Have heard about crystal and decided to try it out. Previously we had done a Viking river cruise was NOT excited about that and were reluctant to do another river cruise but thought we would. we boarded the ship in Budapest. We spent time there before cruising on up the Danube. I won't bore you with the daily stuff but suffice it to say we enjoyed all of the excursions and side trips they offered. All high quality, staffed by knowledgble guides. Every off ship event was well worth it. Suite we had suite 315. These suites are very cozy, read modest in size, but very well laid out. The spaces were well planed. Night time lighting etc allows for night time visits to the bathrooms etc while not disturbing sleep. Initially we thought oh boy this is a small space for I am 6'2" weigh in at 220 so I am not a small guy. It was fine. we were seldom in the room for daily we were off ship and nighttime in the bar or restaurant The ship has laundry facilities to handle your need Butler and housekeepers great. They are basically out of Romania and there english language skills are very very good. A heck of a lot better then our Russian. Entire crew was spot on attentive met every possible need you could request. Food was very good. I did not lose any weight on the trip and that is their fault. They should have limited the amount of food that I was offered. Breakfasts solid, lunch seldom eaten for we were on tours daily. Dinners fun and very good. We like that the program allows you to sit with or without others Entertainment This was really a highlight. The off ship excursions to get some dance opera orchestras really good. They has special events just for Crystal on more than one occasion. At night in the bar they would have local talent board the ship which was outstanding. This versus having the same folks deliver a different rendition of what they did the night before. A lot of fun with audience participation if desired. This was a great Speakers Crystal brought in outside speakers for your information pleasure. All were very knowledgable and helpful to get a real understanding of the regions we were traveling thru. fitness. They had a small area for this but hey not is a small boat and you could walk daily for exercise but there is equip there including a rowing and walking and gym equip So that is the reason for a not perfect score Spa they had a massage lady who was good As a result of this trip this line will be taking us on a cruise in 2021 into the Adriatic abut their small yacht. so we have cruised the following lines Silverseas Love them have done many cruises with them and have several in the cue within the next year. However they have been sold so we are watching the service and will keep our options open if the service declines oceania. Lots of solid food which is very nice but I certainly don't need anymore of that. The ship was tired but again this was 1 1/2 years ago they may have refurbished by now. Probably not going to use them again Regent Very good experience on them. However the boat had a large asian contingent. That can cause issues with cuisine differences and experiences desired along with language gaps. We were told that regent is marketing to the growing asian markets. Seaborne. Wouldn't set foot on one of their ships again . We did the southeast asian trip 2 years ago had issues brought them to the management attention and they didnt even bother to respond. We were one of 3 couples traveling together and we all said never again. and let e tell you we all had BIG SUITES. Dreadful Viking River. mentioned in the report that we did them once out of Switzerland. Tours poor food OK sedentary overweight passengers who spent the days sitting around the ship eating and reading books. They treated the boat and a place to sit and eat all day for it doesn't cost anymore than getting off. So we spent Christmas and New Years on the boat. it was very very memorable and the standard has been set very high. So right now we are very high on Crystal and Silverseas. The difference is the ship size on being 500 the other 1000. We will be looking at Crystal for future larger ships also Read Less

As fans of Crystal ocean ships, we wanted to sail on Mozart, before she became exclusively for oriental guests from January 1st, though of course there will be 4 other Crystal river ships to choose from. We flew to Vienna the day before staying at an excellent airport hotel before being picked up by the included crystal transfer bus on the day of our cruise. It whisked up across the city to join Mozart for our Danube cruise. She looked rather dumpy from the shore, but once on board the fabulous interior wowed us. Documentation and registration were speedy, with a proffers welcoming glass of champagne. Our luggage had been whisked away to our cabin, so we were free to either have lunch or to explore this lovely vessel, the biggest on the Danube. We chose to have lunch , enjoying the delicious dishes offered in W , the main dining room , with both hot and cold dishes, a car very station and a range of delicious desserts. We found a window side seat, and were offered a wide choice of wines to accompany our excellent meal. The restaurant manager , whom we’d known from the ocean ships, came over to welcome us, and we realised we were in for a superb river cruise. Later we went to our deck 2 cabin, surprised at its size, excellent comfortable bed, generous wardrobe and storage space and a delightful french balcony. The sofa was decent size, the tv huge and a welcome bottle of champagne chilled for us to enjoy, plus wines in the minibar. The lovely limestone tiled bathroom was high tech, with programmable Toto toilet, large , quite complicated shower, and heated rail, and Crystal’s signature Etro toiletries Prior to joining the ship, we had chosen which of the included excursions we’d enjoy, and the proved to be excellent, with wide ranging choices, both cultural and scenic, comfortable coaches and superb local guides. Many guests took 2 excursions a day, but we wanted a more relaxing cruise, and time to enjoy the lovely ship. We have tried river cruising on several rivers, but this was by far our best experience. Read Less

