Viking River Cruises offer unique excursions compared to most ocean cruises, including one free excursion at each port. There are various choices and options for longer or more excursions. Viking Cruises features over 60 river cruises, with the number-one rated tour on their Rhine Getaway itinerary running seven hours and costing €189 per person. The Viking River Cruise Grand European Tour visits towns along the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers from Amsterdam to Budapest.
Guests can choose their ship to see shore excursions for that ship or call 1-866-578-7508 or 1-954-449-6309 between 9-5 Eastern time for expert advice. All guests should seek advice from their respective embassy, consulate, or Travel Agent to determine necessary documents for their specific Viking cruise. Viking provides fascinating insights into local life during excursions that reveal the rhythms of daily living in your destination.
One of the best Viking River Cruise secrets is that a daily excursion/guided tour is included as part of the cruise. You can personalize your upcoming cruise by using the Viking portal to book shore excursions, make onboard dining reservations, and more. Viking provides fascinating insights into local life during excursions that reveal the rhythms of daily living in your destination.
📹 Ultimate Guide to Shore Excursions on Viking River Cruises: Our Grand European Longship Experience!
VikingCruises Planning a Viking River Cruise? Join us as give you the ultimate guide to shore excursions like we experienced on …
What is not included in a Viking River cruise?
Viking River Cruises is offering a special promotion for 2024-2026 ocean cruise and air flights, valid from September 1-30, 2024. The promotion includes special fares and up to free roundtrip airfare on select departures of Canada and New England Scenic Shores, Eastern Seaboard Discovery, Grand Hawaii and Polynesia, Hawaiian Islands Sojourn, Panama Canal and Central America, and Panama Canal and the Pacific Coast. Airfare does not have to be purchased to receive the cruisecruisetour offer.
The promotion is subject to availability and may not be combinable with other offers except Viking Explorer Society Credit and Viking Referral Rewards. Special cruise fares are based on published full cruise fares and do not include prepaid charges, optional facilities, or personal charges. Promotional fares may remain in effect after the expiration date.
Air promotion applies to economy, roundtrip flights only from select Viking River Cruises CA gateways and includes airport-to-ship or hotel transfers, air taxes, and air fuel surcharges. Viking reserves the right to correct errors or omissions and to change any and all fares at any time. For up-to-date prices, please contact Viking or your Travel Agent. Additional terms and conditions may apply. Complete terms and conditions can be found in the Passenger Ticket Contract.
How much are the shore excursions on Viking cruises?
Viking Cruises offers a diverse range of excursion options, catering to various interests. Complimentary excursions, such as walking or bus tours of cities, provide a general overview of the destination. However, Viking also provides optional excursions focusing on specific interests, such as visits to museums, castles, forts, concerts, farms, estates, wineries, and recreational outings like hiking and biking. These excursions are free, but optional ones typically cost $60 to $200+ each.
Licensed, English-speaking local guides lead guests on walking and bus tours, operating rain or shine and including entrance fees. Tour buses are comfortable and equipped with air conditioning, and tour guides may ask guests if they need a break.
Do cruise shore excursions sell out?
If you’re interested in a shore excursion, it’s important to check back frequently as some popular options may sell out. However, it’s also possible for cancellations to occur. To avoid this, book all excursions early after booking your cruise and meeting all deposit requirements. If an excursion isn’t available, search for alternate activities or consult the Shore Excursion Manager onboard. Waitlisting is currently unavailable. Pre-paid shore excursion tickets will be delivered to your stateroom after sailing on the first evening of your cruise.
The type and degree of disability determine which excursions are recommended for physically challenged guests. For those able to walk independently, easy or moderate activity excursions are recommended.
Is Viking River Cruise luxury?
