Since Viking Sky had only 2 more cruises after ours, this will serve more as a review of Viking than of the Sky. The Sky itself was fine although it lacks the bells and whistles of the new longboats. The food was fantastic, certainly comparable to our experience with Celebrity. And the wine was definitely free flowing. We generally got a final refill at the end of dinner to take to the lounge. The tours were very well done. All of our local guides were excellent and the radio things worked well. We chose the "leisurely" group and it usually had from 6 to 12 people. None of us was disabled, just a few canes and creaky knees, and we saw almost everything the other groups did at a more leisurely pace with more chances to sit while listening to the guides. In 1 town our group did not climb to see a rose garden but instead walked on level ground and saw another beautiful bridge and surrounding area. We really enjoyed our fellow passengers and the 2 hour dinners were very enjoyable. The evening entertainment was low key but quite nice, a wonderful piano player, excellent local entertainers, fun games with lots of participation, and dancing. Not sure if it's because of the small number of passengers but the service seemed much more attentive and friendly than on a cruise ship.   Read Less

The Grand European Tour lived up to its name and was grand in every respect. This was our first cruise of any type and our expectations were fully met. The cabin was modest but comfortable. We did not require anything more in a cabin because you spend very little time in it. The crew was excellent from the cabin stewards to the captain. The ship was clean and comfortable. The arranged excursions were wonderful and informative. The extra excursions were equally informative and affordable. I know that my wife and I saw more of Europe than we would have under any other circumstance. We interacted with local people and not only got to see, but got to understand the various cultures along the Danube and Rhine rivers. We have shared our adventures with all our friends and highly recommend traveling with Viking. Read Less

My wife and I had the greatest vacation ever on your Grand European cruise - by the way this was our 1st time on any kind of cruise. We started in Budapest, Hungary which is a must see city. We took a land vacation 7 years ago to Budapest and the improvements they have made there since then is amazing. Next we cruised through Slovakia and saw a country on it's way to really enjoying life. Off to Austria which is one of my favorite countries - the scenery in Wachau Valley is awesome. Vienna and Melk we thoroughly enjoyed. Then onto Germany and see the 3 towns for which we took this trip which were Passau, Bamberg, and Rothenburg. Just to see these 3 towns was worth the price of the trip. Then to see the sites and scenery in the Rhine Valley is a thrill of a lifetime and then there was so many other towns like Regensburg, Nuremberg, Wertheim, Cologne and Koblenz which have their own treasures. Finally we ended our cruise by seeing Kinderdijk with it's many windmills and docking in Amsterdam. We cruised through 5 countries and the 3 rivers - Danube, Main and Rhine. On this trip we met a couple who lives only 15 minutes from us and we have kept in touch with them and another couple from nearby New York City. Whoever planned this trip could not have done a better job they nailed it for us. It was a once in a lifetime trip but we will definitely consider doing this exact trip in the future. Read Less

We just returned from two weeks on the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers. The Viking Sky is an older ship and in fact is to retire from the fleet at season end. So it doesn't look as bright and shiny when tied up beside newer Viking ships as we were a few times. Nevertheless the crew and staff and food could not have been better. Excellent planning and information on the various excursions was provided and all details were complete. The real test of service came when the last lock into Budapest broke down and we could not proceed. Viking immediately arranged transfer by bus from Bratislava into Budapest, arranged for our last night's lodging at the Marriott in Budapest, and all luggage transfers as needed between ship hotel and departing air. We were treated to a grand lunch at Gundels in Budapest, certainly a more elegant meal than we would have had aboard, and dinner at the Marriott to end the stay. Even when we left at 3 in the morning for our departing flight, a box breakfast was provided. And Viking representatives were with us the whole time until flight check in. In all, Viking performed extremely well with all transfers and accommodations in Amsterdam to begin, Budapest to end and a totally unexpected contingency. Because of its age the Sky may be available at some discount for its remaining trips and I think it would be a good buy. Read Less

