Viking European River Cruises - 6 Key Must-Knows Before You Go

[@gcprost]

I watched your video and being a veteran of only one Viking River Cruise (the Grand European from Amsterdam to Budapest) I can say that I agree with all that you said. I would add that Viking does a great job of the before and after. What I mean is, they made it simple to arrange flights and transport to get to the ship and they have options to extend your vacation to other places. I was very impressed with the Viking serving staff. Absolutely top notch in my experience. I would recommend to watching your video to anyone contemplating a Viking river cruise.

[@sandiesing8142]

I have scheduled our first Viking river cruise for’24 . We have been sailing river cruises since the Covid seasons with Amawaterway and America Queen River Cruise lines already. Hubby does not enjoy the small boats. He likes the large ships. I hope Viking will entice him.

[@BandM-bx2hi]

I just finished the Grand European River Cruise and two things I wish I knew before going was the internet is not great and for about 5 days the top deck could not be accessed due to all low bridges in the area where you go through a lot of locks on the Main River and a portion of the Danube River.

[@jasonesler2716]

Did a Viking cruise last year and my family loved every second of it! 78 to 24 years old and we can’t stop talking about it even now! It was a perfect family/50th anniversary trip. This video absolutely hit what it was like to travel with Viking. Well done 🫡 You definitely helped us be properly informed and prepared for are trip. Thank you, thank you and thank you!!!!

[@LMDinNC]

I absolutely loved my experience with Viking. If you like walking, trying new foods, and cultural events, you will enjoy it. The open dining arrangement is a big plus. I met a lot of interesting people, many from the UK.

[@jpaulc441]

I went on a Viking river cruise last year. I pillaged 3 villages and a monastery.

[@poshlady43]

Wow...lol

[@maryjanezimmerman7953]

And you felt it necessary to add this comment because....?

[@Nina-oi1qk]

ha ha

[@lindagreen4744]

@@maryjanezimmerman7953 take a chill pill Mary jane

[@danielmerkoulv7432]

@@maryjanezimmerman7953 bruh

[@hoffmanvirginia62]

We just returned from a Viking cruise. It was fabulous. We did find that people dressed up for dinner the first night but after that it progressively became jeans, shorts, and whatever they had on for the tour that day. People were tired from their travels and not wanting to get dressed up. We overpacked as far as nice clothes were concerned. There was a 15% gratuity included in our plan, but we still struggled with gratuities because I believe that 15% covered the more 'hidden' employees such as in the kitchen and those who cared for the rooms. It was suggested to tip tour guides 2 euro per person and the bus driver 1 euro per person, but it was difficult to come up with the euro coins. The smallest paper denomination is 5 Euro. We bought gum just to get euro coins so we could tip properly. It would be nice if Viking would make change at the front desk. Sometimes we didn't have enough coins and were scrambling.

[@trowan9495]

I agree about the Euros! However, when buying sovereigns we gave large bills and usually got some coins back. However, many passengers tipped in USD and it was happily accepted. I would add that on our GE no one wore jeans ever. Also the servers and cabin stewards don't get a large portion of the pre paid gratuity, so we definitely tipped them extra and again they were happy to take USD. The service is way way above and beyond, so PLEASE tip them!!

[@donnanicholas7108]

By far the best cruise I have been on. Looking forward to cruising again on Viking.

[@markcampbell2865]

Ironically I am on a Viking river cruise right now and Gary is on our ship!

[@thejokerspeaks]

We've decided to give our business to Viking River moving forward, since they were the first to pausing cruising during the coronavirus pandemic. Also with their footprint, future into the Mississippi, they'll have our preference. The included excursions really starts to help justify the price.

[@toric80126]

We just returned from the Danube waltz n loved it

[@deniseclark2139]

Very good information. I've taken 4 cruises with Viking and have two more scheduled. Something to add is there are bottles of water in your cabins, and every time you exit the ship they hand you one. They also have two ships, the Legend and Prestige that operate on the Danube currently, that have single cabins available. Thank you again for such excellent information. 😊

[@spydude38]

Our first river cruise was with Viking where we went on the Danube Christmas Market cruise from Nuremburg to Budapest. It was a fantastic cruise and we thoroughly enjoyed the excellent service, great dining, excellent excursions and touring through the historic region. The Christmas markets in every city were magical. We were so impressed that we're taking our second trip on Viking Ocean cruises this fall to Greece, Turkey and Italy.

[@DrEricRobins]

when one does a Christmas market river cruise, are there typically less excusions/walking/activities? Or can you still see other historic sites, get in lots of steps, etc? Thanks

[@tommyedodson2412]

Having just completed our first river cruise (Viking Delling) your tips and comments are spot on. Would only add that in addition to all day coffee/tea, they also have cookies available (the oatmeal raisin ones were especially tasty). Most of the staff was genuinely friendly, some you could tell had to dig deep (no doubt they work long shifts and taking care of 200 passengers week in and week out can be tiring).

