We had never been cruising before as a full holiday, only as part of a longer holiday and for less time. We did not really know what to expect. We chose Viking Cruises because they were recommended and have a good reputation. We were not disappointed! Viking are extremely efficient and well-organised down to small details. The pre-cruise preparation was very good and informative. Flights, pick-ups and transfers were meticulously organised. Hotel accommodation prior to, and subsequent to the actual cruise was excellent. Accommodation on board was very good. We had a stateroom with a balcony to the river. Although we did not actually spend much time on the balcony it was nice to have it. A great strength of the experience was the ship's crew. They were all excellent from the management staff and organisers to the chambermaid. The food and catering were excellent as well. We had the 'Silver Spirits' package for drinks, paid in advance. Not sure we would do that again. Viking arranged shore excursions every day and they were very well organised. Other excursions were always on offer. We passed along the Danube through five Eastern European countries and were fascinated to see them, though they are probably less spectacular than, say, The Rhine. Eastern Europe is poorer than Western Europe and has had a sad history. We never felt pressured to do things or overwhelmed. We felt there was a sense of space on the Viking Idun (135 meters long) despite some 180 passengers. Our fellow-passengers, mostly Americans, were absolutely delightful. I think Viking are probably a more expensive line - but you get what you have paid for. We felt very secure and confident with Viking, and if we were to go cruising again, our first choice would be Viking! Read Less

My sister selected this 10-day river cruise for us because of the size of the ship (about 170 passengers) and the destinations and excursions (Amsterdam, Hoorn, Arnhem, Kinderdijk, Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Brussels, Keukenhof, Haarlem, and back to Amsterdam). We have family connections to the Netherlands and were very excited to see so many cities and enjoy so many activities (biking, walking, eating [eating!], sight seeing, beer tasting, meeting new people, etc.). We were able to do all these things on this cruise. The excursions were interesting and the local guides were very knowledgable and skilled. The busy touring and dining schedules were maintained by the crew's use of printed daily guides, a daily announcements session before dinner, and overhead PA announcements. The ship's sailing, hotel and dining crews were efficient, friendly, helpful, and put the passengers' safety and pleasure first. The staff were particularly helpful to passengers on this cruise who had mobility or sight limitations or dietary concerns. We had first-hand experience with the crew's and Viking's ability to maintain safety and manage logistics because of an accident we experienced on the river. Shortly after midnight on the seventh day of our cruise our ship and a tanker collided. Thankfully, a very few passengers and crew sustained minor injuries only. On the other hand, the ship was did not come out as well. The bow and kitchen were heavily damaged and there was lots of broken glassware, dishes and serving dishes, and glass tables and some shower doors were also shattered. The crew in all departments handled this emergency quickly, efficiently and professionally. We were kept informed of events and crew members checked on passenger safety several times in the minutes and few hours after the collision. We were towed to a nearby port (Terneuzen). The crew and land-side Viking staff worked overnight to arrange for us to be bussed to a hotel for a lovely breakfast and then on to Bruges for the scheduled walking tour. That evening we stayed on board and the crew again worked all day and night so that the passengers could enjoy breakfast together in the ship's dining room. I have no idea how they did it. After breakfast we continued with scheduled events: a tour of the Delta Works and stops at Veere and the Watersnood Museum. At the end of the day we were delivered to a fabulous hotel in Amsterdam because the ship had to be put in dry dock for repairs. Our excursions from Amsterdam (where we would have been in the ship if the accident hadn't occurred) were held as scheduled. Despite the collision, the only excursion that was cancelled was the Flanders Field visit; everything else was accomplished as originally planned. The Viking Idun crew and Viking corporate staff were available to passengers throughout the rest of our time together. All of them remained calm and kind throughout what must have been a very stressful time for them. Viking extended very generous compensation to passengers. Almost all the passengers completed the tour rather than fly back home early. I have to mention several crew by name because they truly extended themselves pre-, and especially, post-collision: Guest Services Sandra Slankandenac who, with her peers, always remembered our room number, greeted us kindly and answered all our questions. Bartenders Gilbert, George and Yvanna. They were gracious and made a great lemontini! Hospitality Manager Stefka Koleva supported her staff who kept our staterooms lovely. Housekeeper Lillya was always ready with a happy greeting and kept us supplied with everything we needed. Executive Chef Ronald Waarsdrop. I did not really appreciate the quality of his food preparation and presentation, and the skill of his kitchen staff and servers, until we had a typical hotel breakfast on Day 7 of the cruise. Hotel Manager Harry Berislavic and Maitre D' Nenad Dukanovik. Both men have such a great sense of humor and were always in action. Servers Istvan, Daniel, Tihomer, Kin were attentive, friendly, helpful and always wanted us to be happy. Program Director "Joey" Schuijt. I do not know where to begin to list all that Joey did for the passengers and our experience on the Viking Idun. Before the collision he was efficient, funny, professional. After the collision he was those things as well as sensitive, responsive and deeply concerned that our experience be as positive as possible. Captain Zoran Lukic. My sister and I enjoyed a conversation with the Captain one afternoon and found him to be kind and considerate. We learned about his family and his many years of experience as a Captain. We could plainly see his commitment to his profession and, most of all, to our safety. After the collision Captain Zoran, and Joey Schujit, worked without sleep to take care of us, our needs and the ship. Overall, despite the accident, I had a wonderful experience on the Viking Idun and will take another cruise with Viking. Maybe Russia! I wish the Captain and the crew well and hope they are together again on the Idun soon. Read Less