It is two weeks since returning from our Grand European Tour. For some background information, we have been on 15 ocean cruises with 5 different cruise lines, consequently we have a base line of expectations. This was our first River Cruise because: !. River Cruises are two and one half times more expensive than an ocean cruise and 2. We want to be sure we chose the right cruise line after two years of research. First, Bouquets: (a) The service staff was very good (b) Cruise Director Debra Thomas was excellent. Now, the Disappointments: We were told to expect a pre-cruise kit containing luggage tags etc. along with booklets explaining what to expect and do. The kit was in the mail upon our return. Prior to our leaving we had contacted not only our travel agent but Viking two times to ascertain what the problem was. We feel Viking should have covered this issue by sending a kit directly to us via next day delivery. Viking should have contacted the travel agent to ensure better service. The flight to Amsterdam was uneventful. Upon arrival at 1.00 p.m. we had been told we were to be met by a Viking Representative. There was no rep there and, after numerous inquiries, we were directed to a large checkerboard cube to wait. One and one-hours later a rep arrived, then another one directed us to an outdoor bar and asked us to wait another 45 minutes for other arrivals. Great, we were hoping to get settled so we could at least tour a bit of Amsterdam before dinner, however after the bus ride to the ship and checking in it was too late to do anything!!!! We suspected Sky was an older ship as soon as we checked in and given, not modern day key cards, but a real key attached to an aluminum block the size of a brick. It was two days before we realized the doors were not self-locking as in most hotels and cruise ships. We read the following colourful comment about the Viking Sky amenities: Viking Sky, which sails itineraries on a variety of European rivers, features larger-than-average cabins (all outside views) along with a handful of suites (cabins with connecting doors, a living room, and an additional bathroom with tub). Amenities include a restaurant, lounge, bar, sun deck, swimming pool, sauna, whirlpool and elevator. When we purchased the tour we paid more for Category A thinking we would have a sizeable room. The shock was instant!!! 1. It was the smallest room we have ever experienced in 15 cruises. Room for only one chair with no comfortable space to place it. 2. The bathroom was also a shocker. My elbow would hit the shower door while trying to comb my hair. 3. When sitting on the “throne” the position of the toilet paper holder (behind my shoulder) forced me to be a contortionist while attempting to reach for the toilet paper made of recycled cardboard. (Interesting moment when we noticed a few guests bringing on board a large package of toilet paper – wonder why????) Since we had wire clothes hangers I was able to fashion a holder for the toilet paper and conveniently hang it from the towel rack in front of the toilet!!!!!!! 4. The vanity and shelves are so small that once we placed items on the shelves we could barely see the mirror. 5. The hairdryer was the lowest watt dryer we have ever used, taking forever to dry hair. 6. The shower provided no pressure or adequate hot water. 7. The closet was equipped with 5 wooden hangers. We did request and received wire hangers but the closet was so small it was hardly adequate for a 14 day cruise, never mind a 4 day cruise. (the majority of our clothes were kept in our luggage) 8. Online information said there would be 120 and 240 electrical power. We only had an adapter at first, almost burnt up the curling iron. Upon request we received one converter (one plug in for charging two kindles, a laptop, tablet, camera, shaver, curling iron, tooth brush. We felt like we were camping. 9. The bed was made up of two small mattresses, side by side, each bed individually made with separate sheets and duvets, but one bedspread covered the two beds. Not a satisfactory comfortable way to sleep (a lesson could be learned on how to make a bed by viewing the ocean cruise ships’ beds). 10. Dining times were adequate but the layout of the tables was less than comfortable. Once seated, if you were by a window, you had to ask the two adjacent guests to get up and let you out so you could go to the buffet. Very inconvenient for all. 11. Food was mediocre, however hot food was either warm or cold , never hot as it should be – we sent a total of 4 meals and many soups back for reheating. It became too embarrassing to make any more issues about the lack of properly prepared food. 12. The swimming pool – what a laugh – the water was so cold – could not be used. The sauna and whirlpool – where???? 13. Guided tours – many of the guides had such a strong accent it was difficult to understand them. 14. Important – guests should have been informed while taking in land tours if they want to use a public WC (water closet) there may be a cost and they should carry Euros for that purpose. 15. Another shocker was when we woke up one morning, zipped open the drapes and found other people staring at us from their cabin. We were tied up (right tight) to another ship. Pretty embarrassing when you are naked. This tying up business happened another 3 times. Naturally it cut our view of the countryside we paid to see for 4 days out of 14. Is this what we paid for??? We had discussed our concerns with many of the guests on the ship. We learned they, too, had many complaints and concerns. We feel Viking’s advertising about the “Sky” was overblown and misleading. It is no wonder it is being retired this Fall. Under the circumstances we feel we are due some form of compensation as we certainly did not receive value for the $15,000.00 spent. Joseph and May Chabros   Read Less

We traveled Budapest to Amsterdam on August 6-22, 2013 on the Sky. It was a wonderful trip hosted by a wonderful friendly crew. It was a little hot in Budapest and Vienna but Viking was ready with plenty of bottle water on departure and cold towels and smoothies on our return. Viking seemed to be always prepared with contingencies. One point many Grand European Cruise travelers fail to report is how much Viking is controlled by the river and acts of God. There was not much margin on many places along our journey. You could only look at the buildings at the ports and see the river gauges to see how the mood of the river changes. Only a foot rise on the Main and upper Danube makes river travel impossible. Some places we had one foot clearence between the ships railings and the bridge bottom. Most flooding is historically in June different from American Rivers. In cologne we had barges running aground on sandbars. All in all a wonderful journey. Love the smaller boat. The only negative was the double docking with the Viking Frei covered our window in some ports we we to them in others. Oh well seasoned travelers are flexible travelers.   Read Less

Our cruise left Amsterdam on May 29 headed for our final destination of Budapest on June 12. However, after 3 days of cruising our ship, the Viking Sky, was sent to Frankfurt, an unscheduled stop, because the rivers and locks had been closed due to heavy rains and the associated flooding. Viking decided to start busing us to the cities and towns scheduled on the river cruise without asking any of the passengers if that is what they desired. When asked if we could discontinue the cruise in Frankfurt and fly home, Viking responded we certainly could but it would be at our expense and that if we decided to leave, they would not refund any of our money. In effect, Viking held the passengers of the Viking Sky hostage. Most of us figured out that Viking planned to get us to Budapest come hell or high water because this was our disembarkation city and where most of us would fly to our home destination or other planned site. In fact, Viking did get us to Budapest on June 11, 2013. Viking got there by bus. First, they bused us to several cities from Frankfurt and simply used the Viking Sky as a "floating hotel". They next bused us farther into Germany to another Viking ship which was also used a floating hotel. This location was not close to any major cities. Again we were bused to several cities from this location; most of these bus trips were 3 to 4 hours each way, thus we spent most of our time on the bus. Finally, Viking bused us to Vienna, about a 6 hour bus ride, where we spent the night in a hotel. We had to chase our luggage and the luggage service at the hotel was terrible. We had part of a day in Vienna and then got on the buses for another 5 to 6 hour trip to Budapest where we chased our luggage onto another floating Viking ship hotel. We had a day in Budapest and then departed for home or other destinations. Viking has offered and provided a 75 percent voucher, calculated based on what we paid for the failed cruise, to be used by the end of June 2014 on a Viking cruise of our choice. Most Viking Sky passengers I have had contact with believe that this in not an acceptable offer. We believe Viking should refund over 50 percent of the cruise cost as well as provide the voucher. We base this in part on what Viking has done for cruises cancelled after June 12, 2013. Passengers on these cruise received full refunds as well as the 75 percent voucher. This does not seem equitable and is not line with what other major cruise lines have done for similar situations.Viking was never honest with the passengers of the Viking Sky; they knew a lot more than they shared with us in their nightly briefings about plans for the next day. In short, most of us don't trust Viking and never will; we certainly will not tell our friends to take a Viking cruise Read Less

