This was our first river cruise. We did a 2 day pre-cruise stay in Amsterdam. The Hotel Pestana Riverside was our hotel arranged by Viking. The hotel was nice, and a good breakfast buffet was included. The services provided by Viking are great. All of the ship staff were great. Gavin, the Vidar Program Director, was excellent. The food on the Vidar was very good, and I really enjoyed the breakfast buffet. I was hoping to wowed by the dinner entrees since there are only 190 passengers. However, I would rate them as comparable to the dinners we've had on Princess and RCL. The tour guides we had on our included and optional tours were very knowledgeable. We did the two night post cruise extension in Lucerne. Viking booked us at the Radisson Blu. The room was large and comfortable with an excellent view. I recommend the Viking Vidar to anyone that is looking to book a Rhine River cruise. Read Less

My aunt and I wanted to go to Switzerland to see the Alps after much research our travel agent recommended a Viking River Cruise. I’ve always wanted to visit Amsterdam/Holland to see the windmills so the Rhine Getaway seemed like the opportunity to do two countries that we both wanted to visit. We arrived in Amsterdam and were met by a Viking Representative and taken to the Viking Vidar. Our flight was an early arrival so our room wasn’t ready after an 8 hour flight Viking got us right onto the ship and into their lounge we were able to relax, have a snack before heading out to take a canal cruise of Amsterdam (so convenient within walking distance). Every Country we visited (Germany, France, Switzerland) and the included excursions were wonderful. We enjoyed just sitting on the sun deck, floating by beautiful scenery (castles, small villages, mountains, vineyards, etc). The crew were so friendly and attention to detail was everything I had hoped. I was amazed that after the first day they would know your name. Gavin our program director made sure things ran smoothly when you were off the ship and when we returned from an excursion the Captain would greet you back onto the ship while the hotel manager would have some little treat for you! Attention to detail!! We stayed two extra days in Lucern Switzerland and WOW even then Viking was available if you needed anything. We were sad to leave Switzerland the Alps were beautiful!!! Must take the train to Mürren, Switzerland you will be so happy you did. I highly recommend Viking worth every penny! Thank you to the Vidar cabin steward for making my birthday special. Read Less

This is our second Viking River Cruise -- Amsterdam to Basel on the Rhine River. Our mid-April weather was perfect -- in the 70's during the day and no rain. The food was wonderful, the crew was terrific (knew our names on the first day!) and the excursions were perect The narration by our Program Director, Diana, was great while we were cruising down the Rhine looking at all the castles -- yup, just like the advertisements! We enjoyed all of the "included" excursions and chose one optional -- Medieval Colmar and it was well worth it. Colmar is a delightful cobblestoned village -- right out of fairy tale books. We chose to ride on the "little white train" to get to the main square and it was the perfect way to travel through this village. If you're deciding on an option, try this one! We were busy everyday yet had time to relax and enjoy the scenery on the upper deck. Read Less

This river cruise was a great experience! I really enjoyed the atmosphere. It was a small boat so we were able to meet more people and form better relationships with those around us. The onboard entertainment was better than I had expected. There was great music and activities on board during sailing days and as well as other days. The enrichment programs were very well done and gave us a greater understanding of several different things. The food on board was excellent! The staff was helpful and very friendly. The shore excursions were awesome! We had several great tour guides who were knowledgeable about the areas we visited. There were so many beautiful places and views we saw. The tour of the top of the Cologne Cathedral was by far the coolest thing on the trip that I experienced! Overall this was such an amazing trip and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in going on something that is a totally different way of traveling and seeing Europe! Read Less

