This taught me to take pictures when I first see a scenic sight just in case I wouldnt have the opportunity again. And theres an extensive Room Service menu available at no extra charge 24 hours a day. Its just the nature of this type of travel. fits standard outlets in more than 150 countries. The total cost varies according to the length of the ocean cruise. Is there a retractable clothes line in the shower to accommodate hanging clothes. There outlets will most likely be 220V European style. To accomplish this, passengers pack up the night before the transfer, and while out on excursions, their luggage is transferred to the other ship. LauraS If you stay in a hotel before or after your cruise you will need to bring adapters for charging your phone or tablets. My husband and I sent out a few clothes to the Viking laundry, which also worked out well. This. Incidentally, we had to change ships midway through a river cruise because of a broken lock on the river, and Viking handled it professionally and without too much inconvenience. Whichever side of the menu you order from, the meals for the entire table are served at the same time. As you leave the ship, you are handed a bottle of water. You know is it a venus and mars question. Hope this info helps you a bit! However, the information in this article is from our Grand European Tour cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest aboard the Skirnir and Modi (more on the two ships later). Theres an elevator onboard so its easy to travel from floor to floor if you dont want to use the stairs. has a variety of tables that can seat 6, 8, or 10 people. The buses and tour guides for your group are each marked: the bus has a placard with the same number and letter to let you know you need to board that bus; the tour guide has a red and white sign on a paddle to indicate that group, as well. By the way, Viking does build in a set amount of gratuities for ship staff (or you can arrange for this on your account before sailing), but you may also want to give a personal cash tip to staff members who are particularly helpful. What a great experience she has ahead of her! Hi Daisy, you have the choice of going on the included or an optional excursion or exploring on your own. There were a few days when we arrived at our port later than planned and had much less time to explore the city. I wonder if you have any thoughts on us meeting up with friends from Stuttgart. A few weeks prior to your departure, Viking will send stickers for you to wear at the airport when you land, so they can identify you as a Viking guest. It wasnt a deal breaker, but something you should be aware of. This means that your ship could be the first, second, or third ship docked. I hope you have a wonderful 50th celebration on the Grand European Tour! Thanks for the great information. Mifaso 7-in-1 Desktop Power Strip. Also, regarding a curling ironI had one and used it and had no problem. I found this online on the VIking Cruises Q&A site (I couldnt find a similar statement specific to ocean cruises): What Is The Electrical Voltage In The Stateroom? Not too many passengers use them but its light enough to take along in case you want to:-) the only use would be getting on and off the ship. The staterooms and bathrooms are efficiently designed to maximize usable space, and there are many things to appreciate in the staterooms. It has a central adaptable area to plug in your devices, as well as two . Hi. Let's look into your options, and briefly cover why power strips aren't allowed. We are on a Viking rive4 cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam in April 2023. NW Ohio. This publication outlines the schedule for the next day, with all included and optional excursions as well as suggestions on where to visit and eat during your free time the next day. In the theatre it can be arctic. Enjoy! How can we arrange individual tours or make dinner reservations if we dont know the times or the port arrangements? This practice continues through all the classes of staterooms with the standard staterooms getting the last optional booking options. Thank you Irene for this information! Weve had no regrets. It is required each time you get off and on the ship. Question about electrical outlets in bathrooms . Any thoughts on how this might play out for us? This is by far THE BEST description and information on Viking River Cruises that I have ever read! Irene. In Southeast Asia the ships use a 2-pin Euro plug. :confused: The DH may have to weigh in. Hi Theo, you shouldnt have any problems meeting up with your friends in either Bamburg or Wurzburg while on the cruise. Our luggage awaited us, and our new room keys were on the dresser. Another option, if the river levels are too low overall, would be for passengers to be bussed from destination to destination, staying in hotels, throughout the cruise. You can sign up for excursions from your account on MyVikingJourney.com prior to your trip. As for keeping the itinerary full, its hard not to when you have so many great places to explore, but I agree that scheduling downtime is important, too. Im so glad you found the article helpful, Rich! I also rarely take precious jewelry on any cruise. The tags have the time the luggage must be outside the staterooms as well as the time that guests are expected to depart the ship. View on Amazon. Free Wi-Fi (connection speed may vary) 55" OLED flat-screen TV featuring MSNBC, FOX News, National Geographic and more. Your advice about avoiding the far inland tours is wise, I think. We opted to book through our travel agent with whom we could meet face-to-face, ask questions, and learn from her knowledge of cruising and different cruise companies. That gives my husband and me plenty of money for tipping the local guides and bus drivers as well as Viking staff before we leave. Hi Karen, A few things could happen when river levels are too low for cruise ships. So it comes down to how much and what kind of beverages youre