Saturday, April 13, 2024

Grand European Tour Cruise Reviews 2024 Amsterdam to Budapest Viking®

viking river cruise review

We celebrated Hannah’s 13th birthday on Viking Spirit. The entire staff was wonderful and they made Hannah feel special. This was my fifth Viking trip and we can’t wait to travel again with this company. They choose the least expensive flight options, meaning the flights were at the worst times – either very early morning (i.e., 6 AM’ish) or very late flights. We opted to extend our stay in Europe after the cruise. Viking offers both pre and post extensions, which are a fun way to see more of Europe and combine the best of both worlds (guided group tours with individual trips).

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Next port going north on the Danube would be Bratislava, Slovakia. Fishermen’s Bastion, built between 1895 and 1902, the beautiful towers and covered terrace weren’t built to defend the territory but to provide unparalleled views of the city. We had ample time to wander along the terrace and up to the Neo-Romanesque designed towers. This is the prime photo op location for sweeping vistas of Budapest. A mid-afternoon boarding gave guests plenty of time before dinner to explore this spirited yet somewhat austere city, either on their own or with a Viking tour excursion.

Businesses

We usually had the lighter continental breakfast, but it was the exact same food every day. When the ships were docked right next to each other, passengers from the far ship had to go through the lobby on the near ship to get to the dock. For this aspect, I give this Viking River Cruise review an A+. Passengers arrive at various times throughout the day, and the check-in procedure is straightforward.

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Despite its generally casual feel, jeans and shorts are not permitted at dinner. For our flights, we took advantage of Viking’s flight booking service. We set fare alerts and browsed for flights on our own, and after comparing it to the Viking customer service rep, found that they were able to get us a better deal. If you like to socialize and want a formal 3-course menu dinner, try the formal dining room on the main floor. The ships are well designed to really maximize space and cabins feature a giant closet and tons of drawers to put away your clothes, should you wish to fully unpack.

We ended up leaving one tour to explore Lyon on our own, which ended up being the better option. Every evening you will find a daily newsletter for the next day’s activities. There is a shuffle board and putting green, that many of the cruisers on our ship enjoyed. Along our route, we also had excellent cell service with our American telecom providers. Be sure to contact them prior to your travel to determine the ability to use your phone overseas.

Day 3: Strasbourg, France

I was tired but excited to finally have a chance to walk across Budapest’s historic Chain Bridge. In First Class on trains in Europe, you’ll find many English-speaking passengers from North America. It was easy to strike up conversations with fellow travelers and the eight hours quickly passed.

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Viking River Cruises provides a choice of complimentary wines, beer, and soft drinks during lunch and dinner. The bar area includes a bar, lounge type tables and chairs, dance floor, and a piano which was usually played in the evening. It includes a choice of starters, main courses, and dessert.

viking river cruise review

Which is the Best European River Cruise?

It includes a calendar of activities and excursions, meal times, and where you will be each day. This is useful as you will usually wake up in a different place than where you were when you went to bed. Otherwise people read, enjoyed the sun, or enjoyed a glass of wine as we cruised down the Rhone river. We also dropped pins for the ship’s location when we arrived at a port and went off exploring on our own. There is also the option to purchase the Silver Spirits upgrade package, which includes premium wines, cocktails, etc.

Viking Heimdal Cruise Reviews for River Cruises to France River (2023 UPDATED): Cruise Ratings on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic

Viking Heimdal Cruise Reviews for River Cruises to France River (2023 UPDATED): Cruise Ratings on Cruise Critic.

Posted: Fri, 30 Jun 2023 20:21:51 GMT [source]

New Emerald Waterways Active Excursions for 2018 Europe River Cruises

I’ve had to run to catch the bus on more than one occasion. I had about an hour to get acquainted with my cabin and Viking Lif river ship before the first pre-dinner meeting. By the time I arrived at the ship in the late afternoon, other passengers had already unpacked and were mingling about the vessel. They had enough time for a short city tour and were enjoying cocktails in the lounge.

Afterwards, everyone was really quiet on the motor coach back to the ship. It had been a busy, long day from one end of the city to another. Then you hear a 5-minute warning for your motor coach departure. The tour departure time that’s posted is not when you should walk out of your stateroom.

At first glance, including a Viking River Cruise review on a blog dedicated to RV travel might seem a bit unusual. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. In addition, average cruise prices are updated nightly. You will need to pay extra for tips, laundry and additional shore excursion offerings. On vessels with hair or spa services, or any retail offerings, you'll need to pay extra for these as well.

I divided my Viking Grand European Tour river cruise into two parts. Viking Skadi, on its way south from Amsterdam, couldn’t get past Nuremberg for the same reason. The restaurant is usually packed with tourists throughout the summer but this rainy October day, I had no problem getting my own indoor table. Once you’ve finished your beer and extras, take a walk across the Old Stone Bridge. Built between 1135 and 1146, it was the bridge used by the knights on the second and third Crusades to the Holy Land.

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