We cruised the Danube from Budapest to Nuremberg 2 years ago. On one of the tours, we were bussed to a nearby town to hear an organ recital in a cathedral. It was wonderful! We thought we left the church in time to get back to the bus but when we got there the bus had left without us! There was a Viking ship in that port, so we went on board and explained our dilemma, hoping they could get us back to our ship that wouldn't be too expensive. Well! They were most sympathetic. They contacted our ship and explained that we would have lunch with them and meet our group at the BierGarden tour in the afternoon. They took us with their group on the bus and we were able to meet up with our group there! I was so very impressed with the professionalism. We will take the Viking Mississippi in October since we had such a good European experience.
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.
We're going to be doing that cruise in July. Really looking forward to it. The only other cruise we have done was many years ago on the Nile, which was more than a bit different.
We recently finished the Rhine cruise from Amsterdam to Basel. With a 3-day pre-excursion in Amsterdam and at least 1 excursion a day we were pretty tired on our next to last day. In Colmar we took the "leisure" version of the walking tour which took us through the town in a small "train." It turned out to be wonderful as we could actually see more as we were looking at the sites rather than looking down at the cobblestones that I'm convinced were trying to turn my tired ankles. I would highly recommend this option if you are tired...
LOVED my Viking River Cruise. At 47 I was the youngest person on the ship. 😅 Did the Danube trip. Spent three days in Prague beforehand, didn’t pay for the Viking extension-planned it ourselves and took the train to Munich. Have a great time everyone ❤
We’ve taken three river cruises so far with a fourth booked next year. We love how river cruising is different to ocean cruising. The relaxed atmosphere and ease of simply walking off the ship into a destination is great. We also love the scenic cruising that river cruising offers.
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.
While we always take the card with the ship’s location, if you have air tags in your luggage, they can easily be used to guide you back to the ship (or your hotel) using your iPhone. This saved us after dark in London when every street suddenly looked the same.
Even better if you have to get directions or a cab they can’t take you off in the wrong direction because you can show them exactly where to go and can see if you are not. This is BRILLIANT!!
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.
We think of our cabin as a place to rest while the rest of the ship is our living room, dining room, etc. It all belongs to us and is shared by the other cruisers. The only issue we had on our Egypt cruise was a smoker in one of the cabins who smoked on his balcony.
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!
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.
@Eatsleepcruise1 paris to Normandy was my favorite rivercruise. My dad was in Operation Overlord...second wave into Normandy in early August 1944. I researched his unit and where he traveled. We were in the same places, 75 years later. It was very moving, as he passed away without ever having the opportunity to return to France.
My recommendation is to extend the stay at both ends. We stayed in Lucerne and Amsterdam, both of which were fabulous. We really loved our Rhine Cruise with Viking this year. It was absolutely superb, and it was my first-ever river cruise, too. We are in our 70s and have had countless ocean cruises prior to this trip.
I went on a 2-week Viking cruise. I packed clothes that could be hand-washed and hung to dry. I brought 2 pair pajamas and only about 6 days' worth of clothes. Don't bring 14 days' worth of clothes!
I'm a firm believer that there are two types of luggage - carry on and lost... I only own a carry on bag and just returned from a three month trip (1 week in London+49 day ocean cruise to Brisbane+7 weeks in Australia and NZ. There is no need to bring everything you own just in case. Over the years I've Invested in merino wool tshirts and long sleeve tops and dress them up with scarves and jewelry. I generally bring 10 tops and 5 bottoms and everything must go with everything, so that's 50 combinations. Also, none of my tops have a pattern (your table mates at dinner won't recognize plain tops as easily when they come around again in a few days, plus the mix and match process is much easier without patterns. My late husband had a similar routine but with golf shirts and no iron collared shirts in sport fabrics, 1pr of real dress pants for dinner and 2-3 pairs of sport fabric trousers for daytime / excursions. He purposely chose a plain black, slim fitting bathing suit that passed for walking shorts so he didn't have to pack those as well. I keep looking at river cruises but haven't booked one yet. This video was a good overview of the differences with regular large ocean going ships. I didn't realize this line allowed you to bring on alcohol. I don't drink enough to buy a package so I usually just pay as I go, but picking up a bottle of local wine would be a nice option.
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!
Too bad on my viking river cruise the kitchen staff didn't wash their hands after going Number 2. Many on the ship got Norovirus.Viking is knowns for norovirus on their river cruises.
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.
Interesting perspective, a bit naive for 40 something’s who’ve taken over 80 ocean and expedition cruises. Videos, apps, advance available online info provides in-depth details of what to expect. As a 75 plus, year old and a 60 year world wide traveler I’m surprised at what surprised you. River cruises are unique and was delighted you gave Viking the credit they deserve. Just as airlines, cruise ships, and trains can’t be responsible for the weather neither can River cruises. First rule of traveler vs a tourist: go with an open minded flexibility. You’ll love every adventure! Happy travels
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 video. And I even recognize one of the destinations based off the map. I'm really looking forward to this and your video 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.
My husband and i have completed 6+ cruises with Viking. The food is tremendous and abundant. The staff is very friendly. You're meant to explore your destination NOT spend all day on the boat. If you have walking disabilities, things can get tough...beware.
We too have been on many Viking cruises and have seen several very elderly folks have some bad falls. The very elderly need to be extremely careful and take appropriate excursions. The gangplank is where most of the falls I have observed have taken place.
We’ve sailed a couple of river cruises, and on the 2-week Grand European Cruise (one of the best vacations we’ve ever had), I didn’t discover until the last 2 days that the self-serve coffee machines also dispense hot cocoa. It was superb, and a great end to a long exciting day.
I wouldn't spend that $30,000 again. For our next trip, we'll repeat what we did a few years ago - find a base to stay at, and take excursions from there. _(Pre-Covid, we stayed in an apartment in Paris for a month, and took the trains to Bruge and Normandy, as well as using public transportation in and around Paris and environs. Now "that" was a great vacation. The Viking cruise? Not so much.
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.
😮 wow. Your comment along with other given info has really helped me to really reconsider cruising with Viking. I just would not like if I got hurt there would be no assistance. Not monetary assistance just human kindness and concern assistance. Sad. Very sad.
@@pw-sz6ds Yes, I wasn’t even offered a chair to sit down. I was in shock. Another passenger took care of me and helped me through London Heathrow. I had blood running down my face for hours. I reported to the Viking rep at each airport but they weren’t Viking employees, but hired to get us to our flights. It was a nightmare. I wanted Viking to address the lighting issue and safety for other passengers. I had surgery the following week on my hand and a slight concussion.
@@debbylou5729 I was 72 on the cruise. I am active and physically healthy. I go to the gym 4x a week and take no meds. I would say I was average as far as ages on the boat. There was one gentleman celebrating his 90th birthday, and many in their 70’s and 80’s. I don’t have any physical limitations, and many on the cruise did. There were two couples in their 40’s…but mostly retired adults 60-80.
14 ocean cruises under our belts, but going on first river cruise this Thanksgiving. Great video with all the info and tips. Still, can't help but feel the butterflies in my chest. Life is an adventure, and this will be a new chapter!
