Viking not the best? Who Says?

[mozfoz]

While reading the CC for several months now while planning our river cruise, it appears that Viking is the most compared to river line. And most of the negative comments always compare them to more expensive “all-inclusive” lines. Comments such as the “treat you like cattle”, or “they demand” full payment way too soon, and that they advertise too much or that the food or service may not equal another’s line. So what? My research has indicated that Viking offers a valuable cruise for the given price point they target. Viking is not in competition with Uniworld, Tauck, Senic, etc. Of course there are differences! Viking offers many OBC if you do your homework. Given the price, I have found them to be best deal on the river. Sure there are optional tours, some beverages may not be always included, or the cabins might be smaller. If Viking charged as much as other lines with these amenities and became an “all-inclusive”, then they would cost similar. Personally, I do not drink and I will not need a availability of a bike. I do appreciate good service and fine food; I do not pretend that I require ”only the best”. All ships are designed to accommodate the number of passengers in the dining rooms and tour buses can only handle 50 persons. 140 or 190 passengers all get the same bus, except Viking may need 1 more bus than say Uniworld.

No one would think Seabourne is competing with Celebrity, so why not consider the same for river lines. Maybe it’s that all river lines share the same CC Board, while ocean lines have their own dedicated board? While I expect all types of comments, that’s what this forum is about, why not present the differences as they are, rather than presenting them negatively. Not every one needs “the best” or may not want pay for amenities they may not need. Each individual has their own priorities. I prefer to drive a fine engineered auto, but never speak negative of a domestic economy car. I prefer a tonic water over a good vintage wine. I am still debating what line for our cruise. I lean towards Viking and Uniworld. I like Uniworlds décor, all though I do not need all the extras, but Viking would be just fine.

[Kathie859]

While reading the CC for several months now while planning our river cruise, it appears that Viking is the most compared to river line. And most of the negative comments always compare them to more expensive “all-inclusive” lines. Comments such as the “treat you like cattle”, or “they demand” full payment way too soon, and that they advertise too much or that the food or service may not equal another’s line. So what? My research has indicated that Viking offers a valuable cruise for the given price point they target. Viking is not in competition with Uniworld, Tauck, Senic, etc. Of course there are differences! Viking offers many OBC if you do your homework. Given the price, I have found them to be best deal on the river. Sure there are optional tours, some beverages may not be always included, or the cabins might be smaller. If Viking charged as much as other lines with these amenities and became an “all-inclusive”, then they would cost similar. Personally, I do not drink and I will not need a availability of a bike. I do appreciate good service and fine food; I do not pretend that I require ”only the best”. All ships are designed to accommodate the number of passengers in the dining rooms and tour buses can only handle 50 persons. 140 or 190 passengers all get the same bus, except Viking may need 1 more bus than say Uniworld.

No one would think Seabourne is competing with Celebrity, so why not consider the same for river lines. Maybe it’s that all river lines share the same CC Board, while ocean lines have their own dedicated board? While I expect all types of comments, that’s what this forum is about, why not present the differences as they are, rather than presenting them negatively. Not every one needs “the best” or may not want pay for amenities they may not need. Each individual has their own priorities. I prefer to drive a fine engineered auto, but never speak negative of a domestic economy car. I prefer a tonic water over a good vintage wine. I am still debating what line for our cruise. I lean towards Viking and Uniworld. I like Uniworlds décor, all though I do not need all the extras, but Viking would be just fine.

 

I think some folks are surprised to learn there are so many options when it comes to river cruises. A few days ago on another thread it was mentioned by a few that due to the way Viking advertises so heavily that it wasn't until coming here they learned of these options. Another poster mentioned that most people are brand loyal to the first River cruise company they used.

 

I prefer Uniworld for the incredibly comfy beds, stellar service and excellent food and drink. And another BIGGIE was how the various cruise lines handled the last major flooding. That was a real education. Not all companies handled their passengers well.

 

I think there's a good fit for every taste---it just may take some serious research to see where you want to spend your money.

[Shorex]

Really? You want to start a "my preferred cruise line is as good or better than yours" battle of words?

 

If you want entertaining reading go seek out the various Regent v Seabourn v Crystal v Silversea v Oceania threads. This IS the internet, and many (not all) people are a) very defensive about their own preferences and b) negative about other people's preferences and c) not at all hesitant to express (a) and (b). So what?