[@hammer-r]

One correction, we were on a Viking river cruise between Amsterdam and Basel last year. There was no age restriction. My daughter of 16 was with us. There were a couple of other kids younger. But the average age was around 50-60. But she was bored most of the time. The WiFi on our ship sucked, no way to say it better. And the other Viking ships we docked next to had similar issues. This made it extremely difficult to send emails (almost impossible) not to mention trying to download your daily videos. Forget it. Bring lots of memory so you won’t have to rely on the WiFi. The only real beef was the gratuity push, especially towards the end of the cruise. While we took care of the girl who cleaned our rooms, they gave us two envelopes, one for the staff and one for the managers. Personally I gave some to the staff above and beyond the direct tips to our girl, but I refused to give moneys to the management for doing their job. I have to assume they got paid pretty well as compared to the actual workers. So no tip for them. Overall we loved the trip, nice to not unpack at each hotel and no crowds like those huge super ocean liners with thousands of people. We stayed in the cheapest cabins, at water level. If I did it again I’d spring for the next level up where we could see more scenery as we traveled. Just a heads up, most of the actual traveling is done at night, so while I thought we would see more as we traveled, we did not. But still a nicer cabin would be better. They are small, pack with small suitcases. Easier to store under your bed. Breakfasts are the best. Lunch is pretty good. Dinners in my opinion were hit or miss.

[@janetray2527]

it's new and just went into effect within the last year. If you bought tickets prior to the new rule you may have been grandfathered in. under 18 are no longer allowed

[@penelopepitstop762]

I've been researching river cruises. I'm 51 and wondering if I'd be bored. I can't imagine a teenager enjoying it. The next room up that you are referring to is the French balcony. That's the one I think I'd pick if we were to do one, but I'm still only browsing. It's so expensive, but they look really nice. For my husband and I it would be roughly $10,000 (Romantic Danube - Budapest to Regensburg/8 Days). It just seems like we could fly direct to London and do a nice 2 week vacation traveling from London and throughout France for that cost, maybe even less.

[@hammer-r]

@@penelopepitstop762 yea I understand about the cost. We were four of us and I think it was around $14,000. But they included airfair for all of us. We booked kinda late and I guess they were trying to fill up the boat. So incentives were used to get us in. The lower deck rooms were the only ones available. Not a deal breaker, considering the savings we got. They had some variability too on arrival and departure flights. Some of us left earlier and my dad stayed longer. I think the limit was 30 days if memory serves me. While my daughter was kinda bored, we made it part of a larger vacation as we have family near Basil the end point. We are actually thinking of doing another one in the coming years, this time to Budapest. Go for it… The sites are awesome. We came from Germany but we saw stuff we never saw before.

[@penelopepitstop762]

@@hammer-r yes, that is a lot of money! Think of what all you could do with that on a regular land vacation. I have two different European trips planned (in my head still, not booked lol) - Budapest/Vienna and London/France. I’m in the US and I think once things get back to normal, we can fly direct for about $600. At least we could before the pandemic. Thanks for all the info. I appreciated your review.

[@unknownindian6531]

Useful review

[@JeanWgraceNpeace6767]

Took my first river cruise with Viking this past September on the Danube. Very much enjoyed it! Well worth every penny. I went with friends. The folks who got the balcony rooms were very disappointed because we parked next to other boats a lot so their use of the balcony was limited. Also, the big suites at the end of the ship (the Explorer Suite) is right where the motor is so the room shakes and it's loud when the boat is underway. The Viking crew apologized but there was obviously nothing they could do about it. Just another warning. The crew were fantastic and I would not hesitate to take another cruise with Viking!

[@pattudball57]

One traveller

[@H.pylori]

Perfect video for those like me who want to know what to expect on the river cruises. No gym? No kids? Would never book the underwater rooms, would be first to flood if hull is ruptured.

[@JoeSchuch]

We did Viking Danube last November... It rained one day, snowed another... and yet we have nothing but wonderful memories and pictures! They took care of us from the moment we stepped off the plane to the moment we checked our bags at the ticketing counter to fly back home. We could not have asked for more! Next year we're taking their China river cruise!

[@susanclose4081]

You forgot to mention that the airfares and transfers are also included. Although they do give a choice to book these yourself. These are great relaxing breaks and I would highly recommend Viking Cruises after being on 3.

[@penelopepitstop762]

Transfers are included, but airfare is not. That is an extra cost. I just looked today and saw "from $799," which doesn't seem too bad.

[@ssimmons0602]

I watched your river cruising video before my sister and I took the Paris-Normandy cruise in March. I do recommend it- both the video and the cruise. We had a wonderful trip on the Viking Kadlin. EDITED TO ADD: I'm a disabled veteran with middling mobility issues and had little difficulty on the trip, none in the cabin with it's walk-in shower. Another passenger was in a wheelchair and she and her family received extra assistance from the staff. However as this video points out, European castles and old cities aren't ADA-friendly. The shore excursions are rated by difficulty which is helpful.

[@tipsfortravellers]

Love that itinerary!!

[@rnptenafly]

I just came back from that itinerary on the Rolf, which I did with my mother. I'm 50 and was on the younger end of the passengers, maybe a handful of others under 50. Mom is an active 80 yo, but wasn't the oldest by any means. The shower was great, almost painful water pressure! The food was very good and most of the staff were excellent, although there were a restaurant server or two that could use some more professional training. What I enjoyed about the river cruise vs ocean was the smaller contingent of passengers and the high staff to passenger ratio. You really got to know people, and my mom even made some friends who live in her same town! We met them for the first time at the airport in Miami. They even gave her a ride home at the end (saved me the slight inconvenience of getting Mom home).

