Viking Mississippi Delta 2024 Questions

[lindashak]

I am looking for recent comments on the Mississippi Delta cruise .   We have booked it for May, 2024 and some of the reviews are not encouraging.  

[Host Jazzbeau]

split into new thread.

[boblerm]

We did the Memphis to New Orleans cruise last June. While the reviews do seem to be at best, mixed, my wife and I have no regrets about taking this cruise. The biggest issue is with service, for a variety of reasons, this is a big issue for this ship. But for us, the quality of the itinerary, the excursions , the cuisine, and entertainment /enrichment outwayed the downside. 

Despite the issues, we are actually considering doing the upper Mississippi on Viking. 

 

[odblnt]

On 9/7/2023 at 4:20 AM, boblerm said:

We did the Memphis to New Orleans cruise last June. While the reviews do seem to be at best, mixed, my wife and I have no regrets about taking this cruise. The biggest issue is with service, for a variety of reasons, this is a big issue for this ship. But for us, the quality of the itinerary, the excursions , the cuisine, and entertainment /enrichment outwayed the downside. 

Despite the issues, we are actually considering doing the upper Mississippi on Viking. 

 

Just got back from the upper Mississippi and it was wonderful. Lots of locks and great scenery. 

[Redtravel]

Viking Mississippi has an interesting itinerary. I was attracted to Memphis to New Orleans with added stays on both ends. It sounded ideal.  Prices were higher than most Viking cruises. I chalked that up to employing American . Cruise not great.

[cruzsnooze]

I was given an on board credit by the TA. Does the Mississippi have a gift shop and does it have a variety of goods?     

[PrettyParrot]

We took the Mississippi River cruise last May.  The cruise wasn't the best:  Loads of busing, to include a 3 hour bus ride to Memphis from the launching ramp (Really, a large launching ramp!) in Mississippi.  Some of the local tour guides were terrible.  Our guide in Vicksburg was unable to identify local landmarks.  In Memphis we were placed in a Hilton that was in poor condition and under renovation.  The floor for our room had scaffolding and paint with plastic everywhere and a very strong paint odor.  

 

The on-board service was good, and the dining options were tasty.  The view from the water was excellent, and the stateroom was very comfortable. We rented a car in Memphis to drive to Shiloh on our own after the cruise.  I am glad that I made our own reservations and accommodations in New Orleans, along with all of our activities and dining there.

 

We have cruised with Viking on the Danube in 2017 and again in 2019.  We plan to travel on a different cruise line for our next river cruise in Europe.  

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, PrettyParrot said:

We took the Mississippi River cruise last May.  The cruise wasn't the best:  Loads of busing, to include a 3 hour bus ride to Memphis from the launching ramp (Really, a large launching ramp!) in Mississippi.  Some of the local tour guides were terrible.  Our guide in Vicksburg was unable to identify local landmarks.  In Memphis we were placed in a Hilton that was in poor condition and under renovation.  The floor for our room had scaffolding and paint with plastic everywhere and a very strong paint odor.  

 

The on-board service was good, and the dining options were tasty.  The view from the water was excellent, and the stateroom was very comfortable. We rented a car in Memphis to drive to Shiloh on our own after the cruise.  I am glad that I made our own reservations and accommodations in New Orleans, along with all of our activities and dining there.

 

We have cruised with Viking on the Danube in 2017 and again in 2019.  We plan to travel on a different cruise line for our next river cruise in Europe.  

 

Sorry you had a bad experience on Viking Mississippi, but I don't think it reflects on their European river cruise product which is probably still as you experienced it.  Viking has faced a steep learning curve in the US, starting with their design (as you experienced with the landing stage issue), their expectation to be able to use non-US built and -owned ships, and continuing with the difficulties of staffing with only US citizens – this is the only place in the world that they come under the PVSA with these strict requirements.  If you liked Viking in Europe before, you will probably still like it how.

 

OTOH if you are determined to explore other European river cruise lines, there are many other good choices at a variety of price points.  Determine, based on your river cruising history, what is important to you and look for river cruise lines that excel in those areas.  Happy sailing!

[PrettyParrot]

7 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Sorry you had a bad experience on Viking Mississippi, but I don't think it reflects on their European river cruise product which is probably still as you experienced it.  Viking has faced a steep learning curve in the US, starting with their design (as you experienced with the landing stage issue), their expectation to be able to use non-US built and -owned ships, and continuing with the difficulties of staffing with only US citizens – this is the only place in the world that they come under the PVSA with these strict requirements.  If you liked Viking in Europe before, you will probably still like it how.

