jiminyC_fan

It must all depend on the cruise or perhaps by using a travel agent. We booked 8 months out and had our seats the very next day. We told our travel agent our preference when flying and he chose the seats for us. For fun, I compared our flights just to see if we got a deal and we majorly saved by booking with Viking.

Shout out for Viking. Just got back and it was perfect.

CWRob, thanks again for your report along the way that helped me on our cruise following yours. Sorry you had the electrical issues along the way. I guess they worked out the bugs since we didn't have problems. I even packed a flashlight just in case, haha. I'm happy that Viking contacted you. Karyzma (Charisma) was our favorite server. Her sense of humor was fantastic. Hope you didn't miss the talent show that Pam, Karyzma and Kyle were in. Way too funny! Going into Budapest was our highlight. It was FREEZING but well worth fighting the cold to see the spectacular night view. I found it funny that you and I had different program directors. We had Sonya. She was fantastic as well. Other than the horrible jet lag, which isn't Vikings fault, we had a wonderful time.

Although the dinner hour on our Viking cruise was at 7pm, we generally arrived around 7:10 to avoid a crush around the dining room doors (one of the things that I disliked about our ocean cruises). The friends we often dined with one time didn't arrive until nearly 7:30, and no one made a fuss about it, not an eyebrow was even raised. As others have said, dinner was a relaxed affair; a time to enjoy the food and drinks and courses were not rushed. And yes, most evenings we were in the dining room until 9-9:30pm and no one seemed out of sorts to have us there. We had some very pleasant conversations in the dining room with our new "friends".

I'm sorry to say that arriving late to dinner whether on an ocean cruise, a river cruise or anywhere for that matter is rude and hard on the servers and your tablemates. I wouldn't like you sitting at my table late and then I have to wait for the server to play catch up with you. It also puts off the timing for other tables as they pretty much serve each course at the same time throughout the dining room. Maybe you didn't see anyone raise an eyebrow but I know on my cruise it became a topic of conversation at the table about those that chose to name their time to eat. It really isn't difficult walking into the dining room at the appropriate time on a river cruise especially since the ships have few guests. Please don't encourage others to be late.

Just wondering what your beef is with Viking (sorry to hijack the thread here...)

 

It doesn't appear that you have ever travelled with them, and yet you appear to take any opportunity to bash them.

 

Is there something in the past that has affected your opinion to the point that you can't even see their name in print without getting anxious and responding?

 

Or, are you somehow hooked up with another company, and are hoping that your comments will drive people away, and towards something else?

 

Most lines have their cheerleaders - and most also have some people that will never travel with them again. But you seem determined to trash Viking at every turn without (unless your posted sailing list isn't complete) every having travelled with them.

 

 

 

Fran

I have to admit that I noticed the same thing and it was beginning to bother me. Thank you for speaking up!

We are on the Viking Magni right now and I just want to say that we have zero complaints. It is exactly what was sold to us. The staff, the food, the cabin, the ship all perfect.

Great flights for us as well but we were able to choose our flights ahead of time. If I remember correctly, we paid a surcharge to do that and it worked out great. I compared if I booked myself or used Viking air and Viking saved us BIG TIME.

If I would have any complaint about Viking it would be that the pillows are way too soft, lol. But in all honesty, I do realize we all like different firmness in pillows and they can't please everyone.

We are perfectly happy not having the ocean cruise entertainment. It is much more laid back and relaxing. If you want to be entertained then perhaps an ocean cruise should be considered. I think there is a difference for a reason.

I don't think that is really what people are suggesting.

 

We all know that there were major problems earlier this year due to the flooding and that many people had a distinctly sub-standard holiday during that time, but how people reacted to that and their expectations of what Viking and other cruise lines could/should have done vary considerably.

 

At one extreme, for some, anything less than the perfect holiday they imagined based on the brochure pictures is a complete failure and should justify a 100% refund along with further compensation ...

 

On the other-hand, some accept that river cruising comes with certain variable risks, they made the best they could of what was going on, appreciated the efforts made to deal with the changes at short notice and were appreciative of the discount offers they received on future cruises.

 

Both groups of people had the same experience, they just reacted differently to it.

 

I have in the past managed large groups of customer service staff and currently I travel globally on a very regular basis so I get to both see service staff handling travel problems frequently and I've also in the past been able to review recordings of customer/staff interactions and I've learned a lot from this.

