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. Some procedures and protocols on cruise ships have changed to address public health concerns since the global COVID-19 pandemic. My husband had been to a number of these cities on business and wanted me to visit them too, and this makes it sound easy. Check with your Viking agent or your travelagent (or your MyVikingJourney online portal if youre already booked on a cruise) to learn the latest protocols aboard the ship and in the countries that youll be visiting. Rosetta. Thank you for great information and insights! Europe Laundry List; China Laundry List; Russia Laundry List; Vietnam Laundry List We are doing the Salzburg Highlights but just read its a 2 hour bus ride each way. We cant say enough about how well-run and maintained the ships are. Also, what shore excursions do you recommend while in Budapest? Their crew is well-trained and genuinely appears to want to make you happy. The ships' specialty dining venues, Manfredi's (Italian) and The Chef's Table also are included in your cruise fare, and you just need to make a reservation to pick a time to dine in either of these places during your cruise. 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 The crew communicates with each other quite well. Frankly, I dont think you can go wrong either way, but theyre two very different experiences. Self-service laundry on a cruise ship is often free, but there may be a charge of up to $3.50 to use the machines and $2 for detergent, depending on the ship. This is Vikings way of accounting for guests. Great service sounds like Viking! Have a great cruise! Also, for individualized tours try Tours by Locals (weve had EXCELLENT tours in many, many cities including Europe, India, Malaysia, Thailand), or AirBnBs tours. 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. Is there any laundry facility available on the Viking Mars? We had to have our luggage packed and placed outside our stateroom door by 7:00 am on the day of the switch. Price lists are available in each stateroom. That worked well as we enjoyed some nice non-touristy lunches and other walks and tours on our own. Otherwise, we had a brand new crew. I am going on a Christmas Market cruise with Viking in 2024. Not everyone needs to go on excursions. They also are known for providing little touches that many guests appreciate. Have fun! We always made sure we were back to the ship on time! Lolly just finished the Grand European tour a week ago (Budapest-Amsterdam). Were planning on a dinner in a town, tour of some beer gardens and lunch in Heidelberg, and just walking around. Id suggest you ask about picking up excursion cards and other details like that once youre on the ship, as some procedures like this may vary a bit. My first question is, without using the laundry service on board , do you have suggestions on washing items in your cabin? Hi Catherine, Im glad the article was helpful. If you think you might do that, you may want to take along a few blank thank you cards to enclose your extra tips, so you can explain why you valued their service so much. 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. Im looking forward to ours next year! 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. There youll find a countdown to departure, background on each port of call, the entire list of excursions available (some are complimentary; others cost extra) that you can book online, a calendar showing your itinerary for each day, and other helpful information about the cruise. Its best to check availability online or ask Viking for the cities youll be visiting. Needless to say, its handy to have small change for tipping. More information on menu choices is below under Meals. Many of the guests are retired, but there were quite a few still working or recently retired. The bar is on one end of the lounge; theres wait service in the Lounge during lunch and in the late afternoon and evening. Likewise, when the ship is ready to leave, it leaves as long as all the guests are accounted for. If you want wine at that time is there a charge? 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. Tipping is the universal way to thank someone for providing excellent service and you will find excellent service on Viking. Youll see all your options on the online My Viking Journey portal when the tours open up prior to your trip. She dies from sadness after her lover Helgi is slain by her brother Dagr, and is later reborn as a Valkyrie herself. 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 Sounds like youve got a great anniversary trip planned, Gary! 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. Our US-based cell phone service does not work outside of the US. You mentioned laundry, and although theres no laundromat on Vikings European river cruise ships, there is a laundry service that you can use. Viking has perfected hospitality on many levels. means the walking could be a little more strenuous or have more stairs or inclines. The general experience on all Viking river cruise ships is the same, no matter what ship youre on. TIP: Take a picture of The Viking Daily each evening before heading to bed. On all river cruises, guests are offered one complimentary shore excursion at every destination. When you return to your room, you will notice the dinner menus for that evening. Many people were. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our Viking river cruise, which transported us in great comfort to some amazing European destinations. If youre interested in figuring out the details, you may want to ask Viking for a bar menu with pricing before making up your mind. Regarding local currency in Hungary, you can head to an ATM once youre there to get the amount of local cash you want. That includes any drinks up to $15 like cocktails, aperitifs, and premium wines by the glass. . Any thoughts on how this might play out for us? 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? Thank you for your informative article! private bathrooms that are separate from the living space. Other times, we were still sailing, so he could not. (Depending on the category of your stateroom, the laundry service may be complimentary.) There is a fee for this service. If you request hangers, things like shirts and jeans come back on hangers instead of folded. Only 190 guests. My husband and I will be sailing with Viking on a Rhine River cruise (Netherlands to Lucerne) this month and our very first river cruise (during a pandemic). Paying upfront might offer peace of mind if you like knowing that its already paid for and you dont have to think about an upcoming beverage bill. 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. How can we arrange individual tours or make dinner reservations if we dont know the times or the port arrangements? Grand Circle offers a paid laundry service on all of its vessels. 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. 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). There is paid laundry service but no dry cleaning. Viking has guest departures timed to match their future travel plans. Hi Cynthia, I bet youre so excited about your upcoming trip! Thanks. Laundry Provide clean linen to support operations, cleans crew uniforms and guest clothes to Viking Standards. Ocean Cruises. WebYou also can do your laundry for free in the ship's self-service laundry rooms (detergent is even provided for you). 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. This is by far THE BEST description and information on Viking River Cruises that I have ever read! They did not offer dry cleaning. The number indicates which ship youre on. Question please, how fast, how good, how expensive? (The price of the package varies, but it comes to about $20 or so a day per person.) The 190-passenger Viking Egil This is one way the crew can account for all guests. We had grown to like the crew on the Skirnir, but we quickly came to like the new ones as well. There are also daily announcements with information on docking and reminders about impending excursion departures. I hope things go smoothly for you and that you have a wonderful time! 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. We are traveling with 8 other people. Prior to dinner, the chef usually introduces the options including his/her recommendations. Ever consider a Viking European river cruise? There is a light buffet available in the Lounge around midday, so youll be able to recharge a bit before the cruise begins a nice treat if you just got off a long flight. Youll find Viking river cruises all through Europe as well as in Egypt and Southeast Asia. On average, how much time did you spend on the boat sailing from each port? Really, just looking for your opinion on longer trips off-ship. We had no problems or complaints. 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. The Aquavit Terrace is one advantage Viking has over its competition. What to Expect on a Viking River Cruises Ship While each of Vikings 73 river vessels is unique, all offer spacious staterooms and suites with full-size verandas, French balconies or half-height picture windows, and amenities comparable to those found in 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. 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. Cheers! And about ATMs, weve used them in Europe without any problems. What does Viking do with our luggage once we check out of the hotel? Its just the nature of this type of travel. I hope you have a wonderful cruise and that things work out for your planned day trips! Just don't forget to include everything you need cleaned, don't forget anything from your pre-cruise stay that you left in your suitcase under the bed in your cabin. Wash and press services are available on all ships for American Cruise Lines. I hope you thoroughly enjoy your Viking cruise next year! Hi Pat, Im so glad you found my article helpful! had some shirts done same day return no complaints That way, youll have current informationand be able to talk to people in the know to see if your plans will work. Crew: 53. As for money, we used a credit card (with no foreign transaction fees) and Euros (very handy for tipping tour guides and purchasing small incidentals). 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! Youll be glad you did! Our luggage awaited us, and our new room keys were on the dresser. us, and our new room keys were on the dresser. I hope you have a wonderful time! 