[@ktisafox]

I am booked on that same cruise in July of 2024. I have some mobility issues too. Thank you for sharing.

[@dviate3242]

Did a 14 day Amsterdam to Budapest with Viking, took the Silver Spirits and gratuities packages so no surprises at the end . . great tours, fantastic service from staff (probably the best cruise staff we've ever dealt with) and excellent food. Ship and numbers seemed perfect. We will certainly cruise with Viking again.

[@susan7775]

Five years ago I took our youngest son on Viking from Budapest to Amsterdam-he was 25 then-the youngest passenger by far. He enjoyed it as much as I. We also did two nights pre in Budapest. It’s a beautiful city. Two years ago my husband, brother-in-law and I did Viking Moscow to St. Petersburg. This December, husband and I, two brothers-in-law (both widowers) are sailing Viking in the West Indies. It will be our first Viking ocean cruise. I’m thoroughly impressed with Viking.

[@jamestaylor9258]

At 50, we were the second youngest couple on the cruise, but we had a blast! Service was fantastic, and they make it easy to communicate. They provide a wealth of information on the stops.

[@TxReason]

Your video is spot on -- agree with everything you mentioned. We cruised Viking River in September 2018 and had an awesome experience. Viking really has their act together. Even though we had to "switch ships" mid-cruise due to low river levels, Viking made it all seamless and easy for us, despite the huge logistical issues "behind the scenes." We heartily recommend Viking River and we will be looking to try their ocean product soon.

[@Gosserf4]

We loved out Viking cruise. Highly recommened. already booked for next year.

[@MrJo1340]

I really enjoy watching your content. I have cruised in the past never on a river cruise only Caribbean. You have a wealth of knowledge thank you for sharing your best practices and experiences!

[@koolkat808hawaii]

I did the Viking Cruise from Basel to Amsterdam. What you fail to mention is that , at least on my cruise

[@martinbell3302]

Gratuaties dependent on package, They were included in my package. The drinks package was worth it, unless you have 2 drinks or less a day. Only wore long trousers for the Capt's farewell party. Was impressed going for another one next year.

[@bobcochran2890]

We have been with Viking on the Rhine, the Rhône, the Douro, in Bourdeaux, the Danube, ocean cruises in the Baltics, Southeast Asia, South America, and Mediterranean scheduled for this summer. First class all the way, every time. In warmer seasons, do spring for a real balcony on the riverboats. Try to avoid a stateroom in the very back (stern) , since the engines are back there. But do go, and do enjoy.

[@ThisIsOurRetirement]

Fantastic tips, very similar to what we found on Avalon river cruises. Thanks for sharing.

[@j9cardstock354]

My husband and I are looking at taking a European river cruise next year so I very much appreciate your high quality videos. Thank you. Jeannine

[@tipsfortravellers]

Thanks so much. Great to hear this helped ! Appreciate you watching 😀

[@klmueller8575]

Thank you for this! I am an Expedia Cruise ship agent in Chilliwack BC and I have clients currently interested in Viking. I will send them the link to this. Yes Canadians go cruising too, surprise !

[@tipsfortravellers]

Awesome, thanks. Great to hear you found it helpful enough to recommend 😀

[@angelalandes4176]

We prepaid gratuities when we sailed with Viking 4 years ago. The whole experience was amazing, and the best vacation we ever had! Worth every penny. Going on one of their ocean cruises next.

[@KimInCalifornia]

We took the Danube River Cruise in 2019 (late fall) and we can tell you that we did not miss a balcony. It was really too chilly to enjoy one, but we got the same view and experienced the open door with the Juliette balcony. So, if it's fall or winter, you might not need to splurge on a balcony. When on the trip, we were informed that Viking was in the process of building several new ships dedicated to the Chinese tourist because of the huge influx of Chinese on the rivers. We LOVED our trip and felt nothing but pampered the entire trip.

[@kvom01]

I booked a Viking cruise 4 years ago that was cancelled last minute because of low water on the Elbe. The Moselle and Rhine are safer in that respect because of the extensive lock system. Last year we went on an Avalon cruise, and the advice and information for them given here is identical to Viking. Because I'm a heavy snorer, wife and I picked a cruise with no single supplement on two lower level cabins. The pricing is a bit deceptive here. While the single supplement is 75% of the per-person cost, it's deducted from the double occupancy cost. So you are paying an actual single supplement of 25%. Personally I avoid the balcony staterooms since the balcony space is taken from the cabin. The ships all have a fixed width to go through the locks, so that 3' of balcony means the interior cabin is 3' narrower. The time spent on the balcony is likely a lot less than you'd think. Unlike ocean cruises, you can bring your own alcohol on board. The beer and wine served at dinner are quite good.

[@denisedavis9908]

They have the most thought out bathrooms and room arrangements. Loved the crew. Took excellent care to make your criuse experience enjoyable. Loved the river cruise better than an ocean. If you take a Viking criuse you will not be sorry. They are very well respected and received wherever you tour on land.

