Overall, a fantastic experience.  Having a full sized Mercedes bus pick us up at the Amsterdam Airport (we were the only two passengers) made us feel like royalty. We were met at the ship by a friendly gentleman named Nicholas Hale. Only later did we learn he was the cruise director! The ship was immaculate and the crew was extremely helpful and friendly. Everyone working on the ship made you feel like their personal friend to the point where you wanted to invite them along on shore excursions. However, they never lost sight of their duty to Viking and the ship and usually had to decline and stay onboard. In retrospect, I believe traveling against the current on the Rhine is a bit of a disadvantage for the tourist. Viking does its best to give its passengers access to historic points of interest along the route but you can't help notice that the boat must fight the current to stay on schedule. The timetable becomes a factor. Perhaps traveling downstream would be the more advantageous route? The food is delicious, the service is superb. You are so pampered you won't want to go home! If you are fortunate to have Mr. Nick Hale for your cruise director you are in for a treat. He could easily have his own televised standup comedy show if Viking had not secured his services. One last kudo to Viking; their use of headset for the guided excursions is a great benefit. They allow you to hear everything your guide has to offer even if you are at the back of the group. Read Less

A group of 8 of us went. It was our first river cruise. The trip was fantastic. The room was very comfortable. If you are a large person, the shower would be too small. The food was aways first rate, as was the service. I took the optional wine tasting tour, which was horrible. The optional tour to Colmar was excellent. Others in our group did the WWII tour, and enjoyed it. Some of the things I wish I had known ahead of time are: 1. Most of the morning tours begin about 8:30 2. Several of the places require a lot of stairs. If you have trouble with stairs, this is not your trip. 3. Most of the time, the cruise line provides transportation into town for your free time. So if you choose not to take an optional excursion, you are not stuck on the boat. 4. Some of the optional tours have long bus rides. Ask about the length of the bus ride if it concerns you. 5. There are fresh baked cookies available most of the day if you need a snack. 6. Bottled water is provided on every excursion. I could not have been more pleased by Viking. The only low point of the trip was the wine tasting. We spent almost 4 hours on a bus to taste 4 lousy wines, and learn nothing about wine making. The guides in each city were very knowledgable and entertaining. Everyone connected with Viking spoke fluent English. Read Less

We have traveled quite a bit but this was our first Riverboat Cruise! It was a wonderful experience and a great way to some of European cities we hear so much about plus some smaller towns that you don't hear so much about. The service, the food, to cabin, and the excursions were all well thought out and executed. We had lovely weather which allowed us to enjoy the upper deck a lot! So nice to be floating along just enjoying the scenery for awhile and then exploring a town without having to pack and unpack or figure out where to eat that day! The locks were interesting to experience and see and the captain and his crew have our utmost respect. We would highly recommend Viking! My only suggestion is to offer bike riding along the Danube as an excursion. We saw folks gathering for a ride while walking to the bus for one of our excursions. Read Less

We had an incredible time on our Viking vacation. We opted to add several days in Prague on the front end , and several days in Budapest on the back end, to an 8-day cruise on the Danube which took us from Nuremberg, Germany......through Regensberg, Melk Passau, Vienna and on to Budapest The land accommodations were first class, and the ship was immaculately maintained. The food and beverages were top notch and germane to the local areas we passed through. The organized tours were staffed with expert local historians who clearly enjoyed talking about the history and culture of the home towns. Staff on the ship, from the housemaids to the food servers to the chefs, to the captain....all went the extra mile to to see to it that we were taken care of and enjoyed the experience. This was our first experience on a river cruise, and I can tell you that we would look no further than Viking for our next one. Read Less

This was my second Viking River Cruise, and it was just as well-run as the first. The staff was amazing - I can't say enough about them, from the cleaning people to the restaurant staff to the guides to the cruise director. Perfect. I do wish the ship had a fitness center, and I find the food on the ships perfectly fine but unexciting. I realize you've got all kinds of constituencies to please so it's probably the best it can be, but I'm from New Orleans where we like every meal to be thrilling! That said, I have no complaints about the food; I just find it somewhat bland and boring. My only other suggestion would be to include more, even if it bumps up the price, in the offshore activities. For example, I'd have liked to have had the option to spend more time at the Armoury, and found what we did see in our brief visit there to be something that should have been included for everyone. I'm so glad I went and hate to think how many people missed out on it because it was an add-on. Oh, and I do have one more suggestion - the music in the Skybar was way too loud and intrusive and repetitive! It would be great if it changed more often and I think would have felt less obtrusive if it had been quieter, and/or all classical. Much of it was pretty lounge-lizard/cheesey! All this said, I had a wonderful time and think Viking really knows how to run things. I'll do another cruise for sure! Read Less

Out Viking Tor cruise along the Rhine, from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Basel, Switzerland, was filled with beautiful sights (and sites), wonderful food, and terrific people. From the windmills of Kinderdijk and cafes of Cologne to the castles of Heidelburg, the beautiful streets of Strasbourg, this trip had something for everyone. Learning how to construct a Black Forest cake or simply catching the glorious view floating up the middle Rhine presented only two aspects of the trip. On board, the crew and staff were thoughtful, helpful, and fun to be around. The food was delicious and not like the overpowering piles found on those huge vessels. The intimacy of the Viking ship makde for a friendly, accessible atmosphere. Having gone as part of the Pied Piper group enhanced the atmosphere in which we could get to know our fellow travelers well enough to create some lifetime friendships. I highly recommend this cruise (and the Seine River cruise) to anyone. If you are queasy about being on the rough sea, there's no need. The rivers are smooth and steady. Read Less

