MVJ is offering excursions for their late March 2023 sailing, with the option to book them exactly 6 months from the sailing date or randomly. The 2024-2027 RIVER CRUISE AND AIR FARES offer applies to bookings made from September 1-30, 2024. Terms and conditions for select promotions may vary. A $25 deposit is required.
Viking Cruises offers excursions on the sea and river, including the Top of Cologne Tour, which runs for two hours at a cost of €69 per person. The tour is fast-paced, with some tours lasting 4-5 hours. Most tours begin early morning and leave by 8:00 am. If having free time on your own is more important, you are under no obligation to book shore excursions.
The tours will start anytime between 8:30-10.00 ish, except for the final day in the Black Forest, where the trip is an afternoon one. Shore excursions usually begin in the morning and include meals during planned lunch or dinner times. On Viking River Cruises, there is one included excursion at each town or city you visit along the way, typically a guided walking tour of the town.
To book shore excursions, mark the date on a calendar and be ready to book when the window opens. Some excursions fill up quickly, so it’s important to plan accordingly.
📹 Considering a Viking River Cruise? Watch this first! Our COMPLETE GUIDE to Viking Longships!
Vikingcruises #rivercruise Welcome to our COMPLETE GUIDE to Viking Cruises river Longships. The Viking Longship fleet is the …
What time do cruises start to board?
Cruise ships typically begin boarding between 10 and 11 a. m., depending on the ship’s schedule and debarking time. Passengers are required to be on board no less than two hours before the scheduled departure time, usually in the late afternoon or evening. The best time to board is during periods with few lines and short waits, but this can vary from port to port and ship to ship. Arriving in the early afternoon is preferred.
Are shore excursions ship time or local time?
The times allotted for shore excursions are contingent upon the scheduled departure time of the vessel.
How long before a cruise can you book shore excursions?
Shore excursions can be booked online up until the Pre-Sail cut-off time, 11:59pm ET, the evening before the cruise departure. After the online Pre-Sail, the remaining inventory will be available on board the ship. It is recommended that guests order their shore excursions in advance to avoid disappointment once on board. To book, guests must visit carnival. com/shore-excursions, deposit their cruise booking, and register with the site. Only shore excursions relevant to the specific itinerary will be shown.
Desired selections can be placed in ‘My Shopping Cart’ for review. Full payment is due at ‘Check Out’. Online bookings must be paid for immediately, while onboard purchases are billed to the guest’s Sail and Sign® account. After placing an order, guests can view and print a confirmation page with their order number.
Are shore excursions included on Viking River cruises?
Viking expeditions provide a range of activities to suit your interests, including snowshoeing through polar landscapes, kayaking in icy inlets, and observing wildlife in their natural habitats. These activities are led by experienced experts who are skilled in operating in rugged and polar environments. All necessary gear is provided for your excursions. Additionally, Viking 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 aims to support research efforts and 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.
How far in advance can you book excursions on Norwegian cruise line?
It is recommended that requests for Resort Day Pass options for ports on a prospective cruise be submitted up to six months in advance. Similarly, it is advisable to reserve shore excursions in My Cruises up to 120 days before the scheduled sailing date. It should be noted that the comprehensive list may not be accessible until 120 days prior to the scheduled departure date.
Is there a lot of walking on Viking River Cruises?
To ensure safety during guided tours in Europe, wear flat, comfortable walking shoes and leave heels for nighttime entertainment. Avoid pickpockets by wearing a small cross-body handbag close to the body and a neck or waist wallet for men. Avoid placing your phone or wallet in your back pocket and use an RFID blocking sleeve or wallet for credit cards. Viking River Cruises are an excellent way to get wet, especially on award-winning lines.
Experience Viking River Cruises and consider trying an ocean cruise, as there are Viking ocean cruises available. Enjoy your Viking River Cruise and be prepared to explore the Christmas Markets cruise, which offers highlights of cruising during the holidays.
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.
Can I wear jeans on a Viking cruise?
The text advises that during the day, casual attire is recommended, including shorts, slacks, or jeans, and comfortable shoes for walking tours. In the evening, elegant casual attire is recommended, with ladies wearing dresses, skirts, or slacks with a sweater or blouse, and gentlemen wearing trousers and a collared shirt. A tie and jacket are optional. Some shore excursions visit religious sites that require modesty of dress, so men should wear long pants and avoid sleeveless shirts, and women should wear clothing covering the knees and not revealing.
Can you wear jeans on a Viking river cruise?
The dress code for a day cruise is informal, encompassing attire such as shorts, slacks, or jeans, and footwear suitable for walking tours. The temperature was above 10°C for the duration of the two-week period. The dress code for the day was informal, with the dress code for dinner being slightly more formal.
What time do you board Viking River Cruise?
Embarkation times for Viking River Cruises’ Mississippi and Europe itineraries are from 4:00 PM to 12:00 PM, with a light Welcome Buffet served at 12:00 PM. The 2024-2027 River Cruise and Airfares offer is valid for bookings made between September 1-30, 2024, with terms and conditions varying. A $25 deposit is required for all River itineraries, and special fares plus up to free international airfare are valid 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 have to be purchased to receive the cruisecruisetour offer. All prices are in CA dollars and for CA residents only. Additional restrictions may apply. Payment must be made in full by September 30, 2024 or at the time of booking if within 120 days of departure. For itineraries 35 days or less, a $25 deposit applies.