When I went on my last river cruise on the wine tasting itinerary, I was cold being 75. My companion being in her 40’s was always warm. Since many of the guests are closer to my age, that may explain the difference in perceived temperature.
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.)
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.
@@Eatsleepcruise1 We have been on Viking Paris to the Swiss Alps with the pre-cruise extension in Paris and and post-cruise extension in Switzerland with the Glacier Express train to Zermatt and ending in Geneva. We have also been on Viking Grand European with the pre-cruise extension in Prague. We joined the ship in Budapest and ended in Amsterdam. With a post extension in Amsterdam including Keukenhof Gardens. I highly recommend both. I was surprised by the beauty and condition of Prague in the spring time. Be sure to ask the Viking travel advisor when is the best time to get through the rivers and see the gardens because Keukenhof is only open a short season.
@@GraygeezerDid you use a travel agent to book the pre and post cruise extensions? My husband uses a scooter chair and we need both like you did. Thanks
@@mwebb3014 My wife books directly with Viking and talked with their in-house”agent” who was able to advise on the best time to go based on our interests. Of course they can’t guarantee what the river will do but he was able to tell us on average when are the best times to go to avoid excessively low or high water. The river ships might not be a good fit for someone in a chair due to narrow doors and stairs. Maybe you can book a cabin on the main floor. There is a lift between the main floor and one floor above, but that’s as far as it goes. It doesn’t go to the top deck.
My main gripe on your discussion of Viking River Cruises is - you can almost always eat on shore if you want to. We probably had four lunches on shore during the two week Grand European trip, and one dinner (in VIenna - it was FABULOUS!). Most Panorama bus tours included some walking. We're taking our second Viking River Cruise next spring. I think most ocean cruises would bore me to tears.
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.
Interesting. On my only cruise ever, Viking's Waterways of the Tsars, there was a dr. on board. But also, when a passenger had an alarming episode, Viking staff took them to a nearby hospital. You're in port almost every night. I don't care for much about ocean cruises, so the Viking cruise was perfect. I loved meeting almost everyone; staff were extremely nice & helpful, and the excirsions covered almost everywhere I wanted to go. I stayed two extra days in St Petersburg after the end of the cruise, and the Viking staff called me a cab and made sure the driver knew where I was to go. (Tip: that cruise is no longer available, for what should be obvious reasons)
One of my favorite things about Europe was that self serve Coffee Kiosk. At petrol stations, grocery stores, hotels, and even at some tourist attractions! 🥰🥰
I was recently on a Viking River Cruise in Portugal. The 2nd day on the cruise, I tested positive for Covid. My cousin-who was also my cabin mate-told Stein, the Program Manager of my status. Nothing was done to arrange me to get to a doctor in the next port. They also had empty cabins and they denied my cousin the opportunity to move to another cabin to avoid getting Covid. NO Attempts were made to check on me in my cabin it bring me tea or meals . I stayed in bed for three days, missing all meals and tours. When I posted a complaint with Customer Service, I was offered a $400 discount on my next Viking cruise! 😢my Covid developed into pneumonia and I ended up in the hospital in Porto! I will never take Viking again. They totally ignored me while I was sick
We travelled with Lindblad National Geographic last year to Svalbard. When my husband came down with Covid I was moved to an empty room. All his meals were delivered to his room. A doctor on board gave him paxlovid right away to help him recover faster. Three cheers for Lindblad! He recovered in the usual time with no complications.
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.
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.
So agree about the advertising! They inundate your mailbox with catalogs. And the people who were sick on my cruise didn’t get room service so had to send someone to get food for them. There was a virus on my cruise too and a number of people that were in their rooms the majority of the cruise.
Don’t take this the wrong way - but it’s such a relief to hear someone else isn’t deliriously happy about a river cruise company’s handling of issues they could reasonably be expected to have contingency plans in place for.
Definitely agree about the amount of marketing Viking sends out! Insofar as Viking service, it's true that they are not set up to handle routine medical issues but that's more likely due to the fact that they're close to cities most of the time and rely on the locals. We were on a Budapest to Amsterdam cruise where a passenger fell and broke his arm before we left Budapest. While he was treated at a local hospital (that's a horror story in itself), Viking insisted he see a doctor in Vienna and even arranged transportation to and from the clinic. Now, on our 2022 Douro cruise (where cities/villages are non-existent on the river), it was less than satisfactory. Passengers got on the bus to the ship, complaining of feeling 'ill' and blaming it on food they ate. The cruise director didn't bother to suggest they wear masks and, thus, this 'food poisoning' quickly spread like wildfire (we're sure it was a Norovirus). Many passengers (and crew) spent time in their cabin while Viking's officers were too busy glad-handing and perfecting their comedy routines to enact sanitary measures. Our Aunt spent four out of seven days in her cabin and the caring room staff brought her broth and tea throughout the day.
@@jking5907 There was a virus on our ship too…I said in another reply that there were many on our ship that were stuck in their room with no room service or assistance from the crew. Their partners/roommates had to walk into town to find a pharmacy for meds. When I tripped I was offered no medical assistance at all, when it was obvious I was injured. In a foreign country, where you don’t speak the language, and at the cost of the cruise you expect some assistance. If I hadn’t had another passenger help me I don’t know what I would have done since I was in shock. The Viking desk staff just hurried me on to my airport shuttle. It was before dawn and my sister was still asleep as she had a much later flight. In hindsight I should have insisted someone wake her up.
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.
I'd hate being cooped up in one of those floating hotels, ploughing across the Atlantic with nothing to look at. Those cruises must appeal mainly to people who like being on a ship, not visiting places. The only other cruise I have ever don was Cairo to Aswan on the Nile. That really was mainly sitting on an open deck gently pootling along with stops to visit interesting ancient sites. Mind you there was a nasty outbreak of tummy trouble, but what do you expect in Egypt? On the whole the food was good. That must have been more than 30 years ago.
@missharry5727 This is about river cruisds in Europe, not ocran cruises. They are not "plowing across the Atlantic." You're in port every day, with on-land tours in daytime. The ships are smal--200-250 people. Not at all like an ocean cruise (which doesn't appeal to me, either)
@CherylBoone-Delgado-nr5kc yes, I was looking at the alternatives. We fly to Bucharest on 25 June for a cruise on the Danube to Budapest and back. What I couldn't bear is an ocean cruise in one of those monstrosities I see in harbour when I visit Southampton for a bit of shopping and a look at the Solent.
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.
No river cruise ships have laundries usable by guests, there simply isn't the space on the ships. Even when you pay the laundry is taken off the ship to have it done.
Surprised at a few of your comments, it's a river ship afterall. We would recommend the Amsterdam to Budapestwith Viking cruise as a fantastic journey with rooms, food and service above expectations.
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!
Don’t use Viking Air. Make sure you know that once your tickets are made by the, YOU CANNOT CHANGE THEM AT ALL. My husband fell at Christmas and was on blood thinners. I wanted to upgrade to economy plus. No go . . . Unless we paid another $6,000. I won’t do that again. I’m more than capable of getting us from the airport to the port!
