randyjoan

Thanks for the feedback. I wasn't asking to compare these two itineraries (they happened to fit our schedule) as much as I wanted comparisons of the two cruise lines. I do appreciate the comments.

Hi, all, we are multiple ocean cruisers and land-tour veterans wanting to take our first river cruise this summer for our 50th anniversary. Could we get some opinions on Avalon vs Viking? Folks we know love and swear by Viking. Avalon appears a bit more pricey, but the cabins look larger. The Avalon agent we spoke with called Viking "the Wal-Mart of river cruises". True? What does that make Avalon? The cruises we are considering are Vikings Belgium and Holland and Avalon's Basel to Amsterdam. Thoughts, anyone?

Wow ...that's what I'm afraid of. Thanks for the responses. When was this cruise? Was it Viking?

We see Viking has resumed trips to China. We had a trip there scheduled and canceled because of the pandemic and are wondering if it is worth the health risk, not to mention the political climate and the idea of contributing money to that immoral country. We talked to Viking about their15-day Classic China in September or October. Thoughts, anyone?

Thanks for the replies. Roz, we’re sailing on the Oosterdam, which I’ve seen mixed reviews.

We're not looking for in-depth experiences, but just want to make sure we see enough of the continent.

Thanks for the responses. Anything else we need to know about the cruise, the ship or recommended excursions? So you go through the Drake passage twice? I better bring a lot of patches!

We have a deposit down on the Dec. 16 to Jan. 6 cruise to Antarctica, starting in Buenos Aires. What do folks think about this trip? How difficult is the Drake Passage? And, is there anyone looking to join us in booking some excursions?