Cruise fares listed are in CAD dollars per person, based on double occupancy, and are subject to availability. 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.
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Ocean cruises have never been my dream vacation. Being stuck on a ship for 2 or 3 weeks with 4000 passengers, or even more, like the Wonder of the Seas (with around 7000 passengers and more than 2000 crew members) would be an absolute nightmare for me. No way! My son convinced me to try a river cruise. So I booked a trip on a long boat on the Rhine River with Viking River Cruise (Basel-Amsterdam). A memorable trip of tranquillity, excellent service, excellent food, good organisation, a delightful crew, and very interesting excursions. We had sunny weather all the way to Amsterdam and I spent much time on the upper deck admiring the superb scenery on either side of the Rhine. A surprising experience, the daunting and impressive passage in the middle of the night of a huge lock. The abnormal noise of the boat’s engines woke me around 3 pm. I got up to see what was happening, opened the door to the veranda and found myself facing a huge wall, while the boat was at the bottom of the lock. WOW! All I can say is thank you Viking River Cruise.
We did the Grand European Cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam in September 2023. It was excellent. We have nothing negative to say. The fact that they have so many identical ships is a huge advantage. There was not enough water between Passau and Nuremberg so we had to be bussed between. We then boarded an identical ship and had an identical state room. Another company’s ship in Passau did not have a second ship for her passengers to board, so their cruise ended prematurely. Our cruise director came with us. The food was fabulous.
Oh my goodness. My husband today put the idea of a river cruise in our minds to start to get a taste of France for our very first trip there Lord, willing, in May 2024… It will be our 32nd wedding anniversary and his 60th birthday! Your article is extremely helpful. And I think the pluses and minuses you pointed out were fair… I’m only halfway through so far, but this is looking like a very good option!
Vastly improved from 2005. Smaller ship with 130 passengers. Enjoyed it very much and our trip from Budapest to Amsterdam was well worth the time and money. Bratislava, Slovakia became a memorial place to visit because of a dental emergency my wife had. A dentist was found who saved my wife’s tooth and made the journey well done, thanks to the hotel manager who was very competent. Sorry, I do not remember his name. Time and money well spent. Bob Hoyt
I’m a former travel agent, and… wow. This article covered everything you would want to know about a Viking River Cruise. Absolutely fantastic production. I loved how you filmed most areas of the ship in a tasteful way, and not too rushed. I think featuring the menus and sample meals was an excellent idea — I myself can’t stomach enormous meal portions after a long port day so I am thrilled to see the smaller meal samplings. I also appreciated the overall positivity while still being objective (i.e. the toilet paper holder, the lack of 2-person dining in the main dining room). I’m excited to check out your other articles — you just earned yourself another subscriber!
I spend almost a hundred hours a week on YouTube (Business & Pleasure) and I see a LOT of material here, including countless reviews. THIS was by far the best experience that I have ever had perusal a review! I couldn’t find one thing to criticize! (That is my job) If you had presented this to my company we would have had to refuse the contract simply because we couldn’t improve your article!
About the onboard swimming pools – I have never missed one on a Viking European River cruise but then again, I have always done those in the fall or winter months. I recently sailed the Mekong on the Viking Saigon and let me tell you, the pool was much appreciated in that hot climate. I used it frequently as did many other guests. BTW – that is a fabulous ship. Much smaller than a traditional long ship but oh so elegant. There is a gym (very small) and a spa (2 treatment rooms and so divine) as well as a Sky Bar where we ate breakfast and lunch every day. It is a very special ship.
We are going on Viking this November, Danube to Budapest. Your article presentation was truly excellent and has raised our anticipation to new heights. We normally do ocean cruises and this will be our first river cruise. We review a lot of cruise articles and I can honestly say yours was the best I have seen. Professional, high quality, informative and inviting. Thank you.
I have been on 2 Viking river cruises and found them both lovely, enjoyable, interesting and informative. The food was incredibly delicious. The captain talks, entertainment and chef discussions were wonderful. I have nothing at all negative to say about them. One we stayed in a room with a veranda and the second time we stayed in one of the two exe ytive suites.
We just returned from spending two weeks on Viking’s Longship “Vidar” (June 2023). This article presentation is accurate in every detail. Everything about our cruise was WONDERFUL. This Viking vacation was well worth the money spent. We were on the ship for fourteen days on a cruise that started in Budapest and ended in Amsterdam. On that specific cruise we lost the ability to use the wonderful sundeck for a significant part of the cruise due to the fact that the crew had to strip it down to it’s lowest height (by design) for the ship to fit under the low bridges along the journey. I would be hard pressed to offer Viking any suggestions for them to implement in an effort to improve the experience. It seemed to me that Viking has already figured it out and offers a exceptional guest experience in every category. This Viking cruise was the best vacation I have ever enjoyed. I suspect I will return again as a Viking customer. As well designed and maintained as the ship was and as beautiful as the surrounding river and geography was all of that was outdone by the excellent crew and the effort they all extended to make our journey memorable. Magical-Really!
