pontac

I think your deck two is my deck three The two Scenic ships I have cruised on, and all the Viking boats, have 3 decks which have cabins, and one open one at the top. In Scenic the first (lowest) deck is called the Jewel deck (on CC it's called Aquarium or Swan) The second (mid) deck is called the Sapphire The third (upper) deck is the Diamond Deck The open deck above that is the sundeck On Scenic the only place to board/leave the boat is the third - Diamond - deck, unless when rafting one has to cross at the sun deck. On Viking, the main entrance is the second deck and the third can be used when that gives a more level access to the river bank

EU prices include VAT which is 20% in the UK and similar in other countries.

We're in our 70s and I use a stick. We are on the Viking Paris cruise in September so if you can wait till then can let you know. Use Google maps to calculate how long coach ride is if that's a concern. We are on a Scenic cruise right now and although they are OK we prefer Viking. One really bad thing about Scenic for those with mobility issues is the passenger exit is from deck 3 down a gang plank that's steep, has a nasty angle at end and a part that only has rope railings. Viking has exits from decks 2 & 3 and uses one which is closest to land level so most times you can leave boat on horizontal or slight slope using wide ramp with metal hand rails

I live in the UK. All the cruises I've taken bar one the cruise line booked flights on day of departure. Although on our first Rhone cruise we got them to change it to day before as the flight they selected left too early for us. We stayed overnight at Lyon airport hotel and when we saw incoming flight next morning from our room, checked out, crossed road to arrivals and saw the cruise line reps meeting passengers joined them to get coach to boat.

Lanyard on Scenic. What you get depends on what cruise line and cruise. As there is so many please say which you have booked

Breisach - small town, short distance from mooring Strasbourg - coach ride to city Speyer - short distance from boat to city centre Koblenz - basically you will be in town, but it's big. Cologne - basically you will be in town, but it's big. Kinderdijk - boat moors right by the windmills. You have to cross a dike carrying a road, up a slope to the road, down a slope on the other side. If you change wheelchair pushers it should be possible. It's impossible to say. The boat has to moor where the harbour-master specifies.

When talking about Viking cabins one first has to determine which boat. There are differently designed boat used outside Europe. Within Europe Viking generally uses the Longships which are identical in size and design. (On the Seine, Elbe & Douro they uses smaller boats to a similar design) The 55 Longships have 5 types of cabins, in their parlance 'staterooms' on 3 decks. Standard - on lowest deck. This has high (non-opening) window at water level. Known as Aquarium class on this board. French Balcony - on middle deck. This has floor to ceiling window facing water and one half of it can be slid across. (Confusingly, there's no balcony to step out on) Veranda -on middle and upperdeck. This has floor to ceiling window facing water and one half of it can be slid across and there is a balcony with two chairs and a table Veranda Suite - on upper deck. This has bedroom with french balcony and a separate living room with balcony. Explorer Suite - 2 on upper deck at stern. This has bedroom with french balcony and a separate larger living room with wraparound balcony. Floor plans, room descriptions and layouts plus a 360 view can be seen on the Viking website. I have cruised in all but Explorer. Be aware one spends little time in one's cabin if one takes the included excursions. There's a different destination every day.

No, because most passengers will have gone on the excursion. There is a good library on board, drinks stations, nibbles, and the bar. If she's a reader, it's a good chance to sit in the lounge and catch up.

I stayed two nights in a hotel in Budapest at the start of a Viking Eastern Europe cruise in 2019; it wasn't an option pre-extension, it was part of the cruise. I have a copy of the information sheet given on our arrival in Budapest; here's the relevant part - We left our luggage outside the room as instructed and didn't see it again till we entered our cabin. It was a lovely day and we made our own way to the boat. Your cabin may be ready anytime. Viking say that it will be ready by 3pm. If it's ready sooner, you'll be taken to it. We've never had to wait to 3pm, but I suppose the 3pm time allows them leeway. You can board any time. There is an embarkation/disembarkation lunch served 12:00 to 3pm. You are at liberty to leave and board the boat any time. Just ensure you are back before the boat cruises off to its next destination ( according to the newssheet below, before 9pm). Just to give an idea, this is the first of the daily newsletters that was waiting in our cabin Have a great trip.