Make sure your passport is good for at least six (6) months after dates of travel. This is required by Russia for Visa as well as Viking. Visa for Russia is a pain and needs to be taken care of well in advance. It is meticulous and EXACT. Use a service unless you are an expert and do it well in advance. You cannot change dates once you get the Visa. This was our first River Cruise with any line. Viking knows how to do a river cruise and do it very well. Passport Control in St, Petersburg took over 2 hours, Customs was a walk through. Viking met us at the exit from Customs in St. Petersburg and everything was great from there until we were flying out in Moscow. Luggage was taken by the crew from the airport to the ship and delivered to our cabin, in Moscow we did have to drag our suitcases from the bus to check in, but... Flights arranged by Viking were very tight for us and we missed our last flight on return home by less than 5 minutes. On return home you wind up going through TSA Screening leaving Moscow, leaving Zurich, and leaving the airport in the USA. Between Customs and TSA, you may miss your flight in the USA of you have an hour or less. OKAY, the cruise itself! Fantastic is too gentle a word. We have traveled extensively on Ocean Cruises on HAL (3 star), NCL, Carnival, and Princess. None of the ocean cruises treat you as good as this. The cabins are much smaller in each class than on an ocean liner, but still large enough to be comfortable and larger than some of the interior cabins on some Ocean Liners. Bathrooms are the same as any Ocean Liner - Control central - you can reach everything while sitting on the commode - yet 2 sinks, not one. Shower only in most of the cabins. Balcony, not just a French Balcony on this ship. Meals: Our chef was from Germany and made very memorable meals. Breakfast and lunch were Buffet, but you could also order special items from the waiters. Dinner was sit down and menu items, always special meals every night and changing every night. If you did not like the special offerings, there were standard items which included Salmon, steak, salads, etc. Salmon was fresh, not frozen, or seemed to be. Steak was cooked to perfection. Wine, Beer, and Soft Drinks (unlimited) were available at lunch and dinner- and I do mean unlimited and you were encouraged to have as much as you wanted of any or all of them. The days in St. Petersburg were wonderful, only optional tour we took was the "Storage" of the Hermitage and well worth it. We also attended the Cossack Show, where Vodka flowed freely during intermission and they tried to sell us souvenirs at 4 to 10 times the price of the other shopping areas. But the show was great fun. All other tours were included and really good to take. Viking did it right here. As we went down the river we stopped at different ports and had tours in each. The ships tours were well worth doing and we did not bother with optional tours at all until we got to Moscow. the regular tours kept us busy and informed. Each little town had it's own charm and just like Ocean Cruises, we could have spent a lot more time in each town. I am not going to spend a lot of time oin the towns because the Viking site does a good job. Moscow. Once again most of our tours were the standard ships tours during our three days. Let me say something about our "three days" in Moscow. The third day is actually departure day and most flights leave in the early morning so there is no third day. We actually left the ship at 0200 - yes 2:00 am for our 6:00am flight. The reason for this is because the airport is an 1.5 hours away and Moscow Traffic is atrocious - traffic ams almost 24/7 is the norm. In fact our plane left over an hour late because our Swiss Flight Crew was late due to traffic. Tours of the Kremlin, Kremlin Armory (optional and worth it) and other ships tours were so good, do them all if you can. One of the best was also the tour of the Metro, WOW!. Shopping at GUM. Let me know if you find the DOWN escalator, please. By the time you return home you will be ready for your net river cruise. We are and Viking is the first one we will be looking at for our next. YOU DO NOT NEED SUITS OR JACKETS - I had a sweater and that was more than enough.   Read Less

