Youll find beach towels near the pool areas and also in bins by the security exit before disembarking. Sounds like youve got a great anniversary trip planned, Gary! Sometimes theres a lot of river cruise ship traffic in popular cities. Tech can make travel a whole lot easier. Rosetta. Once youre on the ship, youll learn the times that the ship will be docked in a city, so you can plan your day. If you like tea, youll also appreciate the high tea service in the Wintergarden. Designed and crafted to safely navigate the Lower Mekong River in Viking style, Saigon will carry a maximum of 80 passengers between My Tho and Kampong Cham as part of the . I know the hair dryer is in the bathroom, so that is not an issue. means extensive walking, hiking, or biking. For example, once the crew knows that everyone is accounted for after excursions, the ship is sailing within minutes of the anticipated departure (as noted in the. Have a wonderful cruise next year! Aside from the new safety protocols Viking has put in place your Complete Guide to a Viking River cruise was thoroughly informative, enjoyed the photos and took many notes while reading. Getting my heart rate up while enjoying beautiful scenery passing by while the ship made its way down a river was a win-win. You will find both 110V and 220V electrical outlets in your stateroom. Also, regarding a curling ironI had one and used it and had no problem. Keep in mind, though, that things are not 100% the same from cruise to cruise due, in part, to other ship traffic at the time. So it comes down to how much and what kind of beverages youre likely to consume each day. We have one of those and love it, because you only need to find one free plug and you're home safe. We are planning to do 12 days in a carry-on bag only, so no way could I do it without downloading all the info. Did you use local guides? I didnt read through all the comments, so I hope Im not being repetitive. Viking has guest departures timed to match their future travel plans. Bon voyage! Since there are often different excursions leaving simultaneously. Surge protectors are a fire hazard aboard ships, as they are incompatible with the ship's wiring. Straightening or curling irons are another story. We just got back from the Viking Rhine River Cruise and these tips were very good. River traffic varies and the time to pass through the locks can change based on the number of ships, weather, etc. The power strip supports worldwide voltage. There are lots of smiles and offers of help. I will be on the Viking Sky so joined anunofficial Viking FB group to ask if all was repaired after the incident ~ a month ago (it is!) Queen-size Viking Explorer Bed (optional twin-bed configuration) with luxury linens & pillows. Weve got to get you back into cruising, Janice! Viking isn't one of them.. (You never know where you might find a special type of chocolate:-). your journey, you'll want the . Were celebrating our 50th! The number indicates which ship youre on. Once youve booked a Viking cruise, take the next steps, Once you book a Viking river cruise, take the next steps to ensure an amazing experience, Best Sights to See on Vikings Grand European Tour, Viking Cruises: Best Action Steps After Booking a Cruise, How to Experience Local Culture When You Travel, How to Create Trip Photo Books to Make Your Travels Last a Lifetime. Congrats on your 50th! My first question is, without using the laundry service on board , do you have suggestions on washing items in your cabin? She is also the goddess of consolation and brings comfort and solace to those who grieve, kissing away their tears. Each stateroom will have one or two 115V razor plugs available, generally in the bathroom. Hi Lolly, thank you for the great article and this really prepared us for our trip next week. Use down arrow key to expand the menu and up arrow key to collapse the menu and hit enter to select the link Doing the Grand European Trip for our 50th in May of 2023. Is that a crazy thing to say?! I just took the Caribbean Amazon cruise and women were wearing slacks and blouses, as did I. has a variety of tables that can seat 6, 8, or 10 people. We have extended our cruise to allow two extra days in Budapest, thus giving us four days there. Its not a deal breaker for us, but its something every river cruise guest should be forewarned about. I have the original which is 1 amp and am looking into getting the 2.1 amp since I have a tablet now. TIP: Take a picture of The Viking Daily each evening before heading to bed. Is that possible? Thanks!! Any comments on safety in cities? Please hare your opinion with me. Viking Ocean Cruises provides lovely Freyja shampoo and conditioner (designed exclusively for Viking) in nice, easy-to-handle sizes (rather than mini-bottles). On leaving Amsterdam, check-out time from the hotel is Noon but embarkation is not till 3:00 PM. This taught me to take pictures when I first see a scenic sight just in case I wouldnt have the opportunity again. I would suggest that you call Viking. Good luck with your planning, and have a great cruise! with information on docking and reminders about impending excursion departures. When I returned, I noticed two Viking bookmarks resting on top of the books. Thats where you might find biking or hiking options, or as you mentioned, the Top of Cologne optional tour. What are your thoughts on the Silver Spirits package? The number indicates which ship youre on. For anyone concerned about exactly what electrical outlets are present in a Veranda A stateroom on a Viking River Cruises Longship, this is how many there ar. Most the times we always take the NCL cruise, but this is the first time on Viking Cruise River The Grand European Tour from Budapest to Amsterdam (for our 22nd anniversary).Im so glad I found a lot of information from the article thats very helpful for us for excursions, maybe transferring ships, parallel parked ships and other information. June 