I have stayed in this class of rooms, and didn't find them noisy. Sometimes, when the boat is moving there's the swish of water but it never woke me and if it was present when I went to bed it soothed me off to sleep. Never had low water so didn't experience the bottom grating. I found we spent little time in the cabin, sleep, using the bathroom and getting dressed. Meals, excursions and events in Lounge seemed to take up the day, and if there was something worth seeing on the river banks, then the sundeck or lounge was the place to be as both banks can be seen. The room is fitted out the same as others. I was quite happy booking there and using the money saved on life's essentials - such as decent wines.. However - Mrs P is too short to see out the high window and she ruled that we can't stay there, so since then we have stayed mostly in French Balcony rooms. Despite the name, there is no balcony, just floor to ceiling glass facing the river with a slide open half. A proper balcony is called a veranda by Viking, and it's really only of use in fine weather, and as others have remarked not if another boat is rafted alongside

I hope you'll enjoy the experience. I've cruised with Viking and Scenic. I think the Viking boats are very well designed .One can sit at the bow with nothing between you and the water but a waist high glass screen. In warm weather we enjoy eating there. Lunchtimes they have a barbecue going there. I like the bathrooms that have nightlights, heated mirrors that don't steam up, and underfloor heating. And toiletries that aren't screwed to the wall The boat seems so uncluttered and light, with a glass roof over the stairwell/reception area. There are two self serve drinks stations so I've not found a long wait and if ne machine is being serviced, the other is working. I think Viking over delivers on it's promises.

@Host Jazzbeau - I've got two upcoming Scenic cruises and I've been watching tumbleweed in the Scenic section of All Other River Cruise Roll Calls. Now I've found some river cruise roll calls in the Ocean Roll calls. Not surprising as it's titled Scenic Luxury Cruises Roll Call. Any chance of you having a word with the CC powers in charge about retitling it say Scenic Ocean Cruises Roll Call. And while they're doing that, now Saga do both Ocean and River cruises, perhaps Saga Cruises Roll Call should be similarly changed

That's the important thing! I can give you a tip on how to save money by not having to buy coffee and food at airports. Simple, travel business class and all that and more is free to help yourself to in the business class lounge.😁

It wasn't an option when we booked in 2014 and both our friends, with whom we travelled, and us agreed we'd like to cruise the Douro again but we wouldn't book unless we could do just the cruise. Mrs P and I had been to Lisbon many times on business and if we want to go on vacation to that lovely city then its easy to arrange from the UK. As soon as Viking offered just the cruise our friends booked it, and it was on our list for this year. However, as a combination of discounts and recommendations from our CC host, we are going on the longer 11 day cruise with Scenic (Porto>Porto) starting Friday next week. Scenic also do a Lisbon>Porto option with a shorter cruising element Maybe they're not offered on the American site, but here we have Viking's 10 day Portugal’s River of Gold (Lisbon>Porto) and the 8 day Douro’s Valleys & Vineyards (Porto>Porto)

@Roz Good point about tips. I forgot about them. @Janie1229 may want to tip Guides and coach drivers and Euros will be the local currency The airport is physically in France, so Euro is the local currency 😉

Unless you can move here before the end of the month you're out of luck. Viking have sites in Australia, UK & USA and their offerings are aimed at each country and are different

If you are in UK and are making a new booking for a 2025 Europe river cruise then the offer is valid till 30 June. Phone 0800 101 3500. I'll scan advert and post here in an hour or two - Mrs P has just informed me I am to accompany her toe the shops.