We love big ships, but we took advantage of a discount on this trip since Viking cancelled our trip last year due to the ship not being completed. Hubby was stationed in Belgium and always wanted me to see this part of the world. The cities are lovely and it is always an interesting reminder that life doesn't stop because it's snowing. We Floridians tend to forget that. I bought ear muffs and that helped a lot with my nice heavy jacket. All of our local guides were exceptional: knowledgeable, fun, great English skills. We played tag with the Freya along the whole trip so I can understand how a previous reviewer was disappointed to look out every morning at our ship instead of a nice view. I think that was me waving. Having been on the Odin last year, the room were quite different. It was large enough and the bathroom was bigger but there was only 1 drawer, so we used our open suitcases under the bed as "drawers." We kept falling through the hole between the two twin beds and our attendant told us there were no linens for double or larger beds, so all beds are made up with twin duvets. That was a little inconvenient.Flight accommodations went without a hitch and KLM is now our favorite line. Entertainment was OK. We loved the singers and dancers and skipped the EU lecture since we were tired. Food was OK and portions were "mini." Some fellow passengers though the food outstanding but we thought mediocre compared to the other choices we have had. The service staff was very friendly but so slow. We all felt they were short-handed. We didn't get coffee until the meal was over, despite asking for it earlier and several times the orders were delivered at different times and to the wrong people. The breakfast menu does get boring after several days. The buffet was often cold if you were not one of the first in line. We understand this old ship is being retired this year? Read Less

Flying into Paris on Air France we then continued to Nuremberg and upon arrival found both of our luggage did not arrive with us. The flight was arranged through Viking river cruises. We reported our missing luggage which took about 15 min. We looked for the driver Viking had hired only to find out he had left for the ship with passengers whom had arrived on earlier flights. My first tip is to locate the Viking rep BEFORE reporting your luggage missing. We ended up waiting 4 hours for another couple on the next flight since the drive would not return for us. We found out the driver had left info at the Information Desk at the airport. Another tip is to let Viking take care of the airport transfers. Our transfer is a prime reason why. It turns out the ship had moved 30 miles down the river from the transfer prior to the one we got on. It had to do with compensating for a problem on the river. Had we taken a cab to the original location there would have been no ship and we would have been stuck finding out where it was and then getting there on our own. Upon arrival the staff at the Viking Sky couldn't have been nicer. The "hotel manager" called Air France to attempt to expedite things. The cruise itself was very nice. This is NOT a cruise for young people. The average age might have been pushing 70. By 10:30 PM there probably were 3 couples listening to or dancing to the music being provide by the man playing the piano which simulates multiple instruments. I brought along a voltage reducer which did not work at all. The ship was able to provide one which did work. The tours were handled by guides that were very knowledgeable and interesting to be with. Two of he tours included a lunch. One was forgettable and one was very nice. If you are on a tour which includes lunch you will be able to have a "toilette" break. This will be free. Particularly if you are a first time visitor to Europe don't be caught by surprise with the .50 Euro charge to use the facility. If you are near a McDonald's or perhaps a similar restaurant there is no charge. The dinners on the ship are not as extensive as an ocean cruise but most people should be quite satisfied. The beer, wine and soda are included in the cost and I can only speak to the wine but your glass will be refilled quite regularly. If you eat at the lunch buffet upstairs near the bar at the front of the ship don't forget the wine and beer are available for free but you must walk over to the bar and ask for it as there won't be someone walking around with a bottle which is the case in the dining area. An example of activity on the ship in the late afternoon to the evening was a talk on the history of the European Common Market. While he was knowledgeable, it would make most young people want to throw themselves overboard. One evening there was a glassblower who demonstrated his skills and had his wares for sale. Local dancers in costume entertained and got some audience members up. Stay out of the first few rows of chairs if you don't want to be among those considered. Don't bring an umbrella as they are available on the ship. They are red with the Viking logo and name so they are happy to lend them out. We ended up with the last available cabin which was on the lowest level at water level. A side benefit is having 5 or 6 swans swim up to the window and peer in. At least I hope they were swans! When you leave the ship for a tour or to just walk around on your own they would like you to leave your room key in exchange for a stub with you name and cabin number on it. The idea is they are more likely to know if your back on the ship. Return the stubs for your key when you return. Announcements are made over their PA system but do not come into the cabin. You will have to hear them through the door. The next days activities are spelled out on papers that are slid under your door. Also news of the world with emphasis on your area of the world are also put under your door during the night. Our transfer to the Frankfurt airport ended with a Viking rep meeting us at the drop off point. She led us to priority boarding for Delta which appeared to skirt a long line. A nice finishing touch. I apologize for the rambling thoughts but posted them as they entered my mind and wanted to get in key experiences which you might find helpful. Read Less

