Bailey Swedishfish

We just did Viking's Zurich to Paris and spent time in all three cities. Zurich is a lot bigger than Lucerne and is on Lake Zurich. There's two nice Christmas markets there, one in the Hauptbahnhoff (train station) and has a lot of fun shopping and dining. The other is down in the old town near the lake and was very nice--altho it rained our first night, we went the second and had fun.  Since we'd been to Zurich before, on our second day there, we hopped a train and rode the 40 minutes or so (very scenic) to Lucerne and we spent the day walking around, having lunch in a tiny pub and just enjoying the scenery.  On our last day in Zurich, we checked out and took the Viking bus to Basel and did the walking tour and spent time wandering the city.  I love all three and each has a different feel and vibe. Mt. Pilatus and the other snow-capped mountains are visible and add a lot of mountain charm to Lucerne.  Zurich is much more metropolitan and business-related and modern. Basel has a lovely old town and interesting Christmas market. Lucerne is a lake-side mountain town.  I agree with the others that Switzerland is very expensive--be prepared.

We just returned on Tuesday from the Zurich to Paris Viking trip, and we ended up an extra night in Koblenz due to high water on the Moselle.  We were able to bus for the day excursion to Trier with a short stop in Cochem, and it was clear the water was way up. By the time we returned to our ship in Koblenz, they were given the all-clear to head up the Moselle to Trier with a day stop in Bernkastel-Kues, which was fun. We hiked up to the castle and wandered the vineyards and Christmas market. By the next morning, when we disembarked our ship in Trier, the water had risen again from overnight rain and the ship was going to be delayed in getting to Cologne for overwintering. We were there on Dec 19-20-21.  In Paris, the Seine was up quite a bit.  One of our excursions during the trip was Worms-Heidelberg and we got caught in a torrential downpour with heavy wind during our walking tour of Worms. It made for a chilly damp remainder of the day!  (My jeans were soaked to my knees...)  BUT! In spite of the rain, we had absolutely gorgeous warm weather--it was in the 60s with glorious sun the day we cruised the middle Rhine.

There are flavored syrups on the ships at the coffee stations. :-)

19 hours ago, sumiandkage said:

 

One of my bigger complaints about Viking in general is that there is a lot of poor communication, even when nothing is really going wrong. They seem to be not great at what should be simple questions like 'I'm getting on my ship in Basel today. Where is it?' and 'How much longer before out tour bus meets up with our docked ship?'  It's kind of mushroom-like and at some point, they're going to have to fix those issues as more and more of their guests demand the kind of easy communication you get from other parts of the travel sector.As my sister says 'Delta can tell me the gate for my connecting gate has changed from T5 to E18 to D27 in a giant airport in the course of 15 minutes. Why can't Viking tell me which of three ports out ship parked at in the early morning hours?'

 

I also felt like they tended to take the long route to get from place to place with the bus at times so we could enjoy looking at the countryside from the bus windows rather than getting to wander through some even more interesting small town even longer. So I can see them deciding to route the bus from dock to town by way of Andorra or something. 

In your travel documents is the email of the ship. We email them directly for questions like yous and usually get prompt accurate answers. We tried to get that info from Viking HQ and have been directed to the specific ship. Given conditions change quickly, the ship will have the most updated info about docking locations and departures.  And yes, we laugh that we take the long slow scenic bus ride TO the destination but seem to hit the highway back to the ship and cut travel times by  half. I guess they figure we're all awake in the morning and want to see the sights. By 4pm, all ya hear on the bus is snoring. 

Viking doesn't have any control over where the ship is docked-that's the port authority's responsibilities. Viking's responsibility is to get passengers safely from point a to point b.  Viking also has no control over passage through locks or canals-again, that's at the discretion and management of the port authority.  

Viking does have the obligation to provide a travel experience that meets the intended published experience of fine dining, a clean well presented ship, friendly staff,  and daily activities that are interesting to as many people as possible. We have found Viking does an amazing job of trying to juggle unforseen or short notice changes and itinerary issues with as much flexibility and communication as possible. But given that the company is staffed by human beings, no amount of corporate culture or training can offset someone who isn't well suited to a particular role, or goes rogue. (I'm in the business of customer service. People are not robots as much as we would like them to be.)