Choose Scenic as previous experience was great & were celebrating a special anniversary.The entire experience from airport pickup, embarkation, tours, meals, entertainment to disembarkation, was well organized & looked after in a top quality fashion. The all-inclusive nature of the cruise makes it far easier to enjoy all amenities without worrying about extra costs. The ship was immaculate, the cabin kept clean, the food was wonderful with lots of choices. The crew were very professional but friendly and set a high standard of service in all areas. The tours were well organized, very knowledgeable guides & took us to locations we wouldn't have gone on our our, but enjoyed. The buses used were top quality & departed & returned as scheduled. We make specific mention of our Cruise Director, Richard Gray. He worked tirelessly to make sure all details were covered off, was entertaining in his own right. We would highly recommend Scenic to all & will be traveling & river cruising with them again. Read Less

Our previous experience with Viking Cruises has been exceptional. So naturally, Viking was our only consideration when we decided to take a Rhine cruise. From the beginning of booking the cruise to stepping onboard the Viking reps left no detail unattended, answered our questions and the web site is easy to navigate. All staff on board were superb, attention to detail, anticipated every need and very welcoming. My husband always wanted to see Marksburg Castle and Colmar. The tour and education exceeded his (our) expectations. The only disappoint was the Black Forest tour. The day was very foggy, rainy which could not be helped. But the stop at the village felt more touristy than Viking quality. Our guide was phenomenal and gave interesting history and facts on the drive. However, having a opportunity to walk on some trails OR meet local farmers, tour a home, etc would have made the visit more impactful. We loved,loved our pre trip in Amsterdam! Wonderful city, people, shirt bike ride and the museums (Anne Frank House, Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum). Public trams very easy to navigate the city, plus we enjoyed walking to take in local experiences. We are grateful to have experienced a wonderful visit to Germany, Rhine cruise, new friendships and life long memories. Read Less

We have visited the South of France with other cruise lines but we had heard that Scenic are the best. This has now been confirmed. We have thoroughly enjoyed all the aspects of this particular cruise. The attention to detail has been wonderful. All the staff have been so attentive and everything promised has been expedited. The beds are so comfortable; the cabin is roomy. The food has been exceptionally good and we have enjoyed every meal. We have also enjoyed all the excursions which have included visits to places that had not been included in our previous tours with other companies. All the Tour Guides have been extremely knowledgeable and interesting. The food has been top class and every member of the crew has been so friendly. We have had a wonderful trip and will definitely travel with Scenic again. Already looking forward to booking another trip with Scenic. Read Less

We had traveled with Scenic once before. It was a delightful and memorable experience. We were entertained, wined and dined to our hearts' delight. What more could anybody ask for? The crew was capable, informed and personable. The food was exquisite and varied and the wines paired with the food very well. The breads, desserts and pastries were baked on the ship so were as fresh as possible and extremely tasty. Scenic takes great pride (justifiably) in acquiring local foods and giving the guests a taste of the area of the world where they are visiting. The excursions were geared to guests who had varied interests and physical capabilities. They informed and educated the guests of the history, culture and modern life of the area visited. All the guides are from the area so have an in depth knowledge of the land. Scenic offers a complete experience with no added charges unless you purchase something on board. That appeals to us. There are no surprise bills to sting at the end of the tour. Read Less

What a wonderful experience! While our Viking Cruise was perhaps a bit pricier than some cruises, the value was excellent. They did not nickel and dime us to death. Our cabin was excellent. The common areas were beautifully done. The prices for cocktails were very reasonable. The beer & wine included with lunch & dinner was another great value. The food was delicious no matter where we ate. from the buffet to the specialty restaurants! We enjoyed the local specialties served by the pool after a busy day exploring. I can’t say enough about the food. We enjoyed room service for breakfast on days the we had early excursions. We enjoyed some wonderful excursions. From the very special ones such as our trip to Normandy to the included excursions, such as seeing the charming canals of Amsterdam & Brugges. We so much fun participating at the activities in the Torshavn as well as in the theater. We spend a decent amount of time using the fitness room & the spa which are very well done. I have neglected to pack my swimsuit & was able to purchase a very basic suit very inexpensively. We made use of the laundry room on our floor several times which makes packing much easier. I almost forgot to mention that there is no one under 18 on the ship, perfect for us. We booked our next Viking Cruise before leaving the ship. It made leaving our wonderful home of 16 days a little easier. Read Less