I received so many helpful hints from others prior to my cruise that I thought I’d share some highlights from my experience. I’m in my early 60s, an active, experienced traveler in good physical shape. I did this cruise with my sister, who has walking difficulties – she walks with a cane, can go steps, but walks slowly and can’t walk far without resting. So, some of this review will be from the perspective of someone with walking difficulties. Overall, we had a fabulous time and would happily sail with Viking again. However, there are a few small things that Viking could do to make it easier for people with limited walking abilities. Viking does offer a leisure/slow group for city tours and there were several others walking with canes that joined us for these. I did lots of research before the trip to make it as easy as possible and enjoyable for my sister – who had never been to Paris, Germany, or Prague before. I’ve been to Paris and Prague several times and to most of the places in Germany once, so I had a sense of what would be doable for us. For Paris, I relied heavily on Rick Steves’ guide. We had booked Vikings precruise tour of Paris, but ended up arriving a day earlier than expected due to a pilot’s strike by Air France. I had booked our airfare via Delta and received an email about 6 days before departure. I called Delta and easily moved the flight up a day. Some who had Viking book didn’t find out until the day before departure. Viking had us staying at Le Meridien and I booked another night myself. Tip: I booked a room for about $ 350 per night. The Viking precruise tour package ended up being about $ 500 per night. I would have booked it all on my own, but didn’t want the hassle of changing hotels if Viking made a last minute change. I didn’t get breakfast included in the $350 room rate and didn’t want to pay the 20+ euros for breakfast, so went across the street to Starbucks (in the shopping mall) for coffee and pastries. Breakfast was included in the Viking rate – it was good but not 20+ euros good. The shopping mall also has a fabulous gourmet grocery store. Several evenings, my sister was too tired to go out to dinner. I got takeout from the store and we enjoyed that in our room. Found some small items for gifts and bought some wine to take on the cruise. Transportation Tip: If you don’t have a Viking Transfer from the airport, the Air France bus stops directly across from the hotel. I bought our tickets in advance online – the transfer was very easy and I didn’t have to stress watching the taxi meter rise while stuck in morning rush hour traffic. The hotel isn’t in an area I’d choose to stay in, but transportation connections were convenient. Monday, 15 September Our flight came in about 5:30 AM so we arrived at the hotel well before checkin time. I didn’t expect that we could check in – and we couldn’t. Checked our baggage with the porter. I went to the metro station to buy a carnet of metro/bus tickets (a carnet is 10 tickets – cheaper than buying them individually). We walked up to the Avenue de la Grande Armee to catch Bus # 73 to Arc de Triomphe where we caught the Open Air Hop On/Off Bus. Thought this would be a good easy thing to do on our first day and would give my sister a feel for the layout of Paris. I bought my tickets in advance. We had a beautiful warm, sunny day, so enjoyed riding on the top. I wouldn’t recommend this as the fastest way to get around. We were often stopped for fairly long periods of time as people bought their tickets while boarding. We got off to visit Notre Dame here, so skipped this part of the Viking Tour – later in the week. Tuesday, 16 September My sister was very tired so I went out on my own – after my breakfast run to Starbucks. Returned and we had lunch at Le Sud, just up the street from the hotel. Took bus # 73 again to Musee D’Orsay. Let me start here by saying how access-friendly Paris and Parisians are. If you are handicapped, admission to museums for you and your companion is free. Wheelchairs are also free (just need to leave an ID). I knew that walking around museums, especially the Louvre, would be difficult for my sister, the wheelchairs made it possible. The staffs of the museums went out of their way to show us to the elevators – not always easy to find. Wednesday, 17 September We’re officially on Viking tour now and enjoyed the hotel buffet breakfast. Each day, the host/hostess seated us at a table close to the buffet so we didn't have to walk far. We took the Metro to the Louvre – fairly easy walk from station directly into the Louvre’s underground shopping center. I didn’t plan on use Metro much as there are steps and often quite a bit of walking if you’re in a station with connections. (People readily gave up their seats for my sister). Again, the museum staff were very helpful – we were even directed to go in front of the velvet rope at the Mona Lisa, so my that my sister had a great view. Dinner this evening was at the Eiffel Tower. Tip: If you want to go up the tower for a tour or a meal, be sure to book in advance or face waiting in a very long line. To avoid this, I thought about booking lunch. In June, lunch reservations were already sold out for our dates in September, so we splurged on dinner. Expensive (about $ 110 each), but food was great and the view was fantastic. We took a cab both ways. Thursday, 18 September Another morning on my own. In the afternoon, we went to Giverny with Paris Tours. It’s easy to get there on your own, but Paris Tours picks you up at your hotel. We were dropped off at the back, close to the lily ponds – there are steps. We did that first before walking up to the house and gardens. There were benches to sit on to rest. The bus picked us up near the house, so walking was minimized. Note: I really wanted to go to Versailles as I hadn’t been there in more than 20 years, but was concerned that my sister wouldn’t be able to keep up with a tour and if we did it on our own, it would involve lots of walking. And, recent reviews on TripAdvisor complained about the crowds. Also, I knew that Wurzburg would give us a baroque palace experience. Friday, 19 September Decided to take Viking’s morning tour of Paris (I wish they had 1 or 2 busses do this the first day of the precruise tour – kind of too late after you’ve been tin Paris for a day or two). The first part of the route took us through a part of Paris that we didn’t cover on the Open Air Tour. We got off near Notre Dame. I don’t recall if there was a slow group organized, but we wouldn’t have been able to keep up to get to Notre Dame. Decided to skip the rest of the tour and took bus # 63 to Pere Lachaise cemetery to see Jim Morrison’s (The Doors) grave. Used Rick Steves’ directions. I’d been before, but my sister wanted to go and it’s not a far walk from the bus stop and there are benches in the cemetery to rest. We took the same # 63 bus back and got off to visit the Rodin Museum – my sister’s choice. The gardens were lovely with roses and sculptures, but the house was not very accessible – just stairs. My sister was worn out by then – taking a bus would have meant a transfer and the taxi stand was quite a walk away. A woman in the gift shop offered to call us a cab – well worth it. Saturday, 20 September Left Paris about 8:00 for Luxembourg City. We were assigned to a bus with other “leisure travelers”. Here’s a little thing that Viking could do to help – have the bus with the leisure group parked closest to the hotel, ship, etc. While walking a few bus lengths isn’t a big thing for most, if you can’t walk far, it does make a difference – many times, our bus was the furthest one away. Had one stop along the way (bus drivers are mandated to stop for a break). Long lines at the restroom as all busses stopped at the same place. Nice shop to buy champagne, snacks, etc. Arrived Luxembourg City around lunch. With Saturday crowds and some kind of festival going on, it was hard to see and keep up with the guide on the walk to the center. She wasn’t very clear on when/where to meet for the city tour and some people missed it – we only had about 30 mins for lunch before the start of the city tour. We opted for a nice lunch instead. We went to The Chocolate House, recommended by Rough Guide, and across from the Grand Ducal Palace. Beautiful view, great food, and yummy desserts and bought some chocolate spoons to go (you dip these in hot milk for a hot chocolate drink). Stopped by the American Cemetery. Hard to keep up with our guide, but we heard what he said via the Quiet Boxes – what a great invention! Finally arrived in Trier to board the Viking Odin. Fast easy boarding process – if you’ve only cruised on ocean liners, you’ll be amazed at how fast checkin and getting your luggage can be! I booked our tour in December and the only cabin left was on the lower level. There is no elevator down. One flight of steps was ok for my sister. Being on a higher deck would have been easier. There is an elevator from Deck 2 (Dining Room) to Deck 3 (Lounge), with just steps up to the sun deck. If I cruise again with her, I’d go for a higher deck to minimize steps; with someone else, I’d be perfectly happy on the lower deck. We didn’t spend much time in our cabin and I’d rather splurge on something else. Had pre dinner brief by our program director, Titiana (I hope I spelled her name right). She’s an enthusiastic, ball of energy and did a wonderful job, as did the entire crew. Sunday 21 September Had a quick bus tour of the outskirts of Trier to see several Roman sites and then started our walking tour. We went with the leisure group. Had several opportunities to sit down but it was still quite a long walk. Couldn’t go into the basilica (primo Roman site) as it’s now used as a church and there was a service. We had time at the end of the tour to sit and have some hot chocolate. If you were on the fast tour, there might have been time to visit the museum by Porta Nigra. Note, my husband and I usually prefer to travel on our own and we’ve visited Trier before. This is one place where I’d have been very frustrated by the tour – we love Roman archaeological sites and I would have missed a lot if the Viking tour had been my only experience, but that’s one of the disadvantages of taking an organized tour. We had a late