Did I make a mistake in booking a Viking Cruise (Christmas Markets)?

[OurDogCisco]

I booked a Viking cruise going down the Rhine River in December 2022 (I booked in October 2021 and paid in full November 2021).  

 

I was asking them about the port times as on their website some Viking offered excursions are sold out.  Even at one of the ports the "included" excursion is sold out.  When I asked on chat what that meant he said that you'll at minimum get the included excursion.  I still didn't understand why it was sold out.  I guess, I don't get it.  Then, I ask for port times so, I could arrange my own tours or figure out what I wanted to do at each stop.  I figured the evenings would be for the Christmas markets, but the daytime would be for exploring.  Well, I felt like I just asked him to give up top trade secrets.  We went round and round until he finally asked his supervisor.  I explained if tours are sold out, I need to book my own tours, then, I need to know what time the ship docks and leaves so, I can figure out what do in those ports.    Maybe this type of touring isn't for me.  Sounds like it is low key and relaxed type of trip where you just plan last minute and you won't get your first choice.  We are more of the type, we may never visit this country again in our lifetime so, let's take full advantage of what we can do.   Should I cancel? 

[HoneyJan]

   I have been on many Christmas Markets river cruises, but not with Viking. The companies I traveled with would have an included onshore tour in the morning, lunch on board, then afternoons free. The evenings were spent sailing. To experience the Christmas Markets at night we would go at 4:00 because it is getting dark in Europe that early! Your first and last night might have the ship docked overnight in which case you can go to the markets later. They don’t stay open late, about 9 pm on weeknights, maybe an hour later on weekends.

   I have a feeling they may not want to give you exact sailing times because sometimes the docking times change. I would be more worried about being told included excursions are sold out. Why sail with Viking when there are so many other companies with a similar trip?

[travelingman]

Even though the included tours are sold out they usually arrange for another tour so that everybody that wants to do an included one can.  On the other tours if enough passengers want to go on a particular tour they will usually open up another one.  No guarantees but this is how it has worked in the past for us.  What @HONEY said above is how it has usually worked.

One thing about booking your own tour is to make sure you know where the ship is departing from.  They have been known to let passengers off at one dock and board passengers and depart from another dock.  Always have the ship phone number with you in case you need to check where the ship is.

 

Stan

[OurDogCisco]

1 hour ago, HoneyJan said:

   I have been on many Christmas Markets river cruises, but not with Viking. The companies I traveled with would have an included onshore tour in the morning, lunch on board, then afternoons free. The evenings were spent sailing. To experience the Christmas Markets at night we would go at 4:00 because it is getting dark in Europe that early! Your first and last night might have the ship docked overnight in which case you can go to the markets later. They don’t stay open late, about 9 pm on weeknights, maybe an hour later on weekends.

   I have a feeling they may not want to give you exact sailing times because sometimes the docking times change. I would be more worried about being told included excursions are sold out. Why sail with Viking when there are so many other companies with a similar trip?

He finally gave me the port times.  I picked this river cruise because it worked into our schedule.  Who else do you recommend?  We also didn't want a cabin with the tiny windows.  My husband wanted to be above the water line.  Thanks for any advice or tips.

 

Here's our schedule.  Looks like for the Christmas cruise they stay late to see the markets:

 

12/3 --- Dordrecht 8:30-12am, 

12/4 --- Dusseldorf 8am-1pm, Cologne 6pm-11pm, 

12/5 --- Koblenz 7:30am-12pm.....Rudesheim 5:30pm-11:59pm, 

12/6 --  Mannheim 10am-1pm, Speyer 5pm-9pm, 

12/7 -- Strasbourg 9am-9pm, 

12/8 -- Breisach 8am-6pm  

12/9 -- Basel arrives at 11:59pm.

[OurDogCisco]

5 minutes ago, travelingman said:

 

One thing about booking your own tour is to make sure you know where the ship is departing from.  They have been known to let passengers off at one dock and board passengers and depart from another dock.  Always have the ship phone number with you in case you need to check where the ship is.

 

Stan

Thanks for the advice.  I have one questions is it normal on a river cruise people only do the ship excursions and don't explore on their own?  I've been on regular cruises so, first time as a river cruise.  I'm beginning to think this might not fit our travel style.

 

[Roz]

I take the included tours because I've already paid for them as part of the fare.  Maybe if it was a port I've visited previously I would consider touring on my own.  The port times and where you're docked change more frequently on a river cruise.  Ocean cruises and river cruises are very different animals.  I enjoy both. 

[travelingman]

1 minute ago, OurDogCisco said:

Thanks for the advice.  I have one questions is it normal on a river cruise people only do the ship excursions and don't explore on their own?  I've been on regular cruises so, first time as a river cruise.  I'm beginning to think this might not fit our travel style.