We did New Orleans to Memphis last year. Loved it. The NOLA section was brilliant. Coming from the UK we were totally underwhelmed by the plantation houses but appreciated the history. Memphis was perhaps not the best, just because I was ready to get home. 10 hour flights booked by Viking to/ from London. We were very well looked after.
@@AnnLynch100 The other side of that is that if something happens, they'll absorb the rebooking fees. I got a notice from the airline midnight Saturday night that my flight that Monday was canceled and rescheduled to Tuesday. Viking had to get my a new homebound itinerary less than 24 hours before departure. If I did that on my own it would have been expensive and annoying, but since they did it, I just went on my excursion Sunday and it was all fixed when I got back. Full disclosure: I did the 2-week one where coach flight is included in the cruise, and I did the upgrade to business class ($2k/person at the time). We also did the $100/person fee for changing our arrival date and got a hotel in Amsterdam, just in case. (I was advised that you should always plan to get to your start port a day early.) I definitely did not use their air for my Mississippi cruise! Edited to add: I did the Viking Air on a Europe river cruise. Sorry, didn't realize I forgot to specify.
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.
I recently took a Amsterdam to Basel Rhine river cruise. Compared to The large oceangoing cruises this cruise was a lot more intimate and slower paced.Fewer passengers and everything was very smooth. We enjoyed it dry much.
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.
An interesting video 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 RUclips, there are many RUclips channels 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.
What an interesting program about river cruising. I love your narration and your videos of places you visited. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences.
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.
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.
I appreciate and agree with your comment about the uncomfortable mattress. We took the Rhine River cruise last year and on the evaluation this was our first and primary negative comment.
@@sherrygonzales5437 You can eat as much as you want - order both entrees or get seconds. Can’t decide on which dessert, get both. The food is fabulous. We had a teen on our Viking cruise years ago (when they allowed kids) who had a huge appetite. I think he had four pork chops at one meal. We had another table mate who was a vegetarian - the Chef spoke with her and created fabulous meals for her.
Mmmm, that makes me re think Viking if the beds are not comfortable, when you are out everyday you need a good sleep and if the bed is not comfortable that is a deal breaker and also if the food is just ok, a deal breaker for me it has to be exceptional for me for the prices you pay.
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
As a caution - not all Viking river cruises include an overnight onboard ship in the embarkation port. Check your itinerary carefully for exact details.
Enjoyed our Viking River Cruises. Had evening talks about the next stop, which I really liked. We did have to walk through other companies' ships in Budapest. It was interesting doing that and seeing other interiors. Your White Mountain Wanderers from N. Conway..
@@Eatsleepcruise1 Mostly the Danube and Rhine. Had booked Waterways of the Czars on the Volga, but a week after booking, Russia invaded Ukraine and Viking canceled the trip, obviously. :)
@@DavidDyson-j2z I’m so sorry you were unable to do the Waterways of the Tzars. We did that in 2017; Moscow to St Petersburg. It was a great adventure. We were stopped twice because of fog and had to wait until it lifted to continue. Russian cruises have doctors on board. I would very much like to do that cruise again, but southward
@@susan7775 Alas, maybe someday it will happen for both of us. That would also mean there is no more conflict, which would be a good thing. Off to Greenland this August. No conflict there, thank God. :)
Very good info about this cruise. Very accurate and easy to understand. having done ocean and river, I do have an issue with the magnetic hooks though. On both we have found there is plenty of closet and drawer space to handle 15 days. You can ask for extra hangers. the walking spaces are narrow and items on the walls get in the way. People don't consider the room stewards. They have to maneuver around the coats, bags, hats and other bulky items. I have even seen hooks used on the ceiling on ocean. The crew of course will never complain because they are trained to be respectful and want to please. They do an exceptional job. Cruisers should give them the same respect and not make their jobs harder.
@khead55 - On our last three ocean cruises, I brought magnetic hooks. They were especially handy for our 12 night Scandinavian cruise. We used a few hooks above the desk for upcoming excursion tickets; we had no clutter on the desk, and no searching through drawers for the tickets. We used one hook for a hat, and a few in the bathroom to hang damp hand laundered clothes that would not have dried in a closet or in a shower we used daily. We also never left items on the sink or counter, either. Our last hook was used to hang a small USA Patriotic decoration, since we were in Europe on July 4th. The magnetic hooks helped to keep our stateroom very tidy, and did not cause any access issues for the staff.
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!
I would have loved the Van Gogh alt. Tour after having seen much of his work in museums and studying his latter life and family relationships! To each his own...
This was fantastic! Thank you. Super informative and helpful and really gave an accurate glimpse into Viking River Cruises. Watching a couple of these have convinced me that this is not the right cruise line for us. I appreciate your level of detail and honest perspective. It really helped.
Our last trip to Europe as we toured down the Danube etc he guide and the locals weren’t shy about how much they hate these ships in their countries. They pollute, many passengers are arrogant when they come into ports and they generally disrespect the locals. We decided there and then to never partake
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 video 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!😀
I thought I might like a river boat cruise but not after learning they don't allow grabbing breakfast, lunch and dinner and taking it to your room or ordering room service. I will stick to cruise ships where I have that choice!
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 am going to do the Rhine River cruise for the second time I will be taking my two daughters and my granddaughter on the Christmas on the Rhine cruise in late November, and I can't wait.
We just completed the Amsterdam to Basal Rhine Cruise on the AMA Lucia. We noted differences such as fewer passengers on the same size ship with slightly larger cabins, swimming pool on board, menu options at each meal, and the Chef’s Table at one point on the cruise.
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.
Generally speaking, I really enjoy no announcement policies, however this drove me mad on a recent cruise. 14 days of no announcements and I was crying out for information, ha!
I've seen the Viking boats in Lyon, Budapest and Porto. It made me sad when I realized that these people will never experience the fine food and wines that are served only a few hundred feet away.
I've never been on a cruise but I love Europe and these type of cruises seem like a great way to experience it. I'm hoping my gf and I can go on one soon.
Remember that the passengers on these ships are generally from the US as that is the target audience for marketing. And tours / excursions are led in groups. Which means that chances to interact in any depth with local people are limited especially with meals aboard.
After watching your video I'm glad I chose Uniworld for river cruising. It may cost a little more, but it includes all day drinks, three dinner choices and typically two excursion choices. Oh, and that I am repeat customer I get free laundry service.
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.
@@Eatsleepcruise1 Yes. We're scheduled for a Viking ocean "butterfly cruise" (2 cruises back to back from Greece up and back down the Adriatic, around the bottom of Italy, ending up in Civitavecchia).
Look at Ama Waterways for more tour options than Viking, plus a hot tub on board and bike tours. I did, and Viking could jot compare. My AW cruise was awesome!
My fiancee' and l sailed Budapest~Amsterdam July/August with extensions on each end. Best Trip Ever! Made many new friends onboard and with crew. We even have fb contact with several crew members still! We wanted to just turn around and sail back to Budapest. Land tour guides are very knowledgeable, happy and friendly. We were treated to free airfare as it was Viking's 25th Anniversary. lf you ever get the chance, DO NOT pass this up!
