They are also one of the most affordable river cruise options. I dont want to waste any precious time in Amsterdam because this may be the last time we see it. 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. And about general seating at meals in the dining room, theres a choice of large and small tables and theres no assigned seating, so if youre one of the early ones at meal time, youll have a great chance of finding a setting that suits you best. A few guests scheduled independent sightseeing tours, and it seemed to work out well for them. After the excursions, we all met at a restaurant in Nuremberg for lunch, had a little free time, and then were bussed to the new ship in the late afternoon. Viking asks that guests not walk on the sun deck from 10:00 pm to 7:00 am as a courtesy to those whose cabins are just below the sun deck. I have been on 1 Viking River cruise and 3 (soon to be 4-I hope!) About the stateroom, that really comes down to personal preference. Thank you for the excellent summary of each important category. Other times, we were still sailing, so he could not. WebLaundry is completely free on Viking Ocean cruises, including soap, wash, and dr Viking Ocean Ships Ultimate Dining Guide 2022 - Relevant to ALL Viking Ocean Ships Visit With Price lists are available in each stateroom. Since they are sister ships, they are the same, so the only thing that changed was the crew. The sun deck does not have enclosed spaces. I am sure i will have more later but your thread is wonderful. There is no fitness center or spa on Viking river cruise ships; the space that could be a fitness center is instead put to use in the common areas and staterooms. We found the car rentals and made reservations, but we cant find any daily schedule of when the ship docks and departs at each port. To conserve resources, you could easily fill a reusable water bottle from home with water in the rooms. Laundry Provide clean linen to support operations, cleans crew uniforms and guest clothes to Viking Standards. We had to have our luggage packed and placed outside our stateroom door by 7:00 am on the day of the switch. You will receive your final travel documents and Viking luggage tags within three weeks of your trip. Most the times we always take the NCL cruise, but this is the first time on Viking Cruise River The Grand European Tour from Budapest to Amsterdam (for our 22nd anniversary).Im so glad I found a lot of information from the article thats very helpful for us for excursions, maybe transferring ships, parallel parked ships and other information. Each time you leave the ship, you scan your room key. There are other excursions that day that we could do. If you want to obtain Euros before departure, check with your bank or AAA office to see if they can help you. We are planning to take the Grand European Tour in July of 2023. Did some underwear, jeans and a golf shirt. All came back same day. No complaints. River Cruise Advisor | Avid Cruiser | About | Terms & Full Disclosure | Privacy | Contact | Subscribe. Price lists are available on the Viking website in the FAQ. Veranda Stateroom (V) Stateroom size: 268 sq ft (includes private veranda) 150 square foot stateroom with picture window (no outdoor space), 135 square foot stateroom with French balcony (sliding glass door with no outdoor space), located on the Upper Deck and Middle Deck, 205 square foot room with full-size private veranda, 275 square foot suite with full-size private veranda, mini-bar with wine, beer, and soft drinks that are replenished daily, complimentary laundry & shoe shine services. Thank you for your article and your help! The buses and tour guides for your group are each marked: the bus has a placard with the same number and letter to let you know you need to board that bus; the tour guide has a red and white sign on a paddle to indicate that group, as well. I guess the bottom line is to remember that disruptions can happen whenever we travel, so plan to get the most out of each experience and cherish the time that you get to explore new places and meet new people. Sound like you have a great cruise coming up! For handwashed garments, there is a clothesline in the shower. Hi Linda, youre facing a big decision: to go with Silver Spirits or not! Learn how your comment data is processed. As for money, we used a credit card (with no foreign transaction fees) and Euros (very handy for tipping tour guides and purchasing small incidentals). Some other Viking guests enjoyed their visits to the thermal baths, but we opted to do our own thing with the parliament tour and walks to areas recommended by our local tour guide (from the walking tour). Good luck with your planning, and have a great cruise! Suffice it to say that Viking has this all figured out and has contingency plans firmly in place. Theres a mix of traveling overnight (almost all of the time) and during the morning/afternoon/evening (some of the time). In the morning we would stuff the bag with dirty clothes, fill out the form and leave for the cabin attendant. For instance, how much is the Top of Cologne in Cologne Germany and is it worth it? What is the availability of restroom facilities