Viking Cruises recently hosted my wife, Denise, and I on their Rhine Getaway cruise. We were excited to have my brother, Ron, and his wife, Claudia, join us on the journey. This was Claudia’s first cruise of any kind, EVER so I really wanted her to have a great experience. I knew that Viking would deliver, especially given our awesome itinerary. Though things did’t go exactly as planned, Viking was able to make adjustments and deliver an unforgettable experience for all of us. Our adventure inspired me to share these 9 reasons why a Viking river cruise should be on your Bucket List.
1. Viking Always Exceeds Expectations
As our embarkation date approached, we received an email from Viking notifying us that low water levels on the Rhine River would likely impact our itinerary and that we would have to do a mid-cruise “ship swap” to bypass the affected area. The ship swap would involve boarding all of the passengers on a motor coach and transferring us to and identical ship downstream.
I must admit that I was disappointed. It seemed that we would be bussing to our next ship and miss the most scenic part of the Rhine – the part I most wanted everyone to see. However, Viking didn’t let that happen. Instead, we were bussed a few miles downstream where we boarded a smaller vessel, the Rhine Star that was able to navigate this part of the river. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch while meandering through rolling hills past medieval castles, villages, and vineyards. Viking even supplied the chartered ship with extra wait staff to help serve everyone lunch!
If that weren’t enough, when we disembarked to load the motor coach for the trip to board the ship that would take us on the rest of our journey, I was greeted by the ship’s program director who handed me our passports and said that we had left them in the safe on our first ship. Someone from Viking drove several hours to get them to us.
When we boarded the next ship, our luggage had already been delivered to our staterooms on the Viking Herja which was identical to our first ship, the Viking Ingvi. We had the same stateroom numbers we had on the Ingvi, AND we had another bottle of champagne in the room welcoming us aboard!
2. Amazing Destinations
Look at Viking’s website and you’ll doubtlessly see multiple cruise itineraries that include one or more of your Bucket List destinations in Europe, Asia, and Africa. I’m looking forward to sharing more photos and stories from the Bucket List destinations we enjoyed on this particular cruise – so stay tuned!
3. Ship size
Unlike many ocean ships where you don’t learn your way around the ship until the day you disembark, Viking’s European river ships only have three levels so you pretty much know your way around on day one. And since the river ships carry less than 200 passengers, you almost always make new friends on your journey. I know we did!
4. Cultural Immersion
I love immersing myself into the food and culture every destination. Opportunities for cultural enrichment are a priority for Viking and they do a great job of marrying on-board entertainment, historical presentations, and local cuisine with wherever you happen to be cruising. For example, one evening on our Rhine Getaway cruise we were treated to a Bavarian buffet and a polka band!
5. Food & Wine
Where many cruise lines charge a premium for coffee, soft drinks, beer, and wine, Viking does not. They do offer a “Silver Spirits” package that provides unlimited premium wines and spirits. All meals are included in the price of the cruise. Guest can choose sit-down dining in the dining room or a buffet on the Aquavit Terrace. The food quality and selections are amazing – as evidenced by my “Viking Cruises love handles”:)
6. Free Excursions
While Viking does offer some premium excursions, at least one free excursion is offered at each port of call. Viking employs local tour guides who are fun, knowledgable, engaging, and who are from the destination you are touring. Viking delivers an itinerary to your stateroom each day that offers suggestions of things to do and see, and places to eat should you decide to explore a destination on your own.
7. Free WiFi
While most cruise lines nickel and dime you to death, charging extra for WiFi, Free WiFi is available on all Viking ships! …and free is my favorite price!
8. The Little Things
On the surface, it may not seem like a lot, but Viking’s attention to detail with the “little things” makes a big difference. For example:
- Large print on the shampoo bottles make it easier for older eyes to read.
- Heated bathroom floors feel sooooo good when getting out of the shower.
- 110 volt US outlets eliminate the need to pack or purchase European power adapters.
- Hair dryers are in every stateroom so you don’t have to bring one from home.
- Anti-fog mirrors are great because nobody like for on their mirrors.
- You’ll probably be having too much fun to watch the 40 Flat-screen TV in your stateroom, still, it’s very presence makes you feel at home:)
9. Airport Transfers
Viking makes getting to and from the Airport a breeze. Before your cruise, Viking has people greet you outside of baggage claim and escort you to your ride to the ship. This is particularly helpful when you’re in an airport you’ve never been to before. When it’s time to fly back home, Viking staff members get you to the airport in plenty of time and assist you through the ticketing process and getting your bags checked.