$10,000 is a lot to spend on a vacation, whether it's Viking or any other cruise line or vacation. We all approach this use of disposable income with different levels of expectation and entitlement.  None of us can presume to know each other's level of disappointment. We've done 13 river and 1 ocean cruise with Viking--some better than others.  We like the brand and we know that even if our expectations aren't met, when we've shared our concerns  WITH Viking (and not random strangers on the internet) appropriate responses, action or compensation have been generally acceptable to us.  Complaining is all about style--some do it discreetly and others like the world to know.  Whatever. We tend to give the benefit of the doubt as most problems are never caused by the most obvious source.

I don't eat any fish or seafood and found that to be predominantly featured on many of their menus--either as a salad/appetizer or entr?e. There is always a vegan entr?e on dinner menu and salmon is always available as their fish choice (if you don't care for the other daily options...which usually include a fish entr?e.)

Yes--this is YOUR vacation. You can do as much or as little as you like. You can tag along on tours, you can hop off the ship and do your own thing (as long as you're aboard before sailing) or you can lounge to your heart's content. You do not need to notify anyone (unless it's a paid trip--like the concert in Vienna for example) if you don't plan to participate. If you do go on a tour, you are welcome to steal away during the tour too--as long as you notify the tour director or guide (so when they do a head count they know you're accounted for.)

We've done this itinerary 3 times and each time we change it up and do something different.

PS--edited to add: There are some stretches along the river where you do cruise during the day so you have a "break" between tours and days in port. You might be able to get your fill of "chill" during the cruise times...

I don't drink tea but have friends at home that do, so I always stop in a grocery in town and pick up tea for them. You can do that and "sample" the local stuff!

Osijek is 25 km up the Drava River from the Danube. Viking says "Wake up in Vukovar and have breakfast before your excursion to the Croatian city of Osijek." The port is Vukovar (along with Dubrovnik the most damaged Croatian cities in the "late unpleasantness"). It has been 10 years since I have been in Vukovar, but at that time maybe half the buildings were still abandoned due to artillery damage. I have been in areas of western Croatia where I encountered burnt out houses (presumably Serb owned) spray painted with "Remember Vukovar". Couple that with the three giant crosses on what was the Croatian artillery site that leveled much of Mostar (Bosnia) and unfortunately I'm not confident that the "unpleasantness" will not occur again. Ignoring the war damage and savagery, it is a beautiful area; go while you can.

Agreed. I don't doubt there will be trouble again. I think the younger people are trying to move on and forge new lives but the pain and hurt and resentments aren't far under the surface. Most of our guides were eager to discuss how much they suffered and lost during the war. Everyone was incredibly nice and open to outsiders and eager to spread their story, but without fail, most spoke of how there wasn't ever any attempt at reunification or formal forgiveness.

We did this trip in the spring and really enjoyed it. It as dreary in Belgrade which fit the mood of the city. It was chilling to walk through Vukovar and, on a side trip, passed fields with landmine signs still posted. The war isn't that far distance and the people and area are still recovering. (And from the fall of communism.) Bucharest was really pretty and is definitely going to be a stunner when it's fully revitalized. We did not visit the big parliament building--it held no interest for me given the anguish and pain the Romanians endured under that regime.

The Iron Gate is amazing and many stretches of the river seem virtually empty. It's VERY dark out at night!

Apologies if this has been answered--I haven't had time to read the other responses.

YES, you upgrade with Delta, not through Viking. We book with Viking and pay the additional $50 a person to tell them which flight we want. They book it. Once it's in Delta's system, you can go in and do your seat upgrades. ONLY thing you need to be aware of, if your booking several months out, Viking doesn't release your flight data to Delta upon your booking. We think they batch them out...so you might check with Delta and not see your reservation. Tell Viking you want to upgrade your seats while they're available and to release your seats ASAP.

You will get an invitation to the Captain's Cocktail reception 2-3 days into your trip depending on the itinerary. It will be on the bed with your Daily Information sheet. You are invited every time your cruise after your first trip. There's an open bar, nice appetizers and a toast with Aquavit with the Captain. It's fun to meet other cruisers who've taken many Viking trips and you get to chat with the Captain (providing he's able to converse in English!) the Hotel Manager and the Cruise Director. It's a lot of fun.

When you get back to you room, you'll have two Viking shot glasses waiting for you. We have a large collection of them now, and give them away! :-)

My only suggestion to Viking (and I've shared it on their survey form) is they should have the name of the ship engraved on the glass.

The Heart of Germany is a great trip on the Main. Also, the Danube Waltz includes a lot of time in Austria and Germany.

Dinner is offered in the Viking lounge as well as the dining room. We've only done dinner once in the lounge so I'm not sure what menu is offered--altho I do know it's an abbreviated version of the big dinner.