We had done Viking previously and found them to be exceptional with cruise, sites, room, cleanliness, friendliness, food, service to and from airport, hotel accommodations in departure cities for extensions, and concierge service in extensions. Already booked next trip for next year. This will be my fifth cruise. Everything done with Viking seems to go smoothly. They are great with handicapped people and we even had children on one tour that was great. The extensions include a city tour and a number of other specialty tours are available through the concierge. Their optionals are well planned and reasonably priced. I like that each tour is different even though some towns ( on Rhine, for example )are duplicated, the sites seen and the spiel is different enough that you don't feel you are replaying a video. I will repeat some of these cruises because once is not enough. The food is great and the selection is varied, but you can always get something you like. They were very accommodating for vegetarians and gluten free diets. Read Less

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We spent several days in Paris before boarding our ship and a day in Prague afterwards. We wished we'd opted for the extra days in Prague as well. Nice hotels...very modern. The seven day cruise was along the Moselle and Rhine Rivers. I would caution people to call ahead of time to get approximate travel times before booking. Our trip was advertised as two days in Paris before, two days in Prague after the cruise. Nobody offers any information regarding the ten hours of travel time before reaching Prague. We actually had little more than a day in Prague...not two. While the optional daily excursions were enjoyable, I wish I'd known all but one involved a 60-90 minute bus trip...that's 2-3 hours on a bus each day. Too much bussing and too little dissemination of information. That being said, this was overall, a very enjoyable cruise and the Viking personnel, as always, did their utmost to keep everybody happy, well fed, watered and comfortable. The cities and scenery were the most beautiful we'd seen so far. If there had been better communication about travel time v tour time, we'd have enjoyed visiting Prague for a couple of extra days. It was hard saying goodbye. My advice...ask lots of questions before booking. Read Less

This was our fourth Viking cruise, and we chose it because it took us to cities we had not previously visited, even though it started in Paris, where we have been. Overland coach travel was fine; buses were comfortable, and all pre-and post cruise accommodations were very good. I would recommend this trip to anyone who has traveled with Viking! Included shore excursions were excellent, as were optional extra activities. Meals were very good - up to the standards we have come to expect with Viking, as were some of the lectures and demonstrations on board. Although some of the weather was a bit cold, the ship was always comfortable, and the ship's staff was more than willing to help with anything we asked. This trip, the Captain was very involved in getting to know all the passengers. Overall, our whole experience on this cruise was excellent. We will travel on Viking again! Read Less