Was on our bucket list and was so impressed with all aspects of the cruise, staff, food, service and the excursions. One the nice things about the Viking River Cruise was that it had only 190 passengers so that you got to meet a lot of new people and it made it more friendly. Everyday brought a new adventure and the crew members always had smiles on their faces. They bent over backwards to be helpful and accommodating. The food was outstanding. Always nicely prepared. Wide selection of fare. One night, we even had the opportunity to visit the kitchen and select and serve ourselves. Beer and wine is always available for lunch and dinner and they are very generous and eager to keep your glasses full. I would recommend taking a few extra excursions that are offered. One night, we did dined in Rudesheim. Everybody had a great time dancing, singing to a German band's music and playing drinking games. Also, the extra tour to Colmar, France was moving and educational about our brave soldiers that drove the Germans back across the Rhine during World War ll. Again, it was so impressive that my wife and I have scheduled a trip on the Danube for 2020. If you ever get chance to go on one of these cruises, please take advantage, you will have many pleasant and wonderful memories for the rest of your life Alan Read Less

This was our first river trip and it was recommended to us by AAA. The air travel was on time and the tourist seating was comfortable and adequate. Our arrival time in Basel did not allow extra time to spend time in Basel, and we were excited to explore the ship and our cabin. Arrival on the ship was gracious, friendly and efficient, and we would learn that this is the way of the Viking Vidar. All the crew were there to make our journey most pleasant. The ship was pristine, exterior, public spaces and the cabin. Dining was outstanding, and we were pleased to have the option to eat with our new friends in the bar/terrace area occasionally. Both areas were outstanding, and we did have a great time with our noisy friends! Our rather "portly" Chef assured us "never trust a skinny chef", and he and his staff did a great job. There were enough activities on board to pick the rare "slack" times, led by the outstanding Program Director, and he was with us on our various shore excursions to insure we were in the right place at the right time. Included shore excursions were very good, and we were also pleased with some of the optional excursions we took as well. The Captain (young, handsome dude) was always gracious and ready to answer any question, the Hotel Manager was outstanding and the Front Desk staff were always very pleasant and helpful. Can't say enough good about our experiences on the Viking Vidar. We extended an extra two days in Amsterdam and enjoyed it thoroughly. Now we are trying to decide which one to do for next year, and are looking forward to it. Read Less

We were first time river cruisers. Decided to book for 35th Anniversary celebration. Booked in January for August 30th Cruise. We had a fantastic time on the Vidar! Everything ran on time, flights booked thru Viking and transfers. Bus drivers very courteous and friendly. Crew and staff were awesome. Michael, hotel manager, Chris the program director, Executive Chef Karl were very friendly and accessible! Food was 5 Star everyday! Excursions with very knowledgeable guides who were very proud of their community! Loved the more intimate experience vs an ocean cruise we had in past! ( was not with Viking) Met several other passengers and actually met a couple who live about 20 min from us in NKY! Enjoyed talking with bar/wait staff and learning more about them. Had bonus free concert by German Armed Forces Band in Koblenz! Don’t know that I would change a thing about this cruise. Will definitely book again! Highly recommend Viking! Read Less

The Rhine Getaway cruise was absolutely wonderful. One of the reasons we love RIver Cruises is because we get to see parts of countries in ways we might never, just flying into a city. Cruising the Rhine and seeing all the castles was very exciting. From our Pub Crawl in Colonge, our visit to wineries and walks in the Vinyards in France, the quaint and beautiful village of Colmar to our Mt.Pilatus climb in Lucerne Switzerland, everything was amazing! This cruise provided a wonderful mixure of smaller European towns and larger, beautiful cities. The staff on the ship were amazing and the food was spectacular. Carl our chef was quite entertainting as he would describe the evenings choices for dinner. And, despite the low water levels, we had an amazing Captain who managed to navigate our boat through all different water levels and we were able to stay on the same boat for our entire cruise. We would highly recommend this cruise to anyone. Read Less