The program managers and crew had every detail arranged and it all came off without a hitch. Beginning with a four night stay in Paris (we added the pre-cruise extension), through the final two nights in Prague every facet of the trip was enjoyable. The panoramic city tour of Paris is much too brief if you have never been to Paris before. Even though we had been there previously, there are always new things to see and discover in the "City of Light." A motor coach took us to the ship with a stop in Luxembourg to see the city and the WW II American cemetery nearby. The ship "Viking Sky" is not one of the new "longships" in the line, but it was clean, comfortable, tastefully decorated, and a perfect size to squeeze through the multitude of locks which raise and lower the ship on this journey. We boarded Viking Sky in Trier, Germany's oldest city then made stops in Bernkastel and Cochem on the Mosel, a right hand turn at Koblentz took us on the mighty Rhine. The next ports were Rudesheim, Heidelburg, and Rothenburg, Following the Main River we visited Bamberg and ended the cruise part of the trip in Nuremberg. Castle tours in Cochem, Heidelberg, and Braubach took travelers back to the Middle Ages, Wine tastings in Bernkastle and Rudesheim were a treat. And the sights from the sun deck as we floated through southern Germany were gorgeous. I never imagined that so many grape vines thrived on the hillsides near the rivers. From Nuremberg there was a motor coach ride through the Czech Republic to Prague. Prague is a vibrant, interesting place with Hradcany Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral, and the Charles Bridge. Three delicious meals daily included enough choices to satisfy everyone. There were two meals in restaurants in ports which were included in the cost of the cruise. I like the fact that all daily side trips are included in the cruise price and would highly recommend this cruise and Viking to all. Read Less

Twelve days to go from Paris to Prague--the two "Cities of Light". Viking River Cruises provided an outstanding vacation at a very reasonable price. Everything was well planned and presented. The trip started with a city tour of Paris and ended with a tour of Prague. The hotels at both ends of the trip were excellent. The various guides that were employed in the city tours and on the excursions were very knowledgeable and amiable. Accommodations on the ship were comfortable and well appointed. When rain clouds gathered Viking even offered umbrellas. This was a simple, and yet a very considerate act. Beer and wine were complimentary at meals and were free flowing. The food was excellent and varied. Service was impecible. The days were full. While we took advantage of extra excursions, in hindsight they were perhaps a bit too much. The regular excursions were sufficient in both their diversity and intensity. Viking staff were always around to ensure the stragglers weren't left behind. The Viking Sky had a complimentary sauna and jacuzzi that we utilized frequently. Read Less

Viking's Paris to Prague begins with a short visit to Paris and ends with a short visit to Prague. But, the river part of the vacation actually runs from Troyes to Nuremburg. Excellent, friendly, courteous staff oversee all aspects of the trip. Most excursions are covered and there is always a staff member to run "drag" to make sure stragglers don't get too far behind. This is a very active vacation and cruisers should come ready to walk and walk and walk on uneven ground as well as up and down hill. The staff gave people plenty of time at the sites, so shoppers should be happy. Excellent food is available at all meals. Includes beer and wine with meals. Although there is an opportunity to upgrade to a wine and beer package this really isn't necessary unless one is either an alcoholic or a wine connoseur (or both). Accommodations were very comfortable and sufficient in size. There is open seating in the dining room with only one sitting. The small size of the ship made it very easy to mix with the other passengers and to actually get to know them, unlike what you would find on an oceanliner. We have cruised a lot--over 30 cruises--and can think of nothing about which we can complain. This was our first European river cruise. It will not be our last. Hotel accommodations in both Paris and Prague were superb both in quality and location. Excursions were a mix of historic sites, cultural sites, and general tours. One suggestion is that you shouldn't feel that you have to do all of the excursions or the extra excursions. Many stayed on the ship to rest for the next port. Read Less

We cruised the Mosel and Rhine rivers in Germany for our anniversary in July with Viking and were not disappointed in any way. Once we boarded our "home" for the next 8 days in Trier, Germany, we found a crew that was most accommodating in every way. From helping with our luggage to being sure that we had all of our needs taken care of. The food was superb, the crew and staff were wonderful and they made our trip pleasant in every way. They made us feel as though we were the only passengers on board. The excursions and tours to each port that we visited were attended to in the most professional way by the Viking team and the guides were extremely knowledgeable and pleasant! We recommend Viking to all of our friends and family, as they truly exemplify what service is supposed to be. The only call out was that the room was dated, but clean and this was overcome by the accommodating Viking team. Also, you really do not spend much time in the room, as there is so much to see along the rivers as you cruise and enjoy the top deck and the wonderful views. The ports that we visited were Trier & Bernkastel, Cochem & Koblenz, Rudesheim, Miltenberg & Heidelberg, Wurzburg, Bamberg, Nuremberg. We also recommend all of the extra excursions, such as the wine tastings, castle tours, restaurants and village tours. These were well done, informative and most enjoyable! Read Less