We have cruised on Viking previously and this cruise popped up with a great price, we had our own free air, so we booked onto this deal Ship and service were excellent, all arrangements were well done, food good, not excellent, but satisfactory. My husband I travel as a solo couple and as always we met other people easily. The entertainment brought onboard was great. This cruise had a fantastic cruise director who helped make it special. Really enjoyed the evening tour of Trier. The beginning and end cities, Paris and Prague were our favorite locations. The one complaint for this cruise is there was too much time spent in buses and too little free time to enjoy the towns/areas on our own. We would have enjoyed more time to visit towns on our own, especially in the evening. This time was more limited on this cruise. That is a factor of river cruises that appeals to us. Read Less

Being a runner who has logged over 35,000 miles, many years ago recognized that I had damaged my inner ear which causes me to easily experience vertigo. Never thought I would take a cruise for this reason. Then my wife talked me into trying a river cruise. So glad she did but so sad we waited so long to experience the Viking Experience. Never felt any vertigo on the ship regardless of it being docked, moving or going through a lock. We opted for a veranda suite and loved the extra space and location of the room. Very functional, plenty of storage and hanger space. The twice daily room service was a plus and our cabin staffer did a great job anytime we had a different or special request. Internet was spotty in the room but who cares when on vacation. Laundry service was easy and always 1-day service (no charge if in a suite on this boat). The food was always tasty and plentiful and our servers did a great job learning our names and likes/dislikes almost instantly. Same with the bar tenders - Crown Royal on the rock please. The concierge learned quickly I liked to run and she would give me advance notice when the ship would be docked overnight so I could get up early and get in a run before breakfast. The only downside to this particular Viking cruise (Cities of Light) was the first 2 and last 2 days were spent in hotels. The hotels were OK but traveling from the hotel to the boat and vice-versa was tiresome. We extended both sides of the cruise and did each outside of Viking as we are very experienced travelers and made arrangements on more favorable terms than Viking provided. We loved our first Viking Experience enough that we are planning a Russian river cruise in 2018. Cannot wait to experience the Viking Experience again. Read Less

Our cruise on Viking River Cruise was absolutely perfect in every way. Food was fabulous. Drink package was quite satisfying. Service was outstanding. Entertainment was classy. Excursions were well done. The ship housekeeping was impeccable. The staff was excellent. Susie, our program director was amazing. We met a lot of very nice people. This was our first cruise and I can't imagine a better experience. Viking took care of all the details and made it easy for us to sit back and enjoy it. I would highly recommend this cruise to anyone who isn't familiar with Europe or cruising. Viking gave us so many tips that we didn't have to think through many issues and we didn't have any hiccups. We purchased vouchers for our next cruise. We can't wait to take our next cruise. The difficult part is choosing which one to go on next! Trip of a lifetime! Read Less

A great cruise, an excellent river cruise company, we have taken six cruises with Viking, all in Europe since 2010. The food on the cruise was very good, breakfasts and lunches were buffets or you may order off the menu which changes daily. Dinners were had a gourmet flavor and themes from the cruising regions were presented daily. Lots of choices, the wine flows freely at lunch and dinner with no extra charge. The two night pre-extension stay was at the Paris Pullman hotel, good food with an excellent location and view of the Eiffel Tower. The post extension stay was two nights at the Prague Hilton, an excellent location and very nice facility. Both Paris and Prague are wonderful European cities with lots to see and do. The shore tour are very nice and well managed. You have an opportunity to see and experience local culture, history, food, and the way of life in Europe both past and present. Go and enjoy it all, take this opportunity and make it a most memorable journey of a life time. Bon Voyage !!! Read Less