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...
That’s an interesting idea. I guess the concept of open means you are not forced to eat with those you don’t want to. In theory. We are also the same as you. It was sometimes awkward sitting at a table with others as a couple. Have you done a river cruise?
@@Eatsleepcruise1 we haven't done a river cruise. We still have a teen at home and this will likely have to wait. But tbh maybe we sort of like the 'anonymity' of larger vessels.
@@mymentorjane6705 we would do this. We once went to a 'retreat' getaway and the seating was like this cruise, but more of an awkward nightmare b/c many families already knew each other. So we'd figure, 'oh everyone loves the so-and-sos, we can't invade their table'...then later they really urged us to come sit with them and would have been fine with it all along...just such an awkward situation!!! This situation kept us from going back.
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
Thanks for your informative video. As someone familiar with the TV ads I had considered a river cruise. However I now think this one it's not for me. 64, male, solo traveller. Especially not being able to grab a hamburger when I want!
My husband and I just went on a river cruise. I was really surprised how old the passengers were. I was expecting people of all ages (late 40s and up). Our cruise seemed like everyone was in their 70’s and 80s).
My wife and I are in our 70’s and enjoyed being with others our age. Baby boomers. We’ve done three river cruise and now planning another. Some save up their entire life for an excursion and the river cruise fits the older lifestyle.
I'm surprised at some of your comments regarding no self serve laundry and restaurant longstanding.... you do get that this is a small river boat?? You can't compare to ocean ship!!!!!
From reports I have read, and talking to friends, I would not go on one of those ocean cruises if they paid me. From what I saw on this video, the relaxed friendly atmosphere and lack of constant announcement, I would certainly consider a Viking river cruise. Hopefully they would stop telling me about apps, once I mentioned that I have never owned a smartphone and never intend to. They call them social media, I call them the most antisocial items on the planet.
@@wilsjane you’ve clearly not had friends that have been on the cruises we have! Never had constant announcements on any cruise line, lovely ships, relaxing, fabulous food and a lovely way to travel. We don’t go in massive party ships or those type of companies and all of our cruises have been wonderful and relaxing - apart from us choosing g to do lots of excursions but that’s been our choice. We could have stayed on board and relaxed on the balcony or pool space. Princess uses an app but it’s really good. The medallion knows where you are and you can be relaxing anywhere and a drink can be bought to you. The door opens as you arrive as the cabin door instead of messing around find the cruise cards it’s all very convenient. We’ve only done one Princess bit they do one tours before hbd too which are great. We started on Toronto and crossed to Quebec where we boarded the ship to travel down and finish in nyc. There’s really something for everyone in the cruise world, from river, to relaxing ship to party ship (not for us) 😃 we are going to Iceland to board a ship very soon but hope to do a river cruise next. Enjoy whatever you choose
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.
- There are different size rooms offered. Cruising ships on rivers versus ocean is not a fair comparison. Agree that larger ships offer larger rooms. Viking “does” offer ocean cruises on ocean cruisers. Their ships are not the mega liners but certainly offer the quality services on an ocean cruiser. No impolite pushing and shuffling for scrambled eggs on a river cruise😊
Just got back from our first Viking cruise. Had a terrible time with their web site to begin with, didn’t think the food was anything to get excited about, and the internet connection was pretty much non existent. Crew were very helpful and friendly, tho. Going back to Avalon.
We took a douro cruise. Staff were extremely unfriendly and food was limited and poor. Our cabin middle deck looked nice but noisy from water gurgling through the cabin. Wouldn't go back to them
Just found your channel and I'm thinking about river cruising, but have never ocean cruised, so this will be a first time cruising experience. I enjoyed this video 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 videos 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!
We cruised the Danube from Budapest to Nuremberg 2 years ago. On one of the tours, we were bussed to a nearby town to hear an organ recital in a cathedral. It was wonderful! We thought we left the church in time to get back to the bus but when we got there the bus had left without us! There was a Viking ship in that port, so we went on board and explained our dilemma, hoping they could get us back to our ship that wouldn't be too expensive. Well! They were most sympathetic. They contacted our ship and explained that we would have lunch with them and meet our group at the BierGarden tour in the afternoon. They took us with their group on the bus and we were able to meet up with our group there! I was so very impressed with the professionalism. We will take the Viking Mississippi in October since we had such a good European experience.
Viking takes great care of its customers!
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.
That's great to hear. Have you considered doing a river cruise?
River cruise boats are notoriously inaccessible for wheelchairs. When asked, Viking responded that " river cruising is not for everyone." Enjoy! NOT.
We're going to be doing that cruise in July. Really looking forward to it. The only other cruise we have done was many years ago on the Nile, which was more than a bit different.
No shit! They really think of everything huh?
We recently finished the Rhine cruise from Amsterdam to Basel. With a 3-day pre-excursion in Amsterdam and at least 1 excursion a day we were pretty tired on our next to last day. In Colmar we took the "leisure" version of the walking tour which took us through the town in a small "train." It turned out to be wonderful as we could actually see more as we were looking at the sites rather than looking down at the cobblestones that I'm convinced were trying to turn my tired ankles. I would highly recommend this option if you are tired...
My wife and I have taken 4 Viking cruises. Every journey was a pleasure. I would recommend it to everyone.
Thanks for sharing. Which one easy your favorite?
We have taken 9 river and ocean Cruises. This is Cruising for grown ups. We have never been disapointed
Which cruise was your favorite?
LOVED my Viking River Cruise. At 47 I was the youngest person on the ship. 😅
Did the Danube trip. Spent three days in Prague beforehand, didn’t pay for the Viking extension-planned it ourselves and took the train to Munich.
Have a great time everyone ❤
We’ve taken three river cruises so far with a fourth booked next year. We love how river cruising is different to ocean cruising. The relaxed atmosphere and ease of simply walking off the ship into a destination is great. We also love the scenic cruising that river cruising offers.
I have 0 desire to take an ocean cruise, but have often thought of a river cruise
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.
What time of year did you sail?
While we always take the card with the ship’s location, if you have air tags in your luggage, they can easily be used to guide you back to the ship (or your hotel) using your iPhone. This saved us after dark in London when every street suddenly looked the same.
That’s a great tip. Just another reason to have air tags. When is the next cruise?
Great tip! Once I leave my hometown, I’m directionally challenged 😊
Even better if you have to get directions or a cab they can’t take you off in the wrong direction because you can show them exactly where to go and can see if you are not. This is BRILLIANT!!
Good idea and tip!
We have only done ocean cruises, so this was SO helpful in giving us a taste of river cruises. Thank you!
We're glad you found it helpful! Have you booked your first river cruise yet?
We did a Viking Rhine River cruise last year. It was an excellent experience. We have no complaints.
Which river?
@@Eatsleepcruise1Rhine!?!
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.
We think of our cabin as a place to rest while the rest of the ship is our living room, dining room, etc. It all belongs to us and is shared by the other cruisers. The only issue we had on our Egypt cruise was a smoker in one of the cabins who smoked on his balcony.
Cruising for Dummies review
Deb here. We are going on the pharaohs and pyramids trip in January. Any suggestions or words of advice?
