Viking Rinda Doesn't Dock in Paris

DECEPTIVE ITINERARY - NOT DOCKED IN PARIS

DON'T EXPECT TO SPEND 3 FULL DAYS IN PARIS!

Instead of being in Paris, docked just below the Eiffel Tower, we were docked next to a modern bridge in the small town of Le Pecq, which was 1 hour from Paris, if you were lucky. Traffic made one trip 1 1/2 hours. Instead of walking off our ship to tour Paris at 9:00AM, we got off our shuttle bus at 11:30AM. Viking lied to us as to the reason. They stated it was due to excessive rainfall and the level of the river. The truth is that the Viking Rinda has never docked in Paris, or had a license to dock in Paris. We were never informed of this at any point until we showed up for the ship at the docking location in Paris, where the ship was supposed to be.

Sounds similar to the complaint about Viking boats in an industrial area in Amsterdam instead of the city center. Does anyone know how docking position is determined? I wonder if this has anything to do with Viking putting so many new boats on the river in the past two years.

There is a previous thread on the Rinda and where it is docking

DECEPTIVE ITINERARY - NOT DOCKED IN PARIS

DON'T EXPECT TO SPEND 3 FULL DAYS IN PARIS!

 

Instead of being in Paris, docked just below the Eiffel Tower, we were docked next to a modern bridge in the small town of Le Pecq, which was 1 hour from Paris, if you were lucky. Traffic made one trip 1 1/2 hours. Instead of walking off our ship to tour Paris at 9:00AM, we got off our shuttle bus at 11:30AM. Viking lied to us as to the reason. They stated it was due to excessive rainfall and the level of the river. The truth is that the Viking Rinda has never docked in Paris, or had a license to dock in Paris. We were never informed of this at any point until we showed up for the ship at the docking location in Paris, where the ship was supposed to be.

snfman,

How was the rest of the cruise, food , wine, was there plenty of bottled water available? thanks.We are going in July .

Viking Rinda Dock in Paris is disclosing very clearly on the website.

http://www.vikingrivercruises.com/my-trip/about-my-ship/docking-locations-ports.html

To even call that Paris is misleading, IMO.

The Spirit, Pride and Neptune all dock in Paris while the Longboat Rinda does not. Are the Longboats longer, higher. Something about them that is different about a longboat vs the older ships that cause them to have to dock in further out ports??

That map might help a Parisian . . . Or a taxi driver. But it really gives no clue to a traveler of the location in relation to anything the normal tourist might find. It's lack of frame of reference is a real contrast to the map of the other Paris dock site.

Hello,

when you type in Paris in google maps you get an online of the city boundaries. Then I typed in Le Pecq and google zoomed me right out of Paris to the west of the Seine. It is indeed outside of the "arrondissement" and I do not know if the Parisians would even still call it "peripherique", the outskirts of town, sort of.

The route planner says it will take 32 minutes to get from Le Pecq to a spot at the Seine near the Eiffel tower by car!

That is certainly unexpected, I am puzzled. :(

notamermaid

That map might help a Parisian . . . Or a taxi driver. But it really gives no clue to a traveler of the location in relation to anything the normal tourist might find. It's lack of frame of reference is a real contrast to the map of the other Paris dock site.

Exactly! And I doubt many would bother opening the map, assuming when they say Paris, they actually mean Paris.

Exactly! And I doubt many would bother opening the map, assuming when they say Paris, they actually mean Paris.

I agree! I certainly wouldn't have questioned it, just assumed that since the Seine goes through the city, the boat would dock there along with other boats. I sure would be upset if I were on a boat a half hour or longer drive from the city and then saw many others docked right in town!

DECEPTIVE ITINERARY - NOT DOCKED IN PARIS

DON'T EXPECT TO SPEND 3 FULL DAYS IN PARIS!

 

Instead of being in Paris, docked just below the Eiffel Tower, we were docked next to a modern bridge in the small town of Le Pecq, which was 1 hour from Paris, if you were lucky. Traffic made one trip 1 1/2 hours. Instead of walking off our ship to tour Paris at 9:00AM, we got off our shuttle bus at 11:30AM. Viking lied to us as to the reason. They stated it was due to excessive rainfall and the level of the river. The truth is that the Viking Rinda has never docked in Paris, or had a license to dock in Paris. We were never informed of this at any point until we showed up for the ship at the docking location in Paris, where the ship was supposed to be.

