Ever consider a Viking European river cruise? River cruises are very popular choices for people who like traveling to new places in the comfort of a floating hotel. That is, you sleep and eat on the ship and are transported to your destinations along a river. It’s certainly a relaxing way to travel. Plus, Viking offers several excursions each day that the ship is in port. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our Viking River cruise, which transported us comfortably to some amazing European destinations.
This article highlights the European river cruises aboard the Viking Longboats.The sizes of the ships are designed specifically for the rivers they ply (e.g., they need to navigate the sometimes narrow waterways and any locks along the way). Viking ships all sport calming Scandinavian decor and are designed efficiently.The general experience on all Viking River cruise ships is the same, no matter what ship you’re on. 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).Once you’ve booked a Viking cruise, take the next steps, like creating an online account with Viking, to ensure a wonderful adventure.
NOTE: This article was completely updated in January 2023 from the original article, written in 2019. Some procedures and protocols on cruise ships have changed to address public health concerns since the global COVID-19 pandemic. Check with your Viking agent or travel agent (or your MyVikingJourney online portal if you’re already booked on a cruise) to learn the latest protocols aboard the ship, and in the countries you’ll be visiting. Despite some tweaks, this article will prepare you for your Viking River cruise. Enjoy!
Contents
What to Expect on a Viking River Cruise
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 shared spaces, and a welcoming and hard-working staff.
Viking River Cruise Destinations
You’ll find Viking River cruises throughout Europe, Egypt, and Southeast Asia. There are so many choices of destinations and lengths of the trip. Some people book two cruises back-to-back to extend their vacation. Also, Viking offers options to add a few days in the first or last destination before and after a cruise.
What You’ll Find on Viking
On all river cruises, guests are offered one complimentary shore excursion at every destination. In addition, quite a few “optional” excursions are available at an extra cost. The excursions provide guests with an array of experiences, including peeks into how locals live, how and where they work, and some “privileged access” options just for Viking guests.
Onboard you’ll have port talks to prepare you for each new day along with musical entertainment in the lounge. Plus, you can expect some special cooking and craft demonstrations, wine tastings, and presentations about a destination’s unique features.
Guests are served complimentary soft drinks, beer, or wine during lunch and dinner. There is an extra charge for the Silver Spirits package for guests who want to enjoy premium wines and beer, co*cktails, and champagnes.
What You Won’t Find on Viking
There are several things you won’t find on a Viking River cruise, and they are often some of the prime reasons so many people choose Viking.
- No inside staterooms.
- No kids. All guests are 18 years old or more.
- No smoking.
- No casinos.
- No formal nights.
- No charge for Wi-Fi.
Viking River Cruise Ships
Viking Longboats have four decks:
- The Sun Deck has tables and chairs for guests to enjoy the views plus a walking track.
- The Upper Deck has the library, bar, lounge, Aquavit Terrace, coffee and tea station, and internet cafe, along with both of the Explorer Suites, all of the Veranda Suites, and some of the Veranda and French Balcony staterooms.
- The Middle Deck has Guest Services, the restaurant, the Viking shop, and some of the Veranda and French Balcony staterooms.
- The Lower Deck has the Standard Staterooms.
Stairs connect all the decks; an elevator service the upper and middle decks.
Viking River Cruise Staterooms
All Viking River cruise ship staterooms have:
- river views.
- king-size beds that can be split to make two twin beds.
- private bathrooms that are separate from the living space.
- housekeeping twice a day.
- a telephone, safe, and refrigerator.
- a closet with wooden hangers.
- luggage storage under the beds.
- free Wi-Fi (though connection speeds vary depending upon location).
- a flat-screen TV with infotainment options.
- 110/220-volt outlets and USB ports.
Stateroom Options
The different types of staterooms range in size, available outdoor space, the time for guaranteed stateroom access, and amenities. Also, the ability to book optional excursions varies by the stateroom level. For example, the guests in the Explorer Suites can book optional excursions before guests in the Veranda Suites. This practice continues through all the classes of staterooms, with the standard staterooms getting the last optional booking options. Having said this, there are often opportunities to book optional excursions once you board the ship. This is because some guests may have canceled their planned optional excursions prior to the cruise, so it’s a good practice to check on this and any other concerns once you’re on board.