We just returned from a great Viking "Cities of Light" river cruise on the Viking Sky. We have done ocean cruising before, but this was our first river cruise. If you're thinking about a river cruise, remember that it's different in several aspects: 1) It's small-scale. Less than 200 passengers. One restaurant and one seating for meals. No climbing walls, swimming pools, etc. The facilities on the ship are first class, but they're limited compared to a megaship. 2) You'll be cruising with an older crowd. On our cruise there were perhaps two couples under 50 and 3 or 4 teenagers cruising with their grandparents. You will be with seasoned travelers. Everyone we met had cruised before, and most had toured Europe. However, it was the first river cruise for most. 3) Activities are generally limited to tours and socializing. A typical day would be cruising half the day and visiting a town or city for the other half. Town visits typically consisted of a two hour tour with a local guide and a couple of hours of free time to explore on one's own. There were shipboard activities--lectures, cooking demonstrations, local bands, etc., but no non-stop activities. There are probably other differences, but those are ones that stand out. Now on to the review. Overall: We really liked this cruise. We felt that Viking really "took care of business." Service was great, and there were no surprises. Anything that Viking could control was well handled. Food was great, and portion sizes were ample, but not huge. Wine and beer flowed freely at lunch and dinner. Although cruisers were older, most were active and had no issues on excursions. We enjoyed being with our mature peers (we're 63 and 60 respectively) who were generally friendly and interesting. We are already planning our next Viking cruise (Amsterdam to Budapest??). The Viking Sky: The Sky is an older ship, but has been very well maintained. It's one of the few Viking ships with a small swimming pool, but it was too cool in early June to use it. Our 151 sq. ft. stateroom was plenty big, and we enjoyed looking out or window (no balconies on the Sky) and watching Germany pass by. The only real indication of the ships age was the 13" television--the newer longships have large flat screen televisions. We didn't use it much, but it was nice to check the news with CNN, MSNBC, or the BBC occasionally. There were 3 outlets on the room. One was taken for charging the Quietvox audio devices used on all the city tours. WiFi worked very well, given the fact that it's not going to be available in locks, under low bridges, etc. I was surprised the good speed and responsiveness in general. Each passenger gets an ID and password, and a few laptops are available for checkout. The public areas were well-appointed. The lounge served as a primary place for people to hang out on rainy days or days when the upper sun deck was closed due to low bridges (on the Trier to Nuremberg tour, the upper deck was closed from the time we entered the Main until we reached Nuremberg). The bar was generally open, and the onboard musician seemed to be there almost all the time. The restaurant is on the lower deck, so when you're eating, your feet are just about at water level as you look out onto the river. The Staff: The dedicated staff is one of Viking's strengths. Our cruise director, Monique, is a veteran of the Paris to Prague route, and she did a great job of keeping everyone happy. She had the personality, knowledge, and organizational skills to make the trip a seamless experience for travelers. Wait staff and cabin stewards were all efficient and friendly and dedicated to making everyone comfortable and happy. Pre and Post Cruise: The "City of Lights" starts and ends in either Paris or Prague. If you don't do extensions, you should fly into the city where you want to spend the most time. You'll spend two nights in both cities, but since flights from the US typically arrive in the morning you'll have an extra half day to spend in your arrival city. Getting from Paris to Trier or Prague to Nuremberg requires a 4 hour bus ride (with a 30 minute break along the road). Half day tours of Paris and Prague are mainly bus drives around the cities with stops at Notre Dame in Paris and the castle/cathedral in Prague. The Prague tour ends in the old city, with the option of busing back to the hotel. Hotels are not located in the city centers. The Le Meridien Etoile in Paris is near the Arch d'Triomphe (2.6 miles from the Louvre), and the Prague Hilton is about 1.5 miles from the main square. Airport transfers were handled efficiently with no surprises. Our flight from Dallas to Prague arrived about 3 hours late, but Viking had kept track and had a driver waiting for us. Returning from Prague, one Viking rep saw us off at the hotel and another guided us to our check-in at the airport. Viking arranged for taxis for those leaving the tour at Nuremberg. Sadly, we met a couple on our first morning on the ship who were returning to the US immediately due to a death in the family. They were very complimentary of Viking's handling of the situation. A cab arrived shortly after breakfast to transport them to the Frankfurt airport. Those who don't like large cities can opt for the Vineyards and Vistas cruise which skips the pre- and post-cruise experiences in Paris and Prague. It starts/ends in Trier/Nuremberg. Cruise Itinerary: We chose this cruise because of the route. One gets to see the vineyards of the Moselle and explore the small wine towns. On the Middle Rhine one is rarely out of sight of a castle for more than 5 minutes. Rothenburg (optional) and Heidelberg are great old cities to visit. For some of the excursions, you will be dropped off before the ship reaches the town or castle and bused to the site and picked up at some point past the tour site. It's always an option to skip the tour and juts cruise with the boat. All tours included an optional "leisurely" tour avoiding steep climbs and proceeding at a slower pace. We really liked this itinerary. Highlights for us were Trier, Heidelberg, and Wurzburg (we skipped the Rothenberg excursion). All of the tours were led by local guides, and the Quietvox devices were great. One could wander away from the group to take pictures or see something while still hearing all the commentary. Read Less

We are at about age 50 but extremely active, and some days wore us out. The excursions were extremely interesting and most had good guides with excellent grasps of history. We also took the optional excursions, some being great, others not so great. We learned so much about Europe, more than I ever did in school. Yes, there were dead times, but when you work 50 hours a week, a few hours of down-time are appreciated. We spent hours on the sun deck, watching beautiful vineyards and ancient cities going by as we got some sun. If the one-man band drove us crazy in the lounge, we'd either go up top or to our room, but this wasn't often. When the ship was docked for the night, you weren't locked-in, you could hit the town and party with locals. Our best meals were in some of the restaurants in the towns. If you are looking for a party ship, go to the Caribbean. Yes, most guests were over 55, but there were teens with their parents and grandparents as well. We were hardly the youngest aboard. The excursions required brisk walking for long periods, but for those less-able, there were slower groups with less walking. The people at our dinner table ranged from pompous rich people all the way to the chicken farmer we met (he and his wife were our favorites). The crew was almost annoyingly accommodating. They tried their hardest to make everything right and did a great job. The breakfast buffet got a little old but overall it was okay. Dinners were fabulous, bar service was good. Cabins are tiny, but don't stay there- go out and enjoy your day. You can survive without your computer and Facebook for a few days, you just have to remember how you had fun before the computer ran your life. Overall we were very impressed and will recommend Viking to our friends and family. Read Less