 

I will often observe a member of staff providing exemplary service delivery but be unable to give the customer what they want because it is either impossible or the customer is just not entitled to what they are asking for. In those cases the customer will frequently report the service delivery as 'rude', 'unhelpful' even 'arrogant' etc. when there really was nothing of that tone in the conversation at all.

 

When we don't get what we want it tends to color our perception of the interchange and there isn't a lot that can be done to change that.

 

So no, it is not that some deny the existence of problems for those reporting them, it is just a reflection of different expectation levels and different understanding of the product and what was reasonable or unreasonable.

 

For the OP, delayed flights followed by ham sandwiches are barely worth a mention, most likely a member of the reception staff tried to help out, without access to the normal process and procedures used by the catering staff to cope with specific dietary needs. If there had been no recognition of the notified special meal needs during main meal service that would have been a problem worthy of note, but even then only if it happened again after the first correction.

 

Chipped/cracked plates etc. should be reported, no food establishment should allow that to continue.

 

Balconies looking into other balconies is a normal situation on river cruises, made worse in this case by a lack of regular movement along the river, but still a fact of life at times.

 

So in short, was this a perfect experience for anyone? No, of course not, neither for those on holiday, nor for Viking having to pay for hotels and additional travel costs, but this doesn't mean all river cruises are like this or that all Viking cruises have these major variations.

 

I just read the complaints knowing that when bad things happen and people take it badly it becomes more likely that otherwise small issues will get blown up out of proportion and it becomes harder to get an accurate read on the reported quality of interactions with customer service staff.

 

Nobody is being accused of providing 'false information' just that their perception may be different from that of others looking at the same conversations.

Very well put.

I'm so sorry about your sister. It's hard when you lose a sister to cancer. I just did. I have to agree that I think Viking had a right to ask for something in writing. I don't see that as a bad business practice. I believe there are some that will make up a story just to receive what they feel is fair compensation. This is not your case, however.

Fabulous and helpful review. Thanks!

Glad to hear it was resolved (or at least proved that Viking wasn't the problem).

 

Now, can the Admins change the thread title to protect Viking's reputation?

I was thinking the same thing.

I would highly recommend the Eagle Creek Packable Daypack (available on Amazon.com). Its greatest virtue is that it folds up into a package about 6" on a side and one inch thick. It's not the greatest backpack, but it stows well, and it held our gear really well when we needed to carry jackets, laptop, iPads, etc. On both of our cruises we've gone with carry-on luggage only, and this is an ideal backpack for light packers!

 

George

Thank you very much.

This might be a lame question but do you find the need for a back pack during the tours? We are thinking about getting a pacsafe backpack if needed. We were thinking for rain gear, cameras etc. Thank you.

I don't want your cruise to end. I'm enjoying reading about it everyday.

Oh my goodness FotoPeg, loved your story. That is so funny.

My husband jokingly said that you walk through the other boats. Guess he was right!

WOW, they sure get close! Great picture. I'm not worried about it just curious.

Edited to ask a dumb question. How do you embark or disembark when they park so close? I'm guessing you must board from the rear.

I've read about double docking, or "rafting," of the Viking river boats and am curious if your boat has been tied up alongside another one in any of the ports, because doing so blocks views for people like you with balcony staterooms. Also wondering if you could weigh in on the optional shore excursions offered by Viking.

I was wondering about the double tie up as well. Just this morning I was wishing we knew in advance of the optional shore excursions so I could do research.

Keep up the great report!!! I look forward to reading it everyday.

LOVING this. Thanks so much! We sail in Nov for the Grand European but on the Magni.

Thank you FotoPeg. I loved reading your thoughts on the subject.

Thank you InnLady1.

Where can you find compression stockings?

Holland could go to having ecompmy passengers fare anf they are confined to specific areas of the ship and limited services, minimal services change the sheets once a week, same with towells. limited buffet. etc

where the suite passenger and superiour cabins say the top 30 %would get exclusive access to the prime lounges and economy passengers would be barred, have liquor included and be exempt from speciality restauraunt charges. and have half the ship as exclisive to them and them alone.

In this way you could have a niche within a niche by giving passengers to high end passengers hi end benifits that the others could not use or enjoy. The Cunard thing is a classic case.... bring it back:rolleyes:

Anyone picturing the Titanic like me? Not an idea for me. I don't believe in segregating "classes" of people.