- Standard Stateroom
- 150 square foot stateroom with picture window (no outdoor space)
- located on the Main Deck (lowest deck)
- 3:00 pm guaranteed stateroom access
- French Balcony Stateroom
- 135 square foot stateroom with French balcony (sliding glass door with no outdoor space)
- located on the Upper Deck and Middle Deck
- 3:00 pm guaranteed stateroom access
- Veranda Stateroom
- 205 square foot room with full-size private veranda
- located on the Upper Deck and Middle Deck
- 3:00 pm guaranteed stateroom access
- Veranda Suite
- 275 square foot suite with full-size private veranda
- located on the Upper Deck
- 12:00 pm guaranteed stateroom access
- mini-bar with wine, beer, and soft drinks that are replenished daily
- complimentary fruit plate daily
- complimentary laundry & shoe shine services
- Explorer Suite
- expansive 445 square foot living space (separate living room and bedroom) with wraparound balcony at the stern of the ship plus a French balcony in the bedroom.
- located on the Upper Deck
- 12:00 pm guaranteed stateroom access
- mini-bar with wine, beer, and soft drinks that are replenished daily
- complimentary fruit plate daily
- complimentary laundry & shoe shine services
- complimentary in-room breakfast service
- complimentary Silver Spirits beverage package
- private arrival and departure transfer (from and to the airport)
Stateroom Amenities
The staterooms and bathrooms are efficiently designed to maximize usable space, and there are many things to appreciate in the staterooms.
- A safe with an electronic keypad is provided in each room. You set the code, so it’s a cinch to remember. It easily holds passports and other travel documents, along with jewelry and money. One tip we learned is to put a shoe (just one!) in the safe the day before you check out. Having to look for the shoe on the last day will remind you to open the safe so you don’t forget your valuables.
- Staterooms have 110V and 220V electrical outlets, so you can plug in whichever fits your needs. We took a universal travel adaptor with 4 USB plugs and 4 outlets and used just one outlet for all of our electronics (smartphones, cameras, tablets, and Apple Watch). That saved precious counter space.
- There’s a full-sizehair dryer with a German Schuko 2-pin plug that matches the 2-prong outlet in the bathroom.
- Sturdy wooden hangers are in your closet upon arrival; if you need more, just ask, and they will be delivered promptly.
- A complete supply of Freyja toiletries, including shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and body lotion along with a shower cap and vanity set, awaits you in the bathroom. These supplies are replenished as needed.
- The bathroom has a laundry line in the shower that is handy for hanging hand-washed garments.
- Laundry can be sent out to be done. It is usually returned within 24 hours. You can choose to have your garments washed and ironed or ironed only. For an idea of the costs for cleaning and ironing, pants are 6 Euros, a blouse is 5 Euros, and a polo shirt is 3.5 Euros (at the time of publication). Guests in an Explorer Suite or Veranda Suite receive complimentary laundry services.
- There’s a mini-fridge in the staterooms. Whatever you consume will be replenished when the staff cleans your room.
- A large glass bottle of water in your guest room (along with glasses) will be replenished as needed. (You will also be offered bottled water as you leave for each excursion.)
- There are two listening devices on lanyards along with an earpiece (for your left ear) for each device inside your room. Keep these devices in the chargers when not in use, so they are fully charged for excursions.
- All rooms have a color TV with live channels, complimentary movies, and Viking programming. We used the TV for weather updates and a map that always shows the ship’s location; this was very handy as we navigated the rivers in between ports of call.
- Housekeeping will visit your room in the morning to clean it.
- Housekeeping will revisit your room while you’re at dinner. You’ll notice the Viking Daily on your bed when you return to your room later that evening. 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.
- There’s room under the bed to store suitcases after unpacking.