Viking, an Upper Premium luxury ocean cruise line, was launched in 1997 by Torstein Hagen in St. Petersburg, Russia. The Viking Ocean Cruises division was formed in 2013, and now has six ocean cruise ships. In 2020, Viking rebranded as a luxury cruise line, emphasizing destination-oriented enrichment and experiences. The company has nine ocean cruise ships on the books, and two Expedition ships are set to debut in early 2022. Viking’s tastefully appointed, modern, and beautifully designed Scandinavian ships make it a recognized luxury brand in the industry.
Is the minibar free on Viking River cruises?
Viking Cruises offers a variety of amenities, including a complimentary minibar, room services, and alternative restaurants. The minibar is restocked daily, depending on the cabin category, and is available at the beginning of the cruise or more frequently in premium cabins. Room services are available 24/7 at no additional cost, offering an extensive menu for breakfast, private dinners, and more. To order breakfast, passengers must fill out a simple form and leave it at their door before 11 pm.
Viking Ocean Cruises also offers several optional restaurants, all available at no extra charge, offering more than the main dining room, which is more formal and fine dining. These dining options are a unique feature of Viking Cruises compared to other cruise lines.
Are all Viking excursions included?
Viking expeditions provide a range of activities to suit the interests of travelers, including snowshoeing through polar landscapes, kayaking in icy inlets, and taking a Zodiac to observe wildlife in their natural habitats. These activities are led by an experienced team of experts skilled in operating in rugged and polar environments. All necessary gear is provided for the excursions. The company also offers a Citizen Science Program, allowing guests to participate in collaborative science activities during their excursions.
This program includes experiential activities or fieldwork, facilitated through Zodiac landings, Special Operations Boat cruising, or optional submarine journeys. Viking believes in supporting research efforts and new scientific discoveries, providing every opportunity for guests to further their understanding of the world around them.
Is bottled water free on Viking River cruises?
The Viking Cruise offers a stateroom with daily bottled water, 110/220 volt outlets, and a Queen-size Viking Explorer Bed. The stateroom also features a private bathroom with a shower, heated floor, and anti-fog mirror. The 2024-2027 River Cruise and Airfares offer is valid for bookings made from September 1-30, 2024. A $25 deposit is required for all River itineraries, and special fares and up to free international airfare are available on select departures of Grand European Tour, Lyon Provence and the Rhineland, European Sojourn and Capitals of Eastern Europe, Paris to the Swiss Alps, Cities of Light, London, Paris, and D-Day, Rhine and Main Explorer.
Airfare does not need to be purchased to receive the cruisecruisetour offer. The offer expires September 30, 2024. For itineraries 35 days or less, a $25 deposit is required. The Viking Air Plus page provides more information on customized air services and US gateways.
Can you wear jeans to dinner on a Viking river cruise?
Viking river dining rooms are more informal than Viking Ocean dining rooms, with the wearing of jeans being permitted and the majority of men eschewing jackets.
Do Viking excursions sell out?
It is regrettable that nearly half of the planned Viking Cruise excursions have already been sold out, which has caused disappointment for those who invested a significant amount of money in the cruise.
How do shore excursions work on Viking Ocean cruises?
Viking Ocean Cruises offers a distinctive package that incorporates bus excursions at the destination as part of the cruise package. This results in a higher overall cost due to the increased expense of these included shore excursions.
📹 What We Wish We Knew Before our First Viking River Cruise
LEARN MORE ABOUT VIKING RIVER CRUISES BACK ON THE BLOG https://eatsleepcruise.com/viking-river-cruise-tips/ …
Some friends just returned from a Viking Bucharest to Budapest cruise. A few weeks prior the husband fell out of a golf cart and injured his hip. They thought about canceling but decided to go ahead. The husband expected to just hang out on the ship while his wife and their friends went out on excursions, but the Viking folks offered him a low-impact itinerary that didn’t involve a lot of walking.