in these small towns? Not everyone needs to go on excursions. Your email address will not be published. Thank you for all the information. We are experienced travelers on land but this will be a new experience. had some shirts done same day return no complaints. NOTE: This article was completely updated in January 2023 from the original article, written in 2019. We leave Saturday for Prague followed by the Budapest to Amsterdam Viking river cruise. So glad I discovered your very informative account of the Viking River Cruise! WOW, what a complete piece of well written and informative information we have come across. Hi Pat, Theres a good chance that some optional excursions will be available once you board the ship even if theyre listed on MyVikingJourney as being sold out. Hi Catherine, Im glad the article was helpful. She dies from sadness after her lover Helgi is slain by her brother Dagr, and is later reborn as a Valkyrie herself. These are typically large-group bus or walking tours of a city that provide a nice overview of a place. For example, once the crew knows that everyone is accounted for after excursions, the ship is sailing within minutes of the anticipated departure (as noted in the. Hi Lolly, thank you for the great article and this really prepared us for our trip next week. We enjoyed sitting with different people; it gave us a chance to learn about their travel experiences and lives a bit. We took the walking tour of Passau, enjoyed a leisurely lunch in town, went on a hike, and strolled around town afterward. Really, just looking for your opinion on longer trips off-ship. Our US-based cell phone service does not work outside of the US. Walking could be on unpaved or uneven surfaces and may involve many steps or steep inclines. Also, Viking offers options to add a few days in the first or last destination before and after a cruise. It would be more like smart casual (so no worn jeans and flip-flops, for example). Dinner begins at 7:00 pm in the dining room. The letter indicates which excursion group youre on. Ive not taken a Viking optional tour that I didnt like, but I will say that there are passengers who also book tours independent of Viking due to a keen interest in something and the personal or small-group experience that is available with independent tour guides. However, some guests do wear nice jeans (not torn or ripped) in the evening. (Im trying to save you room in your luggage!) My husband and I had planned to go on the Salzburg excursion, but when we learned we would be spending so much time on the bus to travel there and back (for a total of 9.5 hours), we decided to spend our time in Passau instead. Enjoy your cruise! Theres also no guest laundry on board, and this is also true of other We would either meet in Bamburg or Wurzburg. Im so glad you found the article helpful, Ronnie! One of many questions we have is how much currency (and what kind) to bring with us. Viking has perfected hospitality on many levels. Plus, Viking offers several excursions each day that the ship is in port. I suggest signing on to My Viking Journey and using the Live Chat feature to get your answer. So it comes down to how much and what kind of beverages youre likely to consume each day. Its certainly a relaxing way to travel. Some procedures and protocols on cruise ships have changed to address public health concerns since the global COVID-19 pandemic. The We enjoyed relaxing there and enjoying the sights and sounds of being on the ship. Its relaxed and has an abundant food buffet with soup, a variety of salads, meats, warm sandwiches (like paninis and Cuban sandwiches), fruit, and dessert. . Enjoy! Is there a restaurant seating option for introverts? As for how much money to bring along, I usually start out with about $300 worth of local currency. Is there a retractable clothes line in the shower to accommodate hanging clothes. Your comments are really appreciated. Have fun! Just found your sitelots of great info! Thanks, Tom! I learned that I probably should have packed a small collapsable umbrella to stuff in my backpack; that way, I wont be carrying the big Viking umbrella around after the rain has stopped while were still sightseeing. Prior to dinner, the chef usually introduces the options including his/her recommendations. Also, we had booked an English-speaking tour of the Hungarian Parliament which ended up being fascinating; if you plan to do this, make sure to make reservations online ahead of your visit. Sometimes theres a lot of river cruise ship traffic in popular cities. That is, you sleep and eat on the ship and are transported to your destinations along a river. The Aquavit Terrace is a great place to have a meal. I am very intrigued by the Salzberg excursion but see that it is a 2 plus hour bus ride each way. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Others get the package because they like having their drinks all inclusive without having to think about a bar tab. When you return to your room, you will notice the dinner menus for that evening. You know is it a venus and mars question. We did not receive any compensation or discounts fromViking or any otherorganization. Check your cruise itinerary as it will tell you the expected times your ship will be docked at each stop. WebUse down arrow key to expand the menu and up arrow key to collapse the menu and hit enter to select the link We thoroughly enjoyed a Viking Ocean cruise in 2019 and have been eager to try river cruising. If you have dietary restrictions, let Viking know when you book. