WebThere is no charge for the laundry facilities and laundry soap is included in all washers. River Cruise Advisor | Avid Cruiser | About | Terms & Full Disclosure | Privacy | Contact | Subscribe. Paying upfront might offer peace of mind if you like knowing that its already paid for and you dont have to think about an upcoming beverage bill. We have taken two Viking River Cruises, Bucharest to Amsterdam (21 days in 2019) and Basel to Amsterdam (7 days in 2021). Yes, there have been changes to address public health safety, but Im betting they wont interfere with your overall enjoyment. We thoroughly enjoyed a Viking Ocean cruise in 2019 and have been eager to try river cruising. We thoroughly enjoyed our Viking river cruise from Prague to Paris last summer. I agree with a previous comment about this being the most informative, most inclusive article Ive seen as well. This happens when bridges are too low to safely pass under with guests on the sun deck. Located off the main corridor, the library has books you may borrow while aboard as well as abridged newspapers that are prepared for Viking guests daily. You will receive your final travel documents and Viking luggage tags within three weeks of your trip. Follow up with a conversation with the Viking staff when youre onboard to learn the expected times and exact location of the ship while docked. You either choose it for your cruise, or you dont no daily option. I liked the posted copy of the daily news and we had already decided from our ocean experiences to take the drinks package. Did some underwear, jeans and a golf shirt. All came back same day. No complaints. This practice continues through all the classes of staterooms with the standard staterooms getting the last optional booking options. I wonder if you have any thoughts on us meeting up with friends from Stuttgart. After all, we travel to experience new places, new food, and new people, so we like to eat local specialties whenever possible. They did not offer dry cleaning. The number indicates which ship youre on. Furthermore, this means that you may have to walk through another ship to get to shore or people are walking through your ship to get to and from theirs. Does everyone get back on the bus when the excursion is over or is that the time you make plans for individual sightseeing? We had no problems or complaints. private bathrooms that are separate from the living space. Re renting a car to go to a specific place Viking tours dont include: Is Uber possible in the cities Viking goes to? We love most of the optional excursions versus the included excursions but about how much do the optional ones cost? Viking offers complimentary wine, beer, and soft drinks during lunch and dinner. Plus you can expect some special cooking and craft demonstrations, wine tastings, and presentations about a destinations special features. Our preferred day at a town where we were docked included a morning walking tour (an included excursion) to get the lay of the land. Self-service laundry on a cruise ship is often free, but there may be a charge of up to $3.50 to use the machines and $2 for detergent, depending on the ship. in staterooms, so you can plug in whichever fits your needs. Once you book a Viking river cruise, take the next steps to ensure an amazing experience. 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. There are also daily announcements with information on docking and reminders about impending excursion departures. There are times when river cruise ships have to have guests disembark a ship and then board a sister ship. Were planning a Viking river cruise May 2022. The daily planner for Vienna was the best.one of the stranger transitions from Ocean to River cruising is not having your port times right there on the schedule. These are typically large-group bus or walking tours of a city that provide a nice overview of a place. They may be familiar enough with Vikings schedule to easily accommodate you. Have a fabulous cruise! I will add one note that we experienced. I hope you have a wonderful cruise and that things work out for your planned day trips! means the walking could be a little more strenuous or have more stairs or inclines. One thing to keep in mind is that things can change from day to day, week to week and that includes river levels. On leaving Amsterdam, check-out time from the hotel is Noon but embarkation is not till 3:00 PM. All the best. It was led by an art historian who took us up to the very top of the cathedral (above the ceiling) where the craftspeople worked. There is no self-service laundry. Do you have to go on the planned excursion or can you go off and explore on your own? We kept our itinerary full, which might have been an error trust me, you want to take a breather every few days! Attire on a river cruise is casual. us, and our new room keys were on the dresser. Concerning laundry, yes, there is a retractable clothesline in the shower. The one exception was the program director, who made the move with us. Doing the Grand European Trip for our 50th in May of 2023. We loved our trip and would recommend it to others. We are on the Aug Rhine cruise and our 1st river cruise. In the afternoon, we followed up on some of the suggestions the local guide from the morning had regarding how to spend the remainder of the day. Have a wonderful time! Just in front of the Lounge to the bow of the ship is the Aquavit Terrace. We've had excellent experiences with Viking's laundry service. If you request hangers, things like shirts and jeans come back on hangers instead of Hi Victoria, Im so glad you found the article helpful! We did not receive any compensation or discounts fromViking or any otherorganization. Great post. There are no laundry services or facilities offered onboard any of CroisiEuropes ships. There are times when the sun deck is closed to guests. Weve chosen a mix of the included tours and the custom days, avoided any places to which weve already travelled and have added in the extensions to both ends, hoping to see friends in Amsterdam. 