If you are on Rhine Getaway cruise you will not have any time in Switzerland. The boat will dock in Basel overnight and you will depart the ship to the airport the following morning. There are no excursions so you won't need tip money and it's a short ride to the airport. There's no charge to use toilets at the airport. I reckon you can get by with a credit card, but only you know whether you like to buy coffees etc in local restaurants. Netherlands and Germany both use the Euro, so if you are happier with cash get say €100. We've carried the same amount of Euros on our trips for years and the only time we used them was to get coffees (we didn't want) to get out of the cold and rain on an excursion to Strasbourg. If you don't take cash and find you really need it, you can use your card in an ATM

I too dislike such 'cruises' which involve long coach trips and hotel stays. But they are popular, mostly it seems to me, with Americans who want to see as much of Europe as they can, which is understandable considering the long and costly flight they've taken. Last year I took a Viking 8 day Rhone cruise called Lyon & Provence which cruised from Avignon to Lyon, but a very large contingent had booked a 12 day cruise titled Paris to the Swiss Alps. The cruising element was the same; they joined the ship in Avignon after being bussed from Switzerland and at the end of the cruise were bussed from Lyon to Paris - with a stop at the American cemetery in Luxembourg and a lunch break in Reims, Champagne. The cruise also is taken by those who book France's Finest, which combines with the Paris & the Heart of Normandy cruise and involve a coach ride between Paris and Lyon - but no hotel nights! Many of the cruises that feature hotels at the beginning and end are also available to book just the cruise element. Another that comes to mind is the Douro which many lines start with a few days in Lisbon before a long coach ride from Lisbon to Porto where the boat is.

So do I when we went with Viking. Looking at the current cruise tho', it appears neither are supplied now.

I've not been on an ocean cruise but from reading this forum over the past few years it seems they have nothing in common except having a boat and water. If you want multiple bars and dining options or theatre quality shows then you'll not find them on river cruises. You will moor in the centre of historic cities and be able to walk off the boat when you like, and back on without any formality. You will have wine, beer and softdrinks included with meals and you can bring drinks from outside onto the boat and consume them. You can see the price as including everything, food, drinks with meals, entertainment and sightseeing. Depending on the line and offers, you might have gratuities included. I'd suggest reading this forum and paying special attention to the trip reports. Any specific questions, please ask.

Excursions offered are not necessarily the same in both directions, so it's important that you say which direction you are travelling. Included excursions are generally walking or coach & walking tours of the city/towns you moor in. They are good for giving a feel for the area and there's usually some free time at the end for you to look around/buy a drink/snack/souvenir before the guide returns you to the boat. In Vienna an optional (i.e. extra cost) excursion is the evening Strauss and Mozart concert. I have been twice and enjoyed it greatly. However it's only offered on the Budapest to Regensburg sailing. I'd suggest looking at the excursions offered in on your sailing and choose the ones you are interested in, then search this forum - using the white box at top right - for the main part of the name of the excursion or the city in which its in. I searched just now for 'strauss' and I found this thread that should interest you - @CCJack has replied in detail about excursions on Romantic Danube cruise https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2967180-danube-waltz-recommended-excursions/

There are a great number of river cruise lines; if you have already booked then the website or brochure should say or phone the company. If you haven't yet booked then whether a cruise line includes meals at hotels may affect you booking. In my experience with Scenic and Viking meals at hotels, other than breakfast, are not included. This gives you the freedom to eat at other than the hotel should you wish, and the freedom to go out all day sightseeing without needing to return for lunch at the hotel.

On a recent river cruise I connected via CDG going out and AMS return and I preferred AMS - but.... You know the flight numbers, find out which terminal they arrive in and depart from (Google the flight numbers if you haven't been given terminal info). Then, using the maps on the airport websites you can judge how far apart they are. AMS is large, but it'll be all one level moving from the arriving flight to the departing flight and it's just a matter of following the (clear) signs) But, it's a 40m shorter flight from CDG to Detroit, and a slightly shorter flight from Basel to CDG. Other things being equal, that would make CDG the favourite with me.

We did this trip last year, on the Delling. For info about the cruise, see my trip report, then any questions please ask. Trip Report - Lyon & Provence - Viking Denning 15 - 21 August 2023 - River Cruising - Cruise Critic Community My tip: as it's your first river cruise, just relax and go with the flow, and don't expect it to be the same as an ocean cruise. The two things they have in common are a boat and water. PS: to connect with others on this cruise, see here https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2949773-all-2024-lyon-provence