Dear snfman,

We’re sorry to hear that you were misinformed; as a matter of course, we advise guests that we are docked in le Pecq and not at Pont the Grenelle with this vessel. We would like to find out why this information did not reach you and how you were relayed a story of excessive rainfall to have an impact on where it docks. Additionally, we are actively seeking ways to maximize the time guests do spend in Paris, because we understand that time in the city is one of the reasons our guests choose a river cruise on the Seine. For these reasons we hope that you will contact us directly at TellUs@vikingcruises.com so that we my further discuss your experience.

Regarding KathyK13’s comment about Amsterdam, we’d like to take the opportunity to clarify that in general throughout Europe, docking positions are assigned by the port master and they may change with little or no notice. In Amsterdam, while the great majority of Viking’s port stops take place near the central railway station in the heart of the city, we have been assigned a few stops further out. We are working with the port to minimize the number of times this occurs. While we recognize that the outside docking locations are less than ideal, it is worth pointing out that these occurrences are exceptions to the rule.

Again, snfman, we do apologize for the disappointment that resulted from not knowing of the new docking location, being misinformed as to the reason for the change, and the impact that this had on your enjoyment of the cruise. We do hope that you enjoyed the other ports along the river and we hope to hear from you soon so we can get a better understanding of how and where the errors occurred.

Warmest regards,

Viking Cruises

Please contact us directly at TellUs@vikingcruises.com

Actually, Wikepedia lists Le Pecq as a commune in the Ile-de-France and a western suburb of Paris. You can see some of the skyline and La Defense from the Chateau there. But what would bother me is there is no Paris Metro or RER station there. Apparently there is an RER station in Le Vesinet, 1.2 km away from Le Pecq. But then how would you get to the station and God knows how long the suburban train would take to get to the center of Paris. To not be able to walk off your ship and see the Eiffel Tower lit up at night is a major drawback and I would hope the rest of the itinerary makes up for that. But, hey, you're still in France, and maybe Le Pecq is a neat French village to walk around in. Make the best of it is what I say.......

Advice that continues to be given here on Cruise Critic: if your cruise vacation absolutely must have a particular port of call, schedule a land based vacation. Oceania has just changed two calls in Egypt to other countries. High water has stopped the American Queen on the northern reaches of the Mississippi as well as the Tennessee. European river cruises have been impacted by high and low water. Canadian ports have replaced island trips during hurricane season. And every cruise contract gives the various lines the ability to make changes without compensation. In a perfect world these things would not happen; so remember that we do not live in a perfect world.

Whilst I must admit that Viking do take time to address problems here on CC it is obvious to me that all they seem to do is apologise for misinformation given to their customers. Just another reason I would never consider them for any cruise in Europe.

There is an article in today's Wall Street Journal about the record crowds expected in Europe this summer. At one point the reporter raises the question: will the crowding get so bad that tourists just stop coming? So we really are getting to Yogi Berra's point about that favorite restaurant that "nobody goes to anymore because it's too crowded." :D

Whilst I must admit that Viking do take time to address problems here on CC it is obvious to me that all they seem to do is apologise for misinformation given to their customers. Just another reason I would never consider them for any cruise in Europe.

"ALL they seem to do is apologize"…the word "all" seems like an absolute..

in our case…on our first viking cruise there was a mechanical noise repeatedly in our cabin that became more than a little annoying….never did get it fixed…and the on board crew really danced around with excuses…when i notified viking upon our return home they compensated us fairly…which caused us to cruise again with them...

Hello tml1230,

"ALL they seem to do is apologize"…the word "all" seems like an absolute..

 

in our case…on our first viking cruise there was a mechanical noise repeatedly in our cabin that became more than a little annoying….never did get it fixed…and the on board crew really danced around with excuses…when i notified viking upon our return home they compensated us fairly…which caused us to cruise again with them...