We have traveled with Viking 3 times before, but all were river cruises. We wanted to try an ocean cruse for something different. We chose the Trade Routes because the itinerary was new to us. We also have wanted to see Barcelona and the wonderful Gaudi masterpiece La Sagrada Familia. Our tour went from Bergen to Barcelona. We had the Barcelona extension which was an advantage because there were some political problems in Barcelona requiring the ship to divert to Valencia. The shore excursions were all very well planned. They were informative and in some cases very, very entertaining. We enjoyed all of the excursions, but particularly liked our visit to the farm in Bergen. We also loved our canal cruise in Bruges. It is a great way to view the city. The Endless Bounty of Andalusia in Granada was quite different. The orchard was beautiful. We got to learn about some unusual fruits and got to sample them all while being entertained by the farmer and his well trained dog. Although Valencia was not a planned stop, this was a very interesting visit. The contrasts between the old and new parts of the city are truly amazing. A very beautiful city. We were not at all sorry that we made this stop. Really, our only disappointing stop was in Porto Portugal. The guide was not good. She showed little regard for the needs or whereabouts of some of the people in the group. She took off right at the start before everyone was even off the bus. This was the way she conducted the entire tour. She was never really aware of the group enough to know if everyone was there. We actually ended up leaving some folks behind to find there own way back to the ship. Her attitude once she realized that everyone wasn't there left a lot to be desired. I believe her statement was "Oh well they have until 5 o'clock to get back to the ship." Our group was not the only group complaining about the guides on this stop. They were not Viking Guides from the ship like we have had on some other trips for example in Russia and China. We expressed our concerns to the cruise director. She was already aware of what happened and assured us that they situation was being looked at very carefully. All made it back to the ship on time but the incident could have been avoided had the guide not been in such a rush to "get it done". There was plenty to do on the days at sea. I took 3 different cooking classes with Chef Charles who was great! We had a blast cooking, meeting great people and eating great food. My husband took advantage of some of the lectures and found them to be very interesting. There were so many choices for great food on board. We enjoyed the food in all the venues. Really good! We ate at the World Cafe` most nights because it was really good and provided so many choices to sample plus it was very casual. After touring mornings and afternoons somedays it was nice to not have to change before dinner. It took us a few days to realize that in the World Cafe` the line was slightly different on each side. For example one side typically had king crab claws while the other side had boiled shrimp. One side had sushi and the other side did not. One side had Gelato, the other did not. There was no problem going form one side to the other to be sure to get what you wanted. We ate at Mamsems one morning for Norwegian waffles. Loved them. We only had the opportunity to go there once. The regular dinning room was very good (ate there twice), but preferred the variety of choices at the World Cafe` The specialty restaurants for dinner were both outstanding. We would have liked to go back to the Italian restaurant a second time but couldn't get in. The Mexican night at the Chef's Table was most unusual and the best Mexican we have ever had. Also couldn't get back there to try one of the other ethnic nights. Service was always cordial and efficient in all areas. The evening entertainment was the absolute best of any of the Viking Ships we have been on. The Cruise Director (Heather Clancy) is a very talented opera singer herself. She put on a one women show turning those who never thought that they liked opera into believers. It seems as though she has set very high standards for the other entertainers both vocal and instrumental and has put together an excellent team. It is well worth staying to listen to this fine group of entertainers. In the lounges and all throughout the ship including the Atrium where the young violinist played we were entertained by top notch performers. Loved it! When it was time to leave the ship everyone met in the Atrium and were guided by staff to follow a color coded grouping that allowed for orderly departure to the airport or hotel. This process was quick and efficient. When our color was called, it was easy to get off the ship and go through the terminal to find our luggage (which was tagged with matching color coded tags). The luggage was grouped into areas that were easy to locate because of the color coding. We boarded our busses and those staying for the extension were driven to the hotels. Don't miss La Sagrada Familia when in Barcelona. It is a must see for sure. Read Less

We chose Viking because of the small size of the ship and the ship was new. We also like Viking’s attention to service - which was great and the itinerary was very appealing to us. We like the all inclusive qualities that Viking offers. For example, a shore excursion was included at every port and beer and wine were included at lunch and dinner. There were very few things that were extra and required an additional cost! We enjoyed the entertainment every evening and the shore talks were always very informative. The food was delicious and we always had a good variety to chose from. We also liked the portions that were served. They were moderate so we did not feel that we were being wasteful. Because of the size of the ship, it always felt very cozy. There were so many places we could relax and talk or read a book - and still enjoy the beauty of the water. The pool area was exceptional as well - with a retracting roof so we could enjoy the sunshine on the warmer days in port. Overall, it was a special adventure for us as we enjoyed a new destination each day! Read Less