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!
Have you tried Viking ocean?
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.
Thanks for sharing. Of the 7 cruises, which one was your favorite?
@Eatsleepcruise1 paris to Normandy was my favorite rivercruise. My dad was in Operation Overlord...second wave into Normandy in early August 1944. I researched his unit and where he traveled. We were in the same places, 75 years later. It was very moving, as he passed away without ever having the opportunity to return to France.
My recommendation is to extend the stay at both ends. We stayed in Lucerne and Amsterdam, both of which were fabulous. We really loved our Rhine Cruise with Viking this year. It was absolutely superb, and it was my first-ever river cruise, too. We are in our 70s and have had countless ocean cruises prior to this trip.
What’s your favorite ocean cruise?
I went on a 2-week Viking cruise. I packed clothes that could be hand-washed and hung to dry. I brought 2 pair pajamas and only about 6 days' worth of clothes. Don't bring 14 days' worth of clothes!
Good tip. How was the cruise?
I'm a firm believer that there are two types of luggage - carry on and lost... I only own a carry on bag and just returned from a three month trip (1 week in London+49 day ocean cruise to Brisbane+7 weeks in Australia and NZ. There is no need to bring everything you own just in case. Over the years I've Invested in merino wool tshirts and long sleeve tops and dress them up with scarves and jewelry. I generally bring 10 tops and 5 bottoms and everything must go with everything, so that's 50 combinations. Also, none of my tops have a pattern (your table mates at dinner won't recognize plain tops as easily when they come around again in a few days, plus the mix and match process is much easier without patterns. My late husband had a similar routine but with golf shirts and no iron collared shirts in sport fabrics, 1pr of real dress pants for dinner and 2-3 pairs of sport fabric trousers for daytime / excursions. He purposely chose a plain black, slim fitting bathing suit that passed for walking shorts so he didn't have to pack those as well. I keep looking at river cruises but haven't booked one yet. This video was a good overview of the differences with regular large ocean going ships. I didn't realize this line allowed you to bring on alcohol. I don't drink enough to buy a package so I usually just pay as I go, but picking up a bottle of local wine would be a nice option.
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!
Too bad on my viking river cruise the kitchen staff didn't wash their hands after going Number 2. Many on the ship got Norovirus.Viking is knowns for norovirus on their river cruises.
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.
Great to hear. Do you have another one booked?
Interesting perspective, a bit naive for 40 something’s who’ve taken over 80 ocean and expedition cruises. Videos, apps, advance available online info provides in-depth details of what to expect. As a 75 plus, year old and a 60 year world wide traveler I’m surprised at what surprised you. River cruises are unique and was delighted you gave Viking the credit they deserve. Just as airlines, cruise ships, and trains can’t be responsible for the weather neither can River cruises. First rule of traveler vs a tourist: go with an open minded flexibility. You’ll love every adventure! Happy travels
Thanks for watching! What has been your favorite cruise?
This video is made for people who are naive and don't know like me so the information was very helpful
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 video. And I even recognize one of the destinations based off the map. I'm really looking forward to this and your video 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.
That’s a great gift. Let us know if you have any questions!
My husband and i have completed 6+ cruises with Viking. The food is tremendous and abundant. The staff is very friendly. You're meant to explore your destination NOT spend all day on the boat. If you have walking disabilities, things can get tough...beware.
Which Viking trip has been your favorite?
We too have been on many Viking cruises and have seen several very elderly folks have some bad falls. The very elderly need to be extremely careful and take appropriate excursions. The gangplank is where most of the falls I have observed have taken place.
We’ve sailed a couple of river cruises, and on the 2-week Grand European Cruise (one of the best vacations we’ve ever had), I didn’t discover until the last 2 days that the self-serve coffee machines also dispense hot cocoa. It was superb, and a great end to a long exciting day.
The espresso machines offer lots of options. The grand European might be next on our list!
I wouldn't spend that $30,000 again. For our next trip, we'll repeat what we did a few years ago - find a base to stay at, and take excursions from there. _(Pre-Covid, we stayed in an apartment in Paris for a month, and took the trains to Bruge and Normandy, as well as using public transportation in and around Paris and environs. Now "that" was a great vacation. The Viking cruise? Not so much.
I love when people dis the cruise line when the issues are weather created. Holy cow!
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.
😮 wow. Your comment along with other given info has really helped me to really reconsider cruising with Viking. I just would not like if I got hurt there would be no assistance. Not monetary assistance just human kindness and concern assistance. Sad. Very sad.
@@pw-sz6ds Yes, I wasn’t even offered a chair to sit down. I was in shock. Another passenger took care of me and helped me through London Heathrow. I had blood running down my face for hours. I reported to the Viking rep at each airport but they weren’t Viking employees, but hired to get us to our flights. It was a nightmare. I wanted Viking to address the lighting issue and safety for other passengers. I had surgery the following week on my hand and a slight concussion.
@@KarenAllen-iq4jy thank God for that Good Samaritan. Shocking and disturbing experience. Shame on Viking!
@@KarenAllen-iq4jyhow old are you ? It matters
@@debbylou5729 I was 72 on the cruise. I am active and physically healthy. I go to the gym 4x a week and take no meds. I would say I was average as far as ages on the boat. There was one gentleman celebrating his 90th birthday, and many in their 70’s and 80’s. I don’t have any physical limitations, and many on the cruise did. There were two couples in their 40’s…but mostly retired adults 60-80.
14 ocean cruises under our belts, but going on first river cruise this Thanksgiving. Great video with all the info and tips. Still, can't help but feel the butterflies in my chest. Life is an adventure, and this will be a new chapter!
When I went on my last river cruise on the wine tasting itinerary, I was cold being 75. My companion being in her 40’s was always warm. Since many of the guests are closer to my age, that may explain the difference in perceived temperature.
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.)
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.
Great suggestion about the extensions. What river cruises have you done?
@@Eatsleepcruise1 We have been on Viking Paris to the Swiss Alps with the pre-cruise extension in Paris and and post-cruise extension in Switzerland with the Glacier Express train to Zermatt and ending in Geneva.
We have also been on Viking Grand European with the pre-cruise extension in Prague. We joined the ship in Budapest and ended in Amsterdam. With a post extension in Amsterdam including Keukenhof Gardens. I highly recommend both. I was surprised by the beauty and condition of Prague in the spring time. Be sure to ask the Viking travel advisor when is the best time to get through the rivers and see the gardens because Keukenhof is only open a short season.
@@GraygeezerDid you use a travel agent to book the pre and post cruise extensions? My husband uses a scooter chair and we need both like you did. Thanks
@@mwebb3014 My wife books directly with Viking and talked with their in-house”agent” who was able to advise on the best time to go based on our interests. Of course they can’t guarantee what the river will do but he was able to tell us on average when are the best times to go to avoid excessively low or high water. The river ships might not be a good fit for someone in a chair due to narrow doors and stairs. Maybe you can book a cabin on the main floor. There is a lift between the main floor and one floor above, but that’s as far as it goes. It doesn’t go to the top deck.
@@GraygeezerGreat suggestions! Thank you!