Cities of Light cruise starts in Prague for a few days. Stayed at the Hilton which is an easy walk to Old Town. Did the Lobkowicz Castle extra tour was lovely with lunch and a 3 piece musical concert. Info makes it look like the Prince will greet you, not the case. Only thing that could be improved is with tighter security into the Prague Castle grounds that Viking add time to itinerary so you can have more time on the grounds. We had no time to see other parts of Prague Castle had to get to lunch. Bus ride to Nuremburg for free time and then board ship in Bamberg. There is not a lot of time in Nuremburg just enough for lunch. Did get to Zeppelin Field only, able to drive by Palace of Justice. Bamberg on Sunday morning was nice but nothing open. Had to be on boat by noon to sail. So saw the sights and a cup of coffee. We got a table on the outside deck for lunch while sailing away, fantastic. Great weather. Food service exceptional and well supervised. A travel companion was gluten free and the maître d really sought her out first day and gave her special menu selections daily. Got her special croissants. Tour director was strong on ship and excursions. Front desk staff was pleasant but didn't go out of their way to problem solve. Another traveler left a coat on a bus and desk clerk said she would have to wait til the bus returned from another trip. We saw the bus was still out front and asked could the driver be getting a snack in back and sure enough he was and she was able to get her coat. Drive from Trier to Paris is an all day affair leaving ship at 8am and getting to Paris at 6 pm. stop at American Cemetery and Luxembourg was nice. Our tour guide suggested a restaurant for lunch and the other guides did too and place was overwhelmed and no place to sit. Should have several places to recommend. Also it was just ok not great. The last guide on the bus to Paris was young and enthusiastic but several people noted she talked too much and was too loud. She also did not have a grasp on her audience. Hotel Pullman in Paris is great location with really great breakfast buffet included. Main restaurant on lobby level had a quirky menu that was supposed to be a California menu but wasn't. Really good cafes nearby for dinner. The Versailles extra tour was expensive and a disappointment. It was really crowded and not worth it. Stops along the cruise were good, not enough time in Rothenburg to shop. In Mainz we skipped the city tour because the boat docked right in the city. We were able to get to some great stores and a coffee house. Stop in Rudesheim was nice but Not a place for all the extra time we we're given. Cochem or Berkastel would have more pleasant for a longer stay. We stayed extra time in Trier because we were told ship would be 10 minutes away it was more like 30 minutes walk. Probably the biggest criticism was the bus to the airport in Paris. We were not dropped of at terminal 2E rather across the airport and had to drag our luggage to the terminal that included stairs and limited elevators. This trip had many older folks and it seemed like a really bad mixup on Vikings part. Having to drag luggage so far was time consuming and tough. There was still luggage check lines, customs and security to go through, it would have saved 30 minutes to be dropped off in the right spot. I shared the cruise with a friend, and she opted not to stay extra two days in Paris. Viking would not book me a separate room, even though two other people I was traveling with had singles. My travel agent booked separately. Additionally Viking would not provide transportation to airport initially even though my air was through Viking. Last be careful if they book your air. We were booked from Philly to JFK which going over was fine. Coming back they did not book enough time between JFK and Philly for us to go through customs and re check bags and we missed our flight. Got no help from airline rebooking to Philly. Said they could not get us to Philly til next day. Travel agent said Viking feels 45 minutes between flights is ample to connect. Clearly wrong! Heidelberg excursion and lunch was good. Included tour of Rechsburg Castle was good also but transport to and from is tricky due to road closing to traffic during day in town, so lots of walking in rain and on slippery cobble stones. Prague is a cobblestone city, sturdy shoes are a must. Breakfast and lunch have small menu to order from plus large well stocked buffet. Breakfast has oatmeal and cream of wheat with fruit and but bar with hot steamed milk really nice. Lots of breads, meats, cheese, fruit, cereals, eggs and sides. Lunch had excellent salad bar offerings, pasta to order, desserts and fruit. Dinner had lots of choices, no buffet. Not hard to find something you like. No room service or food off hours. Exception is some cookies at the expresso machines. They provide bottled water on bus trips and have umbrellas available to use. Bar drinks priced well. Wine and beer are available with lunch and dinner included. They will also open wine you purchase in town. Read Less

