Viking Longship Tulips & Windmills review

[id est]

We just returned from Viking Tulips and Windmills cruise trip. It was our third cruise with Viking so far. Since there are already so many Longships reviews it does not really make sense to repeat the same about the cabins, amenities, food, check-in/check-out process, shore trips… What I am going to try: summarize and describe pros and cons based on our 10 day experience.

PROS:

- One of the best if not the best shore trips programs comparing to other river cruise lines.

- Top notch service

- New ship

- Best value for the money

And this list can be expanded: basically everything cruise related was just perfect. However let me get to

CONS (only a few, but make a note: ALL of them ship layout/construction related!):

- NOISE!!! This ship like all Longships is noisy.

- Despite new soundproofing panels being recently installed we could barely hear people across the table in the dining room

- Lounge can’t fit all cruisers. I am surprised everyone including me was so happy with an Aquavit terrace addition and nobody noticed it was done by shrinking the size of a lounge.

- Our stateroom was on level 1 next to ballast tank and it is the first cruise I had to sleep with ear plugs all the time. The noise of moving water inside the ballast tank is annoying to say the least. One night when we crossed the bay with pretty heavy waves lapping right into our porthole it started leaking :eek: So in the next few days crew replaced all windows sealing in E and F type cabins on our side. We could not get to our room for about an hour which is not a big deal comparing to what could have happened if the leaking porthole could not sustain the water pressure from the outside.

CONCLUSION:

Maybe it is time to look at other options but so far we’ve done 3 Viking cruises, are booked on 2 more and will keep sailing with Viking. However I’ll try to avoid Longships if at all possible or at least never book E/F type cabins on level 1 next to ballast tank. I also hope Viking is aware and working on these issues in the upcoming ships…

[nana541]

Thanks for the excellent report!

[AttilaTheFun]

Thanks for the report! How do you tell where the ballast tank is?

[id est]

Thanks for the report! How do you tell where the ballast tank is?

Chief engineer told us when he checked it out...There are 2 tanks I think located alongside.

[Urum]

Good review. Thanks for the info.

[Suitcase Ready]

We went on this cruise this time last year and ...... last time on Viking. We were on the Idun (?) and it was one of her first trips. As far as the boat is concerned there is not enough common or public space leaving me to sit on the floor several times in the lounge to see or hear an event. There were several problems with the boat that I would hope they have corrected by now. We had the larger suite which had sooooo little storage space for clothes that it was a joke. The food was good and the staff were very nice. The touring group size was too big. The dining room is packed and noisy. We are going on another river cruise from Paris to Normandy but we are going back to Uniworld which in all ways other than the fact that our boat is not new.....surpasses Viking. It is just plain better. Maybe you DO get what you pay for!! They have tried to make the ships longer but they are shorter on much!

 

We just returned from Viking Tulips and Windmills cruise trip. It was our third cruise with Viking so far. Since there are already so many Longships reviews it does not really make sense to repeat the same about the cabins, amenities, food, check-in/check-out process, shore trips… What I am going to try: summarize and describe pros and cons based on our 10 day experience.

PROS:

- One of the best if not the best shore trips programs comparing to other river cruise lines.

- Top notch service

- New ship

- Best value for the money

And this list can be expanded: basically everything cruise related was just perfect. However let me get to

CONS (only a few, but make a note: ALL of them ship layout/construction related!):

- NOISE!!! This ship like all Longships is noisy.

- Despite new soundproofing panels being recently installed we could barely hear people across the table in the dining room

- Lounge can’t fit all cruisers. I am surprised everyone including me was so happy with an Aquavit terrace addition and nobody noticed it was done by shrinking the size of a lounge.

- Our stateroom was on level 1 next to ballast tank and it is the first cruise I had to sleep with ear plugs all the time. The noise of moving water inside the ballast tank is annoying to say the least. One night when we crossed the bay with pretty heavy waves lapping right into our porthole it started leaking :eek: So in the next few days crew replaced all windows sealing in E and F type cabins on our side. We could not get to our room for about an hour which is not a big deal comparing to what could have happened if the leaking porthole could not sustain the water pressure from the outside.

CONCLUSION:

Maybe it is time to look at other options but so far we’ve done 3 Viking cruises, are booked on 2 more and will keep sailing with Viking. However I’ll try to avoid Longships if at all possible or at least never book E/F type cabins on level 1 next to ballast tank. I also hope Viking is aware and working on these issues in the upcoming ships…

[id est]

We went on this cruise this time last year and ...... last time on Viking. We were on the Idun (?) and it was one of her first trips. As far as the boat is concerned there is not enough common or public space leaving me to sit on the floor several times in the lounge to see or hear an event. There were several problems with the boat that I would hope they have corrected by now...

