Viking River Cruise

[Teacher Terry]

WE have cruised both Alaska and New England/Canada. Excellent cruises.

 

[Sunset]

Switching boats because of low (or high) water levels was almost a non event for us. We did have to pack our suitcase but then went on a tour and were delivered back to the boat #2 with our luggage already in the room. The ships were identical and we were in the same room. Viking handled this as seamlessly as you could imagine. Also, it's hard for me to imagine someone complaining about the locks. Sure, there are lots of locks and it is possible that you might be aware of passing through a lock at night, but no big deal as far as I'm concerned.

We hardly noticed the traveling though locks, as many were done at night, and when we went though in the daytime, sometimes we were eating, another fine fancy cuisine lunch or dinner, so other than glancing at the window to notice we were entering a lock, my attention was on the food, wine, and the fine company at our table.

There were some locks in the day when we were on deck, but honestly I can only think of maybe 5, and each is different, a visual sight on their own, nothing to dread.

One time while we were out touring, the ship was late because it got slowed down at a lock, so Viking treated everyone to free beer/wine and chocolate at some a local town restaurant, while we waited the extra hour. It was nice.

 

[karen1972]

We did Budapest to Amsterdam in 2015, we loved it.

For me
1. being in the prime spot in downtown is worth a lot, can get out and do extra exploring. We really took advantage in Budapest and really got to see alot.
2. no long bus or train rides so I'm not wasting time traveling
3. Free excursions with guides that tended to be history majors and as my honey loves architecture and history, this was fantastic for us.
4. our cruise director was beyond awesome
5. Free alcohol.. we thought about getting the beverage package but really not necessary when you get beer and wine at lunch and dinner.
6. well coordinated transportation (and mine was free) so I didn't have to search for air and ground transportation. Also I booked last minute (like 3 weeks in advance..so air travel would have cost me $5K+ for the two of us, so that made this a steal.)
7. every suite is decent and well designed so you didn't have to pay up...it really wasn't worth it.

Like others we had to switch boats, but it was pretty painless, though we did lose our cook..and the first chefs were better than the last, still good, but you could tell the difference.

One downside for me is that the boat is so small its not full service, so you can't even buy extra toiletries onboard. My honey was antsy since there isn't a gym and the walks weren't always enough exercise for him.

The other thing is our trip Cologne was a Tuesday and the museums are all closed on Tuesdays in Cologne, which missing out on the museum there annoyed me.

 

[jonat]

I prefer Uniworld to Viking - all-inclusive, including alcohol and gratuities, smaller groups and a generally classier experience.

 

[Sunset]

I prefer Uniworld to Viking - all-inclusive, including alcohol and gratuities, smaller groups and a generally classier experience.

Are you saying this after taking a Viking cruise ?

I do like looking at the different cruise lines, and options, so it's good to hear of other ones.

When I look at the Uniworld, and compare to the Viking (same cruise) I notice it's 50% ($2,500) more than what I paid, for a room that looks identical, except for the wallpaper and funishings. (same size, window, etc).

After accounting for the Viking beverage package and tipping, the Uniworld is still 26% higher priced. Hard to see how much classier it can be to account for the price hike.

Do you have some concrete examples, like size of included tour groups , after all extra tours can be any size, one from our ship was 2 people went on a extra cost tour. That is a small group!

Perhaps it's the food that is better ?

 

[Sunset]

We did Budapest to Amsterdam in 2015, we loved it.

......
One downside for me is that the boat is so small its not full service, so you can't even buy extra toiletries onboard. My honey was antsy since there isn't a gym and the walks weren't always enough exercise for him.

....

Call me stupid, but what extra toiletries would you buy ?
Toilet paper, kleenex, shampoo, conditioner, soap are all replaced as needed.

I guess toothpaste would be one, we had lots so didn't think about it.

 

[OldShooter]

So I guess you don't fly either, as airlines are super famous for changing their prices dozens of times per day.

Actually, the two are quite different, though I don't like the airline pricing game either.

Yesterday's advertising piece from Viking offered two-for-one pricing plus free air fare on 2018 trips. Given that the trips are a year out, it seems unlikely that any of these trips have been offered or sold without this or a similar discount.