Just returned home from our first and last Viking River cruise on the Rhine. We shouldn’t have booked this cruise so late in November. The weather was cold and rainy which forced us to stay on the ship most days. First the good things including the amazing staff on the Kara. We felt the food was mediocre and pretty redundant. For the cost of this cruise the state rooms were tiny as well as the bathrooms. If you enjoy ocean cruises as we do understand there are no shows and basically everyone is in bed by 10pm. This is just my experience which I wanted to share.
7:25 The tea, coffee and hot chocolate are available 24/7. The cookies are not 24/7 on any of the Viking river cruises I’ve been on (eight and counting). Breakfast pastries are put out an hour before the restaurant opens for breakfast. The pastries are replaced with cookies once breakfast is over – but in the evening, any cookies remaining are removed. If you want a late-night cookie, take one earlier in the day and leave it in your cabin.
My husband and our friends just got off the Skadi in May and we miss the staff/crew so much. Our room steward Jeffery spoiled us. A full ice bucket every afternoon and making our rooms up perfectly. I laughed about the toilet paper holder…. Our only complaint. A shout out to the dining room staff who worked so hard to make everything perfect from early morning till nite. Milo, May, Bello, Sorin, and all the others who were mostly Filipino or Serbs. When I especially miss the ship, I’ll watch this article. Truly, of all the YouTube vids about Viking cruises, your does the best job of making me feel like I’m back aboard.
We went on the European Sojourn last May/June. I was concerned due to neck and back problems, food allergies, and altered taste from long CoVID. I was overwhelmed with how every single person went out of their way to help me out. The Maitre Dei checked on me every single meal. I was shocked. There was a huge variety of all very lovely things. I am not a vegetarian but the energy bowl and veggie burger were outstanding for lunch. I wish I could get those at home. I don’t care for mushrooms, but otherwise every single soup was just delicious. My husband said the mushroom was great. Some days I wasn’t all that hungry and asked for thing not exactly on the menu, like just some potato fries. No one blinked an eye and just gave me what ever I asked for except they thought I was a little nutty and couldn’t understand why I wasn’t eating another lovely big meal. We did the included excursions and they were great for a first time to an area. You got the quick version of the local history, walked past or through major points to see, and there was often some castle or museum or something. I really enjoyed. We were booked for France next year but decided to repeat the European sojourn and instead of the included tours go off to see all the things we missed because we ran out of time after the included tour. It is so great to unpack once. We were lucky that we didn’t have to change ships. The water levels were fine. No one has control over that so just roll with the punches. I am not a big drinker, but we got the silver spirits.
Loved our Viking River trip from Budapest to Amsterdam. Reflecting back we should have taken the Bucharest to Amsterdam cruise which was 21 days. Met several interesting fellow cruisers from Australia. The staff were professional as well as engaging if you chose to chat with them. Viking river cruise is one vacation I will remember as being a total pleasure.
Beautifully produced article. I’m taking my first VRC soon. Since I do not have an adventurous palate at all, I’m glad to see the “always available classics” dining option. If that’s not available on the “themed dinner” nights, I’ll be sure to have a large lunch. Now I’m off to binge watch more of your articles.
We were somewhat disappointed in our Viking River Cruise on the Danube. On the positive side, we enjoyed cruising along the shore and seeing the countryside. The night cruise in Budapest was amazing and unexpected. We were also given a concert in Vienna that was unscheduled. The food was adequate and the entertainment interesting. However, we often docked miles from our destinations such as Vienna. Only 2 shuttles a day were provided, 8 AM and noon, and you were not able to return to the ship when we wanted, needed to. We could not go on the top deck as the bridges were too low. Our cruise director was sick when we boarded and we all caught it. Most of us came down with some congestion and laryngitis but a few, including hubby, got quite ill.
Very fine article. My wife and I have only done river cruises on Viking so I appreciate your insights and comparisons.(And we have done a lot of them) The lack of tables for two in the dining area is a feature. We have found that we always like almost every passenger, unlike our experience on another line’s Ocean Cruise. We make a lot of new friends at dinner and many of those friendships extend long after the voyage. Meeting other passenger and sharing tables is significant part of the trip. I think Viking’s best asset is its customer set. On several voyages we have encountered someone deeply interested in some thing at a port of call. We latch in if they’ll let us and they always have so far we get a very deep insight into that fellow passenger’s interest when we visit that site. Also, the sundeck is very good for exercise. I do yoga before breakfast and jump rope on days we are not ashore. I bring a yoga mat and a jump rope for river cruises. Also we find the included wine and/or beer is more than enough for us. I frequently had to cover my wine glass at dinner.
I have to say, this is the most professional and well filmed review I have seen about any cruise ship (and I have seen hundreds)! It is very well detailed around all the ship and you have done a great job with the narrative. I have subscribed because I believe you will give an honest, educated account of a ship, and it saves me having to trawl through other presenters on You Tube, explaining about any future cruises I am thinking of taking. Thank you.
