- 7. Mai 2023
- Posted by:
- Category: Allgemein
with information on docking and reminders about impending excursion departures. Otherwise, we had a brand new crew. Im so glad you found the article helpful, Rich! Hi Victoria, Im so glad you found the article helpful! Trying to navigate changing pandemic restrictions is a challenge Id rather not have to deal with, but well give it a try. With all that said, my husband and I did opt for the Silver Spirits package. It would be more like smart casual (so no worn jeans and flip-flops, for example). Is the ship nonsmoking? Stairs connect all the decks plus theres an elevator to service the upper and middle decks. There are lots of smiles and offers of help. had some shirts done same day return no complaints The crew communicates with each other quite well. Once youve booked a Viking cruise, take the next steps, like creating an online account with Viking, to ensure a wonderful adventure. We were very happy with laundry service on Viking and prices were reasonable. Hi Karen, A few things could happen when river levels are too low for cruise ships. And our experience was that we were usually parked next to other Viking ships, so we walked through familiar spaces. 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. It sounds like you are all set. (This is handy because you might encounter tour groups from other Viking ships that are docked in the same city at the same time.) That worked well as we enjoyed some nice non-touristy lunches and other walks and tours on our own. Hi, Considering the Silver Spirits package. 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. The good thing is there are always tomorrows treats to look forward to! 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. 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. Enjoy your journey! Your best bet is to ask about availability, location, and cost at Guest Services once onboard. Ever consider a Viking European river cruise? So glad I discovered your very informative account of the Viking River Cruise! 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. Were doing the Rhine Getaway, Amsterdam to Basel in early Oct, but havent actually booked yet! No, Tamara, I dont have direct experience replacing SIM cards. Laundry charges will be billed to your shipboard account. On our walk, we passed the Shoes Along the Danube (very moving) and other interesting sights. Theres a section of the Aquavit Terrace at the very front of the ship thats open to the weather, but theres also an area (just behind it) that can be enclosed with sliding glass doors, so the area can be enjoyed when the weather isnt cooperating. Also, what shore excursions do you recommend while in Budapest? 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. Re renting a car to go to a specific place Viking tours dont include: Is Uber possible in the cities Viking goes to? Can you tell me which docking/ports might be too far from the cities/towns? I wonder if you have any thoughts on us meeting up with friends from Stuttgart. Just sayin'. Tauck offers a paid laundry service on all of its ships. Your comments are really appreciated. complimentary Silver Spirits beverage package, private arrival and departure transfer (from and to the airport). Have a wonderful cruise! When we cruised, 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. You answered my questions about docking locations (though understand they are subject to change) and the Hungarian currency. We had grown to like the crew on the Skirnir, but we quickly came to like the new ones as well. Great service sounds like Viking! Im glad you found the article helpful. http://www.vikingrivercruises.com/frequently-asked-questions.html#LIFEABOARD-FAQ-LIST/55787. For example, we arrived in Cologne at 9:30 am and our walking tour began at 10:00 am. 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. Good luck with your planning, and have a great cruise! Viking doesnt allow children on board. . Also located off the main corridor are a couple of desktop computers that are always available for guest use. Viking assigns different colored luggage tags to guests depending on what their next travel destination is (a post-excursion through Viking, a trip independent of Viking, or a flight home). When I returned to the room, I noticed another bookmark was placed on top of it. 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). Please hare your opinion with me. All the best. The best thing to do is to talk with a Viking staff member as soon as you board to find out details for your specific cruise. The Aquavit Terrace is a great place to have a meal. Then itll be the first photo on your camera roll before the next days activities. Well do the Grand European from B to A in October this year. On our cruise, this was done in the Lounge just after the evening port talk by the program director. Everything was as you said food, service, boat, amenities, all topnotch. We are doing the Grand European Tours B-A with extensions in Prague and Amsterdam, and have booked a full schedule. Concerning safety, you can sign up for STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program), a free program run by the U.S. Department of State. How will payments on board be handled? I liked the posted copy of the daily news and we had already decided from our ocean experiences to take the drinks package. I hope you have a wonderful time! Some procedures and protocols on cruise ships have changed to address public health concerns since the global COVID-19 pandemic. The Silver Spirits package offers unlimited drinks including cocktails, premium wine, and beer. Is there a restaurant seating option for introverts? Is that possible? And about ATMs, weve used them in Europe without any problems. Now to your questions. Have a wonderful cruise, Thomas! Have fun! Oh, Im so happy youre able to enjoy traveling safely during the pandemic. Passengers could disembark and be bussed on an excursion and then afterwards, be bussed to a different location on the river where the water levels are higher. Just make sure you notify your bank before traveling, so they dont flag your ATM transaction in another country as suspicious! Required fields are marked *. Do you have to go on the planned excursion or can you go off and explore on your own? in your closet upon arrival; if you need more, just ask, and they will be delivered promptly. River cruises are designed for the mature traveler as Viking guests must be 18 years old. Likewise, when the ship is ready to leave, it leaves as long as all the guests are accounted for. Just inside is the Lounge where we ate one rainy lunchtime. 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. We found the onboard communication to be excellent. We are heading out on our first river cruise, the Kara from Basel to Amsterdam in late September this year. You never know what youll learn or who youll meet! 11 AM Embarkation 11 AM priority stateroom access Our US-based cell phone service does not work outside of the US. My question is about size of our luggage (or size limitation due room size). 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. 