Viking River Cruise Common Areas
In addition to your stateroom, there are several key public areas on the longships including an expansive, relaxing lounge and bar, the Aquavit Terrace at the ship’s bow for al fresco dining and soaking in river views, a dining room, a coffee/tea station, a small library, and an area with two desktop computers for guest use. For more details on the areas designed for guest comfort, read the illustrated guide to the Viking River Cruise ship’s common areas.
Embarkation
Staterooms are guaranteed to be ready at 3:00 pm. (If you are booked in one of the suites, you’ll have access to your stateroom at 12:00.) If you arrive before your guaranteed time of 3:00 pm, you can spend time in the Lounge or leave your luggage on the ship and begin to explore the city on your own. A light buffet is available in the Lounge around midday, so you’ll be able to recharge a bit before the cruise begins — a nice treat if you just got off a long flight.
The Viking Onboard Experience
Safety
Naturally, safety is a primary concern of travelers and the crew. There was a mandatory safety drill on our first full day of the river cruise. Life vests were under the beds, but prior to the drill, they were placed on our beds while we were at lunch. Just before the drill, we were all asked to return to our staterooms and don our life vests. After that, we went to an assigned group on the upper deck (groups are determined by what floor the staterooms are on), and we had to give our stateroom number to the staff at the assigned location (for roll call). Once everyone was accounted for, we were able to leave, return our life vests to our stateroom, and resume what we were doing.
Each time you leave the ship, you scan your room key. When you return to the ship, you scan it again. This is one way the crew can account for all guests. Before leaving a dock, there may be announcements asking for guests in certain rooms to let the staff know they are on the ship. (It’s not uncommon for someone to forget to scan their card when returning to the ship.)
Attire
Attire on a river cruise is casual. During the day on excursions, travelers dress very comfortably as they leave the ship to explore a destination. However, most guests sport a smart casual look for dinner. Leave your dressier clothes at home; no formal nights are on a Viking River cruise.
Meals on a Viking River Cruise
Three meals are included each day at the following times:
- Breakfast: 7:00-9:00 am
- Lunch: 12:00-2:00 pm
- Dinner: 7:00 pm
Soda, beer, and house wine are available at lunch and dinner at no charge.
Travelers who purchase the Silver Spirits beverage package (price varies depending on the length of your cruise) can get whatever alcoholic beverage they want during lunch, dinner, and whenever else the bar is staffed (afternoons and evenings) at no additional charge. The Silver Spirits package is complimentary for guests in an Explorer Suite.
If you have dietary restrictions, let Viking know when you book. You should also alert the Maitre d’ once on board.
The river cruises have open seating, so that means you aren’t assigned any table mates. Each time you enter the dining room, you find a table that you want to sit at.We enjoyed sitting with different people; it gave us a chance to learn about their travel experiences and lives a bit. You never know what you’ll learn or who you’ll meet!
Lunch
Although lunch is available in the dining room, we favored the Aquavit Terrace (at the front of the ship) for our midday meal. It’s relaxed and has an abundant food buffet with soup, a variety of salads, meats, warm sandwiches (like paninis and Cuban sandwiches), fruit, and dessert. There’s always iced tea — often with different flavors every day. Servers take your drink orders (sodas, beer, wine) and freshen up your glass when it is empty. Just inside is the Lounge where we ate one rainy lunchtime. The Aquavit Terrace is one advantage Viking has over its competition. This is a great venue for enjoying the passing landscape on travel days and relaxed dining every day.
Dinner
Prior to dinner, the chef usually introduces the options including his/her recommendations. On our cruise, this was done in the Lounge just after the evening port talk by the program director. Dinner begins at 7:00 pm in the dining room. 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.
Menu Options
On one side of the menu are the “classics” or options that are always available. When we cruised, the “classics” included Caesar salad as a starter; steak, salmon, and chicken as entrees, and Creme Brûlée, a selection of cheeses, a fruit plate, and ice cream for dessert.
