debrouillarde

8 hours ago, pontac said:

 

There's no doubt there is limited storage space, but I've had less in modern hotels. .

 

There's one closet with a full drop. I had 5 jackets and 6 trousers and hanged them all and Mrs P had no problem hanging her dresses.  We didn't need them but you can ask for extra hangers, and - hooray - they are proper wood hangers with a hook, not those horrible hotel types you have to wiggle into a slot.

 

There are six shelves which we had three each, plus extra space in second closet, which doesn't have  a long drop because it holds the safe and has a shelf.

 

There's also a drawer (which holds a hairdryer) which we used for small items.

 

pontac, another very detailed post from you. thank you for the information. Glad Mrs P has room for her dresses.  I should be able to give my husband some of MY hanging space for his suit and jacket. Nice to know I can get additional hangers. If the boat is fully booked I thought extra hangers might be scarce. 😉 Deborah

6 hours ago, mhb1757 said:

Nice thing about river cruises, at least it seems to me... no one seems to be paying much attention to what others are wearing. Sport coat at dinner would be absolutely fine assuming you don’t expect others to do the same. 

Plenty of room under the bed for larger suitcase.  If you use packing cubes you could just color code or label them for which portion of the trip you will want to unpack them and it will save you a LOT of packing and unpacking on this trip. 

 

And btw.... I think you made a great decision taking a 7 day river cruise to start out. I love river cruising but 7-8 days at a time is enough for us. More than that and the destinations seem to run together, the small cabins seem to shrink and become confining and the dining options get old. I know lots of others might disagree and all of those are entirely subjective but a week on the River is wonderful for us, 2 weeks, not so much. It will be a great addition to your trip. 

Ron and I use packing cubes, packing folders and compression cubes. They are so very helpful in organizing and when dealing with limited storage. I prefer slow travel so two weeks or longer at a cruise pace has me crossing my eyes and wondering what we saw where😁. thanks for the encouragement. Deborah

3 hours ago, I like vacation said:

 

Greetings I like Vacation, your posts were very helpful in my trip planning. I think the storage space will work out just fine. Good to know and thanks for the photos. I didn't remember them from your previous posts on the roll call. Deborah

2 hours ago, skiladyldp said:

My husband brings two sports coats when we river cruise.  He will bring both even for a 7 night cruise and he never feels out of place.  I suggest he does whatever he feels is comfortable for himself.  Enjoy your cruise.

That's good to know. I was having visions of Ron and me choosing to dress up for dinner just for the heck of it and no one wanting to sit with us.🙁 I really like the dress I'm wearing to the wedding and would love another opportunity to wear it on this trip. Deborah

2 minutes ago, Squawkman said:

The under the bed storage is wonderful - luggage fits nicely there. However, we found that we needed to keep clean clothing in the luggage, then move laundry to there as the cruise progressed. The 2 Viking river cruises we have taken (and the one we’re taking next year) also involve 10 or 11 nights. We’re doing 12 nights on a Viking ocean in November, and that plan is totally different given both space and abort to do some laundry. However you work it out, I’m sure you’re love the Danube.

Squawkman, We were very comfortable on our Nordic Viking ocean cruise cabin It was a deluxe veranda size and yes I did laundry once. I hope you like the ships as much as we did. Not doing laundry but I do see myself hauling suitcases in and out from under the bed this trip, our river time is only 7 nights of our 25 nights on this trip. I wasn't sure I would like river cruising so I chose a short trip for a first time. I prefer independent travel so I'm curious if my husband and I will "take to this form of water traveling" 😁  Thanks again, Deborah

19 minutes ago, mhb1757 said:

There are 2 fairly narrow closets with hanging space and 1 closet with shelves (maybe 4 shelves?). In addition there are 4 (I’m pretty sure it’s 4) decent sized drawers. Not huge but ok size. There is plenty of storage in the bathroom for toiletries and cosmetics. We have always felt like there was plenty of closet/storage space, even in colder weather when we had sweaters, rainwear and coats. However we never had formal wear to contend with. But if you felt cramped you could always leave the formal attire in your suitcase or garment bag and slide it under the bed. You won’t be needing it on the River Cruise. 

 mhb, Summer clothes for Italy and Bucharest and autumn weather for this trip since we are staying longer in Budapest along with the formal wear has me stepping up my suitcase size from my usual 22in to a 26in case. I'm assuming that will fit under the bed. Would a gentleman in a sport jacket be over dressed for dinner on a river cruise? Just wondering.  Thank you for your helpful information. Deborah

1 hour ago, Squawkman said:

Deborah -

You might want to see if there is a way to ship your formal clothing back home after the wedding as the space is very limited in French balcony cabins - 135 sq. ft. versus 270 sq. ft. for the least expensive Viking Ocean cabins. Unlike Viking Ocean, there's no free laundry, so I suggest focusing on the 10 nights you'll be staying on board. On the positive side, Viking longship cabins are the most efficient use of space you'll ever see - but all that clothing might be a reach. You can view the room layout at https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/ships/longships/viking-idun.html#noscroll - just click on French Balcony in the left column.

