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Has anyone taken a Viking Cruise? n/t (Original Post) RamblingRose Sep 2022 OP
Brother and sister-in-law just did. cilla4progress Sep 2022 #1
It's a bucket list item liberal N proud Sep 2022 #2
Cruises sound scary still. cbabe Sep 2022 #3
Read it. kairos12 Sep 2022 #4
Yes- Scandinavian ocean cruise in 2018 Fiendish Thingy Sep 2022 #5
My sister, brother in law and another couple just got back from a Viking Tour TeamProg Sep 2022 #6
I did that one - Prague to Paris - in 2018. Mme. Defarge Sep 2022 #9
I forgot all about the low water levels! Thanks for the reminder. RamblingRose Sep 2022 #15
I'm thinking of taking my very spry 90 y/o mom RamblingRose Sep 2022 #7
My Dad and his Lady Friend did,,,, KarenS Sep 2022 #8
I haven't, but my brother has done the European river cruise Ocelot II Sep 2022 #10
I took their Grand European Tour in November 2014, Amsterdam to Budapest. Staph Sep 2022 #11
I'm with you on not wanting to take a cruise. This one sounds perfect for my mom. She'd be in the RamblingRose Sep 2022 #14
I prefer Uniworld, everything is included and only 1000 onboard. lark Sep 2022 #12
I'm not familiar with them. I will add them to my research list RamblingRose Sep 2022 #13
They are a good company, excellent lodging, trips, food and entertainment. lark Sep 2022 #16
We took the St. Petersburg to Moscow Viking Cruise LNM Sep 2022 #17
I did. Now, I'm going to Greece, but my travel companion backed out. Roommate needed Feb 2025 lindysalsagal Feb 2024 #18
Ocean cruise last fall Randomthought Feb 2024 #19
Yes! surfered Mar 2024 #20

cbabe

(4,236 posts)
3. Cruises sound scary still.
Tue Sep 13, 2022, 08:30 PM
Sep 2022
https://www.goodreads.com › en › book › show › 59089200-cabin-fever

Cabin Fever: The Harrowing Journey of a Cruise Ship at the…

Utterly heartbreaking and vivid account of life and death aboard the cruise ship Zaandam during the initial COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020. When passengers, most of them over age 65, streamed onto the Holland America ship in Argentina, they had only minimal concern about the novel coronavirus that was just starting to hit the news.

Fiendish Thingy

(18,670 posts)
5. Yes- Scandinavian ocean cruise in 2018
Tue Sep 13, 2022, 08:58 PM
Sep 2022

Although the itinerary could have been better (didn’t go North enough to see the best fjords, a couple of stops were wastes of time), the service, comfort and amenities were top notch. Only 800-900 passengers instead of the usual 2000-3000 on most cruises.

They have pared down their offerings due to COVID and the Ukraine war (no more stops in St. Petersburg), but they do have a Scandinavian cruise that goes to some of the better fjord areas (but not the best IMO, and that cruise doesn’t go to Oslo either).

I would definitely recommend Viking, but encourage you to research the itineraries beforehand, and not just trust the description of the stops by the cruise line.

 

TeamProg

(6,630 posts)
6. My sister, brother in law and another couple just got back from a Viking Tour
Tue Sep 13, 2022, 09:02 PM
Sep 2022

through Prague, Germany and France and really liked it.

No complaints from my B I L who would complain about accommodations given the chance.

Mme. Defarge

(8,559 posts)
9. I did that one - Prague to Paris - in 2018.
Tue Sep 13, 2022, 09:31 PM
Sep 2022

Disappointed that we couldn’t continue on the Rhine due to extremely low water levels. Viking, however, did its best to work around the problem. And no complaints about the accommodations or the food or the service.

KarenS

(4,667 posts)
8. My Dad and his Lady Friend did,,,,
Tue Sep 13, 2022, 09:14 PM
Sep 2022

They really liked it,,,, It was a river cruise and they would travel from city to city and enjoy the food and shopping in each one. This was 2018 or so.

Not my cup of tea, but they enjoyed themselves.

Ocelot II

(121,224 posts)
10. I haven't, but my brother has done the European river cruise
Tue Sep 13, 2022, 10:04 PM
Sep 2022

and really enjoyed it - said the accommodations and food were excellent, he was really happy with the whole operation.

Staph

(6,353 posts)
11. I took their Grand European Tour in November 2014, Amsterdam to Budapest.
Tue Sep 13, 2022, 10:12 PM
Sep 2022

I loved it! I never wanted to take a cruise - I had visions of drinks with little umbrellas, crowds of people in sandals with socks, screaming children.

But Viking doesn't allow children, the river cruise ships only have 190 guests, and the atmosphere is laid back. The food reflects the local area; in two weeks I never had the same dinner twice. The walking tours in each port are led by knowledgeable guides in small groups, and you can choose to join a limited-mobility group, an average-mobility group, or an energetic group. Or you can just wander on your own.

I'd go again in a heartbeat!


RamblingRose

(1,098 posts)
14. I'm with you on not wanting to take a cruise. This one sounds perfect for my mom. She'd be in the
Wed Sep 14, 2022, 10:00 AM
Sep 2022

energetic group and I'd be in the average-mobility

lark

(24,280 posts)
12. I prefer Uniworld, everything is included and only 1000 onboard.
Wed Sep 14, 2022, 09:10 AM
Sep 2022

I've been on the Euro river cruises with Uniworld and had the Vikings ships pull up next to us. Their tours were so big while ours had 20-30 max and were so much better, more intimate. Viking does have some really good ocean trips in Europe, so if you want multiple countries these seem good.

lark

(24,280 posts)
16. They are a good company, excellent lodging, trips, food and entertainment.
Thu Sep 15, 2022, 07:50 AM
Sep 2022

We really have loved our 4 trips with them.

LNM

(1,129 posts)
17. We took the St. Petersburg to Moscow Viking Cruise
Fri Sep 23, 2022, 02:03 PM
Sep 2022

back in 2014 about 10 minutes before Russia got kicked out of the G8. I haven't done any other cruises so I can't compare but the service was good, food and guides were great. They're having some really bad PR issues with the Mississippi River cruise now with cancellations and poor customer service. I'd check out more current issues before booking with them.

lindysalsagal

(22,402 posts)
18. I did. Now, I'm going to Greece, but my travel companion backed out. Roommate needed Feb 2025
Sun Feb 11, 2024, 11:30 AM
Feb 2024

It's the Viking Star, 900 people. Greek Odyssey. I hope I can find another woman to share the room with. They don't give a solo discount on VIking.

Randomthought

(897 posts)
19. Ocean cruise last fall
Thu Feb 29, 2024, 10:57 PM
Feb 2024

Istanbul to Athens. It was very nice and the shore excursions well done for the short time frame.
We have booked a Nile cruise for next winter.

surfered

(3,500 posts)
20. Yes!
Wed Mar 27, 2024, 08:57 PM
Mar 2024

Our only cruise, as we usually drive ourselves around Europe. We took their cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam. I would give them high marks. Their guides are great. Food and drink was great. Only 190 guests on board, great! They got us upgraded air fare into London 2 weeks before their cruise and returning from Amsterdam at the end, great, as we made our way to Budapest independently .

Our only complaint was they use buses a lot to and from docking to the center of the towns and for excursions. By the end of the cruise, we caught Covid from the bus rides (we think) as we could hear coughing on the buss and the seats are closer than airplanes. We would take another of their cruise.

There’s a TV in your cabin which gives you tomorrow’s planned excursions. Every one on board, even their maids. speak English. Everyone is helpful.

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