12, 2022 . The ships are designed for this to have travelers walk through the common spaces. Just inside is the Lounge where we ate one rainy lunchtime. Another question- my husband is thinking about bringing jeans to wear to dinner, but I thought I read that jeans are frowned upon for dinner. Once everyone was accounted for, we were able to leave, return our life vests to our stateroom, and resume what we were doing. viking cruise ship electrical outlets. It has a 5 feet long braided extension cord attached to it for charging. with an electronic keypad is provided in each room. Bon voyage! We often take a few with us on tours for snacks on the bus. In addition to cocktails, there were some very nice premium wine options aboard Viking, and we had fun trying ones that were new to us. universal travel adapter. The Norwegian Bliss, Breakaway, Encore, Epic, Escape, Getaway, Joy and Spirit have additional US sockets available. Indeed, very VERY helpfulespecially for first time river cruisers. This is by far THE BEST description and information on Viking River Cruises that I have ever read! Powered by Invision Community. Another great feature of a Viking River cruise is the ship's electrical outlets. Three meals are included each day at the following times: Soda, beer, and house wine are available at lunch and dinner at no charge. Only a few bucks anyway. We cant say enough about how well-run and maintained the ships are. There they may board another ship. Viking 1-866-984-5464. Hi Kathleen, For individual tours and dinner reservations, Id let the provider (tour company, restaurant) know what day youll be coming into port. (OK, the wifi in the rooms REALLY sucksbut if thats your #1 problem, you arent doing badly). Lolly just finished the Grand European tour a week ago (Budapest-Amsterdam). We enjoyed relaxing there and enjoying the sights and sounds of being on the ship. We took a universal travel adaptor with 4 USB plugs and 4 outlets and used just one outlet for all of our electronics (smartphones, camera, tablet, and Apple Watch). Have fun! I hope you have a fabulous anniversary cruise! Plus, some travel agents provide onboard credit to cruising clients. The longships have both American 110v and Euro 220v service and outlets. Included is a packet of information specific to your ship (including phone numbers on the ship plus embarkation location information) and an itinerary. The link to this item can be found HERE. I laughed out loud at the comments from Shelly and Mary. (Its not uncommon for someone to forget to scan their card when returning to the ship.). Power is supplied at 110 volts. Yes, I believe there is one. As for money, we used a credit card (with no foreign transaction fees) and Euros (very handy for tipping tour guides and purchasing small incidentals). Without a doubt, we give Viking chefs top marks for the presentation and flavor of the food they serve. That saved precious counter space. HELP !! All longships include both 110V and 220V electrical outlets, as well as hair dryers. Best, Irene, Hi Glenise, Id suggest you talk with the staff once you are aboard to learn of their planned docking times and see what they recommend. Unlike a hair dryer, flat irons dont use a lot of current and most are dual voltage (check the tag). Was our first Viking cruise, so we used your article as a guide. Even with that information, as you mentioned,dockings could be delayed to traffic on the river or there could be delays going through locks. private bathrooms that are separate from the living space. The tips cover all onboard staff. I will miss the free on board laundromat from ocean cruising though! excursion card with a number and a letter. My hair is unruly amplified. Can you please provide the docking location? This is Vikings way of accounting for guests. I have to say though that almost nobody dressed up for dinnerI saw one or two men in sport coats. We also took along some thank you cards and put in some extra cash to give to those we felt went above and beyond during our cruise. We could not have chosen any better than the Skirnir and Viking. Suffice it to say that Viking has this all figured out and has contingency plans firmly in place. We also got a power strip with USB ports for all our stuff. If you have dietary restrictions, let Viking know when you book. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By To the best of my knowledge, every stateroom has a mini-bar. Before leaving a dock, there may be announcements asking for guests in certain rooms to let the staff know they are on the ship. In Southeast Asia the ships use a 2-pin Euro plug. By the desk, there are three plug sockets: one European socket and two U.S. 120V sockets. Better be aboard, cuz they wont wait! I am sure i will have more later but your thread is wonderful. Were planning a Viking river cruise May 2022. We thoroughly enjoyed our Viking river cruise. Hi, Considering the Silver Spirits package. Hi. Some companies may take space from common areas to put into spas and fitness centers; others, like Viking, use all that available space for staterooms and common areas.). We also like to explore on our own, so there were times when we just joined a tour for a while and then told the guide we were going to branch out on our own. I like boiled water first up in the mirning, According to the Viking website, coffee machines with premium coffee and tea selections are available in Deluxe Veranda staterooms and above: https://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/ships/viking-sky.htmlsin the room. Ive not taken a Viking optional tour that I didnt like, but I will say that there are passengers who also book tours independent of Viking due to a keen interest in something and the personal or small-group experience that is available with independent tour guides. LauraS Cruising is a social experience as you chat with fellow passengers on excursions, at the social hour before dinner in the