 

OTOH if you are determined to explore other European river cruise lines, there are many other good choices at a variety of price points.  Determine, based on your river cruising history, what is important to you and look for river cruise lines that excel in those areas.  Happy sailing!

Thank you Host Jazzbeau for your response and recommendations/considerations for planning future European river cruises.   We are planning a Uniworld cruise for 2025 on the Rhine and then traveling on our own through Belgium and France to visit First World War sites.  I think it will be fun to try something new for cruising!  Thank you again. 🌞
 

 

Edited Monday at 04:49 AM by PrettyParrot

[GreenValleyDogWalker]

19 hours ago, PrettyParrot said:

We took the Mississippi River cruise last May.  The cruise wasn't the best:  Loads of busing, to include a 3 hour bus ride to Memphis from the launching ramp (Really, a large launching ramp!) in Mississippi.  Some of the local tour guides were terrible.  Our guide in Vicksburg was unable to identify local landmarks.  In Memphis we were placed in a Hilton that was in poor condition and under renovation.  The floor for our room had scaffolding and paint with plastic everywhere and a very strong paint odor.  

 

The on-board service was good, and the dining options were tasty.  The view from the water was excellent, and the stateroom was very comfortable. We rented a car in Memphis to drive to Shiloh on our own after the cruise.  I am glad that I made our own reservations and accommodations in New Orleans, along with all of our activities and dining there.

 

We have cruised with Viking on the Danube in 2017 and again in 2019.  We plan to travel on a different cruise line for our next river cruise in Europe.  

 

Oh dear - so sorry to read your review of the VIking Mississippi !  We are booked on the Memphis - New Orleans itinerary next February.  (The Vicksburg Chamber of Commerce says that the best month to visit Vicksburg is February)  Anyway - looking for a pre-cruise hotel - I guess not in Memphis - but closer to the actual cruise "launching ramp"  - any suggestions ??

[PrettyParrot]

1 hour ago, GreenValleyDogWalker said:

Oh dear - so sorry to read your review of the VIking Mississippi !  We are booked on the Memphis - New Orleans itinerary next February.  (The Vicksburg Chamber of Commerce says that the best month to visit Vicksburg is February)  Anyway - looking for a pre-cruise hotel - I guess not in Memphis - but closer to the actual cruise "launching ramp"  - any suggestions ??

To be honest, there is nothing near the launching ramp. It is a rural and agricultural area. Vicksburg is beautiful ! Have a great trip! 

[GreenValleyDogWalker]

Thank you - Really looking forward to Vicksburg !

 

Guess we'll just stay in Memphis - an figure out a way to get to Roseburg the next morning

 

 

 

 

[GreenValleyDogWalker]

On 9/7/2023 at 7:20 AM, boblerm said:

We did the Memphis to New Orleans cruise last June. While the reviews do seem to be at best, mixed, my wife and I have no regrets about taking this cruise. The biggest issue is with service, for a variety of reasons, this is a big issue for this ship. But for us, the quality of the itinerary, the excursions , the cuisine, and entertainment /enrichment outwayed the downside. 

Despite the issues, we are actually considering doing the upper Mississippi on Viking. 

 

Thanks for your review - we are booked on the Memphis to New Orleans itinerary  - where did you stay pre-cruise - and how did you get from Memphis to the launch ramp in Roseburg ?

[boblerm]

4 hours ago, GreenValleyDogWalker said:

Thank you - Really looking forward to Vicksburg !

 

Guess we'll just stay in Memphis - an figure out a way to get to Roseburg the next morning

 

 

 

 

 

4 hours ago, GreenValleyDogWalker said:

Thanks for your review - we are booked on the Memphis to New Orleans itinerary  - where did you stay pre-cruise - and how did you get from Memphis to the launch ramp in Roseburg ?

I am confused.  Does your trip not start in Memphis, and include transportation to the ship?

 

Ours included a pre cruise night in Memphis (ours was in the Sheridan), and on the first day of the itinerary we had a choice in the morning of either Graceland or the Civil Rights Museum (both a must see IMHO) prior to the transfer to the ship.

 

Memphis is a fabulous place, even if you have been there before, there is so much to see there.

 

I know that some have complained about the bus ride to the ship, but for me it was no big deal, we had a great tour guide that shared so much interesting information along the way, and there was a rest stop in a quaint town (can't remember for sure, I think it was  Clarksdale, near the Crossroads).

[GreenValleyDogWalker]

We have been told NOTHING about transportation from Memphis to the ship -

 

Thanks - will keep asking