[@ogpu1]

Great timing. Was just watching several of your other videos. Keep up the good work. Thanks

[@edf2953]

Excellent video Gary. It is such a nice service you provide as you share your knowledge, experiences and opinions regarding traveling on a cruise ship. I don’t know of any other resource to find the content/information you provide, and your presentation style is superb; always straightforward, objective and to the point. I’m sure that when you cruise and film/edit your videos documenting your onboard experience that the time and effort approaches that of a full time job. Again, many thanks for all your effort and fine productions!

[@tipsfortravellers]

Thanks so much. Great to hear. Appreciate you watching 😀 It is a lot of work and kind comments like this make it worthwhile !

[@MAYNARDS99]

Thank you for showing that river cruise ships dock next to each other, thus blocking any view from your cabin. Note that to get to shore, you may have to pass thru other ships! In addition, beware of river levels. The ships can not travel if the water level is too high, or too low. You may be bused from town to town.

[@garethtemple6242]

We've just booked our third cruise worth Viking. Can't praise then enough. Our previous two cruises (The Grand European tour and the Douro) were two of our best holidays ever. One point to add...most of the European cruises now have the gratuities included.

[@coolbreeze253]

Smiled when I saw you coming down the stairs wearing an O'Neill shirt as I'm wearing a different O'Neill shirt watching this, kind of an inside joke thing as that's my last name.. This is timely as we were to take our second Viking Ocean cruise recently but our ship, Viking Sky, encountered a bit of a "problem" off the coast of Norway which has been well documented. Our cruise a few days later was cancelled. Viking refunded our fare and gave us a significant credit towards any future cruise so we're considering our first river cruise in addition to another sea cruise. I've been very impressed with them.

[@tipsfortravellers]

Hello fellow O’Neill t-shirter! Thanks for watching. Good to hear how Viking handled your missed cruise. Hope you enjoy a European river cruise if you do decide on that!

[@robertcabrera5531]

Cool Breeze Plumbing

[@robertcabrera5531]

Bathroom water fixtures

[@haroldcarlson7668]

Too bad you couldn't use the credit with another cruise line.

[@EdwardTravels]

Great tips. A Viking River cruise is on my bucket list. Keep cruising. 🚢

[@tipsfortravellers]

It was great! Good to have on the list 😀

[@jnjtiger]

Excellent video. Informative, clear, concise, to the point. Love that you worked yourself into the scenes, a la Alfred Hitchcock. Actually helpful, as we can judge the height of various areas, as you are quite tall. Very helpful point about "dress code" so that those considering do not overpack. Thank you again. Keep up the great work. Interested in your thoughts about the ports you actually visited on this trip - highs and lows, etc.

[@anthonymark3771]

Completely different experiences to the previous people. Our Viking trip was great and possibly the best holiday we have ever had. Our Viking crew was great. Food was fantastic and unlimited. Can’t decide on a desert, all three on offer came out. Went on as passengers and came off as cargo. In fact the cruise was so good that our trip on the Orient Express from London to Venice only two weeks later was a letdown compared to the food, service and friendliness of the crew. We were probably the youngest on the cruise at 55yrs but that was not an issue. There was a free tour everyday and these were great. No need to pay for the extra tours. As there were only six of us Australians on board, almost all others from Canada and the USA, we really enjoyed the change of culture (hamburgers and chips were on the menu every day). If you want non-stop entertainment like on ocean cruises then this is not for you. The riverboats are all about relaxing and chilling out whilst cruising along with a good book and letting the world go by. Internet was available to every guest, but you do go through dead spots as your in rural areas, but cruising is about relaxing and being away from the hassles of life like internet and mobile phones. The dangers of all riverboat cruises is that they are governed by the river height and so you can get caught out if rivers are too low as they hit the bottom, or if too high cannot get under the bridges. At least with Viking, they have so many boats, most of the time if the river is high you can swap boats at multiple spots if needed, where as other companies are unable to do this due to lack of boats. If the river is low then it’s buses and motels. THIS IS explained in the brochures and was explained by the travel agent as well. It was at no stage hidden information nor were we or anyone else on the boat unaware of this information when they booked the cruise. Reality is the weather is beyond Vikings control as they don’t decide when it rains or when the snow melts. The trick when booking is to look at the history of river heights and pick a time when the rivers are at their most stable (which is around October). Yes it would be horrible to do a river cruise via bus and motel but that’s why you plan and research the time to do a river cruise. That’s why you watch these videos before you go and not after. Overall we could not fault any part of our Viking trip. Leaving the boat was like leaving family it was that good.

[@darlenecoleman6894]

May I ask what month you cruised? We’re you able to cruise the entire time or did you get moved to a bus?

[@darlenecoleman6894]

And where in the brochure did you read about the buses and motels? My bad for not thinking or realizing about the water levels but I was just so d where in the brochure it was mentioned. I’m glad you had such a great time and I’m looking forward to my cruise this fall.