Lounge, and at meals. Im so glad you found the article helpful, Rich! We love most of the optional excursions versus the included excursions but about how much do the optional ones cost? However, the information in this article is from our, The staterooms and bathrooms are efficiently designed to maximize usable space. Lots of good options, just not sure how fast everything could charge if it needed to be all at the same time! Great service sounds like Viking! All Viking river cruise ship staterooms have: The different types of staterooms range in size, available outdoor space, the time for guaranteed stateroom access, and amenities. NOTE: This article was completely updated in January 2023 from the original article, written in 2019. The total time on these outings could be 1.5 to 3 hours. We are not interested in spending a lot of time on buses. I also rarely take precious jewelry on any cruise. Thanks for the great details! Tipping is the universal way to thank someone for providing excellent service and you will find excellent service on Viking. Ive left it out on the counter and the stewards never said anything either. There are large windows on the port and starboard sides so views are available while cruising the river at mealtime. Good to know, I thought maybe the ship would have a 110 & this would work on its own. And Cary Cruiser, all of our itinerary information, airline boarding passes, music, museum audio apps, RS walking tours, language translators, maps, $$ converters, public transportation apps & reading material are downloaded onto our devices. Thank you for your thoughtfulness. Royal Princess plug sockets. Furthermore, this means that you may have to walk through another ship to get to shore or people are walking through your ship to get to and from theirs. It has served my family well. Viking had a sister ship sailing the same journey in the opposite direction from Budapest to Amsterdam so we switched ships. Owned and operated by Viking, Viking Osiris is a brand new vessel, the most upscale ship in Egypt, and the sister ship to Viking Aton. I could have kicked myself for leaving my swimsuit at home when the weather unexpectedly turned warm and sunny! The one exception was the program director, who made the move with us. Also, the onboard staff and the local guides speak English well. Examples were creamy potato soup, Wiener Schnitzel, and Sacher cake when in Vienna; while in Budapest, the menu featured Hungarian Farmer Salad, Fogas Karpathy (perch and shrimp in white wine sauce), and Zserbo (a layered walnut and chocolate cake). We are in a veranda A stateroom and doing business class flights as a bucket wish. Everyone should read this as every question seems to be answered well and clearly! Your advice about avoiding the far inland tours is wise, I think. Super post, Irene. The guests on the other ship, the Modi, got off the ship at Regensburg, on the other side of the damaged lock. For instance, how much is the Top of Cologne in Cologne Germany and is it worth it? #4. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Haha. . We're on the the Kara in a few weeks and just went through this research. Thank you Irene for this information! We were on the Idun (Longship). There outlets will most likely be 220V European style. Having said that, I know that Salzburg is lovely and many people enjoy that excursion. The daily planner for Vienna was the best.one of the stranger transitions from Ocean to River cruising is not having your port times right there on the schedule. One question I have is how you handled local currency in Hungary as they do not use the euro. I hope you have a wonderful time! By the way, the excursions included in the trip are typically large group experiences, while the optional excursions (available at an extra cost) are usually much smaller groups as they are more focused on specific areas of interest. About coffee, there is a coffee and tea station on Vikings river cruise ships thats open 24/7 in the main common space. Oh, Im so glad you had a wonderful cruise with amazing service! You may have only 1 or 2 outlets. As you leave the ship, youll scan your room key to indicate your departure and rescan it upon returning. Viking says they are NOT allowed, but no one will confiscate. The only outlet in the bathroom is appropriate for a shaver. 9 Plug Adapters for P&O Cruise Ships. By Jjg34219, July 3, . A few years ago, we were on a shoulder season cruise in the Mediterranean. Accommodating just 82 guests, she offers the ultimate in comfort. Its also where youll find freshly baked goodies throughout the day. I hope you two have a fabulous time on your cruise! (Youll also receive Viking tags for your luggage.) I dont want to waste any precious time in Amsterdam because this may be the last time we see it. Im hoping that other women will be wearing slacks with a nice blouse for our Viking Ocean cruise to the Caribbean. I have been on 1 Viking River cruise and 3 (soon to be 4-I hope!) There is no fitness center or spa on Viking river cruise ships; the space that could be a fitness center is instead put to use in the common areas and staterooms. My husband and I will be sailing with Viking on a Rhine River cruise (Netherlands to Lucerne) this month and our very first river cruise (during a pandemic). No, Tamara, I dont have direct experience replacing SIM cards. Ive taken mine on multiple Viking river and OCEAN cruises and have never had a problem. In addition, there are quite a few optional excursions available at an extra cost. Just make sure you notify your bank before traveling, so they dont flag your ATM transaction in another country as suspicious! This. Our next Viking cruise is coming up soon, and I cant wait. We noticed that the crew was cleaning the common areas early in the morning, as soon as we left for excursions, and in our rooms while guests were enjoying dinner. Has anyone dealt with thus recently? The tags have the time the