afternoon stop at Bernkastel. Did some window shopping. Monday, 22 September Docked in Cochem to visit Reichsburg Castle. Minivans took us up to the Castle and then back down the hill for a walking tour of the town. I asked if we could go up in the first van so that we’d have plenty of time to walk in the town (without slowing anyone else down). The Castle was doable for my sister and we enjoyed the tour. We left the walking tour early to slowly make our way down. We had a leisurely afternoon – watched a movie in our cabin before docking in Koblenz. Tuesday, 23 September I visited Marksburg Castle while my sister relaxed on the ship while it cruised to Brauback– you never have to get off for port visits if you don’t want to. Titania made it very clear that this tour would be difficult for those with mobility issues and she was right. The walk up to the castle isn’t too bad, but once inside the gate, there are places where it’s rocky, steep, and uneven. The afternoon was spent cruising the Rhine and viewing the castles. We had lunch on the Aquavit Terrace and stayed there most of the afternoon enjoying the view. The crew brought lap blankets as it was cool and cloudy to start. There are plexiglass panels at the bow, so we were fairly well protected from the wind. Titania broadcast which castles were coming up so we knew what to look for. Rick Steves also covers this area well. Docked in Rudesheim about 5. It was a long walk into town from where the ship docked. Another tip for Viking – in Rudesheim and a few other places, the ship docked quite far from the center of town. Some of these towns had little tourist trains/trolleys. It would have been nice if Viking could have arranged for these to meet the ship – or offered to call a cab. We’d have gladly paid extra for the convenience. Tip for Christmas decoration shoppers – our first Kathe Wohlfahrt shop was in Rudesheim. There are also stores in Heildelburg and Rothenburg. One of our tour guides offered brochures for a 10% discount. Had a special German dinner on board along with a tour of the galley. Wednesday, 24 September Disembarked in Aschaffenburg and took a bus to Heidelberg Castle. Quite a steep walk to the entrance from where the bus parked. The leisure tour did stop at several scenic places to sit so it worked out ok. Bus took us to the outskirts of the Old Town and we walked to Zum Ritter for lunch (included) – a fairly long walk. We had a very good beef dish but you could order a vegetarian option in advance. A student from the University was seated at each table, but we were too far away to converse with him. Restrooms were upstairs, but Titiana showed us a hidden elevator. After lunch we were on our own and did some window shopping. We were to meet at Zum Ritter for the walk back to the bus. Unfortunately, there is no place to sit on the square – except for restaurants where you had to order something. We ordered coffee, just to have a place to sit and wait. Bus took us back to ship which had sailed to Miltenberg. Thursday, 25 September We had signed up for the Rothenburg tour – I had been there more than 20 years before and would have liked to revisit, but it would have meant a full day of touring which was too much for my sister. Don’t miss if you haven’t been. We had seen some medieval towns, but hadn’t seen a baroque palace and didn’t want to be too tired to enjoy Wurzburg Palace. The bus dropped us off near the entrance. There is a magnificent staircase, but the guide told us where to find the elevator to join the tour at the top. We left the tour after the Palace portion, foregoing the city tour to take more time to enjoy the gardens. We made our way through town on our own, crossed the old bridge (and saw our ship going through the lock) to catch our bus which took us on a short ride to the ship. Our afternoon was free and I walked back to the city. Except for the Palace, it’s not a very touristy town and you’ll find shops and department stores geared towards the locals, not tourists. Captain’s dinner tonight and most people dressed up a bit more – as others have posted, whatever you wear during the day is perfectly acceptable for dinner. A group of men had T-shirts imprinted with a tuxedo – a nice touch. Friday, 26 September A leisurely morning with a disembarkation briefing followed by a lecture on the European Union. Arrived Bamberg after lunch. Took the leisure tour through the city and had lots of time after to enjoy a local beer and do more shopping. Bus back to the ship, our final dinner and I paid our bill after dinner. Unlike ocean cruising, there were few extras to pay for. We added our tips and I had a few slacks laundered – that was it. We had no bar bill. We found that wine or beer at lunch and dinner was plenty for us. We bought 2 bottles of wine in Paris and only drank ½ of one! A note about services on the ship. We didn’t use the services of the concierge, but she provided information about tours and concerts in Prague and would gladly book for any of those interested. We talked with several people who used her to book trips to Cesky Krumlov or a car/driver to take them to other places outside of Prague. Saturday, 27 September. Bags out by 7 and we were to be out of cabins by 8. After breakfast, we went back to our cabin – about 7:30, only to find that beds had been stripped and all towels were gone – a bit tacky, but we still left an extra tip for the cabin steward as she had been great all week. We also had to leave our quiet boxes – not sure why. The busses took us to Nuremberg. We didn’t have quiet boxes and couldn’t hear our guide most of the time. We went to the Zeppelin parade ground, the castle and then back to the Old Town. I liked Nuremberg more than I thought and will revisit if I'm in the area so that I can see more of it. We had lunch at a café on the square – we tried to pay by credit card and the waitress told us that the restaurants on the square don’t take credit cards, so be sure to have cash. The clock on the Church of Our Lady on the square has a mechanical show at noon – wish our tour guide would have told us that – maybe she did, but we couldn’t hear. We caught the end of the show. Bus to Prague for stay at the Prague Hilton. Like Le Meridien in Paris, I wouldn’t choose to stay in this location. But, the hotel is really nice. There are ATMs and currency exchange machines in the lobby so it’s easy to get Czech currency. I’m a Hilton Gold member and the Executive Lounge is probably the best I’ve encountered. My sister was too tired to go out, so we ended up eating “dinner” here every evening (a shame to miss out on real Czech cuisine, but we did have great lunches!). Tip: I had wanted to go to Pivovarsky Klub Microbrewery, 272 Krizikova –about 2 blocks beyond the Floenc Metro. My husband and I dined at their sister restaurant several years ago and enjoyed it. Be sure to try Becherovka, an herbal liquer made in Karlovy Vary. I also love Czech bread dumplings - often offered with goulash - the sauce on the dumplings is delicious. The hotel is not far from the Florenc metro/bus stop, but for us it was a long walk. There is a small shopping mall across the street with a grocery store and pharmacy (walk through here to get to metro). Sunday, 28 September We got new quiet boxes for the tour - yeah! Took the leisure tour to Prague Castle. Disappointed that we couldn’t visit St. Vitus Cathedral (Sunday services again) but we did hear the bells pealing which was almost as good. Saw the end of the changing of the guard ceremony. We had plans to meet family at 12. The bus was going nearby our meeting point and the driver kindly let us off. The fast tour had planned on stopping at the Charles Bridge and the group would walk over this to the Old Town. The slow group would have missed the Charles Bridge part. Monday, 29 September This was the end of the Viking Tour, but we extended one day in Prague and another 5 days in the Czech Republic. We took a taxi to the Mucha Museum (I love Art Nouveau). We walked from there to Obecni Dum (Municipal House) to see another Art Nouveau exhibit and had lunch in their beautiful café. Would have loved to have come back for a concert – it’s a really beautiful building. Walked to Old Town Square to see the Astronomical Clock and then shopped at Erpet Bohemian Crystal – across from the clock. Tip: Someone who used to work at the US Embassy Prague recommended this shop as a reputable place, especially if you want to ship your purchases. We bought some garnet jewelry here, but if I had wanted to make a large purchase, I’d do it here. We probably should have asked the store clerk to call a cab for us, but we walked to the Mustak Metro station and took it to Florenc (near the hotel). There is an elevator at Florenc but we had to wait a long time for it. Someone with a bicycle got on and there was no place for us so we had to wait for the next one (bikes aren’t supposed to be allowed). We had a drink at Hilton's rooftop lounge for a nice view of the city. Tuesday, 30 September – Friday, 3 October We had breakfast in the Executive Lounge – same food as the lobby buffet, but not as crowded. We had arranged for a Hilton car to take us to the airport (800 kc) and the car dropped us off at the car rental place as requested. We drove to the palace at Horovice (my great grandfather was a guard there) and stayed at nearby Chateau Zibrou – very interesting if you’re in the area and want a castle hotel stay and an interesting tour. I didn’t know it when I booked but Mucha spent several years here and there is a nice exhibit of his work. Next to Cesky Krumlov for 2 nights. Then to Putim, a small town outside of Pisek where we visited more relatives. I only mention this if there are any fans of the book “The Good Soldier Svejk”. Parts of the book take place here and a movie of the book was filmed here. There is now a statue of Svejk here as well. Saturday, 4 October Drove back to airport to return car and stayed at Airport Marriott. Since we had a very early morning flight, it seemed easiest to stay here. Very reasonable priced – about $ 85. And there are walkways to both terminals. We enjoyed a good dinner and our final Czech beer here. I hope that some of you find this review useful. I'm happy to try to answer any questions. Read Less