We wanted to see places we had never seen before, especially Barcelona. Our flights to Bergen were rearranged because of a partial cancellation. The alternate flights set up by Viking got us there at 1:00 a.m.with an 8+ hour delay in London, causing us to miss getting acquainted with the ship and Bergen. Other flights, which would have been slightly more expensive, would have gotten us there shortly after noon. We were disappointed with the way Viking handled this, and our trip started on a sour note. We liked the ship, our cabin and all of the people on the ship. The food was great and we enjoyed the amenities. We had pleasant times on the excursions, though a couple were priced pretty high. Our first experience with Viking was on a river cruise and all excursions were included. While there were free excursions at each port, the optional ones added quite a bit to the cost of the trip. Also when we took both the included and optional excursions, some were redundant. On board the ship we were always treated as valued guests. For those taking this trip at this time of year, the balcony was seldom used because of the weather. It was nice once we got to Spain. We added the extension in Barcelona. There was supposed to be a tour of the city on the way to the hotel. This did not happen. Because of unrest in Barcelona, we went to Valencia instead. This was okay, but took away from the main purpose of our trip. The extension was allowed, and we were impressed with Barcelona. So the trip started off badly and the end was less than we hoped for, but the main part of the cruise was good. The Barcelona airport is a madhouse. Read Less

This was my first river cruise and won’t be my last. Had a wonderful experience on the Scenic Crystal. Wonderful staff, great excursions, food was outstanding. We came with a group of 18. Couldn’t have been a better way to travel with this many people. We had 160 people on our boat but never felt crowded. Plenty of space to accommodate our group.They had such a nice variety of excursions. Always something for all interests. The staff saw to our every need. They all seemed to work together as a team . The food was very good. Loved that we had 2 nights with different dining experience’s outside of the normal dining room. Nice variety of entertainment . Also very happy with the way they timed everything. Never felt rushed or over scheduled but yet we saw and did so much. Very well organized and run operation. Loved that everything was included. No upgrades required. Thank You Scenic Crystal for a wonderful first River Cruise. Read Less

Cruise covered a wide span and interesting ports of call. Some were new and some were old. We just immersed ourselves in the beautiful localities whenever we can. Also, the weather was favourable at this time of the year. Hence, it was a popular cruise. See pictures attached of the ports visited, Cartagena, Corfu, Dubrovnik, Hvar, Venice, Cagliari, Gibraltar and La Coruna. Lots of on varied on board activities from morning to midnight that suit different people. We liked dancing and so, we enjoyed it very much. Picked up a few tricks from Shane and Jessica, the dancing instructors. They show cased some great performances during the voyage. Our Guernsey dining companions loved table tennis, paddle tennis and etc and so they are up the decks whacking the balls against their competitors whenever they could. Another Southampton dining companion, preferred to read and walked around the promenade decks and critique the paintings on sale. She is an art restorer and knows more than we do. One day, we tried foil fencing. We had so much laughter playing Errol Flynn and the white jackets and fence were great for pictures. Each to our own taste and liking. And we enjoyed sharing jokes and trips and going to the shows together when we could. The musicals were very enjoyable even though we have seen some before on earlier cruises. QV premiered one musical which most of us felt, that it was excellent. The dancers were definitely very good. The singers were a little too loud for some and were probably let down by the sound system which is preprogrammed and hard to control. But when they sing softly, it is just so beautiful. The NZ lady singer Lara for the Queens Orchestra Room, definitely can belt some lovely old favourite songs to everybody's liking. Look, even the gentleman head of the Royal Court Theatre Orchestra can sing some nice jazzy tunes when they play jazz at the Golden Lion pub. Save your money visiting the touristy French Quarter in Louisiana, USA. Food and service was very good throughout the voyage but definitely, we are missing the lobsters on the 5 formal nights bar one. Lobsters is standard for formal night on all the previous Cunard cruises this year. Common man, we paid good money for this voyage and surely, this serving of lovely marine crustacean is not indulgent, particularly when you are sailing the Med from one end to the other and up the Adriatic. That is just about my only gripe. We gotta have one, for the laugh, anyway. Overall, we have been lucky to have a good voyage, scenery, food, dining companions, weather but not enough lobsters for formal nights Read Less

Our travel agent recommended Scenic. The all inclusive feature made it attractive and a great choice. The ship was top of it's class, clean and well kept. The staff could not be beat, friendly, professional and always pleasant, remembered everyone's names and you never lacked for refreshments. The shore excursions were great but often exhausting and challenging for those with mobility issues. The dining area was large enough but an improvement would be to have reserved tables for dinner. We found the food was often not hot, small portions and lacked that "wow" factor. The "TailorMade", the excursion communication system, needs improvement. It's heavily promoted but has lots of flaws. It's not friendly for the age group Scenic promotes, seniors. The concept is good but goes mute in the castles, range is limited, constantly needs charging and too many choices in the menu. Even the tour guides don't like it. But it was still an amazing time. Read Less