 

That being said there are factual distinctions between the lines that are useful to know. At what point in time Viking requires full payment is a datum that is practical to know. If one line provides bicycles that's great for some and irrelevant to others. Again, so what? This board is great for sifting out factual and relevant information.

 

Go cruise whatever line makes you happy and disregard the rest.

[Canal archive]

Hi mozfiz there is another thread discussing Viking, I really think that the majority have no problem. There are many many threads about Viking there are bound to be because of the number of ships they have there will also be a vast difference in the reports because they have so many more passengers than other companies. I as a choice I would not choose Viking for many reasons one being I like all inclusive but I have nothing against Viking. My friends cruised with them last year and he became very ill and Viking could not have been more helpful or caring. Now I know that any company would most probably do as well but it's a gold star in my book.

CA 📷

[mozfoz]

Really? You want to start a "my preferred cruise line is as good or better than yours" battle of words?

 

If you want entertaining reading go seek out the various Regent v Seabourn v Crystal v Silversea v Oceania threads. This IS the internet, and many (not all) people are a) very defensive about their own preferences and b) negative about other people's preferences and c) not at all hesitant to express (a) and (b). So what?

 

That being said there are factual distinctions between the lines that are useful to know. At what point in time Viking requires full payment is a datum that is practical to know. If one line provides bicycles that's great for some and irrelevant to others. Again, so what? This board is great for sifting out factual and relevant information.

 

Go cruise whatever line makes you happy and disregard the rest.

 

Wow. What a bad day you must be having!:eek:

[pully8]

enjoy whatever cruise you pick. why worry about why others chose a particular product? life is too short.

 

personal choice is a wonderful thing and some are fortunate to be able to do so, others may not be so lucky.

 

we all have different reasons/criteria to select a particular product. we have a zero tolerance to some aspects of travel other things we are flexible about.

 

we are all different happy cruising. looking forward to river cruises number 7 and 8. its a great way to travel.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Each river cruise line has its fans - most people enjoy their first river cruise regardless of line and stay loyal to that line and, sometimes, can't understand why others prefer a different line. Ocean cruising forums on CC show exactly the same phenomenon (as Shorex pointed out above): Celebrity fans are highly disdainful of Norwegian, but NCL has lots of its own fans who can't imagine why people pay more for X. The difficulty for a first-time cruiser is figuring out which pluses and minuses apply to you. We have tried to help with the comparison review in the "New to RIVER CRUISING??? START HERE!!!" sticky at the top of this forum (http://pdf.cruisecritic.com/travel-guide/UltimateGuidetoRiverCruising.pdf?et_cid=1262487&et_rid=99616845) which describes each river cruise line and compares it to a hotel chain and an ocean cruise line. The two lines you are considering are generally viewed as near the top and bottom (Uniworld is compared to the ultra-luxe Relais & Chateaux country house hotels and Silversea or Crystal ocean cruises; Viking is compared to Marriott (old ships) or J.W. Marriott (new ships) hotels and Holland America ocean cruises). If those comparisons are valid, there aren't going to be many cruisers cross-shoping the two lines.

 

Surprisingly, cost is also a subjective factor because the more expensive lines include more things as well as having a higher level of luxury. If those added things don't appeal (e.g. you don't drink alcohol so don't care above wine at dinner, much less open bar all the time) the luxury line seems very expensive; if you will take advantage of those things, the luxury cruise may actually be less expensive. [i'm thinking of the charts that Regent uses to show that their luxury ocean cruises are actually cheaper than mainstream lines -- if you drink a lot and take their included shore excursions. If you don't drink and prefer to arrange independent tours, the comparison doesn't work for you.]

 

But beyond that, there is the quality factor. All river cruises include three meals a day, but there is a range of quality of the cuisine and the variety of the choices. This is very subjective (some posters have complained that the food wasn't plain enough while most revel in the continental sauces) but real. All river cruises have shore excursions, but some lines charge for some/many/all and others are all-inclusive; the quality of the shore excursions also varies (our guide notes that "Uniworld is also an industry leader in developing unique shore outings in ports of call," and Tauck is known to even provide a Euro coin when you feel the call of nature; you have already noted that Viking does not offer gyms or bicycles, which some people consider a valuable addition to their experience).

 

So the bottom line is: there is no answer to your (probably rhetorical) question about Viking being the best. It may be the best for you. My research made me conclude that it isn't the best for me, and I am very happy with my choice of AMA, even though it is probably more expensive (just as I pay more for a French balcony, and think it's worth it, while some people are happy as clams in "aquarium class" and others will only book suites).