On the other side of the menu are “regional specialties” or options that are focused on our destinations. Examples were creamy potato soup, Wiener Schnitzel, and Sacher cake when in Vienna; while in Budapest, the menu featured Hungarian Farmer Salad, Fogas Karpathy (perch and shrimp in white wine sauce), and Zserbo (a layered walnut and chocolate cake).
Without a doubt, we give Viking chefs top marks for the presentation and flavor of the food they serve. We always enjoyed the variety of food from the local areas we were visiting. After all, we travel to experience new places, new food, and new people, so we like to eat local specialties whenever possible. We were never disappointed with our meal selections. Whichever side of the menu you order from, the meals for the entire table are served at the same time.
Guests & Socializing
Cruising is a social experience as you chat with fellow passengers on excursions, at the social hour before dinner in the Lounge, and at meals.An easy way to begin a conversation is to ask where people are from, about their past travel experiences, and what excursions interest them the most. We’ve found there are a lot of commonalities as well as interesting folks to meet.
River cruises are designed for the mature traveler as Viking guests must be 18 years old. Many of the guests are retired, but there were quite a few still working or recently retired.
Exercising on a River Cruise
There is no fitness center or spa on Viking River cruise ships; the space that could be a fitness center is instead put to use in the common areas and staterooms. (European river cruise ships are limited in size due to the rivers they cruise on, so they have the same overall dimensions. Some companies may take space from common areas to put into spas and fitness centers; others, like Viking, use all that available space for staterooms and common areas.)
To burn off some of the calories ingested by the delicious food onboard, I walked in the morning around the sun deck track. 12.5 laps = 1 mile. Viking asks that guests not walk on the sun deck from 10:00 pm to 7:00 am as a courtesy to those whose cabins are just below the sun deck. Getting my heart rate up while enjoying beautiful scenery passing by while the ship made its way down a river was a win-win.
My husband prefers to jog each morning, and he was able to when we were docked in the early morning before excursions began. Other times, we were still sailing, so he could not. A good idea if you’re 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.
Excursions on a Viking River Cruise
You can sign up for excursions from your account on MyVikingJourney.com prior to your trip. Sometimes optional excursions sell out, although there are usually some available once you’re on the ship. Please note that Viking requires at least 48 hours’ cancellation notice if you are on the ship and decide not to go on an optional excursion.
There are three activity levels for excursions:
- Easy means the walking will be on mostly smooth (not cobbled) surfaces, there are few steps, and the tours will be 1.5 hours or less.
- Moderate means the walking could be a little more strenuous or have more stairs or inclines. The total time on these outings could be 1.5 to 3 hours.
- Demanding means extensive walking, hiking, or biking. Walking could be on unpaved or uneven surfaces and may involve many steps or steep inclines. The total time on these outings could be longer than 3 hours.
Prior to 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. These devices are attached to lanyards with earpieces.
You’ll receive an excursion card with a number and a letter. The number indicates which ship you’re on. (This is handy because you might encounter tour groups from other Viking ships that are docked in the same city at the same time.) The letter indicates which excursion group you’re on. Since there are often different excursions leaving simultaneously, this is an efficient way to find which tour guide to meet as you disembark the ship. 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.
Leaving the Ship
As you leave the ship, you’ll scan your room key to indicate your departure and rescan it upon returning. This is Viking’s way of accounting for guests.
As you leave the ship, you are handed a bottle of water. To conserve resources, you could easily fill a reusable water bottle from home with water in the rooms. There are also bright red full-size Viking umbrellas to take along on excursions if it’s raining. I learned that I probably should have packed a small collapsable umbrella to stuff in my backpack; that way, I won’t be carrying the big Viking umbrella around after the rain has stopped while we’re still sightseeing.
A Few Important Excursion Notes
It’s important to note that when the ship docks somewhere in the morning and you go on an excursion, you sometimes will be brought back to the ship in a different location — like another city further down the river. This taught me to take pictures when I first see a scenic sight just in case I wouldn’t have the opportunity again.