Excellent food, fascinating tours, and the river views always worth watching. Tour director made everything better. Highly recommend this river cruise. Might do it again. Always try to have the chef's specials. They are outstanding. Didn't arrive in time to explore our departure city, Amsterdam. Wish we did. The windmills were a highlight of the trip. Take the boat to the windmills because you see much more. The Cologne pub crawl tour was also a highlight. Had a great local tour guide. Really enjoyed the beer. If you need an elevator don't book a cabin in the lower level. Be sure to be on deck when the riverboat is going through a lock and take advantage of the riverboat captain's tour of the wheelhouse. Don't miss the evening talks about the next day's destinations. Wish we had more time to explore Strasbourg and the Alsace region. Plan to take another Viking river cruise. Read Less

We were looking for a cruise that would cater towards adults, provide an opportunity for cultural immersion, and not nickel and dime us every time we wanted to do something. Our Viking cruise met all of our objectives and then some. The staff was amazing and, by the end of the week, we were sad to say goodbye to them. We made new friends on the ship, enjoyed unbelievable cuisine (Chef Karl was a definite highlight of the trip!) and saw ports and cities we would have never traveled to on our own. We are already planning to take another Viking voyage. The only negative was in the notification of where our ship would be docked for embarkation. We explore Amsterdam on our own prior to our Cruise and, intentionally, selected a hotel near to the three locations we were told the ship would be. We were planning on walking with our luggage to the dock and were expecting to receive some type of notification via email of its location. That never happened. It would be really helpful if Viking set up a group text that could be used for notifications such as these. Not everyone would use them as they may not be utilizing international mobile service but, for those that are, the ability to receive important messages via text (changes to itinerary, timing, ports, etc.) would be invaluable. Read Less

EVRYTHING was handled with precision and detail. From the time we were greeted to the airport until the time we returned home. Our cabin was impeccably clean, comfortable and always had anything we needed or for that matter wanted. The boat was luxurious to say the very least and the atmosphere was superb. The utmost care was taken for our comfort and safety both on board the ship and when on excursions. The excursion buses were beautiful and the drivers were amazing and very friendly. Now about the dining..far superior than I expected. I take my dining very seriously as an event almost and am critical of my food, but the food and service not only met but exceeded my expectations. Our chef Karl was knowledgeable, loved his profession and was funny. He took time from his busy schedule when I asked about the technique he used for preparation of certain dishes to talk with me about it and you could tell he loved food and pleasing his customers. Every meal he came to each table and made sure everything was ok. I thoroughly enjoyed the small aspect of the ship and LOVED the open dining concept. We ( my wife and myself) met very many interesting people. Being retired I enjoyed the fact that there were no young children running around. I love kids and my grandkids but not on a cruise of this nature. This is an active cruise, IF you choose. Our cruise director was awesome and I appreciated the afternoon meeting to summarize the day, explain what was happening tomorrow , what the chef was preparing for our dinner and that evenings entertainment. One evening a classic violinist and pianist played for us and it was just one of the highlights of the trip. Our extended stay in Amsterdam at the end was phenomenal. I wish we had stayed there longer. We loved this cruise line so much that we are very seriously considering booking the islands of the south pacific cruise which is 32 days long. I would highly recommend Viking to anyone, you will not be disappointed. Being a USAF veteran and having seen most of the world in a different way, you will not be disappointed, in any way, shape or form with the Viking. It very simply is Phenomenal!! Read Less

