Our cruise on the Delling down the Rhone from Lyon to Avignon had many excellent features (like service, food, and accommodations on the ship) but also some disappointments. There were about 185 passengers; any more would have been too many for us. The first thing to be said about it is that there was very little cruising and a lot of walking and bus-riding. In retrospect, we suppose this was to be expected since the distance is only about 150 miles. During shore excursions, one sees some very nice aspects of this region in France, especially Roman ruins, wineries, a canyon, and farms. But during the few hours we were actually cruising during daylight, we weren’t passing the beautiful castles one sees in the ads, but rather a lot of factories, nuclear power plants, etc. As senior citizens, one of us having had recent knee surgery, we were pleased about the “leisure” and “easy” tour offerings. Still, there was a lot of walking. Our cruising was further limited by an accident involving another boat that closed down the river for many hours, so we were bused to Arles rather than sailing there on the Viking Delling. We also spent a lot of time in locks: the first time was technically interesting, but later times were boring. Further detracting from use of our veranda were the frequent times that we looked out onto another vessel a few feet away, tied up to ours, rather than looking out to the river. We heard that Budapest to Amsterdam cruising was much better. On the positive side, our large stateroom (with adjoining living room) was excellent as a generally docked, small hotel room. There were many modern, attractive features and the bathroom was superior. The service was generally excellent. We were brought champagne, fresh fruits, flowers, and wine. The meal service was excellent almost all the time, whether picking items up from the buffet or ordering them from the menu (the chef was German; he did superbly on French cuisine and less so on occasional German cuisine). The only exception was sub-standard orange juice; why don’t they offer fresh-squeezed? The expedition leader, Mia, was exceptional with a marvelous sense of humor; she should be offered a big raise. The waiters were generally very good, only occasionally serving items to the wrong person. Most of the tour guides were very informative and professional; the buses were Mercedes-Benz. Entertainment in the lounge was high quality, including a fine talk about the French Resistance during WW II. So the Delling as a fine hotel was distinctly superior to our other decent first Viking experience on the Yangtze River in China. We signed up for three optional excursions at extra cost. One was excellent, despite the long bus ride: Beaujolais and Truffles, which visited a winery in a castle, a truffle farm featuring a delightful dog, and a goat cheese farm. However another excursion, said to be one of the most popular offerings, was poor: on the Chateauneuf-du-Pape tour, we were left standing for a long while in an uninteresting town square while the guide was gone…and then taken to a new winery with no place to sit as we stood listening to long lectures in French that were briefly summarized by our guide in English. The included tour in Vienne failed to go near the most important ruin in the town, the huge Roman amphitheater. We walked to it on our own and found out why: The view from the base is deliberately blocked by opaque screening, which has the evident purpose of forcing you to pay to enter a small venue from which you can glimpse the amphitheater through dirty, foggy windows. One negative feature of the included excursions is a feature of France: few and terrible toilets. Often you either have to pay (at a turnstile or by buying coffee in a café) or instead use what the guides pejoratively called “Turkish toilets,” which were holes in the ground. The buses had mini-toilets in compartments that were too small for large adults. We were glad that we didn’t purchase the expensive Silver Spirits beverage package. Given all the free alcohol otherwise available (e.g. during ship-wide cocktail parties) and the wine freely available during lunches and dinners, we wouldn’t have come close to getting our money’s worth. Our stateroom had two fancy screens, but they were inadequately managed. They showed us the weather forecast in Arles when we were in Avignon, and the forecast for Avignon when we were visiting Arles. And the forecast was totally turned off for the 24 hours preceding the day it would have been most useful: the day we departed the ship. We were also unhappy about the failure of a promise on our departure: a group of about two dozen of us on a bus to the Marseille Airport were promised that we would be met by a Viking agent who would accompany us all the way to Security. We were met, but the woman left us on the sidewalk outside the terminal. Upon entering the terminal, there were no indications of what to do and she was long gone. All things considered it was a fine way to see aspects of Lyon and Provence, with luxurious comfort and meals on our usually-docked ship. Read Less