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Indeed, very VERY helpfulespecially for first time river cruisers. Is this allowed? We found the onboard communication to be excellent. Emerald Cruises offers onboard laundry services and charges a fee per piece of laundry. We had grown to like the crew on the Skirnir, but we quickly came to like the new ones as well. After that, we went to an assigned group on the upper deck (groups are determined by what floor the staterooms are on), and we had to give our stateroom number to the staff at the assigned location (for roll call). If you choose not to prepay the gratuity, Viking adds a discretionary service charge (which was 15 Euros per guest per day when we traveled) to your shipboard account. In addition, theres a walking trail, a shuffleboard, and a putting green. Would an excursion like that feel to rushed to enjoy, or do you know if Salzberg is a not to be missed kind of place? On each of the two ships we were on, there was a duo in the evening that included a vocalist and a pianist. TIP: Take a picture of The Viking Daily each evening before heading to bed. There is precise timing to docking and excursions. WebFrom Veranda Staterooms to the abundance of extra perks and amenities in our spacious Explorer Suites, there is no finer way to travel. Its best to check availability online or ask Viking for the cities youll be visiting. us, and our new room keys were on the dresser. In my experience, the laundry service on Viking has been excellent. Remember to notify your bank of your travel dates and destinations before leaving home! Besides being helpful, your thorough details helped me to envision and imagine, which is my favorite part of planning! We are traveling with 8 other people. Haha, I got a kick out of being tempted with just one little pastry! WebThe modern and award winning river cruise ships are deployed among the most beautiful rivers in With Viking Cruises you will get a job that takes you places! I have a quick question that I wouldnt seem to find the answer online: We are thinking about renting a car at Koblenz and go to Nurburgring for a few hours and also at Speyer to go to Stuttgart for the day. The crew communicates with each other quite well. Here are a few things to think about when considering Vikings Silver Spirits package. What does Viking do with our luggage once we check out of the hotel? 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. Rosetta. Have a great cruise! Regarding local currency in Hungary, you can head to an ATM once youre there to get the amount of local cash you want. We have taken two Viking River Cruises, Bucharest to Amsterdam (21 days in 2019) and Basel to Amsterdam (7 days in 2021). the classics included Caesar salad as a starter; steak, salmon, and chicken as entrees, and Creme Brle, a selection of cheeses, a fruit plate, and ice cream for dessert. My first question is, without using the laundry service on board , do you have suggestions on washing items in your cabin? This article highlights the European river cruises aboard the Viking Longboats. We are thinking we would might rather be wandering through the town and trying local cuisine. No kids. Hi Anne, booking an independent excursion shouldnt be a problem. What to Expect on a Viking River Cruises Ship While each of Vikings 73 river vessels is unique, all offer spacious staterooms and suites with full-size verandas, French balconies or half-height picture windows, and amenities comparable to those found in For a walking tour (directly from the ship), some passengers go on the tour to learn about the destination and then spend the rest of the day shopping, enjoying a meal, or just wandering around. Thanks again. Although we have some other trips planned (that we organize ourselves, as we often do), we are contemplating which Viking cruise river or ocean we will be booking next. She was also given complimentary express laundry service. My husband and I like to have about 100-200 Euros on us before leaving home. In addition to your stateroom, there are several key public areas on the longships: Theres ample comfortable seating here upholstered chairs and sofas with large windows to enjoy the views. Naturally, safety is a primary concern of travelers and the crew. Hope this info helps you a bit! Plus, we always have some dollars with us, too. I hope you thoroughly enjoy your Viking cruise next year! However, the information in this article is from our Grand European Tour cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest aboard the Skirnir and Modi (more on the two ships later). I wonder if you have any thoughts on us meeting up with friends from Stuttgart.
Importance Of Social Organization In Our Daily Lives,
Summer Rowing Camps 2022,
Washington Mountain Passes Cameras,
Articles A