Went on my first Viking cruise in November/December of 2022. We were in a “duck room” and it was perfectly lovely. Impeccable service, great included excursions. Here’s a tip on the toilet paper holder – put it in as a mullet instead of a beard and you don’t lose the end. Planning a trip on one of the expedition ships for 2025.
Very nicely produced article – than you for that. We’ve done I think nearly 40 cruises to date, although we have been contemplating doing a river cruise. What I liked about this one, was the normal-ish sized balconies, it’s not too small a passenger capacity, and the food presentation looks beautiful, akin to a luxury cruise ship. Very interesting.
It took a while, but I have long become a believer in small ship river cruise…ships. Longships! You learn something new every day. But the best line to sail with. I’m a little lost. But Viking has a good reputation, and the cinematography makes it a little convincing. Being out in the middle of the ocean with nothing but ocean is one amazing thing, but always seeing amazing scenic and a lot of the time historic places at just about every moment, is another.
Excellent presentation – we took the Grand European and stayed in room 303! The only downside- we are strict vegetarians and frequently had difficulty finding suitable selections. “German food night” was a disaster – we ate pretzels and steamed cabbage with cookies for dessert. And they knew from day-one that we had food preferences. Other than this, a delightful trip.
Very well done. We hate ocean cruising. We did the Rhine River last year on Avalon Waterways and before completion, my wife told me to book the Danube for 2023. We leave next week for Budapest to board the Avalon Envision for a westbound cruise on the Danube. Regardless of the cruise line, all river ships are about the same dimensions and only carry 160-190 passengers depending on the configuration. The experience is relaxed compared to ocean cruises. No formal nights, over-the-top entertainment or casinos. River cruises by nature are for adults so you won’t find very many children on board. The shore excursions complete the experience of exploring local traditions, culture and history.
We traveled from Amsterdam to Budapest this past summer on the Vali. The experience was very agreeable as were our traveling companions. The aquavit restaurant opens first in the morning for early risers to share the sunrise. I only found one small error in your presentation, the elevator only spans decks two and three (the machinery is below, and it wouldn’t do at all for the elevator to pop up to the sundeck level while passing under a low bridge). The crew is top notch. We had one small fault in our cabin which the maintenance people addressed immediately. In terms of value for money, a Viking Cruise is well worth the cost in my opinion. One final note, when you have Viking arrange your transportation, they almost literally take you by the hand. Honestly, you make your decisions before you leave home and just enjoy the experience once you arrive.
Just booked the Rhine 8-day cruise from Basel to Amsterdam. We got a Veranda cabin with an included flight from Atlanta for $7700 in July (I saved over $200 for paying with a bank transfer up front). I have been holding off for years because they were $10-12k with air. I’m very excited except for the 10-12 hours of flying. I might add something for Amsterdam since we’re scheduled to go from the dock to the airport. This presentation was excellent.
Second VRC for us: Bucharest-Amsterdam, May 2023. True, no two top tables in the main restaurant. However, the long tables can act as two tops if couples occupy alternating seats. Dinner start time is rigidly adhered. If you’re late, you may encounter “server-chef scowl”. Supposedly being late messes up kitchen operations. This may vary boat-to-boat or chef-to-chef. Observed some passenger rumblings regarding other passengers claiming Aquavit tables early in the afternoon…like every day…thus preventing others from enjoying the space for dinner. Perhaps a table reservation system can be developed? River levels vary (not our cruise) preventing boat to pass under bridges or transit locks. Be prepared for bus portage around these. I’ve heard Viking is excellent handling all this but one does have to repack/unpack. Everything presented in the article is accurate. This is the perfect way to see Europe, at least from a river perspective. Viking has thought of everything and really pampers its customers. Daily shore excursions are included in the cabin fare; they are excellent. Optional excursions (extra cost) are available. Of course one can explore independently.
We went on a Viking Cruise last year, and we would never go with them again. The ships are beautiful and the staff work hard. However, the food is poor, the trips are badly organised, they travel during the night so you never see much of the scenery. Also, we paid extra for the drinks package, and we were never offered the wine menu at meals. We had to ask for it every time, and it was obvious the staff were loathe to give it to us. Back to Scenic for us. They are truly excellent. Edited to add: on our return, we were emailed by the cruise consultant at Viking with whom we booked asking us for feedback. I rang him on his direct line and said that i would like to give some feedback and would he please ring me. He never returned my call.
Did anyone else notice this? The quirky little bedside pullout tray is so you can have a drink beside you while you are sitting in bed, but you won’t have to reach behind you to pick it up. However, if you aren’t used to it and forget to push it back in before turning out the lights, you might bump into it in the dark?
Fabulously filmed and narrated article! After many ocean cruises, this may be too small for me. The enrichment lectures would be an attraction, as would the overall ambiance. Even though the rooms were modern, the storage and size did not seem much different to other ships. My main concern was the dining, as we prefer a wide selection on a buffet, not a few menu choices. (Although it certainly looks beautiful.) We make very large salads and like to choose from a selection of veggies and fish, which we can take as much (or as little) as we want. Having a fancy “presentation” of our meals doesn’t really hold any interest for me. We would not care about the absence of a pool, as we are there for the ports, but we do use the weights on the gym on sea days. Of course, there are less of them on a river cruise.