If you review 16CFR233.1 Guides Against Deceptive Pricing, Former Price Comparisons, you will find this:

" If ... the former price being advertised is not bona fide but fictitious—for example, where an artificial, inflated price was established for the purpose of enabling the subsequent offer of a large reduction—the “bargain” being advertised is a false one; the purchaser is not receiving the unusual value he expects. In such a case, the “reduced” price is, in reality, probably just the seller's regular price."

IANAL and I am sure that Viking has lots of lawyers, but their pricing appears to me to be deceptive per FTC rules.

 

[Souschef]

I have no advice to give as I haven't done it - I am just following the thread.

I have read some advice to just train (first class) between the cities on the cruise agenda for a cheaper, more flexible travel experience and to then maybe take a day cruise (during the daytime) between two stops to experience the river.
.

The advantage of the cruise is that you unpack once, sleep in the same bed every night, and know where you are going to eat. The ship normally cruises at night, and you wake up in the next port in the morning.
WE have taken a number of river cruises and have enjoyed them.
YMMV

 

[Meadbh]

For
1. being in the prime spot in downtown is worth a lot, can get out and do extra exploring.

Against
One downside for me is that the boat is so small its not full service, so you can't even buy extra toiletries onboard.

True
The other thing is our trip Cologne was a Tuesday and the museums are all closed on Tuesdays in Cologne, which missing out on the museum there annoyed me.

My observations
When you dock at a prime spot in downtown, which happens almost daily, shops selling a large selection of toiletries are usually within walking distance.

I understand your frustration at being unable to visit a closed museum. That’s why I prefer to spend several days in a city that I’m interested in.

 

[Sunset]

Actually, the two are quite different, though I don't like the airline pricing game either.

Yesterday's advertising piece from Viking offered two-for-one pricing plus free air fare on 2018 trips. Given that the trips are a year out, it seems unlikely that any of these trips have been offered or sold without this or a similar discount.

If you review 16CFR233.1 Guides Against Deceptive Pricing, Former Price Comparisons, you will find this:

" If ... the former price being advertised is not bona fide but fictitious—for example, where an artificial, inflated price was established for the purpose of enabling the subsequent offer of a large reduction—the “bargain” being advertised is a false one; the purchaser is not receiving the unusual value he expects. In such a case, the “reduced” price is, in reality, probably just the seller's regular price."

IANAL and I am sure that Viking has lots of lawyers, but their pricing appears to me to be deceptive per FTC rules.

I think it is bad and confusing, I had to read carefully as it makes the price a person pays somewhat less clear.
I also notice Kohl's store does it all the time, look at the price sticker on any clothes and you will see it so very high, and always on sale.
So not really a sale.
Still sometimes the items are priced cheaper than other times, so I just follow the amount I would pay and wait for it to drop steeply from the last time.

 

[braumeister]

The other thing is our trip Cologne was a Tuesday and the museums are all closed on Tuesdays in Cologne, which missing out on the museum there annoyed me.

I think you mean Mondays. That's the normal closing day for museums in Germany.

 

[kcowan]

I haven't been on a Euro sea cruise, but considering the ports of call, I suspect that one sails away wishing for another several days in each port to get a real feel for them. It's kind of the opposite condition vs. the Caribbean, where there's often very little of distinction to see.

Not that river cruises can't leave you hungering for more. We've stayed off the Danube in large part because cities like Vienna and Budapest demand far more attention than one can devote in a day. We did enjoy a cruise on the Main in Germany, where daylong stops in Bamberg, Miltenberg and Wurzburg probably hit most of the high points each city has to offer. Wish we had had more time in Frankfurt, though.

Yes I think that is exactly it. The European cruises are a sampler for which places to return for a few days. That is how we use cruises.

 

[braumeister]

Yes I think that is exactly it. The European cruises are a sampler for which places to return for a few days. That is how we use cruises.

Precisely.

On both our Viking river cruises, we identified several areas we want to spend more time in. European train service is so good that setting up our own trips is easy.

 

[gerntz]

For the price of one European river cruise, I can take three ocean cruises.

With ocean cruises, the view is all the same: more water.