Having resisted river cruising for many years, we finally capitulated (ran out of excuses for not taking one) and booked a Provence cruise on the Viking Delling. The booking and upfront experience was good. The website was easy to navigate and the cruise materials arrived in plenty of time with luggage tags, cruise book and other information. Good first impression. Our package included free air arranged by Viking. As a first timer was not real informed on their customization program that carries an add on cost. Wish I had as that way would have had more controlled over the connecting flights. The outbound flights Viking booked carried high risk of missed connections (via IAD and FRA) and sure enough we missed the flight from FRA to LYS. No problem though as the airline rebooked us. However the real issue is that apparently Viking doesn't monitor their passenger's while in transit (which other companies we have used do and modify transfers without being contacted). Viking's materials say to contact them should we experience a delay and give numbers to call and the ship's email address. When we arrived in Lyon, we were a bit surprised to find no Viking rep and no transfer there. So we tried to call Viking (we don't have an international calling plan and both help centers at the airport were unable to call for us). Sent an email to the address given but no response there. So ended up face timing daughter back in the States who called Viking and was told we could take a taxi and be reimbursed. Had thought of that earlier but in our documents, Viking identified three potential berths for the ship. Equipped with the berthing info, we grabbed a cab and four days later (after three tries), we got our fare refunded. Not a great first impression. But apart from that: Room was good. We booked the least expensive and it was fine. The steward (Peter) did a great job keeping it tidy, replenishing towels). Easy access to the restaurant. Small shower but good water pressure and little fluctuation in temperature. TV reception was ok (only channel that consistently was not available was FOX). Food was ok. Breakfast selections was good, Liked cooked to order eggs. The french toast was a tad bit soggy for me. Oatmeal was good and they do bacon well. Lunch in the restaurant typically had a pasta selection and a daily special. Ate a lot of hot dogs and french fries. Dinner also had a daily special, an alternative and then every day available ones. The quality varied day by day so. The service though was excellent. Front Desk: indifferent at best. Being a bit cold outside, I asked at the front desk if they had blankets we could use outside the Aquafit area. Was told they were up there to which I told them I just came from there and didn't see any. I was dismissed with a 'oh well'. On my way back I did locate them hidden behind a chair. But would have been nice if they had helped me rather than wave me off. Tour Director: was good and worked hard and long hours. Included Tours: very good. Lots of walking though would not recommend this trip for anyone with mobility issues. Busses used were all top notch. Itinerary/Rhone River: would have preferred to spend more time in Avignon and less time in Lyon. Would not recommend this for first time travelers to Europe as there's not a lot of variety in the area (do Rhine or Danube). Hotel Manager: so by now you know I was not too impressed with how he handled my transfer issue (day one - I needed to complete a form but he didn't have one), day two - waited for him to give me the form, day 3 - got a form from the desk, told to come back after 5 when manager would be there, he didn't have the money (it was 'upstairs') come back tomorrow, day 4: got money.). Other staff: everyone else went out of the way to say something. Good job there. Glad we went and experienced river cruising. Will we do it again? Most likely not. Read Less

We wanted to take a cruise and looked first at cruises within the United States but it was actually less expensive to go to Europe with Viking and the airfare was outstanding with Viking taking care of all the details. It was a "no brainer" to us. Viking met us at the airport and provided bus transportation to the ship. They took care of our luggage and delivered it to our room. Disembarkation was smooth as well with Viking taking care of all the details including taking our luggage to the bus and the bus itself. The ship was clean as was our cabin. Dining was outstanding. The food was excellent, the variety vast, and the featured local specialties were fun. There was some ship-based entertainment which was fun and we particularly enjoyed the cultural presentations. The service was beyond reproach. Every employee was courteous and went out of his or her way to make sure we were accommodated. The selection or ports and the included excursions were great. We also went on several optional excursions which were well planned and definitely a good value. We have already scheduled another cruise this year with Viking. Read Less