First things first... I'm saving my pennies as quickly as possible to take another of Viking's River Cruises. So how much do you think we liked it? We didn't. We LOVED it!!! I am home-sick for the Viking Var! I cannot think of a single negative about this cruise. Everything was exceptional. My husband would say the negatives were the small shower and the poor internet access (he was dying to see a couple of football games in the middle of the night). So the shower was small but the large cruise ships we've been on the showers were so much smaller. Embarkation was extremely easy and quick and our rooms were available much earlier than we were lead to believe they would be. The cabin was very well laid out but definitely seemed smaller than the photos we'd seen. If I were to change anything about the cabin it would be the addition of another drawer or two. LOVED the 24 hr coffee/latte/espresso machines and the treats. The ship was absolutely beautiful and so very comfortable. We enjoyed the food very much and we indulged too much on quite a few evenings. The service on-board was exceptional. When we left we felt like we were leaving family behind. Our Cruise Director was awesome. So genuinely hilarious and clever. He was a definite highlight! The on-board entertainment left something to be desired but it didn't bother us at all. We were just having a wonderful time. We both got a little tired of cathedrals every place we went but they were gorgeous and historic. The shore excursions were so well done. All of the tour guides were so much better than we had expected (with the exception of the tour guide in Switzerland). We added the post-cruise trip to Lake Geneva. We were disappointed in the Geneva tour and felt it was wasted money and time. We were bored. Next time we would stay in Montreux (which is where our beautiful hotel was) and enjoy the scenery which was magnificent.   Read Less