The alternative menu in the dining room, offered on the right side of the evening menu is ribeye steak with chimichurri and steak fries, bbq chicken breast with mashed potatoes, salmon with a side (never ordered) and Caesar salad.

Leaving town till next year, so my list is early this year:

 

Here's my wish for all of us for 2017:

 

1. No terrorist attacks or political upheavals ANYWHERE;

2. No airline strikes, job actions or weather delays;

3. No lost luggage;

4. No lock failures and stable water levels on all rivers;

5. Tulips blooming from April to June;

6. Wonderful shore excursions and guides who don't walk too fast;

7. Good food, great wine and interesting table companions;

8. No 3 a.m. passport face checks (those on Budapest-Bucharest get it!); (OMG--yes, BTDT)

9. New friends.......and last but not least:

10. A winning lottery ticket to pay for it all!!

 

 

 

Happy, Healthy and Safe 2017 for all of you. :D:D:D

Same to you!! Happy travels!

I have to add two more--you can wedge it in between 6 and 7:

6 1/2: Unlocked bathrooms and guides who aren't camels.

6 3/4: Departure flights at reasonable times so you don't have to be off-ship at 3:45am.

You are going to love it. Prague is beautiful, but be sure to get off the beaten path away from the main tourist squares (go a few blocks in any direction) and you'll find lovely little restaurants and bars. Beer is cheaper than water in Prague. It's home to the original Budweiser which is much much better than the American Bud.

We've done the Danube Waltz (basically 3 times) and love that itinerary. Passau is lovely, we like Melk and Durnstein, who doesn't love Vienna and Budapest is my favorite city in the world. It's stunning. We were in Nurenberg for the start of our Heart of Germany cruise and it was chilling to be at the **** Party Rally grounds. If you go up the top where Hitler would have stood--it smells of urine. Many people go up there and pee on it as way to dishonor him. Fortunately we were there in the winter so...the smell wasn't too bad.

You are going to have a fabulous time. The cities are all incredibly beautiful and have so much to offer. The Wachau Valley is also very pretty to sail through.

The ONLY thing I find on this cruise that gets a bit tedious--and it might be my own undoing--(because we go to all the Christmas markets and eat ourselves silly) is that the food on this cruise is pretty heavy. I found it got repetitive--but it could have been the bajillion sausages and dumplings and potato pancakes and chocolates and gluhwein and-and-and I was snarfing off ship that filled me up before I got back on board. At that point, a salad would have been welcome relief. Instead we got roast pork, roast lamb, big hearty meaty vegetable-scant entrees...

Enjoy!

Our earliest cruise, when it was first becoming popular, there was a lot more talk about who to tip, when to tip and general range of % of tip. I think many guests had questions and were unsure, so the CD was quick to remind. But it wasn't high pressure or repetitive. I think it was more "here's the custom if you choose to follow it."

8 cruises on Viking and aside from the information on the 2nd to last night when they go over check out--there's really been no mention of tips.

I do find some people are offended even at the mention of tipping--as if even discussing it is a play for a tip. I find it to be more informational--if you want to tip, here's how to do it and what we'd suggest as a tip amount.

I think every Viking cruise we've been on, we've observed people with wheelchairs or walkers. I'd say I've seen a mix of folks who are fairly nimble and mobile with their walkers--and I've also seen some without assistive devices who look like a stiff wind would knock them over. We've observed people falling off busses, falling over cobblestones, falling off bar stools (oh wait, that might be a different issue...) and on our recent Lyon trip, one gal twisted her ankle so badly she required a hospital visit. Europe isn't ADA compliant--so I am not sure how much Viking is to blame for that.

I'm sorry your husband didn't get to enjoy the full travel experience. I'm sure that was disappointing. But I don't think that's really Viking's responsibility. When you think about river levels (up and down) and gangways and access to the river fronts and where roads and parking lots can be located, it just seems like common sense would indicate you don't just walk off the boat and onto a bus without some measure of effort. Even just getting up and down bus steps require some mobility.

And FWIW, I work in a CCRC in long term care. I'm extremely familiar with the abilities and agilities of people with mobility issues. I'm always incredibly impressed with Viking's cruise directors and staff who go beyond expectation in making sure the slowest guest is included and not forgotten or left behind. We've seen them holding hands, helping push (2) wheelchairs at once down a ramp, helping people up and down stairs and uneven surfaces...they most definitely put themselves at risk by assisting others. (Their own safety, their own risk of being sued for not assisting someone correctly...)