Our second cruise with Viking was as excellent as our first. It started the day before we left with the wonderful surprise that instead of the standard stateroom we had booked, we'd been moved to a French balcony on the third level. The transfer from the Marseilles airport was easy, even though our flight was delayed over an hour, and Viking took us directly to the Delling. As we arrived late, lunch was over, and yet the bartender was able to find us a sandwich and a cool glass of wine to settle in. Our (upgraded) cabin was smaller in square feet than we had a few years ago on the Viking Sun but was designed nicely so there was plenty of room to store our clothes and toiletries and tuck the suitcases under the bed. We never felt cramped during the cruise, even though the only place to sit was on the bed. We really appreciated the ability to open the slider during the cruise and breathe the fresh air of Southern France or peek out at the locks we went through. The crew and staff on the Delling were fantastic. Our cruise director, Michael, was funny at the right times and serious when he needed to be. We had hoped to go the limestone caves outside of Arles and Michael did everything he could to try to arrange it, but as the late November sailing was after the "season", it was impossible. Still, we appreciated the effort. The food was fantastic with excellent chef's choices every day and plenty to choose from besides. My husband described the duck at the Flavors of Provence dinner as the best he'd ever had and I loved the varying selection of cheeses every day at breakfast. Since most of our meals were on board, we really appreciated all the regional specialties that were part of the menus. We had everything from escargot to Chateaubriand and each meal seemed to be better than the last. We chose to purchase the Silver Spirits package and that meant that we were able to enjoy a different bottle of wine each night. There was a nice selection of regional wines, which we mostly stuck to, and also selections from other wine areas. Our waiters were always quick to bring us the wine menu and keep our glasses full. For those without the package there was a generous supply of wine each lunch an dinner and many treats throughout the cruise. One thing I really like about Viking is how they will always welcome you back to the ship after a day of touring with some regional drink. Since it was November, ours were always warm and so toasty! The best entertainment was Les Gitans, a gypsy group that was fantastic. We also enjoyed the lecture on the French resistance. We learned so much! Viking's service is without parallel. They did their best not to disrupt any of the tours despite the French strike which closed down or slowed down many of the roundabouts. They were able to reroute or adjust so that everyone got to do everything they wanted and more! I think the only disappointment on this cruise was that there is actually very little cruising and it mostly happens during dinner. Also be aware that disembarkation is very early, in our case 3:30 a.m. That said, the cruise was fantastic and I can't wait to go with Viking again. Avignon: The gothic cathedral in Avignon is amazing and so well preserved. We also enjoyed walking along the river to the Pont and up to the gardens next to the Palace. We happened to be in town for a wine festival and so enjoyed some wine tasting at Les Halles that wasn't expected. Chateauneuf du Pape Wine Tasting: This was a fun little tour where we learned what makes Chateauneuf du Pape wines so delicious and also had a chance to do a tasting. Arles: We walked in the footsteps of Van Gogh and the ancient Romans. After the tour there was enough time to try Du Bar a l'Huitre where we had a nice fish stew on the terrace and watched the people walk by. Viviers: This ancient village was a lovely surprise, complete with cobblestone alleyways and a cathedral. Our guide, like all the guides, was so knowledgeable and really brought this little town to life. It's so fun to explore a place you've never heard of before and learn so much. Rhone Valley Vineyard Hike: This hike took us up the slopes near the Hermitage wine region of the Rhone where we learned what makes Hermitage special and how the wines nearby are made. It also felt good to stretch our legs on a beautiful day. The wine tasting here was also very delicious but because we had to reroute our walk to catch the bus (the strike interfered) we didn't have time to make purchases. Beaujolais Wine Country: This cruise is a wine lover's delight. More information on viniculture made our day so enjoyable. Lyon: We had two chances to eat off the ship in Lyon, one at Merle in Les Halles (oysters!) and another at a Bouchon. These meals were memorable and worth skipping the also delicious meals on the ship. Read Less

This was my 6th cruise with Viking. Needless to say, I'm hooked. I absolutely loved the Delling!! When Michael Bright greeted me as I boarded the ship, I knew I would have a great cruise. Michael was the cruise director on a previous Paris to Normandy trip I had been on and it was fabulous!! Needless to say, he made this trip unforgettable. I was amazed to see how different southern France was with its beautiful mountains and vineyards. The excursions offered in this trip let me see Provence from many venues. In Avignon, they offered a tour called "The Flavors of Provence". After tasting the local favorites, we ended up in a private home for a cooking class with a chef and the owner of this beautiful house. This is something I have always wanted to do. I love meeting the people of the area this way. My room was the Veranda Suite which was composed of two rooms. I was traveling with a friend of mine who likes to stay up late so this room was perfect. Everyday we were given fresh fruit which was a delight. The food was delicious as always. Most of the time Carol and I ate breakfast and dinner in the Aquavit Lounge. It is quieter. At night we would sit at the bar with Radka (the best bartender ever) as Gino played the piano. I have to say, Gino was adorable. He played songs that I loved. And he was so helpful with getting the lounge ready for the evening. I always looked forward to Michael presenting the next day's excursions. The excursions would not have gone as well as they did without Michael's guidance and leadership. The bar with Radka at the helm was superb. The trip was perfect. I already have three more trips planned. In April, I am taking the Paris to Normandy trip again. Read Less