[@barbaralazier8352]

I am about to go on my 5th Viking Cruise. They are wonderful. My only wish they had a better single person fee. I have no wish to go on a huge ocean cruise. Too many people for me and I don’t need or want all those extras. That being said I am going on a Viking Ocean Cruise Norway-British Isles this fall. I know that I will be well taken care of. I really love that they treat you as you are intelligent

[@dougmacmillan1712]

That was a nice basic introduction. What you left out is how crowded the excursions are and that VRC docks 2 and 3 deep at almost every port. You get a view into the room on the ship next door, which is only a few feet away. If you want some cultural experience, you can stay home and watch Rick Steves videos and get closer to the people who live there. The only interaction with locals is when they ring you up for whatever trinket you just bought at their gift shop. We took an independent trip to Tuscany in December 2015 and a VRC on the Rhine in August 2016. Some friends invited us to join them on the VRC. Our trips were the same length. On the Tuscany trip, we rented a car. We also did 3 Walks of Italy tours, 2 in Florence and one in Rome. We stayed in a lovely agriturismo in the heart of Tuscany and made many friends with the staff. The VRC cruise cost 3 TIMES what the Tuscany trip cost. We had much better food on our Tuscany trip and a much deeper experience. We also didn't have to spend the entire time with the several boorish and obnoxious people we encountered on the VRC.

[@mysavescgf2640]

That’s great if you aren’t solo, can drive and navigate the area plus the language barrier.

[@dougmacmillan1712]

@@mysavescgf2640 none of the things you listed should keep you from having a much deeper experience than on a cruise. We take trips to Europe where we don't drive. We spent a wonderful time in Paris, staying at a B&B that had only one room. We made fast friends with the owners and still correspond. They were a great help with recommendations that took us deeper in the Paris experience than just visiting museums and the Eiffel Tower. Although we barely remember our high school French and know even less Italian, we have never had a problem with the language barrier. We were able to shop in a grocery store in both a small Tuscan village and in a village in the heart of France without having to speak a word of English. We haven't been anywhere that at least one person spoke English. We had great fun with our waiter at our Tuscan B&B. Every morning at breakfast, we would have an English lesson for him and an Italian lesson for us. We were there right before Christmas and ended up exchanging Christmas gifts. There were hugs and tears when we departed. You just can't have experiences like that when you hop off a boat and get herded around and then return to the boat at night.

[@haroldcarlson7668]

@@mysavescgf2640 You don't drive? Language barrier? Not sure I understand this comment? ??

[@websterhays8352]

Doug you are so correct. Lousy food in a cafeteria with a bunch of tourists. Excursions where you are herded around like sheep. So many nice small hotels and you want to sleep open a boat full of old tourists? Not for me.

[@Signs9]

Apples and oranges. Different types of trips for different needs. Years ago I went on a trip over a good part of Italy with my husband. We traveled by train and I had done a lot of research on where to stay and get around. It was a wonderful experience and not expensive. However my husband is now disabled and no longer can travel. So I'm going on my first Viking cruise with my brother this summer. I have been on a river cruise before so I know what to expect. I no longer feel like spending hours doing research and I'm glad that Viking is doing most of the work for me. Each type of trip has its pros & cons.

[@skqq3250]

This upload is so so good. Looking to go in 2 years. Bucket list!!!

[@douglasagee6859]

He is spot on about Viking! Such a great experience! We did the Grand Tour and it was fabulous.

[@richardargst157]

He is spot on? Run, don't walk away from Viking!

[@websterhays8352]

Douglas how much were you paid to shill for Viking??

[@douglasagee6859]

william hamilton not a cent. We had a great trip. We will go again in the future.

[@lightbox617]

Susan and I have done several cruises with this group. If you are adult (not necessarily old) this is the way to go. You can get food (and drink) pretty much whenever you care to. We get the "silver Spirits" package and they lose money on us.. This is a "self selecting" group. Mostly slightly older intellectuals and academics. The tours are very well done. Your description of this is very true but you should be, kind of happier about how great this line is.

[@lesleydickson7746]

Timothy Dingman It is self selecting. No single people I imagine due to their outrageous single person supplements.

[@rnptenafly]

Get a friend to go with you! I went with my mom. But make sure it's someone you can room with in tight quarters.

[@iainurquhart5700]

I went with my cousin (female), on a Nile cruise, flew Gatwick to Luxor, I have to say we paid extra for a larger cabin and toilet, it was a disgrace! There was a lack of storage facilities, and the toilet and shower were terrible. We got to the stage that we did not want to see another Temple we had seen so many, I did enjoy the history of it all, the general staff were lovely, but the tour guides were only interested in tips, and the food was very poor, fortunately the sunshine was brilliant. I would never dream of using Viking ever again.

[@calgal8915]

Glad I watched this since we’re going on a Viking cruise this summer.

[@tipsfortravellers]

Thanks! Next week I do a video of the longships in more detail and hope that helps too

[@calgal8915]

UPDATE: We recently got back from the Prague to Paris tour. Viking is top notch. They met us at the airport in Frankfurt and Paris when we left. The staff was wonderful, I was sick the first 3 days. The restaurant manager came to our room with a menu to bring dinner to me and one of the servers made a special drink with ginger, honey and lemon when I finally emerged. I do have 2 complaints, when I was sick they told us we could take our chances to get a taxi to go to the hospital emergency room and hopefully make it back before the ship left. I opted to stay in bed thinking I had a sinus infection. I felt they could have offered to send someone who spoke German to translate at the hospital if we went. My husband found a pharmacy and communicated by demonstrating my symptoms and brought back meds. The other thing is, I’m the vegetarian in our group and found the dinners not to be very appetizing, they have a heavy meat menu and gave me mushroom dinners too many times so I ate breakfast and a good lunch. I’m glad we did the river cruise but probably wouldn’t go on one again.