There is precise timing to docking and excursions. For example, we arrived in Cologne at 9:30 am and our walking tour began at 10:00 am. Viking is very efficient with their timing. Likewise, when the ship is ready to leave, it leaves — as long as all the guests are accounted for.
Not everyone needs to go on excursions. Some guests preferred to stay in the Lounge and simply relax, read a book, or enjoy the view beyond the big plate glass window or take in the views from the sun deck.
Big City Lesson
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. We learned this the hard way one day, and we realized that we actually prefer exploring the little towns that we dock at more. Our preferred day at a town where we were docked included a morning walking tour (an included excursion) to get the lay of the land. In the afternoon, we followed up on some of the suggestions the local guide from the morning had regarding how to spend the remainder of the day. That worked well as we enjoyed some nice non-touristy lunches and other walks and tours on our own.
Viking Communication
We found the onboard communication to be excellent. This includes the Viking Daily which provides information for each new day and the evening updates by the program director in the Lounge before dinner. There are also daily announcements with information on docking and reminders about impending excursion departures.
TIP: Take a picture of The Viking Daily each evening before heading to bed. Then it’ll be the first photo on your camera roll before the next day’s activities. Doing so will help you remember months and years later where all your amazing pictures are from!
The crew communicates with each other quite well. For example, once the crew knows that everyone is accounted for after excursions, the ship is sailing within minutes of the anticipated departure (as noted in the Viking Daily).
Viking Staff
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. Also, the onboard staff and the local guides speak English well.
Little Touches by Viking
Viking has perfected hospitality on many levels. Their crew is well-trained and genuinely appears to want to make you happy. There are lots of smiles and offers of help. They also are known for providing little touches that many guests appreciate. Here are some examples from our cruise:
- Viking is happy to celebrate your birthdays and anniversaries while onboard. Many people were serenaded during dinner, and special treats made pleasant surprises. We celebrated a big anniversary on our cruise and were delighted with champagne and a special dessert awaiting us in our room after dinner one night.
- Every once in a while, you may be treated to a little “extra” like a refreshing drink served on the sun deck while sailing one day.
- I borrowed some books from the ship’s library and left them on a table in our room. When I returned, I noticed two Viking bookmarks resting on top of the books. Likewise, a few days later, I had just started reading a different book and placed it on my night table on top of my Kindle. When I returned to the room, I noticed another bookmark was placed on top of it.
Tipping
Tipping is the universal way to thank someone for providing excellent service — and you will find excellent service on Viking. You can choose to pre-pay gratuities which we did. Prepaid gratuities came to 18 Euros per guest per day. Viking adds a discretionary service charge (15 Euros per guest per day when we traveled) to your shipboard account if you choose not to prepay the gratuity. The tips cover all onboard staff. We also took along some thank you cards and added some extra cash to give to those we felt went above and beyond during our cruise.
The recommended tipping (for each guest) on excursions is 2 Euros for local guides and 1 Euro for bus drivers.Needless to say, it’s handy to have small change for tipping.
Onboard Account
Viking keeps track of your expenses during the cruise, including bar items, laundry, phone calls, and purchases from the Viking shop (logo wear and souvenirs). When the cruise ends, you settle your account in cash (U.S. dollars or Euros) or by credit card.
Parallel Parked Ships
Sometimes there’s a lot of river cruise ship traffic in popular cities. This was true in Passau, a city of over 50,000, and especially in heavyweights like Vienna and Budapest. When this happens, the cruise ship parks parallel to another cruise ship. This means that your ship could be the first, second, or third ship docked. Furthermore, this means that you may have to walk through another ship to get to shore or people are walking through your ship to get to and from theirs. The ships are designed for this — to have travelers walk through the common spaces. And our experience was that we were usually parked next to other Viking ships, so we walked through familiar spaces.
Having to dock the ship next to another cruise ship also means that the view from your stateroom could be blocked and your cabin could be a bit dark.We were docked next to other ships several times on our 15-day cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest. It’s not a deal breaker for us, but it’s something every river cruise guest should be forewarned about.