Took a Danube river cruise on Viking 5 years ago. Our flight to the ship was cancelled and we had to find another albeit later flight. We ALMOST missed the ship as they were pulling up the gate as we arrived. We were out of breath and our first stop was THE BAR were we put our silver spirits package to good use. Our bartender understood and made us THE BEST gin and tonics ever! AND the best part our luggage was lost by the airline. The Viking crew coordinated the return of our luggage at the next port. The crew actually offered us THEIR clothes until our luggage arrived AND gave us free dry cleaning. This was over and above what I expected. The river was low so we had to change ships mid tour. Off on one ship and on to the next. Had to pack and unpack again. NOT Viking’s fault. Overall we are looking to book again on a Viking river cruise but this time we will pay attention to river levels. Viking did kinda lie to us about this condition on the days before our journey. You must do your homework on a river cruise, as it is NOT like ocean cruising. Viking is not the most expensive or the least expensive. BUT for our trip it was just fine. People were great, DRINKIES we top drawer, and the food was also great. We are easily pleased and not snobs so everyone has their own opinions. Again we are looking forward to our next cruise on Viking either Rhine, or the Danube again.
My husband and I took a Viking River Cruise a few years ago and loved it! What made it extremely special was the crew. They ALWAYS went above and beyond to be as helpful and accommodating whether you needed help with excursions or anything on board. Liking their soups so much, I had asked for the recipes and got them. No questions asked. In the past, I had only taken ocean cruises on big ships. Didn’t know if I was going to miss all the shows, bars, activities on the big ships. I didn’t miss them at all. It was actually refreshing to be in a calm and relaxing setting, especially without children. I love kids, I have kids, but this was certainly a much needed change of pace. And best of all, we got to European towns and countries big ships can’t go to. Would love to go again!
They have multiple levels of tours based on your fitness level. I don’t understand why you didn’t see this. As far as laundry self service facilities, it’s true that they would be nice but consider how much smaller the ships are compared to their other ships. Where would they put them? I agree that dining is very different and you cannot be shy. But again the ships are much smaller so they don’t have many options. You are 100% correct about mobility issues. Probably not for people with them.
I’ve been on 7 Viking cruises (5 river, 2 ocean, scheduled for an 8th) as well as competing cruise lines. The tip about the magnetic hooks is a keeper! One thing about Viking staterooms is that there is no external clock, other than one on the TV if you have it on. Bring a small battery-operated clock, good for a quick glance to ensure you’re on time. Your comment on reading the evening newsletter is spot on. We missed a tour due to its being pulled up and no announcement was made. Viking made it right, though, and we got reservations for another, better tour.
Very good overview of Viking river cruise. One important oversight though is there is no medical help or assistance if an accident or emergency arises. There were several people that fell ill on my cruise last October and one was even hospitalized with no assistance. I tripped and fell on my final disembarkation as there were no lights on deck before sunrise and didn’t see the raised edge of the gangplank. I had a gash on my eye, broken glasses and two broken bones in my hand. I was offered no medical help but sent on my way to fly from France to Ohio on my own. When I contacted Viking when I got home, their response was to file with my insurance and “accidents can and do happen.” I had to have surgery on my hand and six months of recuperation. If there had been lighting on the deck…it was pitch black…I wouldn’t have tripped. Viking is governed by European law so there was no recompense, or even apology for my accident. Buy travel insurance thru a third party, not theirs as the Viking trip insurance wouldn’t pay for my prescription glasses.
Just got back from the 8 day Rhine cruise. We read the Viking website, talked to my friend who has been on 2 Viking river cruises before…nothing was a surprise. If you don’t know that there is no medical care on board, that cruise itineraries can change due to river levels, and all those other things you mentioned, you have not done your homework by AT LEAST reading the abundant information provided by the line.
I was surprised earlier today, which it’s nearly 2:00 in the morning here now, so let’s say yesterday for sake of posterity, by my parents coming back from their cruise in the British isles. But they brought back souvenirs for my sister, her husband, and myself. And one of the gifts that they gave me, was a Viking river cruise next year with my father and I was utterly shocked and still am about it. But we are going on the Radgrid, so I was very pleasantly surprised to see that boat in your article. And I even recognize one of the destinations based off the map. I’m really looking forward to this and your article has been very helpful for me to know what to expect. Granted I know things might change in the coming year, but still thank you so much for putting this out.