[@SigisTravelVideos]

I'm jealous, that's something I wanted to do forever.

[@whittington713]

I’ve really enjoyed your channel over the past two years and have only recently subscribed as I tend to be very selective in managing my subscriptions. I find each of your videos extremely informative and appreciate your efforts to demystify the travel experience for this line of river cruises. On a whim, I ended up booking one of these to tack on to my itinerary following an ocean cruise with another line. Thanks to you, I’ve gained the confidence to be able to create a once-in-a-lifetime travel itinerary that Im looking forward to.

[@patrickmooney4135]

As always, a great video with very useful information just like all your previous videos on river cruising. I'll probably transition to river cruising once I've done most or all of the ocean routes. The only downside I think is no sea days... I do love lazy sea days. Still, I suspect river cruising is on the whole a lot more peaceful and less chaotic than a 4,000 passenger ship. Thanks, Gary!

[@tipsfortravellers]

Thanks! Appreciate you watching. If you are like me then you have a lot of ocean routes to do as I keep adding to the list ! A good problem to have though 😀

[@chrisjpfaff314]

I have been on 5 Viking river cruises. Everything stated in the video is true. Viking is for the older crowd, not for kids at all. If you are looking for nightlife, this isn't the answer, nightlife ends pretty early except for the bar. Food is very good and plenty to choose from at each meal. Cabins are spacious. There is zero need for a balcony with two chairs as the amount of time you have to spend out there is really limited. French balcony is the way to go if possible. All the Viking videos always show people having a grand old time on the top deck out in the sun. That just doesn't happen unless you stay on board when everyone goes touring. The ships sail through the night anyway so except for maybe one day per cruise, the top decks are useless. Tours are always good, no need to pay for any extra tours, the free ones are just fine. Buy cruises when they are on sale, never pay full price. All in all, Viking is very good.

[@bluegreenglue6565]

Very helpful. Thanks!

[@alcogito8287]

I agree that the including tours are great, but occasionally there will be one extra that really entices you. I would not have wanted to miss the Pont du Gard in the Southern France trip. Memorable.

[@aninsatiableappetite]

This is an excellent presentation on Viking. I've gone on several Viking cruises, and on their river competitors, who are also quite fine. I'd go back on a Viking cruise in a heartbeat. I greatly prefer a river cruise over cruise lines with over 1,000 passengers. River cruises get into the heart of a small town, and it's easy to walk about on shore. It's an intimate adventure, and I've mad good friends when there's only 100-150 passengers aboard. I wouldn't strongly recommend going if you are not a decent walker, until you have checked out each town in advance of signing on. Sure one quite adept and strong with a wheelchair can "do it" in any town, however some of the old towns visited are a definite physical challenge with cobble stone streets, steeply rising streets, narrow store entrances (stores may be 300 years old) , inadequate restroom access, etc., if you are not otherwise quite fit and good with balance on cobblestones with your wheelchair or walker, so your experience on land could be quite limited in some towns, and may not be at all limited in others. That's the feedback I gotten from those who have used walkers or wheelchairs for assistance on river cruises. Best to ask specifically about the situation in each town on a trip's itinerary relative to you abilities and needs, before booking it.

[@ruthpearson1306]

My husband and I have been on 3 Viking river cruises -Danube, Yankze and Douro and all were absolutely wonderful. Would only ever cruise with Viking

[@donnaharris8722]

We loved our first Viking River Cruise. We have postponed due to Covid twice. Trying again in 2022

[@debraenguita6552]

Us too! My husband and I are doing the Paris-Normandy trip and the first time we were supposed to go in 2020; then again in 2021, now we are scheduled for 2022 and I am praying that it will not be postponed again! It always breaks my heart when I get the news.

[@iamthecatdaddy]

WOW...Hollywood Style & Video...You really know how to push the limits of your Drone!

[@audracarr9084]

Love Vikings river cruise, been a while, last one was 5 yrs ago out of Bordeaux.

[@DrakesDomain]

Great video. Love Viking. Went on the Christmas markets cruise on the Danube last year and had an amazing time. Going to go again this year, as well as Paris-to-Normandy. Can't wait!!! But yes, I can't say enough about Viking. Excellent service, great experience, great time.

[@tipsfortravellers]

Great to hear you like Viking. I had a great time. I’d really like to do Christmas markets cruise

[@engtchr8N]

Husband and I are also doing the Christmas markets Danube cruise Nov. 24 -Dec 1. He's looking forward to the optional Beerfest & Microbreweries tours, too! Maybe we'll run into you!

[@DrakesDomain]

Perhaps. Hope you guys have an amazing time!

[@joseph-ge5om]

If you want a Great European River cruise IN MY OPINION look at Scenic or Evergreen I did Amsterdam to Budapest

[@davidrumbelow]

Dear Mr Bembridge, thanks for your videos they have confirmed my suspicion that all types of cruising is not for my wife and I. Too many people too close, lying in the sun is a definite no where I come from. I prefer to fly into a city, stay in 5 star self catering, use local transport. Live like a local for a week. For the next two weeks I hire a car , we find a village between two cities and travel to both by car , then move on to another area for the last week and do the same. Thanks for saving me from cruising. Think I would go crazy

[@annademo]

I've been on 2 (Russia and Bucharest to Budapest) and they were marvelous.