Transferring Ships
There are times when river cruise ships have to have guests disembark a ship and then board a sister ship. Sometimes the river water levels may be too low in spots (due to the lack of sufficient rain during summer) or there is another issue (like a broken lock) necessitating the change.
When We Had to Switch Ships
Here’s our story. We were sailing from Amsterdam to Budapest. There was a broken lock near Regensburg, about halfway between the two big cities. Viking had a sister ship sailing the same journey in the opposite direction — from Budapest to Amsterdam — so we switched ships. We got off our ship, the Skirnir, in Nuremberg (one of our scheduled ports) before the damaged lock. The guests on the other ship, the Modi, got off the ship at Regensburg, on the other side of the damaged lock. Essentially, each ship then turned around and went back to the city from which it originated. Suffice it to say that Viking has this all figured out and has contingency plans firmly in place.
Impact on Guests
What it meant for guests was a minor inconvenience. We had to have our luggage packed and placed outside our stateroom door by 7:00 am on the day of the switch. Viking collected the luggage (with different colored tags for the three different floors of the ship) and trucked it to where the Modi, our new ship, was docked. 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). After the excursions, we all met at a restaurant in Nuremberg for lunch, had a little free time, and then were bussed to the new ship in the late afternoon. As we arrived at the ship, we were warmly greeted, and we went to our rooms (which were intentionally left unlocked). Our luggage awaited us, and our new room keys were on the dresser.
Since they are sister ships, they are the same, so the only thing that changed was the crew. The one exception was the program director, who made the move with us. Otherwise, we had a brand new crew. We had grown to like the crew on the Skirnir, but we quickly came to like the new ones as well.
Disembarkation
Viking has guest departures timed to match their future travel plans. Viking assigns different colored luggage tags to guests depending on what their next travel destination is (a post-excursion through Viking, a trip independent of Viking, or a flight home). 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. (Viking asks that luggage not be placed outside the staterooms when going to bed the previous night due to safety concerns — should there be an emergency, having bags in the narrow corridors would pose a safety risk.)
On our cruise, some guests had to put their luggage outside their staterooms as early as 2:45 am and leave the ship at 3:30 am to go to the airport. Regardless of their next destinations, all guests had to place their luggage outside their rooms no later than 9:00 am. 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. That way, Viking could clean the staterooms and ready the ship for the passengers boarding later that day for the next cruise.
Planning Your Viking River Cruise
Once you book a Viking River cruise, take the next steps to ensure an amazing experience. One of those steps is to create an online account with Viking. There you’ll find a countdown to departure, background on each port of call, the entire list of excursions available (some are complimentary; others cost extra) that you can book online, a calendar showing your itinerary for each day, and other helpful information about the cruise. For a complete list of action steps
You will receive your final travel documents and Viking luggage tags within three weeks of your trip. Included is a packet of information specific to your ship (including phone numbers on the ship plus embarkation location information) and an itinerary.
Booking Options
Some travelers prefer to book through Viking itself. 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. Plus, some travel agents provide onboard credit to cruising clients. Since we booked through our travel agent, Viking sent her the final travel documents, and she checked them before passing them on to us.
Disclaimer: My husband and I paid forour Viking River cruise ourselves. We did not receive any compensation or discounts fromViking or any otherorganization. I merely want to share our experience on a river cruise with my readers.
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Final Thoughts
We thoroughly enjoyed our Viking River cruise. On our trip, we met interesting people; visited fascinating places; sampled new foods, wines, and beer; and appreciated Viking’s convenience and gracious hospitality. We can’t say enough about how well-run and maintained the ships are. Although we have some other trips planned (that we organize ourselves, as we often do), we are contemplating which Viking cruise — river or ocean — we will be booking next.
The Viking Grand European Tour from Amsterdam to Budapest was a great experience that we’ll never forget.
To ensure you remember all the great experiences on your cruise, take lots of pictures and create a photo book of your journey when you return home. You’ll be glad you did!
Comments?
If you have taken a Viking River cruise and want to share your experiences, please do so in the comment area below. 🙂