We had a wonderful cruise with an excellent cabin on the lower deck. Plenty of space and a well stocked bathroom. All meals were delicious and well presented food and there was plenty of first class wine at each meal. The staff were all excellent and happy and appeared happy to look after us. Our cabin steward, Ivo, could not have been nicer or more efficient. a Boris, the programme manager, was excellent and very knowledgeable and worked tirelessly to make sure everything worked to plan. Ivana, the Hotel Manager, was quite outstanding and went out of her way to help passengers with any problems. She is an excellent representative of Viking Cruises. The included free excursions were very interesting and informative and we thoroughly enjoyed them all. The whole experience, from start to finish was exceptional. Having done a large number of ocean cruises we would thoroughly recommend Viking River Cruises. Read Less

We signed up on a previous Viking Sun cruise (the inaugural round-the-world cruise) and it was so great we wanted to 'do it again' even though this was a different route. Actually, this was not a 40-day cruise (per the review title) but the 126-day Treasures cruise, from London to LA via Patagonia, which was the first half of Viking's "Ultimate World Cruise". As expected, everything about the ship was wonderful. We renewed old friends, of passengers and crew, from the previous cruise. We arrived at Greenwich for embarkation, which was an absolute breeze, and toured the immediate area before settling in. We had previously booked excursions in virtually every port, both included (free) and optional (paid for by shipboard credit, or credit card). Almost all the excursions lived up to our expectations, and some were really wonderful and memorable. Some of the most memorable events were unplanned (or at least unexpected) ship movements, including a circumnavigation of the tiny island (Isla Hornos) which is the actual end-of-the-earth south of Patagonia, and a scenic cruise through the glaciers in Prince Christian Sound in Greenland. Fantastic ! Our cabin was the same category as before and was quite comfortable; we had considered upgrading to get more room, but decided that the whole ship was our living room. Every member of the crew was amazingly uniformly courteous and friendly, and we found we were rapidly recognized by our names and preferences: favorite drinks and seats at the restaurants and even our late sleeping preferences. We can't say enough about the crew, except that we all felt like family. We ate at the Chef's Table regularly; the fixed menus changed every 3-4 days and we'd hit almost every new one. The innovative menus (with wine pairing) were always entertaining and enjoyable, with the advantage of usually being modest portions which helped with our weight control ! We ate periodically at Manfredi's (Italian menus) but more often at The Restaurant, the third waiter-served venue. Sometimes there we'd take a table-for-two, but often did a 'blind share' with 2-3 other couples. Otherwise we ate at the informal World Cafe with all its variety, generally trying to avoid the 'most dangerous place aboard ship' - the ice cream line. Fitness & Recreation: Yes there is a fitness center, but we have no personal experience ! Would we travel with Viking again ? You betcha ! We're already looking at alternatives Read Less

Scenic came highly recommended by our travel agent and she was spot on. From the pickup at our hotel in Amsterdam to our departure in Budapest, Scenic provided a first class experience. Our Cruise director made the trip exceptional with his knowledge of the ports we visited and his daily port talk. Our balcony cabin was spacious and well maintained throughout our cruise. The food was Michelin star quality, with quality rather than quantity being the rule of the day. His dinners echoed the regions we were passing through and there was a good variety of options on the menu to choose from. Unlike shows provided on large ocean going ships, the daily entertainment usually highlighted talent from the port we had just visited and there was an awesome pianist who provided entertainment throughout the trip. Would I recommend Scenic for those seeking a River cruise, without a moments hesitation. Although Scenic may be a bit expensive, I always believe you get what you pay for and I feel we got more than our monies worth on this trip. Kudos to Scenic for providing a memorable trip. Read Less

My younger sister researched and suggested my husband and I join in. Glad we did as our brother, sister-in-law and other sister and brother-in-law did too. Plus 3 other couples who are friends. This was the first time we all travelled together. Amazing that all of our schedules meshed to go on the adventure. The itinerary allowed everyone to venture and do what they wanted. It was fun to gather in the evening and compare the day's experiences. I do not like large cruise ships. The Einar Longship was just the right size and the right amount of guests and staff. Excellent staff who were always watching out for the safety and comfort of guests. Very accommodating and helpful suggestions of the cities and sites visited. Everyone was well trained and professional. Dining & service are excellent. Enjoyed the regional choices and everyday selection. The kitchen prepared a special menu for my sister-in-law who is from the Philippines. It was enjoyable to have a choice to dine in the dining room or upstairs on the deck. There were plenty of options for planned excursions, self-exploring or to stay on board. Greatly enjoyed the walking tours. The guides were excellent. Also enjoyed the lecture on the history, economy & changes to modern Germany. Could have spent more time in Heidelberg. A special touch was allowing guests to board early and enjoy lunch. During disembarkation, guests who had late flights or tours could stay on board and enjoy the public areas. My husband and I enjoyed the Viking Longship Einar. We will consider another Viking Longship river cruise in the future. Basel was enjoyable and good embarkation city. We also spent 2 days in Lucerne prior to Basel which was fun. In hindsight would have liked the pre-cruise tour of Lake Como but a reason to return to explore. Read Less