Congratulations on a beautifully done article. It brings back fond memories of our trip from Amsterdam to Budapest last September in 327. One thing we found was that the WiFi was much better in the forward cabins than further aft. We had good friends in 303 who had excellent signal and TV streaming while we had very spotty coverage.
The boats and the food are stunning but there are drawbacks which were not mentioned and are based on my holiday spent on Viking Danube a few years ago, so things may have changed in the interim. 1) The meal may be down for 7 p.m., but because of taking wine orders it took 45 minutes before they took meal orders. 2) Optional trips off boat were vastly overpriced. 3) The prizes for on board raffles, is tat from the on board shop. 4) Insufficient float-free devices on the outside decks. 5) An outside photographer comes aboard, takes pictures of an many guests as he can and the following day displays them for sale at high cost. I have an idea that the cost of this this together with item 2, involves a cut off the top for either Viking or the crew. Considering how little room must be allocated to food preparation, storage and cooking, the chefs are marvels. How on earth they do such fantastic culinary delights for 150 or so clients in such a small space, is remarkable.
An interesting guide. If my wife and I were producing article guides one of the factors we would fit in would be dietary considerations. I have Coeliac Disease, so strictly Gluten Free, while my wife is seriously intolerant to Garlic and bell peppers. It challenges the best on cruises, and many have failed miserably.
Well, I just watched four of your Viking articles and I am SO impressed!! We are true Viking fans — have done three 3 three week European river cruises and one 3 week ocean cruise to the Baltic States, which was truly amazing! We are just about to go on the Viking Australia/NZ cruise…we leave on New Year’s Eve. I think your articles are gorgeous. SO well done, from the narration to the actual camera work, which presents everything exquisitely. I am so very much loved the music! So perfect. I am sending the links to my family so they can get to know Viking (and you) as well! Thank you for a lovely viewing experience.
Thanks so much for doing the article. You are very talented in articlegraphy as it looked as if a professional had done the article. It answered a lot of questions we had as this is our first Viking cruise. It was very thoughtful of you to think of other travelers and we found it very informative as well as beautiful.
Lovely presentation. Your voice is like a soothing and highly informative friend, and guide. Ship staging and decor also inviting, clean, welcoming. Never will be able to partake of this exquisite experience myself, but for those who will be so fortunate, relax and enjoy the wonderful ambience. So sorry I missed it, thanks for the glimpse of such a pleasant journey.
I’ve been on river cruise. Very nice but little for entertainment. Mainly mature people, not that it matters. Can’t knock food at all. Just a little boring. But the day trips were fabulous. Hardly used balcony so wouldn’t bother with one again. A little expensive in my opinion but it was a cruise I enjoyed
First Viking cruise ’22, going again in ’24. Your guide & review was perfect, agreed with all the points you made. In fact, it was a pleasure just to see your article to remind me of aspects of the ship and service. If there is one thing I would criticize about our trip, it would be that we had only one musical presentation from “onshore”, it was excellent, but I wish we could have had one or two more. But that is a minor quibble when Viking gets so much right.
Thank you for a very well presented article we went on a fifteen day river cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam last October. It was very enjoyable. The excursions were excellent but used up a lot of free time. We found the service in the dining room average and did not really enjoy many of the main courses, although breakfast and desserts were good. The cruise director was excellent as was the ship. Transfers between airports, hotels and ship were excellent and well organised.
A very informative article, BUT no one ever mentions single travelers! I’m 81 and have been a single traveler since the 1970’s, I hate to think how much extra I have paid over the years! BUT things got better in the 90’s, since the pandemic it has got a lot worse, I’m now being asked to pay as much as an extra 2 3rds for a cabin and that will only be a plain cabin. Companies should remember that there are 22 million single people in the UK of a certain age and possibly can afford nice holidays but should not have to pay an well over the top price, better to have some money from one person than no money.!
We spent 14 days on one of these ships. You said nothing about making sure you book your trip when the river is NOT up. Two thirds of our trip the upper deck was closed – I mean closed, one could not go up the the top. Reason, the river was so high, the upper deck was closed so the boat could get under the bridges, and I mean bridges (plural). No nice view, no walking track to exercise, no sunsets, zero. When it rained, we were stuck inside looking out windows dripping with water. The shore tours were very professional, however, after hearing at everystop what happened in this and that in the year 1586 – it got a little boaring. Very little varity of shore excersion experiences. We have cruised dozens of times – this one stood also as the most undiserable – if not one the the more expensive.. Beware is the water is too LOW – you will be changing ships ( even your tooth brush) because your ship could not get under the bridge . Check it out!
Wonderful article Rich! Brought back great memories of my 2 Viking river cruises, one on the Rhine and one on the Douro. If your looking for a small pool there is one on the Douro ships. The downside is the terrace at the front is only seating, no dining there, missed that! BUT both trips were outstanding!!
Superb, informative review as always Helen & Rich. I have a question that I hope you can answer. How well do Viking river cruises cater for those with limited mobility? My wife & I would love to river cruise, but she is restricted to a wheelchair for anything other than very short walks (probably ok on board, but not off ship). Can Viking accommodate collapsible wheelchairs on board?