 

This is all a long way of saying De gustibus non est disputandum -- which is Latin for "don't get your knickers in a twist." Don't worry about "best." Whichever river cruise you choose, you will probably have a great time. If you don't, come back to Cruise Critic and use your new perspective to re-evaluate the reviews and posts and figure out which line would better suit your tastes and budget.

[franski]

mozfoz - you seem to know what is important (and not) for you - so you will be able to make an informed decision.

 

DH and I are not among the "brand loyal" crowd, as itinerary, dates and cost are important drivers in our decision.

 

We have traveled with Uniworld, Viking, AMA, Avalon & Scenic. We would happily travel with any of them again.

 

The "final payment" date with Viking is much earlier than with any other line - but sometimes that works out better. We were talking with people on the weekend who booked a Viking cruise for next year. While they were not happy - initially - with the final payment date, it turned out better for them as they paid in full while the CDN dollar was closer to par with the US. I am watching with baited breath - as our final payment (for our cruise in October) is due next week.

 

I do agree that Viking is not trying to market to the all inclusive crowd. I think they offer a solid product for the price point. A "solid product" isn't enough for some --> but there are always lots of options to choose from.

 

Enjoy your planning....

 

Fran

[Francis M]

This is all a long way of saying De gustibus non est disputandum -- which is Latin for "don't get your knickers in a twist." Don't worry about "best." Whichever river cruise you choose, you will probably have a great time. If you don't, come back to Cruise Critic and use your new perspective to re-evaluate the reviews and posts and figure out which line would better suit your tastes and budget.

 

Kudos Jazzbeau. I can't imagine another forum that would treat me to a little Latin before Matins. My old teacher Father Paschal might quibble with your translation but I think you got the gist of it.

Frank:)

[Mark_T]

The "final payment" date with Viking is much earlier than with any other line...

 

... and just for the new cruisers who may follow this thread, do check the payment terms in your own region as with Viking at least, the 'much earlier' part only applies to North America, elsewhere they are pretty much the same as every other cruise line.

[Alberta Quilter]

OP, interesting thread. I did not consider myself brand loyal even though I have cruised with Viking six or so years ago. When I researched cruise lines for my upcoming river cruise, I went to many websites to price out the same cruise (with slight itinerary differences) at the same time period and found Viking to be the best for us. It was the least expensive and had the preferred itinerary. One other was close in price but had an itinerary difference which we did not like.

 

The "final payment" date with Viking is much earlier than with any other line - but sometimes that works out better. We were talking with people on the weekend who booked a Viking cruise for next year. While they were not happy - initially - with the final payment date, it turned out better for them as they paid in full while the CDN dollar was closer to par with the US. I am watching with baited breath - as our final payment (for our cruise in October) is due next week.

 

Fran

 

Good Luck with your exchange rate. When we booked the cruise, we asked for, and received, a six month extension on the final payment. What a mistake that was! Fortunately, we made final payment last December and missed the real tanking of the C$. But I did wish we had paid earlier and saved ourselves a wee bit of money (I think it amounted to $800 pp that we lost in exchange).

 

... and just for the new cruisers who may follow this thread, do check the payment terms in your own region as with Viking at least, the 'much earlier' part only applies to North America, elsewhere they are pretty much the same as every other cruise line.

 

Really?! I didn't know that. Do you have any idea why North America is "penalized" like that? Although, I believe that the reverse is true for non North Americans booking on NA ocean cruises lines...

Edited March 24, 2015 by Alberta Quilter

[Wendy The Wanderer]

(Disclaimer, I'm still a river virgin--this will change in October.)

 

I think whether you were to choose Viking or not should be an informed decision, based on a comparison of the different lines and the itinerary in question. And the type of river boat that you will be on, since lines use different types of boats on different rivers.

 

And listen to your friends or buddies online about things such as front-office issues, how the line deals with problems, food, variety of included excursions, etc. I have friends on both sides of the Viking debate.

 

I, for example, just did an analysis of five different cruise lines doing the Seine trip to Normandy, in June (in most cases 2015.) All 7-day trips, similar itineraries, details different. AMA, Viking and Avalon all came close in price, cabin and ship size, with Avalon getting the edge in price, and Viking losing out because they don't have French balconies (not a long boat). Uniworld and Tauck (for 2016) were the outliers, with higher prices, but more varied tours, more choice, and all-inclusive of tips and drinks. Uniworld stood out because of the small cabins on this route. I think if I did this trip I might choose Avalon.

