Viking Neptune Review

-- / 5.0
Editor Rating
97 reviews

Like the curate's egg - good in parts

Review for Europe River Cruise on Viking Neptune
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Robert-J
2-5 Cruises • Age 90s

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Additional details

Sail Date: May 2013
Cabin: Deluxe Stateroom with Large Window

My wife and I had booked a cruise on the Viking Neptune from Chalon sur Saomne to Avignon starting on 1 May 2013. We were surprised after we landed at Lyon airport to be taken not to Chalon sur Saone, but to Lyon where the Viking Neptune was moored on the Quay Claude Bernard in the Guillotiere area of the city. Sadly not the more interesting Presqu'ile or Fourviere areas as far as sighteeing was concerned. The reason was the ship could not move either upstream or downstream because the flooding river was too high to allow our ship to pass under the many bridges across the river. An "Act of God" maybe, but it was enough to ruin our holiday.

I am 83 and somehwat disabled, thanks to old Rugby football injuries, so can only walk very short distances with the aid of my stick, or at home my electric scooter. Our intention was, as with previous Viking cruises, to sit on the sun deck or in our cabin and enjoy the scenery as it passed by and perhaps to take a slow walk into the towns we moored at on the way down the river. We did manage atrip, whilst in Lyon to Paul Bocuse's brasserie Le Sud. This at least made up a little for our disappointment in Lyon as the food was superb and the wine just as good. I can well understand why his main establishment, a little way out of Lyon, merits 3 Michelin stars

On board ship the crew did their best; they were all very helpful and very pleasant with Susann, the Programme Director, and the equally charming Concierge going out of the way to hep us in a difficult situation. The food was edible apart from a so-called Salad Nicoise, which was a travesty with not a trace of green leaves, french beans or anchovies in sight. The wine was a pleasnt surprise because on previous cruises it was expensive and bore no relation to the area we were cruising through. On this cruise the wine at lunch and dinner was free and was mostly competent Cote du Rhone with no apparent restriction on the amount we consumed.

Cabin Review

Deluxe Stateroom with Large Window

Cabin A

Cabin 319. Comfortable double bed,but only one chair. Small bathroom with good shower though no grab handles anywhere which would have made it much more convenient for the disabled. Good supply of bottled water, replenished daily. Excellent cabin service. Convenient location for the restaurant but quite a long way to the observation lounge and the stairway up to the sundeck was very difficult for the disabled to cope with - too steep and narrow treads to the steps.

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