The crew communicates with each other quite well. No, Tamara, I dont have direct experience replacing SIM cards. 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. Good luck! How will payments on board be handled? Keep in mind, though, that things are not 100% the same from cruise to cruise due, in part, to other ship traffic at the time. Viking River Cruises All Viking ships in Europe, Russia and Ukraine feature free WiFi. Essentially, each ship then turned around and went back to the city from which it originated. The friends we cruise with have used it and say it is good and turnaround is quick. I agree with a previous comment about this being the most informative, most inclusive article Ive seen as well. On leaving Amsterdam, check-out time from the hotel is Noon but embarkation is not till 3:00 PM. Walking could be on unpaved or uneven surfaces and may involve many steps or steep inclines. Serious question..how to get coffee in the morning without getting dressed??? 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. Viking has perfected hospitality on many levels. We thoroughly enjoyed our Viking river cruise from Prague to Paris last summer. We travel light with one roll aboard and one backpack. We haven't used Viking's laundry service so can't comment on that but in the FAQ they do have the price list so at least you'll have an idea of wha I have been on 1 Viking River cruise and 3 (soon to be 4-I hope!) (European river cruise ships are limited in size due to the rivers they cruise on, so they have the same overall dimensions. 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? 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. Needless to say, its handy to have small change for tipping. Thank you! On each of the two ships we were on, there was a duo in the evening that included a vocalist and a pianist. 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. WebCrew members typically work a 6-weeks-on, 2-weeks-off rotation, with up to 13 weeks off annually. Leave your dressier clothes at home; there are no formal nights on a Viking river cruise. You can store your luggage under the bed(s). us, and our new room keys were on the dresser. We kept our itinerary full, which might have been an error trust me, you want to take a breather every few days! Also can you remember if those two cities is where the boat docked. We are planning to take the Grand European Tour in July of 2023. Is room service available or will my husband have the opportunity to fetch my coffee? The tags have the time the luggage must be outside the staterooms as well as the time that guests are expected to depart the ship. :D. We've had excellent experiences with Viking's laundry service. On the other side of the menu are regional specialties or options that are focused on our destinations. free wi-fi (though connection speeds vary depending upon location). 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. The friends we cruise with have used it and say it is good and turnaround is quick. Becki 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. Just inside is the Lounge where we ate one rainy lunchtime. 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. Ecologically friendly hybrid engines producing less vibrations for a smoother ride. (For my husband and me, having the personal outdoor space was high on our list. Hope this info helps you a bit! 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). 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. Viking Its certainly a relaxing way to travel. Self Service Laundry Room On Viking Ocean Cruise Ship Orion Laundry Facility Included in Fare: On the Queen of the Mississippi, there are wash and dryer units are available. Others get the package because they like having their drinks all inclusive without having to think about a bar tab. Viking has guest departures timed to match their future travel plans. Thanks for the great information. Did some underwear, jeans and a golf shirt. All came back same day. No complaints. Thank you for making me less anxious! We took a universal travel adaptor with 4 USB plugs and 4 outlets and used just one outlet for all of our electronics (smartphones, camera, tablet, and Apple Watch). Laundry services may be arranged through your Suite Attendant or your Butler. Weve found there are a lot of commonalities as well as interesting folks to meet. If you choose to eat on the Aquavit Terrace, dinner begins at 7:15 pm with all of the same options as in the dining room. If we were sailing during the day, the program director narrated scenic highlights along the river as we continued our journey. Oh, Im so glad you had a wonderful cruise with amazing service! GREAT INFO. So glad that you had a great cruise! Laundry on Viking 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. We didnt regret our decision. Servers take your drink orders (sodas, beer, wine) and freshen up your glass when it is empty. WebThere's a reason why Viking consistently receives awards as the best cruise company out there. (Viking offers complimentary house wine and beer at lunch and dinner.) My husband and I took the Top of Cologne excursion, and it was one of the best. . After logging on to My Viking Journey, go to the Shore Excursions section and initiate a conversation with a Viking Cruise rep. You should see a red Live Chat box along the margin of the screen. Im so glad you found the article helpful, Rich! For a complete list of action steps. Just thinking of the best options for meeting friends for a short visit. We chose a French Balcony room. On our cruise, this was done in the Lounge just after the evening port talk by the program director. Once everyone was accounted for, we were able to leave, return our life vests to our stateroom, and resume what we were doing. WebDo you have laundry and dry cleaning facilities? Any comments on safety in cities? Have a wonderful cruise! Sound like you have a great cruise coming up! Are there computers, or In addition, some people research other (non-Viking) tour options in advance of their cruise and book a personal or small-group tour to suit their specific interests on their own. There are also daily announcements with information on docking and reminders about impending excursion departures. (Youll also receive Viking tags for your luggage.) Weve had no regrets. Its a great one! 