This was our first cruise of any kind, although we are experienced travelers. It was nice to turn all of the logistics over to Viking, and we would trust them with another vacation, based on our experience. We liked the small scale of the the boat at 170 passengers. Walking tours in our ports of call were the heart of the trip. We usually divided into groups of 10-15 for each guide. Our local guides ranged from good to excellent. Service and food on board were very good. Our room was small, but well designed and practical even for a large tall person like me. There were a variety of common spaces, all of which were comfortable and relaxing. Everything on the boat is well designed, attractive, and clean. We were seldom in our cabin except to sleep. Access to outdoor decks was sometimes limited by cool weather and low bridges. Onboard entertainment and activities were good, if low key; but that's not the focus of a river cruise. We appreciated the briefings every evening that prepared us for the following day's activities. Viking staff make sure that you have everything that you need plus some nice touches. The itinerary of this cruise included two long legs by bus: Prague to Bamberg and Trier to Paris. Those days were acceptable but not our favorites. The payoff was the opportunity to visit two wonderful cosmopolitan cities on one trip. Hotel accommodations in Prague and Paris were very good and provided easy access to scenic and historic areas of the cities. Those cities provided a nice balance to the smaller cities and villages along the river route following the Main, Rhine, and Mosel. We slipped past Frankfurt at night. We added a couple of optional excursions, but you could have a great trip with only what's included in the basic package. Our only glitch was a missed flight connection in Dallas/Fort Worth on our return trip. American Airlines boarding procedures were chaotic and the layout of the customs area in DFW is difficult. You have to clear customs and then go back through TSA security to reach your domestic flight. We'll allow more time next trip. Read Less

A friend of mine was taking this cruise with his wife and suggested my wife and I join them. It was a last minute decision on our part but was on our list of things to do....it turned out to be one of the best cruises we ever took (first river cruise). Viking was excellent and we are surely going to do another one. Since this was our first River cruise it was really exciting for us. We loved the continually changing scenery and the ability of getting off the boat at different towns and mixiting it up with the locals. We thought the included tours were excellent. After being on multiple ocean cruises, the only thing we noted was there didn't seem to be much security as when getting on and off of an ocean cruise. I assume it's there but it wasn't as obvious to us as it is with an ocean cruise. Read Less

We are two retired college professor in our 70s, and this was our first river cruise. I cruise a lot, on Crystal, Seabourn, Celebrity and Princess. We would not river cruise again. The Good: The crew on this ship is beyond wonderful. They do everything in their power to make your cruise worry-free and enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed the lounge piano player George, who added a welcome source of entertainment every day. The cabins were clean and well arranged, though very small. Pity the big guy who has to fit into the bathroom! The public spaces were well designed and furnished. They were well lit, clean, and comfortable at all times of the day. The Aquavit Lounge is a wonderful place to sit while sailing, and when in port. It was pretty much too cold to use the top deck, and it was closed the first three days due to bridges. At this time, however, you needed an extra sweater or jacket to sit there due to the cold temperatures. The embarkation was very smooth and welcoming. Each day getting on and off the ship was well organized and safe. The hotels in Prague and Paris were very nice, well-located, and with good amenities. The ship's program director gave very clear directions and extensive logistical information about each day's activities. We liked the little coffee bar that was always open. The Disappointing: Small cabins and bathrooms (we had a Veranda A stateroom). Bed very lumpy and uncomfortable. Very little entertainment, and nothing that would embed you in the culture as is advertised by Viking. Long hours on the ship with little to do...not even a blackboard for cruisers to self-arrange card games or meetings for conversation. Tour guides were very average...no interesting stops to make a tour seem like a visit. This is mostly a bus tour: on the bus every day, plus to get from Prague to embarkation in Bamberg, and from Trier disembarkation to Paris 9-hour days on the bus. No room service. Only two dining options, and expected to arrive at very specific times to eat. No shuttle from cities to ship. Many hours on ship spent going through locks...not enjoyable in the least. Moorings always away from historic centers. Food very average. Bland. Only instant coffee and espresso...nothing brewed. Same red and white wine served for lunch and dinner for the entire cruise! One local wine served for one meal. No fitness or recreation offerings. I expected to have a cultural adventure! This was not the case. One presenter during the entire cruise who gave an interesting lecture on the construction of the canal we were sailing on. Nothing about German wines or food, political, social or artistic history. Little or no explanation of the town structures, architecture, layout, or historic power/political structures. This is not a cruise for someone interested in finding out more about the destination. The bad: internet service is terrible. Recommendations for Viking: 1) Get some good lecturers and entertainers (even a singer added to lounge piano for evening cocktail hour would have been great). 2) Offer shuttle service to and from historic centers. 3) Institute room service. 4) Put up a place in the library where passengers can sign up for bridge, monopoly, whatever, discussion groups, affinity group meet and greets. 5) Try to find some activity daily that would enhance passenger understanding of the place being visited. Read Less