My main gripe on your discussion of Viking River Cruises is - you can almost always eat on shore if you want to. We probably had four lunches on shore during the two week Grand European trip, and one dinner (in VIenna - it was FABULOUS!). Most Panorama bus tours included some walking. We're taking our second Viking River Cruise next spring. I think most ocean cruises would bore me to tears.
Probably not if you had a port heavy cruise. We just took a 10 day cruise with only one day at sea.
I have taken the Russian, Rhine, 3 different Danube and Grand European cruise. All of the cruises were fantastic.
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.
Wow thank you
Interesting. On my only cruise ever, Viking's Waterways of the Tsars, there was a dr. on board. But also, when a passenger had an alarming episode, Viking staff took them to a nearby hospital. You're in port almost every night.
I don't care for much about ocean cruises, so the Viking cruise was perfect. I loved meeting almost everyone; staff were extremely nice & helpful, and the excirsions covered almost everywhere I wanted to go.
I stayed two extra days in St Petersburg after the end of the cruise, and the Viking staff called me a cab and made sure the driver knew where I was to go.
(Tip: that cruise is no longer available, for what should be obvious reasons)
I love Viking. Cruising with class.
One of my favorite things about Europe was that self serve Coffee Kiosk. At petrol stations, grocery stores, hotels, and even at some tourist attractions! 🥰🥰
I was recently on a Viking River Cruise in Portugal. The 2nd day on the cruise, I tested positive for Covid. My cousin-who was also my cabin mate-told Stein, the Program Manager of my status. Nothing was done to arrange me to get to a doctor in the next port. They also had empty cabins and they denied my cousin the opportunity to move to another cabin to avoid getting Covid. NO Attempts were made to check on me in my cabin it bring me tea or meals . I stayed in bed for three days, missing all meals and tours. When I posted a complaint with Customer Service, I was offered a $400 discount on my next Viking cruise! 😢my Covid developed into pneumonia and I ended up in the hospital in Porto! I will never take Viking again. They totally ignored me while I was sick
That’s really terrible. Shame on them
Room service is free and available 24/7 on all Viking cruises so this does not seem believable.
The video said there is no room service on river cruises
We travelled with Lindblad National Geographic last year to Svalbard. When my husband came down with Covid I was moved to an empty room. All his meals were delivered to his room. A doctor on board gave him paxlovid right away to help him recover faster. Three cheers for Lindblad! He recovered in the usual time with no complications.
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.
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.
So agree about the advertising! They inundate your mailbox with catalogs. And the people who were sick on my cruise didn’t get room service so had to send someone to get food for them. There was a virus on my cruise too and a number of people that were in their rooms the majority of the cruise.
Don’t take this the wrong way - but it’s such a relief to hear someone else isn’t deliriously happy about a river cruise company’s handling of issues they could reasonably be expected to have contingency plans in place for.
Definitely agree about the amount of marketing Viking sends out! Insofar as Viking service, it's true that they are not set up to handle routine medical issues but that's more likely due to the fact that they're close to cities most of the time and rely on the locals. We were on a Budapest to Amsterdam cruise where a passenger fell and broke his arm before we left Budapest. While he was treated at a local hospital (that's a horror story in itself), Viking insisted he see a doctor in Vienna and even arranged transportation to and from the clinic. Now, on our 2022 Douro cruise (where cities/villages are non-existent on the river), it was less than satisfactory. Passengers got on the bus to the ship, complaining of feeling 'ill' and blaming it on food they ate. The cruise director didn't bother to suggest they wear masks and, thus, this 'food poisoning' quickly spread like wildfire (we're sure it was a Norovirus). Many passengers (and crew) spent time in their cabin while Viking's officers were too busy glad-handing and perfecting their comedy routines to enact sanitary measures. Our Aunt spent four out of seven days in her cabin and the caring room staff brought her broth and tea throughout the day.
@@jking5907 There was a virus on our ship too…I said in another reply that there were many on our ship that were stuck in their room with no room service or assistance from the crew. Their partners/roommates had to walk into town to find a pharmacy for meds. When I tripped I was offered no medical assistance at all, when it was obvious I was injured. In a foreign country, where you don’t speak the language, and at the cost of the cruise you expect some assistance. If I hadn’t had another passenger help me I don’t know what I would have done since I was in shock. The Viking desk staff just hurried me on to my airport shuttle. It was before dawn and my sister was still asleep as she had a much later flight. In hindsight I should have insisted someone wake her up.
A very informative, nice and balanced review, thank you for sharing your experience
Thanks for watching! Planning a Viking cruise?
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.
Sounds like a great plan. Which cruise line?
I'd hate being cooped up in one of those floating hotels, ploughing across the Atlantic with nothing to look at. Those cruises must appeal mainly to people who like being on a ship, not visiting places. The only other cruise I have ever don was Cairo to Aswan on the Nile. That really was mainly sitting on an open deck gently pootling along with stops to visit interesting ancient sites. Mind you there was a nasty outbreak of tummy trouble, but what do you expect in Egypt? On the whole the food was good.
That must have been more than 30 years ago.
Haha! I found the exact opposite!!
@missharry5727 This is about river cruisds in Europe, not ocran cruises. They are not "plowing across the Atlantic." You're in port every day, with on-land tours in daytime. The ships are smal--200-250 people. Not at all like an ocean cruise (which doesn't appeal to me, either)
@CherylBoone-Delgado-nr5kc yes, I was looking at the alternatives. We fly to Bucharest on 25 June for a cruise on the Danube to Budapest and back. What I couldn't bear is an ocean cruise in one of those monstrosities I see in harbour when I visit Southampton for a bit of shopping and a look at the Solent.
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.
No river cruise ships have laundries usable by guests, there simply isn't the space on the ships. Even when you pay the laundry is taken off the ship to have it done.
This is a great overview. I really appreciate the pros and cons and I am still dubious that it right for me, so thank you for the reality check.
Glad it was helpful! Have you taken an ocean cruise?
Surprised at a few of your comments, it's a river ship afterall. We would recommend the Amsterdam to Budapestwith Viking cruise as a fantastic journey with rooms, food and service above expectations.
That sounds like a great itinerary. We are doing something similar with Ama next year. Have you cruised with them?
I liked the idea of the magnetic hooks. What a good idea, obviously providing the wall is metal.
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!
Hopefully they'll read this and improve the experience
Don’t use Viking Air. Make sure you know that once your tickets are made by the, YOU CANNOT CHANGE THEM AT ALL. My husband fell at Christmas and was on blood thinners. I wanted to upgrade to economy plus. No go . . . Unless we paid another $6,000. I won’t do that again. I’m more than capable of getting us from the airport to the port!
We had a few easier pace excursions. It was great!
We did New Orleans to Memphis last year. Loved it. The NOLA section was brilliant. Coming from the UK we were totally underwhelmed by the plantation houses but appreciated the history. Memphis was perhaps not the best, just because I was ready to get home. 10 hour flights booked by Viking to/ from London. We were very well looked after.