Pre cruise trip to Lucerne planned by Viking. We were well cared for while there. Met at airport, transported to hotel, side trips available all very well coordinated by Viking. After 3 days transported to Basel to met Viking Tor. Boarded ship, luggage taken to room by Viking, then on to first of many wonderful dinners. Program director lead informative greet and meet to let us know plans for our trip down the Rhine. He also introduced the crew. Each day was filled with side trips, delicious meals, smiling and friendly crew and evening entertainment. The rooms were comfortable, clean and well kept. The crew and schedule were very well coordinated, informative and our days were run like a well-oiled machine. It was a sad day when we knew our cruise was over and we had to fly home from Amsterdam. I would not hesitate for a second to plan another Viking cruise. So very enjoyable and relaxing. Read Less

We spent twelve days & nights crusing the Russina waterway from St. Petersburg to Moscow. I enjoyed each of the guided tours from The Hermitage , the Peterhof, the summer Palace to the Kremlin and St Basil's church. Viking managed to make me feel at home. Each guide, both the tour escorts andlocal guides spoke very good english and were very knowledgeable. The guides managed to make history very relavant and interesting. The mechanics of the cruise were fine. our room had plenty of space , housekeeping did a wonderful job of keeping our room clean and organized. The staff were friendly and always helpful. The food was great! Each day there were many choices that were regional specialties and of course there were also the always present "american menu items available at every meal. This was certainly a "trip of a lifetime" for me and my husband. It was fun to realize that the Russian people and very much like us! Read Less

Wonderful experience on this 7-day riverboat cruise. Thanks to our Viking host, Guillam Van XXX, we had 7 fun-filled days of the French countryside from the River Seine to and from the small town of Roen. From Roen, Viking bussed us to and from the great Normandy beaches and we got a good glimpse of a few battlefields and one of the American cemeteries. Viking did a masterful job of getting us to the small village of Giverny where the great French "Impressionists", especially Claude Monet, did their wonderful masterpieces. While there, our assigned tour guides were incredibly good about showing us the details of the "Impressionists'" art including some short comparisons of recent magazine pictures to the actual Giverney painting locations. We've decided to stop ocean cruises from now on and to focus on the riverboat cruises, especially those provided by Viking. Viking "get's it". Read Less

Not only was the cruise delightful, but every meal was carefully planned to meet my special dietary needs. I thought I would never be able to eat wienerschnitzel again, but the chef prepared if from scratch especially for me. Rhine River: I thought that maybe I would have to stay behind a lot on the shore excursions because of my physical limitations, but they had a "slow group" which was for people just like me (with a cane) and I only had to sit out maybe one castle or two at most. The windmills were majestic, the castle ruins were hauntingly beautiful, the quaint villages were lovely to shop in, and i loved the Christmas stores. We collect Nutcrackers, and we found 3 on our journey!! I will remember this cruise for the rest of my life! Simply Amazing! Finally, the ship was named IngVi. Well, my Mom was name Inge V. and she had this on her license plate! she passed away 12 years ago. She would have loved, loved, loved! this cruise! Read Less