likely to consume each day. August 2, 2000. Hi Danny, Im not sure which cruise youre referring to, but you asked an excellent question about renting a car to make day trips while on the cruise. How many outlets are available in the cabin? We thoroughly enjoyed our Viking river cruise. There are large windows on the port and starboard sides so views are available while cruising the river at mealtime. Its something to worry about losing, and fanciful costume jewelry is just as much fun! As mentioned throughout the comments, thank you so much for such insightful and helpful information! Does everyone get back on the bus when the excursion is over or is that the time you make plans for individual sightseeing? In spite of some tweaks, this article will definitely prepare you for your Viking river cruise. Thanks. Have fun! Has anyone dealt with thus recently? I guess the bottom line is to remember that disruptions can happen whenever we travel, so plan to get the most out of each experience and cherish the time that you get to explore new places and meet new people. Have fun whatever you decide to do! Irene. Here are some examples from our cruise: Tipping is the universal way to thank someone for providing excellent service and you will find excellent service on Viking. Other times, we were still sailing, so he could not. Disclaimer: My husband and I paid forour Viking river cruise ourselves. We had grown to like the crew on the Skirnir, but we quickly came to like the new ones as well. These devices are attached to lanyards with earpieces. Is this allowed? We were on the Idun (Longship). There are three activity levels for excursions: About 15 minutes before each excursion, there is an announcement to remind guests that it is almost time to leave and to remember the listening devices. Thank you! Before leaving a dock, there may be announcements asking for guests in certain rooms to let the staff know they are on the ship. Thanks for your tip! A good idea if youre a runner is to check with the reception desk to map out when there will be time in the morning to leave the ship for a jog or run before excursions begin. And I think remembering that delays can arise on any type of travel (e.g., flights, cruises, trains) helps us all manage our expectations. Other European ships have 220V electricity, and have the German Schuko safety plug, which has two pins. Crewsgirl, no, you don't need an adapter on the ship, but if you have one with you, you can utilize the 220 outlets as well, if needed. One question I have is how you handled local currency in Hungary as they do not use the euro. Some folks elect to get the Silver Spirits package because they enjoy trying new cocktails and/or premium wines while on vacation. We are not interested in spending a lot of time on buses. You might also bring an adapter so you can plug this into Euro outlets. I will be on the Viking Sky so joined anunofficial Viking FB group to ask if all was repaired after the incident ~ a month ago (it is!) Plenty of covered space protects guests from the harsh summer sun. Follow up with a conversation with the Viking staff when youre onboard to learn the expected times and exact location of the ship while docked. When I returned to the room, I noticed another bookmark was placed on top of it. bealls online outlet. Power strips increasingly also have USB sockets. The coffee station is always available, although the baked goods tend to be gobbled up in the late afternoon. Up to you. There was a broken lock near Regensburg, about halfway between the two big cities. The 220V outlets are German Schuko 2-pin safety plugs. I wasnt sure whether or not to bring my usual cruise lanyard and hole punch? Viking is an industry leader for a variety of reasons including their choices of fascinating destinations, varied excursion options, attention to detail in designing the private and common spaces, and a welcoming and hard-working staff. Does Viking get us into our room early or do we have to check our luggage with the hotel and wait until 3:00 PM? You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By What common spaces are there on the Viking Mississippi? So glad that you had a great cruise! (Im trying to save you room in your luggage!) Having said this, there are often opportunities to book optional excursions once you board the ship. However, most guests sport a smart casual look for dinner. Everything was as you said food, service, boat, amenities, all topnotch. your journey, you'll want the . It sounds like you are all set. Have a wonderful cruise, Thomas! Leave the soap, body lotion, shower gel and shower cap at home as well. We are planning to take the Grand European Tour in July of 2023. Im looking forward to ours next year! After clearing customs and immigration and getting our luggage, how do we find Viking to take us to our hotel or how does Viking find us? We found the car rentals and made reservations, but we cant find any daily schedule of when the ship docks and departs at each port. Plus, Viking offers several excursions each day that the ship is in port. So an adapter will be needed on the ship? Once enrolled, you enter the dates of your travel and your destinations. Ever consider a Viking European river cruise? Suffice it to say that Viking has this all figured out and has contingency plans firmly in place. The 110V electrical outlets (North American style) are located above the desk and on each side of the bed. Regsrding snacks you forgot to mention that you do not need room service as each room comes with a bar fridge and that snacks like the delicious home baked cookies are readily available ftim the World Cafe. People are relaxed aboard Viking river cruises (no dressy occasions), and thats one thing people tend to enjoy about the experience. Going from A to B with two extra days in Amsterdam and Budapest. The only outlet in the bathroom is appropriate for a shaver. Im glad you found the article helpful, Tamara. The room stewards are wonderful and