 

[sengsational]

I searched for my user name and "viking" and found the thread that I recall had some interesting detail: http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f46/european-river-cruise-advice-79742.html#post1664239

When I got back, I wrote a review on Cruise Critic and excepted a bit of it in this post: http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f46/viking-amsterdam-budapest-deal-81243.html#post1710994

The best thing about my Viking experience were the people. There are great people on ocean cruises too, but more of the river cruise crowd were people we could see hanging out with.

But I'll probably not go on another river cruise unless family or friends are going, and want me to join.

The bottom line as to why I'll avoid river cruising is because it's too regimented, too "touristy", and too much like a bus tour.

If you could count on being moored in the downtown (and have time to explore on your own), count on never having to make arrangements for alternate (i.e. bus) travel because of low or high water, count on groups of no more than 12 (instead of 50), count on not having the entire shipload dumped at the same tourist location at the same time, well, maybe then it would be ok. But none of that will happen.

If you look at where the ships go and what excursions they do, you could pick a couple of towns and do day trips in a rental car to all of those sites and never drive more than an hour to any site. In other words, the ships just don't go that far. Admittedly, you'd have to do some travel agent work, or get an agent to help you, and you'd have to have a bit of courage, but you'd see everything they see. Even if you arrange to eat, drink, and sleep as well as they do on the ship, you'd probably save 50% off the price of the river cruise.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I think people that take the river cruises want different things then ocean cruise people. I want a lot of entertainment options and choice of tours/excursions. I could care less if my guide has a master's degree. I asked the people at our dinner table last cruise who were all well educated professionals and they all thought the same way. So I really think it depends what you are looking for. Now I would never take a Carnival cruise because of all the horrible stories.

 

[audreyh1]

We like to take a leisurely exploration of a section of Europe, taking 3 to 4 weeks and spending 4 to 6 nights in various destination cities that we use as bases for regional transportation. This helps reduce the constant packing and unpacking. We like to have plenty of time to to explore each city, but also like to do day trips to explore outlying areas. We can usually find locally guided small-group minivan tours for those day trips, but we will go on our own if the transportation logistics are straightforward. We usually go from base city to base city by train, although we will fly if the distance is great enough.

We stay in nicer hotels and really enjoy the regional culinary delights in each city.

Did an extensive one in southern France/Provence/Cote d'Azur last year followed by a week in Barcelona with a quickie stop in Carcassonne on the way. It was fabulous!

I spent 3 to 4 months, many hours a day planning that trip. Thus my sig line.

 

[Teacher Terry]

When we go to Europe we don't take cruises. I do all the planning. We spent 10 days just in Rome and then 14 in the Tuscany area. The 2 times we were in Poland we split the 2 weeks each between Krakow and the small town my DIL is from. It does take a ton of time to plan all of it.

 

[AltaRed]

We have done 2 river cruises so far. Amsterdam to Vienna on Uniworld and France (2 cruises actually) with Viking. One problem with the Rhine and Danube is that it is bursting at the limits with river cruise ships and thus the shore excursions get crowded with way too many groups. It was a much smaller problem this past August in France (Seine tour and then a Rhone tour). The crowds were a lot smaller in France, partly because there are less boats on the rivers and partly because France is still in a state of emergency and tourism is down.

Overall, we liked Uniworld better because my perception is that Uniworld has smaller shore excursion groups and perhaps better guides and they pay for some of the more lucrative docking stops. The all inclusive option is also nice. Viking had larger shore excursion groups (30 or so to a group) and they didn't always have the best docking stations (often miles away necessitating buses to get us to the tour spot). Overall though, I don't know if the circa 50% premium Uniworld charges is worth it....since the ships, crews and food are on the same level.

We like river cruising since our hotel room and meals are always 'there', and it moves with us. We absolutely hate checking into and out of hotels and managing luggage and cannot imagine lugging stuff across Europe. We also like the intimacy of small ships where you really do get to meet interesting people (when there is only 100-200 passengers) and the crew to passenger ratio is high. Even the crew get to know you.

We are hooked on river cruising and will do more. The Mekong is on our list as is the Yangtze, and perhaps the Amazon. We've done one short ocean cruise on a 'biggie' ship and didn't like the crowds nor being just another number in a listless cast of thousands.