Wife and I took our first Viking cruise last fall on the Danube. We met some great folks on our pre-cruise extension to Prague. By the time we embarked on the cruise portion of the trip we were great friends. Every night of the cruise we had our table-for-ten and even spent some of our on-your-own dinners in town together. Water levels in Budapest were low and diverted out docking location, but Viking did an awesome job overall.
Well done! About the only thing I can add is to emphasize that the space and options of a river cruise cannot reasonably be compared to ocean cruising. Also for some of us older folks don’t underestimate the value of a pre-cruise extension to overcome the long flight over. Be sure to ask about the slow-walker’s tour as we were able to get one every time.
Beautiful ships, clean everything, extremely accommodating staff throughout ships and tours. Comfortable, relaxing travel in an age of uncomfortable travel. We will sail again with them after 3 previous river cruises! And the food has been excellent every time, every meal. They want you “happy and satisfied 100%in every detail” has been our experience. Friendly, personable experiences with fellow passengers too. Major plus also. Thumbs up!
Took a cruise in the late fall of 2023 passau to budapest. The water levels were too low so we were bussed the last portion of the trip to budapest. i found out that this stretch of the Danube was impassable for the past month yet viking never told us in advance. We should have been told in advance so we could reschedule our trip. You get the feeling that they are nickel and diming you buy not offering free soft drinks during the day. I paid $5 for a small bottle of soda. ridiculous. the tours are good the food is above average yet the breakfast is the best. I hated being herded into the dining room with the masses for dinner . I along with about 40 passengers caught the Norovirus and the kitchen didn’t have any speicail accommodations for us. you would think on a river cruise where perons often et such viruses that Viking would have food to assist in recoveing like chicken broth and ginger ale. yes they ran out of ginger ale and were too cheap to pick up supplies. One of the selling points is that they will periodically pick up food supplies along the route to give passengers a taste of the local food. No they supply all of the food to the ship the day of embarkation. The crew was excellent and accomodating but i felt the cruise was a bit overpriced. viking could charge less if they would stop sending 2 to 3 expensively produced sales brochures every week.
I did not like the no announcement policy, so I wrote Mr Torstein Hagen, the owner and complained. Viking is a very top down company, with all decisions coming from high up. And indeed for our next Viking, the announcements we back, but only in the hallway, so you had to stand by your door. But all decisions from up high, means that you will receive the exact same experiencing on all ships. So as opposed to other cruise lines, where you have to decide between which ship, all Viking ships are the same. We also love the small ship experience. The river ships are 180 and the ocean are 900 passengers. No mobs, fast lines.
Our last trip to Bordeaux with Viking was terrible. The Aquavit section of the lounge was locked the whole cruise and that was because they were short handed and didn’t want to clean it after meals. We felt we were locked in a sauna when doing the art class in the small area inside the lounge just inside the Aquavit. Most people complained, but we were ignored.
I just returned from New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., after a cruise on the Viking Mississippi. It was listed as a twelve-day trip, although in truth only seven nights were actually aboard the ship, sandwiched between two-day stays in Memphis and New Orleans hotels. My feeling is that it was priced at a full 12-day cruise rate, despite being “on your own” for lunches and dinners for four days. The suite felt cramped, more so than I recall on Scenic in Europe, and the bed (half a separated queen bed) felt very narrow. The food was up to the standard I expected and the service was good. My friend and I used their air package and will never do that again. There were certainly more reasonably scheduled flights available 14:31 than leaving the West Coast at 5 a.m. and returning at midnight (or 2 a.m. NOLA time). Lesson learned there! Excursions generally interesting and informative. Some of the music in the Living Room was deafeningly over-amped. The infinity pool was half empty. There were no maps available of the localities we visited. Staff helpful and friendly. So, a mixed experience generates a mixed bag of comments!
