Viking hours docked in port?

[Babyjax12]

I’m not sure this is the correct forum for a Viking River cruise general question, but there doesn’t seem to be a Viking River Cruises board (other than port specific…why is that?)

The question: is there a way to find out the hours docked at each port? Many of the other cruise lines post the hours for each port. I don’t want to spend hours researching what we can do (in addition to the included/optional tours) on our own if we don’t know how much time we’ll have at each port. (B to A Rhine River) Thx.

[Port Power]

15 minutes ago, Babyjax12 said:

I’m not sure this is the correct forum for a Viking River cruise general question, but there doesn’t seem to be a Viking River Cruises board (other than port specific…why is that?)

The question: is there a way to find out the hours docked at each port? Many of the other cruise lines post the hours for each port. I don’t want to spend hours researching what we can do (in addition to the included/optional tours) on our own if we don’t know how much time we’ll have at each port. (B to A Rhine River) Thx.

I received my documents yesterday and there are no times stated in them.  I don't think times can be confirmed in advance.  In particular, the ship might have to wait an extra hour or two at a lock which will slow it down.  There is often a line up if your ship isn't first into the lock!  However, going by the excursion times listed should give you a good idea.

[gnome12]

My suggestion is to research things that interest you. Know the opening hours and how long you might want to spend there. Then, when you arrive, you can slot things into available time. 

[Canal archive]

This is general as I’ve not cruised with Viking. I’ve never heard of queuing for hours for a lock unless there is a problem of some kind and usually the passage slot through is pre -booked. River cruising times are not an exact science which is half the fun. I know some need to know to the nth degree but to a certain extent I’m afraid you’ll have to ‘go with the flow’.

[pontac]

On 9/30/2022 at 2:26 AM, Babyjax12 said:

The question: is there a way to find out the hours docked at each port? Many of the other cruise lines post the hours for each port. I don’t want to spend hours researching what we can do (in addition to the included/optional tours) on our own if we don’t know how much time we’ll have at each port. (B to A Rhine River) Thx.

 

I went on Viking Rhine Getaway Basel to Amsterdam in April this year.

Day 1 Basel - casts off at  21:00

Day 2 Breisach - arrive 04:30 - departs  19:00

Day 3 Kehl Arrives 04:00 departs 23:00  (note: included tour to Strasbourg in morning; free shuttle busses in afternoon, so you could get taxi to/from Strasbourg or go on the bus taking the included tour, do your own thing and catch shuttle bus back in afternoon)

Day 4 - Arrives Speyer at  08:00 departs 08:45 Arrive Rudesheim 17:30 (note: the walking tour of Speyer in morning is bussed back to the ship as it stops in Worms to pick them up. If you plan to do your own thing in Speyer ensure you know where and when the coach pick up is)

Day 5 Departs Rudesheim at 08:00 arrive Koblenz at 13:00

Day 6 Departs Koblenz at  03:00 arrives Cologne 09:00 Departs Cologne 22:30

Day 7 Arrives Kinderdijk at 16:00 Depart Kinderdijk 18:30

Day 8 Arrives Amsterdam 02:00 - vacate rooms by 08:00

 

PLEASE NOTE: these are timings in April 2022, later years might be different. Although we always arrived before scheduled time, this depends on how crowded river is, time waiting on locks and later in year there were serious low water problems on Rhine which seriously affected schedules. 

Edited October 5, 2022 by pontac

[Babyjax12]

Thanks for the help!