 

[Souschef]

I will admit my bias about Viking, based by an interview with the owner some years ago.
He put all these "longships" on the Rhine, and there are so many they have to be "rafted". Where you are not docked, but tied up to another ship. To get to shore to have to go through the other ships, either their lobby, or their top deck.
There is something for everyone, especially as you age. In your 20's you can backpack through Europe, sleeping in hostels, etc.
At our age, we are more interested in creature comforts, as not having to drag our luggage through train stations to hotels.

 

[Sunset]

We have done 2 river cruises so far. Amsterdam to Vienna on Uniworld and France (2 cruises actually) with Viking. .....

Overall, we liked Uniworld better because my perception is that Uniworld has smaller shore excursion groups and perhaps better guides and they pay for some of the more lucrative docking stops. The all inclusive option is also nice. Viking had larger shore excursion groups (30 or so to a group) and they didn't always have the best docking stations (often miles away necessitating buses to get us to the tour spot). Overall though, I don't know if the circa 50% premium Uniworld charges is worth it....since the ships, crews and food are on the same level.

.....

I have to wonder, if you noticed a bus difference because you are comparing different rivers and Countries ?

We did the Amsterdam to Budapest (past Vienna) river cruise, and most times docked at the town center.
We were bussed at some places, like Vienna , but DW and I went off on our own later and took the subway back to the dock.
We found the buses were used to save folks from walking too far, or up a great big hill to see the Marksburg Castle.
At Koblenz we rode on a sort of a fake train/tram that you see in a zoo, of course you could walk if you wanted, but it was probably 3/4 -> 1 mile, and we thought the tram was fun and would save our legs for climbing up to the castle later.

Most of our bus rides to get to a location were were very short, so short that I can barely recall them, as they were a non-event, and didn't take away from the trip at all.

What I didn't like much, was the included tours, that turned out to be a bus ride to see an overview of the city, where we didn't get off, I called it drive-by-touring.

They were very very nice buses.

 

[misanman]

He put all these "longships" on the Rhine, and there are so many they have to be "rafted". Where you are not docked, but tied up to another ship. To get to shore to have to go through the other ships, either their lobby, or their top deck.

On occasion our ship was "rafted" but this was absolutely a non-issue for us. Meant walking an extra 37 feet if our ship was on the outside.

 

[Souschef]

On occasion our ship was "rafted" but this was absolutely a non-issue for us. Meant walking an extra 17 feet if our ship was on the outside.

The problem with being rafted is, after paying $$ more for a balcony cabin, the only thing you see is the balcony on the ship you are rafted next to, There is a total lack of privacy. Also, you may have to go through more than one ship to get to the dock.

 

[Sunset]

Our ship was rafted 2 or 3 times, sometimes you are the one on the land side, so it's just like not being rafted, except for your view.
We had an lower room so we wouldn't sit in our room anyway as the view was best from the top deck, or we were out touring.
Once, probably the first time we were rafted, it was confusing for me, as there were no arrows telling me to go up and cross the top deck of the ships to get to mine, that was pretty odd and strange.
However it did allow me to have a great conversation with people from the other ship, which was not a Viking ship.

It's important to note, you can end up rafting with ships from different companies, so this is really a result of the popularity of the river cruises, and not because 1 company has too few docks.

Our ship would re-position itself most times when rafted, to be on the land side of a raft, if we were going to all disembark on a tour, I'm thinking all the ship companies do this to avoid having 150 people walk through the other ship.

Being rafted is to me a minor issue, a LOT less of an issue than standing in line at the airport.

 

[audreyh1]

OK - that wild Viking World Cruise listed in another thread!

Viking Ocean Cruises has announced that their soon to be completed cruise ship, Viking Sun, will sail a second epic 128 day cruise world cruise that will visit five continents, 21 countries, 44 ports, and 10 overnight port stops.

.............

Prices for Viking’s World Cruise start at $49,995 per person and include Business Class air, transfers to and from the ship, all gratuities and service fees, complimentary visa service, free luggage shipping services for embarkation, and Viking’s Silver Spirits beverage package covering virtually all drinks on board.

https://cruisefever.net/cruise-ship-sail-epic-cruise-visits-21-countries-five-continents/