I have not watched the whole article. Facilities very nice, albeit very tight cabin, excellent food, helpful and friendly crew. HOWEVER, be aware that weather and river water levels can drastically alter your trip. We spent most of our week on a bus, sleeping on the ship, because of flooding. Viking did their best to provide as many of promised small village ports, but we missed four of our planned dockings and spent many hours (up to 6 per day) on buses to and from the docked ship for outings. We also had very limited “port talks”. (I guess crew was busy trying to make alternate arrangements for our travel.) We sailed one day. No guarantees, of course, but check typical water levels and weather for the time of year you plan to sail. In any case, be sure you are prepared for MAJOR changes from your planned itinerary. I have spoken with numerous other people who have had an experience similar to mine. After we returned home, Viking offered us a discount on our NEXT cruise. Will we risk it? I’m not sure.
Great article. We’ve traveled on Avalon Waterways twice. Their Veranda rooms do not have a balcony which gives you more space in the room, still has sliding doors (Juliet balcony), and they provide two chairs and a table, so you can enjoy the scenery with proper seating. On our first cruise it rained a few nights but we could still open the sliding doors and enjoy the views and ambiance. We would rather room space than an ultra thin balcony.
Loved the review. My observations. Lovely tasteful decor. Just like the ships. Food looks great and beautifully presented although I’m a fussy eater and I liked the ‘always available’ choices better. Agree regarding the gym: when space is a premium I think it’s a waste. Same with pool given it’s port intensive. My only criticism are the cabins: in my opinion a balcony is a waste and I’d rather a Juliet balcony and that extra floor space internally as again it just seems a waste and unutilised. Oh and one of the owners suites I’d have converted into a intimate rear bar area to watch the wake than have as a cabin. But that’s just my opinion of course.
A blessed good day Sir Rich and Helen, Wowwww first time I Watch your website this One of a Kind Viking Your ship What a nice Wonderful Experience I love this Beautiful 😍 Ambhians, Nice Nature River Views and Beautiful Accomodation Rooms, and Foods, my Dream Cruise ship foe my family, thank u so much sir rich and Helen for your wonderful walk around tour article Godbless from the Philippines 🇵🇭 sir Marvin 😍👏👏👏👏🙏♥️🙂
GREAT job on the article from all aspects. We are looking to do our first river cruise next summer and are looking strongly at Viking. Two questions. First, we are looking to do a European cruise and wonder if you have an itinerary suggestion for first timers. Second, you noted the tall bottle space in the refrigerator and we saw a bottle of red wine on your balcony. Does Viking River allow you to bring your own wine on board. Our only previous cruising is 3 Crossings on Cunard QM2 and passengers are allowed to bring unlimited wine and spirits on board for cabin consumption. Thanks again for such an informative article so well done. Jack
Hello, your articles always are great value for us, your quality making them is superior to others. Thanks, Next August 2023 we are travelling for first time from Bergen to London by Viking Cruises, we are very happy and anxious. However we would like to make some river cruise maybe Danubio but we are not sure if viking is a good idea, it is very expensive compared with other companies. What do you think? Thanks in advance for your comments. Regards both of you. Federico (Mexico-Spanish) living in Spain
Thank you so much for this article. However, I am a bit concerned that if you wish to dine each evening and at breakfast just the two of you, you indicate that you cannot dine in the main restaurant. I am very fussy and insist on tablecloths, if you dine elsewhere do the other eateries have table cloths too. Edited to just say, we dont do Bistros. I am not very mobile so would you still recommend one of these cruises. I use a pusher to walk any distance. I am also concerned about the fact that boats moor next to each other, so you could be looking at someone else’s cabin for some time.
I spent two weeks onbiard Viking cruising from Budapest to Amsterdam. Excrusions were good and the cabin was clean and acceptable. The only thing Viking didn’t do well was the food quality. Often long lineup during the breakast egg station and not enough foods on the buffet table. Also at best lunch and dinner food quality were averge and some nights were substandard.
My only trip with Viking was a river cruise in China. They used one of the many Chinese ships, so the experience was different, and in my opinion inferior. Of necessity the overall design was very similar; there, too, ships docked multiple abreast and you had to walk through others to get to yours. Be warned that if you sail with them you will be deluged with mail. I get literally several times as many catalogs from them as from any other travel company.
We just returned from the newest itinerary, Capitals of Europe 17-day river cruise on the Danube. This article certainly depicts the carbon copy of their long boats. While the guided excursions were interesting and well-coordinated, life on the boat left us bored. Fortunately, we had splurged on a Veranda Suite, giving us time to enjoy the sites from our balcony – except those several times we awakened only to be staring into the cabin of another ship in port. We found the staff unengaging and were ignored on several occasions. One night, the featured entree’ consisted of 3 shrimp. Thank goodness for those cookies at the coffee bar! It seemed to appeal to other return customers, however we will return to cruising on larger ocean liners where there are a variety of activities and a staff that act like they enjoy their work.