luggage must be outside the staterooms as well as the time that guests are expected to depart the ship. By the way, Viking does build in a set amount of gratuities for ship staff (or you can arrange for this on your account before sailing), but you may also want to give a personal cash tip to staff members who are particularly helpful. Thanks all. . The letter indicates which excursion group youre on. Some of these plugs are grounded and some are not. Since it will be November, and Im also afraid of open heights weve opted for the French balcony room. Fayetteville, GA, USA. The excursions provide guests with an array of experiences including peeks into how locals live, how and where they work, and also some privileged access options just for Viking guests. I guess the bottom line is to remember that disruptions can happen whenever we travel, so plan to get the most out of each experience and cherish the time that you get to explore new places and meet new people. Radgrid - A Valkyrie. My hair is very unruly and I am mortified at the thought of no heat styling tools! We received great overviews of a place with the large group tours, but what we remember most were the unique experiences that came from the optional experiences. Alternatives include USB charging stations, multi-socket outlets, or outlet adapters which don't contain a surge protector. 10 Best Adapters for plug sockets on P&O Cruises. How does Viking Ocean cruises treat solo travellers. With all that said, my husband and I did opt for the Silver Spirits package. As mentioned throughout the comments, thank you so much for such insightful and helpful information! I am bringing a few dresses but am also bringing pants and blouses. When it comes to size, even the smallest cabins on Viking's ocean ships are large by cruise ship standards at 270 square feet, and the largest suites measure nearly 1,500 square feet. How early are they available to avoid the rush? The only exception to the no-adapter rule below: Make sure you bring European-style adapters for the plugs, and that the hair tools can run on 220V current (for use near the makeup table in your cabin). Otherwise, we had a brand new crew. There are so many choices of destinations and lengths of the trip. Thank you for your informative article! Aurum Cables 10-Feet 3 Outlet Extension Cord - two pack. As the name implies, World Navigator is a ship well-equipped to sail from one end of the world to the other. River cruises are very popular choices for people who like the idea of traveling to new places in the comfort of a floating hotel. Please note that Viking requires at least 48 hours cancellation notice if you are on the ship and decide not to go on an optional excursion. Enjoy! I'm sure you won't need to plug everything in at the same time, and I'm also sure that if you leave some of those devices at home you'll have a better time on your cruise. The sizes of the ships are designed specifically for the rivers they ply (e.g., they need to navigate the sometimes narrow waterways and any locks along the way). Sometimes the river water levels may be too low in spots (due to the lack of sufficient rain during summer), What it meant for guests was a minor inconvenience. Your comments are really appreciated. We are really looking forward to this cruise and its wonderful itinerary. For a 7-night cruise, the cost is $139.65 USD p.p. Also, having cash is great for souvenirs, incidentals, snacks, or a quick lunch while exploring a city. All guests left the ship for excursions (the times of the excursions were modified that day so they would all be timed for the same number of hours). I had mental pictures of all my photos of me enjoying Europe but my hair looking like it did in junior high. I like a foam pillow so I asked for one on my Bermuda cruise with Viking. Viking keeps track of your expenses during the cruise, including bar items, laundry, phone calls, and purchases from the Viking shop (logo wear and souvenirs). I may just opt for a European surge protector 10 Amps with usb ports like this and this comes in just under 15 oz, but still not as compact as the Belkin: My strategy ended up just using an adapter for the iPad http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004SY5O5K/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and the power strip http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018MEBNG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 for everything else. My husband prefers to jog each morning, and he was able to when we were docked in the early morning before excursions began. Hi Deb, youre just a few days away from your journey. A few weeks prior to your departure, Viking will send stickers for you to wear at the airport when you land, so they can identify you as a Viking guest. Are there computers, or should I bring my laptop? Hi Robin, you pose a great question, but it isnt easy to answer! Ive hand washed some things in the sink and hung them up to dry on the line, and it worked fine. I borrowed some books from the ships library and left them on a table in our room. Needless to say, its handy to have small change for tipping. Hope your sister finds her Viking river cruise everything she hopes it to be. You might also bring an adapter so you can plug this into Euro outlets. (Remember that if you're staying in a hotel for part of. You will receive your final travel documents and Viking luggage tags within three weeks of your trip. That way, youll have current informationand be able to talk to people in the know to see if your plans will work. Often, a crew member will place towels on your bed the night before if youve booked an excursion that might call for beach towels. For a 14-night cruise, the cost is $279.30 USD p.p. Is there a restaurant seating option for introverts? This is Vikings way of accounting for guests. Follow the link below to discover further details about what life is like aboard a Viking Cruises ship.