[@tarynhunter1564]

Have taken 6 river cruises with Viking across Europe and enjoyed everyone of them. I'm a solo female traveler and have always met interesting people to dine with and enjoy excursions with. If you enjoy history, then traveling on Viking to parts of Europe is suggested. Have fun.

[@edrodgers4581]

Does Viking require passengers to be vaccinated??

[@mikegehre570]

I went on Uniworld instead of Viking at the recommendation of my travel agent. Wonderful experience. Drinks were included as were all gratuities. Some land excursions were optional at a cost, but they offered plenty of included tours as well Liked the complement of passengers aboard and the nightly entertainment. These river cruises are more sedate and not akin to ocean cruising with their offerings. While on the expensive side, the outstanding meals were memorable as was the experience itself.

[@happypenny4433]

We went to China, Egypt, Danube and India with Uniworld. We had the best times of our lives.

[@josemontes7565]

Super informative video! This helps us plan for our 2022 river cruise. Question: Did you use Viking Air? I see their offers with lower fares but wonder what that experience is like. I'm concerned about diffcult schedule times like 5 AM flights, extremely long layovers, having to pay extra fees for all kinds of stuff like seat assignments, carry on or checked bags, being the last to board, or having seats assigned where we don't sit together. If you have used that and can share your experience with Viking Air we would appreciate it. We would be coming from the USA East coast. Thanks again for this great video!

[@lourdesestrada2942]

We had a wonderful time on the Grand European cruise with Viking. We had to take a bus part middle of the trip way due to a blockage.

[@wesleywright6458]

I've wanted to go on a Viking river cruise, for a while. I discovered them while watching Downton Abbey on television in the US. One day, I'll get the courage to hop the pond, I loathe long flights. Great video as always.

[@ingriddubbel8468]

A trans Atlantic flight is only about 8 hours; its not like you are flying from New York to Tokyo.

[@MikasukiKymako15]

My husband and I are booking the Paris and Normandy Viking cruise for our honeymoon! Thanks so much for the advice. :)

[@ponderinghiker]

Thank you for the tips... much appreciated

[@fleageful]

Well done. A very informative video. Thank you

[@richardschroeder9983]

Our last Viking Cruise was on the Elbe we were notified 7 days before leaving that the boats would not be sailing. We decided to go anyway as they offered us 50% off if we elected not to cancel. When we boarded the boat the crew said the boats were sitting on the bottom of the Elbe and have not moved for 2 months. Disappointed that Viking only gave us 7 days prior to sailing to decide if we wanted to cancel. First bus trip we have ever been on.

[@eodnavigator]

Truly a terrific video! Thanks!

[@wareidav]

Excellently presented and informative which has made my mind up on which company to use. Thank you

[@tipsfortravellers]

Thanks! Great to hear this helped

[@ikotmaciek541]

Perfect way for travelling for Old people. ♥️

[@haroldcarlson7668]

Old people mostly get in the way. They slow everyone else down.

[@websterhays8352]

Old people ruin cruises. If you see old people get off the ship.

[@scottdrichard7325]

Can always count on your vlogs to give a plethora of useful knowledge wrapped into a short, enjoyable, watchable time frame. Thank you sir for being my new go-to. This has sparked an interest for me in European River Cruising

[@tipsfortravellers]

Thanks so much. Great to hear. Appreciate you watching 😀 Good to hear it helping you think more about a river cruise

[@bjquilts29]

A good pair of hiking boots are a must for walking on cobblestone streets. Save your feet and legs, wear the right shoes. Viking is the best.

[@richardschroeder9983]

Did the Paris to Zurich on Mosel & Rhine cruise spending 2 days in Paris with added trip to The foot of the Eiger in the Swiss Alps with a stop at Interlaken Switzerland with 2 days in Zurich. Excellent trip.

[@tomblevins5020]

1:39. Are you kidding? So cramped. Why not stay in hotel???

[@marycarla6245]

I was looking at Viking so this was really helpful. Plus, I like the guy's voice. Sometimes folks on these videos have very annoying voices or accents that are hard to listen to. His is nice and moderated, plus with his British accent, easy to understand!

[@tipsfortravellers]

Thanks 😊

[@chriswilliams6568]

Mary Carla Yea Gary is very good, and so is Visit With Us, he also has a pleasant British voice.

[@adijayaification]

Having river cruise experiences; One of my goals

[@maryjanezimmerman7953]

Just do it! Life is short. Besides, just as in the 1930s, people who delayed their European travel found it off limits to them for 15 years, till WW 2 ended. With the crazy way things are going internationally, it could happen again. And if anything breaks out while you ARE abroad, you are far safer with Viking than you would be on your own, or with another tour.

[@haroldcarlson7668]

Yes! Do it, but not with Viking!

[@bjquilts29]

Viking is the very best in cruising! No other way to go!