Over a thousand years ago, the Vikings sailed their long ships throughout Western Europe. They braved the seas and glided over the river systems, conquering wherever they went. Today, you see a bigger, sleeker and much friendlier version taking over the cruising world. In 2011, we saw our first of many Viking River Cruise commercials on PBS. Okay, PBS doesn’t do commercials (haha), but their short, but memorable “sponsorship segments” on MASTERPIECE and Downton Abbey were nevertheless a feast for the senses. Who could resist them? Remember the aerial view of a majestic cathedral overlooking a scenic river valley with a Viking Cruise Ship passing by? The “segment” continues with happy boomers enjoying a museum, tasting local wines and strolling the cobblestone streets of a 15th century village. But my favorite was when they showed a beautiful and young looking 60-something couple, relaxing in the comforts of the ship’s deck while the scenery moves slowly by. From a marketing perspective, it was a match made in Valhalla. The audience for Downton Abbey was a dream demographic for Viking. Their Senior VP of Marketing, Richard Marnell said it best: “It is our view that successful partners should enjoy growth together, and that is certainly the case for our partnership with MASTERPIECE. Together, we engage with audiences of people who strongly believe in enriching their lives through the arts, culture, history and exploration.” That audience included my wife Teresa and I. We finally got our chance to go on a Viking River Cruise. Being the owner of a marketing firm, I’ve seen a lot of great branding over the last 27 years, but this business brand soon became my all-time favorite. Here’s why… Last October I was watching a recorded episode of Downton Abbey and saw the Viking “segment” again. I went online and called them. The man on the phone was like talking to an old friend. He asked me great questions and listened to my ramblings. He told me about an eight-day cruise and showed me special deals like he was my cousin, giving me a family-special. I was impressed. He said he’d send me more detailed information and gave me his direct number. Three days later I received a Viking River Cruise booklet in the mail. It was beautifully branded, just like their PBS “segments,” and featured an expanded lineup of cruises. So, like any red-blooded American man, I placed the booklet in my private library, otherwise known as my bathroom. From there I took my time to enjoy this masterful work of design and copywriting, actually reading the entire thing. Teresa and I had talked about going on a Viking River Cruise, but wondered if we could afford it. Christmas was coming up and I wanted to get her something special. I called my Viking contact and he found us an eight-day cruise down the Rhine River, starting in Switzerland and going through France, Germany and ending in Amsterdam. I got it for half price and also got a big discount on the airfare. When Teresa got the gift and details, she was blown away. Over the next seven months before our trip, Viking sent us many touches, including our own webpage preparing us for the trip. They provided our personal itinerary, luggage tags, alternative shore excursions and even a checklist of things before we left. Everything was easily explained. When it was time for the trip, we were prepared and excited. Once we landed in Switzerland, a Viking representative met us at the airport and took us directly to the ship. From that moment on, we were treated like royalty. The Viking staff was expertly trained to deliver first class service. After being welcomed onboard and unpacked, we met other guests in the lounge—all adults and no young children. The staff welcomed us and introduced themselves. By the end of the trip, we were on a first name basis, including our host, maid, servers, bartenders, guest service team, music director, chef, and even the captain. There was something planned around the clock. You could attend or not. They even left us a two-page sheet every night under our door that outlined the next day’s adventures and activities. The ship itself was a piece or art. It was beautifully designed for sightseeing and relaxation. The entire place was spotless and sparkling clean. From the guest rooms to the lounges, dining areas, to the spacious decks, every inch of the ship was elegantly appointed. One of my favorites was the espresso bar next to the library that made anything you wanted, in less than a minute! Since my wife can’t start her day without coffee, I brought her one every morning before breakfast. The Viking dining experience was like eating at a five star restaurant. Even the head chef came out before every dinner and explained the menu, which always included a delicious local dish from the region we would explore. Lunches and breakfasts were over the top with selections and service. Evenings had local entertainment and there was always live music. We were pampered and we loved it. And even though we took only a couple excursions out with the guests, we met some great people and a few that will probably become friends well beyond the cruise. We explored the cities, museums, shops and sites like any tourist, but never had to deal with the details of getting there, or not knowing what to do in a foreign country. Everything was so well planned, and everyone on board spoke English, so you could enjoy everything without worrying about anything. Ultimately, that was what Viking did so seamlessly. It was the best vacation experience ever! I can see why Viking is now the world leader in both River Cruises and Ocean Cruises. They do everything from A to Z with first-class care and service. They make sure the customer experience is delightful. And now that we’ve been back for a week, we have received an email everyday offering us special deals on upcoming cruises. At first I thought that was way too much and their marketing was too aggressive. My wife asked if I was interested in another cruise—down the road, of course. She had been looking at the latest brochure we just received in the mail! How dare they send something so soon, like we could even afford to do something like that again! Then I found myself reading the entire piece again, and checking other cruises online… -T Robert Taylor “The strength of brand loyalty begins with how your product makes people feel.” – Jay Samit Read Less