 

 

Pre-COVID we occasionally explored on our own and never had a problem.  Advice has always been that prior to departing the ship that morning or afternoon to check with Guest Relations as to where the ship will be departing from.  But still have the ship number with you.

During COVID the rules have changed many times and some of those times the only way you could disembark from the ship was if you were taking a ship excursion to be in the "bubble."  Sometime the bubble was required by the ship and other times it was required by the country/city/town.

 

Stan

[OurDogCisco]

2 minutes ago, Roz said:

I take the included tours because I've already paid for them as part of the fare.  Maybe if it was a port I've visited previously I would consider touring on my own.  The port times and where you're docked change more frequently on a river cruise.  Ocean cruises and river cruises are very different animals.  I enjoy both. 

I'd love to take a ship excursion, but they are sold out in 2 of the ports.  So, I'm considering canceling because I don't want to travel all that way to just walk around.  

[OurDogCisco]

1 minute ago, travelingman said:

 

Pre-COVID we occasionally explored on our own and never had a problem.  Advice has always been that prior to departing the ship that morning or afternoon to check with Guest Relations as to where the ship will be departing from.  But still have the ship number with you.

During COVID the rules have changed many times and some of those times the only way you could disembark from the ship was if you were taking a ship excursion to be in the "bubble."  Sometime the bubble was required by the ship and other times it was required by the country/city/town.

 

Stan

Thank you!  I did not consider that (but I do remember it happening last year).  So, I would hope they would have enough tours for everyone on the ship right.  In two of the ports right now all the excursions are sold out including the one "included" which the rep could not explain.    I will chat with them tomorrow to ask about that.  

[Roz]

I've never sailed Viking, but I can't believe they won't have an included tour in each port.  That is part of what you're paying for.  

[OurDogCisco]

56 minutes ago, Roz said:

I've never sailed Viking, but I can't believe they won't have an included tour in each port.  That is part of what you're paying for.  

Yes, I guess so, but most of the included tours are only 2 hours long so, I hardly think it is the most expensive part of the tour.  Maybe I'm on the wrong river cruise.  Are they generally just two hours?  To me that is like a $49 land excursion.  

[Host Jazzbeau]

Check out other river cruise companies.  The best ones have much better excursion options than what you are describing [without extra cost], and they don't sell out before the cruise begins.

[ljandgb]

River cruising is definitely different from ocean cruising.  Port times, and locations, are fluid, unlike ocean cruisers, which are locked in many months in advance.  It can sometimes be difficult to DIY a river cruise port, as you don't know exactly where in, or near, the town you'll be, and it's not uncommon for ships to move while you're out and then pick you up in another town.  This may be different for Christmas market cruises, so hopefully someone with that experience will chime in.

 

We did a 2 week Danube cruise, and the excursions were not posted until a couple months prior.  I'd be surprised if there weren't additions between now and the fall.

 

Did you look at other lines, or do a comparison between lines?  How did you decide on Viking?

[TMLAalum]

Since Viking has a loyal customer base, it seems to me that all of their river cruise pax would be accommodated on their included excursions and that Viking would have the clout to add busses, etc. for their extra cost tours. 

I'd be quite upset to be planning a booked and paid river cruise with them and see "sold out" excursions on their website!

 

Edited March 2, 2022 by TMLAalum

[gnome12]

1 hour ago, TMLAalum said:

I'd be quite upset to be planning a booked and paid river cruise with them and see "sold out" excursions on their website!

Not just booked and paid but 9 months out???

[Canal archive]

I’m not knocking Viking but this seems a bit fishy to me, booked up that far out! I expect that issue can be sorted as soon as you board. I can understand the hesitation to allocate docking and un-docking times as this is in the hands of the local harbour master ‘he, or she who Must be obeyed’ no captain has jurisdiction over their edicts even as Viking do, have (inverted commas here) their own mooring stations so I’m really impressed that you’ve been given them, please do not take them as gospel. You will have a wonderful cruise just be prepared to be spontaneous rather than have everything wrapped up before you go.

[sharkster77]

Viking would not deny you an included tour.  I cannot imagine that happening, given how extremely well-treated we were on our Rhine cruise in 2019.

 

As has been mentioned, docking and departure times are often dictated locally and with little notice.  Very few river cruisers are able to book independent tours as a result.  If you have experience as an ocean cruiser, your best bet is to put aside any preconceived notions of what a river cruise is like.  They are vastly different from ocean cruises in many ways.  River cruises are a very different animal.

Edited March 2, 2022 by sharkster77

[Second seating]

I have been on 4 Uniworld Christmas Market cruises and I promise their excursions are much better than you described.  I only remember a few excursions that were extra $ and never were full ahead of the cruise.

