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We took a Viking river cruise about 10 years ago, we sailed the Rhine from Amsterdam to Basel. We booked our own air, as we spent time in Amsterdam pre cruise to get over the jetlag & also to explore that part of Holland. It was springtime, so we saw some beautiful tulips & gardens. We also then did our own self guided tour (train) of Switzerland, once we disembarked.
I found the cost very reasonable. Every morning we would be in a new town & after breakfast, we would be taken on a guided tour. Mostly we had the afternoons to explore the town by ourselves. I do not recall anyone smoking, on the ship. We took one or two optional excursions also. I thoroughly enjoyed it all. I want to do another one soon, ( South of France) but still waiting for the go ahead from hubby.
I looked at some of the ones that sail domestically, & I thought they were very expensive.
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Thanks for sharing your experience on Amercian Queen. I am considering them for an Alaskan cruise in 2024. Their Queen Victory with less than 200 passengers is small enough to navigate some less traveled areas closer to wildlife and glaciers, stop in smaller ports, and offer expeditions such as kayaking but large enough to provide amenities. My sister wants to go with me but would be bored with a smaller expedition ship while I do not care to go on a large cruise ship. The American Queen cruiseline might be a nice compromise although more expensive.
We have been to Alaska twice; back in 2001 on a vessel with 55 passengers and again last year on a yacht that I chartered.
For us, the small vessel experience was exactly what we wanted. Our first trip was from Seattle to Juneau with stops in Ketchikan, Petersburg, Sitka, Haines and Skagway. Nice to be off the boat is just a few minutes and into town without being in a mass of people. And there is nothing like being up close and personal with wildlife both onshore and in the water. On our trip last year, we had an encounter with a female humpback that swam around us for about 20 minutes; so close that she was hitting us with the spray when she blew.
That American Queen cruise looks to be a nice one, large enough to have nice amenities and small enough to be somewhat intimate. The itinerary gives you a tour of the Canadian Inside Passage and nice stops in Southeast Alaska. They send me literature all the time and I seriously considered it before deciding to do the yacht charter again in September 2024.
I was on a flight to Budapest a few years back and met a woman on the flight who was taking a Viking cruise from Budapest to Germany, I think. Budapest was a gorgeous city. She was well travelled and thought highly of Viking. It wasn't her first cruise with them. I wasn't on the cruise, I was travelling on my own via trains but I saw the boats as I was walking around and they looked fun. The water was very placid and the scenery is supposedly stunning as you go by various castles in Germany. You might look into this destination.
I'm always surprised when people say they "heard" something about a place or an experience and then they write it off, without even verifying the truth, or allowing for individual's different perspectives. The smoking policy on Viking cruises is a perfect example. Viking has the same smoking policy as most other cruise ships, sea-going or river. Smoking is prohibited in virtually all indoor areas and on balconies, and most outdoor deck areas. There is usually an outdoor smoking area on one deck, far enough from everyone else to easily avoid. Some large cruise ships have a cigar bar that has its own ventilation system, and cigar smoking is allowed there. People will often relate their stories which are decades old and far from current reality, or just colored with their own personal peeves, etc.
I can't relate to some of the things people say about their experiences because mine have been so different. Certainly, everyone has their own preferences, but I've never experienced things that others state as an overall fact. Such as the ship anchoring far from the city. I've been on lots of cruises and have only had the ship anchor and tender us into one port when the port didn't have a cruise ship dock. All the others we docked at the cruise dock, and it was often walking distance to the city center. Once in a while you might need a taxi or shuttle into the city, but the location of the docks isn't something a cruise line can control. Some cruise lines do provide shuttle service to the city center. We sometimes take shore excursions purchased from the cruise line. Other times we book our own excursions, or we research ahead of time and utilize public transportation or a taxi to get to our destinations. Sometimes we just walk around the city and take in the sights and atmosphere of the town, stopping into a museum, a street market, or a cathedral along the way. The amount of time in port can vary based upon the itinerary. Sometimes you're in port from 7am to 6pm, other times only from 10am to 4pm.And sometimes you are even docked overnight and can stay in town until late in the evening. It's all based on your ship's itinerary, which is readily available online prior to booking.
I suggest trying it out for yourself and making your own decision. Cruise lines vary in luxury, entertainment, size of ships (even within a cruise line they vary widely), complimentary inclusions, clientele, etc. Shorter cruises will typically be on very large ships catering to more budget travelers and will usually have more families with kids. Longer (and therefore more expensive) cruises, especially those during the school year, will be almost exclusively adults. The more expensive lines often cater more to the higher end clientele with more things included at no additional charge, where the typical line may charge additional fees so you can purchase the amenities (drink packages, specialty dining, excursions, spa treatments) "a la carte". The internet is your friend in this area. You can find out virtually anything you need to know just by visiting the cruise web sites and going through all the pages on there. You can see everything from the deck plans, to sample menus, complete day by day itineraries, shore excursions, the type of entertainment, etc.
Last edited by TheShadow; 04-09-2023 at 06:53 AM..
Not Viking, but we've been on a couple small boat week-long cruises and loved them both. One was island hopping in Croatia and the other a trip down the Mekong River.
With river cruises make sure to read reviews from the time of year you're looking at. Low water can mean bus rides when you'd rather be on the boat.
I have some friends who have done several Viking cruises. They really like them. I know they drink a lot and Vikings’ are all-inclusive but I’m sure there’s more to it than that.
Clarification: Viking is not all inclusive for alcohol. It includes wine at lunch and dinner only. If you want more than that, it's pay by the drink or purchase an additional alcohol package.
With cruising, It's the add-ons that financially get you. Required gratuities, tips for your guides, spa treatments, alcohol, port charges, room service fees, airfare, etc etc etc. Viking does include several of these in its base fare. A few luxury cruise lines include all/everything in their base fare. It makes comparing the costs very difficult.
One personal comment on European rivercruises: all that gorgeous scenery that you're seeing in this PBS commercials? Not really gonna happen. The ships dock during the day and travel at night.
River cruises are a wonderful option for the parameters set out by the OP.
Viking is not the only option. I should check out Gateway cruises.
We had a memorable Danube cruise with that company ; smaller number of passengers, great food and entertainment, new ship, excellent shore excursions. It was less expensive than Viking when we travelled.
Check into Uniworld River Cruises. We took one on the Danube from Germany to Budapest. Wonderful trip. Great side trips, good food, etc. Smoking has long been banned on cruises in Europe. The boat docks right downtown in most cases. The Rhine cruise would also be a great trip.
As far as cruising here in the US, those trips are as expensive (if not more) than doing a European cruise.
Do it, you won't regret it !
I was on a day trip with some friends in Dresden (on the Elbe River) yesterday. I walked over the Elbe River bridge near downtown and the river level looked fairly good, but this is peak Spring runoff season. France and Italy have been in winter drought conditions, and Germany and central Europe have not had an unusually wet winter or spring. August & September are the biggest risk of lower water levels in dry years.
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