Our cruise was so much more than we expected! The ship, the food, the crew, and the tours were amazing! We loved the ship from top to bottom! Attention was paid to every detail from the warm welcome to the coffee bar to the beautiful restaurant and lounge! Our cabin was stocked with every amenity we could think of and the bed was so comfortable and the view was spectacular!! I think my favorite thing each day was the informal gathering in the lounge before dinner! We learned about what we would we see the next day and THEN the chef would come out and describe our dinner options! (I think I gained weight just listening to him talk!) Every night we dined on local flavors but there were always familiar options like baked chicken and steak! Something for everyone! And the desserts!! WOW! Every day we had local guides show us their cities. They were so proud of their heritage and history and were so informative! This made a huge difference in our experience! We are having so much fun exploring Viking's website trying to decide which cruise we want to do next! Read Less

Details taken care of by personnel so access and departures easy and without stress. Beautiful and clean ship and cabins very comfortable. Had elevators, but steps were so well designed to be low rise and easy to use, that even though I am handicapped, I could use them comfortably! Bathrooms clean and easy to use. Essentials provided without problems (bedding preferences, distilled water for CPAP, well located electrical outlets, etc) and pleasant, capable crew. No concerns about water quality. Food delicious and well presented, comfortable serving sizes. Cookies and brownies, with teabags and hot water, as well as hot coffee and seltzer water available at all times. Dedicated crew members made pleasant accommodations for my access to excursions. Great day comfortable trip vehicles, and good drivers and onboard coordinators were helpful. Enjoyed cruise days on the front deck watching the scenery, taking photos, and talking with other guests. Quite pleasant and relaxing. Overall, a wonderful experience! Read Less

My wife and I arrived in Amsterdam a few days prior to our departure date. We made our own hotel arrangements and had a lovely time exploring this beautiful city. We were advised by Viking that our ship could be docked at one of three possible locations. We were never updated by text or email as to which one, and unfortunately we picked the wrong one, resulting in a very long walk with luggage. Be that as it may, once aboard ship things couldn't have been better. Our stateroom was beautiful and luxurious. The cabin was very well designed allowing for plenty of room to stow luggage . The ship itself was very modern and tastefully appointed with artwork and flowers. The options for dining were fabulous wether it be the standard menu or the regional menu , everything was delicious. The service, be it in the dining room, or the bar or front desk was top notch. Everyone was extremely professional and personable . The ports of call and excursions were interesting and the guides were very informative. We enjoyed this cruise much more than we thought we would and so now are planning our next adventure ! Read Less