Our family consists of parents and two teenagers. We signed up for a cruise going from Nuremberg to Trier. My first complaint is that the Viking booking agent (we went directly to the company) did not tell me the cruise was 99% senior citizens. My tour guides in other cities told me of this before we even stepped foot on the cruise. They were 100% correct. This cruise was painful from the moment we stepped on the boat (Viking Sky). The first day was an excursion in Bamberg that lasted from 9:00 to 11:45. Basically, your day is over by noon. There is nothing to do on the ship, other than stare out the window. The activities are more suited for a senior citizen home than a cruise ship. We had active days in Berlin, Munich and Nuremberg, before the cruise. One week on the boat could not match up to one day in Berlin. The internet woks rarely and is very slow. I anticipated the activities, food, and entertainment of a Caribbean cruise (but with a European twist). Not even close. The rooms were much smaller than other cruise ships I have visited. The food was average to poor. The pace of the cruise was more suited to 70 year olds, than people in their 40s or teens. The older guests seemed to be loving the trip. The crew felt bad for us and were very helpful. They tried their best to give us a good experience. Hats off to the crew for a wonderful job. My complaint is with the booking agent who sold us a cruise that was not appropriate for our group. If you are retired, this would be great. On a positive note, the cities we visited were wonderful. But, that had nothing to do with the cruise. We could have seen them without a cruise. As for the daily excursions, the guides were terrible. Some were not coherent and knew next to nothing about the venues. Because the group was all seniors, the guides would stop and make you sit for 15 minutes at a time while they spoke. My experience is that most guides walk and talk. At one point, we simply left the group and explored on our own. We had a great guide on the "extra pay" excursion to Rothenberg. Beyond that, the guides were merely babysitters. The crew was great, the venues were great and I don't regret giving it a try. For us, however, it was a huge waste of money and not the best use of our vacation time. Even one of the workers, who worked on ocean cruise ships, said this is a much easier job for him since there is so little activity on the boat. That says it all. I am a Top Contributor on TripAdvisor (also Profguy), but thought this was more appropriate for CruiseCritic. I wish CruiseCritic and TripAdvisor allowed cross registration. Read Less

We usually do "our own thing" when it comes to travel. We have never taken a tour in our lives. Everything was perfect on this tour, the scenery, the food, the boat, but the most outstanding was the crew on Viking Sky. Their behavior was one of ownership. Each employee conducted themselves like they were the owner of the company. The crew did absolutely everything to accommodate. An example of this was when we were returning from sight seeing and the weather was really rainy and cold and the crew awaited our return with hot glasses of lemon tea. Outstanding! Another example was when the crew were on the dock and made an awning out of umbrellas for us because of the rain. As I said, the crew was "over-the-top" fantastic. The food was super and the itinerary was wonderful, the towns spectacular and I slept like a baby on that boat. I can hardly wait to take another Viking Cruise. Read Less

We did the Paris to Prague itinerary. Was wonderful but very busy. Morning tours start at 8:30; dinners finished around 9 pm most days. But you do a lot and see a lot. It being medieval Europe and all, expect hills, cobblestones, and uneven pavements. The breakfasts and lunches were great. The special German lunch on the sun deck was great and fun. The dinners were less than they could be, but the wine was very nice. Lovely ports of call, and Paris and Prague are both so beautiful. Guides were all excellent. Great trip. Only complaint was the smoking all over the outside of the ship - could not get away from it. Wish is was restricted to a smaller part of the ship. Read Less

Having returned from the April 19-May 2, 2012 Passages to Eastern Europe (Budapest to Bucharest), we recommend it. Weather was good and the cruise scenic and the Primadonna a very comfortable and attractive boat (soon going out of service). This was our third time in Budapest and so we took advantage of the morning tour for orientation and then sought out two art museums. Overall, the walking was moderately challenging, but never overwhelming. (We hate cobblestone with a passion.) Local guides were good. And we enjoyed the "quiet boxes" to hear the tour guides (although they need to be reminded to talk clearly into their devices to be heard well). About one-quarter of the passengers , we among them, took the Transylvania post-cruise extension. That gave us a ride through Wallachia into Transylvania with its Germanic background. There was a modern castle and a medieval castle along the way. We toured Brasnov in the morning and returned to Bucharest. Not enough people showed interest in the full-day bus ride from Bucharest to and from Constanta. That would have meant seven hours on a bus in ordinary traffic for about a three-hour visit to nothing spectacular just to say we looked at the Black Sea. That would have cost approximately $100 per person. However, May 1st happened to be Labor Day in Romania (as in much of Europe. Museums and attractions were generally closed, but stores and restaurants were open because it was a touristic kind of day. Every Romanian who does not get the day off travels somewhere, thousands of them to shore sites. Traffic was impacted as it was on the 30th, and we could not imagine 165 miles of shore traffic the next day just to say we saw the Black Sea. We collectively engaged a guide for a two-hour walking tour of Bucharest on May 1st for 10 euros apiece. She was very knowledgeable and communicated well. We had the cabin 208, nearest the exit, reception lobby, and opening onto the skylit atrium. And we were never discomforted by activity or noise. We were amused to find that the reflective windows made our cabin (which everyone walked past) virtually invisible from outside by day. When there was less light outside, however, the cabin became visible. Read Less