My friend from college and I agreed to travel on this cruise together. This was the first time for me to travel after the death of my husband. We had traveled on Viking and I had gained confidence that once we got to the Viking ship we would be well care for during our vacation. If any problems arose, I knew that we would be helped. The ship is delightful, the number of passengers gives everyone an opportunity to get to know some new friends. Sometimes, we meet people with whom we will travel again. The food is excellent! The service was excellent and the ability of the staff to make changes and accommodations is outstanding. I recently took a Viking Cruise on the ocean ship and I much prefer the riverboat cruise. The ability to meet new friends, sit where you like at dinner, and feel more like a family contributes to my feeling safe to travel on the ship and the excursions by myself. ( My husband sometimes did not go on previous excursions) I "could" see myself being a solo traveler on a riverboat cruise in the future. Read Less

Highly recommended by friends. Also saw it advertised on Downton Abbey. Everything was so organized, the staff were exceptional. Food was first class. Ship was classy. Cabin small but had everything that was needed. Service the best ever. Excursions were very well organized and there was so much to see and do.looking forward to another cruise in the near future.we took the city of lights tour. Was impressed with Paris, Luxemburg, Germany and Prague. The buses, drivers local guides were incredible. The castle tours and learning the local culture was so educational. I wish we would have had another 2 days in Prague. Embarkation and disembarkation went very smoothly. Every staff member went above and beyond to make you feel special. The dining room staff remembered your name after the first introduction. The hot face clothes, bottled water and the goodies when we embarked after the excursions was great. I highly recommend your company. Read Less

We took the Viking Cities of Light cruise from Paris to Prague. Initially, I must say that Viking's logistics were incredible. From picking us up at de Gaulle, to getting us to the airport in Prague, and everything in between, they were great. Although we took the cruise for the beginning and end, the middle ports and cruising the Seine through all of the castles was just as good as the two ends. In Paris, The hotel Pullman Eiffel Tower was ok, although the hotel concierge gave us incorrect information several times, and the elevators malfunctioned frequently. We picked up 4 day museum passes (at Les Invalides), rode the metro, and did as much as we could in 4 days averaging upper 90s in temperature. The best thing about the passes was skipping the lines at the Louvre and Versailles. The Opera House and LÓrangie were my highlights of Paris. The cruise itself was very nice. The cruise themes were castles and wine. The cabin was fine; river cruise cabins tend to be small, and very well appointed. It had the best cabin shower (except for aqua class on Celebrity) that we have had. Laundry service was exceptional, fast and not too expensive. The people who worked on the ship were very nice. The beverage dispensers for coffee, tea and water were really nice and convenient. Food was inconsistent. Some (like the German dinner) was very good, some OK. There were some strange combinations. All in all, it was just fine. Dinner service was generally fine, but sometimes a bit indifferent. Breakfasts were very good with excellent service. Free internet was a nice perk. It was ok, just what we expected. We were able to do some work. We also had to make a couple of cell phone calls, and those were fine. I had read some mixed reviews of Susi, the cruise director. On our cruise, she was very visible, engaging, competent and funny. Her daily presentations of what to expect the next day were excellent. The narration as we proceeded down the Seine, past the castles, was terrific. Did you know, Louis XIV of France sacked most of the German castles in that area in 1789? The class on speaking German was amusing and informative. She made other presentations too, but these are good examples. We observed Susi having lunch or drinks with passengers. She worked hard and did a good job. The shore excursions were mixed, some good, some so so. My main comment is that I wish Viking offered tours for those who walk a bit faster and can do a bit more than some others. I understand you can only offer so many options, but we would have enjoyed something just a bit more active. I also understand that we are a bit young for what appears to be the typical Viking passenger, and that we really like to see a lot on our trips. Would we do another cruise with Viking? You bet we would. It was a terrific vacation. Read Less

