To burn off some of the calories ingested by the delicious food onboard, I walked in the morning around the sun deck track. We took the walking tour of Passau, enjoyed a leisurely lunch in town, went on a hike, and strolled around town afterward. with an electronic keypad is provided in each room. Hi Kathy, Great question! Lolly just finished the Grand European tour a week ago (Budapest-Amsterdam). These devices are attached to lanyards with earpieces. (OK, the wifi in the rooms REALLY sucksbut if thats your #1 problem, you arent doing badly). Plus, some travel agents provide onboard credit to cruising clients. But thats not to say younger cruisers will feel out of place. However, the information in this article is from our, The staterooms and bathrooms are efficiently designed to maximize usable space. We were sailing from Amsterdam to Budapest. GREAT INFO. There are large windows on the port and starboard sides so views are available while cruising the river at mealtime. Disclaimer: My husband and I paid forour Viking river cruise ourselves. I was curious about what time you have to be back on the ship at night. We are doing the Grand European Tours B-A with extensions in Prague and Amsterdam, and have booked a full schedule. I do my own underwear in the sink, but jeans, shirts and heavy socks go to the laundry. Laundry on Cruise Ships: The Ultimate Guide The tips cover all onboard staff. Plus, we always have some dollars with us, too. There were a few days when we arrived at our port later than planned and had much less time to explore the city. Have a wonderful cruise! We are planning to take the Grand European Tour in July of 2023. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Special Event: Q&A with Rudi Schreiner, President, Co-Founder & Co-Owner - AmaWaterways River Cruises. 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. Did you use local guides? Youll be glad you did! There is a fee for this service. Hi David, it sounds like youre gearing up for a great adventure! Laundry on Viking - River Cruising - Cruise Critic Community We have booked all the included excursions, but have held off booking the optional ones as we love to do our own thing when in port, and perhaps covering more ground than the optional excursions. Thank you for your article and your help! She was able to shop the Viking clothes closet, stocked with items left by previous passengers. Complimentary self-service Guest Laundry, including washing machines, detergent, fabric softener, dryers, irons and ironing boards are provided on Deck 1 on Crystal Bach, Crystal Mahler, Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel. Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection; Viking River Cruises such as spa and hair salon services, golf, excursions, laundry service or babysitting, were, and 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. We are on a Viking rive4 cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam in April 2023. There was a broken lock near Regensburg, about halfway between the two big cities. The daily planner for Vienna was the best.one of the stranger transitions from Ocean to River cruising is not having your port times right there on the schedule. The sun deck does not have enclosed spaces. There are costs associated with the optional tours and they vary, and I suppose that correlates with the costs Viking incurs. Staterooms are guaranteed to be ready at 3:00 pm. private bathrooms that are separate from the living Is there Internet access on board the ship? These are typically large-group bus or walking tours of a city that provide a nice overview of a place. We sent some clothing to be laundered, and we were happy with that choice. Im with you on how much fun it is to plan trips. Thank you for taking the time to write this informative piece. I will miss the free on board laundromat from ocean cruising though! The ships are very clean. Here are some examples from our cruise: Tipping is the universal way to thank someone for providing excellent service and you will find excellent service on Viking. Have a wonderful time! You should also alert the Maitre d once on board. The hotel manager was great and the program director was a literal Energizer Bunny. Thank you for your informative article! One thing to keep in mind is that things can change from day to day, week to week and that includes river levels. That way, youll have current informationand be able to talk to people in the know to see if your plans will work. Viking then allowed us to purchase a no-expiry date voucher towards another cruise an amount they matched. Just thinking of the best options for meeting friends for a short visit. I didnt read through all the comments, so I hope Im not being repetitive. Can you tell me which docking/ports might be too far from the cities/towns? Heres our story. Laundry on Viking WebThere's a reason why Viking consistently receives awards as the best cruise company out there. River Cruise Basics: Laundry Onboard Im glad you found the article helpful, Thomas! 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. There are lots of smiles and offers of help. Do you have any experience about this? Have fun whatever you decide to do! One of many questions we have is how much currency (and what kind) to bring with us. Its just the nature of this type of travel. We love most of the optional excursions versus the included excursions but about how much do the optional ones cost? The fees for European river cruises range in price from $1 per item to $6 per item. 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. Thats because some people end up canceling their reservations for optional excursions. River Cruise Our luggage awaited us, and our new room keys were on the dresser. Theres an elevator onboard so its easy to travel from floor to floor if you dont want to use the stairs. You can sign up for excursions from your account on MyVikingJourney.com prior to your trip. Also located off the main corridor are a couple of, Naturally, safety is a primary concern of travelers and the crew. We learned this the hard way one day, and we realized that we actually prefer exploring the little towns that we dock at more. The crew communicates with each other quite well. My husband and I like to have about 100-200 Euros on us before leaving home. Viking Egil Cruise: Expert Review (2023) - Cruise Critic Good Job!! This is one way the crew can account for all guests. Any comments on safety in cities? If you have dietary restrictions, let Viking know when you book. Other times, we were still sailing, so he could not. We didnt regret our decision. You mentioned laundry, and although theres no laundromat on Vikings European river cruise ships, there is a laundry service that you can use. 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! It sounds like you are all set. I have been on 1 Viking River cruise and 3 (soon to be 4-I hope!) In some destinations,laundry can be sent out for cleaning fee while the boat is docked. Any further suggestions about picking up the excursion cards each morning? a flat-screen TV with infotainment options. 