Provence and the Rhône—a feast for all your senses! The food, the wine, the art, the scenery—nothing disappointed. The crew of the Delling went above and beyond. Drinks were created and made to order. The food was all in keeping with the flavors of Provence. Every dinner (except for the first night) was enjoyed on the Aquavit Terrace—there is nothing better than al fresco dining with new friends with the scenery of the Rhône Valley as your backdrop. Special kudos go to our main server Lukas who did anything we called on him to do. Carlos and Veronica and Michael were so accommodating. Our bartender was amazing in creating and recommending spectacular cocktails. From the time we arrived in Paris for our pre-cruise tour to our embarkation in Lyon to our disembarkation in Avignon, we didn’t have to worry about a thing. Bags were transferred and tours went off without a hitch. Our best shore excursion was our cooking class in Avignon—what fun. We discovered the nuances of the wines from both the Beaujolais region as well as the Cotes du Rhône region and will now seek some of the superior wines of each. We experienced the locales and the scenery that was the inspiration of the art of Van Gogh. We learned about the French resistance during World War II. Viking definitely cares about giving its guests memories which will last a life time. Thank you for an extraordinary experience. Read Less

highly recommended by others and was a part of France we wanted to get to know and the Viking experience satisfied and exceeded all expectations. the tours at all stops were well guided by folks who knew all the subject matter and sufficient time was provided to get a rich experience on each tour. would rate the staff as exceptional on this cruise and found them all extremely helpful and knowledgeable. if someone did not have an immediate answer which was rare, they soon found someone to help us out. this was a worry free adventure in the south of France for sure. highly recommend the pre and post elements in Nice and in Dijon. this was our 50th anniversary celebration cruise and found the river boats just perfect we have cruised on many large ships and will favour the viking small ships on european rivers in the future. in summary you should be proud of your product, service and staff Read Less

We picked this cruise because it was the first part of the France's Finest double cruise. The ship was immaculate and the crew was fantastic. The pre-dinner meeting was an entertainment in itself. The program director was witty along with the chef and the maitre d' . They made a fantastic show. The meals were very well presented and tasted even better. The cabin was very clean and well supplied. The shore excursion were varied and they did take into account leisurely walkers. The towns that we visited we steeped in history whether it was Roman or Medieval, Interesting to find both in the same city. Don't forget to visit the Roman Aquaduct It is amazing that it is standing after 2000 years. Take time to roam the streets of the towns. You will find them quaint and very historic.. My husband and I would strongly recommend the France's Finest cruise. Read Less

I have been suggesting this particular river cruise on the Rhone for the last couple of years and my wife surprised me for our anniversary and my birthday to gift this to me. Since I am a culinarian/foodie, I believed this was one of the best opportunities to cover a lot of ground in a short week, and we did. Three of our excursions were to different wine regions with the first being in Beaujolais, the second in Cruzes Hermitage and the third in the Chateneuf de Pape . Stopping in Viene, I was able to stop by La Pyramid, the heart of where modern cuisine started in the 1950's with Fernand Point, the great chef of this restaurant that trained the great chefs of the time including Paul Bocuse, Roger Verge and the Troisgras brothers.. Of course, Bocuse's restaurant is in Lyon which is the gastronomic center of French Cuisine today. Viene also had an incredible farmers' market which we were told is the second largest in France. We were not disappointed with many offerings of cheese and charcuterie that were over the top. Besides culinary history of our cruise being front and center for me, I loved the historic significance of our river cruise as well especially as we headed south to the Provence area visiting Arles, the home of many impressionist such as Van Gogh and Avignon with the Palace of the Popes. While the very worthwhile hectic travel schedule we created for ourselves, it was amazing the incredible service and hospitality we received on the Delling. The staff couldn't do enough for us and made us feel very welcomed and comfortable. I am in the hospitality business and the Delling staff represented the quintessential expression of hospitality. All personnel on the ship were so down to earth and non-pretentious contributing greatly to our unforgettable experience at all levels of management. There light-hearted play amoht the staff was welcomed and tasteful. The entertainment on board was enjoyable. Generally the food was very good with a very wide selection at all times and the ease in which a special dietary request was made. I can only think of 2 minor examples of where I thought the food fell a little short which is a minor complaint since it was excellent overall. The first dinner found some of the items over seasoned, and on the second evening the crab cakes were short of their mark especially after they described by the Chef. Again, over all, the chef and his staff did an excellent job. Read Less