We landed in Paris and explored Paris before departing for the actual cruise. Cabins on the ship are nicely set up. Dining on board is always a nice experience and offers a nice variety of local and other delicacies to suit any taste. Many on board entertainers brought on to provide enjoyment along the route. There were a few places where the ship had to lower the top so we were not able to sit on the upper deck as we cruised. Other than that, the cruise sightseeing was very nice. Traveled with a group of friends and a travel club we belong to. All arrangements were made to our satisfaction. The weather was to our liking. There were plenty of stops along the route to keep us busy and entertained. They offer tours at a more leisurely pace for those who prefer and easier tour. Excellent for elderly and disabled people. The staff and crew were very friendly and accommodating. We would consider taking this trip again sometime in the future. It is nice to do as a family or group. Read Less

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Beautiful cruise. Excellent organization. Food and service superb. Very good cruise director Radim. We were very well taken care of. Embarkation process was very smooth. We had excellent shore excursions with the great guides. Our guide in Bamberg was the best ever. Dining room service went above and beyond our expectations. Food was very well prepared and very beautifully served. Dining room staff was very friendly and attentive. cleaning cru did a very good job. Ship and cabins were spotless. Captain and cru handled the unexpected situation really well, passengers were provided with very thoughtful options and compensation. we felt that we were very special. Port of calls tours were very well organized and a lot of fun. Special thanks to the bus drivers. Trier skills are absolutely outstanding. Also we had very good accommodations in Prague and Paris. cabins are on a small side but that to be expected. Also evening entertainment could use some improvement. All in all we had great time and we appreciate all the efforts of Viking to make our vacation a memorable one. Thanks Read Less

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This was our 30th Anniversary and we wanted to make it special. We have long thought about river cruises. I researched 5 different companies and then worked with my travel agent. Her suggestion was a Viking Cruise. I was skeptical about taking the Cities of Light Cruise & going to Prague, but she found a great deal. We have been on a few ocean cruises with different companies and I think Viking has spoiled us to the point that we're not sure we want to go with anyone else. We couldn't have been more pleased with our cruise! The 2 nights in Paris were wonderful. We arrived on Bastille Day, July 14th and our hotel was right across the street from the Eiffel Tower! The fireworks display was fabulous and we watched it from our hotel. All our our tour guides were wonderful. Very knowledgeable and fun. It seemed like they really enjoyed being with us. After leaving Paris, we went to Luxembourg. Our group was very fortunate. We finished up the tour just as Secretary of State Kerry walked down the street to lay a wreath at the Monument of Remembrance. He stopped to talked to our group before moving on. I don't think there are enough words to describe how wonderful the Viking Idun was. Everyone was set up and ready as we boarded the ship. The staff was so attentive and helpful. Our servers were amazing. After only 1 day, they knew exactly what we liked and brought it to our table or at the bar! The food was first class! Don't know how to describe how much we enjoyed just cruising the river. Even though there were quite a few lochs and we weren't able to go up on top, it was extremely relaxing. We can't wait to go on another Viking Cruise! The hardest part is deciding another river cruise or trying the Viking Ocean cruises. Read Less