True. I had to sit on the floor too. There is a webcam in the lounge so you can basically watch the cruise director from your cabin. However it is only 1 camera showing just one spot :). So in case of let's say movie or slides screening you won't be able to see anything.

[Viking Cruises]

We just returned from Viking Tulips and Windmills cruise trip. It was our third cruise with Viking so far. Since there are already so many Longships reviews it does not really make sense to repeat the same about the cabins, amenities, food, check-in/check-out process, shore trips… What I am going to try: summarize and describe pros and cons based on our 10 day experience.

PROS:

- One of the best if not the best shore trips programs comparing to other river cruise lines.

- Top notch service

- New ship

- Best value for the money

And this list can be expanded: basically everything cruise related was just perfect. However let me get to

CONS (only a few, but make a note: ALL of them ship layout/construction related!):

- NOISE!!! This ship like all Longships is noisy.

- Despite new soundproofing panels being recently installed we could barely hear people across the table in the dining room

- Lounge can’t fit all cruisers. I am surprised everyone including me was so happy with an Aquavit terrace addition and nobody noticed it was done by shrinking the size of a lounge.

- Our stateroom was on level 1 next to ballast tank and it is the first cruise I had to sleep with ear plugs all the time. The noise of moving water inside the ballast tank is annoying to say the least. One night when we crossed the bay with pretty heavy waves lapping right into our porthole it started leaking :eek: So in the next few days crew replaced all windows sealing in E and F type cabins on our side. We could not get to our room for about an hour which is not a big deal comparing to what could have happened if the leaking porthole could not sustain the water pressure from the outside.

CONCLUSION:

Maybe it is time to look at other options but so far we’ve done 3 Viking cruises, are booked on 2 more and will keep sailing with Viking. However I’ll try to avoid Longships if at all possible or at least never book E/F type cabins on level 1 next to ballast tank. I also hope Viking is aware and working on these issues in the upcoming ships…

 

Dear id est,

 

Welcome home! We are happy to hear that you enjoyed the itinerary and service so much. Please do accept our apologies for the inconvenience caused by necessary minor repairs in your stateroom. We want to express that all of your comments are very much appreciated and we would like to discuss your feedback on the ship – including which particular ship it was – in further detail. Please contact us at TellUs@vikingrivercruises.com if you would be open to having a discussion with one of our Customer Relations team members.

 

We’re looking forward to welcoming you back for your upcoming 4th and 5th Viking cruises; thank you for being a frequent guest and member of the Viking Explorer Society!

 

Kind regards,

Viking River Cruises

[Viking Cruises]

We went on this cruise this time last year and ...... last time on Viking. We were on the Idun (?) and it was one of her first trips. As far as the boat is concerned there is not enough common or public space leaving me to sit on the floor several times in the lounge to see or hear an event. There were several problems with the boat that I would hope they have corrected by now. We had the larger suite which had sooooo little storage space for clothes that it was a joke. The food was good and the staff were very nice. The touring group size was too big. The dining room is packed and noisy. We are going on another river cruise from Paris to Normandy but we are going back to Uniworld which in all ways other than the fact that our boat is not new.....surpasses Viking. It is just plain better. Maybe you DO get what you pay for!! They have tried to make the ships longer but they are shorter on much!

 

Dear Suitcase Ready,

 

We’re sorry to hear that some of the accommodations aboard Viking Idun failed to meet your expectations. We do hope you had an enjoyable time exploring the destinations and returned from your trip with fond memories of the places you visited and the people you met. All feedback is helpful feedback as we continually tweak our product and strive to make improvements, so if you’re open to speaking with us further, we’d love to hear from you at TellUs@vikingrivercruises.com.

 

We wish you happy travels and a wonderful river cruise on the Seine!

 

Very best,

Viking River Cruises

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Thanks for the info ..

[id est]

Thanks everyone for reading and responding to my review. As Viking asked I emailed them my feedback. No response so far.

[Digby's Mom]

We just returned from Viking Tulips and Windmills cruise trip. It was our third cruise with Viking so far. Since there are already so many Longships reviews it does not really make sense to repeat the same about the cabins, amenities, food, check-in/check-out process, shore trips… What I am going to try: summarize and describe pros and cons based on our 10 day experience.

PROS:

- One of the best if not the best shore trips programs comparing to other river cruise lines.

- Top notch service

- New ship

- Best value for the money

And this list can be expanded: basically everything cruise related was just perfect. However let me get to

CONS (only a few, but make a note: ALL of them ship layout/construction related!):

- NOISE!!! This ship like all Longships is noisy.

- Despite new soundproofing panels being recently installed we could barely hear people across the table in the dining room

- Lounge can’t fit all cruisers. I am surprised everyone including me was so happy with an Aquavit terrace addition and nobody noticed it was done by shrinking the size of a lounge.

