — ideal for morning coffee and a few rows before the day starts.

French Balcony Stateroom — Category C$6,374 per person (double occupancy) · $12,998 (solo) 135 sq ft · Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass door Everything in Category D in a preferred Upper Deck location.

Veranda Stateroom — Category B$6,874 per person (double occupancy) · $13,998 (solo) 205 sq ft · Includes private outdoor veranda Your own private outdoor space on the river. Pull up a chair, cast on something ambitious, and watch the German countryside roll past. A genuinely lovely way to spend an afternoon.

Veranda Stateroom — Category A$7,074 per person (double occupancy) · $14,398 (solo) 205 sq ft · Includes private outdoor veranda · Upper Deck Everything in Category B in a premium Upper Deck location.

Veranda Suite — AA$9,874 per person (double occupancy) · $19,998 (solo) 275 sq ft · Separate sitting room · Full veranda + French balcony in sleeping quarters The two-room suite, with a private veranda, welcome champagne, complimentary Viking Air Plus, laundry service, daily mini-bar, fresh fruit, premium robes and slippers, and binoculars — great for spotting castle ruins, less useful for counting stitches.

Explorer Suite — ES$12,874 per person (double occupancy) · $25,998 (solo) 445 sq ft · Private wraparound veranda with 270-degree views · Two full rooms The flagship suite. Everything in the Veranda Suite, plus the unlimited Silver Spirits Beverage Package, in-room breakfast, personal coffee brewer, cashmere veranda blanket, and private airport transfers in Europe. If you're going to knit your way across Europe, this is how you do it with maximum commitment.

$50 per cabin to hold your room.

Due to the nature of this cruise and the limited capacity of the ship, Viking has set the final payment as February 15th, 2027.

Extend Your Journey

Pre: Paris — 2 Nights $849 per person (double occupancy) · $1,798 (solo) Arrive in Paris a little early. Wander the Marais, eat something wonderful, and go back to that yarn shop for the things you talked yourself out of the first time.

Post: Prague — 2 Nights $749 per person (double occupancy) · $1,498 (solo) Extra time in the "City of a Hundred Spires" — and an extra afternoon to explore Prague's yarn scene after the group wraps up.

Post: Kraków & Warsaw — 5 Nights (Fully Guided) $1,599 per person (double occupancy) · $3,398 (solo) Two of Central Europe's most compelling cities, fully guided. Kraków's medieval old town, the weight of Auschwitz, Warsaw's remarkable post-war story — and two cities with vibrant local fiber communities worth seeking out.

Let’s Book!

Prices are per person based on double occupancy for the May 24–June 4, 2028 departure. Prices start at $4,174 (Category F) and are subject to change and availability. Final payment required by February 15, 2027. Yarn shop visits arranged by Hidden Duck Travel and subject to shop availability and hours. Individual purchases are the sole responsibility of the purchaser.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Not even a little. This cruise is open to all skill levels — brand new beginners, seasoned makers, and everyone in between. Bring whatever you're working on, or come with nothing and cast on something new in Prague. The only requirement is that you enjoy making things with fiber.

  • Yes! We're planning a group project that everyone can participate in at their own pace. Pattern details will be shared with registered guests in advance so you can arrive ready to join in.

  • The guided visits are included — we arrange them in advance, the shops know we're coming, and the time is built into the day's schedule so you're never rushing back to the ship. What you buy in those shops is your own business and your own budget. (We are not responsible for what happens in Paris.)

  • Then you're going to have a great time. This cruise welcomes both, and the stitch circles are a mix. Bring whichever project you're most excited about.

  • Absolutely — solo fares are available for every cabin category, ranging from $7,848.25 (Category F) up to $25,998 (Explorer Suite). Contact us for current availability.

  • Viking offers reduced airfare on select departures. Contact us and we'll find the best options from your home airport.

  • It varies by departure date — this itinerary runs spring through fall. Paris averages highs in the upper 50s–70s°F in peak travel months; Prague and the German cities run slightly cooler. Either way, you'll always have a project in your lap, so comfort is covered.

  • A $50 per cabin deposit holds your room. Final payment is due February 15, 2027