We found our Viking Rhine Getaway River Cruise on the Viking Sky to be great fun, well-organized, good food, clean rooms & boat, and a very efficient & friendly staff. Check in/out took less than 5 min, with about the same amount of time for us to receive our luggage in our room or meet our luggage on the dock at the end. Their included tours were very informative, well-organized, and lasted just the right amount of time, giving us time to sightsee or shop on our own. We never felt pressured to sign up for optional outings, or in tipping. Everything about the boat seemed geared towards our comfort or thoughtfulness -- like offering us free bottles of water to take when we left the boat. Umbrellas were in a stand if you did not have one. Snacks on our return, and in the lounge. Things like that. I do not recommend signing up for the beverage packet. My husband and I ran a tab, and enjoyed several drinks daily from the bar. At the end of the cruise, our tab was less than half the price of the beverage packet. We also found the room category was not important. We were only in the room to sleep or change clothes. Even though we were in a lower cabin, we did not hear any engine noise, feel vibrations, or smell any fumes. The whole boat is amazingly quiet and motion free. Sometimes the only way we could tell if we were moving was to look out a window. We were worried about what type of clothes to take, and found dress is pretty much office casual -- slacks, sweaters, skirts. At the captains dinner women wore simple dress/skirt, or slacks with a nicer sweater. Men wore mostly khakis or jeans. There were no suits, no formal wear. We bought their photo CD at the end of our trip, and found the photos to be excellent - scenery with shots of passengers on the tours / boat. They were about the same photos I took, only better. They used a much higher quality of camera, and the CD let me copy, foward, etc. At around 14 E it was a good bargain with over 200 photos of our trip. We liked our first cruise with Viking so much, that on our return we immediately booked one for March 2013 (Paris/Normandy) and Nov 2013 (Danube Waltz). We will be booking the China trip for 2014. I can honestly say we had some reservations on taking a river cruise. We had taken a Caribbean cruise and hated it, and that will be solely a matter of preference & likes, as to which type of cruise is preferred by any 1 person. A river cruise is a much smaller boat, the meals and food choices are simpler and more limited, nor is there the activities / options. But on the river cruise, there was always scenery to view, quick check on/off, no long lines for anything, a much smaller boat & group, the daily tours are included in the price, docking close enough to walk or get around on our own, or just relaxing and enjoying the scenery from the deck of the boat, in a comfortable chair and drink in hand. There was no loud music blaring or children, instead we enjoyed conversations with interesting adults mostly ranging in ages from 40 - 60's - a few younger, a few older. It was the most stress-free and enjoyable vacation we have taken. We thoroughly recommend it. Katie & Keith Email me with any questions..katie.millinger@yahoo.com Read Less

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our 15-day river cruise with Viking River Cruises in celebration of our 50th wedding anniversay. As this was our first cruise of any kind, this was certainly a "once in a lifetime" experience for us. The travel from Hawaii to our destination city of Budapest went withour a hitch. We were met at the airport by Viking representatives who courteouly escorted us to our ship, the Viking Sky. The experience on board ship was just great and every one of our needs were promptly satisfied by the shipboard staff and crew. Sailing down the Danube, Main, and Rhine Rivers we enjoyed the daily tours in the interesting cities of the five countries that were visited. The meals prepard for us featuring the delicious cuisines of the countries visited were exellent. The social activites and events on the Viking Sky were memorable and we enjoyed meeting with our fellow passengers from all over the world and sharing our experiences with them. We believe the relatively small number of passengers on a river cruise encourages the bonding between passengers. To conclude, this was a wonderful experience for us and we eagerly anticipate future cruises with Viking River Cruises. Read Less

We booked our Grand European cruise directly through the cruise line and found their reps professional, efficient, helpful and truly interested in our enjoying our experience. Additionally, the website and communications via email and postal service were useful and timely. As soon as we booked our cruise (months in advance), we received our itinerary, books about the areas we would cruise, and other information to make it easy for us to plan and pack. We arranged our own air travel and hotels pre and post cruising. For three days preceding our departure from Amsterdam, we stayed in the Marriott, Museum District, in downtown Amsterdam where we overlooked the main street and its parallel canal. We boarded the Viking Sky early in the afternoon and settled in at our leisure. Although the cabin was small, we managed to unpack and arrange our daily must-haves in the closet and cabinet (which also held a safe). We had a nice size bathroom with shower. We loved our approximately 4'X 7' sliding windows that almost filled the side of our cabin, adding light and air circulation on balmy days and nights. We REALLY LOVED that no smoking was allowed anywhere inside the ship. Our cabin steward was attentive and our living quarters remained tidy, quiet, and comfortable. Meals were delicious and beautifully presented. Despite options for breakfast and lunch in the lounge, we ate all meals in the dining room, where meals were served, free seating, for about an hour and a half for each meal. Compared to American standards, servings were small, but meals were very well balanced and were certainly adequate. Double entrees or sides could be ordered if desired. In the evening, the dining room was rather crowded, but the wait staff were eager to assist or to rearrange as requested. In fact, the chef, (who let a group accompany him to the Budapest nachtmarkt to buy some special items!) the maitre d, and all servers were were friendly and jovial- we had lots of laughs! Much of our cruising was done late afternoons and through the night. Daily walking tours were lead by local guides contracted by Viking; tours were rated 1 to 5 with 1 being a brisk, sometimes steep or stepped hikes while 5 was rated leisurely - usually shorter and accommodated guests with walkers, canes , or wheelchairs. We usually broke into 5 groups of about 25 each and the use of the Quietvox Audio System, which broadcast the guide's dialogue to each guest's headset, made the tours most comfortable and enjoyable. In addition to the guide, each group was accompanied by a member of the Viking Program department. Each evening's orientation meeting for the next day's location and activities, along with the next day's printed materials including maps, details & history of highlights, and weather forecast prepared us to take advantage of each location. The on-board pianist provided music in the lounge most of the time that guests might be there, and there were lectures, games, or entertainment each evening after dinner, although by that time we usually were ready to relax in our cabin. After docking in Budapest, we disembarked and checked in to the Marriott Budapest on the Pest side of the Danube and enjoyed Budapest at our leisure for three days. Our pre and post stays added much enjoyment to our overall experience, and we highly recommend that as a strategy to add value and pleasure to your experience. We returned home rested and relaxed despite active days every day of our trip, but the ease of traveling while having our hotel go along was wonderful: no packing, repacking, checking in, checking out. Everything we could require was planned and provided, and after the first few days, we were traveling among friends, both crew members and fellow travelers. We are planning our next Viking trip for spring of 2012. Read Less