@@AnnLynch100 The other side of that is that if something happens, they'll absorb the rebooking fees. I got a notice from the airline midnight Saturday night that my flight that Monday was canceled and rescheduled to Tuesday. Viking had to get my a new homebound itinerary less than 24 hours before departure. If I did that on my own it would have been expensive and annoying, but since they did it, I just went on my excursion Sunday and it was all fixed when I got back.
Full disclosure: I did the 2-week one where coach flight is included in the cruise, and I did the upgrade to business class ($2k/person at the time). We also did the $100/person fee for changing our arrival date and got a hotel in Amsterdam, just in case. (I was advised that you should always plan to get to your start port a day early.)
I definitely did not use their air for my Mississippi cruise!
Edited to add: I did the Viking Air on a Europe river cruise. Sorry, didn't realize I forgot to specify.
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.
I recently took a Amsterdam to Basel Rhine river cruise. Compared to The large oceangoing cruises this cruise was a lot more intimate and slower paced.Fewer passengers and everything was very smooth. We enjoyed it dry much.
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.
Appreciate the review. Do you have another one planned?
Can I book for a party of one ?
An interesting video 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 RUclips, there are many RUclips channels 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.
What an interesting program about river cruising. I love your narration and your videos of places you visited.
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences.
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.
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.
I appreciate and agree with your comment about the uncomfortable mattress. We took the Rhine River cruise last year and on the evaluation this was our first and primary negative comment.
@@sherrygonzales5437 You can eat as much as you want - order both entrees or get seconds. Can’t decide on which dessert, get both. The food is fabulous.
We had a teen on our Viking cruise years ago (when they allowed kids) who had a huge appetite. I think he had four pork chops at one meal. We had another table mate who was a vegetarian - the Chef spoke with her and created fabulous meals for her.
Mmmm, that makes me re think Viking if the beds are not comfortable, when you are out everyday you need a good sleep and if the bed is not comfortable that is a deal breaker and also if the food is just ok, a deal breaker for me it has to be exceptional for me for the prices you pay.
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
When did you work for Viking?
As a caution - not all Viking river cruises include an overnight onboard ship in the embarkation port. Check your itinerary carefully for exact details.
Correct, that is why we say many, but check the itinerary to be certain.
Enjoyed our Viking River Cruises. Had evening talks about the next stop, which I really liked. We did have to walk through other companies' ships in Budapest. It was interesting doing that and seeing other interiors. Your White Mountain Wanderers from N. Conway..
Glad you enjoyed it! Which river did you sail on?
@@Eatsleepcruise1 Mostly the Danube and Rhine. Had booked Waterways of the Czars on the Volga, but a week after booking, Russia invaded Ukraine and Viking canceled the trip, obviously. :)
@@DavidDyson-j2z I’m so sorry you were unable to do the Waterways of the Tzars. We did that in 2017; Moscow to St Petersburg. It was a great adventure. We were stopped twice because of fog and had to wait until it lifted to continue. Russian cruises have doctors on board.
I would very much like to do that cruise again, but southward
@@susan7775 Alas, maybe someday it will happen for both of us. That would also mean there is no more conflict, which would be a good thing. Off to Greenland this August. No conflict there, thank God. :)
I didn't know until after that there is a comment card for each tour and guide. I encourage people to use these.
We did the river cruise last October first time ,we love it 🥰
Book and other one for March 2025 love Viking ❤
Which river are you doing next year?
Very good info about this cruise. Very accurate and easy to understand. having done ocean and river, I do have an issue with the magnetic hooks though. On both we have found there is plenty of closet and drawer space to handle 15 days. You can ask for extra hangers. the walking spaces are narrow and items on the walls get in the way. People don't consider the room stewards. They have to maneuver around the coats, bags, hats and other bulky items. I have even seen hooks used on the ceiling on ocean. The crew of course will never complain because they are trained to be respectful and want to please. They do an exceptional job. Cruisers should give them the same respect and not make their jobs harder.
@khead55 - On our last three ocean cruises, I brought magnetic hooks. They were especially handy for our 12 night Scandinavian cruise.
We used a few hooks above the desk for upcoming excursion tickets; we had no clutter on the desk, and no searching through drawers for the tickets. We used one hook for a hat, and a few in the bathroom to hang damp hand laundered clothes that would not have dried in a closet or in a shower we used daily. We also never left items on the sink or counter, either.
Our last hook was used to hang a small USA Patriotic decoration, since we were in Europe on July 4th.
The magnetic hooks helped to keep our stateroom very tidy, and did not cause any access issues for the staff.
Viking is great. I’ve done several and always had a good time.
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!
I really didn't think it was a big deal. Usually when you are docked together, it's during the day when you're off the ship anyway!
I would have loved the Van Gogh alt. Tour after having seen much of his work in museums and studying his latter life and family relationships! To each his own...
12000 years is still a long time. Incredible!
This was fantastic! Thank you. Super informative and helpful and really gave an accurate glimpse into Viking River Cruises. Watching a couple of these have convinced me that this is not the right cruise line for us. I appreciate your level of detail and honest perspective. It really helped.
Our last trip to Europe as we toured down the Danube etc he guide and the locals weren’t shy about how much they hate these ships in their countries. They pollute, many passengers are arrogant when they come into ports and they generally disrespect the locals. We decided there and then to never partake
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 video 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!😀
Our favorite Viking Ocean cruise was to Antarctica. It was awesome.
That is on our bucket list. What time of year did you go?
I thought I might like a river boat cruise but not after learning they don't allow grabbing breakfast, lunch and dinner and taking it to your room or ordering room service. I will stick to cruise ships where I have that choice!
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 am going to do the Rhine River cruise for the second time I will be taking my two daughters and my granddaughter on the Christmas on the Rhine cruise in late November, and I can't wait.
Wondering about the ages of your granddaughters. I understand that guests have to be 18 or older,is this correct?
I have done several ocean cruises. We decided to try a river cruise. I will stick to ocean cruises from now on.
We just completed the Amsterdam to Basal Rhine Cruise on the AMA Lucia. We noted differences such as fewer passengers on the same size ship with slightly larger cabins, swimming pool on board, menu options at each meal, and the Chef’s Table at one point on the cruise.
I loved a short visit we took to Auvers sur Oise on our trip to France. It is small but amazing for Van Gogh lovers like me.
We always take a picture of our bus and our tour guide. Just in case we get separated.
Good tip. Have you ever gotten lost?
Good idea that is something I must do on my bus tour later this year
Your Viking River cruise sounds identical to my Gate 1 Danube river cruise which cost less and also provided solo cabins.
What was the composition of the fellow passengers.
@@Eatsleepcruise1 All adults, in their 50s or older.
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.
I loved sitting with strangers! It was a new dinner party every night! I guess it could be intimidating for more introverted people.
I’ve been on this very river cruise! This brought back such wonderful memories!
Awesome. Have you been on other river cruises?
Generally speaking, I really enjoy no announcement policies, however this drove me mad on a recent cruise. 14 days of no announcements and I was crying out for information, ha!
We were on the Radgrid Paris to Normandy! The cruise was incredible! The tour guides outstanding! We love Viking!
Great to hear. When did you go?