 

On the other hand, when I researched our September 2016 Amsterdam - Budapest cruise, Uniworld, AMA and Tauck were all competitive with each other in price--didn't research Viking because we wanted the smaller boat with more personal attention and the enriched excursions that Tauck provides.

[Mark_T]

Really?! I didn't know that. Do you have any idea why North America is "penalized" like that? Although, I believe that the reverse is true for non North Americans booking on NA ocean cruises lines...

 

No hard facts, but I suspect it is mostly 'because they can'.

 

There have been reports of people getting better payments terms just by asking, so it is always worth letting them know that you don't want to pay that early and see what happens.

 

With regard to ocean cruise lines I'm struggling to think of many that are really NA based, most have direct booking alternatives in other territories.

 

Where the NA location does tend to help (with ocean cruises at least) is in the practice of matching subsequent lower prices after booking as that isn't generally available elsewhere.

[caviargal]

 

But beyond that, there is the quality factor. All river cruises include three meals a day, but there is a range of quality of the cuisine and the variety of the choices. This is very subjective (some posters have complained that the food wasn't plain enough while most revel in the continental sauces) but real. All river cruises have shore excursions, but some lines charge for some/many/all and others are all-inclusive; the quality of the shore excursions also varies (our guide notes that "Uniworld is also an industry leader in developing unique shore outings in ports of call," and Tauck is known to even provide a Euro coin when you feel the call of nature; you have already noted that Viking does not offer gyms or bicycles, which some people consider a valuable addition to their experience).

 

So the bottom line is: there is no answer to your (probably rhetorical) question about Viking being the best. It may be the best for you. My research made me conclude that it isn't the best for me, and I am very happy with my choice of AMA, even though it is probably more expensive (just as I pay more for a French balcony, and think it's worth it, while some people are happy as clams in "aquarium class" and others will only book suites).

 

This is all a long way of saying De gustibus non est disputandum -- which is Latin for "don't get your knickers in a twist." Don't worry about "best." Whichever river cruise you choose, you will probably have a great time. If you don't, come back to Cruise Critic and use your new perspective to re-evaluate the reviews and posts and figure out which line would better suit your tastes and budget.

 

Great post, Jazz! I personally have not cruised with Viking and they are not are my radar for the future. For others, they could well be the "best" line out there.

 

I am not even sure I understand the OP's reason for starting this thread.

 

We all place a different priority on the elements of a vacation experience that are important to us. What is "best" for me is just that.

[Alberta Quilter]

No hard facts, but I suspect it is mostly 'because they can'.

 

There have been reports of people getting better payments terms just by asking, so it is always worth letting them know that you don't want to pay that early and see what happens.

 

With regard to ocean cruise lines I'm struggling to think of many that are really NA based, most have direct booking alternatives in other territories.

 

Where the NA location does tend to help (with ocean cruises at least) is in the practice of matching subsequent lower prices after booking as that isn't generally available elsewhere.

 

 

Thanks, Mark. I thought that might be the reason. Maybe, they just want the "rich" (North) Americans to fund their new ships.

 

As for getting better payment terms, I did just as you suggested but it kind of backfired on me! We booked in Jun/14 for a Nov/15 cruise. We asked for an extension for the final payment date, and they came back with Dec/14 which we accepted. In the meantime, the C$ started dropping. We would have saved some money had we paid at the original final payment date. However, we were lucky in that we paid in Dec/14 before the C$ really started to tank. We gambled and we lost a bit, c'est la vie.

Edited March 24, 2015 by Alberta Quilter

[pinotlover]

One comment I have, knowing some people don't care about food in the least is: Viking struggles on its Long Boats to feed 180-190 people, in one sitting, at one time. Food may come out cold, lukewarm, or not as you ordered it (unless far more well done). However, not all of Viking's vessels are Long Boats. So some of the comments can be directed at Viking, where the larger Long Boats are the problem. These items may not be an issue for the smaller vessels still in use. Other river cruise lines do not use boat with the capacity of the Long Boats, so they will not have some of the problems experienced on those oversized (imo) craft.

[Mark_T]

We gambled and we lost a bit, c'est la vie.

 

C'est la guerre perhaps :)

 

There is a lesson there for anyone who is going to be paying in a different currency from the one they earn in.

 

Even if the cruise line doesn't insist on payment a long way in advance it may be worth asking about early payment discounts and lock-in the price if you are risk-averse or just need the certainty that prices cannot go up, but at the cost of them not being able to go down...