It’s hard to describe in words. I was so impressed with the staff and the organization right from the start. The food was incredible, I truly have no complaints. I just wish we could afford to do it more often. This was our first trip. The excursions were well planned and very enjoyable. It was very hot but being met with a lovely aperitif when we arrived back on the ship was a bonus. We met some lovely people on our cruise and never once did it feel crowded. The bar staff were very friendly and accommodating and the on ship programs were both informative and enjoyable. We had so much fun at the dance party. I thought the idea of a buffet and a full menu was wonderful, there was more food than any one person could ever eat!! Our cabin was a French Balcony and I would choose that again. All in all the cruise was an amazing experience. Thank you Viking......we are hooked. Read Less

We chose this cruise, because we have travel with Viking before, we did the Danube Budapest to Bucharest, and we enjoy it very much, this time we one.. We love the history, the towns we visit were very interested, the Tour guide were great, except we have one that did not speak very good English. but it was ok.. Avignon, we enjoy the Palace of the Popes, and the other towns as well , the tour guide were very informative. We were sorry we did not bring a good pair of shoes, due to the stone they use to build the streets. roads. we wish we had more bus tours. The ship was great, food was ok, no much variety, the cheft need it a little more creativity. to mix with the meat. Also we did not like that dinner was so late in the evening. we went to bed with a full belly, Entertaiment was ok, we would have like when they, more culture , ones. Read Less

This cruise was my wife and I third cruise with Viking. It started out great. The flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt, Germany left on time and we had TSA pre-screen at no extra cost. We arrived in Frankfurt on time and got to our gate for the connecting flight to Marseilles. That's when things went downhill from there. Our flight to Marseilles was cancelled just before boarding time. Now this is not Vikings fault or the airline's. The problem was at Marseilles airport. The earliest flight out was 4:30PM the next day to Munich then to Marseilles. We did notify Viking about our flight changes to have someone take us to the ship. We were told that someone would be there to pick us up. Nobody was there. After a second call to Viking Customer Relations we got the address where the ship was docked and had a taxi take us to the ship. We got there at 3:00AM the next day. We were reimbursed by Viking for the cab fare of 229 Euros. After all that the trip was really great except for the hot weather. The food, staff and crew were great. Some of the staff were from another ship on our first cruise back in 2015. The guides and the excursions were all very good. We always book a veranda stateroom. The room was always kept clean and is roomy enough for the two of us. We booked the post cruise extension in Paris. The hotel was right next to the Eiffel Tower. The room was big and the bed was comfortable. The breakfast was also good. The lobby layout was bad and the staff was OK. The WI-fi was lousy. We always enjoy traveling with Viking River Cruises. Read Less

I wanted to see more of the French countryside and this provided an opportunity to explore the southern portion. Excursions covered a nice variety of expierences from ancient Roman sites to modern wine making. Not as much of actual river cruising as others but it offered extra time to go out and explore different towns at your leisure. The dining room offerings were excellent and offered a nice variety to suit all tastes and the service offered by the the staff was superb as was to be expected. Several various local talents offered a nice diversion on many pleasant evenings in the lounge. I can not even begin to extoll the excellence of the expierence. From the beginning where they pick you up at the airport, through the entire voyage to the end, the professionalism exhibited by all members of the Viking staff was always on display. We are already planning our next trip. Read Less

Wanted to try something different for a vacation and several friends recommended Viking River Cruises. It was all that we expected and more! Excellent cabin, food, service, excursions, etc. Our transfers between airports and the ship were excellent. Our cabin was large, comfortable, and included many amenities that we have never received on prior trips - fresh fruit and cookies every day, wine, soft drinks, and champagne in our fridge. Plenty of comfortable seating, not only in the cabin, but on the top deck, the dining room, the library, etc. The waitstaff all spoke perfect English and were extremely attentive. It was nice to be able to sit wherever and with whomever we wanted at the meals. The smaller number of travelers made it easier to get to meet almost everyone on the ship. The food was incomparable! Never had something I didn't like, and I was able to try a variety of foods that were new to me. This will definitely not be our last Viking River Cruise! Read Less