My husband and did a European Ocean Cruise on Norwegian for our honeymoon so we decided to go back to Europe for our 10 year anniversary. We had never seen Germany, Northern France or Switzerland so a river cruise seemed like a good way to see a lot of places in a short time. Viking was the most well known company to me and after researching itineraries, prices and reviews, we decided Viking was the best choice. We couldn't be gone longer than 10 days, and I had been to Amsterdam before and didn't care about spending extra time there so we decided to extend our time in Switzerland. I didn't want to be jet lagged in Switzerland so we decided to start in Amsterdam and end in Basel. I wanted a hassle free vacation so we did everything through Viking, and I'm so glad we did. The airfare rates were amazing and I paid the $50 extra so I could have input in to flight times, etc. We were met outside the baggage area at the Amsterdam airport along with several other people and taken to our boat. The rooms weren't ready yet so we sat and had some muffins for breakfast. I wish we had gone through the lounge and to the deck sooner because the buffet was set up for breakfast for the outgoing guests and they wouldn't have cared if we ate there as well. We went up to the sun deck, stretched out on the lounge chairs under the covering and took a glorious two hour nap. Once we woke up, our room was ready and we unpacked, ate lunch, and set out to Amsterdam. I had scheduled our own tour, but Viking also was doing tours so I wish I had known about those ahead of time. I won't get in to detail about every stop, but we truly had the most amazing time. We are in our early 40's and thought we would be the youngest on the boat. There were three couples younger than us and several couples within 10 years of us. We enjoyed everyone we talked to no matter the age. Our room was nice and clean. We had a balcony room on the second floor. We didn't use the balcony much and probably would have been fine with a room with the sliding door. I don't think I would have liked the bottom floor with the little window, but it would have been fine if you were on a tight budget. The food was amazing and I'm a picky eater. They had a great German dinner one of the last nights of the cruise. We enjoyed the free beer with dinner and the free pop we drank at breakfast and lunch. The tours are set up so that you are typically back on the boat for lunch and dinner so you're not wasting money eating out in town unless you want to. The staff was all very nice and attentive. We did all of the included excursions and a few optional ones. The optional ones we did were the dinner and pub crawl in Cologne, the dinner in Rudesheim and the WWII tour in Colmar. We enjoyed them all and it was definitely worth the extra money. There was a lot of walking involved, which was fine for us because we are in good shape, but I know some people were surprised and they had to start a leisurely group. We climbed to the top of the Cathedrals in Cologne and Strasbourg and to the top of Philosopher's Way in Heidelburg to get the view of the bridge and castle. All worth the extra exertion. In Switzerland we did the extension in Lucerne through Viking. It was a beautiful town with the lake and the mountains. The hotel was very nice and in a great location next to the lake. We did the walking tour in the morning and the optional tour up Stanserhorn Mountain in the afternoon. Breathtaking views! We did the Golden Ticket tour on our own that takes you on the boat ride on Lake Lucerne, up Mount Pilatus on cog railway and down by cable car and back on bus. The boat ride was 1.5 hours, which we weren't expecting and the wait to get up the mountain was long. I wish we had set out earlier in the day. On the way back down, we did the Alpine Slide, which was great fun. We ate both nights at La Terrazza. It was the only place we could find reasonably priced cheese fondue, the pasta was great and we loved our server. I would definitely recommend the Lucerne extension. My only complaint about the whole trip that no one could control was that it was so hot!! Europe was having a heat wave and even people in London were melting. We are used to the hot temps in the summer, but we had hoped to escape them. My husband was skeptical about this trip and he has been telling everyone how wrong he was. He's ready to go again next summer, but we have two little boys at home so it will probably have to wait. We have heard good things about the Romantic Danube so that will probably be our next big trip. Read Less

Recommended by several friends. Price was a factor - included a tour at each port - included wine & beer at lunch and dinner. We were surprised that we even got a bottle of water each time we left the ship. Went on the cruise to celebrate our 49th anniversary and also a birthday. We were surprised at the size of the ship, but the ship and cabin surpassed our expectations. Very comfortable. Wonderful to get to know so many people and this, again, was due to the size of the ship. We had the opportunity to speak to everyone if we wanted to. Like how dinner was at one time for everyone. This also added to the opportunity to sit with many people and to get to know them. We are looking forward to another cruise with Vikinig and are thinking of the Danube for our 50th anniversary. Thank you! Read Less

Viking is ok as long as the rivers are navigable. Day 1 the river was too high for the boat to meet us at our embarkation city. Instead of putting us up in a hotel and allowing us to tour the embarkation city we had to wait in a conference room in a hotel for 4 hours after flying 11 hours. Then we were put on a bus for a 3 hour trip to the next port where the boat was docked. Day 2 we were told the river was too low to leave the city. We paid for a river tour of 5 cities and only saw 3. Once we got back on schedule the trip was ok. After missing 40% of our trip VIking offered a $500 refund on a fare that was over $8000. Like other reviews I have read on this website, if there are problems with the water levels on the river then Viking does an absolutely horrible job of accommodating it's passengers. After being in business for so many years you would think that they would have developed a better way of dealing with these situations other than telling the passenger "we are sorry". Viking customer service could not care less. Buyer be ware!!! Read Less