Enjoyed our Viking river cruise in France so much that we went on another through Belgium and the Netherlands. On this second cruise, we encountered many problems such as an excursion being cancelled the evening before and being told it was because of a computer glitch. Waited and waited to be refunded for this excursion and had to send a copy of the letter I received in order to be refunded. No evening entertainment except for piano playing and trivia games. Our ship was in a collision with another ship, minimal response. Was offered some credit for a future cruise but absolutely will not cruise with Viking again.
Appreciate if anyone would comment on Viking’s choice of hotels for pre and post cruising? We are booked on a Zurich to Paris river cruise in October, have fought our way through the airline bookings via Viking, ugh! The hotels look to be rather stark and not in prime locations for convenience of sightseeing. We are currently booked with Sheraton Zurich in business district and Pullman La Defense in Paris, also in a business district. Hotel reviews are mixed, so I am concerned, as we wanted to do quick exploration from the hotels on our own when possible. Thanks in advance
The two BIG plusses 4me are: 1. No open ocean, ergo No Rogue Waves to worry anout. 2. No KIDS! 😊 Now. As far as negatives: 1. Don’t like ‘Relaxed dresscode” that translates to “sloppy/slob” with some people….already saw someone in jeans. 4 me dressing 4 dinner is one of the appeals of a cruise. 2. Can’t stand 🚿 showers: Where’s the TUB?
Thanks for the excellent articles from both river and ocean. We have done many ocean cruises including five transatlantic, one on Viking. Thinking of trying a river cruise and I have a question regarding breakfast time. We rather like to ‘sleep in’ and maybe skip the early morning tours. Is it possible to have a late breakfast, say around 9.30AM and just relax on board, similar to an ocean cruise ship? Thanks in advance.
Lovely presentation. Thank you. We are booked for a Rhine cruise from Basel to Amsterdam, beginning next week Sunday . But we will not afford viking! We are cruising with a German brand for a fraction of the viking price! About a quarter of the called price. We have done that already 2 years ago, during pandemic and loved it. So now we are doing the route vice versa
I am a big fan of Viking Ocean and have sailed with them twice with a third booked. But I really don’t like the Viking longships. They cram far more people onto them than most river cruises, losing bicycles and gyms and sometimes a rear bar and making the cabins very tight (apart from the very small number of big cabins). Also the lounge on other ships can get pretty full with 160 passengers, I dread to think what 190 is like. There is no lower sundeck so the entire top deck will be shut on some sailings while going under bridges. With a lower sundeck the decks in the front and back half of the ships don’t align, you get 4 half flight stairs in the middle (which is nicer), and crucially while the upper sundeck is closed the lower one stays open provided you stay sat down when the ship is going under low bridges. I’ve sat here for hours on cruises, but it doesn’t exist on Viking. I think the front of the longships looks really ugly too, more like a barge than a ship. Finally I believe the draft requirement of the longships is deeper than most other river ships, so they’re some of the first to stop sailing or do ship swaps in low water (which is going to happen more often with climate change).
Good article. However, there’s no mention of the technical qualities of the ship. What sort of propulsion system? Bow & stern thrusters? What’s the draft? Normal cruising speed? Hourly fuel consumption at cruise? Do they make their own water or use shore supplies? No pictures of the navigation bridge or machinery spaces, which would be interesting. Would also be interesting to see article of docking procedures. It’s also a bit disconcerting when you use land lubber terminology to describe a boat versus nautical terminology. For example, you say, “at the front” and “rear” instead of foreword and aft. Speakers are mounted in the “ceiling” versus the more correct nautical term “overhead”. (On a ship, the ceiling is a finished surface on the inside of the hull – often a wooden deck at the bottom of a cargo hold on a steel ship.) Ships have heads, not bathrooms. Galley, not a kitchen. Etc. (It’s not a bad article, but these are some changes I would make.)
Floaters have known stability issues along with accidents. Viking Sigyn hit a small tour boat during a stormy night-time cruise along a crowded stretch of the Danube in Budapest, killing 19 South Korean tourists and a Hungarian crewman. Seven people were rescued, eight are still missing, and the Viking captain was placed under arrest. the Viking Tor failed to retract its wheelhouse far enough and hit the bridge at the Riedenburg lock, destroying the wheelhouse. The Viking Idun river ship collided with a cargo vessel while sailing through Belgium .Not recommendable. Thank you from Oslo.
I see no reason why 3 people could not stay in the fancy rooms at the back. I was told no and had to buy a single room for my son. Also, it appears they put us on different floors. My son:111, my husband and I: 214. Am I reading correctly? That is unacceptable. Comments with suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
The negatives, price is almost 3 times than a ocean cruise., no gym (not even cardio machines), only 190 passengers and no privacy. nothing to do onboard, skimpy foods (limited selection for keto and dairy, sugar free diet). I also heard that passengers were forced to go boring walking tour, and not allowed to stay onboard in port. I will stay with Princess and Celebrity.
Beautiful and very informative article! Question…I recently heard Viking ships not uncommonly have to resort to bus-ing folks from port to port due to their ships being “deeper” than others. In other words this results in them having trouble getting thru spots along the rivers when the water levels are low. Can you speak to this?