- Our stateroom was on level 1 next to ballast tank and it is the first cruise I had to sleep with ear plugs all the time. The noise of moving water inside the ballast tank is annoying to say the least. One night when we crossed the bay with pretty heavy waves lapping right into our porthole it started leaking :eek: So in the next few days crew replaced all windows sealing in E and F type cabins on our side. We could not get to our room for about an hour which is not a big deal comparing to what could have happened if the leaking porthole could not sustain the water pressure from the outside.

CONCLUSION:

Maybe it is time to look at other options but so far we’ve done 3 Viking cruises, are booked on 2 more and will keep sailing with Viking. However I’ll try to avoid Longships if at all possible or at least never book E/F type cabins on level 1 next to ballast tank. I also hope Viking is aware and working on these issues in the upcoming ships…

We also just returned from Tulips and Windmills and had a fabulous time. We did notice the noise problem in the dining room and lack of space in the lounge, but our cabin was on deck 3 and I was amazed at how quiet it all was. Far quieter than any ocean cruise ship that we have been on previously (we are frequent cruisers). One partial solution that we found in the dining room, was to choose a table in the far back area. For some reason, it is a little quieter back there.

[Digby's Mom]

We went on this cruise this time last year and ...... last time on Viking. We were on the Idun (?) and it was one of her first trips. As far as the boat is concerned there is not enough common or public space leaving me to sit on the floor several times in the lounge to see or hear an event. There were several problems with the boat that I would hope they have corrected by now. We had the larger suite which had sooooo little storage space for clothes that it was a joke. The food was good and the staff were very nice. The touring group size was too big. The dining room is packed and noisy. We are going on another river cruise from Paris to Normandy but we are going back to Uniworld which in all ways other than the fact that our boat is not new.....surpasses Viking. It is just plain better. Maybe you DO get what you pay for!! They have tried to make the ships longer but they are shorter on much!

We have just returned from our cruise on the Embla, and were in a balcony suite. We brought 2 large suitcases and 2 rolling carry ons, and were unable to fill all of the clothing drawers and hanging space, so the storage may vary with the cabin size. We had a great cruise and would be very happy to travel with Viking again on their longships. I do agree about the dining room noise and lack of lounge space however.

[id est]

Talked to Viking customer relations: noise should not be a problem in the upcoming ships. We even booked another cruise with Viking :)

Superb customer service, considerable improvement over the last 2 years.

[SeaTheWorldBySea]

Talked to Viking customer relations: noise should not be a problem in the upcoming ships. We even booked another cruise with Viking :)

Superb customer service, considerable improvement over the last 2 years.

 

Thank you for the information you share here at CC about cruising Viking and the long ships. I am glad to hear that upcoming ships should not have a noise problem. Just wondering if that means noise in the dining room, or noise from the ballast - or both. We are seriously considering an aquarium cabin on one of the ships coming out next year. I would really like to discuss the location of the ballast with you, as well as any other tips you may have about the deck 1 location. Just the idea of leaking windows is a little scary. My e-mail is juliejoe at swbell dot net.

[cruising cegi]

We just returned from Viking Tulips and Windmills cruise trip. It was our third cruise with Viking so far. Since there are already so many Longships reviews it does not really make sense to repeat the same about the cabins, amenities, food, check-in/check-out process, shore trips… What I am going to try: summarize and describe pros and cons based on our 10 day experience.

PROS:

- One of the best if not the best shore trips programs comparing to other river cruise lines.

- Top notch service

- New ship

- Best value for the money

And this list can be expanded: basically everything cruise related was just perfect. However let me get to

CONS (only a few, but make a note: ALL of them ship layout/construction related!):

- NOISE!!! This ship like all Longships is noisy.

- Despite new soundproofing panels being recently installed we could barely hear people across the table in the dining room

- Lounge can’t fit all cruisers. I am surprised everyone including me was so happy with an Aquavit terrace addition and nobody noticed it was done by shrinking the size of a lounge.

- Our stateroom was on level 1 next to ballast tank and it is the first cruise I had to sleep with ear plugs all the time. The noise of moving water inside the ballast tank is annoying to say the least. One night when we crossed the bay with pretty heavy waves lapping right into our porthole it started leaking :eek: So in the next few days crew replaced all windows sealing in E and F type cabins on our side. We could not get to our room for about an hour which is not a big deal comparing to what could have happened if the leaking porthole could not sustain the water pressure from the outside.

CONCLUSION:

Maybe it is time to look at other options but so far we’ve done 3 Viking cruises, are booked on 2 more and will keep sailing with Viking. However I’ll try to avoid Longships if at all possible or at least never book E/F type cabins on level 1 next to ballast tank. I also hope Viking is aware and working on these issues in the upcoming ships…

we are going on the grand european tour on longship skadi. Can you tell me if maps of the ports of call are provided? Thankyou

[id est]

Yes, they are always available on the reception desk.