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Since you’re new you might not be aware that Viking does not dock in Paris but an hour away. The Viking ships are simply too long to dock in Paris. Many other lines actually dock in Paris in view of the Eiffel Tower.

 

 

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This is true! Our Viking trip in April docked in the Paris suburb of Le Pecq. This is a charming, upscale neighborhood with great shopping, cafes, and parks. It is about a 45 minute drive into Paris. Viking then shuttles you into the heart of the city.

This is my first experience with cruise critic. I thought the purpose of posting here was to be helpful, not critical.

Take as little as possible! On our first trip abroad, the airlines lost our checked luggage for the entire trip. Fortunately,

we had cross packed a carry on. We were 10 days in Europe with only 2 changes of clothes. But we made it work by hand washing things in the evening in the hotel sink. And it taught us a valuable lesson: you don't need everything you think you need on a trip! Choose one or two basic colors of clothing. Black is my go to color. You can wear black pants and the same shoes to dinner every night on a cruise by rotating 2 or 3 different tops. Use the shampoo in your cabin to wash and hang underthings and lightweight tops. If you must do laundry on board, some cruise lines give you a drawstring bag, and everything you can fit in the bag is one price. Roll items tightly and stuff! Most importantly, if you take any medications, keep them with you, not in checked bags. I typically take a 10 day supply of antibiotics because European docs do not readily prescribe them. Untreated earaches and UTI's can put a crimp in your plans.

Next May, we are taking our first river cruise on Avalon. We have taken several cruises on Viking, and on our last one, we noticed that many people did not change clothes for dinner. When we first cruised with Viking six years ago, everyone opted for smart casual for dinner, but on this last cruise, people came to the dining room in jeans and tees. Can you please let us know what to expect on Avalon? Our cruise starts in Amsterdam and sails down the Rhine and Mosell to Basel.