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. Also, Viking offers options to add a few days in the first or last destination before and after a cruise. I will add one note that we experienced. Tauck offers a paid laundry service on all of its ships. With over 50 riverboats, there are many cruises ships, dates, and itineraries to consider. For example, the guests in the Explorer Suites can book optional excursions before guests in the Veranda Suites. WebStateroom size: 548 sq ft (includes Nordic balcony) Ocean-view two-room suite, 80% larger than junior suites, with private Nordic Balcony, private veranda, separate dining area for 4, additional storage and seating features, plus private access to Explorer Suites Garden. On both boats we used the laundry We thoroughly enjoyed our Viking river cruise from Prague to Paris last summer. Serious question..how to get coffee in the morning without getting dressed??? On our cruise, this was done in the Lounge just after the evening port talk by the program director. Prior to dinner, the chef usually introduces the options including his/her recommendations. But it looks like pre purchasing using on board credit isnt possible. ? with information on docking and reminders about impending excursion departures. Plus you can expect some special cooking and craft demonstrations, wine tastings, and presentations about a destinations special features. (For my husband and me, having the personal outdoor space was high on our list. 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 If you have taken a Viking river cruise and want to share your experiences, please do so in the comment area below. 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 you are booked in one of the suites, youll have access to your stateroom at 12:00.) To ensure you remember all the great experiences on your cruise, take lots of pictures and. 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? We celebrated a big anniversary on our cruise and were delighted with champagne and a special dessert awaiting us in our room after dinner one night. 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. Announcing Our 2023 Cruisers' Choice Award Winners! Haha. We had to have our luggage packed and placed outside our stateroom door by 7:00 am on the day of the switch. Trying to guess the weather so we can narrow down what to pack. The good thing is there are always tomorrows treats to look forward to! That way, youll learn exactly how things will work with getting to and from that specific hotel. However, most guests sport a smart casual look for dinner. (Im trying to save you room in your luggage!) The number indicates which ship youre on. That worked well as we enjoyed some nice non-touristy lunches and other walks and tours on our own. with a German Schuko 2-pin plug that matches the 2-prong outlet in the bathroom. Thank you for making me less anxious! The cruise is great for adults of any age. . Were planning on a dinner in a town, tour of some beer gardens and lunch in Heidelberg, and just walking around. On average, how much time did you spend on the boat sailing from each port? Go to the guest service desk and inquire about the excursions you want and if theyre fully booked, ask to be placed on a waitlist. As you probably know, the package includes unlimited beverages when the bars are open. Paid laundry services are available on all Viking River Cruises ships. Viking River Cruises All Viking ships in Europe, Russia and Ukraine feature free WiFi. The letter indicates which excursion group youre on. Viking Bragi - Viking River Cruises River cruises are very popular choices for people who like the idea of traveling to new places in the comfort of a floating hotel. This includes the Viking Daily which provides information for each new day and the evening updates by the program director in the Lounge before dinner. Follow up with a conversation with the Viking staff when youre onboard to learn the expected times and exact location of the ship while docked. This is Vikings way of accounting for guests. Remember to notify your bank of your travel dates and destinations before leaving home! It is a quick way to catch up on national and international news as well as to get financial market and sports updates. 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. I think it would be a tight schedule if the ship is docked for just a day. So for 200 dollars, we got a 400 value good for tickets, flights, an excursion, or even the beverage package. 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. When this happens, the cruise ship parks parallel to another cruise ship. 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. Im looking forward to ours next year! As for shore excursions, my husband and I enjoyed the walking tour (through Viking) that included the funicular up to Castle Hill. Weve chosen a mix of the included tours and the custom days, avoided any places to which weve already travelled and have added in the extensions to both ends, hoping to see friends in Amsterdam. Yes, there have been changes to address public health safety, but Im betting they wont interfere with your overall enjoyment. Your email address will not be published. Viking ships all sport calming Scandinavian decor and are designed efficiently. (Viking asks that luggage not be placed outside the staterooms when going to bed the previous night due to safety concerns should there be an emergency, having bags in the narrow corridors would pose a safety risk.). Yes - best answer is to do your homework first and read the FAQ's about Viking Ocean ships. Europe Laundry List; China Laundry List; Russia Laundry List; Vietnam Laundry List In spite of some tweaks, this article will definitely prepare you for your Viking river cruise. Regardless of their next destinations, all guests had to place their luggage outside their rooms no later than 9:00 am. Then itll be the first photo on your camera roll before the next days activities. One question I have is how you handled local currency in Hungary as they do not use the euro. 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. Do you know if the outdoor areas on the sun deck can be enclosed for added warmth on these cooler weather trips? This means that your ship could be the first, second, or third ship docked. Have a fabulous cruise! We liked exploring on our own after getting the lay of the land from the morning tour guide. Hi Tanya, Sounds like you have a great cruise coming up! Weve had no regrets. When we travel to Europe, we notify our carrier before departure. 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. Sound like you have a great cruise coming up! But, what else would we spend money on? My sister is taking her first river cruise in March and I found this site while trying to find info for her. 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