We have experienced the Danube cruise and decided to book the Rhine as we had an awesome time on that river cruise The staff were exceptional, from the captain and cruise director to the staff in the kitchen and Restuarant’s They all worked so well as a team especially when there were periods of stress due to the river conditions The food was great on board, lots of different options every evening The entertainment each night complimented the various activities on board Our post cruise covering Zermatt and Geneva was exceptional. There were only four of us on the excursion plus the director assigned to our trip. She (Magali) was fantastic, very knowledgeable about the subject matter and made these four days an exceptional conclusion to our trip The trips we took while on board were all well prepared, great guides and the places we visited certainly made us want to return to get a better appreciation over a longer time Read Less

The cruise was fantastic. The ship was very comfortable. the cabin was a little small but the balcony was an added pleasure. The Dining was excellent. My husband has a food allergy and the wait staff were very helpful. The breakfast buffet was very nice and the freshly made omelets were very good! The luncheon buffet was was great--nice choice of salads and pasta! The onboard entertainment was nice. The crew as always was at their best. They were friendly, courteous and very helpful. Cruising on the Rhine was a delight--the castles were great! The weather was generally good with one day of rain in the Black Forest. The tours were very interesting. The trip to the Dutch cheese farm was delicious and interesting. The windmills were interesting as well. We spent two extra days in Amsterdam and they were marvelous. The tour guides were were flexible and knowledgeable. I would take the cruise again. Read Less

My husband and I booked the Rhine cruise through Costco which we felt gave us great value with extra perks. I don’t think Costco sells Viking anymore but they should! The trip was great. We enjoyed a balcony room that was very comfortable with a lot of space to put things and move around. The balcony gave the room a feel of being bigger than it was. One couple in our group took the small window room and was at first disappointed. You can’t look out the window and the room is small. Also the window is at water level while the rest of the room is below water. This may put some people off. We however thought that the amount of time you are in your room is so small that the savings may be worth it. My next cruise will only have a French balcony. One thing to note is that at several ports your ship is docked with another ship tied up next to it which negates the advantages of the balcony. The food on the ship is also very good. Every night there were specials along with standard favorites. I tried the special every night and was never disappointed. Our waiter was very attentive and made sure I tried every dish including dessert when I couldn’t make up my mind. Lunch was also good. Breakfast was good the first couple of days but then got monotonous. All the standard breakfast foods were offered but breads and pastries were the same every day. You can only eat so many blueberry muffins. Cookies were available throughout the day and were delicious but again only chocolate chip and oatmeal were offered all week. The coffee was great, so much better than big cruise ships. Now the excursions...we had room credits which we used to prebook extra excursions. On my next cruise I will do research before spending money on these. The included excursions gave you a great overview of the area you are in. Viking uses local guides and they were all knowledgeable and entertaining. Some of the stops were right in the city and you could leave the ship to explore on your own. This was a problem when we had signed up and paid for an afternoon trip. Several times we just wanted time to explore on our own but we were required to leave for a trip that didn’t get us back in time to leave the ship. So, look up the cities and plan your excursions. Leave time for exploration. I think only 1of the four we paid for was worth it. Overall this was a memorable experience that my husband and I would love to do again. I would book with Viking again in a heartbeat. We saw other cruise ships in the ports and none of them looked as well maintained as Viking. Also our cruise had diverse ages of people. There were a few young kids, a couple of teens, some twenties and thirties, mostly late forties and fifties and a few older ones. We passed one ship where the gang plank was covered with wheelchairs and walkers. I won’t be on that one. Read Less