My wife and I have cruised on our on sail & powerboats for 30 years so going on a cruise ship was never an option because of the number of passengers. The Viking Long Boat was just the right fit and we loved the fact that everyone on the cruise got together,in the same dinnig room and lounge, and we were not lost in a huge group of people. We had about 180 passengers and we got to meet many of them. The crew was also small so again we got to have personal relationships. We had two captains,because 1/2 way through our cruise the first one went on Holiday. They were both great and very accessible, as was all the staff. The staff wanted to be sure we enjoyed every minute of our stay on the Ingvi. Nick Hale our program director was outstanding and really made the trip for us. Our Hotel Manager,Heike Murphy could not have been nicer.The Concierge gal was from Poland and was lovely and full of enthusiasm as was all the crew.She and my wife who is half Polish hit it off and she was most helpful in making suggestions for our next cruise. The tours were outstanding. Our pick up in Basel and our off load in Amsterdam was military precission and flawless. The food was outstanding and Nick provided an array of entertainment. As I said we cruise on our own boat so the small accomodations were no issue and the room was well appointed and we especially enjoyed the bow cam on the T.V. House keeping did an excellant job and all of the housekeeping staff were very thorough and extremely pleasant. Dinning was excellant and the fact their wer options of where to eat, especially duringthe day made for a most relaxing time as we watched the shore line pass by and observed the river traffic. We highly recommend Viking to anyone looking for and exceptional cruise and the tours that are provided Read Less

This was our first experience on a Viking Long ship . It was truly a great experience and the upgrades over the regular ships is great. I sure that in no time all the ships with be long ships. The meals and the service has really improved or our previous cruise 6 years ago on Viking. I wished we had paid more attention to the bus rides that we were gong to have as it can as a surprise to us and that maybe partly because we did not get our tour information three weeks in advance as it should be. The shore excursions were all very good but a couple of them could of had more detail in the places we visited. For example we did not get to see enough of Nurnberg as it s such and important place in history. I suppose that this these trips are to tweek your interest and cause to want to return and see more. We appreciated the addition of the head sets for touring they were a real plus. The cabins were nice size with a larger TV than before and the fact that you could use 110 or 220 power was a great plus. We will no doubt be back Read Less

This was a great river cruise for older people. We found this to be the best vacation we have ever taken after many trips to Europe. We knew this would not be the spectacular items of London, Paris, or Rome. Maybe our expectations then weren't as high. We were going to relax and maybe see a few nice sites. We were surprised beyond our expectations. The river cruise was spectacular. The wine country was very nice. Great guides. Great wine. Super chocolate! Wonderful sites. I could live in Avignon or Lyon. There were many great things to see. Walking in the old city was very nice. We had superb guides in each city. They were very knowledgeable and very eager to share their experiences with us. The ship was exceptionally clean and comfortable. The staff was accommodating beyond belief. Some of them became nice friends. The size of the travelers on board made for a nice climate. We got to know more people than usual. The tours were broken down into 4 groups so we always had nice small groups with earphones so you could always hear the guides and be close. You got to know everyone. The meals were exceptional. For eight days there was not one thing to complain about. Everything was perfect! The trip was very well planned by the staff. I enjoyed the opportunity to see the wheelhouse and the kitchen. We liked the aquaterrace and the lounge. I guess I could say that the WIFI could have been better. It was spotty at times, especially through the locks. We were looking for a nice relaxing vacation and we got one along with 8 great tours, great wine, unbelievable food, and many super friends. Thanks Viking for a very well planned and executed trip to Southern France. We cannot wait to book another river cruise. Read Less

I would recommend Viking to anyone interested in doing a river cruise. Everything was fantastic from the day we boarded until we had to leave. The crew were very attentive and every need was met. We even had a dental emergency while onboard and the Program Director Petra and the Concierge took care of everything and then let us know what we needed to do. Cabins were very spacious and comfortable for what we had booked The meals were great. I loved the way that we could change tables and/seats for meals. Never had to be seated at the same table, if you did not want to. The availability to either sit on deck or sit in the lounge area and watch the scenery was wonderful. It was rather nice to be one of approximately 130 passengers instead of one in 2000+. Disembarkation for the tours was handled very smoothly and with not a lot of hassle. You do get your moneys worth when you cruise with Viking. The attention to detail and friendliness of staff and crew is beyond expectations. Read Less

One of the best cruises we have experienced overall. While there was not a lot of river travel, that left plenty of time for shore excursions to get up close and personal experiences at several different Chateaus and other wineries and into the wonderful historic tons and villages in the region. The staff on this boat was one of the best we have encountered. The food onboard was excellent. The tour excursions were all great and the optional excursion activities were outstanding. This was our first experience on a Viking "Longship". The ship's facilities were the best we have experienced. The upgraded balcony cabins were great and the extra room was well worth it. We will definitely plan another river cruise on Viking. Read Less

We couldn't have asked for more. We'd never been on a cruise before and were a bit apprehensive about just about everything: travel to Europe, size of cabin and amenities, food (my husband is picky), excursions (would there be too much walking for my husbands's bum knee), time at stops, etc., etc. Well, everything was absolutely wonderful. We made our own travel arrangements but from the moment we got out of the taxi at the port, we were treated with exceptional service. The staff was always helpful, friendly and always available. The food was magnificent (and there was a large selection to select from), the chef a delight, the excursions were wonderful and the tour guides had exceptional knowledge. There was plenty of time to enjoy all the sights at the stops as well as just relaxing and cruising on the river. Visiting Normandy was very emotional and we were so glad we got there. We have raved about our cruise to anyone who will listen and are planning on going on another with Viking in two years. Read Less