treat you like royalty! Your room key is your ID. It will be helpful to others. All guests left the ship for excursions (the times of the excursions were modified that day so they would all be timed for the same number of hours). For example, we arrived in Cologne at 9:30 am and our walking tour began at 10:00 am. Theres a mix of traveling overnight (almost all of the time) and during the morning/afternoon/evening (some of the time). There are some cruise lines that try to be all things to all people. This is one way the crew can account for all guests. . I am also taking that cruise. Doing so will help you remember months and years later where all your amazing pictures are from! WOW, what a complete piece of well written and informative information we have come across. There are times when the sun deck is closed to guests. And about ATMs, weve used them in Europe without any problems. in the safe the day before you check out. I find the quart-size bags to be the most versatile. Cheers! Were planning on a dinner in a town, tour of some beer gardens and lunch in Heidelberg, and just walking around. Located off the main corridor, the library has books you may borrow while aboard as well as abridged newspapers that are prepared for Viking guests daily. crewsgirl, November 9, 2014 in River Cruising. . After that point, guests still on board could use the common areas (Lounge or sun deck) until their transfer to the airport or other destination. All outlets are European style (2 pin) with . The longships have both American 110v and Euro 220v service and outlets. Also located off the main corridor are a couple of desktop computers that are always available for guest use. Next time I will ask for the extra pillow to be removed. Use down arrow key to expand the menu and up arrow key to collapse the menu and hit enter to select the link Youd need to factor in picking up and dropping off the rental cars and then driving to and from your planned destinations. On the ship, you only need the ID, which you can tuck into a pocket. Others get the package because they like having their drinks all inclusive without having to think about a bar tab. Some people do prefer lanyards but its not necessary. bring a trailer american cars; stone and log cabin homes . I know other travelers who just get cash out of ATMs while traveling (and Ive done that, too, of course), but I just like beginning the trip with some local cash. We are going on the Grand European tour in October 2022. The crew actually collapses the awnings, chairs, and tables and the ships bridge recedes into the ship all to reduce the ships height. Fayetteville, GA, USA. Trying to guess the weather so we can narrow down what to pack. That worked well as we enjoyed some nice non-touristy lunches and other walks and tours on our own. There are also USB ports to charge your cellphone or tablet so all you need to bring are the cables. If you choose to eat on the Aquavit Terrace, dinner begins at 7:15 pm with all of the same options as in the dining room. Viking Cruises begins sailings from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with the Viking Orion cruise ship on Caribbean and Central America itineraries. On our ships, there were separate newspaper versions for Australia, Canada, and the U.S. The Quietvox listening devices charger is plugged into a 220 outlet on the counter across from the bed. And finally the umbrella. My husband had been to a number of these cities on business and wanted me to visit them too, and this makes it sound easy. Hi Lolly, thank you for the great article and this really prepared us for our trip next week. I hope you have a fabulous anniversary cruise! One thing we learned is that although some excursions will guide you through a large city, if it is inland a bit, you may be spending a significant amount of time traveling from the ship to the city and comparatively modest amounts of time actually in the city itself. which provides information for each new day and the evening updates by the program director in the Lounge before. The good thing is there are always tomorrows treats to look forward to! Perhaps, youll leave your sunglasses or swimsuit at home, or will forget to bring a sweater for chilly evenings. Bring your comfortable easy to pack stuff ladies and bring athletic shoes that allow for socks. Naturally, safety is a primary concern of travelers and the crew. I checked the website and all in-room amenities are listed under the name of each ship. But having to pack additional converters or keeping your fingers crossed that . Its relaxed and has an abundant food buffet with soup, a variety of salads, meats, warm sandwiches (like paninis and Cuban sandwiches), fruit, and dessert. Just in front of the Lounge to the bow of the ship is the Aquavit Terrace. Many cruise lines have banned bringing power strips on cruise ships due to the chance that the surge protector will overload the circuit and cause potential electrical damage or fires. I am sure i will have more later but your thread is wonderful. It sounds like you have a wonderful journey coming up this summer, Rosetta! Our next Viking cruise is coming up soon, and I cant wait. I am bringing a few dresses but am also bringing pants and blouses. This is one way the crew can account for all guests. The Viking onboard staff from the captain, hotel manager, and program director to the housekeeping and wait staff were all positive, upbeat folks: smiling, accommodating, and helpful. (European river cruise ships are limited in size due to the rivers they cruise on, so they have the same overall dimensions. Hi Meri, We are heading out on our first river cruise, the Kara from Basel to Amsterdam in late September this year. Thanks. If youre interested in figuring out the details, you may want to ask Viking for a bar menu with pricing before making up your mind. We walked from where the ship was docked to the Parliament building for the tour and enjoyed a stroll back to the ship along the river.