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). Once youre on the ship, youll learn the times that the ship will be docked in a city, so you can plan your day. Thank you for your article and your help! Your best bet is to ask about availability, location, and cost at Guest Services once onboard. We found the onboard communication to be excellent. Viking then allowed us to purchase a no-expiry date voucher towards another cruise an amount they matched. Its a great one! Ever consider a Viking European river cruise? In my experience, the laundry service on Viking has been excellent. A good idea if youre a runner is to check with the reception desk to map out when there will be time in the morning to leave the ship for a jog or run before excursions begin. 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. Its also where youll find freshly baked goodies throughout the day. I hope you two have a fabulous time on your cruise! We do the red eye and get into Amsterdam early morning. We depart in 9 days on the Grand European tour, and this is the best account I have seen weve done a dozen ocean cruises on several lines, but never a river cruise. GREAT INFO. One great thing about Viking is that many times their ships dock right in the towns, so its easy to get off and be on your way to make your own discoveries. Also, dinner is served on the Aquavit Terrace; service begins 15 minutes after dinner service starts in the restaurant. Hi. We thoroughly enjoyed a Viking Ocean cruise in 2019 and have been eager to try river cruising. As for shore excursions, my husband and I enjoyed the walking tour (through Viking) that included the funicular up to Castle Hill. One of the things I like about sailing with Viking is that they arent constantly trying to upsell you. Viking is happy to celebrate your birthdays and anniversaries while onboard. Hi, Considering the Silver Spirits package. 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. So glad I discovered your very informative account of the Viking River Cruise! Required fields are marked *. Your advice about avoiding the far inland tours is wise, I think. Your email address will not be published. Theres an elevator onboard so its easy to travel from floor to floor if you dont want to use the stairs. Members of VantagesPresidents Club (achieved after three Vantage Vacations trips not necessarily river cruises) also receive a 20 laundry credit. I merely want to share our experience on a river cruise with my readers. I hope you have a fabulous anniversary cruise! Just sayin'. Thank you for making me less anxious! As you probably know, Viking offers nice quality wine, beer, and soft drinks free of charge at lunch and dinner. with a German Schuko 2-pin plug that matches the 2-prong outlet in the bathroom. In the morning we would stuff the bag with dirty clothes, fill out the form and leave for the cabin attendant. :D. We've had excellent experiences with Viking's laundry service. Just make sure you are aware of the times the ship will leave the port so you dont miss its departure. Youll be able to find out about the length of bus trips to/from excursions and other related information. Thats because some people end up canceling their reservations for optional excursions. Enjoy your cruise! Stairs connect all the decks plus theres an elevator to service the upper and middle decks. First timer on river cruise. In addition, there are quite a few optional excursions available at an extra cost. You answered my questions about docking locations (though understand they are subject to change) and the Hungarian currency. When we travel to Europe, we notify our carrier before departure. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. And Im so glad I was able to help you prepare for your cruise. The rooms do seem smaller than ocean cruiser rooms: did you stay in your cabin a lot? Located off the main corridor, the library has books you may borrow while aboard as well as abridged newspapers that are prepared for Viking guests daily. On our walk, we passed the Shoes Along the Danube (very moving) and other interesting sights. Trying to guess the weather so we can narrow down what to pack. 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. Doing the Grand European Trip for our 50th in May of 2023. A few guests scheduled independent sightseeing tours, and it seemed to work out well for them. private bathrooms that are separate from the living There are large windows on the port and starboard sides so views are available while cruising the river at mealtime. Before leaving a dock, there may be announcements asking for guests in certain rooms to let the staff know they are on the ship. The optional excursions have smaller groups and are more focused on cultural, recreational, and even culinary experiences. NOTE: This article was completely updated in January 2023 from the original article, written in 2019. To conserve resources, you could easily fill a reusable water bottle from home with water in the rooms. Attire on a river cruise is casual. We dont even know if it is The Sound of Music heavy, and that is kindof why we are doing it. However, short answer: There is a free laundry room (4 washers/4 dryers) on every VIking Ocean ship roughly midships on Port Side of decks 3, 4, 5, 6. We are also thinking of taking an old smart phone and purchasing a SIM card that works in Europe for language translation, directions, and apps to enhance our experience. As you leave the ship, you are handed a bottle of water.
Walker's Funeral Home Hillsborough Nc, Articles A