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. The water levels are extremely low right now. If you dont live in the U.S., Im sure other governments have similar programs for travelers. The number indicates which ship youre on. This should allow you to finalize your plans to disembark and go meet your friends. Viking is an industry leader for a variety of reasons including their choices of fascinating destinations, varied excursion options, attention to detail in designing the private and common spaces, and a welcoming and hard-working staff. Crew: 53. How can we arrange individual tours or make dinner reservations if we dont know the times or the port arrangements? If you want wine at that time is there a charge? We are on the Aug Rhine cruise and our 1st river cruise. Even with that information, as you mentioned,dockings could be delayed to traffic on the river or there could be delays going through locks. After all, we travel to experience new places, new food, and new people, so we like to eat local specialties whenever possible. Incidentally, we had to change ships midway through a river cruise because of a broken lock on the river, and Viking handled it professionally and without too much inconvenience. Also, the onboard staff and the local guides speak English well. Some companies may take space from common areas to put into spas and fitness centers; others, like Viking, use all that available space for staterooms and common areas.). The tips cover all onboard staff. I hope you have a wonderful cruise and that things work out for your planned day trips! One of the things I like about sailing with Viking is that they arent constantly trying to upsell you. After clearing customs and immigration and getting our luggage, how do we find Viking to take us to our hotel or how does Viking find us? To conserve resources, you could easily fill a reusable water bottle from home with water in the rooms. First timer on river cruise. Are they like $20 per person or more like $200? We thoroughly enjoyed our Viking river cruise from Prague to Paris last summer. The general experience on all Viking river cruise ships is the same, no matter what ship youre on. (If you are booked in one of the suites, youll have access to your stateroom at 12:00.) means the walking will be on mostly smooth (not cobbled) surfaces, there are few steps, and the tours will be 1.5 hours or less. All guests are 18 years old or more. For instance, how much is the Top of Cologne in Cologne Germany and is it worth it? Thank you for the excellent summary of each important category. If you are doing a post-cruise stay, I found the prices on Viking to be less than the prices using the hotel laundry, so if you need something cleaned, I would suggest using the laundry services on the ship. Hi Ricardo, It sounds like you have a great trip ahead! One thing we learned is that although some excursions will guide you through a large city, if it is inland a bit, you may be spending a significant amount of time traveling from the ship to the city and comparatively modest amounts of time actually in the city itself. Another consideration, of course, is how often you might order specialty drinks from the bar: at lunch, throughout the day, before and/or after dinner? But it looks like pre purchasing using on board credit isnt possible. There is precise timing to docking and excursions. 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. Very relaxing! We are scheduled to take the Viking Danube cruise in early June 2022. Members of VantagesPresidents Club (achieved after three Vantage Vacations trips not necessarily river cruises) also receive a 20 laundry credit. Onboard youll have port talks to prepare you for each new day along with musical entertainment in the lounge. As for Tours by Locals, Ive used them, as well, and was pleased. 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. Great post. Some river cruise companies do have those facilities, but Viking Longships dont have those. Plus you can expect some special cooking and craft demonstrations, wine tastings, and presentations about a destinations special features. 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. They say they will be staying til X oclock and then leaving. If sharing a stateroom, both guests must pay for the package. 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? 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. We also took along some thank you cards and put in some extra cash to give to those we felt went above and beyond during our cruise. Good question, John, but its not an easy one to answer! . (Another idea is to get Euros at one of the airport currency exchange kiosks, but the exchange rates will probably not be favorable.). Since we booked through our travel agent, Viking sent her the final travel documents, and she checked them before passing them on to us. 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. 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). We had no problems or complaints. I agree with a previous comment about this being the most informative, most inclusive article Ive seen as well. Is this allowed? 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. See. You know is it a venus and mars question. Hope your sister finds her Viking river cruise everything she hopes it to be. Youll see all your options on the online My Viking Journey portal when the tours open up prior to your trip. Our stateroom steward kept the room immaculate. 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. expansive 445 square foot living space (separate living room and bedroom) with wraparound balcony at the stern of the ship plus a French balcony in the bedroom. Much better idea of what were sailing into now! Have fun! Do you travel overnight for most of the time or is there day travel as well? Staterooms are guaranteed to be ready at 3:00 pm. 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. We are on a Viking rive4 cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam in April 2023. At other times, like when gathered in the lounge before dinner, youll charge your wine, beer, or cocktails to your stateroom. During lunch and dinner, guests are served complimentary soft drinks, beer, or wine. Sound like you have a great cruise coming up! Otherwise, we had a brand new crew. Enjoy your cruise this fall! 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). Is there Internet access on board the ship? Sounds like youve got a great anniversary trip planned, Gary! There are large windows on the port and starboard sides so views are available while cruising the river at mealtime. This is Vikings way of accounting for guests. Getting my heart rate up while enjoying beautiful scenery passing by while the ship made its way down a river was a win-win. 3. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our Viking river cruise, which transported us in great comfort to some amazing European destinations. Wash and press services are available on all ships for American Cruise Lines. Were planning a Viking river cruise May 2022. (OK, the wifi in the rooms REALLY sucksbut if thats your #1 problem, you arent doing badly). 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). Have a wonderful cruise next year! 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. One thing to keep in mind is that things can change from day to day, week to week and that includes river levels. Many thanks ! (For my husband and me, having the personal outdoor space was high on our list. Essentially, each ship then turned around and went back to the city from which it originated. Once youre on the ship, youll learn the times that the ship will be docked in a city, so you can plan your day. We also like to explore on our own, so there were times when we just joined a tour for a while and then told the guide we were going to branch out on our own. These are typically large-group bus or walking tours of a city that provide a nice overview of a place. Are there computers, or During lunch, prior to and after dinner, theres usually live music in the Lounge. The fees for European river cruises range in price from $1 per item to $6 per item. Pros: Viking is, by far, the largest river cruise company. A few weeks prior to your departure, Viking will send stickers for you to wear at the airport when you land, so they can identify you as a Viking guest. Thanks for the great information. 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. What are the chances of excursions still being available when we are on board? We liked exploring on our own after getting the lay of the land from the morning tour guide.