The scenery everyday is awesome. Going through the locks was very interesting. Butlers and bartenders were friendly knowledgeable and attentive. Food was delicious and varied. I am allergic to shellfish and felt they could have done a better job of ensuring that there was options when shellfish was on the menu. Portobellos the Portuguese restaurant was excellent with magnificent service. The evening Crystal dining room had a varied menu. We found the service very slow on the nights that the speciality service/restaurants were open. Loved the butler service for morning coffee! Relaxed before breakfast and enjoyed the scenery. The Portugese bar b que up on the sun deck was very good. Ribs were amazing! The musician was entertaining and engaged the crowd. One night there was local entertainment which was also very good and engaging! Cabins were efficient but small. Bathrooms were well appointed. The tours were good but some required too long a bus ride. A few were sick and not enough was done to find out why. Probably the heat as it was very hot Throughly enjoyed the trip though. Cruise directors were very knowledgeable. We took the three days in Lisbon prior which very worth the extra days. Porto was beautiful with great tours. Enjoyed the cooking class tour of the galley and being able to interact with the chef Very efficient boarding. A little confusion on the embarking as they moved us to a hotel. The lunch at the hotel was not very good compared to the ship Read Less

My husband and I celebrated our 40th Wedding Anniversary in August, 2019. Taking a look at our bucket list in 2018 it was decided to take a River Cruise and booked Emerald, mainly due to comments from reviews and chatting to others that have taken this type of a cruise. We absolutely loved it. Check in was incredibly stress free. We arrived several hours before departure, absolutely not a problem, checked in, our room was ready, went to the lounge area where they had food and beverages available. As other guests arrived, you felt really comfortable chatting and getting to know each other as we were going to be together for 7 days. The staff on our cruise we’re amazing. Always a hello, can I help you with something. Chatted with you for a few moments. If there was anything you required you just had to ask and they did there best to make you happy. The meals were delicious. Buffet for breakfast and lunch. Different choices everyday. Dinner, generally several options to choose from. If the items of the day were not something you desired, there were more choices on the menu to choose from. My husband and I received an awesome anniversary cake. Our room was beautiful. #307. Quiet, comfortable bed, lots of storage area to remove your clothes from the suitcase. We had a lovely balcony. Everyday there was a different excursion possibly two. Very well organized. Mostly mid morning. The river was very calm and quiet. Stunning views, castles, small towns. Michael, the cruise director, explained everything thoroughly the day before. We were so fortunate, no water level issues. Absolutely loved going through all the Locke’s. Thank you to the staff on the Emerald Sky for such a wonderful experience. It was sad to leave on the last day as you meet so many wonderful people. Read Less

Wow! I have never been so spoiled! It was amazing, I truly believe that every staff member wants you to have the absolute best time are there to make sure it happens. From the initial greeting when we got to the boat to the time we left. One of the highlights was When the chef would come out after each port talk and let you know the culinary masterpiece that he had prepared for you that evening. We were never hungry... The wait staff were always very attentive and polite and never left you wanting for anything (my husband may have had a couple of 2 dessert nights). The wine glasses were never empty. The excursions were top notch with really great guides. The cruise director JJ did such a great job of explaining all the possible excursions the first night that we actually ended up changing a couple of our choices and were not disappointed. The room and ship were luxurious and tastefully decorated. It was worth every dollar spent and I would definitely go on another scenic cruise. Read Less

This was our first cruise ever and our expectations were modest. We enjoyed the entire experience, from our no hassle transfer from the Bergen airport on. Viking provided for our every comfort, even on the excursions: bottled water, snacks, and umbrellas--which you are likely to need in the British Isles. We signed up for nearly all of the inclusive tours and added an optional tour most days. Although we enjoyed them all, if we had to do it over again I would book fewer tours in order to give ourselves a little more leisure to kick around the port towns. Favorite excursions included Cawdor Castle (Invergordon), Beaumaris (Holyhead), and Bodium Castle (Dover). Next time I might also book the silver spirits package because we liked to gather with new friends in the Explorer lounge before dinner. We enjoyed the entertainment there and the excellent service. TIP: It took us a while to figure out that we could do sushi in the World Cafe and then go elsewhere to dine if we chose. We particularly liked the regional themed meals at The Restaurant, though we often ate at the World Cafe since our friends preferred dining there. No problem as the World Cafe always had splendid selections at every meal. BTW, it was often windy and chilly on the excursions, so popping into the WC for the soup of the day and a glass of wine was always something to look forward to. Oh, and gelato! Toward of the end of the cruise we discovered the pool grill specials. Fabulous food, but the dining area is understandably not as comfy as the other restaurants. The launderettes are a little tricky to operate. Don't be shy about asking other guests for tips. Also, be prepared to "wait in line." Some of the guests are not very gracious about queuing up for the washers and dryers either, but that certainly isn't Viking's fault. There were many activities we never actually took advantage of, but I'll make a point to get to some of them on our next cruise. Yup, we've booked another and can hardly wait. Read Less