Our friends had been wanting to do a river cruise for years so last year we agreed to go with them on the Cities of Light cruise with Viking. They have traveled to Europe many times but it was our first trip. My husband was not all that excited about going. In fact, before we left he basically said see what you want to see because this will be our last trip. Thankfully this Viking cruise changed his mind and we are already planning another one. We have done many ocean cruises on various cruise lines but this was our first river cruise. It was amazing. Our ship was only about 60% full so we were so spoiled with so few people. One of the staff said there was only 99 passengers on board. The service was outstanding. The crew was so friendly and learned everyone's name. Our cabin steward, Milan, couldn't have made our stay better. There is open seating in the dining room but we sat at about the same table every night so we could have our same server Dimitar. He was wonderful. So friendly, professional, attentive and we looked forward to seeing him every day. He loved to joke with my husband about his love of desserts and would bring him one of everything each evening. (My husband is a runner and thin, I wish I could eat dessert like that). The ports were wonderful as well. We loved the small German towns. They were just beautiful and the local people were all very friendly. Many evenings after our dinner we would get off the ship and just walk around the town until almost dark. The included excursions were all interesting and we felt we learned so much history. When we were in Paris for the 2 nights before the cruise, we did take a half day excursion to Versailles that was not a ship tour. The palace there is breathtaking and is a must see. I am so glad we did that. In Prague we did the optional excursion to the Lobkowicz palace that included lunch and a classical concert. We loved it as did our friends. It was really one of the highlights of the trip for me. The food on the ship was good. I would not say it was outstanding. Some nights it was better than others. I wished they had done more local type food instead of what I felt was typical cruise ship menus most of the time. They did have one "German night". We did not see the entertainment that was local and brought onto the ship as we usually left the ship after dinner. There was a piano player on board throughout the week. The buses that were used to transport us for our excursions were very comfortable and the guides were all very friendly and knowledgeable. The ship is immaculate. Our cabin was small but comfortable. The bathroom was nice with plenty of room in the shower compared to some ocean cruise ships I have been on. The only slight flaw, in my opinion, was the cruise director, Suzi. In all of the cruises we have been on (14) I don't think I ever saw one that seemed to dislike his/her job more. Often she could be seen rolling her eyes, looking flustered etc. I overheard what I thought was a rude response to an elderly gentleman who had asked her a question. It was quite remarkable considering how absolutely wonderful the rest of the crew were. Even more amazing for the fact that the ship wasn't even full. Twice she addressed the ship passengers, both at the beginning and at the end of the cruise encouraging people to fill out the surveys. She wanted to make sure that if we had a problem with any of the crew to make sure they wrote it down because she has the power to fire them. Yes she said that. I thought hmmmmmm I think you should be the one to go. All in all we loved every minute of our cruise. I can't wait to book another one and am encouraging my friends to do the same Read Less

We were on the same cruise and the prior reviewer Bizzyma. The trip was a celebration of my 60th birthday as well as my wife and my 25th wedding anniversary. We were joined by my high school best friend and his wife that I had lost touch with 40 years ago, The cruise exceeded my expectations. The staff (with one exception I'll mention last) was very attentive to all our needs. Our server at dinner, Valentina, and our bartender Krista made us feel like we were special travelers. We found all the amenities on the ship as well as our room satisfactory. As noted by the prior reviewer, the cruise director Susi is in the wrong profession. She never once spoke to our group and even acknowledged our existence the entire cruise. We even witnessed her disgust over another passenger's wife who got lost on one of the excursions at no fault of her own. This particular tour guide was not very attentive to the group and did not pay attention that everyone was following closely. I hope Viking reads these reviews and shows Susi the door so no further guests have to experience her wrath. Read Less

We love Viking because you can just hand over your Vacation to them and they do it all for you..We love the intimacy of the small group of people and the size of the ship. We love the pre and post Cruise experience..We have included these on all our cruises..We started in Prague for 4 nights, then were bused to Bamberg where the Cruise started..Then 12 stops in Germany through beautiful fairy tale villages..after the Cruise ended we were bussed through Luxembourg to Paris..Then 8 of us went on the post-cruise to Oxford. We stayed 4 nights in Oxford with Viking..They always find amazing Hotels..We are never dis appointed.Incredible!Throughout the trip you are always busy, the food is amazing, they pay attention to all your needs ..You are in a different village or city everyday and the tours are wonderful..If you get tired of group tours you can do your own thing and explore..We love it..Going on our sixth Viking River Cruise in 2017.. Read Less