We have found European river cruises be more enjoyable than ocean cruises. Much more relaxed and being iff the beaten track provides a chance to see how the tastes and lifestyles of people in smaller cities of towns. I think river cruises to be about learning about touring as opposed to cruising. This fall we are doing a Bike Boat tour between Passau Germany and Budapest. We will be doing a self guided route route of 25 mile to 35 miles per day on the Danube river bike path. Lots of preserved history, natural beauty as well as some of the best beer and white wine in the world to enjoy as we cruise.
Just got back from the Budapest to Regensberg,Germany. It was my first Viking River tour. The good: I appreciated the included walking tours and the great tour guides. Loved the coffee machine. The staff was top notch. Rooms kept clean. Plenty of room for clothing even on level 1 with just a window. Glad we didn’t pay more for the balcony since most days boats were parked beside our boat blocking the views of the balconies. Loved there were no kids. I don’t drink but beer and wine was nice for those who do. : The rooms are small, but clean, great shower water pressure and complimentary toiletries. The beds weren’t very comfortable, neither were the pillows. The wifi was as non existent. The food was just ok. Enough for me but would not be enough for my husband had he been with me. I wish there were more options. Also wish there was an option for snacks during the day other than cookies. If you miss lunch there’s nothing else to eat or no other place to go other than cookies.
We did a 2-week Viking river cruise. My traveling companions luggage was lost. There was another person with the same issue. They were offered the laundry service at no charge to help mitigatethe situation, even though it was the airline’s fault and not Viking’s. (Her luggage was returned to her 3 weeks later.)
We are huge fans of Viking river cruises, the trips and excursions are well planned and executed. The food is fantastic and has wonderful healthy options. Small groups and NO casinos. White glove service with outstanding customer service. It is so wonderful to not have to pay extra for every little things and just enjoy and relax during the vacation.
the place and cruise line he is filming is Normandy France cruise line with Viking i worked on that line . though the work is tough as hell and we are put for working days of easily 12 hours or more the little 30 minutes break just to sit and watch the normandy cities and mountains go by was absolutely amazing and was worth it by a ton . it was a great thing to try out though i dont think ill be a waiter ever again on a cruise ship. this is probably one of the pretiest cruises to do though in europe personally
My wife and, along with two other couples sailed from Passau to Budapest on Viking. It ranks as one of the best vacations we’ve had. The ship and crew were top notch. We had always taken cruises on the larger cruise lines, so this was our first river cruise. We are looking to book to France next. It seems expensive, but when you factor in the excursions and other amenities it’s not that much difference. They even sent two of their staff with us to the airport in Budapest to ensure we all had our flight connections before they left. If you enjoy a mature, restful but entertaining cruise, I highly recommend Viking.
An interesting article but very surprised that you didn’t know the various things you say were a surprise. Viking, and all river cruise operators, supply copious information in advance, and, of course, and this is a surprise for someone who uses YouTube, there are many YouTube websites that would have given you a briefing. River cruising is very much a ‘slow’ holiday. Take your time, remember that you’re not on a large, spacious ocean cruise ship, and as you rightly said, just let things flow.
My husband and I loved cruising, and decided to try a Viking river cruise in Russia. Something that nobody tells you, is that river boats sometimes dock one next to the other. Thus, if you have a balcony stateroom, you cannot open your curtain because you have another ship’s stateroom right next to yours! Although we only had this one night, I was sorry for my neighbors across the hall because they had this several times in our 10 day cruise. For me, never again!