This is a very hard review to write, because the ship has been designed to be to many things that are so different, which is difficult to achieve. The design has certainly tried to incorporate a high degree of luxury and speciality gourmet dinning venues in an expedition vessel with many unique features. So from my point of view, I really have to review it on the basis that it is an expedition ship or discovery yacht (as Scenic like to call it) with the ability to view the landscape and nature from the ship as well as from the air and below the surface of the water. It was for these features and the region it was to travel that I chose this cruise, even long before building of the ship had even started. The ship certainly looks the part from the outside with modern lines and a purposeful structure. However on in the inside the design deficiencies of trying to be too many things, become much more apparent. It seems as though there has been too much effort put into making it modern and futuristic with little or no thought into making it practical or functional. The Eclipse is a paperless ship, so there is an overuse of electronics which as we all know do not always work as they should and in many instances are confusing or complicated to operate. And when they go wrong, no manual or conventional system is able to take it place. From a safety point of view the hand rails which are square in profile have sharp edges and corners as do many handles, taps and tables. These may be in fashion at the moment and look good, but can catch you or your clothing which may be dangerous on a moving ship. The dark colours which prevail throughout the ship together with mirrored surfaces everywhere are not conducive to an older generation of passengers, which I would assume will be a large part of the Eclipse future income. Most modern expedition ships have forward and aft lifts or stairs, the Eclipse only has only has one set which are situated more towards the stern of the ship. This means easy access to the outer decks is very limiting and certainly can take a lot longer. It is important on a true expedition cruise, to have quick and easy access to outer decks and indoor observation areas to view nature and wildlife as soon as possible after sighting. Unfortunately the observation lounge has very limited forward vision but at least allows good access to the large outer bow deck. Also this lounge only has self-serve tea and coffee and no bar, while the restrooms are along way a way at the stern. The outside observation deck is good for viewing nature and wild life but deck 10 which is all outside, is a really good area for viewing as it give a 360 degree view. Mind you a part of this deck is set aside for smoking. This deck like most deck has a very large protruding roof structure which is a benefit in raining conditions but can be a hindrance to viewing birds and mountains from certain areas such as the observation lounge. The main lounge is very open with the reception at one end and the main bar at the other which makes it very open and probably less personal. The seating layout and design does not help in making the area as friendly as other expedition ships. Dinning venues are generally good but all with limited seating. There is no buffet option for dinner which is not ideal for a true expedition ship either. Some passengers just want a quick meal and get to bed early after a long days adventure. The main theatre is round and has very comfortable seating, unfortunately a couple of large pillars block vision from some of the seats. With a full complement of passengers the theatre would be very hard pressed to fit them all in, which will be a problem sometimes. The use of plain dark carpet in areas of the ship was probably not a good decision, as it almost always looked dirty as did some of the dark glass tables. Suites are generally dark and bland with reflective surfaces everywhere. Almost no warmth has been added. Our suite had one blueish toned painting, which only made the room feel even colder. Although the TV is very modern, it was set behind glass which meant you could not view it from any reasonable angle, even in bed, because of reflections. If you sat directly in front of the TV for viewing, you had the pleasure of seeing yourself reflected in the glass. As well the TV menu and remote control was more confusing than normal, and very slow to respond to button control, quite frustrating in fact. The cabin itself has a very thin curtain to the balcony and an electronic blind which lowers to darken the room at night. The problem with this setup is that, not only was it noisy to operate but also if you wanted to look out at night while your partner slept, the noise and possible additional night would wake them up anyway. The suite we were in was a deluxe verandah which was good in size but had limited drawer and wardrobe space. The wardrobe doors block access in and out of the bathroom when opened and there are no additional hooks in the suite to hang expedition clothing such as hats or jackets. Suite bathrooms do not have a conventional hand basin. Instead they have a sloping flat surface to take water away, so there is no plug. This not only means it cannot be used for washing personal clothing but the design also tend to splash much more water everywhere, including over oneself. As mentioned before, handles are square and on the shower door they are really sharp, certainly an accident waiting to happen. The bed was very comfortable and the air conditioning, which covers a good temperature range, is effective and easy to adjust. The internet throughout the ship is generally very good and seems to have a higher capacity with less dropouts than other ships we have travelled on. Staff to passenger ratio is very favourable, however it is my understanding that staff quarters have been built to the very minimum standard, which is small. Only time will tell if that is the case, and that will be through staff turnover. I know a number of staff left the ship in Quebec. The ship itself is very smooth and relative quite. It certainly handles rougher conditions better than most other expedition ships and its dynamic positioning system is brilliant. This system means it does not have to drop anchor but can stay in the one position with almost no movement. However the side thrusters, which keep the ship in position, do create some problems for zodiac drivers as they approach the ship. The idea of having helicopters and a submarine to enhance the experience is certainly very appealing and the experience is certainly worth while. Unfortunately there will be many instances where they will be unable to be used due to local restrictions or weather conditions. With passenger expectations high for these experiences, the Eclipse could have some very unhappy customers at times. Local restrictions may become a bigger issue in certain regions in the future for both the helicopters and submarine. In summary the ship itself is very good but it certainly could have been better, in fact world class, had there been much more functionality designed into its main purpose, which I assume is a discovery yacht. Although I did not chose to sail on a maiden voyage, unfortunately that is the way it turned out. So how did this inaugural voyage from Reykjavik to Quebec, on the Scenic Eclipse go. It certainly did not start well. Three days prior departure we were advised that boarding the time would be delayed by three hours from midday. Instead a room at a local hotel near the port was made available for meeting, and a light lunch was provided. We all waited until around 3pm the revised boarding time, when we were advised that boarding would not take place for another 24 hours. Scenic staff then spent several hours arranging accommodation at various hotels all around Reykjavik. The whole process was handled so badly that passengers became extremely unhappy. Scenic also offered us to board the ship for drinks that evening. Many passengers took up the opportunity to view the ship, which may have been a mistake as we were able to see just how unready the ship really was for the cruise. To fill in the following day Scenic offered a full day, which turned out to be very good. After the tour we did board the ship, and saw just how tired and wore out the staff really were from preparing the ship for us to board. They must have worked day and night without much sleep, never-the-less to their credit they still had a smile for some very unhappy passengers. Realistically the ship was several weeks from being ready for sailing with passengers. To highlight how unprepared they were for passengers at the safety drill there was no check list to make sure everyone attended and when they did try to do a roll call too many were not present so they gave up and said it was all over. During the first few days there were many issues, certainly far to many to mention here, but overtime everything started to improve and by the time we reached Canada things were running quite smoothly and everyone seemed to be enjoy the cruise even with issues remaining. Food quality varied from average all the way up to exceptional. Hotel staff were friendly and generally good to excellent while the expedition staff were very competent and did a great job in making the experience more enjoyable. Over time I’m sure the ship will become a top quality product, but its design issues will remain, which is ashame. Read Less