Good to hear that you have been satisfied with the cruise line's reaction (in the end, pity they did not fix it / could not fix it immediately). I can imagine that growing annoyance with a little disturbing noise just not going away. Certainly a factor that would dampen my enjoyment of a cruise. Good of the line to acknowledge the noise problem.

notamermaid

I am part of the problem Host Jazzbeau is talking about! Another words, be careful what you ask for! I have been talking up river cruising to everyone, extolling the advantages over ocean cruising, and boasting about my trips, etc. I am sure we are all doing that. People used to scoff at River cruising. You couldn't even read about them in travel books. Now you can hardly open a travel magazine without coming across an article about a River cruise (including the NY Times travel section and even Rick Steves!). And the demographic has been drifting down in age group. Lately we have seen honeymooners and younger couples. We used to be the youngest cruise passengers years ago, and now things have really changed because the public is finally realizing what we have been saying for years about the virtues and success of River cruising. I can't think of a more efficient way to see Europe in one week like on a River cruise. No wonder you can't park downtown anymore!

Viking Rinda Dock in Paris is disclosing very clearly on the website.

http://www.vikingrivercruises.com/my-trip/about-my-ship/docking-locations-ports.html

Also quoted very clearly on the itinerary is this blurb:

Day 2:Paris

Wake up to a full day in Paris. After breakfast, embark on a half-day tour of this dazzling city and take in its most remarkable sights, including the iconic Eiffel Tower. You’ll also see the École Militaire, Orsay Museum and Latin Quarter and the magnificent Cathedral of Notre Dame. Then we’ll drive past the Louvre and Opera House and along the famed Champs-Élysées. Return aboard for lunch. This afternoon you’re free to take in the Louvre, shop the fashionable boutiques, visit the artists’ district of Montmartre or enjoy a cruise along the Seine. As always, your Program Director can help you plan your free time. Dinner is served aboard your ship. (B, L, D)

I'd like to see how they plan to have passengers be able to "return aboard for lunch", and then, "this afternoon....take in the Louvre, etc....." after a "half day tour of this dazzling city".

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Tight, I think. And stressful after all that jet lag and trying to get over it.

"Wake up to a full day in Paris." evokes images of grand buildings on the Seine with the Notre Dame in view at breakfast or the Eiffel Tower just round the corner, doesn't it? Well it only says that you: wake up (anywhere) to a full day (many daylight hours) in Paris (spent in any way possible on a bus, taxi, metro or sitting on a bench or doing sightseeing). Right?

It is like "close to the beach": 100 metres is close even if you have a wide road full of lorries within those 100 metres.

I am not being grumpy, just stating facts.

notamermaid

Notamermaid nails it: our expectations are often based on advertizing which paints a best case scenario and has little to do with the reality that comes with a purchase.

Tight, I think. And stressful after all that jet lag and trying to get over it.

 

"Wake up to a full day in Paris." evokes images of grand buildings on the Seine with the Notre Dame in view at breakfast or the Eiffel Tower just round the corner, doesn't it? Well it only says that you: wake up (anywhere) to a full day (many daylight hours) in Paris (spent in any way possible on a bus, taxi, metro or sitting on a bench or doing sightseeing). Right?

 

It is like "close to the beach": 100 metres is close even if you have a wide road full of lorries within those 100 metres.

 

I am not being grumpy, just stating facts.

 

notamermaid

I agree...caveat emptor....except for the part about waking up "in Paris". Wake up in Paris means "IN PARIS", not in a suburb of Paris. If someone advertised "wake up in glorious Manhattan", and had one in a hotel in Bayonne, that would be more than just semantics.

Also, that description prior to the introduction of the longships was accurate, right down to your description of the view. Why would anyone believe they had to dig deep into the docking information to find out otherwise?

Let me state, however, that despite this, I am still excited about and looking forward to this trip.

From Viking:

We were unable to dock the Viking Rinda in Paris due to a lack of permits being issued by the port authority on time.* It should just be a temporary issue, as we are expecting the ship to dock back in Paris sometime in July.* I would suggest checking back then for updates.* We apologize for any inconvenience.* Thank you for your inquiry.

The Rinda will not be docking in Paris this July.