Thanks, Tom! Viking Viking Sigrun We are doing the Grand European Tours B-A with extensions in Prague and Amsterdam, and have booked a full schedule. Pros: Viking is, by far, the largest river cruise company. Some guests preferred to stay in the Lounge and simply relax, read a book, or enjoy the view beyond the big plate glass window or take in the views from the sun deck. Good luck! Trying to navigate changing pandemic restrictions is a challenge Id rather not have to deal with, but well give it a try. Did you bring euros or use credit card? Great post. WebSigrun - A Valkyrie. The 190-passenger Viking Egil When you return to your room, you will notice the dinner menus for that evening. Hi Anne, booking an independent excursion shouldnt be a problem. Sometimes the river water levels may be too low in spots (due to the lack of sufficient rain during summer) or there is another issue (like a broken lock) necessitating the change. Viking has perfected hospitality on many levels. An easy way to begin a conversation is to ask where people are from, about their past travel experiences, and what excursions interest them the most. When we travel to Europe, we notify our carrier before departure. We enjoyed relaxing there and enjoying the sights and sounds of being on the ship. There are other excursions that day that we could do. The Silver Spirits package offers unlimited drinks including cocktails, premium wine, and beer. Thanks for your kind words, Triana. Do we just work with Viking program director on the day of or the day before? Check your cruise itinerary as it will tell you the expected times your ship will be docked at each stop. We are heading out on our first river cruise, the Kara from Basel to Amsterdam in late September this year. Weve never had a problem finding an ATM in Europe, and Viking can surely help direct you to one. That way, Viking could clean the staterooms and ready the ship for the passengers boarding later that day for the next cruise. We noticed that the crew was cleaning the common areas early in the morning, as soon as we left for excursions, and in our rooms while guests were enjoying dinner. We travel light with one roll aboard and one backpack. (If you are booked in one of the suites, youll have access to your stateroom at 12:00.) After all, we travel to experience new places, new food, and new people, so we like to eat local specialties whenever possible. However, some guests do wear nice jeans (not torn or ripped) in the evening. We depart in 9 days on the Grand European tour, and this is the best account I have seen weve done a dozen ocean cruises on several lines, but never a river cruise. This is one way the crew can account for all guests. This includes the Viking Daily which provides information for each new day and the evening updates by the program director in the Lounge before dinner. Stairs connect all the decks plus theres an elevator to service the upper and middle decks. Viking then allowed us to purchase a no-expiry date voucher towards another cruise an amount they matched. We sent some clothing to be laundered, and we were happy with that choice. Staterooms are guaranteed to be ready at 3:00 pm. I dont want to waste any precious time in Amsterdam because this may be the last time we see it. For example, the guests in the Explorer Suites can book optional excursions before guests in the Veranda Suites. The rooms do seem smaller than ocean cruiser rooms: did you stay in your cabin a lot? Were planning on a dinner in a town, tour of some beer gardens and lunch in Heidelberg, and just walking around. Haha, I got a kick out of being tempted with just one little pastry! In my experience, the laundry service on Viking has been excellent. Laundry is folded and returned on the same day if you have it ready in the morn Viking does offer access to desktop computers in Russia and laptops in Europe. Does everyone get back on the bus when the excursion is over or is that the time you make plans for individual sightseeing? The letter indicates which excursion group youre on. There was a mandatory safety drill on our first full day of the river cruise. Thank you for your thoughtfulness. I was curious about what time you have to be back on the ship at night. That includes any drinks up to $15 like cocktails, aperitifs, and premium wines by the glass. Plus, Viking offers several excursions each day that the ship is in port. There is precise timing to docking and excursions. We are scheduled to take the Viking Danube cruise in early June 2022. Viking is happy to celebrate your birthdays and anniversaries while onboard. Scheduled for Grand European in September 2023. As you probably know, Viking offers nice quality wine, beer, and soft drinks free of charge at lunch and dinner. Very relaxing! Viking River Cruises: Laundry service is available on board; unfortunately clothes cannot be dry cleaned. Viking Octantis There is an extra charge for the Silver Spirits package for guests who want to enjoy premium wines and beer, cocktails, and champagnes. If you send your clothes away to be professionally cleaned, the fees range from $1 for small items to be washed and pressed up to $20 or more for a three-piece suit to be dry cleaned. And our experience was that we were usually parked next to other Viking ships, so we walked through familiar spaces. By the way, the excursions included in the trip are typically large group experiences, while the optional excursions (available at an extra cost) are usually much smaller groups as they are more focused on specific areas of interest. Thanks again! You should also alert the Maitre d once on board. If you decide on the stateroom with a french balcony, you will still be able to enjoy some time outside in the common areas while the ship is sailing. Sometimes the river water levels may be too low in spots (due to the lack of sufficient rain during summer), What it meant for guests was a minor inconvenience. Every once in a while, you may be treated to a little extra like a refreshing drink served on the sun deck while sailing one day. The ships are very clean. Sometimes theres a lot of river cruise ship traffic in popular cities. Is the ship nonsmoking? The number indicates which ship youre on. We learned this the hard way one day, and we realized that we actually prefer exploring the little towns that we dock at more. Prepaid gratuities came to 18 Euros per guest per day. Many of the guests are retired, but there were quite a few still working or recently retired. Since it will be winter with colder temps, I am wondering about the indoor lounging space/common areas on the longboats. Im sorry I cant give you a more definitive answer, but so much depends on conditions at the time you board and what the staff recommends. The crew communicates with each other quite well. . There are large windows on the port and starboard sides so views are available while cruising the river at mealtime. What are the charges for individual cocktails, apertifs or premium beers/wines by glass? When passengers get to the