Love the south of France! Loved my previous Viking cruises on the Rhine and Danube! My husband had never visited this part of the world before. Everything was perfect: our cabin with its veranda, the food, the immaculate state of everything! The crew was incredible! Loved, love, loved this cruise! The itinerary was well-chosen, and the shore excursions excellent. Got to see many small towns I'd never known about! My only criticism is that I would have liked to spend more time sailing - not just lying in the port of Lyon. That is what is making us hesitant about some other cruises we're thinking of: too much time in Paris. Or Moscow/St. Petersburg or Beijing/Shanghai. The point of a river cruise s to spend time sailing on rivers, no? That said, everything was always taken care of, the planning was extraordinary. The food was always fantastic. But, I repeat - I cannot praise the wonderful crew enough! Read Less

Our first river cruise! Really enjoyed this Viking experience. Very nice touches by the staff- Champagne in our room, water bottles every day, smoothies on top of a hill by the summer palace of the Pope, drinks upon every return from the free tours of each day, and ice cream treats!!! Great food, buffet gourmet breakfast, yummy lunches, wine with every meal and wonderful services. Attentive staff. We Enjoyed the options of eating outdoors or inside. Met nice folks from all different places - mostly the states. The entertainment was good- not an ocean cruise extravaganza, but fun enough! The free tours were terrific and very informative and fun. Viking provided us with transfers after the cruise to the airport. They were very helpful with our luggage before, during and after the cruise. And always on time ! They worked effortlessly to make sure we were satisfied with everything! Would definitely do another Viking cruise! Read Less

It was a present from my son for our birthdays. The food was A+ and the service was A+. I have Crohn's and could not leave the ship very often. I wish they would have had a shuttle once we got to Lyon to get to the shopping areas. The views were beautiful from the top deck and the waiters treated you like royalty. The wines were fantastic - every meal. Go, enjoy and love what you see in France. Avignon was my favorite place to visit. I did get to go there and it was superb. The people all treat you fantastic in France. I LOVED the people. If you enjoy sightseeing and shopping this is the cruise for you. Be ready to be pampered. I would love to do another cruise in Italy if they had one, but as of now, they do not. Thanks for all you have given my family. Mihai - the waiter was the highlight of my cruise. Read Less

Have now been on several Viking cruises. Every time the crew has been fabulous, friendly, helpful. Conditions on the ship are always prime. Meals excellent. Did not participate in too many evening entertainments preferring to wind down from the day in my cabin. Enjoyed our choice of shore excursions. They were timed nicely around meals. Buses top notch. Also, the luggage brought by my travel friend was lost along the way. The ship purser was exceptionally efficient in tracking it down and arranging transport to our boat at the next stop. He handled every detail. We booked our air travel through Viking as well. Just a day or two prior to departure we were notified by Viking that there was a possibility of a strike at one of our airport stops. They immediately rerouted us, managing the seating we wanted on our flights etc. It was luxurious having someone handle all that detail. Read Less

This was a fabulous cruise! It was even better than we expected. Everything about it was first class! I can’t say enough wonderful things about Viking. The crew was friendly, helpful and always available to answer any questions. The ship was immaculate and the crew was fantastic. The pre-dinner get togethers were an entertainment in themselves. More…the tours were great. They were very informative and the variety of choices was terrific. The cabin was a good size and fully supplied with soap and all necessities. The food was very good. There was a wonderful variety every meal!! Every night we met new people and had such fun. The dining experience was very impressive. The culture, art and scenery we experienced was breathtaking. I hope many more people will get to enjoy this beautiful country. I definitely recommend Viking to everyone who love to travel. This was our first cruise but not our last with Viking!! Read Less

We wanted a relaxing cruise after two weeks of sight-seeing ihn Spain. Viking gave us many options; each day we were on a walking tour of the city we docked at, or a bus tour of the region. In the afternoon they offered other tours for an added fee. We enjoyed the small size of the ship, with fewer than 200 guests. One dinner seating at any table we chose, so we met most of the other guests. Service was impeccable; staff quickly learned our preferences. House wine was free with meals. As we were in Provence, the meals were regional specialties. Evening entertainment was limited: a dance performance, some singing performers. Other nights were game nights. It was a low-key, relaxing experience. I was impressed with the attention to detaIl-the timing of meals related to the times of tours, tour guides were all knowledgeable. On our last day, the plan to get us to the airport was extremely well orgainzed and executed-we had to leave the ship at about 3 a.m., but breakfast was available prior to boarding the bus! Read Less