I've seen the Viking boats in Lyon, Budapest and Porto. It made me sad when I realized that these people will never experience the fine food and wines that are served only a few hundred feet away.
@@Eatsleepcruise1we went early November 2021
Excellent video, you answered all my questions and questions I didn’t know to ask. Thank you.
Glad we could help! Are you planning a river cruise anytime soon?
I've never been on a cruise but I love Europe and these type of cruises seem like a great way to experience it. I'm hoping my gf and I can go on one soon.
Remember that the passengers on these ships are generally from the US as that is the target audience for marketing. And tours / excursions are led in groups. Which means that chances to interact in any depth with local people are limited especially with meals aboard.
After watching your video I'm glad I chose Uniworld for river cruising. It may cost a little more, but it includes all day drinks, three dinner choices and typically two excursion choices. Oh, and that I am repeat customer I get free laundry service.
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.
What cruise company closed the upper deck while cruising? that seems sort of a useless space then. Thanks
@@Edithconyers that was on Viking
@@cocor-cq2yu Thank you.
I believe the uppermost deck is closed down on all riverships when the water levels are too high for them to safely pass under the bridges.
Great and informative commentary, thanks for sharing!
🙏 Taking a Viking cruise?
@@Eatsleepcruise1 Yes. We're scheduled for a Viking ocean "butterfly cruise" (2 cruises back to back from Greece up and back down the Adriatic, around the bottom of Italy, ending up in Civitavecchia).
Whoop whoop for the LL Bean shout out. I live just up the road in the Boothbay region.
Awesome. We are from Boston and big fans. Have you ever done a Canada/ New England cruise?
Thank you for this eye-opening video about Viking. Subscribed!😀
Look at Ama Waterways for more tour options than Viking, plus a hot tub on board and bike tours. I did, and Viking could jot compare. My AW cruise was awesome!
My fiancee' and l sailed Budapest~Amsterdam July/August with extensions on each end. Best Trip Ever! Made many new friends onboard and with crew. We even have fb contact with several crew members still! We wanted to just turn around and sail back to Budapest. Land tour guides are very knowledgeable, happy and friendly. We were treated to free airfare as it was Viking's 25th Anniversary. lf you ever get the chance, DO NOT pass this up!
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...
That’s an interesting idea. I guess the concept of open means you are not forced to eat with those you don’t want to. In theory. We are also the same as you. It was sometimes awkward sitting at a table with others as a couple. Have you done a river cruise?
I like this suggestion as I feel the same way. 😊
@@Eatsleepcruise1 we haven't done a river cruise. We still have a teen at home and this will likely have to wait. But tbh maybe we sort of like the 'anonymity' of larger vessels.
@@mymentorjane6705 we would do this. We once went to a 'retreat' getaway and the seating was like this cruise, but more of an awkward nightmare b/c many families already knew each other. So we'd figure, 'oh everyone loves the so-and-sos, we can't invade their table'...then later they really urged us to come sit with them and would have been fine with it all along...just such an awkward situation!!! This situation kept us from going back.
😢😮@@Eatsleepcruise1😢😮😅m
I love both the long ships and ocean ships.
Much smaller❤number of passengers and attention to details
Nice video. Great info. Thanks and take care.
Thanks, you too! Planning a river cruise?
@@Eatsleepcruise1 I am interested in a cruise but not a river cruise. It was interesting to see what its about.
Thank you. Really enjoyed all the information. Magnetic hooks in my suitcase!
Those are a must. When is the cruise?
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
Thanks for your informative video. As someone familiar with the TV ads I had considered a river cruise. However I now think this one it's not for me. 64, male, solo traveller. Especially not being able to grab a hamburger when I want!
Glad it was helpful! Have you taken an ocean cruise before?
My husband and I just went on a river cruise. I was really surprised how old the passengers were. I was expecting people of all ages (late 40s and up). Our cruise seemed like everyone was in their 70’s and 80s).
While we would say the clientele was the same, it didn’t impact our trip. Which river cruise did you do?
😁😁😁😁, were they too wild for you ???
@@wannabetrucker7475😂😂😂
My wife and I are in our 70’s and enjoyed being with others our age. Baby boomers.
We’ve done three river cruise and now planning another. Some save up their entire life for an excursion and the river cruise fits the older lifestyle.
And no small children running up and down the hall.
I'm surprised at some of your comments regarding no self serve laundry and restaurant longstanding.... you do get that this is a small river boat?? You can't compare to ocean ship!!!!!
From reports I have read, and talking to friends, I would not go on one of those ocean cruises if they paid me.
From what I saw on this video, the relaxed friendly atmosphere and lack of constant announcement, I would certainly consider a Viking river cruise.
Hopefully they would stop telling me about apps, once I mentioned that I have never owned a smartphone and never intend to. They call them social media, I call them the most antisocial items on the planet.
@@wilsjane you’ve clearly not had friends that have been on the cruises we have! Never had constant announcements on any cruise line, lovely ships, relaxing, fabulous food and a lovely way to travel. We don’t go in massive party ships or those type of companies and all of our cruises have been wonderful and relaxing - apart from us choosing g to do lots of excursions but that’s been our choice. We could have stayed on board and relaxed on the balcony or pool space. Princess uses an app but it’s really good. The medallion knows where you are and you can be relaxing anywhere and a drink can be bought to you. The door opens as you arrive as the cabin door instead of messing around find the cruise cards it’s all very convenient. We’ve only done one Princess bit they do one tours before hbd too which are great. We started on Toronto and crossed to Quebec where we boarded the ship to travel down and finish in nyc. There’s really something for everyone in the cruise world, from river, to relaxing ship to party ship (not for us) 😃 we are going to Iceland to board a ship very soon but hope to do a river cruise next. Enjoy whatever you choose
Just did a river cruise in Oregon and Washington US. 3 washers and 3 dryers…there’s room if you really want to do it.
Think of the app as much like an electronic travel guide - say Frommer's or similar . But smaller and more compact. @@wilsjane
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 did receive an email a few days before letting us know that the river could be too high to dock in Paris.
Thank you. i will never take Viking cruise I would suffocate in such a small room, 205 is ridiculous. I felt badly in 299 and more.
- There are different size rooms offered. Cruising ships on rivers versus ocean is not a fair comparison. Agree that larger ships offer larger rooms. Viking “does” offer ocean cruises on ocean cruisers. Their ships are not the mega liners but certainly offer the quality services on an ocean cruiser. No impolite pushing and shuffling for scrambled eggs on a river cruise😊
This was a great video! Thank you for creating it!
Just got back from our first Viking cruise. Had a terrible time with their web site to begin with, didn’t think the food was anything to get excited about, and the internet connection was pretty much non existent. Crew were very helpful and friendly, tho. Going back to Avalon.
We took a douro cruise. Staff were extremely unfriendly and food was limited and poor. Our cabin middle deck looked nice but noisy from water gurgling through the cabin. Wouldn't go back to them
Just found your channel and I'm thinking about river cruising, but have never ocean cruised, so this will be a first time cruising experience. I enjoyed this video 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 videos 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!
Have done many ocean cruises. I'm permanently sold on river cruises.