Our first viking river cruise, may 2024, did not disappoint. We would take the low impact tours. Breakfast was buffet style with lots of options plus being able to order from a limited menu. Lunch and dinner menus were of necessity limited and while I have some health issues limiting what I can eat found little difficulty in being satisfied. Of note however dinner can last several hours. One of the first nights onboard we had an evening tour and missed part of dinner to meet the tour guide to a night tour of Budapest. Still was nice enough to go back and do again or probably a tour of a different part of the world.
I loved my Viking river cruise. Except the dinning situation in the evening. We eat much earlier than 7pm so that was an adjustment. But what needs to also be mentioned is that if you are like me and don’t eat entree, you wait even longer for your meal. Everyone is served each course at the same time, so I had to wait (even longer) for my meal until it was time to serve the main meal. I also like to eat in peace and forced conversation at the dinning table was also not for me. So for my next Viking river cruise (should I do one) I will be bringing containers to pack a meal from the lunch menu to eat at my regular meal time. I only have the one small course in the evening so this is the only way to achieve this. My river cruise was two weeks and I couldn’t keep doing the late meal so I ended up eating the cookies and pastry’s for most of the cruise. Take containers.
I took a Xmas Market Viking River Cruise last Dec. I love everything about Viking as they are every organized and you do not need to plan anything. Just pack and go.The services areb exceptional.The only thing I did not appreciate is, my friend and I needed to join strangers in the dining as they do not have tables for 2 people.
Just found your website and I’m thinking about river cruising, but have never ocean cruised, so this will be a first time cruising experience. I enjoyed this article and plan to watch the other one that you recommended. I don’t think I’ll ever ocean cruise, I have a number of reasons why I don’t want to, but I still watch articles about ocean cruising in hopes that maybe I’ll be swayed someday and give it a go. In the meantime, cheers and thank you for the very informative review!
Thanks for taking the time to offer a great Viking river cruise review! We just got back this week from the Rhine Getaway (Amsterdam-Basel). I loved that they did not make incessant announcements over the PA system! Just pay attention to the informative daily guide/evening excursion run-down they leave and you are fine. Two things I would like to share that you may update this article with; 1. Each room now has Wi-Fi access to 2 devices (of course it is sketchy at times, but Viking is up front about that.) 2. They mentioned to us that Basel-Amsterdam is a bit of the better route in that you are actually going down-river this direction and as they usually make better time, they adjust schedule to have more leisure time at the ports. See you on our next cruise!😀
We did a river cruise around 10 years ago down the Seine in France. We did not like the fact that most nights we were tethered to another boat due to the short dock available . So, if you are on the wrong side, looking out your window/ balcony, you were five feet from the tethered boats occupants. Very intrusive. Also, the open upper deck was closed at all times while crusing. The only open area was at the front of the boat which was not enough room for all passengers. Would not go on a river cruise again, especially for the money.
Looks nice. Wife and I sort of hate that gradual ‘clique-iness’ of this dining type of situation. We’d almost prefer a system where you’re just randomly assigned a table number each night, and then you sit with whomever the other couple that was given that number for that night. So I wouldn’t say we’re ‘painfully shy’–but hate that thing where you sort of glance around, aren’t sure where to sit, aren’t sure if others want you at their table or not…
This is a great review and completely reflects our experiences on two Viking River Cruises. On one trip, we had to be bused because the river’s water level was too low due to drought. That’s the only real complaint we had and that certainly wasn’t their fault. However, it would have been nice to get a heads up on the water conditions before we departed. We would probably have elected to wait for a different season.