Thanks for the link. Yes, the room looks very compact.😄 It would be helpful to have the closet door open in the 360view but I think mhb1757 gave a good description of what is behind the doors. Thank you for posting. Deborah

We are taking our first river cruise on a Viking longboat in a couple weeks and I'd like to know how much clothes storage will be in our French Balcony cabin. My packing is complicated because we are attending a wedding in Italy before our Passage to Eastern Europe cruise.  I will have a long dress and cocktail dresses plus my husband will have a suit and sport jacket in addition to the more casual clothing that I've read is worn on a river cruise. Do I need to bring a hanging organizer like I did for our Viking ocean cruise or is there sufficient storage for hanging and folded clothing for two people in the cabin  Thank you for any information you can provide. Deborah

6 minutes ago, debrouillarde said:

chuckie, that is not exactly what I wanted to write.  🙁  I'm wondering if the crew of Emerald ship made enough of an effort to make the sun deck available when you weren't going under bridges.  For that reason Oceans 52 could be disappointed in the company she selected for her cruise and I appreciate her bringing to attention something that I wouldn't know to research. So much to be learned is after you have paid for your cruise. Deborah. 

58 minutes ago, CHUCKIE50 said:

I have just arrived home from Germany where I have been travelling for six weeks. My wife and I were on this ship at the same time as the OP and experienced the same conditions as he did. I had a completely different experience as my expectations were tempered by my research into the conditions we would encounter while the Main canal. Numerous articles and posts mentioned the frequent locks and low bridges on that waterway. When I am spending a large part of my children's inheritances on an extended European holiday  I spend months researching the various details of the places I am planning to visit and then make my decision with as much knowledge beforehand.as possible. However having visited over 100 countries we have learned to expect the unexpected and never let disappointments ruin our overall experience. Emerald's cruise director Bartosz made an announcement  the first day that the upper deck  be closed for the last 2 1/2 days and that is exactly what happened. I thoroughly enjoyed all the other aspects of the cruise including the other guests, food, tours, entertainment etc. I am sorry that for the OP this was overshadowed by what he perceives to be Emerald's failure to notify him of all possible negative aspect of the itinerary. I believe that he should acknowledge that he shares blame with Emerald for not doing his own research on the problems faced by all Main canal cruisers.

chuckie, yes I also love doing the research for the PLACES I am visiting but as a first time river cruise I never realized how much information is not easily discovered about so many aspects of a river cruise. DougK had some excellent points river cruises may be well aware can happen but it seems each river has it's own uniqueness and digging out that information isn't as easy or plentiful as checking TA or Rick Steves for location information. What a disappointment to need to tell someone looking forward to a pricey cruise to lower your expectations because they probably will not be met for one reason or another.

On 6/20/2019 at 3:23 AM, oceans52 said:

Thanks for replies, it just seems that we can't trust cruise companies, not just Emerald.

Lots of posters have mentioned having the sundeck closed. No one has said how long for, were you notified before you booked and what company it was. 

You will make it easier for people to find out about it in the future.

oceans52, after reading your comments I can certainly understand your disappointment. As a first time river cruiser I did not realize how many factors come into play when choosing a cruise line or itinerary. Having you share your situation is very helpful to others. Should I ever consider a cruise on the Main I will remember to consider boat style and access for river viewing from a sun deck. Thank you for sharing your experience. Deborah

I've been researching on CC in preparation for our first river cruise with Viking this September when I saw the notice for the collision between the Viking Sigyn and the tourist boat carrying the South Korean tourists in Budapest. Having a boat start to sink within seconds is mind numbing.

My prayers are certainly with all the people affected by this tragedy. Since it's our first cruise I've been monitoring the Danube water levels on that thread, thinking that nothing worse than water levels might cause some disruption to our cruise.  Never did I think that there would be the possibility of such a horrible accident involving the loss of so many lives on the Danube.  Like Venice is trying to do to protect their beautiful city from too many tourists, is the Danube/Budapest going to have to restrict the river boat numbers and river traffic. Safe travels to all. Deborah

On 5/14/2019 at 12:58 AM, Peregrina651 said:

 

The Viking River FAQ is full of helpful information and is a good place to start reading up about all of Viking's policies.  https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/frequently-asked-questions.html. 

 

 

 

 

I'm taking my first river cruise and it happens to be with Viking. I have been on their ocean cruises. This is the first time I see information about no curling irons. I went on the FAQ site. We are taking our cruise after a wedding in Italy and I know I will need to pack my travel size curling iron for that segment of our trip. Will I be allowed to keep my curling iron when I get on our cruise. thanks for any information you can provide. Deborah

We are flying to Reykjavik Monday June 12th for the Iceland pre-extension of the Into the Midnight Sun cruise from Bergen. I am afraid that my carry-on will not fit the mandated 7.8" width (other dimensions are OK). Did anyone else have this problem? Bev

We just returned this week from our Homelands cruise and our friends using Icelandair found their carryon had to strictly fit the requirements or the bag must be checked and you are given a little plastic bag for essentials. Glad you are checking into this before flying as my friend did not and had an uncomfortable flight due to her lack of carry on. Deborah

You can also make reservations using the TV in your cabin. Very convenient. Deborah

I certainly appreciate reading the opinions of someone that has taken the time to post a review even if they do cause me some concern as I get ready for my first Viking cruise in two weeks, the Homelands on the Sky.