This was a special trip for our 50th wedding anniversary as we had never been on a cruise before. Ship was lovely crew were very friendly. Food was not so good the buffet was the best. We personally felt out numbered as 98percent Americans , we asked before we booked if they had small tables but this was not the case and not in our comfort zone. River was not the prettiest lots of industrial sites along the river. It is very geared up for the American market not British . Lots of thing did not come up to our expectations from Viking as we were travelling by train. They did not seem to recognise this on many occasions . We did not get to see Arles which was something we would have liked as went up and back to Avignon and had 4 hour coach trip on to Nice, which was not mentioned. We would not choose to cruise again after this experience . Read Less

Prior trips to France were in the north and west. This was a nice opportunity to view the arts, ruins and food of a culturally rich region. The staff was flawless and provided us with opportunities to relax as well as sight-see. Dining was excellent, and excursion guides, especially in Paris, were well educated and entertaining. Our Notre Dame/Left Bank guide was especially amazing. Few have been so entertaining and well educated! It would have been nice to have more available lectures and other background briefings. Years we enjoyed a small British line staffed in part with classical scholars. There the food was quite simple but the history and culture most enriching. Our stateroom was a bit small but adequate Food was good and we enjoyed the French wines with meals and available espresso drinks between meals. The staff was friendly and accomodating. This was our third Viking cruise. We especially enjoyed the large ship cruise from Montreal to NYC. Viking seems to fill a niche occupied primarily by Lindblad. We missed the "big ship" facilities for lectures and floor shows but Viking guides were fine (esp. Paris Notre Dame). We were blown away by the prior Montreal voyage, featuring Edvard Muench art & accompanying music. We are likely to take Viking whenever possible. Read Less

Viking was highly recommended by friends, and a river cruise you get to see many different towns near the river, and the tour guides tell you the history of each stop. The nice thing about a river cruise is that you have not only the hotel, all the meals, and the tour guides for each port. Relaxing, it was not, because each morning you were up early, first to get your breakfast, then to get ready for your guided tour, most tours started at 9am. Then after the tour, back to the ship for lunch. Sometimes the were tours in the afternoon right after lunch. Some tours ended up quite late, so the dinner was a late one. We saw a lot, however, despite the busy schedule. Regarding the shore excursions, some of the guides were very difficult to understand, especially with their heavy french accent. The cabin was rather small, but considering that this was a river ship, it was adequate for us as we are small, but for large people it would be rather very compact, especially the shower. The service was great. Dining was good, especially the breakfast and lunch buffets. We were disappointed with the quality of the dinners, as for a ship of this caliber, the dinners could use some improvement. The entertainment was not like in the ocean cruises, we had one or two outside singers/entertainers for the whole week. There was a ship piano player every night. We opted to include air as part of the package; From Northern California. Viking did a fabulous job of organizing the whole trip, from getting the airfare to providing transportation to the ship, and meeting us with Viking personnel at the airports. We are already booked on another Viking cruise, an ocean cruise to the British Isles, Ireland and Scotland. Read Less

Chosen because of the locations visited, Nice extension, great hotel location, I have highly recommended to everyone I have shared about my trip. The included and optional shore excursions were wonderful. Met some great friends who we will stay in touch with and visit once home.I look forward to another Viking cruise in the future...cannot wait...am already looking over the mailings. The Viking staff was there for you from the time you land at the airport until they put you on the plane to go home....felt very safe and personally cared for. The meal choices in the dining room were fun and the food was awesome....loved the personal service each meal....the outdoor terrace Aquavit was perfect for a sunny lunch or breakfast and a great spot to lounge in while sailing. Loved the daily information provided each evening detailing the next days activities and even included a city map of the places each stop so we could break off on our own to visit the markets or cafes and really experience the area casually at our own pace when appropriate and when time permitted. Read Less