sister ship, their luggage is in their new cabins (which are usually the same cabins they had on the original ship). Viking doesnt allow children on board. We are going on the Grand European tour in October 2022. The one exception was the program director, who made the move with us. Hi Linda, youre facing a big decision: to go with Silver Spirits or not! Very informative. WebUse down arrow key to expand the menu and up arrow key to collapse the menu and hit enter to select the link Their crew is well-trained and genuinely appears to want to make you happy. We are planning to take the Grand European Tour in July of 2023. Im sure we will need some pocket money for small purchases. The Silver Spirits package is complimentary for guests in an Explorer Suite. The Aquavit Terrace is one advantage Viking has over its competition. Life vests were under the beds, but prior to the drill, they were placed on our beds while we were at lunch. Viking collected the luggage (with different colored tags for the three different floors of the ship) and trucked it to where the Modi, our new ship, was docked. So it comes down to how much and what kind of beverages youre likely to consume each day. If you request hangers, things like shirts and jeans come back on hangers instead of folded. Lolly, We are going to cruise Viking July on European sojourn with pre post extensions Bucharest and Amsterdam. Thanks for any thoughts! So glad I discovered your very informative account of the Viking River Cruise! This was true in Passau, a city of over 50,000, and especially, There are times when river cruise ships have to have guests disembark a ship and then board a sister ship. All Viking river cruise ship staterooms have: The different types of staterooms range in size, available outdoor space, the time for guaranteed stateroom access, and amenities. To conserve resources, you could easily fill a reusable water bottle from home with water in the rooms. In my experience, the laundry service on Viking has been excellent. There are lots of smiles and offers of help. Did some underwear, jeans and a golf shirt. Weve found there are a lot of commonalities as well as interesting folks to meet. On one side of the menu are the classics or options that are always available. Crew: 53. Haha. What are your thoughts on the Silver Spirits package? As for keeping the itinerary full, its hard not to when you have so many great places to explore, but I agree that scheduling downtime is important, too. The number indicates which ship youre on. Great service sounds like Viking! Here are a few things to think about when considering Vikings Silver Spirits package. Thank you for great information and insights! During lunch and dinner, guests are served complimentary soft drinks, beer, or wine. During lunch, prior to and after dinner, theres usually live music in the Lounge. You said you enjoy a few drinks before dinner, and if you add in some premium wine at dinner, the total you spend each day might add up pretty quickly. Otherwise, we had a brand new crew. No kids. Enjoy! Price lists are available in each stateroom. Some people book two cruises back-to-back to extend their vacation. My husband and I are doing the Grand Tour B > A in early October 2023. Booked an Amsterdam to Budapest trip in September 23.our first river cruise (for our 20th). Have a wonderful time! You make an excellent point, Julia. We are doing the Salzburg Highlights but just read its a 2 hour bus ride each way. Powered by Invision Community. There are large windows on the port and starboard sides so views are available while cruising the river at mealtime. Laundry charges will be billed to your shipboard account. Without a doubt, we give Viking chefs top marks for the presentation and flavor of the food they serve. http://www.vikingrivercruises.com/frequently-asked-questions.html#LIFEABOARD-FAQ-LIST/55787. More information on menu choices is below under Meals. Bon voyage! We didnt regret our decision. This publication outlines the schedule for the next day, with all included and optional excursions as well as suggestions on where to visit and eat during your free time the next day. We chose a French Balcony room. When this happens, the cruise ship parks parallel to another cruise ship. We opted to book through our travel agent with whom we could meet face-to-face, ask questions, and learn from her knowledge of cruising and different cruise companies. Are they like $20 per person or more like $200? Pieces were back in a few hours. First timer on river cruise. Also, having cash is great for souvenirs, incidentals, snacks, or a quick lunch while exploring a city. Hi Carol, Although ride-share companies, like Uber, are in many cities worldwide, theyre not everywhere, so it depends on what cities youre considering. Indeed, very VERY helpfulespecially for first time river cruisers. Viking Egil Cruise: Expert Review (2023) - Cruise Critic We were very happy with laundry service on Viking and prices were reasonable. Pieces were back in a few hours. Three meals are included each day at the following times: Soda, beer, and house wine are available at lunch and dinner at no charge. WebThere's a reason why Viking consistently receives awards as the best cruise company out there. Have a wonderful cruise, Thomas! To accomplish this, passengers pack up the night before the transfer, and while out on excursions, their luggage is transferred to the other ship. What is the availability of restroom facilities in these small towns? I do my own underwear in the sink, but jeans, shirts and heavy socks go to the laundry. Hi Tanya, Sounds like you have a great cruise coming up! We are on a Viking rive4 cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam in April 2023. Regarding local currency in Hungary, you can head to an ATM once youre there to get the amount of local cash you want. Enjoy! Viking river cruise Their itineraries are made specifically for a younger audience and include fun theme nights in stylish lounges, active day excursions like hiking and biking, and nightly pub crawls in Europes hottest bars. WebThere is no charge for the laundry facilities and laundry soap is included in all washers. We took our first Viking River cruise in 2018 (Rhine Amsterdam to Basel) and leave in a month for the Danube (Budapest to Regensburg) with the pre and post cruise stays. Thank you for taking the time to write this informative piece. On our trip, we met interesting people; visited fascinating places; sampled new foods, wines, and beer; and appreciated the convenience and gracious hospitality offered by Viking. In addition to cocktails, there were some very nice premium wine options aboard Viking, and we had fun trying ones that were new to us. queen-size beds that can be split to make two twin beds. It is very helpful to reduce wandering around looking like a tourist while trying to figure out the procedures. Doing so will help you remember months and years later where all your amazing pictures are from!
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