We just returned Friday from Castles and Legends (Munich-Salzburg then Passau to Budapest) trip and were en-route to Vienna the evening of the Berlin market attack. We were at dinner in the dining room and my phone started going nuts with texts from family at home wondering if we were ok. (Which, no one apparently knows European geography...) We were all heartsick over what happened. I don't think it stopped anyone on our trip (that we spoke to at least) from going to the markets or being in public.

We did see increased security at the market in Budapest...but nothing extraordinary in Bratislava or Vienna.

In Budapest we passed a large armored vehicle with a cordoned-off area. There was a small backpack laying on the ground and it was taped off with police ribbon and several police/security walking around discussing the situation. They must not have considered it to be terribly dangerous because people were still permitted to walk past on the sidewalk.

A lot of the markets are set up in the old town areas which are already mostly pedestrian with limited vehicular access. But honestly, I'm not sure how anyone could stop a truck running at full speed into a crowded market--the bollards in place don't look beefy enough to stop something like that.

I've been to all five and would say Budapest is by far my favorite. There's lots to see and do (even with multiple visits) and it's stunningly beautiful and pedestrian friendly. It's affordable, has lots of great restaurants and shops and the people are really friendly.

Yes--the bathrooms are unlocked and available. It's by the rear exit.

In the wintertime the toilets are winterized--so there is no running water in the hand sink to wash your hands. You might want to have some hand sanitizer or hand wipes (baby wipes) on you to clean up. (I travel with them anyhow--)

We have found potty stops to be hit or miss. I'm not too proud to get up and use the bus potty when the need arises. I have to laugh when the activities person says "the bus bathrooms are for emergency use" ..when is the need to pee (or otherwise) NOT an emergency??? :D

We always book directly with Viking--we do not use a TA.

Do your research ahead of time and know what your flight numbers are. We live in MN so we prefer to use Delta and fly in and out of MSP to AMS. They are very accommodating.

We like Viking for most of the reasons offered in the linked article.

We found on the recent Rhone trip in November that the passenger average age was considerably younger that on previous trips. We are mid-50s and are almost always the youngest by at least 10-15 years. We are well outnumbered by 70+ travelers. I don't mind (I work in retirement living) but this trip was fun in that we travelled with people much closer in age and agility. I am hoping their marketing continues to skew towards a younger crowd or at least attracts a bit of a mix.

We like the Scandinavian design--neither of us are big fans of heavy dark colors and curtains. We are self-sufficient and don't require a butler or additional care. We do like the onboard laundry service. We treat the ship like a floating hotel and come and go at our leisure--not always tied to the scheduled activities or tours.

My husband and I just returned on Wed (yikes, jet lag be gone!) from the Rhone. We were on Viking Avignon to Lyon.

We were unable to sail on up to Macon due to high water on the Soare river and the captain told everyone during the Daily Briefing that there was no way he was risking the ship trying to go under low bridges. I'm thinking the accident earlier this year has resulted in greater caution.

We enjoyed our day in Lyon-- my hubby had come down with a serious head cold during our trip (along with half the boat) so we opted not to take the side trips offered. Those that went said it was great, and that bussing was no big deal.

My bigger gripe was that taking this trip in November was a kind of a waste. Everything is closed. I appreciate that it's end of season and that's why we got such a good deal, but I think Viking should skip the end of season deals and just cut this cruise short like they do Windmills and Tulips. Every little gorgeous town was shuttered up and we didn't do any real shopping or poking around in shops til we got to Lyon.

I will add, we didn't realize (bad research on our part--we just jumped on the shiny offer) that we were in France over Armistace. That's a big three day holiday weekend so that didn't help matters. Beautiful countryside, gorgeous sightseeing but not much to do.

Hello Baileyfish,

 

what an evening to remember for your boys. The can come back in later years to see the castles, but they are unlikely to "have a blast" with a ship crew again. :)

 

So odd that you should be finding out the shop is near home when standing in Rothenburg! There are actually a few shops, but still only one in the US: Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Berlin, Heidelberg, Rüdesheim, Bamberg, Nürnberg, Oberammergau, Riquewihr (that is in Alsace/France), Bruges (Belgium), Stillwater (US) and York (England).

 

notamermaid

Notametermaid,

I know, my favorite travel memories have more to do with people and events rather than scenery! (That one time in Nelson's Dockyard, Antigua, aboard an English sailboat drinking overproof Cuban rum...) :-)

I've done ancestry and my Mom's family, for several generations, lived in Riquewihr! Also a line for several generation in Niedermorschwihr! Now I can go back and visit the rellie's old stomping ground AND shop!