In celebration of the recent retirement of several members of our extended family, we (6 couples) decided to take a river cruise across Europe.Starting in Amsterdam, and sailing all the way to Budapest, we had a most memorable experience. The ship, and the city-stops, were big enough that we could get out on our own when we needed to and yet the ship was small and perfect for when the "family" wanted to be together. While the initial cost was quite a bit to fork over in advance, almost everything was included, such that , other than gratuities for th crew, there was almost nothing to pay for at the end. There was an included tour in every city/port (and we stopped at least once each day) that we stopped at, and with rare exceptions, the included tour was more than adequate. We wanted to travel the "Romantic Road", so we paid extra for that, and we paid for a special tour in Nuremburg. They were both worth the extra price paid. Meals were excellent. every dinner included 3 new entre selections and 3 other staples so that there was something for everyone. There were also at least 3 appetizers and 3 desert options. Embarkation was very easy and Disembarkation at each port and at the end of the cruise were mad easy by the crew. Our cabin was comfortable (lower level) and, with a small ship, everything on board was only a few steps away. We carefully chose this cruise by picking one that stopped at new and interesting places that we wanted to see. We planned our own pre-cruise touring in Amsterdam, and our own post-cruise trouing in Budapest. The VIking cruise allowed us to have this flexibility. The Viking cruise experience was outstanding. We passed on their optional arrangements for air transportation, and pre-cruise and post-cruise options, because a seasoned traveler can do much better!   Read Less

We enjoyed the atmosphere of the cocktail and Hors d' oeuvres in the Chesapeake lounge. The room was set up in a relaxing and friendly manor. The Hors d' oeuvres were delicious they were brought around fresh and hot. We loved the fresh fruit with breakfast the menu selection was excellent. There was something for everyone breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It was very carefully thought out and prepared. The state rooms were very impressive. I loved being able to hang up my clothes with ample amount of hangers. The deep draws in the bathroom were also a plus. We do not like clutter and there was none. This made our state room stress free. Activities and Tours Our favorite tour was Captain Jack's lobster boat. We found it very informative and were very lucky to be on the tour which weight and sold them. We also enjoyed the Penobscot Narrow observation tour. Playing bingo was so much fun. I can't remember laughing so hard for so long. Your Captain, first mate, waiter's and waitresses, the entire crew were dynamic. Read Less

We traveled with 3 other couples, one from Texas, one from Florida and my husband & I and the other couple from Kansas. We had never taken a river cruise before and were very happy with how it went. The staff was very friendly, courteous, helpful and professional. The Rhine River was beautiful with such gorgeous scenery along the way and smooth traveling. The towns/cities where the ship stopped were all close to port and we had some wonderful guides on the excursions. The food was wonderful and the included wine and beer were a plus(since they are not usually included with dinner on the ocean cruises). The entertainment was good and we especially enjoyed the music trivia contest, that our group won! The rooms were small but well thought out as to the needs of passengers. We were very lucky the weather was so beautiful, we only had rain one day. We did an extension to Montreux, Switzerland. It was marvelous. Our tour guide took very good care of us (we were in a party of 8) and gave us great tips to maximize use of our time there. All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and plan to take another river cruise in the near future. Read Less

As members of the Eagle Society, we are dedicated to cruising on American Cruise Lines. The Hudson River Fall Foliage Cruise was our most recent and 4th cruise with American Cruise Lines. We thoroughly enjoy each cruise so we continue to explore their further offerings. Our next adventure will be the Historic South and Golden Isles Cruise. There are many reasons why we continue to cruise with American. The number one reason is that we love the small ship experience. There are always so many interesting people on board. Because the number of passengers is limited, one has an opportunity to meet everyone. The cabins are spacious and very comfortable. The service staff is most accommodating and the delicious gourmet cuisine is a reflection of the area in which we sail. The ports of call are always so interesting. The cruise is enhanced by the presence of on board historians to further the educational experience both culturally and historically. Bill Ewen further complimented our most recent trip with his in depth lectures of the area. We always find our trips with American Cruise Lines to be first rate and will continue to enjoy their hospitality. Read Less

Cruise was very well organized, with daily stops, and tours. Most tours were part of the trip, with a few extras for special stops during the trip. Food and service were excellent, and the staff was just terrific. Any reasonable request was fulfilled. The new Viking long ships were delightful, with excellent accommodations, even though our state room was just below the water line. Cruising along the Danube, Main and Rhine was just delightful. When the weather allowed or that is was safe to be on the upper deck, it was just relaxing to view the wonderful sights along the river. The beauty of this cruise is you could be as busy or relaxed as you wanted. It all depended on your ability to keep up with the scheduled activities. Read Less

This was a first class tour of China. I would rate the 4 hotels we stayed in as 5 star. The Viking Emerald was modern and well maintained. The food on board was excellent. We had one guide who accompanied our group of 30 during the entire trip (she was excellent) and local guides joined us at each new city (they were very good and had expert knowledge of the local area). The entire trip was interesting and Tibet was most unusual and enjoyable. We had a wonderful time. Read Less