We just got back from a 15 day cruise down the Rhine & Danube rivers on the Travelmarvel – Capella (very new boat) and it was excellent. They have done away with those tiny balconies on the Viking boats and made the rooms bigger by having an electric window the full width of the room where the top half slides down to create your balcony instead which is much better. Plus Viking boats are full of Amercans (and they are loud people with little manners so beware if you are from another country) The travelmarvel boats have a mix of British, New Zealand, Australian & others and we found them all excellent to cruise with. The staff on the boat were excellent and very efficient. Our room was very comfortable and so was the bed & pillows. We were abe to store our two suitcases under the bed so it freed up space in the wardrobe. All the daily cruise data was also available on TV in the room as well as other means. The back bar on the boat had that Irish Pub theme & happy Hour every evening with half price drinks was excellent option to the front lounge area. There were some very elderly people in their 90’s on the boat and i really don’t think it is suitable for their age group as you need to be active & reasonable fit & mobile for the daily routine of river cruising on and off the boat. After the river trip from Amsterdam ended in Budapest we then tripped around Europe using the rail system (first class Euro-pass) and found that “really enjoyable” doing our own thing and covered a lot of ground on the high speed trains hopping from one country to another & staying in hotels along they way.
Haven’t traveled on Viking River, but sister thoroughly enjoyed. We were on a Uniworld River cruise, right next to a Viking Cruise, and couldn’t help noticing the window coverings were left open in most rooms, exposing a lack of privacy and unkempt beds right adjacent to the windows. I am not sure I’d like that.
I only use UniWorld anymore. Every time I did a Viking tour in the past I felt like I was being Nickle and Dimed. UniWorld with all inclusive and several tour options at each port was also welcomed. In short, Viking seems to get people to book on a perceived low cost, while once they are done charging you for everything the cost is not much more to get a deluxe river cruise experience with UniWorld.
Went on the Danube River Cruise last summer after taking 5 Ocean Cruises. We upgraded to the Explorer’s Suite as we do on the Ocean Cruises. It was a terrible experience, to the point we will never travel on Viking again. The staff was entitled and less than helpful. We even had staff insult our traveling companions. One excursion was cancelled because not enough people signed up and we were given no other options and the last thing you want is to stay on the boat or walk around the overtouristy port stops. At every port we were lashed to up to 4 other Viking boats so our wrap around deck was unusable. The menus were limited and not responsive to food allergies. The maitre D apologized excessively saying that staffing was problematic. We were referred to the VIP liaison at Viking Norway and her only response was a discount which was less than my travel agent gets us. The quality of Viking is clearly going down post pandemic
Excellent article. You captured the Viking river cruise experience well. While Viking does many things well, I won’t sail with them again. It is a dealbreaker that there are no tables for two in the main dining room. If I meet other people with whom I want to have dinner, that would be great … but having to do that every single night just doesn’t work for me. So I prefer other river cruise lines that don’t force the dining experience. P.S. Yes – I know that there a few tables for two on the Aquavit terrace, but too often the weather doesn’t allow outdoor dining.
We did a Rhine River Christmas Market cruise in Dec. 2022. The tour part was disappointing, at best. Compared to our shorter tours on the Rhine in 2008, they were much too long, in freezing weather and most were required to get to the subject Christmas Market – the very reason we booked. By the time we got to the market, we were bored and freezing. Some of the stops – Dusseldorf in particular were a waste of time. We have better in Texas. The Christmas Market in Cologne, by contrast is much larger, however, they elected to stop in Dusseldorf earlier dropping us in Cologne at night – after the beautiful cathedral was already closed. Overall, we got the impression the cruise line was obligated to the tour operators and elected to simply ‘shoe horn’ the Christmas Markets in. Bad plan. European Christmas Market are wonderful. We’d done Budapest, Kaysersberg, FR, Colmar, Freiburg (included by Viking) and others. The brief glimpse of these Viking market visits was not very satisfying due to the inordinate attention and time giving to the obligatory tours. I wrote to complain. They called to follow up. The young ‘un who called rather acted as if I was simply a gripey old man. There was also far too much ‘selling’ when on board – of themselves, how to properly fill out the surveys to benefit the crew, etc. Compared to our 2008 Viking Rhine cruise, overall it was disappointing.
We will be going on our 3rd Viking Cruise in August. We have always booked the room with a slider and balcony. The first trip was amazing sitting out on the small deck. But last year in port our side of the boat was smack up against another ship 6/8 days. We could not sit out at night. We paid extra for this room so we could enjoy sitting out at night and in the morning. Any suggestions?