[@garyschoofs4038]

Did the Amsterdam to Budapest cruise. What they don’t tell you is that whenever you go through a lock (there were 68 of them on our journey!) or under a low bridge, they close off the topmost (“sun”) deck to passengers. Going through a lock takes anywhere from 30-40 min. So you are restricted to only 2 decks for a good portion of your on board time.

[@lollyvolk7544]

My family and I are considering a river cruise with Viking this year. We have done two river cruises with UniWorld and were quite impressed. We did face a water issue on our Danube trip with them. Unfortunately, we spent a good deal of traveling time on a tour bus in lieu of traveling on the Danube. We also had to change ships on our final night in Budapest. Quite a major disappointment for us. Based on what I am reading, I want to give Viking a try. I believe the gratuities were included with UniWorld but their prices are also higher.

[@edegidijuskas4030]

Remember gratuities. For a waiter it is about 300 eur for 7 day cruise for couple. Around 20-25 eur/day.

[@camf7522]

I would highly recommend Uniworld River Cruises.

[@rnptenafly]

Cam F we saw one of their ships when it was double parked with ours in Rouen. The lobby certainly looked more luxurious, but that's all I was able to personally see.

[@topper18x]

Greetings, Gary, from another Canadian viewer. Your vlogs are wonderfully informative and to the point! My husband and I will be taking out first Viking River cruise (St Petersburg to Moscow) in September. This past fall, we sailed on the Viking Sky and had a fabulous time. Many thanks for your great tips!

[@TomSavarese1]

Excellent presentation~!

[@paulangier6701]

Thanks! This was very informative and makes me even more excited about our upcoming cruise

[@websterhays8352]

Robert you are asking some great questions. I wish someone would answer them

[@brenwyatt9324]

We went on a cruise from regenburg to Budapest last year it was awsome nothing was 2 much trouble for the staff on board. Would love to go again .

[@TheOneTrueGriswel]

Thanks, very timely for us as we'll be booking our cruise in the next few months.

[@tipsfortravellers]

Great! Good to hear. 😀

[@maryjanezimmerman7953]

Don't tarry! They are already taking bookings for 2022.

[@lynnmanning2991]

We did a fabulous cruise with Viking along the Douro but I wouldn’t do one again. We paid for a balcony but 6 nights out of 7 we were parked against another ship and had to keep the curtains closed and light on to get ready for dinner and breakfast which spoilt it quite a bit. The ship and the staff were excellent though.

[@jacobbiton3928]

Thank you for very good information. From the inquiries I made, they do not allow guests who have difficulty with mobility to use an electric wheelchair or a scooter. This is very frustrating because there are people who only need the scooter when going on trips and for longer distances, while on the ship, they are able to walk with crutches and manage without the scooter.

[@philhewett1601]

Dress code comments were very curious. Casual the code for the day. Many people wore jeans no matter what time of day (or meal). Personally, I never wore trousers that weren't jeans...others did as well and there was no push back. My wife and I enjoyed the Viking experience very much(we are in our 60s and 70s). The Rhein River cruise from Amsterdam to Basel was delightful.

[@tipsfortravellers]

The enforcement of their dress code is not often done and most passengers happy with that, as you say!

[@itsdeclan7733]

My wife and I are going on a Viking cruise in May. Just found out about the tipping policy. I've worked in the hospitality industry all my life and mandatory tipping is a disaster for both the customer and good staff. Employers love it though because it subsidises their payroll.

[@michaelskene5240]

Great vid. We’re going in may Can’t wait looks great.

[@websterhays8352]

You got lucky Michael when your trip was cancelled.

[@richardschroeder9983]

On our Amsterdam to Basel trip we elected to do 2 days pre trip in Amsterdam on our own and had a great time in Amsterdam. Cruise was excellent but we did not extend in Basel and should have. We ended up having to get off the ship at 3:00 AM. to go to Airport. We were docked next to another boat and when we exited the boat we had to go to the top deck cross over a small walkway the top deck of the next ship and down their exterior stairway in the dark. Vikings advertising listed we would see Basel. I did not consider seeing Basel at 3:00 am out the window of a bus on the way to the airport as a real plus. Should have extended a couple of days in Basel too.

[@mysavescgf2640]

Wow! That’s pretty bad. Ships must have gotten backed up or a lock wasn’t working properly to disembark at 3 AM. Yes, I would also think they would have a post-trip in Basel.

[@jimusher5574]

Great video!!! My wife and I have already made reservations for next July with Viking. Can't wait.

[@richardargst157]

Jim you got lucky and your cruise was cancelled.

[@kellyturner9743]

@@richardargst157 what is it exactly about Viking you dislike? I've seen several negative remarks, but with no facts or comments for follow up?

[@richardargst157]

@@kellyturner9743 Are you kidding? Read my comments again. My comments are very specific and my observations are mine.

[@phillipleboa5251]

I JUST LOVE YOUR CHANNEL !!!!!!!!!!! :)

[@wecandobetter9821]

We did the cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest. Viking does everything first class. My only issue was the allotted time allocated for shore excursions. Other than that we had a great time and are planning our next vacation with them.

[@Mrbeahz1]

A few corrections/additions: Not all ships have elevators, nor mini-golf. But they might have maxi-chess and more varied meals, especially breakfasts.