Just make sure you are aware of the times the ship will leave the port so you dont miss its departure. Deciding on cash is a personal choice, of course. Thank you for the excellent summary of each important category. Viking 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. Im glad you found the article helpful. They are also one of the most affordable river cruise options. We were docked next to other ships several times on our 15-day cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest. Sometimes optional excursions sell out, although there are usually some available once youre on the ship. Here are a few things to think about when considering Vikings Silver Spirits package. Have a wonderful cruise! 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? As you leave the ship, youll scan your room key to indicate your departure and rescan it upon returning. 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. Thanks. You either choose it for your cruise, or you dont no daily option. Thank you for taking the time to write this informative piece. There are costs associated with the optional tours and they vary, and I suppose that correlates with the costs Viking incurs. . You can sign up for excursions from your account on MyVikingJourney.com prior to your trip. Please note that Viking requires at least 48 hours cancellation notice if you are on the ship and decide not to go on an optional excursion. So it comes down to how much and what kind of beverages youre likely to consume each day. We are heading out on our first river cruise, the Kara from Basel to Amsterdam in late September this year. (OK, the wifi in the rooms REALLY sucksbut if thats your #1 problem, you arent doing badly). Youd need to factor in picking up and dropping off the rental cars and then driving to and from your planned destinations. The Aquavit Terrace is a great place to have a meal. Another option, if the river levels are too low overall, would be for passengers to be bussed from destination to destination, staying in hotels, throughout the cruise. Some procedures and protocols on cruise ships have changed to address public health concerns since the global COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you for making me less anxious! However, some guests do wear nice jeans (not torn or ripped) in the evening. How All-Inclusives Redefine Luxury Vacations: Travel Weekly (Depending on the category of your stateroom, the laundry service may be complimentary.) Once youve booked a Viking cruise, take the next steps, Once you book a Viking river cruise, take the next steps to ensure an amazing experience, Best Sights to See on Vikings Grand European Tour, Viking Antarctica Cruise: The Complete Guide for Adventurers, Viking Cruises: Best Action Steps After Booking a Cruise, Best Sights to See on the Viking Grand European Tour River Cruise, The Best Apps and Websites for Savvy Travelers, Viking Cruises: Best Action Steps After Booking Your Cruise. Wash and press services are available on all ships for American Cruise Lines. Hi. All the best. Wishing you good luck and a fantastic cruise! River cruises are designed for the mature traveler as Viking guests must be 18 years old. The tips cover all onboard staff. Price lists are available in each stateroom. On all river cruises, guests are offered one complimentary shore excursion at every destination. Scheduled for Grand European in September 2023. This means that your ship could be the first, second, or third ship docked. U River Cruises by Uniworld offers week-long cruises for young adults along Europes riverways. Is there 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. Id much rather take an Uber than rent a car!!! We are on the Aug Rhine cruise and our 1st river cruise. With over 50 riverboats, there are many cruises ships, dates, and itineraries to consider. We could not have chosen any better than the Skirnir and Viking. WebFrom Veranda Staterooms to the abundance of extra perks and amenities in our spacious Explorer Suites, there is no finer way to travel. We thoroughly enjoyed our Viking river cruise. Since we booked through our travel agent, Viking sent her the final travel documents, and she checked them before passing them on to us. This should allow you to finalize your plans to disembark and go meet your friends. And Im so glad I was able to help you prepare for your cruise. 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). Your descriptions of the change of ship due to the broken lock and of docking side by side with other ships were reassuring. My sister is taking her first river cruise in March and I found this site while trying to find info for her. Viking ships are specially designed to navigate the worlds great rivers and provide convenient daily access to a plethora of destinations and experiences. There are so many choices of destinations and lengths of the trip. 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. In my experience, the laundry service on Viking has been excellent. WebDo you have laundry and dry cleaning facilities? One of many questions we have is how much currency (and what kind) to bring with us. This happens when bridges are too low to safely pass under with guests on the sun deck. Thanks. in the safe the day before you check out. You set the code, so its a cinch to remember. They also are known for providing little touches that many guests appreciate. Check your cruise itinerary as it will tell you the expected times your ship will be docked at each stop. Good Job!! Of all the stops on the Grand European Tour, these are the cities in which our ship had prime docking spots (making it very easy to go out and explore on our own): Budapest, Vienna, Melk, Passau, Regensburg, Wurzburg, Cologne, and Amsterdam. Interesting information! We found the onboard communication to be excellent. On our ships, there were separate newspaper versions for Australia, Canada, and the U.S. Also located off the main corridor are a couple of desktop computers that are always available for guest use. Is there Internet access on board the ship? Laundry on Viking Quite a few cruisers actually do that. When we travel to Europe, we notify our carrier before departure. The staterooms and bathrooms are efficiently designed to maximize usable space, and there are many things to appreciate in the staterooms. 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). Frequently Asked Questions | Viking Ocean Cruises Hi Kathleen, For individual tours and dinner reservations, Id let the provider (tour company, restaurant) know what day youll be coming into port. Once enrolled, you enter the dates of your travel and your destinations. We leave Saturday for Prague followed by the Budapest to Amsterdam Viking river cruise.