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. 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 (Its not uncommon for someone to forget to scan their card when returning to the ship.). Youll be glad you did! After all, we travel to experience new places, new food, and new people, so we like to eat local specialties whenever possible. If you arrive before your guaranteed time of 3:00 pm, you can spend time in the Lounge or leave your luggage on the ship and begin to explore the city on your own. That worked well as we enjoyed some nice non-touristy lunches and other walks and tours on our own. There are three activity levels for excursions: About 15 minutes before each excursion, there is an announcement to remind guests that it is almost time to leave and to remember the listening devices. 2. Hi Ricardo, It sounds like you have a great trip ahead! We have quite a bit of Viking on board credits and wanted to purchase optional shore excursions with that credit. Each time you enter the dining room, you find a table that you want to sit at. One of many questions we have is how much currency (and what kind) to bring with us. We are on a Viking rive4 cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam in April 2023. Great article. Thank you! Travelers who purchase the Silver Spirits beverage package (price varies depending on the length of your cruise) can get whatever alcoholic beverage they want during lunch, dinner, and whenever else the bar is staffed (afternoons and evenings) at no additional charge. The Silver Spirits package is complimentary for guests in an Explorer Suite. More information on menu choices is below under Meals. That way, youll learn exactly how things will work with getting to and from that specific hotel. Thanks for your kind words, Triana. River traffic varies and the time to pass through the locks can change based on the number of ships, weather, etc. which provides information for each new day and the evening updates by the program director in the Lounge before. How All-Inclusives Redefine Luxury Vacations: Travel Weekly The crew communicates with each other quite well. I have seem videos of rooms but cannot perceive where we can place our 2 luggages + backpacks and not having to hop over them inside our room. We are doing the Grand European Tours B-A with extensions in Prague and Amsterdam, and have booked a full schedule. Viking River Cruises: Laundry service is available on board; unfortunately clothes cannot be dry cleaned. Viking keeps track of your expenses during the cruise, including bar items, laundry, phone calls, and purchases from the Viking shop (logo wear and souvenirs). In my experience, the laundry service on Viking has been excellent. Laundry is folded and returned on the same day if you have it ready in the morn Ocean Cruises. My husband prefers to jog each morning, and he was able to when we were docked in the early morning before excursions began. Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos. This is one way the crew can account for all guests. So glad I discovered your very informative account of the Viking River Cruise! You can sign up for excursions from your account on MyVikingJourney.com prior to your trip. Just make sure you notify your bank before traveling, so they dont flag your ATM transaction in another country as suspicious! Theres a mix of traveling overnight (almost all of the time) and during the morning/afternoon/evening (some of the time). Once youre on the ship, youll learn the times that the ship will be docked in a city, so you can plan your day. Many people were. About the stateroom, that really comes down to personal preference. With over 50 riverboats, there are many cruises ships, dates, and itineraries to consider. River Cruise Advisor | Avid Cruiser | About | Terms & Full Disclosure | Privacy | Contact | Subscribe. One question though How can we tell how much bus travel time is involved in each excursion? Thanks again! We got off our ship, the Skirnir, in Nuremberg (one of our scheduled ports) before the damaged lock. Our next Viking cruise is coming up soon, and I cant wait. The number indicates which ship youre on. We loved our trip and would recommend it to others. Since we booked through our travel agent, Viking sent her the final travel documents, and she checked them before passing them on to us. We had to have our luggage packed and placed outside our stateroom door by 7:00 am on the day of the switch. When you return to your room, you will notice the dinner menus for that evening. in the safe the day before you check out. As for Tours by Locals, Ive used them, as well, and was pleased. Question please, how fast, how good, how expensive? Is there any laundry facility available on the Viking Mars? Trying to guess the weather so we can narrow down what to pack. 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? You know is it a venus and mars question. And our experience was that we were usually parked next to other Viking ships, so we walked through familiar spaces. Once enrolled, you enter the dates of your travel and your destinations. Pieces were back in a few hours. Ive hand washed some things in the sink and hung them up to dry on the line, and it worked fine. We travel light, as well, but the ship will take care of delivering your luggage to your room; we just kept our small carry ons (the ones that fit under the airplane seats) with us. It easily holds passports and other travel documents along with jewelry and money. Thanks, Tom! She dies from sadness after her lover Helgi is slain by her brother Dagr, and is later reborn as a Valkyrie herself. Frequently Asked Questions | Viking River Cruises