We sailed on the Viking Sky in early December 2010 from Budapest, Hungary to Passau, Germany. We visited Hungary, Slovakia, Austria and Germany in one week, all with the ease and comfort of waking up in a new city/country and having the hard work done for us. No pulling baggage into the tiny European elevators and lugging baggage to trains, planes or taxis. The Sky includes travel excursions as part of your purchase price. It is a small ship so you really get to know your fellow passengers and crew. We are still in touch with friends from this cruise and we are all wanting to get together for another cruise on Viking or visiting at our homes. We went a few weeks before Christmas and though it was cold and snowy it was also enchanting. We visited Christmas Markets all along the Danube and they were spectacular. Please feel free to visit my blog and view my photos from the cities we visited. http://americanhomestead.blogspot.com Just look in the archives for early December of 2010. Looking forward to traveling on Viking again... Read Less

Viking Sky. We booked directly with Viking. The staff were courteous and efficient and communication was good. After a hellish experience with Lufthansa, things went well from the airport to the ship. As expected, our cabin was smaller than one gets on an ocean cruiser, but was adequate. Water in the bathroom was inconsistent. On hot it sometimes ran cold, and on cold it was often scalding hot. This made taking a shower hazardous The dining room was fine, but not the workers therein. It was evident that the wait staff were recruited from the part of Europe which had suffered Soviet control and so some of them had little idea of civility. Three of them were appallingly rude or offhand. Some passengers complained to the hotel manager about one of them. The staff were not used to the idea that westerners like coffee and were reluctant to offer it. The better staff kept us plied with free wine at dinner, so we were happy. Breakfast was adequate, the same every day. Main features were cold scrambled egg, hash brown patties cooked so hard as to be unchewable, brittle bacon. But there was porridge and lots of fruity-salady stuff. Lunch and dinner were ho-hum, but one cannot expect an extensive menu from the kitchen of a small boat. Shore excursions were walking tours, buses used only to take us to some of the sites. In such cold weather this proved to be too strenuous for us geriatrics, so we missed quite a bit. It would be helpful if the program staff would give some indication of the difficulty of the excursions (as does Holland America). Value for money -- with the free air fare and off-season prices -- one could not do better. Answering the criticisms would improve things greatly and not cost Viking anything. Read Less

This was our first river cruise and our first cruise with Viking. We sailed from Budapest to Passau on the Viking Sky. I had read several of the reviews before we left and I have to admit that I was quite concerned about many of the comments as they were so poor. Based on our experience, I cannot believe that the other reviews were for the same ship we were on. We had an excellent trip and found only a couple minor deficiencies. We spent 4 nights in Vienna and one night in Budapest on our own prior to the cruise and then 3 nights in Munich and 2 nights in Fussen post- cruise. We did our own planning, air arrangements, and train transfers to and from the ship. Since we were in Budapest a day early we were able to talk to some of the people who were currently on the ship sailing from Amsterdam to Budapest. Their impression of their voyage was extremely positive. The Viking Sky was docked at the foot of the Chain Bridge. We boarded and checked in about 11:00am and had no problem leaving our luggage with the staff until the staterooms were ready around 3:00pm. We then spent a couple of hours wandering around the 'Buda' side of the city. There was a small buffet with soup, salads, sandwiches, and chicken paprika with pasta set up in the lounge. We grabbed some lunch about 2:00pm and relaxed until we were able to get into our room around 3:00pm. The bathroom and shower were larger than what we've had on the big ocean ships. It was especially nice to have glass shower doors instead of having to deal with a curtain. The bed, pillows, and down duvet were very comfortable and we slept well every night. After dinner the first night our fears of poor food and service were put aside. The meals were excellent and reflected the cuisine of the country in which we were docked. Based on our experiences in restaurants both pre and post cruise, the food on the ship was as good and sometimes better. The house wine was included. They had a white and a red each night and basically poured as much as you wanted during dinner. Specialty wines were always available by the bottle but we saw no need to order any additional wine. We felt there was plenty of choice at dinner and it wasn't pork every day. I had duck, venison, veal, lamb, and beef over the course of the week. There was always a fish choice and others at the table said it was very good as well. Soups, appetizers, and desserts also had a local and cultural flair. We didn't find anything at any meal that was bad or poorly prepared. Even my steak at the Captain's dinner was cooked medium rare as I requested. Breakfast was terrific. There was a huge buffet with cereals, breads, meat, cheese, pastries, scramble eggs, bacon, sausage, and smoked salmon every day. In addition you could order Eggs Benedict, omelets, French toast and blueberry pancakes. The service was efficient and excellent. Lunch also had a huge buffet plus a couple of choices for appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Generally it was way too much - especially after a big breakfast. After doing quite a few ocean cruises, we felt there were two really big benefits to a river cruise: being docked right in the main part of town and the ability to walk around the ports after dinner. Some nights there was local entertainment on board such as a gypsy band in Budapest. There were also some great lectures and demonstrations while cruising during the day - such as the bridge tour, strudel making, EU history, and especially the Program Director's personal experience growing up behind the iron curtain. The included tours with local guides in each port were outstanding - especially the tour of Melk Abby and the all day tour to Salzburg. We did the optional tour to Cesky Krumlov since we were not going to Prague after the cruise. It seems like we were busy all the time and the week just flew by. We met some really great people whom I'm sure we'll be in contact with and see again. The Program director arranged for a taxi to the Passau train station and we were off to Munich. The only criticisms we had were the lack of refrigerator and noise between cabins. Although we were really lucky and didn't have noisy neighbors, we heard several complaints from others about the noise and snoring coming from other cabins. This was an excellent experience and we look forward to taking another river cruise. Read Less