Viking has, by far, had more accidents/crashes than any other river cruise line, including one a few years ago that killed 27 passengers on a local tour boat because the captain did nothing to avoid the other boat. Five of the dead had survived the original crash and were thrown into the water where they were then run over by a SECOND Viking ship that sailed through the original crash scene without stopping. Viking crams 196 people on the exact same size ship that other lines max at about 160 or less. That shows you how small the cabins are on a Viking ship. They run about 139-170 square feet. Avalon, for example, has a standard cabin of 200 square feet. Even Avalon’s “aquarium class” cabins are 179 square feet. Another problem with Viking is that their included dinner wines are the same house wines every night UNLESS you pay a premium fee for upgraded wines. Avalon includes top notch wines that change every night, reflecting the region through which you are sailing. Look elsewhere before you make your decision.
I am always slightly amazed when people highly praise food onboard Viking River Cruises. About 5 years ago I took a cruise down the Rhine on a Viking boat. The staff, were absolutely great, the accommodation really comfortable, cosy and sparkling clean. Even my fellow guests were such a friendly crowd. The big negative was the food, presided over by a fat Viennese ‘chef’. I will pass over the elegant arrangements of tired cold meats, already starting to curl around the edges before lunch. Chiefly I was amazed by the inability of the chef to produce any variety of menu for those people with special dietary requirements. A young American girl told me she ate chicken every night, nothing else was offered or available compatible with her requirements. On one memorable evening, the Mai^tre d’ had the embarrassing experience of explaining to another diner there was nothing suitable for them to eat, compatible with their diet. It’s totally unbelievable, but even the vegetarians had a struggle. My friend, a vegetarian, was presented with a nut roast or some such vegetarian delight, bare in the middle of a plate. She asked if she might have some accompanying vegetables, any kind, except green beans. They brought a plateful of green beans to the table. I was convinced that the galley was mainly just a heating station for pre prepared food! Perhaps in mitigation I should say the majority of passengers were American and their tastes are sometimes, somewhat different to Europeans. However it was obvious that food wise nothing had been thought out clearly and anything out of the cut and dried was regarded as too much trouble.
If you are actually curious – Viking is not for you. There is very little information content on a Viking Cruise. The food is not local, nor seasonally appropriate, nor particularly good. The boat (it is a boat not a ship) is quite pleasant and well designed. The rooms are comfortable. Make sure you never pay extra for a balcony – you will not use it. Warning – some excursions are extra. They usually have 1 free tour at each stop. If you go – lower your expectations and have fun.
My experience was bad. I am European who has lived in the US for 51 years and had little interaction with Americans. My son and husband are Americans, but they are very intelligent and polite. Last year, I partially retired and we ended up on a river cruise with almost all Americans. Now I do speak Russian and Armenian and there were cruise personnel who spoke my language. The way Americans behaved was not nice: loud, entitled, demanding. Heard comments how everything looked outdated (homes) and that’s why there are so many people trying to get to the US. When I made a comment that they should respect local culture, I heard back so why do you stay in the US, go back where you came from. I have to give a credit to younger American tourists (there were just a handful): they were much more polite and respectful than the old farts on that ship.
You showed ZERO information about disabled accessibility, it seemed the roof top was not accessible for a wheelchair or maybe you just seem interested in those that don’t need wheels to help them get around. Your report was rather discriminatory. Best for 2 legged people and any disablity not invited.
OK after 6 minutes of far off shots and outside shots with just a few quick interior shots I gave up. Did these people even have tickets or where they just taking a tour? He’s talking about nothing not giving us any relevant information so I’m not going to waist more time waiting to see if he does say or show anything good. I’ve wasted too much time waiting for that to happen in other articles and it never does.
This is not a consumer report of River Cruises with its pros and contras – this is a VIKING commercial – promoting Viking – and absolutely nothing but PR for Viking. – Do you think Cruise Ships are the only ones on a river? What do you think the interconnected river/canal systems across Europe have been built and are used for? Transportation of bulky heavy products – loaded on a few barges – towed by a Tug Boat. Tug boats are powerful diesel engines – with the noise and the diesel fumes that come with it They run 7/24 up and down the river turning it into a high density around the clock loud and smelling highway. Do you want to share the same table with the same people – at exactly the same time – or you luck out – during the entire trip? Good luck. What did they say about “going on excursions”? Yes, you can – packed in a bus – eating again in a “select” restaurant – with the same people you had breakfast and lunch. The main thing – back on the ship together at the same time. Unless you are into “ship construction” and “River shipping” – all you learned in this article is that VIKING is the way to go. Never mind that you need some earplugs to be able to sleep at night since you are sleeping at the level of high-powered diesel engines 24/7 – and hopefully have no allergies to diesel fumes and the smell of stinky river water. But – with some luck – you will hear the “Blue Danube” – from loudspeakers – but not in the real world for sure. .
Very boring review of boring river barges. Very little negative mentioned, and no info about prices. The food looked disappointing, especially the Lunch where they dared serve you burgers and sandwiches. If I wanted those, I’d go to some fourth rate cheap joint in the US, where the bad habit of the stupid sandwich and burgers seems to have infested even Scandinavian named ships.