Thanks for the info – very intersting as we attempt to make a travel decision. QUESTION: Your article makes it look like you are the only ones on the river. I have heard that multiple river cruise ships dock at each port and it can be a bit chaotic, and sometimes your view is completely blocked if you are the second layer (even if you paid for a balcony cabin). That would stink. Is this still the case in 2024? I have been told NOT to take cruises (immuno-compromised) due to the small spaces, large crowds, buffet eating/drinking, hygiene – but the Viking option looks like a better situation. Thoughts??
Rained 3 weeks prior to Danube River cruise departure. Once we all got onboard, after traveling great distances to a once in a lifetime River cruise, we were told ship wouldn’t be able to fit under bridges because river was too high. The cruise turned into a bus trip, not what we paid for or expected. Never again Viking! Awful and no refund
Did a Viking ocean in December 2023 to Manus Brazil only problem the Brazil portion of trip was cancelled about 3 weeks prior to departure. My problem is we were charge $999.00 each Viking air but the air turned out to be a $300.00 to $350.00 trip . They did not pay for or provide ground transportation in San Juan. We had insurance through Viking who are giving me a difficult time getting refunds. Can you help me .
The balcony was dirty and the chair was broken. Plus you were against other ships or the pier most times so NO view. Room & bathroom VERY small. Could barely turn around in it. Most concerning was food which in our opinion was mediocre to bad. It is not EGGS Benedict it is EGG Benedict. Our bags which we spent extra to ship early, did not end up in our room till late afternoon. We will spend our money in America in the future.
We will be going Budapest to Amsterdam this summer with my sister and BIL. Ten years ago I did this cruise with our youngest son; he lowered the age average by a bunch since he was 25 then. He’ much more gregarious than I so knew almost everyone aboard by the end. That was my first experience with Viking; since then hubs and I have sailed two ocean cruises and one other river cruise with them. The other river was Waterways of the Tsars in 2017. Those boats had doctor on board. This narrator seemed to not like Viking and is very snotty.
What to know about Viking? DON’T GO WITH THEM. We went with them last year because we couldn’t get on a Scenic Cruise (Scenic is fantastic in every respect), but we would NEVER go with them again. In particular: ● Don’t pay extra for the all inclusive drinks package. We did and were only offered the basic house wines. We had to ask for the wine menu every single time and the staff in the restaurant didn’t want to give it to us. We had to insist, after all we had paid for it, ● Twice, at lunch, I asked if a particular dish was vegetarian and was told yes. Both times I found meat in them. ● The excursions are very badly organised. ● The food was awful and in the restaurant there are no two seater tables. ● Viking travel at night so you never see the landscape. They also have poor mooring facilities so you have to go across other boats to get on the quay. I could go on, but you get the picture. Go with Scenic, they are brilliant.
Will do! The Viking city of lights cruise through our travel agent was handled with them. The flight was a crowded nightmare from the states to Paris. It was a horrible. The arrangements made through Viking was a complete dump of a motel with horrible food. I hated it. Everything was broken in the hotel. The Paris tower was shut down because of pickpockets. 14000 dollars of a waste of money and time. I hated the boat the food and the breakdown of waiting for parts and perusal the concrete of the locks. The ships crew were rude and the food was almost uneatable. I wouldn’t go on a Viking river cruise if it was free. The worst time ever spent on a trip. Don’t do it go with any other line! You won’t be able to understand the guides anyway.
I would never consider Viking river cruise for thee reasons in order: 1. No gym. 2. Not all cabins are open balcony. 3. Limited dining hours and options. I am a picky eater with a diet. 4. I feel coop up with 200 strangers. 5. Limited excursions, and force to leave the boat at port to go on waling tours.. 6. France is not my favorite country. 7. 2 to 4 times more expensive compare to ocean cruises..