[DrivesLikeMario]

There's a river cruise line out there for everyone. I spent a lot of time researching and comparing the same basic itinerary with 5 different cruise lines. Each of us knows what is important to us, so we have to make our own decisions on what works for us and what doesn't.

 

For my comparison, Viking was about $1200 less than Avalon, but for our own personal tastes, Avalon was worth the extra money. We prefer smaller ships, suite-type cabins that face the river, a gym and casual dining at night. Viking didn't offer that and that's not knocking Viking, it's just a fact. There's a place for everyone.

Edited March 24, 2015 by DrivesLikeMario

[Rosethorn40]

I can only speak to my own experience this past December on Viking Odin.

 

We were not treated like cattle, service was excellent, we were on a long ship, and our food never came out cold, there is a casual dining venue (We used it twice). Cabin was comfortable, loved the heated floor in the bathroom.

 

My DH was not enthusiastic about river cruising at all, but within 15-30 minutes of getting on board he was hooked. Day after day he expressed how much he loved our experience. He actually wants us to cancel our Baltic cruise (Final payment isn't until April 1st) and book another Viking trip for this summer, and we have another Viking cruise booked for December.

 

I think part of the reason he was so happy with Viking was how comfortable he was. No need for formal wear, he wore cords and a nice shirt most evenings in the dining room. Our fellow PAX were mostly English speaking, around our age (mid 50's) and up. He was afraid there would be a lot a snobs on board, but there were not.

 

We chose Viking because my parents had sailed on Viking and we got a $200 discount, and quite frankly, I found their web site easier to use then some of the others.

 

I am sure whatever line you finally decide on you will be happy. You have done your due diligence and seem to know what to expect.

[SrTrPro]

Hi Rosethorn -

 

DW & I leave DC this evening for our Viking Odin RC - Prague to Paris. Our 1st RC and looking forward to a great time. We are staying an extra week in Paris after the 2 nights at the Paris hotel (Le Meridien) - rented an apartment for a week.

 

Glad you enjoyed you trip - we hope to do the same.

 

Bruce

[rrgator]

My $.02:

 

We chose Viking for our first RC because our daughter-in-law received a Viking brochure in the mail. She showed it to my wife saying, "I think you would like doing this." She had never been on one either.

 

My wife mentioned it to a friend of hers, who told her she and her husband had been on several Viking cruises and they enjoyed every minute of each one and loved cruising with Viking.

 

So no great analysis or comparisons of various cruise lines. Just kismet more than anything.

 

We have taken two Viking cruises so far, with one to China coming up in May and another one to the western side of France in September. Both cruises met our needs. I find Viking to be very laid back and not overly pretentious. Those characteristics work for us, but probably don't work for others. The food is good, service is excellent, the staff is very nice and efficient, and the itineraries are great. I also like the Viking Travel Consultant we use, which again, we happened on only by calling the Viking number.

 

I also think the age, location, and socioeconomic demographics of the folks who cruise with Viking also fit our situation. We are recent "empty-nesters", early 60's/late 50's, with time to travel and fortunately, the means to afford it. Again, Viking fits our needs, style, and expectations, but so what, it doesn't fit everybody's, but it works for us.

 

We have made some great friends on the two previous cruises. One couple from Canada. Never thought we would have friends in Canada, so you never know what will happen.

 

After we booked our first cruise, I began coming to these boards to find out what I could about river cruising, and the specific cruise we were taking. There is more information here than you can possibly need to make a decision or decide if you even want to do a river cruise. The folks who post on these boards are great and I continue to be amazed at the information shared and the help that is offered. And it is where I also was introduced to the Viking is great, Viking sucks, this line is better than that line, etc., discussions.

 

I originally thought that River Cruising was nothing but 80 year olds, who sat around and read books all day. No casinos, no nightlife, and no workout areas. Are you kidding me. How can that be any fun. As it turns out, there is more than enough to do. There were plenty of folks older than me that had as much or more stamina than I did, including late nights in the lounge and early morning tours. The way the cruises are set up to visit the different ports along the rivers, gives you a lot of time to experience the towns and countries you are in. Compare it to the Ocean cruises out of New Orleans to Mexico. I calculated that on a 5 day cruise to Progresso and Cozumel, we were only off the boat for 19 hours. Still a great cruise and a lot of fun, but different.

