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Otherwise, most welcome children but don't offer extra programming for them, and Viking doesn't allow children at all. Uniworld requires proof of COVID-19 vaccinations for all their guests, except those under the age of 12, who must have a negative test result within 72 hours of embarkation. Viking River Cruises emphasizes comfort over formality, with most people donning pullovers or button-up shirts, khakis, and blouse and pant or suit pairings. Even at the captain's welcome and farewell dinners, you won't see many men in suits (or even jackets for that matter) or women in fancy dresses. Despite its generally casual feel, jeans and shorts are not permitted at dinner. Viking River Cruises is not appropriate for families as all passengers must be 18 years or older to sail.
Is everything free on Viking River cruises?
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. You’ll find Viking River cruises throughout Europe, Egypt, and Southeast Asia. There are so many choices of destinations and lengths of the trip.
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Cabins and suites
The summer months will be far warmer, while the December cruises are cold but come with the added bonus of experiencing Christmas festivities. The suites, which are about 300 square feet, have floor-to-ceiling windows, King-sized beds, and a lounge area with a daybed. There is a price difference between the first deck and the second deck, with the former being more affordable. Meals come with complimentary beverages, including house wine, beer, and premium spirits.
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While Viking doesn't market itself as a luxury line, some would call it that. Viking vessels are full of luxury touches, with the pricing to match (see more on what Viking trips cost at the bottom of this story). In general, it's an educated crowd, with many passengers coming from professional backgrounds or a life of running their own businesses. You'll find everything from eight-day cruises in the Mediterranean to 138-day around-the-world voyages among the line's voyages.
However, Crystal Cruises has some excursions that incur an added cost, and all of the American Queen Steamboat Company excursions are additional (although they do offer hop-on hop-off bus tours). During the trip, Guests will be required to complete a self-assessment daily. Adventures by Disney, the guided, family vacation arm of the Walt Disney Company, offers unique journeys sprinkled with signature Disney magic.
Don't Fly In (And Out) At the Last Minute For Your Viking Rhine River Cruise
The "Thinking Man's vacation" is the way one reader who sailed on a Viking ship on the Rhine river put it. Minimize risks by only taking small amounts of Euros -- which you can easily obtain from ATMs on arrival if need be -- when you are out on shore excursions or walking around by yourself. However, it is a shame not to try some food and drink ashore to get a real flavor of the destination. Also consider adding a pre- or post-cruise extension to your sailing to make the most of your time in Europe. If you are flying in from North America a pre-cruise stay will also help you get over any jet lag and board the riverboat in the best possible shape for the vacation ahead. As expected, the ships serve American cuisines with options for fresh lobster or USDA Prime Beef.
Carry-on drinks policy
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Typical of the latter is the line's 14-night "Mediterranean Antiquities" routing, a one-way trip between Athens and Barcelona that stops in Greece, Turkey, Italy, Monaco, France and Spain. It's unlikely St. Petersburg will return to the itinerary until the war in Ukraine is resolved. Some of Viking's most interesting itineraries are around Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea, with many beginning or ending in Norway — the homeland of the company's founder and chairman, Torstein Hagen. Fast-growing Viking has one of the most diverse arrays of itineraries of any cruise line.
Viking River Rhine Cruise Review: Ports and Excursions
On cruises booked in some countries, such as the U.K., flights are included in the fare. If you are flying in from the U.S. on a first time river cruise it is well worth getting Viking to book the air and advise you of the best flight timings. There is a wide variety of cabin categories from a 350 square foot suite that sleeps four with a balcony to Category D, the most affordable cabin, which is about 170 square feet, sleeps two, and features small windows. Families will appreciate adjoining cabins, which are a rarity for a river cruise line.
American Queen Steamboat Company
The design is sleek and minimal and there are usually five tiers of cabins. 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.
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. 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.
When she is not traveling the world, she lives in Arizona with her husband and two kids. If you enjoyed this article, sign up for our monthly newsletter to keep abreast of our best travel tips, on-location reviews, exclusive travel offers, group travel events, and much more. All of your meals and snacks are covered and on a Viking Rhine River cruise, the onboard menus will also feature delicious regional specialties from Germany, The Netherlands, and Switzerland.
As for the bed itself, guests can choose their own mattress and pillow firmness from Avalon's Comfort Collection. It lacks the grandeur of the suites, and is small at about 172 square feet, and has small windows peaking above the waterline. 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). 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.
The dishes are paired with a selection of wines from the area that is being explored. Standard staterooms, which are the least expensive, hover at the water level, and come in at about 150 square feet. At the top end are large well-appointed suites with two full-sized rooms and great views, measuring about 445 square feet.
On your trip, you'll get at least one shore excursion per port included in the fare, as well as bottled water, all meals plus wine and beer at lunch and dinner, as well as onboard programming and entertainment. 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.
Having a step-out balcony on a European river ship is not a given. Viking has designed its Longships so there are 39 cabins with full step-out balconies, where you can sit with your coffee in the morning and enjoy watching the river. Another 22 cabins have the more traditional French balconies, where you can open the doors for fresh air, but can't actually go outside. The balcony cabins are 205 square feet, while the French balcony cabins are significantly smaller at 135 square feet.
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