Overall cruise, April 2018, was lovely but forewarned is forearmed. BTW, I submitted the following to Viking and have yet to receive a response: First and most egregious- On the first evening of our cruise, I misplaced a brand new iPhone X, purchased specifically for this trip at a cost of $1000+. How I lost it, was probably due to my carelessness and I want to say upfront that I strongly believe it was NOT taken from my room onboard. My sister and I had spent time on the top, outside deck when we first embarked and took several photos there. That was the last time I saw my phone until I was able to track it down through the use of technology. That same evening after searching every pocket, piece of luggage, drawer, closet, under bed area, etc. many times over, my sister went to the main desk to ask if anyone had turned in a phone, that mine was missing. She returned to the room to say that no phone had been turned in. I asked her if either person at the desk (a man and a woman) had asked her for our names or room number. She said no. We both thought that was odd. Not one to panic, I went to bed and the next morning took a camera on our first tour. We were gone until dinner. At this point I was feeling anxious, sad, and concerned that my phone was gone for good- the phone I had purchased specifically for this trip because of its avowed camera features and all the pictures I intended to take. In desperation, after dinner I searched the same places multiple times once again. I happen to have an Apple watch which has an icon to touch when you want to “ping” your phone. My sister and I both noticed that the icon was barely visible, and unrecognizable unless you knew it was supposed to be there. I then went down to the desk to ask again if anyone had turned in a phone. The two people behind the desk briefly looked and said no. I was about to leave but asked if they knew if the Apple watch faded icon was significant and proceeded to look at my watch and, to my great surprise, noticed that the icon was brightly lit. So, I asked them if they thought THAT was significant and they both shrugged their shoulders which I took to mean they didn’t know about the feature. Interestingly, the male staff member walked through a nearby open door and almost immediately returned with my phone in his hand, saying it was in the safe. At this point I’m maintaining my composure but feeling very perturbed 1) that the safe wasn’t the FIRST place they looked, 2) that clearly my phone had been turned in and why hadn’t that been announced over the PA system, 3) that had I NOT had the Apple watch, most likely I would never have seen the phone again. I was so aghast that I was afraid of what might come out of my mouth if I started venting so I simply said that I was thankful for a positive outcome. Fast forward to a day or two later, when I found I was still too upset to let things go. I went down to the desk and said what a great cruise but I felt I had to let them know how upsetting it was that I could have lost my phone due to an apparent lack of constructive concern and assistance on my behalf. the head of the cruise overheard my comments and came over to ask who had been behind the desk. I pointed to the woman and said that she had been but the man who recovered the phone from the safe was not there. Later, she said she was taking the phone incident very seriously, however, I have not heard anything since. Here’s the funny thing. I was not at all suspicious of any nefarious intent until the phone “miraculously” appeared and even more so when upon recounting my experience to friends at home, invariably the reaction has been: “They were trying to steal it”. Second My sister and I signed up for the Silver Drinks Beverage Package. We were so busy during the day that the only time we could take advantage was at dinner. That is not my complaint. My complaint is that there was NEVER a wine/drink list offered at our dinner table, EVER. We always had to ASK for it so the scenario went something like this. Waiter comes to table extolling the quality of the house wines (nothing special- one, served several times, was Le Vielle Ferme, a cheap wine available at my local grocery) and pours glasses for those who want it. My sister and I say we have the package and ask for a wine list. 10 minutes later, give or take, the waiter returns with the wine list and goes away. 10 minutes later he returns to take our wine order. 10 minutes later he returns with out wine. We are now 30 minutes into the dinner when we finally get our wine. I spoke to another passenger about this and he said he gave his waiter money up front and got excellent service. Is 300 dollars “up front” not sufficient for good service?! When I returned home and told a neighbor who had recommended the package she was stunned. We had time to have a glass, maybe two, at dinner and often the bottle was removed so we had to ask the waiter to go get the bottle. This also made it challenging to take the remaining wine back to the room which my neighbor had said was never an issue on their cruise. I repeat, we ALWAYS had to ask for the wine list. Did we think we would consume $300 worth of drinks in a week? No. Did we think we would get excellent service and attention? Yes. Were we not recognized as Silver Package people after several days on board? Was it because we are female? Was it because we didn’t pass money under the table to the wait staff? I don’t know. I do know the end result was a feeling of being cheated. Third The trip to Camargue was one my sister and I were looking forward to because of the horses. The Camargue horses are well known and were pictured in the Viking summary of that tour. We didn’t see ANY in the wild. AND spent virtually the entire tour listening to a talk on bull races which was of little or no interest to us. Okay. That’s it, except to say were it not for the problems outlined above, the first and second in particular, we would have recommended the Viking Rhone River Cruise without reservation. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g187265-d628900-r594439529-The_Rhone-Lyon_Rhone_Auvergne_Rhone_Alpes.html# Read Less