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. http://www.vikingrivercruises.com/frequently-asked-questions.html#LIFEABOARD-FAQ-LIST/55787. Enjoy your cruise! If we were sailing during the day, the program director narrated scenic highlights along the river as we continued our journey. There is a fee for this service. First timer on river cruise. Very informative. We could not have chosen any better than the Skirnir and Viking. a flat-screen TV with infotainment options. U River Cruises by Uniworld offers week-long cruises for young adults along Europes riverways. But, what else would we spend money on? Using ATMs machines? NOTE: This article was completely updated in January 2023 from the original article, written in 2019. Having to dock the ship next to another cruise ship also means that the view from your stateroom could be blocked and your cabin could be a bit dark. Thank you! 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. I understand drinks are provided with meals but I enjoy a few drinks before dinner. Cheers! The good thing is there are always tomorrows treats to look forward to! Hi Jaime, Vikings European longship has a spacious lounge, the Aquavit Terrace (some of which can be enclosed in bad weather), and seating in the atrium area all good choices for relaxing inside while not in your stateroom. Can you tell me which docking/ports might be too far from the cities/towns? Regardless of their next destinations, all guests had to place their luggage outside their rooms no later than 9:00 am. If you request hangers, things like shirts and jeans come back on hangers instead of folded. Also, for individualized tours try Tours by Locals (weve had EXCELLENT tours in many, many cities including Europe, India, Malaysia, Thailand), or AirBnBs tours. The staterooms and bathrooms are efficiently designed to maximize usable space, and there are many things to appreciate in the staterooms. For example, the guests in the Explorer Suites can book optional excursions before guests in the Veranda Suites. My husband and I use a major U.S. cellphone carrier that functions well in Europe. We are on a Viking rive4 cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam in April 2023. Check with your Viking agent or your travelagent (or your MyVikingJourney online portal if youre already booked on a cruise) to learn the latest protocols aboard the ship and in the countries that youll be visiting. The total time on these outings could be longer than 3 hours. Is there Internet access on board the ship? Also, dinner is served on the Aquavit Terrace; service begins 15 minutes after dinner service starts in the restaurant. Also, having cash is great for souvenirs, incidentals, snacks, or a quick lunch while exploring a city. Trying to navigate changing pandemic restrictions is a challenge Id rather not have to deal with, but well give it a try. Examples were creamy potato soup, Wiener Schnitzel, and Sacher cake when in Vienna; while in Budapest, the menu featured Hungarian Farmer Salad, Fogas Karpathy (perch and shrimp in white wine sauce), and Zserbo (a layered walnut and chocolate cake). As much as Viking tries to stick to its anticipated docking times, some things like other ships waiting in line to go through locks, weather issues, and river levels are beyond its control. Id suggest you reference your online itinerary on Vikings site before departure to get a rough idea of when youll be docked in each city. Hi Danny, Im not sure which cruise youre referring to, but you asked an excellent question about renting a car to make day trips while on the cruise. This is Vikings way of accounting for guests. Prepaid gratuities came to 18 Euros per guest per day. Im glad you found the article helpful, Tamara. If you want to obtain Euros before departure, check with your bank or AAA office to see if they can help you. ? WebReviews. And the small umbrellas! Trying to guess the weather so we can narrow down what to pack. Not everyone needs to go on excursions. Remember to notify your bank of your travel dates and destinations before leaving home! Viking doesnt allow children on board. Hi Linda, youre facing a big decision: to go with Silver Spirits or not! Also, Viking offers options to add a few days in the first or last destination before and after a cruise. It makes me happy when I can help others get more comfortable with and enjoy their travels. All guests left the ship for excursions (the times of the excursions were modified that day so they would all be timed for the same number of hours). 12.5 laps = 1 mile. You can store your luggage under the bed(s). Since there are often different excursions leaving simultaneously, this is an efficient way to find which tour guide to meet as you disembark the ship. No, Tamara, I dont have direct experience replacing SIM cards. See. After the excursions, we all met at a restaurant in Nuremberg for lunch, had a little free time, and then. Cruising is a social experience as you chat with fellow passengers on excursions, at the social hour before dinner in the Lounge, and at meals. Per Viking: There are no formal nights in the evening; recommended evening dress is elegant casual. For ladies, this may include a dress, skirt or slacks with a sweater or blouse; and for gentlemen, trousers and a collared shirt. There are large windows on the port and starboard sides so views are available while cruising the river at mealtime. Enjoy your cruise this fall! We always made sure we were back to the ship on time! My husband had been to a number of these cities on business and wanted me to visit them too, and this makes it sound easy. During the day on excursions, travelers dress very comfortably as they leave the ship to explore a destination. Sometimes optional excursions sell out, although there are usually some available once youre on the ship.