I've read so many positive comments about the food on a Viking Cruise that I hope my experience is not the same as the OP. I'm very relieved the Viking 'House Wine" was acceptable!!

I'd like to hear more about the included tours that were taken by the OP but did not meet expectations.

Thanks again for posting your review.

Deborah

Wine can be purchased by the bottle. But do note that wine by the bottle is not included in the Silver Spirits drinks package. Current lists are hard to come by.

I'm not sure we are candidates for the premium beverage package but it would be of interest if Viking offered a wine bottle package also. Thanks for your reply. Deborah

We will be taking the Viking Sky Homelands Cruise in two weeks and I've seen the sample beverage list on MyVikngJourney but there is no mention of bottles of wine on the list.

Does Viking offer bottles of wine for purchase? If they do, does anyone have a current list?

I know we can bring alcohol on board at each port but it doesn't seem to be easy to purchase while in Norway or Sweden like it will be in Copenhagen. I'm still researching our other ports of call .

Thank you, Deborah

Thanks for taking the time to post a review. We have never taken a Viking River cruise so our Homelands Cruise in May will be our first Viking experience. Did your cruise have a Meet and Mingle and did you attend? Deborah

That's what it did last year and when I spoke to my agent yesterday, at Viking, he said Gdynia. I then approached my contact at TellUs@vikingcruises.com and she said some ships were docking in Gdansk and some in Gdynia so not everyone;s port will be the same. I don't know of they have improved Gdansk port to handle ships this size now or not but I would say contact TellUs about your particular cruise date.

My contact at Viking Cruises told me our Sky Homelands cruise port for May 27 will be Gdansk rather than Gdynia. Deborah

Hi All! I am new to Viking Ocean and am super excited for our cruise next year. Plenty of time to read up on and plan.

 

We are two couples traveling together, same room catagory but different TA's who helped us book our cruise. When it comes time for specialty dining reservations to open up how do we ensure that we are able to make reservations making note of the other couple we would like to dine with? I have no idea what it all looks like so thought I'd ask here. Anyone have logistics answers for me?

 

Thanks in advance for the help!

Just an FYI. Today was the first day we could book our dining reservations. I emailed the person at Viking who I guess is assigned to me since our friends have different contact people, and gave her a list of dates and times we would like for the specialty dining. I gave her our names and confirmation numbers along with times and dates choices. She made our reservations and they are already showing on My Viking Journey Calendar. Excellent and prompt service from her has been my experience I'm very happy to say. Deborah

Hi All! I am new to Viking Ocean and am super excited for our cruise next year. Plenty of time to read up on and plan.

 

We are two couples traveling together, same room catagory but different TA's who helped us book our cruise. When it comes time for specialty dining reservations to open up how do we ensure that we are able to make reservations making note of the other couple we would like to dine with? I have no idea what it all looks like so thought I'd ask here. Anyone have logistics answers for me?

 

Thanks in advance for the help!

We will be on the Homelands Cruise on the Sky in May. I asked this question of my contact person at Viking Cruises and was told to call/email her (she has been most helpful answering all my questions) when our reservation date becomes available. We can arrange our table reservation for our party of 6, all with the same stateroom category, through her at that time. The six of us have the same TA but that was never an issue when I asked how to make our reservation for the specialty restaurants

We will be doing this next week or so and as she has been most helpful I expect this process will be hassle free. Deborah

I wrote Viking about an included excursion comparing it to a description on our post stay for the same port but they refused to even answer my question due to me having a travel agent. I think that was poor customer service. It was just about an excursion not about my booking.

I must be misunderstanding something here. Why would Viking refuse to answer a question you have about one of their included tours?

We are trying to find a way to have a friend join our 9:45am included tour without her canceling the booking she already has on the same tour at 9:15, just in case our tour is fully booked. She doesn't want to lose her reservation if she can't get on ours. There doesn't appear to be a way to do it through MyVikingJourney so she has contacted a rep at Viking. We have used a TA to book our cruise so does that mean Viking won't answer her question/request??

We have a good TA but I don't think she has taken a Viking Ocean cruise yet so we probably know more than she does at this point. :D Deborah

We had a Penthouse Veranda stateroom last week. It was very nice. However, there is no sit up table and chairs and no matter how good the in suite dining menu is, it is impossible to sit up and enjoy it. We had two breakfasts in the room. My OH sat at the desk and I had the meals on my lap. It was the only disappointing design feature of the otherwise excellent accommodation. J

Yikes, we are in a DV--if we order room service we may have to eat on the floor in the hallway or maybe in the spacious bathroom. How comfortable is the toilet seat?? !! :D Deborah

Watch out for reindeer pelts

Thank you for taking the time to post your observations. I enjoyed reading all of them. Deborah