Wanted to visit Amsterdam and Germany and it was the perfect way to do it. We chose the Scenic Ruby as the ship and decor was very modern. We had the room at the rear of the ship. The rear window was wide that we didn’t have to leave our room to see the beautiful river scenery especially the castles. The food and service was five star, all our needs were met by our wonderful butler with early morning coffee and breakfast in our room. There was a also a full buffet breakfast in the dining room with a great selection of cold and hot food. Evening meals were five star. The daily soups are to die for. As you cruise through the towns and past the vineyards you get to try the lovely wines and beers in that area with you meals. It seemed happy hour all day. The bar staff would were very attentive and ready to mix your favourite cocktails. The musical entertainment on board was excellent. There was a good selection of shore excursions. Our Cruise Director was informative advising us of the next days’ tours and departure times. Comfortable coaches and guides were ready each day to take us on our guided tours. This was certainly a five star cruise. Read Less

This was our 2nd ocean cruise with Viking. We loved that the ships are the same lay out so you feel like you have come home. The staff is always A1 and we love the fact that they all seem genuinely happy to be working for Viking and on your ship. The food is always excellent. Several selections of restaurants to satisfy your every different craving. Just the right amount of passengers to make it interesting meeting new people but not overwhelming. The spa and exercise facility are wonderful. Always enjoy a massage and spending time in the whirlpool and snow room! Took the cooking class on the day at sea and it was just such a delight and brought some great recipes home along with a great viking apron. Entertainment is always fun and the talent is better than any other cruise we have been in. Can’t wait for my next cruise Read Less

This was our first ever cruise, and it exceeded our expectations at every level. We went with four other friends, and the great thing was that we enjoyed many times together, but we also had many opportunities to enjoy shore excursions on our own or with other members of the cruise. It was very comfortable either way. The decor and atmosphere of the ship added greatly to learning about the Nordic culture and people. The art pieces were an opportunity unto themselves that allowed us to learn. Add to this world class sessions on historical events by renowned academics and experienced professionals and we had the perfect combination of fun and education. The cabin was clean, spacious and comfortable. The personnel were professional, helpful and, without exception, accommodating. The food was incredible and of such a variety that no one would ever go hungry. The tours were informative and the on board entertainment was enjoyable, and ,as well, the educational sessions were very good. Read Less