 

River cruisers are very different than ocean cruises.

 

Second seating

[Roz]

@OurDogCisco, I assume you booked directly with Viking.  Is that correct?  If you booked with a TA, I would have them go to bat for you and get a clarification on the sold out cruises.

 

I've taken 3 cruises with Uniworld and have never had to pay extra for a tour.  There are usually 1-3 included tours to choose from, and they can last from 2 - 6+ hours.

[beesKate]

As everyone has said, river cruises are very different from ocean cruises.  You may want to look at some YouTube videos about the differences between river cruising and ocean cruising so you can manage your expectations and understand what the experience will be like.  

 

I've never had to pre-book a river cruise excursion.  I've never heard from people who've been on other river cruise lines that needed to either.  Actually, if someone said we needed to pre-book a river cruise excursion, I'd suspect they had false information.   There isn't normally a "first choice", but this is the excursion we offer today.  There may be a gentle walker option, or there may be a couple of choices on some days.  You normally sign up on the ship the day before or even the morning of.  There may be special excursions where they need more notice, but only a couple of days before if something special needs to be arranged.  Many times wait until the night before when they give the next-day briefing and tell you about the excursion.  

 

Perhaps with Viking shifting to ocean cruises their website structure also is being displayed in a more ocean cruise (you pay extra) excursion format?  I looked on their website and see they do list quite a few excursions that aren't marked as "included" and see how it's confusing.  Perhaps there are other Viking cruisers who could respond better or maybe this is a new format they are migrating to?

 

I'm surprised they even gave you "port times".  Many cruises opt not to do this because of ... well, basically they can't control the river.  The actual distance travelled is not far, so they probably do plan ahead to be docked at certain locations.  If you're going primarily for the Christmas markets, realize some do not "open" until the afternoon and many close down by about 8:30 pm, especially on weeknights.   

[sharkster77]

Viking has an included tour in every port.  They are led by local guides who in our case were very good (one was so-so but OK).  In addition, there are optional tours at a cost during otherwise free time.  For example, after the morning walking tour in Cologne, one could stay in Cologne for the afternoon (having lunch on your own), return to the ship for lunch and then shuttling back into city center for the afternoon, or going on an optional tour of the Bruhl palaces after lunch.  We did this and the optional tour was well worth it.  In Strasbourg we stayed in the city after the AM tour and enjoyed lunch and the city.  Others returned to the ship for optional tours.

[CPT Trips]

I’ve been to several of the stops on your itinerary for Christmas markets and also just to visit. They are extremely walkable and, depending on where you dock, the markets are very accessible for DIY touring. 

[OurDogCisco]

I'm not sure what to think.  I had a clear understanding what a river cruise was like that excursions were included, you don't know how long you'll be in port or where, etc...  I understood all of that.  What I don't understand it is when I log onto the Viking page and they say tours are sold out.  Seriously, very unacceptable to me as isn't that how the river cruises work.  The rep told me I could not book a sold-out excursion unless someone canceled.  They said they get cancellations about 125 to 121 days out right before final deadline to cancel to get your full refund.  I guess, I'm supposed to keep checking back and forth until a spot opens.  I took pictures of the two screens showing the sold-out part.   

 

[PhD-iva]

3 hours ago, OurDogCisco said:

I'm not sure what to think.  I had a clear understanding what a river cruise was like that excursions were included, you don't know how long you'll be in port or where, etc...  I understood all of that.  What I don't understand it is when I log onto the Viking page and they say tours are sold out.  Seriously, very unacceptable to me as isn't that how the river cruises work.  The rep told me I could not book a sold-out excursion unless someone canceled.  They said they get cancellations about 125 to 121 days out right before final deadline to cancel to get your full refund.  I guess, I'm supposed to keep checking back and forth until a spot opens.  I took pictures of the two screens showing the sold-out part.   

 

This would really irritate me! And they want my full payment one year in advance. The nerve!

[QueenofEverything]

I think I might be able to help you clear up a little confusion.  Viking recently changed all of their Christmas market cruises.  Instead of the "Rhine Getaway" in December, it is now "Christmas on the Rhine" in December.  The ports changed a bit, but they claim there will be more of an emphasis on the markets, less confusion about Christmas versus non-Christmas cruises with the same title.  I would not be concerned about the supposedly sold out shore excursions.  They haven't updated all the shore excursions yet and I think the ones no longer applicable are just listed as sold out.  For instance, in My Viking Journey it shows shore excursions at Kinderdijk as sold out.  The new itinerary does not have us going to Kinderdijk.  We have been on a Christmas Markets cruise with Viking on the Danube and it was wonderful.  Happy to answer any questions if I can.