We embarked in Amsterdam and did the Rhine on the Viking Vidar. We had just come off a 11 day Baltic Sea ocean cruise and wondered if a smaller river ship would have enough for us to do for a week. The crew was fantastic! Every day there was something new to explore and on some days, we even got in two ports. Most of the excursions were included. I loved the fact we were not nickeled and dimed all week. I thought the selection of excursions was great and being on the river allowed them to drop us off at one point to keep the commute time to the excursion minimal. All of our guides were professional and knowledgeable of history and you really felt you had a great overview of everything you toured. While there is not 24/7 dining available, the meals were delicious (3 per day at set times) and they had a great selection of wines and spirits. We had a Veranda room and the space was comfortable. The beds were a little harder than my liking, but had I spoke up, they had memory foam that could have been added. They have the best design for showers that we have experienced so far. My only negative comment would be that you were limited to CNN and MSNBC for your news. Both very left leaning and it would have been nice to have had some balance there. The Program Director was lively, always made activities fun, she had a bubbly personality and the Hotel Manager went above and beyond for us. Once in Basel, they had arranged for transportation to our hotel and everything was clockwork. They never skipped a beat all week. We are looking now at a cruise in Asia, will definitely travel with them again. Read Less

First river cruise taken. Looked interesting, beautiful and worth the adventure. Embarkation and disembarkation was a breeze. The staff were wonderful and helpful in so many ways. The ship was relatively new, so everything was clean and shiny. Loved being able to talk with the Captain and First Mate on a regular basis. They were always around (small ship) and answered any question you had. Traveling through 7 locks was quite interesting and informative. Dining was EXCELLENT! Great food, great selections, good wine. The entertainment was excellent also. They had an on-board pianist entertainer that was very good the entire trip. They brought on-board local entertainment at different ports that added to the ambiance of the trip and they were great! Fun on-ship evening activities involving anyone that would join in. The service was top notch! Whenever, whatever. The scenery was spectacular, the Ports and shore excursions - FANTASTIC! I highly recommend this cruise. Definitely booking another river cruise. Might even give up on the ocean cruises (too many people). Love the smaller ship, smaller group and the intimacy of the passengers. Read Less

We chose this cruise to explore the scenic Rhine River, especially the mid-Rhine castles. The German food and hospitality was excellent. What we hadn't expected was how beautiful Basel was. The whole city, but especially the Altstadt, was beautiful, the people were very friendly, the transportation was outstanding and the food was excellent. The Vidar was well maintained and clean. It almost looked like it was brand new rather than three years old. The food was outstanding, the crew was friendly and helpful. Our stateroom was neat, clean and well appointed. Our room attendant did an excellent job. It was almost like he wasn't there except when you needed something or had a question. The ports were well chosen and the excursions were very good to excellent. The small size of the ship allowed us to get to know some of the other guests much better than we ever would have on a larger ship. We liked the fact that there were no children on this sailing. We would definitely do it again. I would do the exact same trip again! We have booked a Viking River Cruise on the Danube from Budapest to Amsterdam for 2019. We loved everything about the trip. Read Less

We spent the first afternoon exploring Amsterdam and made it back to the ship about an hour before leaving port. Amsterdam was full of interesting sights and sounds and we did take time to tour through Anne Frank's hiding place. This was our first river cruise and we loved the smaller ship and the lesser number of people on board. I really enjoyed the sites and scenery of the Rhine river. It is so relaxing to sit and watch the country side go by. The ship was spotless and beautiful as were the cabins. Modern and comfortable and maintained by the staff at every moment. The meals and servers were exceptional. The staff and entertainers exceeded our expectations. The ports and shore excursions were very entertaining and awe inspiring. The Rhine rive and the cities were fascinating. We were accompanied by three of our children. Ages 22, 17 and 14. They all absolutely loved it. We can't wait to book another cruise with Viking! Read Less