 

There is a thread on here about the China cruise we are about to take. On that thread there is a link to a review of it. The folks who took the time to write about it, did not cruise with Viking. It was on another cruise line, which because of the description of and the pictures included, did not look like would meet our needs. Even so, they appeared to have a great time, they saw and experienced the same sights we will with Viking. It worked for them.

 

As Host Jazzbeau said, "De gustibus non est disputandum." There is something for everyone on a river cruise. No line is better than any other, and no line is worse than any other. It is all very subjective. Let me add another old saying, “Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder”

― Plato

 

What I think is important may not be to you, and what you think is important may not be to me. What I will tell you and what I hope we can all agree on is if you have the time and money to do a river cruise, do it. You won't be disappointed.

[Rosethorn40]

Hi Rosethorn -

 

DW & I leave DC this evening for our Viking Odin RC - Prague to Paris. Our 1st RC and looking forward to a great time. We are staying an extra week in Paris after the 2 nights at the Paris hotel (Le Meridien) - rented an apartment for a week.

 

Glad you enjoyed you trip - we hope to do the same.

 

Bruce

 

I am a little late in wishing you this, but Bon Voyage. Please, when you return, let us know if you enjoyed your trip!

[Fairfield Nana]

rrgator-- Nice write-up and I totally agree with your comments. Only thing I'd add is that you described our 2 cruises on Uniworld to "T"! Just goes to illustrate some recent comments that all is in the eyes of the beholder. No experience with Viking yet as our first cruise with them will be on board the Viking Star in the Baltic in July 2016. Trying a new river cruise company this July with a Scenic Tours Danube cruise on board their new "Jasper". As there are so many wonderful cruise lines, we tend to make a selection more on date and itinerary. Cruise ships are more of a fancy "delivery system" for us, as we also enjoy just renting a car and exploring the local backroads and small towns.

[ural guy]

rrgator- to echo Nana, well said. I really liked the line about not being pretentious. That is what we liked about our cruise on Viking.

 

I also liked that your daughter gave you the brochure. It could be her inheritance you're spending! (I joke about this because I'm in Ireland now w/ my 3 adult daughters on vacation. I explained that I would keep taking nice vacations, and would invite them when I could, because after all, I was spending their future money, so they should enjoy enjoy it now. They were all fine with that. Of course, they were standing in Ireland on Dad's dime...what else would they say!)

 

Bottom line- go, have fun, and accept others choices.

[Globehoppers]

Great comments all. I stubbled on this thread looking or anyone heading to China in 2016. We just made reservations with Uniworld for their China & Tibet trip in May 2016.

 

We have sailed with both Uniworld and Viking. The last time with Viking on their Eastern European itinerary. That was selected because it started in Bucharest while Uniworld, which we have sailed 4 times and will again twice in 2016, started in Istanbul which we have visited frequently (great city).

 

We do not find Uniworld "pretentious," rather "laid-back" int eh sense that one is not hounded for minutia. Their ships are very comfortable, food excellent, and the crew/staff superb with very personable and engaging captains. We found the Viking ship - one of their new "long" ships (Uniworld's new "Queens" are the same size) - Aegir to be well designed and comfortable. Food, as previously mention, could have been better and hotter. The dining room was chaos and very loud, and thus we preferred dining in their "Aquavit" terrance as did others.

 

Two areas in our experience separating Uniworld and Viking. (1) Dealing with Viking pre-cruise was horrible. "Viking Air" quoted $500 each more than airline websites were offering for the same schedule. Viking refused to consider exchanging the extra days at the end of the voyage in Budapest for an additional day in Bucharest, curtly telling me "don't even ask." Viking kept us in the dark about potential schedule changes - the only source was Cruise Critic. When Viking asked how I knew they were rescheduling and I informed them that it was on CC, they became miffed and curt on the phone. They promised to keep us informed prior to leaving the US for Europe - and never did. This on top of the "pay me now" requirement. (2) The crew and captain on Viking were good but a cut below the professionalism and friendliness of Uniworld.

 

We are experienced travelers and living in Romania/Yugoslavia for three years in the late 1980s, so this didn't impact the trip. The Viking ship was nice - the service and contact with Viking Corporate not so nice. Doing research, especially for the upcoming trip to China, found Uniworld and Viking pricing to be compatible. Uniworld gave us discounts as returning passengers, asked only for $300 each down with final payment three months from date of departure, and we also received a $1,200 discount from the travel agency.

 

Very much looking forward to China in May 2016, and the Main Holiday Markets in December 2016, on Uniworld.