Live from the Viking Delling July 2015 Portraits of Southern France

[roberts2005]

if you stayed onboard instead of visiting Cluny, did you get to see any of Tournus or is it just a pick up stop?

 

thank you

 

It was just a quick pick up We were actually a half hour late. The tour group waited for us to arrive

[mwoodrowe1]

It was just a quick pick up We were actually a half hour late. The tour group waited for us to arrive

 

thank you. did you enjoy your cruise overall? anything you would recommend as not to be missed?

 

thanks for the advice. working on our cruise now. we depart 9/23.

[roberts2005]

thank you. did you enjoy your cruise overall? anything you would recommend as not to be missed?

 

thanks for the advice. working on our cruise now. we depart 9/23.

 

We enjoyed the cruise. Only issue was high temperature, but our choice to go in July.

 

Enjoyed Beaune very much. Also our time in Arles.

 

Don't feel locked into the ship's tours. Breakaway and walk on your own when you can

[glenneagle]

Loved the cruise.Sign up early in for the ships tour of the Paul Bocuse market in Lyon.

The Chef takes a small group.Its 10 euros and was amazing.We loved it....

[mwoodrowe1]

thanks so much for all the suggestions everyone! really great info here. i am sure i will think of more questions.

[swkrupa78]

Hey folks,

 

We will be sailing on the Delling at the end of May (part of the May 18 France's Finest trip) and expect to be in Avignon on June 1. Can anyone tell us what time we will dock? Also, we are taking a train from Avignon that morning and would like to book the 8:38 am train to Barcelona out of Avignon TGV. How far is that train station from the dock?

 

Much thanks,

 

Steve

[jpalbny]

The river boats dock around here:

 

https://goo.gl/maps/aHP7huigUsL2

 

The Avignon TGV is about 5k from the dock, give or take a few hundred meters.

[Alberta Quilter]

Hey folks,

 

We will be sailing on the Delling at the end of May (part of the May 18 France's Finest trip) and expect to be in Avignon on June 1. Can anyone tell us what time we will dock? Also, we are taking a train from Avignon that morning and would like to book the 8:38 am train to Barcelona out of Avignon TGV. How far is that train station from the dock?

 

Much thanks,

 

Steve

 

I just did France's Finest last November. We arrived in Avignon two evenings before disembarkation. We sailed there in the evening of the day in Tarascon/Arles. We had a full day in Avignon to do the included tour and the optional tour. We disembarked the following morning.

[HDS]

Alberta Quilter, did you spend any time in Macon on the Saone/Rhone cruise? I understand the 2016 itinerary differs slightly from the 2015. Our 2016 itinerary spends a night and a day in Macon; the morning (included) tour is a bus trip to admire the countryside and visit a winery. The rather pricey optional afternoon tour is also a bus trip, to Cluny Abbey.

Can you tell me where the ship docks in relation to the town and if we can fill an afternoon pleasantly wandering the town?

Haven't found much on Trip Advisor or on the website of the Macon tourist office.

[swkrupa78]

Alberta Quilter, Thanks for the information about the docking time. Can you tell me a little bit about the 1st segment of the trip from Paris - Normandy? I understand that we are now about 1 hr away from Paris in LePec? How did you get to the boat? We are arriving early on our own and wonder if Viking can provide us a shuttle as we are using their airfare but with a deviation. Also, did you book your shore excursions in advance? Looks like Viking is now offering that and some folks are experiencing issues. Thanks,

 

Steve

[Alberta Quilter]

Alberta Quilter, did you spend any time in Macon on the Saone/Rhone cruise? I understand the 2016 itinerary differs slightly from the 2015. Our 2016 itinerary spends a night and a day in Macon; the morning (included) tour is a bus trip to admire the countryside and visit a winery. The rather pricey optional afternoon tour is also a bus trip, to Cluny Abbey.

Can you tell me where the ship docks in relation to the town and if we can fill an afternoon pleasantly wandering the town?

Haven't found much on Trip Advisor or on the website of the Macon tourist office.

 

According to the Viking Daily, we were only in Macon from 8:30 pm to midnight. The Cluny tour started in Chalon sur Soane and ended in Tournus where we picked up the Cluny people. The stop was only half an hour. If you can get to Beaune, I would encourage you to do so. It's unfortunate that Viking is no longer providing guided tours there.

 

I can't provide any info about Macon. I went from the dining room straight to bed almost every night after all the free pouring wine at dinner!:eek:

[Alberta Quilter]

Alberta Quilter, Thanks for the information about the docking time. Can you tell me a little bit about the 1st segment of the trip from Paris - Normandy? I understand that we are now about 1 hr away from Paris in LePec? How did you get to the boat? We are arriving early on our own and wonder if Viking can provide us a shuttle as we are using their airfare but with a deviation. Also, did you book your shore excursions in advance? Looks like Viking is now offering that and some folks are experiencing issues. Thanks,

 

Steve

 

Hi Steve,

 

Unfortunately, I can't help you about Le Pecq. We were on the Pride for her last cruise so we docked in Paris. We did the pre cruise tour with Viking so got shuttled from the hotel to the ship. We arranged our own flights and, because we arrived a day early for the pre cruise tour, we had to arrange our own transfers for the airport to the hotel. If you'd like the info about the transfer company, I can provide that to you.

 

At the time, Viking did not allow for advance booking of tours. I've been reading that thread about the advance booking and am glad that we didn't have that option. We had no issues with using our OBC for our optional tours.

 

I'm sorry I'm not more help to you. If you have any other questions I'll try to help.

Edited March 4, 2016 by Alberta Quilter